06.12.2021

The Brave New World of Work

The Brave New World of Work

PeopleClear™ SMCR was pleased to sponsor the City HR Association Conference 2021 which took place on 23rd November. The conference looked to address the key challenges facing businesses and the shift in leadership strategy towards transformation. How does business and HR respond in this brave new world of work?

A mix of expert speakers and HR leaders delved into the skills required to generate success and showcased the importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in a time of organisational renewal for many businesses. The role of diversity and inclusion in creating employee belonging was a key theme for HR leaders who discussed the employee value proposition and the importance of re-shaping in these exceptional times.

Key themes of the City HR Association Conference 2021

Business being fit for the future was the focus of the opening speech from former Lord Mayor, Sir Peter Estlin. We heard from many insightful speakers throughout the day and it is clear to us that the digital, managerial and future skills required from HR teams are evolving quickly to require technology solutions as a day to day part of business. 

It was a privilege to hear from Olympic medallist Colin Jackson, OBE who gave an inspirational talk about his personal journey and lessons to success. “Making Dreams a Reality” was a theme we took away from listening to this talented athlete, whose career spans over twenty years winning medals from as far back as 1988.

A strong call to arms for the HR profession came from Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD. He recognises that HR is a lead function during the biggest change of the work environment in living memory. The role of remote and hybrid working is a challenge for many businesses and we know that the FCA still expects firms to meet all regulatory requirements including expectations for the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SCMR). 

We also heard from Professor Andre Spicer of Bayes Business School, who gave a fascinating talk about the phenomenon called “The Phil Collins Effect” (PCE). Andre, who led the research, says PCE can be plotted in an N-shaped graph with each phase of popularity or lack of popularity, lasting about 10 years. It is reported that in 2020 a viral video of ‘In the Air Tonight’ caused Phil Collins to become popular among a younger generation after the song was praised by 21-year-old American twins Tim and Fred Williams. 

This focus on the ever-changing digital landscape of future generations really shines a spotlight on the need for upskilling and equipping HR and compliance teams in all manner of digital skills. Technological solutions are ever more important in helping financial services to manage the necessary and complicated elements of the SMCR. For us at PeopleClear™ SMCR, the City HR Association Conference simply reinforced what we know is a growing need for technology solutions to be able to manage the important SMCR regulations which are required within the financial services industry.

How can PeopleClear™ SMCR help you?

PeopleClear™ is a purpose built SMCR reporting solution designed with three outcomes in mind:

  • To provide Senior Managers with the information they need to manage the complex requirements of SMCR and demonstrate reasonable steps to the regulators
  • To enable Certified Individuals to upload key evidence to demonstrate that they are fit, proper, and competent
  • To help HR, Compliance and other Support Functions facilitate the certification process

Quick to onboard, intuitive to use, and ideal for hybrid working, PeopleClear™ is already delivering better accountability, visibility and operational efficiency for regulated financial services firms. Book your demo today and take a step towards spreadsheet-free SMCR reporting.

Andrew Pullman of People Risk Solutions is the CEO and founder of PeopleClear™ meaning this is a technology solution designed by practitioners for practitioners.

Book a bespoke demo with our expert team or watch this short video to find out more.