Diverse Experiences
My career in HR has spanned various roles, industries, and organisations of different sizes, from a large FTSE top 5 global company to medium and large UK businesses. Castle Trust Bank, the smallest organisation I’ve worked with, offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact and shape the future. I joined Castle Trust Bank in September 2020, shortly after it gained its banking licence in July.
Building from Scratch
Starting with a blank canvas is an HR Director’s dream. It allowed me to implement my own plan, build a team for the future, and develop a strategy to meet business needs from a people and culture perspective. With around 200 employees, it’s easy to quickly understand the dynamics, identify key decision-makers, and recognise early adopters of change.
Leveraging Past Experiences
My background in larger organisations, both within and outside financial services, has been invaluable. The lessons learned, both good and bad, have shaped my leadership style. This is my first role in banking, and I’ve drawn on my previous experiences and network to establish a solid foundation for our people strategy. One of my initial priorities was to ensure we had the right skills and capabilities within the HR team. Collaborating with Jen from HR Heads, I’ve built a small but effective team, comprising both specialists and generalists.
Our People-Centric Approach
Leadership and Culture
Our CEO is highly people-oriented, valuing culture and personal development. His open-door policy has enabled me to implement changes that have significantly improved engagement, retention, and culture over the past three years. Castle Trust Bank’s values, developed by our colleagues in 2019, remain relevant and are embedded in all our processes:
- Customers First: Placing customers at the heart of everything we do.
- Forward Thinking: Investing in our people, business, and future.
- Professional Pride: Treating people with respect and taking pride in our work.
- Achieving Together: Working as one team to make a difference.
- Open & Transparent: Being approachable, authentic, and open-minded.
Operational Pillars
Organisation Design & Resourcing
In a small organisation, getting recruitment and structure right is crucial. We focus on hiring individuals who fit our culture—collegiate, collaborative, inclusive, and fast-paced with minimal hierarchy—while ensuring they can quickly understand the regulatory framework of a bank. This commitment to diversity and inclusion sometimes means taking longer to find the right candidate.
Reward, Wellbeing & Benefits
Starting during the pandemic presented challenges, particularly around health and wellbeing. We created a Health & Wellbeing calendar and introduced trained Mental Health First Aiders. Embracing hybrid working, we have most roles working three days in the office and two remotely. We’ve also launched a new job grading structure and salary pay bands, ensuring transparency and understanding. Our colleague benefits are regularly reviewed and enhanced, including healthcare schemes and flexible holiday options.
Learning, Development & Performance
This year, we’re launching The Learning Hub on our company intranet, focusing on building a learning culture. We’ve transitioned to a new e-learning management system, The Training Hub, and are now emphasising soft skills and management development training. Our ILM accredited Leadership Behaviours & Change Programme has been successful, with three cohorts of senior managers achieving their qualifications.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Castle Trust Bank is committed to diversity and inclusion, being an ambassador for Neurodiversity in the Workplace and a member of the Women in Finance Charter and Disability Confident. We focus on addressing the gender pay gap and supporting female talent through development and mentoring. Our ESG working group promotes events and activities supporting our ESG plan, including fundraising and environmental initiatives.
Brilliant Basics
Our focus on ‘brilliant basics’ includes updating People Policies and Procedures and harmonising contracts of employment. We’re excited about implementing a new HR Information System, The HR Hub, this year. Colleague engagement has been a priority, with five engagement surveys conducted using the Peakon platform, improving our engagement score significantly.
Future Focus
Looking ahead, our priorities include developing our EDI purpose, addressing the gender pay gap, supporting the Women in Finance Charter, and exploring AI opportunities in HR. With the right foundations, great people, and a continuous improvement mindset, Castle Trust Bank is ready for growth. It’s an exciting journey, and the support from HR experts like Jen and the HR Heads team is invaluable.
