Happy Mondays - Kat

Hello, my name is Kathryn and I work in HR (not everyone’s favourite profession I know!) in the NHS. My job is ultimately to support the smooth entry, development, management and exit of those working for my NHS trust. This week, my job involves me working with colleagues across the region to review pay rates for agency staff, a workshop reflecting on managing people in a just and fair way, appropriately applying employment law, supporting managers to lead their teams well and supporting my team in their roles. Most weeks I really enjoy the variety; some weeks it can feel quite overwhelming.

Despite the challenge, I believe that I am absolutely in the right job and that God brought me here through one hell of a storm. For the previous year my prayer about work has predominately been a desperate one … “God, get me out of here”. He did not answer that prayer in the timescale I had hoped for, not even close. Then, 6 months ago, God very clearly told me that I would be offered my current job before I’d even interviewed for it. It was a fairly overwhelming time … and now here I am, three months in and in a job I wouldn’t have dared to dream of. I have a lot to learn!

In my role I have the privilege of working with multiple teams, to understand the incredible work they do and to witness their ability to advocate and work for their patients and service users during their most vulnerable moments, knowing that my team have, in a small way, helped them achieve that. Working in HR, I think we have the opportunity to guide the tone of an organisation; to influence how people are treated and to always strive for better. Sadly we don’t always get it right and I find that the hardest part of an HR role is knowing that our processes (some within and some outside of our control) can make a hard job or situation feel harder. It’s a substantial challenge to rise to.

It is unlikely to be a surprise to hear that the NHS can be a really challenging environment to work in and that it can also be an incredibly rewarding one, filled with wonderful, kind, committed people. I am so thankful to be a part of it. It is my prayer that what is good prospers and that a sustainable answer is found to persistent pressures.  

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