August 27, 2023 • 21 mins
Ready to redefine your traditional office culture? This episode promises a fresh take on the hybrid work model with our esteemed guest, Amy Williams, Chief Information Officer for Business Banking at Barclays UK. We explore how to create a world-class work environment and find the sweet spot between office and virtual working, all while attracting top talent.
Key Takeaways:
🎙 How to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
🎙 Creating safe spaces for nuerodiverse colleagues
🎙 Why hybrid working is important for corporate productivity and employee satisfaction
🎙 Amy's personal path and barriers
Key Takeaways:
🎙 How to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
🎙 Creating safe spaces for nuerodiverse colleagues
🎙 Why hybrid working is important for corporate productivity and employee satisfaction
🎙 Amy's personal path and barriers
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
The Northern Power Women podcast.
For your career and your life,no matter what business you're
in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello.
Hello.
Welcome to the Northern Power,New Podcast.
My name is Simone, and this isour Path to Power season.
And every single week, I'mtalking to some amazing people
where there are change makers,are trailblazers, individuals
who are making a difference inand from and across their
communities, whether they'rechallenging the norm, creating
more inclusive cultures.
(00:46):
And every week, there is alwayssomething that I learn from our
guests.
And it's all of that kind ofadvice, the takeaways, the
advice that help us drive.
And I just think sometimes Isay it's just for me, driving
our personal and additionalgoals and our growth.
So and this week, I amdelighted to welcome Amy
Williams as the ChiefInformation Officer for Business
(01:07):
Banking within the wonderfulBarclays UK technology who we
love love love partnering with.
Hey, Amy.
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Hello, Simone.
Thank you so much for having mehere today.
Super excited for joining us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Oh, and the last time we we saw each other was back
at the the Parop Live event thatwe had in brunch at Barclays in
Manchester, we wow back.
It's amazing.
Isn't it?
I love those events.
That's the second one, isn't itthat we've we've done live like
that?
And they're they're just a buzz
Speaker 1 (01:33):
they are.
And I think it's it's sofabulous.
I don't remember what it's liketo be, and you like your
eighteenth and early twenties,but also to really help,
hopefully, give it a good guideinto the world of work, which
when you're at university, canseem absolutely terrifying and
frankly quite mystical.
So, yeah, super event lookingforward to lots more.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Absolutely.
Yes.
And we will be heading out toyou because you head up the
Radbroke, which is an amazingcampus and we look forward to
getting out there in the autumntime.
And and you are part of thatteam that drives talent
attraction.
What do businesses need to beaware of when trying to track
that top talent because there'sa lot of competition out there
and it's not just about, youknow, the money and the dollar
(02:16):
bills.
Is it is more and wider thanthat?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah.
It's so vast, and I don't thinkthere's one person to answer
this amount, but you'reabsolutely right in that it's
not just about the wages and theremuneration anymore whatsoever
.
The way I try to think about itboth in both roles that I hold.
So as as the technology theytrack this in span, but also as
(02:38):
our site they track work.
It's what's that allencompassing experience we can
provide?
What's that ambitious careerpathway that we can make
accessible to all of ourprospective colleagues?
Obviously, the money in thesalary is important part that,
but how can we really create anexciting world class environment
?
If I think about propylenewithin technology, levering
(03:02):
technology to help our customersleading edge technology, really
getting ahead of thecompetition, but also providing
an amazing workspace forcolleagues to come to.
We're super fortunate here.
We've got sixty four acres.
We've got a great two listedbuilding, but we've also just
invested millions in a realestate of their campus workplace
as well.
And then also thinking aboutthe the agenda beyond work, so
(03:24):
whether you're into runningcitizenship, you've got an
accelerant passion for diversityand inclusion.
What other things can we offerto really help you build and be
part of that fabric for Barclaysas well as all the fabulous
organizations that we partnerwith.
If I look at laws and palewomen, actually, being an
external mentor, a coach, anadvocate.
(03:45):
Again, how do we make that partof a fabric of what you come to
do at work?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Amazing.
And you talk about this amazingcampus that you work on in the
the grade two listed buildingand they, you know, they're
they're they're how many acres?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Sixty four.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Sixty four acres.
So but interesting enough, youknow, you work in this amazing
space in this amazing community,but you are the champion of
embrace and adopting hybridworking, aren't you for?
You've got six thousandcolleagues.
You know, so it's interestingyou talk about, you know, we
wanna make this great place forpeople to work and you want
people to come in, but Buthybrid is really important to
you, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (04:17):
It is.
It is.
I mean, hybrid, again, eightfirms define what it means for
them, I think for me personally.
And what we're trying to createhere is what's the right
balance of spending time in theoffice and time virtually.
That means that our colleaguesreally connect with Barclays
from a culture perspective, thework we need to do to the craft
our customers the work we needto do to build, you know,
(04:38):
leading world class technologysolutions, but also that suits
from a life perspective stillruns care and responsibilities
or just time at home that youneed to focus.
So hybrid for me is all aboutwhat are the right systems and
processes, if you like, andexpectations that we can put in
place to make that blend reallywork for great outcomes for both
(05:00):
Barclays and our colleagues.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And we have seen this .
There's some big name firms outthere, which we weren't
mentioned, but there are bigorganizations out there globally
.
