We’re well and truly starting 2023 with a bang and we can’t wait to share the exciting news with you all... Moxie has had the fabulous opportunity to expand into the world of HR recruitment with the addition of the amazing Caryl Thomas to our team.
This is a big step forward in the Moxie People journey to be able to help more and more people – it’s in the name after all.
Before we introduce you to Caryl, let’s talk about how and why this is now possible and why HR fits with who we are here at Moxie.
To be able to move into an industry that’s very much focused around people, wellbeing, and the progression of employees is amazing, we couldn't really find a more perfect alignment to the values of who Moxie are and what we live and breathe.
What makes Moxie different from the other HR recruiters is the addition of the wonderful Caryl to our team. Her first-hand knowledge of the industry will help us to find others who are passionate about people and want to make caring for others their job.
Caryl has also worked as a senior HR professional for a number of years as well as running her own HR consultancy, so by having those business experiences, she understands just how critical it is to have the right people in place and the difference that makes to people’s and an organisation’s life.
We're all really, really passionate about social justice and making a difference, and we want to do the best we can for people and organisations. And that’s why recruiting for HR roles makes perfect sense. Having somebody like Caryl join the team means that she really understands HR and is able to be a true critical friend and business partner to our candidates and clients.
We're playing a real active part on the ground in the communities as well helping to empower people in Wales to reach their full potential. This is achieved through the support of the incredible HR community who are always so focused on supporting others, so this is a perfect synergy and something that we are delighted that the HR community is already getting behind.
Hi, Caryl. Tell us about yourself:
“My career in HR began 19 years ago when I moved to Edinburgh and joined Capita business services, using my languages degree working in the back office for the European offices on the Morgan Stanley account. Following this, I worked for BskyB, and globally in VP roles at BlackRock Asset Management. In 2012, the hiraeth for Wales soon had me return home to Cardiff where a few short years later I set up my own HR consultancy under The HR Dept. I provided outsourced HR to SMEs across South Wales and beyond and soon grew my team, supporting clients across all sectors including retail, manufacturing, charities, and creative and professional services. In 2021, I sold the business and took a career break before joining Moxie”.
That’s Caryl’s story so far and as you can see, she has walked the walk and really knows her stuff when it comes to HR – but why does she love it so much?
Caryl: “I just love the fact that you're supporting businesses and that you're constantly busy, there's always something happening! I love being in an environment where I’m able to support other people and help organisations with their aims and goals.”
Since she’s worked through big events such as the credit crunch, ran a HR consultancy during the pandemic, and seen the challenges HR now faces with the cost of living crisis, Caryl has a grasp on what it takes to be an effective HR recruiter and HR professional.
Let’s get her fantastic insight on this topic.
Caryl: “I think the necessary attributes for a HR recruiter are firstly compassion and understanding, as well as a true understanding of the sector. Also having carved my career in HR, it's really important to be able to understand what you're recruiting for and really get what makes a good fit.”
“Resilience, passion for the profession and understanding the nuances of HR is important. When you place someone in the right role you change their lives, not only that, you also improve the organisation too and that win-win combination is so special and powerful.”
But Caryl’s extensive knowledge in HR won’t just be solely focused on the housing sector. As we’ve already mentioned, Moxie’s roots are in social housing, and with Caryl having worked in a wide variety of sectors, she’ll be covering a wide range of roles and sectors. Specifically, she’ll be helping to support recruitment within the HR and professional services, whether that’s permanent or temporary roles, and help others into jobs roles from assistant level all the way up to director level.
Now, let’s put her knowledge to the test and ask her some HR quick-fire questions:
A survey has found that 4 in 5 HR professionals say hybrid working is essential for finding the best talent – do you agree?
"I think it's always good to be able to offer it where you can and it's certainly something that I'm seeing a lot of candidates and HR professionals wanting more flexibility.
"But with HR, there’s always going to be situations where there is no replica for face to face and I think a pragmatic approach for this is needed. But I think it’s important to find the best talent, so if you can offer hybrid working, that's fantastic. But we’re also seeing some roles where you have to be on-site, and some candidates do prefer to have that option".
Debunk a HR myth that simply isn’t true.
"Well, we get called the Fun Police a lot, but we all have a sense of humour and like to laugh and a giggle like everybody else".
What’s your opinion on loud quitting and quiet quitting?
"It became a bit of a trend at the end of last year, and I think it comes down to common sense; you treat your people fairly, you have those regular check-ins and you get to know your team and understand what's important to them.
I think the boundaries of work and home are now more blurred, and this has become more prevalent due to the pandemic. I think it's all about trying to understand what’s important to that person and having those honest conversations.
There's a lot of people now talking about burnout and wellbeing is high on most organisations’ agendas".
Caryl really does know her stuff! She’s a great addition to the team and we’re beyond excited to see what she can do for the HR community. In fact, Caryl already has some plans in addition to the HR work she will be doing to build out our cross sector HR offering.
“When it comes to HR, we’d be in the wrong job if we weren't interested in corporate social responsibility and doing the right thing. There's a real opportunity to engage with the HR community because there's so many synergies between what we do and getting people into work. I think that’s our USP, how we are socially focused and how we work with a lot of heart.
"We’ll be bringing Working Wardrobe and The Moxie Foundation to HR professionals across South Wales, and we can’t wait to see the difference it’s going to make. Another big difference Caryl is hoping to make to the HR community is through hosting events to bring people together and strengthen and bolster one another through shared support. In fact, we’re sponsoring and attending the CIPD Awards in March which is a huge honour and we look forward to getting to know even more of the HR community.
There you have it, you’ve now met the incredible Caryl and heard all her plans for 2023 – watch this space!
