Join us for an insightful Q&A session featuring Melissa Betts, a key member of our People and Culture at Mallcomm. Dive into discussions about her role, strategies, and experiences in driving growth. Prepare to gain valuable insights into Melissa’s contributions to our company culture and talent development initiatives.
Can you share a bit about your background and experience working in People and Culture departments?
Studying at a local college was just the beginning of my journey in the field of HR. Achieving my MCIPD (level 7) accreditation was a significant milestone. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of wearing many hats, each role allowing me to delve deeper into different aspects of People & Culture. From navigating the complexities of Employee Relations to designing and delivering impactful training sessions in Learning and Development, I’ve gained invaluable experience across several specialist areas.
My journey has taken me across various sectors, including local government, renewable energy, and the technical domain. Each opportunity has broadened my horizons and enriched my skill set, ultimately leading me to take on roles as Head of department. What truly drives me is my passion for working in a generalist capacity, where I can leverage my diverse background to support organisations in multifaceted ways. Whether it’s shedding light on complex situations with my “ah ha” moments or providing invaluable guidance to teams, I thrive on making a meaningful impact.
What drew you to the field of People and Culture, and what do you find most rewarding about your work?
I started by being the PA to the Head of HR, and realised that the roles in this profession can be gritty, it is not just about tea and tissues… every day is different. I am supporting the strategy for the business along with the people completing it. I am one of the few people in a business that works across departments on a regular basis. The most rewarding part is working with people – everyone is unique and so each situation is different. I like to think that I make a positive difference to people I work alongside and I love to get a thank you when this happens but – who doesn’t!
How do you approach building and maintaining a positive workplace culture within our organisation?
Culture for me is “how we do things around here”. I get to know people, what their job is, what their blockers are, what they are good at – and what does not work. I am curious so by really listening to people, by meeting them and completing surveys (and acting on that feedback) we are enhancing their experience at work. Doing the right thing by people and truly caring about them is a good starting point. Supporting people to collaborate, with open communication in a positive environment is key. Let’s be honest we all work longer than being at home -even if that is working from home. (True fact).
How do you foster a culture of continuous learning and development within our organisation?
With a background of learning and development, continuous learning is definitely part of my DNA as they say “every day is a school day” we should all embrace learning during our day. Actively encouraging our people to undertake courses, attend seminars, mentor each other and shadow teammates are all part of learning. It is not just about a classroom meeting others at an exhibition is just as useful for learning. It is important that people have the opportunity to develop themselves, and learn from each other and be comfortable to share that knowledge with each other. I am very proud to share that we have several of our people that have worked their way through the ranks at Mallcomm.
How do you collaborate with other departments within the organisation to achieve HR objectives?
I meet with the Executive team and leadership team members monthly, I like to be “in the weeds” and do not have a separate office. We talk about current issues, their top priorities; the roadmap for that department and any blockers. This is essential for me to prioritise the People strategy in supporting their goals and requirements. I also make it a priority to meet each new starter on their first day, and to meet with all our people at least annually to have a chat to see what is happening for them. Most importantly, be approachable; my “virtual door” is always open for everyone at Mallcomm.
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