Who have insisted on having alltheir staff back in the office.
What would you say to them?
Dear mister Lasklow.
Anyway,
Speaker 1 (05:17):
you know, I'll probably ask him why he's called
Tristorex as a star, Ted.
And my next my next questionwill probably be a long so I
think I think my thought on mywould be.
Do we need to go back to fivedays a week?
I can't see why that'snecessary.
I think that's a wee bit youknow, dictatorial where my where
my heads up from thatperspective is it's good for
(05:39):
culture for colleagues to spendtime together?
I mean, that's just a factRight?
I remember the reemergence wascoming back to the office at the
end of twenty twenty one.
And it was, you know, peoplefelt super apprehensive, but it
was so exciting to see peopleface to face.
We're we're we're socialcreatures.
Right?
It's good for us to be aroundother humans.
It just depends on how muchtime you want to and need to
(06:01):
spend.
But I think from from ourperspective, we've tried not to
be, like, we're not going fivedays a week, but equally, we're
not saying that permanent remoteworking is okay either.
Unless there's a reason for itpersonal health or otherwise,
but spending time in the officetogether as a team.
And in various differentflavors of what that team might
(06:23):
be, you might be in your programdelivery team one day, you
might be in your well-beingteam, another whatever team
means to you, and it can meanmore than one thing showing up
and connecting, collaborating isis vital.
And I think hybrid is justabout what balance do we strive
to make that work from a from afrom a work and personal life
perspective?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And it's interesting.
You're talking about thediversity of hybrid because
hybrid just isn't half home andhalf work.
You just talk lend a new back.
You might be in your programteam one day.
You might be in the well-beingor, you know, sort of something
else that you're part of anotherday.
Isn't it?
It's there is the diversity inthe hybrid working as well.
It's not just a case of, oh,it's gonna be this split or it's
gonna be this timing.
It's beyond that, isn't it?
(07:03):
And I think you are, you know,your sponsored Barclays
diversity of equity andinclusion agenda.
That kind of falls into that,doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Absolutely does.
Absolutely does.
It's all it's all about helpingpeople come our colleagues come
to work and be the best versionof them.
Right?
It's it's great for us tocreate an agenda that works
because, ultimately, if if we'recreating a place where our
colleagues can, you know, maketheir work schedules, work
around life schedules, and we'renot creating too much pressure
(07:35):
to be constantly in the officefive days a week.
Like, they'll want tocontribute more.
They'll be happier.
They'll be more motivated.
They'll want to give back asas, you know, be on to be on the
day job, hopefully.
And so it's great for us from acontribution back into the firm
perspective.
But also if I think about, youknow, things like when as an
(07:57):
example, we've got colleaguesthat might be fasting for
Ramadan or have specific, youknow, things celebrate through
events around certain religiousfestivals.
They can make hybrid work forthat as well.
Right?
You don't need to be in theoffice every day.
If you need to take time out tocelebrate, eat, if you need to
take time out to celebrate, holyif you want to be at home,
fresh, the majority, the fastingweek, whatever it might be.
(08:19):
As a working mom, we've gotloads of working moms.
Again, if we can offer flexibleagendas that mean school runs
and not a problem anymore andworking down solidly that was
remissively, not being inclusive.
But if we can create constructsthat mean that that's really
easy our colleagues to do.
It'll make them much happier towork at Barclays as well.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And is this always been a passion for you sort of
the diversity inclusion agenda
Speaker 1 (08:42):
massively massively.
I think if I'm a bit binaryabout it at the moment, it's my
job as a senior leader at thefirm.
I need to be a champion and asteward for it.
On a more personal level, Ithink it would be absolutely
horrendous if we end up in awork environment where where our
colleagues can't feel that theycan bring their full selves to
work.
You know, as a as a relocatedas it's girl up to the northwest
(09:06):
I sound very different to thevast majority of people in this
part of the country.
Sadly, that's not changed forfor the best part of a decade.
But it's important for me I'm anatural extravert to actually
come to the office and be me andknow that I that we're in an
environment where that is okay.
And I want to make sure thatit's the same for every single
(09:27):
other colleague at this firmrace ethnicity, gender, sexual
preference, neurodiversity,doesn't matter.
We create an environment whereour colleagues can bring their
authentic sales to work.
And and that is just that isjust something that I'm
passionate about because it'sthe right thing to do.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And what does good look like?
As in, you know, was good DNAand looked like.
Because we we see and watch,you know, people are doing this
and they've done that andthey've put the chief exec on
the top of the pride float andthen that, you know, you know
oh, there's a there can be a lotof box ticking.
We've seen it for probablycouple of decades now to be
honest, but what does good looklike for you.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah.
You've kind of nailed it to amoment that it's got to go
beyond the conversation and somenominal gestures.
So if I think about probably awell used mantra, what gets
measured, gets done.
Right?
So punchy targets, keep usfocused.
That how we achieve thosetargets is critically important.
We can't just promote certaingroups of colleagues to hit a
(10:27):
target without the appropriatesupport around them and the
appropriate measures ofperformance because they will
just fail without without thedue time care and attention of
nurturing and to get to theright grade.
What what we've tried to createhere at Radbrooke is a really
thoughtful set of pillars andwork streams that align to
Radbroader group, DeE and Iagenda.
