Why Staff Happiness is Important with Our Head of People, Georgia

Why Staff Happiness is Important with Our Head of People, Georgia

April 2021

4 Min read


Lounge
Lounge April 08, 2021
It’s no secret that staff happiness is something we live and breathe here at Lounge.

Our Loungers are important to us - we’re like one big family and we just can’t get enough of a good tea round chit-chat, an evening work do or pod snacks.

From our work wives to our HQ husbands, there’s something very humbling about working with a team of people who are like family to you. To explain this in a little bit more detail, we caught up with Georgia, our Head of People, to talk all things Lounging, our growing team of Loungers and of course, staff happiness!

When Georgia’s not recruiting, headhunting, onboarding, or organising virtual yogas for our Loungers, she’s always thinking of new ways to embrace our family-first culture.

Want to find out more about what Georgia’s role entails? See what she had to say below.




Tell us all about your role at Lounge and what your day-to-day looks like?


My role is very varied and everyday is different, which is the thing I love most about it. It's evolved so much since I started.

When I first started at Lounge, I looked after general recruitment, contacting the candidates, taking telephone interviews which I loved and I still do but my role is now Head of People. I'm lucky enough to find all of our talented Loungers, support them through their application process and once they are onboard, check in and support them throughout. I’m always thinking of ways to motivate, support and influence our Loungers whether this is team events, incentives or even just a cup of tea and a catch up. As well as this, I plan our team events, company incentives and general people team admin!

 

How would you describe the culture at Lounge?

The culture at Lounge is something special.

Each and every Lounger has that unique passion flowing through them, so much kindness in their hearts and that fire in their belly! It might sound cliché but we’re a big family. We all want to achieve the same goal, which is to be our best self, do the best for Lounge and make an impact on the brand's growth!



What does staff happiness mean to you?

To me, it means everything. Easy to say, I know, so let me explain what I mean. I once read a quote and it stuck with me forever and really impacted my mindset and shaped the way I do my job. 

It said, ‘If your people aren’t growing, your company isn’t either’ - Simon Sinek 

This couldn’t be said any better and it made me realise that I need to listen, communicate and take action in everything I do. If staff are happy, this means their well-being is stronger, they are loyal to the brand, we have a closer team and most importantly, they feel valued and a part of something very special. So to me, staff happiness means be a human, be present and always do the best for the people within your brand. They come first and if you do that, you will succeed.




What sets Lounge's culture apart from anywhere else?


We bounce off each other everyday, get involved in all areas of the business and most of all, if we have an idea, we shout about it and make it become a reality. The best thing about that is you will have the full support of the founders, and the rest of the team no matter the department! I truly believe the pure talent at Lounge, and the loyalty of our Loungers, is what grows the brand!

 

What's your favourite thing about your role?


How do I pick?

There are many things I absolutely love about my role, but my favourite thing has got to be being the first person to speak to our potential future Loungers. I get to tell our story, and what it’s like to be a Lounger over and over again and it never gets boring. But the absolute best thing is talking about the Lounge journey and where we are now and hearing the genuine excitement from the other end of the phone or seeing the excitement on their faces in an interview.



COVID-19 has shifted how our Loungers work with more people now at home. How have you and the team supported everyone during this challenging time?


We’re super lucky that our team was able to adapt so quickly to the new way of working - they did it practically overnight! As well as this, the special thing about our team is that nothing feels different, the bond hasn’t distanced, and we’re still as close as ever.

Yes, we’re not together at the moment physically but we have still managed to stay connected as we have constant Zoom calls, tea groups, Yoga sessions, games, company shout out emails, care packages and team brainstorms often! We adjusted as best as possible to support our Loungers as much as we possibly can. It’s important to us that our Loungers know they always have an ear from myself and everyone else at Lounge if and when they need it.


Want to find out more about our culture here at Lounge? Head on over to all things HQ here.

Or, catch up on our Working From Home Diaries with our Chief Creative Officer, Sarah, to see what she gets up to and her favourite things about working at Lounge.