JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018 - 219

SPRING 2018

Diverse workforce
Harrods approach to
recruitment is driven by
a need for diverse and
representative staff. As a
result, its workforce is diverse
and gender-balanced; 55%
of employees are female.
The store runs a
management programme,
retail and sales academies
and a graduate scheme. These
result in a broad and diverse
variety of people beginning
or developing their careers
at Harrods, from university
graduates to school leavers,
as well as those who are
already working within the
retail industry. The graduate

programme in particular
has been successful in
placing female employees
in industries previously
regarded as "male dominant",
including distribution,
IT and engineering.
There are eight women
at Harrods employed at the
level of director or higher,
and each one makes herself
accessible to employees. From
daily floor walks to quarterly
"town halls", senior directors
are involved in all aspects of

the business and meet with
employees on a daily basis.
Abi feels that encouraging
employees to plan the next
stage of their career is key to
retaining talent. "We have
three careers weeks each
year, giving employees the
chance to find out about other
roles," she says. "This includes
content that is particularly
relevant to female employees,
such as a working parent panel
and career presentations from
our senior female leaders."

For more information
Visit: harrodscareers.com

Jennifer
Kirkham,
project
manager

Olaide Sanusi,
demi chef
de partie
Olaide made full use
of Harrods' careers
week in 2017. At a
seminar by Michelin
starred chef Tom
Kitchin, she asked
Tom if she could do
work experience
at his Edinburgh
restaurant, The
Kitchin. He said yes!
Olaide enjoyed
her time at The
Kitchin, where

she saw first-hand
the dedicated
attitude that Tom
had been extolling
during his careers
week seminar.
"Having the
chance to interact
with the right
people and ask the
right questions can
change everything,"
says Olaide. "Those
opportunities
started the day I
walked through
the staff entrance
of Harrods."

Jennifer is
overseeing the
redesign of Harrods'
beauty department.
She is six months
into the project,
which is due to be
completed in 2020,
and is involved
in every aspect,
from site checking
through to the
interior design.
In the past three
and a half years at
Harrods, she has
become a chartered
surveyor and
been involved in
projects including
the refurbishment
of the terracotta
tiles, as well as
managing the
company's London
airport sites.
The construction
industry - and

surveying in
particular - is
traditionally
dominated by
men. Jennifer,
however, manages
a gender-balanced
team. She loves
the variety that
comes with being a
surveyor as no day
is the same. She
is able to discuss
the challenges that
come with being in
a male-dominant
environment
and can offer
advice to those
who are thinking
about becoming
a surveyor,
especially women.
Jennifer is
passionate about
being a role model
for other women in
the industry, and
has an Instagram
account she uses
to raise awareness
of careers in
construction.


https://www.harrodscareers.com/ http://www.harrodscareers.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018

http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/jcspring2018
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/JobsandCareersAutumn2017
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/YourBusinessWithJamesCaan2017
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/Careers/Careers_with_Hayley_Taylor_2011
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