To do meaningful work here andmeaningful initiatives can
(10:52):
actually show that a, we'retaking it seriously and b, we
want to make a difference.
So it's beyond as you said,CEO, on a on a milk flow or, you
know, someone doing a talk.
It's actually well, let's havea really candid conversation
about what it feels.
To be neuro diverse in theworkplace and what we should all
be doing to make it okay forcolleagues to talk about if they
wish to, but most importantly,what do we do to make them feel
(11:15):
safe, you know, to build anenvironment that that that
actually means that if, you knowand we have some neurodiverse
colleagues talk about this notnot so long ago.
Coming back into the office ishard work.
It's loud.
It's noisy.
It's full of distractions.
It's full of people that youneed to talk to.
So we're looking at how tocreate a client space.
Where colleagues areidentified, neurodiverse, or if
(11:37):
they're not diagnosed, they'regonna sit for a couple of hours.
They're like a client coach ona train.
So actually, how do we doreally meaningful actions on the
project manager by trade?
So what's our plan to turn theconversation from awareness and
understanding to some actionsand some plans that show that
we're taking it seriously tobuild the right environment, not
(11:58):
just talk about having it
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I think that's the key, isn't it?
We can talk about, you know, wecan have passive.
Can't you so much passivesupport out there, but it's
absolutely about how do you turnthat passive into action, isn't
it?
You know?
And and and with a long termview, oh, I'm not just doing it
now because, you know, it'sinclusion month or it's, you
know, it's international women'sday or or or you know, mental
health awareness.
It's got to be it's got to beongoing.
(12:21):
I feel like that's the thing Ithink sometimes we can shine a
spotlight but actually it's gotto be it's got to be intentional
and thoughtful the whole time,isn't it?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Yeah.
You're absolutely right.
It's got to be sustainable andit's got to be relevant.
As well.
Because without relevance andsustainability and making it
almost quite programmatic, youknow, lose traction or something
else becomes a shiny thing thatwill that will occur next time,
which is not it.
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And I'm gonna innovate in this in this space
as well, you know, it's it's gotthat you've talked about, you
know, bringing you've got acrate there, be thoughtful, be
intentional, be authentic toyour brand and your people, you
know, it's important that notjust to copy or gonna copy what,
you know, brand x are doingover there.
Maybe not brand x is the secondtime we were not gonna do
anymore.
No more wedges of x.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
That's that.
They all will cut that out.
It's my secret sponsorship here.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Absolutely not.
There's a worry in movementthough.
We've seen across the stateswhere there is a backlash sort
of against E and I, divorceinclusion, and calling the anti
woke agenda.
Is this is this a worry to youin the the the Barclays massive?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Me personally know.
I've got a lot of faith inthere for not not to I think he
goes back to the previous point.
We just talked that's mine,which is tip boxing.
I can totally see how theywould get perceived and called
out for being woke because we'redoing something for the sake of
doing it.
When you turn the lens on, butwe need to make the supplies, it
really implies for ourcolleagues to work.
(13:46):
And actually, we need to makethe appropriate adjustments to
enable that to happen.
Event just becomes anotherthing that we need to do like
having toilets in the car park.
Right?
It becomes very BAU and itbecomes as critical as basic
facilities that we assume forfor non diverse colleagues,
let's say.
So I've got a massive amount offaith in our firm to do the
(14:07):
right thing.
If I was sort of to coverthings that we've done recently
we've hired in.
Although not significant ratedensity is our sort of global
need for diversity, equityinclusion, Rai's got a whole
team around the nation that ourbankers that don't work in
technology that don't servecustomers and university to
commerce.
They are there to champion andmake sure we're doing the right
things internally and externallyto drive that agenda
(14:29):
meaningfully.
So I I think we've taken somereally big those steps forward,
there will always be more to do.
But I would like to think thatno no one would would and could
either, again, internally orexternally to our firm.
Call this wake.
I'm pretty comfortable that itran a good time.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
And I know you mentioned earlier, your passion
for mentoring.
You've been part of theNorthern Powering.
We had the twelve weekmentoring program out of the
awards, so all of our short list.
So it was it was kinda thewhole the whole intention really
was, you know, we have anamazing award Many of our
listeners will know out there.
We always add them that it'snever for one night.
And so we took and and kindaconnected our shortlist with
(15:08):
willing mentors, and we'realways over over run with
mentors.
And I know this is massive.
Every time we do an event withyou, Barclays, we always have so
many mentors every and at andat different levels.
Right?
Some people who are morerelatable because they're in the
first few years of theircareer, to people who have got,
you know, sort of way moreexperience that yourself.
It's it's a massive thing,isn't it?
(15:28):
And I know it's a personalpassion for you.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
It is fine.
I'm gonna start with a with aquotes in my line.
Properly not taking the creditfor all, but I loved it and it
stuck with me and it was told tome recently by by a good friend
here.
If you're fortunate enough toget the elevator up to the top,
send it back down to somebodyelse.
And I I don't left me, which isthis beautiful mental image of
(15:51):
what I think mentoring means.
And and you don't necessarilyhave to get all the way to the
top.
You might have just got to amore advantageous place.
And how do you how do you helpothers succeed as well?
