What are you most passionate about in your role at JOST&Co?
As an Organisation Design, Development and Change Practitioner, who has a human resources background, it probably won’t be surprising that I am passionate about helping organisations become better workplaces. As the answers are often already within organisations, I particularly enjoy supporting clients to “join the dots” and uncover their own solutions.
What career journey have you taken to get here?
I have had an unusual career path. My first degree was in Mathematics & Statistics, and I started my professional career as a trainee actuary in NZ. After completing an MBA in Human Resource Management in London, I worked in Remuneration and Benefits for a large UK retailer and then as a consultant with PwC back in NZ for five years. In the early 2000s, I had the opportunity to learn about organisation design from some of Australasia’s leading specialists while working at PwC, Mercer and Right Management. Since moving to Australia in 2000, I have built on this knowledge from experience in multiple consulting assignments, and in internal P&C roles, in a variety of contexts across the private, public and NFP sectors.
What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve received?
Play to your strengths and look for people to supplement the other areas. As an individual, you can’t be everything to everyone. As a team you can. That’s one of the reasons I love working at JOST&Co.
What do you love to do when you’re not at work?
It’s a long list that somehow fits well together. I love yoga, walking in nature, photography, discovering new places and spending time with my adult daughter. I also really enjoy being a Director on the Inglewood and Districts Health Service Board, which is a fulfilling community role.
What’s something few people know about you?
I’ve been medivacked off a mountain at 4,600 metres. At the time, I was climbing Mount Kenya and suffered from altitude sickness. Luckily, I felt much better after a few days once I was at a lower altitude.
Three Thoughts about organisational design
What is the biggest benefit you’ve seen good organisational design achieve?
It’s when organisational leaders develop an understanding of their whole organisation’s system and the levers they can pull to deliver their strategy. Too often, people see organisational design as just involving structural design. Done well, organisational design builds an operating model that addresses structure, the work to be done, governance, systems, capabilities and culture – and the way those elements interact.
What are the three most important factors in getting organisational design right?
The first priority is to have a clear strategy. It’s also important to engage leaders and subject matter experts at the right time in the design process to get their buy-in and empower them to lead the change. The third factor is to ensure you bring different thinking and ways of doing things to challenge the status quo and find better solutions.
How do you think technological advancements will impact organisational design?
Technological advancements are changing the design of the work. In many organisations, machines or systems are doing routine work. This means people are increasingly required to work at a higher level. As a result, organisations now need to attract, develop and retain a more skilled workforce by creating jobs people want to do, providing enriching work environments, and promoting a culture of continuous learning.
About Sue, Principal Consultant
Sue is an Organisation Design, Development and Change Practitioner who has a human resources background. She’s passionate about helping organisations become better workplaces. As the answers are often already within organisations, she particularly enjoys supporting clients to “join the dots” and uncover their own solutions.