One of our values at Sonin is ‘We Care’. This encompasses our clients and our colleagues. We believe that we give a better service and build a better team when our people are well supported. Our People Team live and breathe this value. They are there through training, support, setting clear goals, functioning processes, and providing regular feedback. Also, of course, protecting the business and client interests by ensuring we are up to date and compliant with legislation.
We met up with one of our colleagues from the People Team to find out more about what they do behind the scenes to support us so that we can build and deliver the right product for our clients.
What are the People Team’s main responsibilities?
We have a range! Primarily, we have a responsibility to our employees, the business and our clients’ needs.
Part of what we do is support managers to better lead and manage their teams to be able to do the best they can for our clients. We need to ensure that our employees can get the information and assistance they need, not only to do their job but also to feel comfortable to ask for help and motivate them to learn and grow as professionals. Also, making sure our colleagues are safe at work, with both in their wellbeing and by our Health and Safety guidelines.
In recruitment, as an example, we work closely with the hiring manager to understand the skills, experience and knowledge needed for their team. We can then help them hire the right person for the role. Then, we assist our colleagues through onboarding, training and throughout their time at work to perform to the best of their ability. Well-motivated and well supported staff help us to build the right product and deliver the right service to our clients.
What skills and qualities are important for the People Team?
Our job is a variety of administration and working with people, so it’s important to have a mixture of those “soft” and “hard” skills.
Two valuable qualities are interpersonal skills and active listening. Being able to listen, understand and communicate effectively is vital to ensure we can find a solution or support for our colleagues. Also, collaborating with managers so that they can support, guide and motivate their teams.
Another part of that is compassion and empathy. As in the name, the ‘People Team’, a big part of our role is working with people. We understand that work isn’t a person’s entire life, we want people to feel comfortable and supported at work. Compassion and empathy are a key part of that.
Problem solving and data analysis skills are also very helpful in HR. Being able to understand the data we collect, why and how it is relevant to our people, to Sonin and our clients. Seeing where we could offer assistance, review processes or provide training, as part of the continuous improvement of the company, our colleagues and ourselves.
What does your day-to-day role look like?
It’s a mixture! We often have a variety of regular planned and ad hoc activities. These could be data collection tasks, facilitating learning and development or supporting hiring managers through the recruitment process.
How did you get into the People profession and what do you enjoy about it?
When I came across the People Professional career, I started asking family friends who worked in HR about it, and I found I was really interested in it. I was already working in a role where I used and practiced the skills that I needed for a role in HR. So, when I felt ready, I started applying!
Everyday there is something new to learn! The world of HR is ever-evolving and that’s really exciting. In my role at Sonin I’m given opportunities to keep up with changes in the profession through courses and joining online webinars, improve my practice and grow as a professional.
Do you have any advice for people who are considering a career in the People profession?
If you care about people, good at problem solving and identifying business solutions, this is the career for you!
I really recommend speaking to someone in the industry, get to understand more about what they do and the different specialisms that HR offers!
There are also so many tools online that can help you in your first steps. The CIPD website is the best place to start. They are the professional body for the People profession, so their website will give you an understanding into what we do and the skills you need. Many individuals in the industry use LinkedIn, sharing tips and insights into their practices. Another great way in is to look into a People Practice apprenticeship, by doing this you can gain on-the-job experience whilst obtaining a great foundation for your career.