Exclusive Interview with Andrew Stephenson, Chief People Officer, Equiniti
Posted on 11-18-2022, Read Time: 6 Min
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Where do HR leaders draw inspiration from? What are their worst nightmares? How did they stand the test of the changing times?
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Equiniti Chief People Officer Andrew Stephenson has extensive experience in shaping customer-focused cultures and driving customer growth and satisfaction. Andrew's background has also led various programs focused on workplace well-being and diversity and inclusion. Andrew has headed up HR and IT for Waterstones Booksellers and Lookers plc, HR and Property for DFS plc, whilst also holding Operational positions at EY, B&Q and Vodafone. |
In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Andrew shares his HR journey with readers, his learnings over the years, and what according to him will be the future of HR, among others.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: What has your HR journey been like and what influenced you the most to have a positive impact on your career?
Andrew: Like many people, I accidentally ended up in HR. My early career was in sales and operational roles. I eventually realized that the part of that work I enjoyed was developing people, so I moved into learning and development. While in that role, I undertook my professional HR qualifications and eventually moved to more core HR. I found the qualifications and training I undertook allowed me to blend best practices with current experiences and therefore deliver a rounded view of what works for people.Name Dr. Andrew Stephenson, Chartered FCIPD
Designation Chief People Officer
Company Equiniti
Total number of employees 6,000+
When did you join the current company 2020
Total experience in HR 20 years+
Hobbies Football, Ballroom Dancing, Travel
What book are you reading currently ‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’ by Matthew Perry
Designation Chief People Officer
Company Equiniti
Total number of employees 6,000+
When did you join the current company 2020
Total experience in HR 20 years+
Hobbies Football, Ballroom Dancing, Travel
What book are you reading currently ‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’ by Matthew Perry
Q: What were your challenges during the early days of your career? What are those today?
Andrew: HR has not always been seen as a strategic partner. In my early days in the profession, we were seen as a transactional function, which made it difficult to drive the positive change needed for colleagues in organizations.HR is now unquestionably a key part of progressive companies’ leadership teams and therefore our challenge is how to balance short-term requirements with the long-term health of the business.
Q: How do you see workplace culture evolving over the years?
Andrew: Workplace culture continues to evolve into a partnership arrangement. Colleagues want to work “with the business” not “for the business” in a joining of equals. Those companies that do not help foster a sense of shared purpose, and recruit people who are interested in that goal will find it increasingly difficult to prosper.Q: Can you share the top three learnings from the challenges you faced?
Andrew:- Fail Fast. Plan effectively but not for perfection, get something launched and then refine it with people’s feedback.
- The best answers come from those doing the job, not from those in the management suite or consultants. Therefore, make sure you are always listening to colleagues. Industrialize the collection of feedback if the business is large!
- Remember that customers pay the bills, including the salaries of all colleagues. Therefore, we should be focused on their needs constantly.
Q: Where do you draw inspiration from? What do you have to say to those who are still struggling to find a place in the boardroom?
Andrew: I am inspired by companies that achieve commercial success with the support of a highly engaged workforce. Twenty years after leaving Virgin, I continued to be inspired by its leader, Sir Richard Branson, and the amazing company culture he has fostered in hundreds of companies.You can do the right thing from any position in the company. Do not worry about where you sit in a business, just do the right thing, and recognition will follow.
Q: Where do you draw the line when it comes to work-life balance?
Andrew: I support Stoke City Football Club (in the English Championship) and have had a season ticket for more than 30 years. I draw the line at work activities stopping me from getting to a game!Q: What fundamental change(s) (in terms of culture) have you brought into your company?
Andrew: Today, we actively listen to our employees more than the business has done in the past. We have made policy changes based on employee feedback and worked with our global colleague forum to develop our values that are in use across the globe.Q: What are some major changes you see affecting HR within the next few years?
Andrew: HR will need to embrace digital ways of working and ensure that real-world collaboration is possible in an increasingly virtual world. Without them, there will be a drop in collaboration and innovation. Getting this balance right will be a big challenge.Error: No such template "/CustomCode/topleader/category"!