If I think about, you know, thethe fortunate position I need
to be a senior leader, It's myjob again.
Right?
If I'm not taking time tocurate, to develop, to invest
time in the next wave of talent,either that can come and help
(16:15):
me run the site at Radbrook orthat one I have aspiring careers
in technology or both.
I'm not doing particularly goodjob.
And I think your your point wasso well made on immense doesn't
have to be tons more senior ormight have completely different
experience.
It's all about providing peoplewith perspective, with advice,
(16:37):
with an independent view,sometimes it's just a place to
have a good old brand.
Sometimes we just need a safespace to go.
Dear god, this is justsomething I've gotta get off my
chest.
And actually, I think thatplays to such a crucial role in
development.
And I I've benefited hugelyearly for the years, you know.
People that have been, youknow, years ahead of me just
(16:57):
given me advice.
Another another really good onethat I heard a couple of times
in my previous organizationwhere perhaps I've not made it
through the promotion cycle.
That I wanted.
I've got given a terrific pieceof advice that said that look
at your career over a threeyears span.
If you look at a rolling threeyears rather than what you in
the last six to twelve months.
(17:19):
You'll get so much moreperspective on your trajectory.
You can level out some of thebumps you can level out some of
the disappointments and take onthe goods and actually see how
far you've come on on thatrolling thing because when when
you're in something to thirtyplus years.
You've got a brilliant bit of amedium to a long term game as
well.
It's also, I think, helped mepersonally because it's help me
(17:41):
reflect on my style as well.
I take a lot from the peoplethat I have the privilege to
mentor and look after, whetherit's communication style, I
might be a bit biased aboutsomething just because it's
something that I've been used to.
And or frankly, you know, someof the some of the much younger
talented just make me thinkdifferently.
My my fabulous stepdaughter'sincluded.
They'll say, why'd you thinkthat about that?
(18:02):
And I'll say, oh, that is agreat question.
I have absolutely no idea.
So I think it's a good two waystraight as well, actually.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I think it's not meant to a mindset, isn't it?
You know?
That reverse mentoring approachfrom your stepdaughter's, you
know, that the advice thatyou're giving, you know, I love
that that whole take it as asort of a step back and look at
the three year rather than justsometimes we can be too what's
the phrase?
You can't see the word for thetree sometimes because you're so
kind of in it.
And who are the mentors, howwould mentors help you along
(18:33):
your way?
Because you've had a reallyimpressive career, so from
Accenture, the financialinstitutions to now Barclays.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
So I think I've taken so much away up.
I could probably talk forever,Simone, and that will completely
bring the length of thispodcast and I might say it'd be
pretty late.
I think the I think the mostimportant the most important
takeaway is that we personallyhave probably been don't let
your own self confidence issueshold you back.
Right?
You're better than you thinkyou are.
So just let that part of Amy goand be herself and then stop,
(19:03):
you know, set her free.
I think the other reallyimportant one has been, like, if
something goes wrong, it'snever as bad as you really think
it's don't take things tooseriously.
And I I think when you're allsuper passionate about your job
and you work in the the criticalindustry, white banking and
Aker Lee technology, there's areal risk you end up taking the
(19:26):
woes of the world on yourshoulders with it as well.
And actually, again, reframingand not dissimilar to the point
on three years.
Just take a step back, take abreath, have a look around
what's going on, which is amassive for me.
It was a, you know, you settleyour stress free or most a bit
free, and it then helps youthink as well.
So you sort of amveragingyourself a little bit.
(19:46):
So those are those are thebiggest ones for me that I've
I've taken away as as seemed andit's a real privilege to be
able to pass that on actually toothers and hopefully do a
little bit to help in the chain.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
That is amazing.
An amazing way to finish thepodcast.
We always talk every week I'malways obsessed with the tote
bags.
I'm now moving on to merch, tobe honest.
But, you know, I always thinkof these great phrases and these
great soundbikes and these aregreat advice and guidance, and
you just give us three brilliantones there.
You know, send the elevatorback down one hundred percent.
You're better than you thinkyou will, and it's never as bad
as you really think it is.
(20:19):
So you're created as a whole awhole set there, a whole outfit
there, Amy, to be honest.
But, you know, I'm so grateful.
I think it's so important,isn't it?
All of those, you know, thethat you talked about, you know,
say getting that advice offyour stepdaughter is the fact
that may mentoring matters inevery whichever whichever part
whether it's sort of the reverseapproach, peer mentoring, you
know, someone for some moresenior.
(20:39):
It's getting advice all the wayalong the way, isn't it, I
think, and just reflecting on it.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
No one's ever finished and no one's got all
the answers.
So the confidentiality is going.
Carry on.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Oh, you give out me more.
I haven't got any I've got noroom for money or not merch.
That's
Speaker 1 (20:54):
get your biggest hype back to mine.
We'll work on that.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
That's what we'll do that.
We'll have that in the nextsession.
Amy, thank you so so much forjoining me today.
I know that this just oozes outof you, your passion for
talent, your passion for your,you know, for for for for work,
your people.
You know, and the passion formentoring which, to be honest,
you know, sort of all that sitsin our DNA.
And I think that's why we lovepartnering with the Barclays
(21:17):
massive.
