Having found this area of business management through his first placement in a graduate trainee programme at Proctor & Gamble, Mark Simmons has stayed in HR ever since.
He was offered his first real job before completing the graduate course when a member of the HR team left and subsequently offered him a position as lead for the manufacturing part of Revlon International. With that move, Simmons became responsible for around 1000 people.
“That really grew my experience and career,” he says. “It gave me experience as an HR generalist, dealing with everything including Trade Unions and employer relations.”
Simmons moved on to become HR manager across a number of sites for Body Shop before taking on a role at Christian Salvesen as an HR Business Partner. He’s stayed in the transport and logistics sector ever since, working for Norbert Dentressangle, XPO and finally GXO. Unsurprisingly his career has included foreign experience and given him a view over international businesses. He has also guided the people function – and through this the wider businesses – through a number of take-overs and significant business deals, as well as ensuring the companies he works for have not just the people they require but the skills necessary to lead in their sectors.
Strategy and tactics
The breadth of experience offered by these roles, alongside the influence achieved has always attracted Simmons and ensured he’s pushed forward in the function: “HR requires strategic and tactical leadership,” he says. “At the same time you have to be close to the business and be able to articulate the direction of the business. It’s a role where you can influence every part of the organisation.” His role at GXO has been particularly influential and incredibly important as the business has grown from 5000 people to 40,0000, now enjoying a £3bn turnover.
At the same time it is clear that Simmons values the commerciality he’s able to bring to his role. This is not just about people, it’s about how they key into the overall direction and success of the business. As GXO has expanded it has taken on significant contracts with some of the country’s leading companies, including IT and grocery suppliers. Each time it has been important to understand how these deals inter-relate with with the GXO brand.
At the same time Simmons has had to navigate the intricacies of managing the cultural side of mergers and acquisitions. Simmons particularly highlights the challenges of the ‘reverse-buyout’ when Norbert Dentressangle acquired Christian Salvesen.
Making Connections
However, expansion – whether through acquisition or organic – can offer employees much more in the way of opportunities in terms of careers and resources and Simmons presides over a highlight impressive organisational culture underpinned by a strong people strategy called Connections.
“The philosophy is that from the moment you apply to when you leave or retire you are making connections,” explains Simmons. Under this scheme HR work falls into three areas – who GXO are and the values that make success, the internal and external community – including being a great employer and a great neighbour through CSR activities – and finally an area around Possibility – addressing elements such as succession planning and people opportunities within the business. Along the way Simmons and his team have clear activities and strategies to support and help their people. Wellbeing is particularly well catered for with around 200 trained mental health first aiders and plenty of established networks to help people through different challenges both physically and mentally. These groups include those targeted at men’s health as well as encouraging people more generally to talk about the challenges they face and their feelings.
Such a coherent strategy and comprehensive support is extremely important for a business working in a challenging and fast moving environment. The business enjoys double digit organic growth so needs to be able to support its people as they change and adapt to the market. Simmons recognises that the business’ customers are also experiencing challenges, connected with the current economic situation.
Taking on the future
For his own business there is ongoing work to be done to ensure the talent pipeline remains strong so as well as working to retain staff Simmons is keen to communicate outside the sector to ensure everyone knows the opportunities on offer – from apprenticeship programmes onwards.
The sector and function is also experiencing the impact of technology with AI and automation playing a clear part in the future of the business. In the last few years, GXO has partnered with training and coaching providers to launch their own Data Academy. The idea here is to increase data literacy within the business and thereby drive greater efficiency across the organisation. In this way the business can benefit from leading edge skills while also ensuring its people remain connected and aware of where their careers may head in the future.
Simmons describes GXO as a people-centric business and it’s easy to see how this manifests throughout the organisation. But his work goes further than that. HR is a truly integrated partner and is included in every conversation about what’s happening for the business. It’s there to identify the support and processes necessary for the business to move forward. As such HR clearly achieves employee engagement throughout GXO and – as Simmons says – corrals the hearts and minds of everyone who works there for the good of the business.
