Helen Thompson
HR Support
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?
I would love to have dinner with Nelson Mandela – I am in awe of how he fought such brutal racial oppression, coped with a 27-year incarceration and then became the President of South Africa. If only, through Mandela's legacy, people would wake up to the racial discrimination and persecution still happening today across the world.
What's one skill you'd like to develop further in the next year?
I would like to improve my French – I was fluent in my 20s having lived in France for a year and although I still enjoy listening to French podcasts on my dog walks, I am frustrated that my spoken French is rapidly dwindling. More work clearly needed!
How has working with veterans and their families impacted your perspective?
It has shown me the depth of dedication and sacrifice veterans and their families have made to the armed forces and inspires me to assist them in their quest to find new roles for both their personal fulfilment and career aspirations.
If you could swap jobs with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why?
I would swap jobs with the other Helen (Callis), Coaching and Mentoring Manager. I think it would be fascinating to engage with our wide network of highly experienced coaches and mentors who provide their invaluable services on a voluntary basis and to see our liquid workforce benefit from their expertise.
How does your work support your personal values or passions?
I have a strong sense of fairness, integrity and a desire to help people, which I believe are also key values for the company, so feel privileged and energised to be working in an organisation with a mutual alignment of purpose.