We use the Thomas PPA to talk about our different styles and how we can work together to make the most of our different skills. If you don’t do it correctly, you’re going to have problems. I think that whole issue around how to do training and development effectively is quite important. Because they are all new, there was not always someone to turn too. While I had Covid, they made some decisions for the right reasons, but they were wrong for our organisation. I’ve got a very new team and I don’t know what they don’t know until they make genuine mistakes. I think that whole element of coaching, buddying and mentoring is crucial for younger or less-experienced employees. Getting people inducted into the organisation’s culture and values is quite tricky if you’ve never actually met them and they can’t physically experience the environment. But I think that you lose something by not meeting face-to-face. ![]() Zoom and Teams have transformed the workplace. Sarah Houston, Head of HR, Mayflower Theatre What have been the biggest game-changers in your view? "Perhaps Covid has assisted the HR profession." We are streamlining our processes and making managers more accountable for what might have been more traditional HR activities. If I look back on my career, obviously the computer revolution has been transformative. When you have bad internet, it can really affect your mental health and stress levels as well as work outcomes. Remote work also relies on really good internet connections. Some people have worked harder during this time because you can’t switch off. ![]() This whole balance between work and life has been heightened. So, I think there is going to be a mixture. Going forward organisations will fall into two categories those that were already on the journey of hybrid working will continue, and organisations like theatres, where many roles can’t be home based. Companies have been shown the importance of good HR practices and procedures. I think that perhaps Covid has assisted the HR profession. Would you agree that there has been a gear shift in HR recently? She shares insights into what the pressure to ‘go remote’ means for businesses that rely on embodied experience, and how the pandemic has changed the conversation around mental health. In this interview, Sarah Houston, Head of HR at Southampton-based Mayflower Theatre reflects on the pandemic, now that many regions are restabilising.
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