To give you a flavour of what life at Hay Group is really like, here you will find examples of days in the lives of our consultants...
... of Jon, an executive reward consultant
7.45am: An early start! Hay Group is hosting a breakfast seminar at a top city hotel with a group of non executive directors from some of the largest companies in the country. Have a very interactive session and learn more about their businesses.
10.30am: Internal meeting back at the office to discuss a project for a real estate company. How do we solve their problem?
11.00am: Actually get to sit at desk and work on a report on executive pay and practice for one of Europe's biggest retailers.
1.00pm: Take a call from colleagues in one of our other offices – have I got any info on reward in the biotech sector?
1.30pm: Pop out of the office to grab lunch, mind you… still a little full after breakfast!
2.00pm: Write an article for our leading exec pay mag. Jot down some ideas for our new brochure.
3.00pm: Back out of the office again to see a prospective client in the charity sector. Can we help?
5.30pm: Out of meeting, on the way home...
... of Ben, an information consultant
8.30am: In relatively early this morning as I am working with a colleague on a client proposal. We’re in the process of really understanding the client’s needs so we can work out how best to help. Once we have all our technical information the key is to communicate it simply, in a way that the client finds relevant and, above all, will improve their business.
11.00am: Take a quick coffee break. Call a few long standing clients and a couple of newer ones to have a chat and see how they’re doing. I enjoy working with my clients and for me to really help them, I need to keep in touch, to understand their day-to-day and longer-term issues.
12.00pm: A couple of my colleagues come over to ask my advice on a specific project. While it’s not my direct responsibility, it’s important to develop skills and ability in all our colleagues. We chat for a bit and share a few ideas and previous projects and come up with what looks like a perfect solution.
1.00pm: Today I’m meeting a journalist for lunch. I won’t mention which publication they write for but it’s a title that our client’s read and its great when we get mentioned. I had a briefing session yesterday with the marketing department. I like the buzz that comes from speaking about forthcoming trends and issues in our business with someone from such a different background.
3.00pm: Alright, it was a bit of a long lunch, but they’re going to write a series of articles that I will be the chief commentator on, so it was worth it. I have to get on with a project I’ve been working on – I have all the data but need to present it in a way that the client can use internally, shouldn’t take too long.
4.00pm: Final task for the day is to give some thought on how to build our database – it’s the bedrock of all I do so the data needs to be the best. As well as speaking to existing clients to collect data, I’m currently working on identifying new targets whose information would make the database even better.
5.30pm: Home time, out with some university friends tonight, should be fun!
... of Deborah, an organisational effectiveness consultant
10.00pm: Arrived in Dublin late – the redeye from Gatwick. Hotel full, but they find me a bed.
10.30pm: Write up the results of two strategic interviews with senior executives from a pharmaceutical client – must get them off to the team first thing tomorrow, for our team analysis day on Monday. Key time for the entire client team to get together and prepare for the presentation the following day.
Fall into bed...sweet dreams – well actually, no dreams, sleeping the sleep of the righteous.
6.00am: Get moving! Finalise interview notes. Check voicemails – oops here's one from Ian: Can I attend a project briefing meeting with the head of a financial services client? He wants to commission a company-wide organisational effectiveness review. Should be interesting and exciting piece of work. Breakfast in the hotel – must try not to eat everything on offer at the buffet!
8.00am: Taxi to our Dublin office, working with a sharp young consultant to prepare for our presentation to the Group Executive Committee for this Irish bank. They have been delighted with the organisational review we conducted for them last year and have asked us to extend our work substantially.
11.00am: …Meetings, meetings, meetings – working with a variety of client colleagues as part of a “blended” team to help the bank find more cost-effective and efficient way of doing things. Will I have time for lunch? If not, I've brought an apple and a smoothie to tide me over.
4.30pm: Last meeting, falling into a taxi for a quick ride to the airport. Whew! Great day! It's so exhilarating to see our work taking shape and make a difference to how our client runs his business. And what a pleasure to work with such great colleagues – in the client and on our team.
8.00pm: Got the last flight to Heathrow and thankfully, the taxi's waiting. Home sweet home…
... of Afolabi, a member of the talent pool
Friday 5.30pm: A client calls asking if we can help them with ‘assessments’. Have a brief chat to find out more about what the issues are. Realise we need a face to face discussion. Agree to meet on Monday.
Monday 9.30am: On my way to the client. Looking forward to this meeting – always interesting to go to a meeting with a flexible agenda, I enjoy the challenge of working with the client to work out what exactly what they need and how we can help.
11.00am: Leaving the client with a good picture of what’s needed. The client wants help with internal assessment to fill roles in the new structure. Only issue is the new structure is yet to be decided! Suggested we hold off on the assessment for now and help them with some organisational design issues.
12.30pm: Back in the office and need to find the right person to discuss the organisational structure with the client. Speak with the resourcing manager about what I’m after, who then looks into it and suggests some people.
2.00pm: Brief the consultant who is going to go and meet the client. Now some quick prep on a character I need to role play as part of a Leadership Development course a colleague is running.
4.00pm: Finally some time to go through the day’s emails. One from a client I’ve been working with wanting us to evaluate several more roles than they’d initially anticipated by the end of the week!
4.30pm: Leave message for the client. Back to resourcing manager to find the right person who can help me urgently!
5.30pm: End of play. Juggled a lot of balls today, feeling tired but pleased with the results.
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