So for Amy, thank you so muchfor joining me on this week's
pastor power episode.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Wonderful.
Thank you so much.
Have a lovely
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And thank you all for listening.
Remember, these are our weeklyepisodes that do subscribe, so
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(21:46):
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The Northern Power Women podcast.
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in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hello.
Hello.
Welcome to the Northern Power,New Podcast.
My name is Simone, and this isour Path to Power season.
And every single week, I'mtalking to some amazing people
where there are change makers,are trailblazers, individuals
who are making a difference inand from and across their
communities, whether they'rechallenging the norm, creating
more inclusive cultures.
(00:46):
And every week, there is alwayssomething that I learn from our
guests.
And it's all of that kind ofadvice, the takeaways, the
advice that help us drive.
And I just think sometimes Isay it's just for me, driving
our personal and additionalgoals and our growth.
So and this week, I amdelighted to welcome Amy
Williams as the ChiefInformation Officer for Business
(01:07):
Banking within the wonderfulBarclays UK technology who we
love love love partnering with.
Hey, Amy.
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Hello, Simone.
Thank you so much for having mehere today.
Super excited for joining us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Oh, and the last time we we saw each other was back
at the the Parop Live event thatwe had in brunch at Barclays in
Manchester, we wow back.
It's amazing.
Isn't it?
I love those events.
That's the second one, isn't itthat we've we've done live like
that?
And they're they're just a buzz
Speaker 1 (01:33):
they are.
And I think it's it's sofabulous.
I don't remember what it's liketo be, and you like your
eighteenth and early twenties,but also to really help,
hopefully, give it a good guideinto the world of work, which
when you're at university, canseem absolutely terrifying and
frankly quite mystical.
So, yeah, super event lookingforward to lots more.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Absolutely.
Yes.
And we will be heading out toyou because you head up the
Radbroke, which is an amazingcampus and we look forward to
getting out there in the autumntime.
And and you are part of thatteam that drives talent
attraction.
What do businesses need to beaware of when trying to track
that top talent because there'sa lot of competition out there
and it's not just about, youknow, the money and the dollar
(02:16):
bills.
Is it is more and wider thanthat?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah.
It's so vast, and I don't thinkthere's one person to answer
this amount, but you'reabsolutely right in that it's
not just about the wages and theremuneration anymore whatsoever
.
The way I try to think about itboth in both roles that I hold.
So as as the technology theytrack this in span, but also as
(02:38):
our site they track work.
It's what's that allencompassing experience we can
provide?
What's that ambitious careerpathway that we can make
accessible to all of ourprospective colleagues?
Obviously, the money in thesalary is important part that,
but how can we really create anexciting world class environment
?
If I think about propylenewithin technology, levering
(03:02):
technology to help our customersleading edge technology, really
getting ahead of thecompetition, but also providing
an amazing workspace forcolleagues to come to.
We're super fortunate here.
We've got sixty four acres.
We've got a great two listedbuilding, but we've also just
invested millions in a realestate of their campus workplace
as well.
And then also thinking aboutthe the agenda beyond work, so
(03:24):
whether you're into runningcitizenship, you've got an
accelerant passion for diversityand inclusion.
What other things can we offerto really help you build and be
part of that fabric for Barclaysas well as all the fabulous
organizations that we partnerwith.
If I look at laws and palewomen, actually, being an
external mentor, a coach, anadvocate.
(03:45):
Again, how do we make that partof a fabric of what you come to
do at work?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Amazing.
And you talk about this amazingcampus that you work on in the
the grade two listed buildingand they, you know, they're
they're they're how many acres?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Sixty four.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Sixty four acres.
So but interesting enough, youknow, you work in this amazing
space in this amazing community,but you are the champion of
embrace and adopting hybridworking, aren't you for?
You've got six thousandcolleagues.
You know, so it's interestingyou talk about, you know, we
wanna make this great place forpeople to work and you want
people to come in, but Buthybrid is really important to
you, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (04:17):
It is.
It is.
I mean, hybrid, again, eightfirms define what it means for
them, I think for me personally.
And what we're trying to createhere is what's the right
balance of spending time in theoffice and time virtually.
That means that our colleaguesreally connect with Barclays
from a culture perspective, thework we need to do to the craft
our customers the work we needto do to build, you know,
(04:38):
leading world class technologysolutions, but also that suits
from a life perspective stillruns care and responsibilities
or just time at home that youneed to focus.
So hybrid for me is all aboutwhat are the right systems and
processes, if you like, andexpectations that we can put in
place to make that blend reallywork for great outcomes for both
(05:00):
Barclays and our colleagues.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And we have seen this .
There's some big name firms outthere, which we weren't
mentioned, but there are bigorganizations out there globally
.
Who have insisted on having alltheir staff back in the office.
What would you say to them?
Dear mister Lasklow.
Anyway,
Speaker 1 (05:17):
you know, I'll probably ask him why he's called
Tristorex as a star, Ted.
And my next my next questionwill probably be a long so I
think I think my thought on mywould be.
Do we need to go back to fivedays a week?
I can't see why that'snecessary.
I think that's a wee bit youknow, dictatorial where my where
my heads up from thatperspective is it's good for
(05:39):
culture for colleagues to spendtime together?
I mean, that's just a factRight?
