Talent Centric
has stuck internally and become an embedded
part of our culture.
“So when we’re looking at a system, process,
the way we work, you can often hear people talk
that language. It means something to people
here. We can all put together behaviours, but
when you get a core principle that resonates
internally and externally, you feel you’re being
honest and true to people when they join the
organisation and also to your customers.”
She adds that Santander has recently hired
a Head of Sustainability “almost moving away
from your traditional corporate social
responsibility-type activity and looking
more around our purpose and how we bring
that to life”.
way to us. Across the organisation
there are now more projects that are
being run in an agile way.”
One area Bakhshi is keen to explore
is cross-industry collaboration.
“Typically, a bank would look at
PAUL MODLEY,
other banks, its main competitors
CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
and think ‘where do we sit among the
pack?’ If we’re going on this digital
DIRECTOR, ALEXANDER
transformation, I’m not sure that’s
MANN SOLUTIONS
the place we should be looking. Are
there other parts of organisations
Working with Santander UK, we
that do things really well?”
spend a lot of time talking about
Taking insights from other
the future of work. It’s a big step
disciplines can also be enlightening,
for a traditional bank to look so
proactively into the future; you
including the arts. “It takes an open
might expect it from Google or
mind to see that,” admits Bakhshi.
a tech company, but not from a
Agility and collaboration
“We’re often quite closed around
bank. It sends a big message.
Addressing evolution in any of these areas
where we should be sourcing or
We see our relationship as a true
does not entail gazing at crystal balls and
looking for examples of best practice;
partnership; we have a connected,
foretelling the future; that is neither realistic,
when you look more broadly there
integrated way of working, which
nor the aim or her role, stresses Bakhshi.
are things you can absolutely learn
is important to both sides. It’s
“It quickly becomes apparent that you
and are absolutely transferable.”
important to Santander, because
can’t predict the future, it’s the agility in your
For recruitment professionals
we’re responsible for hiring up to
thinking, in your approach, and the way you
working for companies that are less
5,000 of their people; it’s necessary
embrace change that will future-proof what
open-minded or innovation-averse,
to be embedded within the
you’re doing,” she says.
Bakhshi recommends keeping a
organisation. We now have around
“It’s not about being sure exactly what the
strong focus on business strategy
100 people working across the
future is or having a definite answer; the beauty
when presenting change initiatives.
bank, helping to deliver recruitment
is in asking questions, making sure they’re the
“It’s always important to link
activities. It’s an evolved model,
right questions, thinking differently, bringing in
back what you’re trying to do to the
particularly in the retail banking
external insights. And also in using our own data,
business strategy,” she says. “For
world which embraced outsourcing
and external data to support decision making.”
me, that was one of the things that
earlier than a lot of other sectors,
Taking organisations safely into the
enabled us to progress. Talk the
particularly in the UK.
future will involve collaboration across
same language as your business. For
Through Talent Collective, our
organisations, sectors and fields.
consulting business, we’re able
example, we’re heading to mobile
to bring ideas and products and
“Santander UK spends a lot of time looking
first – we’re having to think in a more
to Hema’s team and ask “what do
externally – whether that’s working with our
agile way. We should be able to paint
you think?” We’re always looking
partners at Alexander Mann Solutions or with
the picture of how we replicate that
at how innovation complements
others,” Bakhshi attests. “No one organisation
from a people perspective.”
what we’re doing with clients.
does everything brilliantly, the strength is in
She adds that it’s vital to create a
We’re starting to help transfer
looking at where people do things well and
commercial business case around
best practice across boundaries
how we can harness their expertise.
change, to articulate ROI where
because we work across sectors,
“As innovation has become more important,
possible, and to make good use of all
and we’re global, so we’re
I think the art of collaboration is becoming
available data: “You might have to go
also working across borders.
equally critical,” she asserts. “So I’m based
to 10 different sources, but the data is
[email protected]
alongside our customer innovation team and
there,” she says.
align myself to it; they work in a very different
“I would also say: bring in external
insight. Often, we need to challenge
our thinking. When you’ve been in an organisation
for a period of time, even within a function, you
can become institutionalised. External insight
“As innovation has become more
helps you start to challenge those norms. When
important, the art of collaboration
you’re looking at creating a change, you need
is becoming equally critical”
to be able to gain support and sponsorship, to
articulate how it will impact the business.”
Issue 1 - 2017
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