Natalie Bailey has spent five years at Langham Hall’s Guernsey office, watching it grow from a team of 24 to four times that size. This summer, she marked a milestone of her own, achieving her CIPD Level 5 qualification and marking the next step in her HR career.
We caught up with Natalie to hear about her journey, what motivated her to continue her professional development and how the qualification has helped shape her career.
Can you tell us about your journey at Langham Hall?
I came to Langham Hall five years ago with a little bit of administrative experience, and what started as an operational role quickly turned into an HR and people-focused position. I joined when the Guernsey office was just 24 people, and to have seen and been involved in the growth as we quadrupled in size has been a great experience.
What inspired you to pursue a qualification in HR?
The CIPD Levels 3 and 5 felt like the natural route to pursue as I grew within my role. I knew that I wanted to develop within HR, so undertaking the Level 3 qualification felt like the right way to really kick-start my career. The Level 5 was the next step after gaining more real life and hands-on experience. It was easy to enrol with a tuition provider locally and Langham Hall has been really encouraging and supportive throughout.
How did you find balancing work and studying?
Langham Hall provides a very good study package, and so I was able to take all my tuition days as paid study leave. This meant I could dedicate specific days to my classes and writing my assignments. It did mean having to commit some weeknights and weekends to completing all the coursework, but work, study and life never felt unbalanced.
What skills or knowledge have you gained from the CIPD Level 5 qualification?
The Level 5 course taught me a lot about people strategy, rather than just the day-to-day, and how to build a supportive HR community within a business. Being able to understand and be involved in the bigger picture has really helped my development and understanding to take the next step.
How has this achievement impacted your role?
Completing the Level 5 has given me a confidence boost in a way I didn’t expect. I dedicated a whole year to completing the course and I am starting to see it pay off in the way I conduct myself in my role, especially as we continue to go through growth and change in the business. I’m able to apply what I have learnt much more constructively and see the bigger impact of my work.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in HR?
I would say it depends on if you want to specialise in something or become more of a generalist. My work is very much generalist, getting involved in everything from recruitment to payroll to performance management, but each stage is equally rewarding. My advice would be to get stuck in and put yourself out there with the rest of the team; visibility and trust go miles in this kind of role, and reaching out to make the connections with colleagues is the first part of building that.
What’s next for you?
Following recent promotion, I am stepping into a new and exciting role within the HR management team, so I’m going to take a little study break before considering doing anything further. This will give me some time away from the classroom, but also allow me to focus on development within my new role and really apply all that I have learnt during the Level 5 course. Our HR team has grown to four in the recent months and so I’m looking forward to seeing what our team will look like in the near future.
Natalie's journey is a great example of how curiosity, commitment and a willingness to keep learning can open new opportunities. Congratulations to Natalie on achieving her CIPD Level 5 qualification and on her recent promotion. We look forward to seeing her continue to grow her career and support our people as Langham Hall continues to evolve.
