Andi Hirons

People Director at Brighton Grand Hotel

Why we chose Andi

While balancing work and home life, Andi is incredibly active in the hospitality industry and gives her time to numerous HR communities.

What’s your ‘why’? How do you balance work and life responsibilities to fulfil it?

Why I do what I do comes down to my passion for inspiring and developing the next generation of hospitality talent. It’s such an amazing industry to work in, where no two days are the same, and it’s a real pleasure to watch our hotel team grow and develop. 

I’m pretty regimented with my schedule, as it’s the only way I know how to get the work-life balance that works for me. There are certain things in my working week which I’m strict about not compromising. This is sometimes key work events and activities, but I’ll always be there on time to pick up my kids for school or shuttle them to their extracurricular activities.

When I know I need to be out of the door at work by a certain time on some days, this might mean that I’ll take a laptop to the clubhouse to work through emails whilst watching my daughters play netball, but the flexibility to work outside of the workplace gives me work-life balance.

Can you explain an initiative you've implemented that has made an impact in your workplace?

The most recent initiative I’ve implemented which had a direct impact on engagement in our workplace is our recognition programme. It allows hotel team members to thank each other and managers to reward exceptional spirit, all with rewards which reflect our company values of being: individual, inclusive and progressive. 

Since implementing the platform we’ve achieved a 90%+ engagement score from our team in 2019 (an increase from 82% in previous years), and have found the initiative to be an impactful way of linking team rewards to the values which are most important to us as a company.

As a female leader, what have been the most significant barriers in your career?

Over the course of my career, I’ve found that institutions which impose inflexible ways of working or those that reward working overtime the most challenging. I truly believe that, to be your most present and impactful self at work, you have to manage your time well and that overworking doesn’t equate to quality of work. Since working in the senior management team at The Grand Brighton, I’ve made sure that we now offer enhanced family-friendly benefits, including enhanced maternity pay and tax-free childcare for all of our full-time staff.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

I’d tell any one of my aspiring managers and leaders not to compromise on their work-life balance. I’d also tell them that they have the ability to influence and change outdated and archaic processes at their place of work. If you believe that a change in work policy is needed, then it’s likely to have a positive impact on other female workers in your working environment too.