I remember the reemergence wascoming back to the office at the
end of twenty twenty one.
And it was, you know, peoplefelt super apprehensive, but it
was so exciting to see peopleface to face.
We're we're we're socialcreatures.
Right?
It's good for us to be aroundother humans.
It just depends on how muchtime you want to and need to
(06:01):
spend.
But I think from from ourperspective, we've tried not to
be, like, we're not going fivedays a week, but equally, we're
not saying that permanent remoteworking is okay either.
Unless there's a reason for itpersonal health or otherwise,
but spending time in the officetogether as a team.
And in various differentflavors of what that team might
(06:23):
be, you might be in your programdelivery team one day, you
might be in your well-beingteam, another whatever team
means to you, and it can meanmore than one thing showing up
and connecting, collaborating isis vital.
And I think hybrid is justabout what balance do we strive
to make that work from a from afrom a work and personal life
perspective?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And it's interesting.
You're talking about thediversity of hybrid because
hybrid just isn't half home andhalf work.
You just talk lend a new back.
You might be in your programteam one day.
You might be in the well-beingor, you know, sort of something
else that you're part of anotherday.
Isn't it?
It's there is the diversity inthe hybrid working as well.
It's not just a case of, oh,it's gonna be this split or it's
gonna be this timing.
It's beyond that, isn't it?
(07:03):
And I think you are, you know,your sponsored Barclays
diversity of equity andinclusion agenda.
That kind of falls into that,doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Absolutely does.
Absolutely does.
It's all it's all about helpingpeople come our colleagues come
to work and be the best versionof them.
Right?
It's it's great for us tocreate an agenda that works
because, ultimately, if if we'recreating a place where our
colleagues can, you know, maketheir work schedules, work
around life schedules, and we'renot creating too much pressure
(07:35):
to be constantly in the officefive days a week.
Like, they'll want tocontribute more.
They'll be happier.
They'll be more motivated.
They'll want to give back asas, you know, be on to be on the
day job, hopefully.
And so it's great for us from acontribution back into the firm
perspective.
But also if I think about, youknow, things like when as an
(07:57):
example, we've got colleaguesthat might be fasting for
Ramadan or have specific, youknow, things celebrate through
events around certain religiousfestivals.
They can make hybrid work forthat as well.
Right?
You don't need to be in theoffice every day.
If you need to take time out tocelebrate, eat, if you need to
take time out to celebrate, holyif you want to be at home,
fresh, the majority, the fastingweek, whatever it might be.
(08:19):
As a working mom, we've gotloads of working moms.
Again, if we can offer flexibleagendas that mean school runs
and not a problem anymore andworking down solidly that was
remissively, not being inclusive.
But if we can create constructsthat mean that that's really
easy our colleagues to do.
It'll make them much happier towork at Barclays as well.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
And is this always been a passion for you sort of
the diversity inclusion agenda
Speaker 1 (08:42):
massively massively.
I think if I'm a bit binaryabout it at the moment, it's my
job as a senior leader at thefirm.
I need to be a champion and asteward for it.
On a more personal level, Ithink it would be absolutely
horrendous if we end up in awork environment where where our
colleagues can't feel that theycan bring their full selves to
work.
You know, as a as a relocatedas it's girl up to the northwest
(09:06):
I sound very different to thevast majority of people in this
part of the country.
Sadly, that's not changed forfor the best part of a decade.
But it's important for me I'm anatural extravert to actually
come to the office and be me andknow that I that we're in an
environment where that is okay.
And I want to make sure thatit's the same for every single
(09:27):
other colleague at this firmrace ethnicity, gender, sexual
preference, neurodiversity,doesn't matter.
We create an environment whereour colleagues can bring their
authentic sales to work.
And and that is just that isjust something that I'm
passionate about because it'sthe right thing to do.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
And what does good look like?
As in, you know, was good DNAand looked like.
Because we we see and watch,you know, people are doing this
and they've done that andthey've put the chief exec on
the top of the pride float andthen that, you know, you know
oh, there's a there can be a lotof box ticking.
We've seen it for probablycouple of decades now to be
honest, but what does good looklike for you.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah.
You've kind of nailed it to amoment that it's got to go
beyond the conversation and somenominal gestures.
So if I think about probably awell used mantra, what gets
measured, gets done.
Right?
So punchy targets, keep usfocused.
That how we achieve thosetargets is critically important.
We can't just promote certaingroups of colleagues to hit a
(10:27):
target without the appropriatesupport around them and the
appropriate measures ofperformance because they will
just fail without without thedue time care and attention of
nurturing and to get to theright grade.
What what we've tried to createhere at Radbrooke is a really
thoughtful set of pillars andwork streams that align to
Radbroader group, DeE and Iagenda.
To do meaningful work here andmeaningful initiatives can
(10:52):
actually show that a, we'retaking it seriously and b, we
want to make a difference.
So it's beyond as you said,CEO, on a on a milk flow or, you
know, someone doing a talk.
It's actually well, let's havea really candid conversation
about what it feels.
To be neuro diverse in theworkplace and what we should all
be doing to make it okay forcolleagues to talk about if they
wish to, but most importantly,what do we do to make them feel
(11:15):
safe, you know, to build anenvironment that that that
actually means that if, you knowand we have some neurodiverse
colleagues talk about this notnot so long ago.
