Kirstie’s day is as varied as her industry. From the early morning commute from Winchester, to the people strategy she oversees at a leading sports and entertainment company in the world.
Kirstie, 50, is executive vice president for People & Culture, AEG Europe. She commutes from Hampshire to the Blackfriars offices in London, and draws on her three decades of experience in HR. Kirstie leads a people-first strategy across a company renowned as a global ticketing platform AXS and iconic venues such as The O2.
This edition of A Day in the Life of an Human Resources Professional features Kirstie sharing the habits that keep the HR professional grounded, her thoughts about the future of HR, and why she will always find time to do a sudoku puzzle.
As a parent of a child who lives on another continent, I always wake up at 6am to check my phone for any messages that my son Josh has sent me overnight. Josh has been playing soccer in the US ever since August. While my husband and myself are happy that he is living his best life, a little more communication would be nice. It’s just part of being a teenager’s mother.
On my work days, I am up at 7:48am and on the train by 8:45am. It’s hard to find time for other things. If I can’t squeeze in a workout first thing in the morning, I always find it a good way to wind down the day. Exercise is where I find happiness, and my Peloton has become a part of my life. As part of my New Year’s Resolution, I also started reformer Pilates.
After prioritising my schedule and making a to-do listing for the day, I like to spend time on the train reading a book or binge-watching Netflix. After screaming in the middle of a train journey while watching Luther, I learned to watch softer shows.
UpTime is one of my favorite apps. It summarizes nonfiction titles. I am a voracious reader. I enjoy it. But sometimes, particularly for the more dry business and leadership titles a concise summary is a great thing.
AEG has a Sudoku competition that runs every day. I am several minutes away from the top 10 but I still try it out each day. You can’t fault a girl for trying.
The shift to hyper-personalized employee experiences will be the most significant innovation in HR over the next five years.
Since my office is located on the opposite side of the building, I usually spend some time chatting with people as I walk to my desk. Accessibility is important to me. Because people can’t trust someone they don’t personally know, I spend as much time on the floor as possible to check in and see how everyone is doing. This is how I find out so much about the organization’s pulse and about employee engagement and wellbeing.
After this, I spend about 30 minutes clearing my inbox before I start the day.
After a good coffee, I head to Waterloo for my office. Then it’s all meetings. While I am in the office I am usually away from my desk. This could be in meetings with leadership, my team, or one-on-ones. Each Monday, I have a meeting with the People & Culture Team to discuss our current priorities and projects. Tuesday morning we have our senior leadership meetings. Wednesday is when I catch up with my communications and employee engagement team.
I often visit our other offices as well, such as our venues, like The O2 and Apollo, or AXS, our ticketing department. The majority of my Thursdays is spent making calls to European offices and businesses, as well catching up with our US team. The Fridays are spent mainly on big projects and completing tasks that I missed during the week.
In the next five-year period, I think the most innovative innovation in HR will come from the move towards hyper-personalised employee experiences. This will be driven by data, behavioral sciences, and an increased integration of employee voice into decision-making. In the music and entertainment industries, where passion, creativity and individuality are at the heart of everything we do, it is crucial to recognise people as unique resources rather than a one-size fits all resource.
We’re moving away from the traditional “career paths” and towards portfolio-style careers, which allow people to move between projects, roles and even geographical locations based on their passions, and changing skill sets.
In the future, this fluid approach, coupled with the predictive analytics that I have mentioned, will allow our function create environments where talent can flourish long before burnout or disengagement show up on dashboards.
I usually have a quick lunch and then a 10-minute stroll to get in some extra steps. In addition to an oat-latte, I walk whenever I can during lunch. This keeps my mind active and helps me avoid the afternoon slump. There’s also plenty to do and see as we’re based near the Thames. Sometime I will walk with one of my one-on one clients in the afternoon. Near the office, there’s an excellent poke restaurant that is a favorite.
We must champion individuals, listen carefully and create an environment where people can feel valued, seen and inspired.
My mantra is “Get it done”. I love big-picture ideas and ideation sessions, but we must all do the actual work to make them a reality.
I will have the majority of my one-on ones in the afternoon. However, I leave some time for larger projects. I try not to leave the office late so that I can make it home before my calls with the US.
I hate it when we forget to include the “human” element in human resource management. Always keep in mind “the why”. We sometimes forget the people behind the scenes in our rush to optimize, create efficiencies, or implement policies.
It’s important that HR does not become transactional in a creative field like ours where identity, emotion and personal expression is everything. It’s our job to be the champion of each individual, to listen carefully and to create an environment where people feel valued, seen and inspired to bring themselves to work.
People & Culture is the pulse of any business. It’s not just a function for service. Every day, I hold myself and my staff accountable for this. While I may be biased, I truly believe we achieve this at AEG, and for that I am incredibly proud.
I don’t view my time as work or personal. We talk a lot about work-life balance. Some days require more; some require less. I work outside of the 9-5. My role requires that I coordinate with colleagues in the US and work across multiple markets. In the same breath, however, I have plenty of time to do what I enjoy. AEG has a great schedule. I am very happy. People are put first.
Take That will always be my favorite band, despite the fact that I have access to some of the greatest performers and artists in the world.
I usually run for a train. So, while my office exit can be a bit frenetic, the 80-minute journey home gives me a chance to finish the last few things on the list. I plan my day for the next few hours to make sure I can relax that evening and be ready to start the next morning.
We both love HelloFresh, so we cook together a lot. If I am in London, my husband will usually take the lead and get the credit.
I go to the gym at least twice a week. Exercise is a great way to unwind for me, as I am a Peloton addict. I also work as the secretary of a youth football club in my area, where I manage 26 teams ranging from 7-18 years old. This keeps me busy after work.
I try to get to bed by 10pm because I need to wake up at 6am. Since I am at my best in the mornings, I try to take advantage of this time. Since my teenage son is no longer waking me up at all hours with his friends, I sleep better. Josh is my last thought. Is he in danger? Is he safe? How many days will it be until I see him again? Any parent can identify with this.
