Speaker’s corner – Shauna Purdey, director of human resources, Yorkshire Water

I believe that the HR Director has an important role in creating a business environment where people can be open and honest and where people are respected for who they are and the contribution they bring.

I am currently the director of Human Resources at Yorkshire Water/Kelda Group. I have previously held HR roles in telecoms for 5 years as well as 4 years working as a freelance consultant before returning in house. I have been at Yorkshire Water for 10 years undertaking a number of senior HR roles. I am a member of the executive team and have responsibility for all aspects of the employee life cycle.

I believe that one of the key challenges for HR is ensuring that the organisation is managing its talent pipeline, whether this is retaining enough successors internally, building brand externally, managing skills shortages, having the ability to keep up with changes in technology and ensuring that we are rewarding the right performance and equipping managers with skills to tackle poor performance.

I am particularly passionate about the business benefits that arise from having a diverse and inclusive workforce / workplace. This passion in diversity and inclusion was ignited many years ago when I studied politics at A – Level.

I am very proud to have grown up in a small border town in Northern Ireland during the 70’s, I am fortunate that I was never told that I couldn’t have ambition (those who know we well know that I wouldn’t have listened anyway!) and I always saw my culture and heritage as something I should be proud of and bring with me wherever I was and whatever I am doing. I am a very proud working mum of 2, a boy and a girl and want them to grow up knowing that they have equal choices and ambition. I have now lived in Yorkshire longer than I lived in Ireland and am very proud to live in such a diverse and beautiful part of the world.

Shauna Purdey is speaking at the Utility Week HR Forum in Birmingham on 13 September.

For more information, visit: www.uw-hr.net