Coming back into the office ishard work.
It's loud.
It's noisy.
It's full of distractions.
It's full of people that youneed to talk to.
So we're looking at how tocreate a client space.
Where colleagues areidentified, neurodiverse, or if
(11:37):
they're not diagnosed, they'regonna sit for a couple of hours.
They're like a client coach ona train.
So actually, how do we doreally meaningful actions on the
project manager by trade?
So what's our plan to turn theconversation from awareness and
understanding to some actionsand some plans that show that
we're taking it seriously tobuild the right environment, not
(11:58):
just talk about having it
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I think that's the key, isn't it?
We can talk about, you know, wecan have passive.
Can't you so much passivesupport out there, but it's
absolutely about how do you turnthat passive into action, isn't
it?
You know?
And and and with a long termview, oh, I'm not just doing it
now because, you know, it'sinclusion month or it's, you
know, it's international women'sday or or or you know, mental
health awareness.
It's got to be it's got to beongoing.
(12:21):
I feel like that's the thing Ithink sometimes we can shine a
spotlight but actually it's gotto be it's got to be intentional
and thoughtful the whole time,isn't it?
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Yeah.
You're absolutely right.
It's got to be sustainable andit's got to be relevant.
As well.
Because without relevance andsustainability and making it
almost quite programmatic, youknow, lose traction or something
else becomes a shiny thing thatwill that will occur next time,
which is not it.
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And I'm gonna innovate in this in this space
as well, you know, it's it's gotthat you've talked about, you
know, bringing you've got acrate there, be thoughtful, be
intentional, be authentic toyour brand and your people, you
know, it's important that notjust to copy or gonna copy what,
you know, brand x are doingover there.
Maybe not brand x is the secondtime we were not gonna do
anymore.
No more wedges of x.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
That's that.
They all will cut that out.
It's my secret sponsorship here.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Absolutely not.
There's a worry in movementthough.
We've seen across the stateswhere there is a backlash sort
of against E and I, divorceinclusion, and calling the anti
woke agenda.
Is this is this a worry to youin the the the Barclays massive?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Me personally know.
I've got a lot of faith inthere for not not to I think he
goes back to the previous point.
We just talked that's mine,which is tip boxing.
I can totally see how theywould get perceived and called
out for being woke because we'redoing something for the sake of
doing it.
When you turn the lens on, butwe need to make the supplies, it
really implies for ourcolleagues to work.
(13:46):
And actually, we need to makethe appropriate adjustments to
enable that to happen.
Event just becomes anotherthing that we need to do like
having toilets in the car park.
Right?
It becomes very BAU and itbecomes as critical as basic
facilities that we assume forfor non diverse colleagues,
let's say.
So I've got a massive amount offaith in our firm to do the
(14:07):
right thing.
If I was sort of to coverthings that we've done recently
we've hired in.
Although not significant ratedensity is our sort of global
need for diversity, equityinclusion, Rai's got a whole
team around the nation that ourbankers that don't work in
technology that don't servecustomers and university to
commerce.
They are there to champion andmake sure we're doing the right
things internally and externallyto drive that agenda
(14:29):
meaningfully.
So I I think we've taken somereally big those steps forward,
there will always be more to do.
But I would like to think thatno no one would would and could
either, again, internally orexternally to our firm.
Call this wake.
I'm pretty comfortable that itran a good time.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
And I know you mentioned earlier, your passion
for mentoring.
You've been part of theNorthern Powering.
We had the twelve weekmentoring program out of the
awards, so all of our short list.
So it was it was kinda thewhole the whole intention really
was, you know, we have anamazing award Many of our
listeners will know out there.
We always add them that it'snever for one night.
And so we took and and kindaconnected our shortlist with
(15:08):
willing mentors, and we'realways over over run with
mentors.
And I know this is massive.
Every time we do an event withyou, Barclays, we always have so
many mentors every and at andat different levels.
Right?
Some people who are morerelatable because they're in the
first few years of theircareer, to people who have got,
you know, sort of way moreexperience that yourself.
It's it's a massive thing,isn't it?
(15:28):
And I know it's a personalpassion for you.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
It is fine.
I'm gonna start with a with aquotes in my line.
Properly not taking the creditfor all, but I loved it and it
stuck with me and it was told tome recently by by a good friend
here.
If you're fortunate enough toget the elevator up to the top,
send it back down to somebodyelse.
And I I don't left me, which isthis beautiful mental image of
(15:51):
what I think mentoring means.
And and you don't necessarilyhave to get all the way to the
top.
You might have just got to amore advantageous place.
And how do you how do you helpothers succeed as well?
If I think about, you know, thethe fortunate position I need
to be a senior leader, It's myjob again.
Right?
If I'm not taking time tocurate, to develop, to invest
time in the next wave of talent,either that can come and help
(16:15):
me run the site at Radbrook orthat one I have aspiring careers
in technology or both.
I'm not doing particularly goodjob.
And I think your your point wasso well made on immense doesn't
have to be tons more senior ormight have completely different
experience.
It's all about providing peoplewith perspective, with advice,
(16:37):
with an independent view,sometimes it's just a place to
have a good old brand.
