What is your role at Churchill and what does it involve day to day?
I am the HR business partner for the London region. I support the region to drive our People Agenda, to ensure we are inclusive and that people are at the heart of what we do. I also work with the leadership team to develop and grow our people and to set them up on a successful career path and support operational teams with their strategic and operational needs.
How did you find your way into FM? (Tell us a bit about your background)
After I left school I spent five years as an ‘office junior’ in a small, family-run contract cleaning company. When I decided I needed a change, I stayed in FM but moved into hard services, which was building maintenance within a research facility. I continued to develop my career in HR there over the next 11 years. Then I spread my wings and moved into the pharmacy industry. I stayed for six years but I felt like a fish out of water and knew I needed to get back into FM.
What is your favourite thing about your job/the industry?
I love seeing people grow and fulfil their potential in a really fast-paced, challenging environment and there are so many opportunities for personal growth. FM is such a diverse industry it allows us to meet many different types of clients.
As a woman in FM, what are your biggest frustrations?
I can honestly say that gender has not been an issue for me. I think Churchill celebrates diversity and I see many female senior leaders in our business. This encourages me to be a good role model for other women who would like to join the industry.
What are your key predictions for/the biggest issues facing the FM market over the next year?
Recruitment has been a huge challenge for us in this industry after the pandemic and Brexit. FM will continue to play a huge part in all industries in the future, so our recruitment drive is now more important than ever.
Are you interested in reading more from the Women in FM series?
- Bianca Angelico
- Rebecca Bridgement
- Naomi Childe
- Louisa Clarke
- Hilary Collins
- Simone Dewell
- Daniela Eigner
- Mabel Fourie
- Charlene Gachette
- Kat Hart
- Karen Magor
- Sarah McLoed
- Lizzie Neave
- Ana Nikolova
- Charlotte Parr
- Jodie Phillips-Turner
- Louise Rogers
- Cheryl-Anne Sanderson
- Isabella Williams
- Nadia Williams