Leading retail marketing agency gratterpalm has promoted human resources manager Helen Saunders to its Board of Directors in recognition of her achievements toward creating a people-focused agency.
Since Saunders joined Leeds-based gratterpalm in January 2003, she has successfully engaged its 103-strong team of employees - including launching an annual employee forum and survey, ‘Gratter Chatter’, which recently received a 100% response rate.
In the survey, over 80% of employees said that gratterpalm was a good or very good place to work. More than 70% received off the job training in 2007 and 12 employees were promoted. The agency also boasts consistently high attendance rates of around 98% and 10% of the staff work flexibly. The average age of the team has increased from 24 to 32 over the past six years.
During her time at gratterpalm Saunders, whose previous HR experience includes roles at United Biscuits and Harry Ramsden’s, has successfully created and delivered numerous HR initiatives and staff benefits. These include the introduction of a retention strategy for managers; an online appraisal strategy, called ‘Let’s Talk’ and the production of an Employee Handbook. She has also taken the lead role in implementing a CSR policy for the agency. gratterpalm has a thriving Entertainments Committee – recent events have included a Quiz night, Roller Disco and Karaoke – and a regular communication structure.
Gordon Bethell, Managing Partner at gratterpalm, says: “It is not uncommon for agencies to avoid HR and all of its implications and legislation and cost. However, we have increased our investment in HR, and will continue to do so.”
“Helen has performed an enormously important task in making gratterpalm a more people-oriented place. She now sits on a Board that represents a balance of creative, people, financial and client skills across the business - in what we feel will give the company the best opportunity to continue its success.”
Saunders says: “I’m delighted to join the Board as HR Director and look forward to ensuring that even though we are still a client-focused business, we continue to consider the impact of people changes. We are now working closely towards earning an Investors in People award.”
