‘If a company doesn’t give you what you need and align to your values, why should you work for them?’
Zoë Ogden is head of people at Nottingham-based digital marketing agency Impression.
I am in a role where I get to see the impact the People Team can have on an organisation and I find that really motivating. Creating positive change and rolling out new initiatives to enhance our employee experience is a great feeling! I’m lucky to have a lot of support for all things “People” within the business, as it’s a very people focused culture, and the autonomy I get to shape the direction of my department is really rewarding!
We are taking on bigger clients which means bigger opportunities for everyone! It also means growth – so we’ll be looking to hire into the teams, and there will be a focus on talent attraction. We also want to focus on retaining the amazing team and talent that we already have – so we’ll be looking at initiatives that enhance our working environment.
Recruitment is a challenging market at the moment. We very conscious of our impact on the world around us, and the responsibility we have to make a difference, so we have set up an “Impact Team” to support initiatives under key pillars: D&I, Sustainability and CSR, with clear goals and ways in which we can tangibly make an impact.
The pandemic has completely revolutionised the way in which companies perceive ways of working. The culture has shifted for many companies to one of trust and flexibility, which would have been unimaginable previously. The pandemic also caused many people to re-evaluate what is important to them, leading to what has been dubbed the “Great Resignation”. If a company doesn’t give you what you need and align to your values, why should you work for them? The shift in dynamic between employer and employee has been really interesting to observe. Companies now need to think about their people as human beings and not numbers – and to be honest, this majorly speaks to my personal values so this really excites me!
We have five company values. One of those is “Respectful and Fair” and I use this in my approach to every decision I make at Impression. Things being fair really matters to me personally, and I believe that whilst there are times when things cannot be equal, we can always treat everyone fairly.
You can’t make everybody happy all the time. I am quite a people pleaser and I feel bad or guilty if people are unhappy as a general rule, but I’ve come to learn over time that sometimes you will make decisions that won’t be popular but if you can look yourself in the eye and know that it is the right thing to do, then as long as you have integrity and sound reasoning, it’s ok that not everyone might agree. Have courage in your convictions!
My first HR Director Linda had a big impact on me when I worked in her team. She was so human and relatable and I realised this is the kind of leader I wanted to be. Someone who showed vulnerability in the right ways and was self aware and had positive energy and who taught me that it’s ok to make mistakes and not know the answers sometimes.
I love visiting new places. Now travel is a possibility, I have lots of places to explore! I am an avid reader and I always have my Kindle with me. I enjoy staying active and adore walks in the Peak District – following by a pub lunch after! And I am very partial to a glass of wine or a nice cocktail!
