Our business is all about people – and we know that our clients love getting to know our team better. This month, we’re putting the spotlight on Jennifer Tottey, our HR Business Partner/Consultant.
How long have you been at PMHR?:
I’ve just celebrated my two-year anniversary!
So, you are a HR Business Partner. What does that mean in real terms?
In essence, I help people develop their teams to ensure that both the employees and the businesses owners are working productively, efficiently and happily.
Ensuring happiness is the most important element of my job – people spend half their life in work and so it’s crucial that they actually want to be there. This comes from feeling fulfilled, appreciated, being absolutely clear on what is expected of them and having a supportive management team. At the end of the day, everyone wants to go to work with a smile on their face!
Anything that stands out the most over the past two years?
It’s not all fun and games in my role. While it is a key factor to help businesses and employees to work together happily, it can sometimes take work to get there. Mental Health issues can be a huge issue in the workplace and something that we are coming across more and more. It can be a challenge, but when we support people to get the help that they need and see the impact it can have on their life, it makes me hugely proud of what People Matters HR can achieve.
How should employers handle millennials?
As a “millennial” this is something I find frustrating! People of my generation are open and as such, they expect to have a job in a happy, thriving workplace. Surely this can only be a good thing? My advice – speak to the younger members of the team, hear what they have to say, and learn from them.
What’s the way forward for HR in our digital age? Could the job ever be automated?
Absolutely not! It’s a cliché but it’s true – people buy people and people and they are at the heart of every business. As human beings we have an innate drive to build relationships and build communication. Many work-place issues, for example, mental illness cannot be helped through machines. That said, modern technology can make the running of a HR department far smoother – take our BreatheHR system as a perfect example.
A little-known fact about yourself?
I’m a twin