REWARD
individual, increase employee satisfaction and, in turn, talent retention.
my colleagues describe me as a formidable listener with a deep sense of understanding and empathy. Why have you remained loyal to your employer? Here are a few other testimonies from colleagues who have also been at MHR for quite some time now: David Varley, programme director at MHR: “I’ve worked at MHR for 38 years now. I joined in September 1985 as a trainee programmer. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to move and change roles, undertaking many varied and interesting
him continue to show this characteristic, which is even more incredible now the size of the company exceeds 800 employees. This makes you feel valued and not just a number in the workforce. “Working at MHR is very much a family environment. I have met many close friends while working here, as well as meeting my husband, James, back in 1991. Both James and I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to progress our careers while at MHR. This has provided us with security and longevity, both of us starting at the company in junior administrator roles and now working in the same department in senior and head roles. “I continue to work alongside friends I’ve known for over 30 years, and I believe working for a family run business gives you a clear path and identity which, in turn, provides the company with loyalty.” These are just a few of the stories demonstrating the significant impact that MHR has had on its employees for the past 40 years and, in turn, the impact that employees have had on MHR. It’s not exciting perks that get our employees to stay, but rather a feeling of community and belonging, and the opportunity to thrive in whatever your direction and chosen career might bring. When organisations are trying to work out how best to retain talent in the long term, these two areas would be a good place to start. Also, when employees find meaning in the work they do, they’re more likely to be engaged and understand how their role contributes to a bigger picture. They expect their jobs to bring a significant sense of purpose to their lives. Employers who help to meet this need are less likely to lose talent to companies that ignore it. In an age when retaining employees is increasingly complex, MHR recognises that the key to unlocking employee longevity lies in three things: l offering well-organised, authentic training programmes at all career levels l assisting employees in crafting careers l ensuring the right culture, which fosters a true sense of belonging and community. n
Business longevity
MHR’s employees are the best demonstration of the significant impact of focussing on culture, training and development to enhance talent retention. An independent family business, founded in 1984, MHR is proud to place an emphasis on loyalty. There are several employees who have chosen to stay with the business over the long term and that includes Anton Roe, CEO, who joined the firm back in 1997 as a young apprentice. Anton has been instrumental in the growth of the business, with a career spanning 26 years at MHR. Having previously served as chief technology officer, he has been CEO since 2017. My own role is also quite a unique one. I joined MHR nearly 25 years ago and since then, have performed many roles. Each one has come with its own challenges. I took each task as an opportunity to develop myself and my role, learning about different aspects of the business and trying to help to get things in a better state for my successors. I was lucky to be offered many opportunities within the business, including: l working in the US office l being a part of MHR’s managed services team when it first started l managing the service desk l setting up a customer support team. I’ve even run a smaller business acquired by MHR, getting it to a sufficient state to be merged into a larger business at a later stage. When I finally moved to the role of HR director, and subsequently, chief HR officer, with the full support of MHR’s group chairman, I can say I helped to shape the role to make it what it is today. I feel that all the positions I’ve held at MHR have equipped me with the skills I need and given me a thorough understanding of how the business works. Mentoring and coaching are other areas I’m passionate about and make up part of my daily processes. Subsequently,
ones including: l programmer l business analyst l software manufacturing manager l legislation expert l product design manager
l technical author l project manager.
“I have worked in professional services since 2004 and became a director of the business in 2016. “In February 2014, I was awarded the MHR Fellowship in recognition of an outstanding commitment and contribution to the success of the business. This was something I was, and still am, immensely proud of. “Working at MHR has given me the opportunity to continuously develop as an individual and as a professional, gaining new skills and knowledge throughout my time here. This is something I wouldn’t necessarily have had at other organisations. I have also developed a great circle of friends who started out as colleagues.” Louise Bennet, senior test analyst at MHR: “I started work at MHR (previously Midland Software Ltd) in 1990 as a young, fresh- faced receptionist. It was much smaller than the company we know today. There were only about 50 employees when I joined, operating out of a small office in the Chapel Bar area of the city centre. “Everyone knew MHR’s group chairman, Mr Mills, and his wife Mrs Mills, and they knew everyone. Mr Mills had an incredible ability to know a small detail about everyone, so that he could have a one-to-one personal conversation with his employees. To this day, I have witnessed
Links corner 1 https://ow.ly/NO6s50PPacW 2 https://ow.ly/BGFR50PPafX 3 https://ow.ly/H0yX50PPaj7 4 https://ow.ly/miIk50PPgHk.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 94 | October 2023
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