The Big Interview
Sarah Bennett is a CIO and HR lead at digital consultancy Mercator Digital. She has a front-row seat to the tech transformation reshaping workplaces. She has seen first-hand how tech is transforming workplaces as CIO and HR Lead at digital consultancy Mercator Digital. She’s also firmly rooted in her belief that technology should not replace the things that make work meaningful: care, connection and culture.
Sarah speaks to us in this edition of The Big Interview from her home, East Sussex, about everything from building a workplace that everyone feels like they belong, whether on-site or remote. Sarah has worked at Mercator for more than 15 year, starting as an admin and ordering stationery. Her journey shows how a company can grow with its employees.
Sarah explains how her team handles DEI rollbacks and what hybrid working looks like when wellbeing is prioritized. She also explains why lawn bowls can be a great way to bring people closer together. This is an honest, refreshing discussion about what it means to keep HR humans in today’s fast-paced, digitally-first world.
How do you balance the technological innovations with human-centric practices in HR to increase employee engagement?
Humans are my first priority, and technology is second. The use of technology is appropriate only if it helps employees and improves the company. It’s not helping anyone if it replaces real human interaction just for the sake it.
We are a people-centric company at Mercator Digital. We place a lot of emphasis on communication and talking. Our company’s strategy has a pillar dedicated to people. We want people to be able to say “I want work for Mercator”, and then, after they are here, to say “I love working at Mercator”. From the client’s perspective, “Mercator has the best people”.
We make every effort to ensure that these phrases are true, and any technology we introduce must support this — not detract from it. When you are so focused on making people’s experience good, employee engagement is likely to be high.
What strategies have you implemented with your global presence to ensure consistent and efficient communication across diverse teams?
Microsoft Teams has been a great tool for improving communication. It allows everyone to stay connected no matter where they are located.
We also know that what works for one country may not always work for another. The US wants different things from the UK. Teams in different regions discuss any new plans or strategy so that we can make adjustments if necessary. The goal is to make someone in the US feel as if they are having the same experience as someone from the UK, even if the details may be different.
We will offer other benefits to our US team, for example, as we know they won’t use the same amount holiday time that the UK team does. We want to be as consistent as we can, but also realistic. That’s why we focus on finding the right balance.
In light of recent backlash against Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives (DEI), how does Mercator maintain its commitment to an inclusive work culture?
We have ignored the rollbacks and stuck to our plan to include everyone. We will continue to do right no matter how popular it is or is not.
It’s often the little things that can make a difference. We have set up a reflective room in our London offices, which is available to anyone who needs a quieter atmosphere. It’s perfect for people who need a quieter environment or a respite from the busyness of the main office. We have added directional markings to the floor for prayer.
Our social events are also designed to be as inclusive as we can. We choose activities that are accessible to everyone, such as lawn bowls or games that many people have never tried. This way, no one is left out because of their lack of experience or sporty abilities. We have done board game nights and also varied the format – some events were online, others in the office, while some took place at external venues.
We are measuring and monitoring our gender pay gaps on a strategic level. This is in accordance with the reporting requirements of larger companies. We also track our ethnicity gap to see where we need to make changes and take action. We’re also working with external organisations, including VCSEs, to improve our understanding of diversity and find out what we can do to promote it. We’re working on it, and we’re determined to make it better.
The pandemic is driving the adoption of hybrid and remote work models. How has Mercator adapted policies to maintain productivity and employee well-being while supporting these changes?
Mercator Digital’s hybrid and remote models are common. We want to make sure that everyone feels included, regardless of where they live.
Our community team is dedicated to making sure that everyone feels heard and included. They regularly call members of the team for a catch-up. The team calls members regularly for a catch up. It’s a relaxed conversation, some discuss work and others talk about personal issues.
There is no pressure on the staff to discuss certain topics or go into detail. This helps us to address any problems very early, before they turn into a major problem. Our Engagement team is responsible for the client and project work. They’re the first people to call if someone is having trouble with a project, or needs help. Between the Engagement and Community Teams, I believe we have built a strong support network.
We have not listened to the DEI and we are sticking to our strategy.
In the rapidly changing tech industry, continuous learning is essential. What initiatives has Mercator Digital implemented to encourage upskilling among its employees?
Each year, we set aside 5% of the salary for each employee. The budget is not to be used for the training that we require, as this is covered separately. It is to be used for what an employee wishes to learn. The employee can use the time to explore their current role or broaden their skill set, or even take a new direction.
We’ve even had people move from content designers to interaction designers through this. This can be used to develop soft skills, or dive into areas that are of interest to them.
