Jane O’Mahoney has worked for Parliament for 33 years across a range of roles. She currently sits within the People and Culture team.
An inspirational HR Gamechanger, Jane O’Mahoney has been instrumental in a number of initiatives to support the interests of employees, in particular core frontline staff.
Parliament has a diverse workforce of 3,500 people, with around a third working in Estate-based roles i.e. onsite for most of the time, ensuring its smooth and effective running.
Example of Estate-based roles include the doorkeepers working in the Chambers, catering staff, cleaners, 24/7 security personnel, maintenance teams, onsite digital providers, a vote office, Hansard (the publishing facility) cashiers, visitor assistants, and the education team.
Jane O’Mahoney, Deputy Director of Workforce Transformation at the House of Commons
“We are really keen on Parliament being an inclusive and welcoming workplace. In the Estate-based community we have a number of under-represented groups. People come to work here from the length and breadth of the country, but many of our frontline staff live closer by and come from the diverse communities within Westminster and around.”
“I was working in the Civil Service when my boss showed me an ad about working within Parliament. I have always found the building iconic. I remember thinking: ‘Imagine that being your office!’ That was the initial draw for me. But what’s kept me here has been really interesting work, knowing what I am doing is important and having the pleasure of working with a brilliant community of diverse colleagues.”
“Initially, we undertook a hybrid working pilot. Then we took the decision that each business area should determine its own percentage of site-based time. We truly support hybrid working here. On the Estate-based roles there is definitely still more work to be done – as with most frontline workforces around the UK. We include ourselves amongst the UK employers who are working hard to figure this out. There is an understanding that their roles are tied to the estate, though there is the appetite for more flex where possible, and we are looking at this. Our guiding principle is to aim for fairness in all things.”
“I am proud to represent the interests of our core frontline staff, and to have raised understanding around their needs and challenges. Our Estate-based community are at the heart of our Inclusion and Diversity strategy. And we have worked hard to understand their full experiences in the round.”
“Many of our frontline staff work entirely behind the scenes. We have done a lot of work on making their lives and work seen and understood, and on co-creating solutions together. The Clerk of the House of Commons, who is our most senior leader, sponsors this work and has really backed and supported it personally.”
“I am also proud that this approach won The Inclusion Award within our own internal House Values Awards. You are put forward for this award by colleagues, so it feels very special.”
“Everything we do is underpinned by the ethos of ‘supporting everyone to thrive’. And we do this in the face of working in a very challenging environment – it is all at once, where legislation happens, a living museum, a symbol of Britain, part-construction site, a major tourist attraction, a 24/7 employer – the list goes on. We stage huge events, such as the lying in state of The Queen. Everything must be seamless, perfect. But we do not compromise on our values for our staff, nor on our desire to be an exemplar of modern working practice.”
“When we introduced hybrid working, we encouraged the set up of ‘Team Charters’ to ensure an equitable approach, and make teams aware of others’ working patterns. We run Listening Circles – ways we can intentionally engage with frontline workers to understand how their shifts and patterns work with their lives, or cause difficulties. How much notice those on shifts get, versus how much they actually need to plan childcare, etc. From these, we now have an Estate and Hybrid Working Policy, created this year, which sets an organisational commitment for all staff to have the opportunity to develop and train inside of working hours. There won’t be the expectation to catch up on emails outside of hours, after the training.”
“Thanks to the Listening Circles we also have brilliant support in place for financial wellbeing, neo-natal leave, menopause and stress management.”
“We think more roundly about health and wellbeing too. We have an onsite gym, and a fantastic catering team who offer healthy meals. We are about to launch ParliNet – a replacement for our intranet with all employee policies easily accessible. We also have a physical lifestyle and health kiosk – a booth where you can go and take your blood pressure, your weight and establish more about your health and wellbeing. Some people work really odd hours here and we want everyone to have access to the tools they need to live happy, healthy lives. This also came from the Listening Circles.”
“…I’d change the perception held by some, that working from home means taking your foot off the pedal. Just because you are in a different location doesn’t mean you are working with greater ease or at a slower pace.”
We are a true multi-generational, diverse workforce. We have excellent rates of retention – the senior Chef on our catering team will have worked at Parliament for 50 years next year. My tips for success are:
One size fits all, fits no-one. I am passionate about this.
When presented with challenges, try always to see the art of the possible. Have a vision, stay focused and bring others with you.
Build your skills of empathy. That’s what it is all about. Take the time to listen to people – and you’ll reach a new level of understanding. Treat people with care, see their value and try your best to understand their circumstances – and you get the best from them.
My own personal flex journey started in 2009, when I became a single parent unexpectedly. I had to recalibrate, keeping the full-time work – being the single earner – but also providing care for my son.
I needed full-time work but flex around the edges, in essence. And that is what I got. We agreed a compressed work week of 4 days, with 1 day working from home. That part of my change involved moving away from London, to Warwickshire – and yet I got to keep my job that I loved. This was agreed and supported – and a complete life raft to me.
I have worked in 9 different jobs in the organisation since – but that flexible pattern has stayed. Post pandemic we are required to be on the estate 40% of the week, so now I travel to work 2 days on site rather than 3. It really works for me and countless others
Published November 2023
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