Posted on: 24 July 2023
“I have the methodology that a commercial business needs but also the ethos that a public organisation requires and I carry the ability to balance the two”.
Last week, CNWL announced Nick Green as the new Chief People Officer for the Trust. Nick isn’t new to the Trust, he previously held the role of Deputy Chief People Officer.
It would be a near impossible task meeting all 8000 CNWL staff at once, but one Nick wouldn’t mind doing as he loves meeting new people. To make it easier though, Nick talked about his life and the journey to his new role so you can get to know him.
Nick has been working in HR for over 30 years! Fair to say, when applying for the job and answering the question, do you have relevant experience? The answer was a yes!
“My first proper job in HR was at the local authority where I grew up - I’m a south Londoner. I was born in that area, grew up in that area, went to school in that area and then got a job in that area. Everyone down the market would know me and say, Nick I’m having this problem with the council, and I would say, yep leave it with me.”
Before coming to CNWL, he led the HR department for high street brand Dunelm. He spoke about why he decided to come to work for the NHS.
“During the pandemic my family members were ill and I had to take care of them. I was struck by the devotion and selflessness of NHS workers who were coping with so much uncertainty and worry, yet compassionately cared for others. I do HR because I can impact people’s lives and I wanted to do that for people within the NHS. I believe strongly in doing things to give back and support the community.”
When Nick says he believes in giving back to the community, he meant it. When he was younger he wanted to be a missionary and was on course to become one. Thankfully for us at CNWL he went in to HR, but he still carries the missionary values of putting others before oneself.
“The number one thing is to have an interest in people, to work in HR you must be a people person, meaning you have to understand peoples needs and wants and how to meet those successfully.”
We could write an entire book about his experiences in HR but he went through the highlights for us.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done in my career. I’ve won an award for bringing young and vulnerable people into employment and promoting women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds into senior jobs. I was awarded with Times “Top employer” and won the “Excellence in diversity award”. I’ve ran programmes for team building and mental health promotion.
“HR is not like psychology, but it figures out what a person needs and how they can help themselves”.
Now it’s time to get to the questions you’ve been waiting for…
Do you have any pets? “No.”
What do you love doing in your spare time? “I love theatre, music, and art with a passion. I also love murder mysteries because I love to understand the people and their motivations”
Somehow Nick managed to transition from speaking about his love for theatre to linking Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with the fundamentals HR (if you don’t know by now, he really likes HR!). Nick explained, “The different types of characters in Shakespeare are like the different people you meet in the workplace. You get to know them, see their strengths and sometimes I meet people and I’m like – they’re such a Romeo.”
Nick starts his day before the early bird catches the worm. “I start my day in the gym at 4:30am and stay there until about 6am. The gym is my time, I’m planning who I need to speak to and what I’m going to say.”
Nick is the eldest of five siblings, he adores his nieces and nephews and lives with his partner.
