INTERVIEW: Jane Rawden, Awbery – “We walk the walk”

TheBusinessDesk.com talks to Jane Rawden, business development director, strategic HR, at Derby-based leadership and management development company Awbery.

Can you give me a brief run-through of your career so far?
My HR career began in HR at the accountants PKF in Nottingham. I moved from there to Southern Derbyshire Chamber where I played a key role in developing the Investor in People (IIP) portfolio and the Business Excellence awareness.

Next I was recruited by Babcock International Group and worked my way up to HR Director, responsible specifically for all bidding, including developing the infrastructure for the company’s business arm, supporting the team with the operational implementation of all bids, both at tender and delivery stages, on matters such as TUPE.

After eight years I was approached about a new role at Nottingham law firm Berryman. Known for its innovative approach, the firm was looking to create a specialist HR consultancy and I was appointed its HR director.

It coincided with the downturn and as the recession took hold, the role was incredibly busy, as I was involved in lots of crises management and highly responsive support and advice.

In 2012 I felt the time was right to look for a new role and different set of challenges, and whilst speaking with Dr Howard Awbery about my ideas for the next career move, he asked if I would consider joining his leadership and management training company Awbery. This was a timely and rare opportunity for me to break away from the focus on operational HR into a role concentrating on aligning HR, development and engagement to a business.

I have the time, space and opportunity to research the role of HR and the chance to prove to myself that what I think I can do, I actually can, in running a business. Awbery has grown significantly in the last four years, and is committed to innovating in the world of management, leadership development, HR and coaching

To what do you attribute your success?
Thinking from both perspectives is important; for example employer and employee, alongside taking the time to understand the commercial and operational sides of a business, and how the HR contribution can make a difference.

I don’t believe one size fits all and HR models for the employee or employer are only effective when you look at the business first from the outside and then how the HR models within it can best support the business.

This objective, scoping approach is what makes a HR person add the ‘d’ i.e. the director, into their delivery.

What are your views on how the government is helping your profession? Is it doing enough?
Employers of all sizes and in every industry and sector are facing huge challenges from current employment legislation, and the potential new legislation.

Whilst some of the legislation may well be great for the employee, they can be a challenge for the employers. The government needs to think outside of the box, and not just focus on this type of red tape and legislation, but support business to explore developing their talent to ensure continuity and robustness for the business.

Attracting and retaining great talent is such a commercial challenge for the future.

How do you plan to grow your business?
Growth will continue to come as a result of building true relationships with clients. The winning formula for me is to listen and strive to understand each individual business and this is the foundation of a good working relationship.

I would like to think that Awbery clients really do trust Awbery. The team at Awbery is committed to innovating and already this year we have unveiled two new programmes that typify this, with a brand new, fresh approach to integrating HR in the workplace in a fresh and commercial way, and to supporting wellbeing amongst leaders and employees; Awbery’s new IC2 development programme represents a ‘new breed’ in HR leadership capabilities development tools and was created following an 18-month in-depth research project that I carried out alongside my client work.

Awbery ‘walks the walk’ too, and myself and fellow director Mary Sisson have one day each month – which we call ‘white space days’ – to check our wellbeing, discuss what is coming up, and how we will approach the opportunities and challenges.

If you look back over your career, what was the turning point?
The role at Babcock was significant for my career and professional development as it was full of challenge and opportunity in equal measure. Building on this operational experience was the role at Berryman.

I suppose the epiphany moment was when I realised that HR professionals have to be not only excellent at an operational level, but also need a voice at a senior level. To this end, I have carried out my own research, completed a Masters Degree in HR, and achieved top level accreditation with the CIPD, all of which has come in the wake of the turning points in my first director level roles.

Out of office…
How old are you? 43
Do you have family? I am married to Andy and have two super step sons, age 18 and 13.
What are your main hobbies? Fell ponies. I compete at a high level with my Fell Ponies, Murthwaite Looks Promising and Bracklinn Glayba. We have lots of fun around the country. If you google ‘Jane Rawden’ you tend to find more pictures of me on ponies than work related, not sure that is a good marketing tactic!!
Favourite film? Love Actually.
Favourite book? The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness, by the brilliant author Steven Peters.
Who inspires you most? I always find this one hard to think through; perhaps two people from the world of sport that have come from humble backgrounds and, through drive, hard work and determination, have overcome numerous challenges to reach a very high level of success in their chosen sports – Charlotte Dujardin and Eddie the Eagle. I can relate to all their personal values of tenacity and resilience.
Tell me something random about yourself. I have absolutely no sense of direction. And by my own admission, I am more than a little dizzy.
How many cups of coffee do you drink a day? Two; ideally no coffee after 12 noon!
What’s your favourite local restaurant? I have two, Le Bistrot Pierre and Tom Brown’s Restaurant and Bar in Gunthorpe, Nottingham. Amazing food and service at both.