The freedom to work around the school run – meet People Director Helen Witt

People Puzzles was the perfect solution for Helen Witt, who wanted to pursue her ambitions but balance the demands of raising her son.

In what way has People Puzzles helped you to thrive? 

I joined People Puzzles over six years ago. Prior to that, following maternity leave, I returned to full-time work as an HRD in an AIM listed media business. Having been a single parent since my son’s birth and living in London,  I had no option but to work full-time.   In hindsight, operating at a senior level in a business that was going through constant change, being in my third year of solo parenting, moving to a new house, it was no wonder that for the first time in my life I was very much feeling the pressure, and really needed to make a change. By luck, the opportunity to partner with People Puzzles came along, in some ways it seemed too good to be true.

I have always been ambitious and wanted and needed to have challenging work that was financially viable.   People Puzzles provided the perfect solution for my circumstances. It allowed me to be more present with my son’s care; I have done the school drops and nearly all pickups for the last 6 years. I am very aware that this is precious time that I won’t get back and I’m even a little sad now that he can walk to school alone.   I really feel that it’s ticked all of my requirements; balancing family demands, financial stability and providing an intellectual challenge.  I have also built strong relationships with both the Central Team & Regional Teams. I think that is what makes People Puzzles different; they really do try to offer as much support as possible and the little touches, like a check in call from the MD or one of the Founders, or a thoughtful card if you are going through a challenging personal time make such a difference.

Have you had one stand out moment when you have felt lucky to work with People Puzzles?

In previous roles as a standalone HRD it could at times be quite lonely, although I was part of a wider leadership team as I was the only senior HR role and quite often the only women.   At People Puzzles, it’s great to have the wider network of People Directors where we can share our experience, challenges, and knowledge.

What have you found most meaningful about your work with People Puzzles and their clients? 

One of the most enjoyable parts of the role is that most of my clients are growing, ambitious businesses and I have been supporting that growth. It has been a positive journey, which is hugely satisfying as it is a great space in which to function. I have always been strong commercially and working with clients on a mix of business and people strategy which really works for me.

What areas are you passionate about outside of your work?

During my first conference with People Puzzles, we did a vision for the future exercise, mapping out a personal 5-year plan.  One of my key goals on the plan was to get a dog and a few months later I made the goal a reality.  My proudest achievement by far in life is my family, my son and my dog, Lulu.  I couldn’t have had a dog without the flexibility that comes from working with People Puzzles and my life would have been very much the poorer.  Before being an independent consultant, my work was relatively inflexible, I had some home working but generally I was out the house at 7.30am  and back at 6.30pm; managing my own time and client work, means I get to choose when I work, which has given me a lot more opportunity to build local connections, be that in the gym, at the school gate or swimming at the lake. It still surprises me how many people you meet locally when you have a dog, it’s an absolute winner as a conversation starter.

What excites you most about the next 5 years of your career with People Puzzles?  

I am looking forward to learning more and helping clients thrive, I am particularly excited about how People Puzzles is developing its focus on people optimized business strategy.  It’s also interesting to see increased awareness in the business and HR community about “Fractional Working” it’s something I have been doing for 6 years but seems to be having a real moment, with more businesses realising they can now access senior C suite skills on a part-time basis, there are going to be many more opportunities for personal growth.

The bulk of my corporate career was with Virgin and they were great at building a positive culture.  Now I get satisfaction from partnering businesses that create a strong culture which in turn translates into commercial success.  Ultimately business strategy is about creating a great culture as much as it is about hitting revenue targets.