Creating a supportive environment
Lily has always been drawn to people. She's empathetic, open-minded, and can naturally create connections with almost anyone. In other words, she's a perfect addition to our People Partnering team.
Responsible for partnering with Operations, Lily's role involves supporting the team throughout their entire employee journey. She works closely with leaders to advise on organizational structure and development planning. Above all, her goal is to create a sharing, open environment where high performers can excel.
"I'm constantly looking for opportunities to stretch and challenge individuals and encourage them to go beyond what they believe they can achieve," she says. "I also love acting as a coach and sounding board to our leaders and providing extra support to ensure we embody a human-centered approach to people."
Breaking down the stigma of mental health
Her struggles with mental health have shaped Lily’s empathetic approach to work and people. She was diagnosed with depression at university, which impacted her life severely throughout her 20s. Yet, thanks to her stubbornness and discipline, she did complete her degree. She even went on to produce a play for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a completely different experience but a rewarding one - and completely out of her comfort zone.
To this day, depression is still a familiar presence in her life, but Lily channels her experience to support others: “I started to talk a lot more openly about mental health and depression several years ago,” Lily says. “I’m proud to be breaking down the stigma, and I’m so happy to have helped people with their journey too.”
She certainly brings this attitude to the workplace, where she speaks openly about mental health and how we can combat feelings of depression and anxiety in our professional and personal lives.
When used effectively, technology can improve wellbeing
While Lily extols the virtues and positive impact of remote work, she does recognize that we need to embrace it with some caution. Technology has undoubtedly changed how we work - for better and worse. On the one hand, our work and home life have become blurred; we have emails on our phones, and it’s harder than ever to switch off and disconnect from work. On the other hand, the emergence of remote working has offered us all greater flexibility and choice than previously envisaged.
Despite the challenges of working remotely, Lily is adamant that she wouldn't return to an office full-time. “Remote work has enabled me to make the most of my life outside work and better manage my mental health. I can go for a run in the middle of the day; stop for an hour to play with my stepson when he gets home, and I get to have lunch with my partner every day!”
In addition to the little things, Lily believes that remote work also has profound effects on the global workforce in general: “Creating a borderless work environment hugely resonates with me,” she says. “Historically, employment opportunities were confined to those in your immediate location. Omnipresent eliminates these restrictions, so people can get the job they love without having to move to a place they don’t.”
With half of her family located abroad in France, Lily can now spend more time there without worrying about being tied to a central office. That, combined with a super enticing pitch from our Head of Talent, Ali, pushed Lily to join the Omnipresent team.
"Naturally, when the role of People Partner came up, I threw my hat in the ring. I was so impressed with everyone I met and the chance to work for an HR tech product and be part of a hyper-growth journey. The move was a no-brainer!"