As part of our personal development series we take a look back at some of our most exciting profile interviews. Ever wondered what HR professionals in your sector are up to? Then look no further, as these curated collections will give you the lowdown in no time.
Here we look to charities. What is it like heading up an HR function for an organisation working towards a charitable aim?
Interview with Carola Nunns, former HR director at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Nunns must have had one of the most rewarding jobs in HR – matching cats and dogs with new owners. However, when she took on the role in 2007 the charity had been without an HRD for six months and the remains of the HR department were on the verge of total collapse. "The HR department was a support service to the organisation," said Nunns. "It was actually more about policing staff. The first thing I wanted to do was build up the credibility of HR." Find out how she succeeded.
Practise what you preach: HR at the YMCA
We know it's fun to stay at the YMCA, but is running it quite so enjoyable? The scale of YMCA England’s operations and its wide variety of employees suggests it could be an HR nightmare to control, but as the charity’s HR director Bims Alalade explained, much of the organisation’s work depends on having faith in its staff. One reason the YMCA’s workforce is so committed is because many employees are former service-users, and a lot of young people who live in YMCA accommodation go on to be trained by the organisation and work there.
Interview with HRD Amnesty International: Managing change in a tough environment
When HR magazine visited the Amnesty International office it was a week before 60 people were due to be made redundant. Its senior director of OD and HR Richard Eastmond candidly admitted the atmosphere wasn’t too healthy. When he joined Amnesty HR had never been at the senior leadership table and the organisation was in turmoil. "In the year before I arrived there had been an 85% turnover in the HR team," he said. "The whole organisation was holding its breath on the change programme, waiting for someone to grab it by the scruff of the neck." Eastmond was that someone. Find out how they planned and handled it here.
