Once Upon a Blinktime - Jamie Aspinall, Chief People Officer at Doctor Care Anywhere

Name: Jamie Aspinall

Company: Doctor Care Anywhere

Role: Chief People Officer

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Q:  Hi Jamie. Lets start with… do you think the role of HR has changed over the years?

HR has changed massively. It’s ever evolving and the level of requirements from a HR team, or People Team as we are now known, continues to grow. Often if you don't know where to put something in an organisation it normally lands on the People Team. The People Team feel responsible for the performance of the entire organisation and have to deliver on an organisation’s objectives. That can be very stressful. On top of that, the entire start to end journey of the “employee experience” is on the shoulders of the People Team. It’s very different to traditional HR of the past.

‍Q:  And how do you manage that Employee Experience journey you mention? 

To me the number one relationship for a CPO is a CFO. You work continuously with the CFO around driving impact and outcomes, both financial and non financial. I attend every budget setting meeting to understand the true “people impact” of those budgets as well as the financial. That way I can make sure the employee experience remains the best it can be while still meeting the needs of the business.

‍Q: What are the key ways businesses can make changes that have a positive impact for the people and the business alike?

I think it's about support and understanding. Having a business that really knows what it is they want to do and how they want to deliver it. Generally businesses are behind the curve in terms of AI and technology enablement which can help massively when done right. We're definitely a business that has focussed so much on our external growth our internal infrastructure suffered. So we stopped, reflected and looked at what we could improve so we could better benefit and grow the organisation as a whole

Q: What do you think the biggest challenges are HR will face over the next12 months? 

There’s always a variety of challenges. Driving down the cost of sales, driving down the cost to serve organisations, justifying the position in organisations. I think across all organisations people are seeing more and more tribunals. So figuring out what the role of the People Team is to enable managers to deal with them quickly and effectively. I’ve also seen a big shift in behaviours and attitudes. Like with remote working and how it changes people's interactions with their colleagues, as well as their willingness towards actually being in the office. Ultimately it’s a continuous cycle of what's right for the organisation and what’s also right for the people that are serving that business.

‍Q:  With tribunals in mind, there’s been a lot of changes around employment law this year, especially around flexibility. How do you see that impacting businesses? 

I’m really interested to see what Labour do next in terms of their bills and how they're going to make further changes to this legislation. I think what they've done so far gives more power to people, but that can be a concern to businesses. So while you’ve got some organisations that aren't treating people with the respect and empowerment that they deserve, which needs to be addressed and changed for the better, there are also amazing businesses that are now going to suffer. This is because even if you have the correct policy and adhere to it you can still end up in very costly tribunal. Those companies need to assess how they are going to manage these changes in employment law very carefully to try lower this risk.

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‍Key Takeaway Points

1. The Evolving Role of HR: HR, now often referred to as the People Team, has grown beyond traditional functions to oversee organisational performance and the entire employee experience.

 2. Key Challenges Ahead: Increasing tribunals, the effects of remote working, and adapting to new employment laws mean HR must balance business priorities with employee well-being while managing legal risks.

 3. Strategic Focus: Close collaboration with CFOs and embracing technology are crucial for aligning financial objectives with a positive employee experience and modernising internal processes.

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