AI and automation are becoming more common. How do you prepare your workforce to meet the changing demands of the digital world?
Our biggest challenge is to contain their enthusiasm and ensure they still follow the protocol for introducing new systems. Our biggest challenge is to keep their enthusiasm in check and make sure they follow the protocol when introducing new systems. For example, we want them to understand the ethical and secure usage of AI generative.
In recent years, employee wellbeing and mental illness have received increased attention. What has Mercator done to promote the health and wellbeing of its employees holistically?
We are proud to be ranked 1st in the category of Wellbeing in 2024 for Best Workplace.
Our house teams are something I really appreciate. As mentioned above, we have our Employee Assistance Programme, and our Community Team. Our three houses compete in sports, games and other activities, both online and offline, to raise money to support their charity of choice, chosen by the house.
The houses are mixed based on the department and level of employees – from C Suite to first jobs – which helps to create a sense of fun and camaraderie, while also helping people to raise money for causes they care about. The event creates a sense of community and brings together people who may not have worked together in the past but might share other interests.
We have also multiple mental health first aids, run lunch ‘n learn sessions on healthy living, mindfulness, etc., offer two volunteer days per employee each year which allows employees the freedom to volunteer in areas they are passionate about and not only what Mercator is passionate about.
Women in Tech, for example, is a great event to participate in. We encourage women to speak at universities, run sessions in schools, or take part in other events. We want to support them if it is something they care about.
We also strive to keep the structure as flat as we can. We have an open door policy, so that people can ask questions, give feedback or simply chat. We want everyone to feel heard, regardless of their position or status.
How do you integrate social responsibility and sustainability into your HR policies, given the increasing importance of Environmental, Social and Governance factors?
These areas are not “added-ons” but part of our “by design”. We believe that policies should be designed with ESG in mind from the beginning.
How do you attract the best talent in a highly competitive market? What are your main services?
We offer competitive salary rates and a great benefits package, which includes a pension paid over and above the required amount, maternity/paternity/parental leave paid over and above the required amount, a training budget to carry out training of their choice, volunteering days and electric car/cycle to work schemes. We offer flexible working hours to accommodate family needs. You can also grow and progress in the company. Your birthday will be an extra day of leave.
Our clients and projects have a great impact on the company. Employees are drawn to projects that are either complex or ground-breaking, or are meaningful. Our company has the advantage of being able both.
It is also interesting to me to share the progress of the company, where we are now and what direction we wish to go. The employees will know as soon as they begin if this is a journey that they want to take.
Rewards don’t have to always be money. It’s not always about money.
How important is technology to HR operations at Mercator? What recent innovations have you found to be particularly effective?
We’re currently on a journey in HR technology. We started out as a small company and are still in the SME category. We have worked with simple systems, but we want to do more.
We built our own timesheet system and self-billing in 2020/2021 for subcontractors to use and permanent employees to log their time on projects. The system was designed to make it as easy as possible for people entering the time they worked, and generate all the information required instantly for the accounting department. This reduced the time spent on data entry or missing documents. As we grew, we were able to add different reports and features to the system.
What are the best ways to measure employee satisfaction and retention? This is especially important when you design benefits packages that align with your employees’ needs.
We conduct the Great Place to Work Survey. The detailed questionnaire helps us to understand if we are doing things correctly. We can also add our own questions, if we want more information about a particular area. This year, we were awarded the 3rd best workplace in the UK – Medium category.
We have an open-door policy at all levels. Our Community team is set up so that if something doesn’t work — or if it does — we get a quick response.
What factors are most important in rewarding employees? How can employers ensure that they provide benefits which meet the needs of their workers in today’s work environment. What do workers really want?
Listening and being open to the ideas of employees is key. The employees are the best people to know what their needs and wants are.
You should also monitor the uptake of voluntary programmes and be ready to change your direction if you find that something is not as popular as expected.
It is also helpful to establish the values of the company right at the beginning. People will know if you are sticking to your values if they have a chance of being successful. Once they are in, bring them on your journey. Don’t leave anyone out in the cold.
It’s also important to keep in mind that rewards aren’t always about money. It’s important to know what’ll mean the most to someone. This could be flexibility, recognition, or support for something that is meaningful. The personal touches are what really matter.
Lastly, how do YOU see the HR industry evolving in the next five?
It’s going be hard to juggle everything. I think that companies with the best strategies for people will be able retain the best talent. Any thriving business must stay on top of the changes in the workforce and recognize each employee’s contribution.
