Welcome back to our ‘A Day in the Life’ series, where we chat to HILS team members to see what they get up to in a typical day and the impact their efforts have on clients across our services.
This month we want to introduce you to Kathy and the essential work she does behind the scenes to make sure the running of HILS is as smooth as possible. Whether its organising diaries, arranging meetings, buying client gifts, Kathy’s day is non-stop!
Read on to get a glimpse into a day in the life of Kathy….
What does a typical day look like?
Getting started
My day starts with the important task of opening up the diaries of our Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive, this is to check their schedules and ensure everything is in order for the day ahead. Diary management is a cornerstone of my daily duties. Handling new appointments from internal and external requests can be a complex puzzle, especially when coordinating meetings for 5-8 people who each have their own busy diaries. Each meeting’s logistics, such as workdays, face-to-face requirements, travel time, parking, and booking meeting rooms, need careful consideration. It feels like juggling, keeping all the balls in the air and ensuring none drop! In addition to managing the Executive diaries, I assist with all Senior Team diaries. Dates dominate a significant part of my day.
Opening and distributing any post that arrives during the day is another task on my list. Weekly On Call schedules are usually set a year in advance, but constant changes require diligent updates to keep everything accurate. Every Friday, I send an email informing everyone who to contact if issues arise over the weekend. Managing the team finances is another important responsibility. Ensuring there’s enough money for spending requests, chasing invoices and receipts, and keeping track of everything until month-end is a balancing act.
Staff awards
One of the more enjoyable parts of my job is handling the Star of the Month, our monthly awards nominated by, and given out to team members. I love that colleagues get recognised for their hard work at HILS. Collecting nominations, downloading them into a spreadsheet, and assisting the Executive team in choosing the winners is all part of the process. Informing Team Leaders, arranging the prize, and ensuring congratulations are sent by Sarah, our CEO, to the winners are all crucial steps.
Today, I purchased gifts for two of our clients who were involved in D-Day. I love this part of my job, selecting items I think they’ll enjoy, especially when their dietary needs allow for wonderful treats. Packaging these gifts in a pretty shopping bag adds a personal touch.
Guests and more meetings!
Board Meetings, although only quarterly, keep me busy with tasks like typing minutes, sending drafts for corrections, updating the Board on dates and sub-committee meetings, and assisting the Executive team with action dates and agenda reminders.
Another part of my role is arranging visits for our invited guests involves sorting out dates and finding the most convenient site for them. Following up with a survey to gauge their experience is also part of the process. I also have more ad-hoc tasks such as keeping the telephone list up to date. This is essential to ensure it’s a useful resource for everyone. Stock management for the office is another area I oversee, ensuring ample supplies of paper, toners, stationery, tea, coffee, and milk. Imagine running out of milk for the hardworking office staff!
End of the day
Before I close down for the day, I write a to-do list for the next day and check the diaries again to remind myself of what’s coming up. I do feel like a mother hen in the office sometimes, striving to create a “cosy” and comfortable environment and offering help to anyone struggling or needing assistance.
I love HILS, the people, and the friends I’ve made. I come in every day knowing my role is vital in ensuring our clients receive a hot meal and a friendly face daily.
We are so grateful to team members like Kathy. Are you interested in joining the HILS family alongside great people like Kathy? Check out our current vacancies, we’d love to hear from you.