Sometimes we just need a safespace to go.
Dear god, this is justsomething I've gotta get off my
chest.
And actually, I think thatplays to such a crucial role in
development.
And I I've benefited hugelyearly for the years, you know.
People that have been, youknow, years ahead of me just
(16:57):
given me advice.
Another another really good onethat I heard a couple of times
in my previous organizationwhere perhaps I've not made it
through the promotion cycle.
That I wanted.
I've got given a terrific pieceof advice that said that look
at your career over a threeyears span.
If you look at a rolling threeyears rather than what you in
the last six to twelve months.
(17:19):
You'll get so much moreperspective on your trajectory.
You can level out some of thebumps you can level out some of
the disappointments and take onthe goods and actually see how
far you've come on on thatrolling thing because when when
you're in something to thirtyplus years.
You've got a brilliant bit of amedium to a long term game as
well.
It's also, I think, helped mepersonally because it's help me
(17:41):
reflect on my style as well.
I take a lot from the peoplethat I have the privilege to
mentor and look after, whetherit's communication style, I
might be a bit biased aboutsomething just because it's
something that I've been used to.
And or frankly, you know, someof the some of the much younger
talented just make me thinkdifferently.
My my fabulous stepdaughter'sincluded.
They'll say, why'd you thinkthat about that?
(18:02):
And I'll say, oh, that is agreat question.
I have absolutely no idea.
So I think it's a good two waystraight as well, actually.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I think it's not meant to a mindset, isn't it?
You know?
That reverse mentoring approachfrom your stepdaughter's, you
know, that the advice thatyou're giving, you know, I love
that that whole take it as asort of a step back and look at
the three year rather than justsometimes we can be too what's
the phrase?
You can't see the word for thetree sometimes because you're so
kind of in it.
And who are the mentors, howwould mentors help you along
(18:33):
your way?
Because you've had a reallyimpressive career, so from
Accenture, the financialinstitutions to now Barclays.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
So I think I've taken so much away up.
I could probably talk forever,Simone, and that will completely
bring the length of thispodcast and I might say it'd be
pretty late.
I think the I think the mostimportant the most important
takeaway is that we personallyhave probably been don't let
your own self confidence issueshold you back.
Right?
You're better than you thinkyou are.
So just let that part of Amy goand be herself and then stop,
(19:03):
you know, set her free.
I think the other reallyimportant one has been, like, if
something goes wrong, it'snever as bad as you really think
it's don't take things tooseriously.
And I I think when you're allsuper passionate about your job
and you work in the the criticalindustry, white banking and
Aker Lee technology, there's areal risk you end up taking the
(19:26):
woes of the world on yourshoulders with it as well.
And actually, again, reframingand not dissimilar to the point
on three years.
Just take a step back, take abreath, have a look around
what's going on, which is amassive for me.
It was a, you know, you settleyour stress free or most a bit
free, and it then helps youthink as well.
So you sort of amveragingyourself a little bit.
(19:46):
So those are those are thebiggest ones for me that I've
I've taken away as as seemed andit's a real privilege to be
able to pass that on actually toothers and hopefully do a
little bit to help in the chain.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
That is amazing.
An amazing way to finish thepodcast.
We always talk every week I'malways obsessed with the tote
bags.
I'm now moving on to merch, tobe honest.
But, you know, I always thinkof these great phrases and these
great soundbikes and these aregreat advice and guidance, and
you just give us three brilliantones there.
You know, send the elevatorback down one hundred percent.
You're better than you thinkyou will, and it's never as bad
as you really think it is.
(20:19):
So you're created as a whole awhole set there, a whole outfit
there, Amy, to be honest.
But, you know, I'm so grateful.
I think it's so important,isn't it?
All of those, you know, thethat you talked about, you know,
say getting that advice offyour stepdaughter is the fact
that may mentoring matters inevery whichever whichever part
whether it's sort of the reverseapproach, peer mentoring, you
know, someone for some moresenior.
(20:39):
It's getting advice all the wayalong the way, isn't it, I
think, and just reflecting on it.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
No one's ever finished and no one's got all
the answers.
So the confidentiality is going.
Carry on.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Oh, you give out me more.
I haven't got any I've got noroom for money or not merch.
That's
Speaker 1 (20:54):
get your biggest hype back to mine.
We'll work on that.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
That's what we'll do that.
We'll have that in the nextsession.
Amy, thank you so so much forjoining me today.
I know that this just oozes outof you, your passion for
talent, your passion for your,you know, for for for for work,
your people.
You know, and the passion formentoring which, to be honest,
you know, sort of all that sitsin our DNA.
And I think that's why we lovepartnering with the Barclays
(21:17):
massive.
So for Amy, thank you so muchfor joining me on this week's
pastor power episode.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Wonderful.
Thank you so much.
Have a lovely
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And thank you all for listening.
Remember, these are our weeklyepisodes that do subscribe, so
you do not miss a single episode.
Catch up with us on all of oursocial medias at north of power
men on Twitter slash x.
There is again another bench.
And Northern power men on allof our other socials please go
old school, a drop as an emailpodcast at northern poundman dot
(21:46):
com.
We really love that to hearfrom you.
Thank you so much for joiningme.
My name is a mountain.
This is the northern power inthe podcast.
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