Welcome to Annie Maclaurin, HR & Recruitment
At hr inspire, we are pleased to welcome Annie Maclaurin to the team. Here, Annie shares her insight into the future of HR and how she has negotiated being a new starter during the pandemic.
What are your responsibilities at hr inspire?
I am responsible for recruitment which is a very exciting time as many businesses are bouncing back and my main role is to support our expert HR consultants with their many customers across different sectors. I have also dipped my toe into the water by supporting the marketing team with an abundance of interesting initiatives.
Tell us about your career background/interests so far?
I finished my A levels early in 2020 as the pandemic hit. I was going to go to university to study psychology but I had an overwhelming desire to get first-hand, on-the-job experience and so wanted to start working instead. I looked into apprenticeships and came across one in HR and started my journey in August 2020. I began working at hr inspire shortly afterwards.
What attracted you to the field of HR?
I have always had an interest in psychology, therefore I felt that HR was the right field to go into as it involves helping and supporting people.
What attracted you to hr inspire?
There is amazing scope for career development and I felt I would be able to grow here, as there are so many people with great experience to learn from.
How do you think HR will change in the next few years? What is the next big thing (in your opinion)
I think HR will continue to grow as, over the pandemic, we have seen how important the function is to a business. I believe the ongoing debate around homeworking will continue as many employees want the option to work flexibly but some employers are not willing or able to accommodate this. I also think there will be an increase in the use of technology related to retention strategies.
How do you feel the pandemic has changed things for HR professionals?
I think the pandemic has strengthened the role HR professionals play within a business. It has always played a role in supporting employers and employees, but this activity has been catapulted into the spotlight over the past 18 months, especially with issues like furlough and hybrid working.
What do you love best about your new job at hr inspire so far?
I love the team and office dynamics; everyone is so friendly and positive – even in the short time I have been here, I have had the opportunity of being able to get involved in many different areas of HR to develop my learning.
What do you do to relax?
Hitting the gym, using languages (I’m bilingual) and it’s always fun talking to family and friends back in the Czech Republic.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I am a morning person; I wake up naturally at 6am every single day. I do love late nights too but I’m still young enough to jump out of bed in the morning!
Favourite cuisine?
I love Asian cuisine, especially sushi.
