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Stepping Up in HR: Laura’s Journey of Purpose, People, and Progress
Starting as a young admin with big ambitions, Laura has risen to become a vital part of our HR Operations team at UHS. Driven by a genuine passion for people and a desire to make a difference in healthcare, Laura has built a career filled with growth, resilience, and unforgettable experiences. From delivering essential support to international staff to balancing a challenging career with family life, her path exemplifies the kind of dedication and adaptability that UHS values.
Through hard work, continuous learning, and the encouragement of a supportive team, Laura has transformed her role from a foot in the door to a rewarding career with purpose. Her story shows that, at UHS, your potential has no limits.
What motivated you to pursue your career path?
I was young and not quite sure where I wanted to go, but I knew it would be within admin and in a hospital setting. UHS seemed like a good opportunity to get my foot in the door and I had already gained a lot of admin experience as I worked within a private company.
Were there any specific experiences or individuals who significantly influenced your decision?
At school, I did some work experience in HR and really enjoyed it. I am a ‘people person’ through and through and knew that dealing with different managers and candidates would be something that I could use my personable skills for.
Can you highlight some key milestones in your career that have shaped your professional journey?
One of the key milestones for me was being given ‘acting up’ opportunities, which allowed me to cover for others during leave and really push my skills further. I was also given chances to gain some qualifications, such as my Level 3 CIPD and Level 5 Operations Management certifications. Graduating from level 5 and going to the ceremony was a career highlight for me, something I never thought I would have the opportunity to do.
What major challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Balancing work and home life has been hard. I wanted to give my best to both worlds, finding that balance wasn’t easy. However, with the support of my manager and my family, I managed to make it work. I feel I’ve been able to be present in my children’s lives without missing them grow while also seizing growth opportunities at work, which means a lot to me.
How have you enhanced your skills over time?
My confidence has grown considerably. As a 19 year old picking up the phone to either candidate or managers scared me! But now I feel I can talk freely and put my opinions and views across to senior staff and also deliver training sessions to many people much easier then what I used to be able to do.
Are there any specific courses, training, or experiences that have had a significant impact on your development?
There was one experience, I'll never forget; where I was asked to talk to a group of international nurses about concerns around the changes to Home Office rules. I knew they were very nervous about what this meant for their stay within the UK. I thought it would be a small group, but when I walked into the room and there were at least 100 people in there looking at me! This was fairly early on into my career but it definitely made me realise I can do this. I was thrown in to the deep end but it paid off! Now I often attend webinars either led by the Home Office or NHS Employers about this subject which helps me build on my knowledge as it is a never ending change to process.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
It has to be the team, I love my team! They keep me going. Like any other department, HR Operations is a busy environment to be in. We are trying our best to get new staff onboarded quickly, provide answers to visa queries and deal with contract queries. I have an amazing team behind me that I couldn’t do my job without.
How does your role align with your long-term career goals?
Working within operational HR does give me a varied list of requirements to do my role that exposes me to many different aspects of HR. This variety has been invaluable, giving me experience that aligns perfectly with my long-term goals.
What are your future career aspirations or goals?
I like to think more strategically about HR so I think eventually once I am ready and there is a position available, I will want to look at getting into HR Business Partnering. My current role is varied, so I believe this will give me a good opportunity to eventually get there, when I decide to make this move.
Are there specific areas you wish to explore or develop further?
I’d like to expand my understanding of employee relations so I can get a better understanding with managing a case and the process that the team follows at UHS. I've had some exposure, when it involves international recruitment and visas but I would explore this further so I know more about this from start to finish.
What advice would you offer someone just starting in your field?
Try to get exposure to the different teams within HR and have a think about where you would like to end up. This will ensure you are on the right career path for you. For example, the skills and qualifications you need to become a Business Partner might be different than those needed for Talent Acquisition.
How can others effectively navigate challenges in their career journeys?
I am a planner! I need structure and routine in work and home to make this work. And by always have short and long term goals and not be afraid to adjust them for whatever works for you. Ultimately, you have to be happy and fulfilled in what you choose to do.
Looking back, is there anything you would have approached differently in your career?
I wish I’d followed my own advice about deciding early on what my career path should be to have a clearer idea of how to get here.
How do you define success in your professional life?
For me, defining success in your professional life is, loving your job despite the many challenges and high volumes of workload.
Inspired to learn more? Explore our careers site to learn more about the various careers we have to offer and hit 'apply here' to see our open vacancies. Be apart of delivering expectational patient care even behind the scenes and lead the way with UHS.
