Katarzyna Goleniowska, HR Assistant

Department: Human Resources

“At ForFarmers there are always opportunities to learn something new and take on more responsibility. This culture is encouraging as well as rewarding."

Supporting employees across the business

“As a department we support employees’ employment life cycle from recruitment, through to training, development and remuneration packages. We are an important part of the business that helps to support our employees and ensure legal compliance along the way.”

“Within my role I have a variety of responsibilities and different tasks to complete. On a daily basis I have to accurately follow instructions whilst multitasking in a fast-paced environment. A key part of my role is to maintain personnel records which involves confidential information such as employees’ details, performance reviews and benefits.”

“I work closely with managers across the business and provide training on the ForFarmers internal HR software; Workday. I am responsible for inductions on the software and I’m always available for questions. I enjoy this part of my role as it allows me to meet employees from different departments and build relationship with them.”

A professional team

“I work within a friendly and supportive team. We may be small at only eight members but we are professional at all times. It’s really nice that we have a close-knit team and we can always rely on one another for guidance or assistance.”

“Every day is different and this makes my working life really enjoyable. My role requires a good level of organisation and I like to start my day by checking my calendar for appointments and reading through my to do list. Throughout the day I complete tasks and update my list, ticking them as I go, this helps me stay on track.”

Tasks within HR

“We divide key HR tasks within the team and some of my colleagues are involved in the recruiting process. This includes posting job vacancies on our website, pre-screening applications, administering assessments and informing candidates of their results. Other members of the team are involved in training, payroll, employee recognition and audits. Collectively we are involved in an employee’s whole journey, from the moment they join to training and development along the way, to parting way such as retirement. It’s really nice to see employees grow and learn within this process. ”

“I am currently involved in a project which involves updating some of our policies. I have to liaise with a variety of key stakeholders and gain legal advice in order to sign off and roll out new policies.”

“Working together as a team is a core value at ForFarmers. I therefore support the HR Business Partners, HR Advisors and Line Managers everyday with various project work.”

Training and support

“I became interested in human resources about 5 years ago. I decided to study and get a qualification. I obtained my CIPD level 5 Diploma in HR Management in 2016 and ever since then I have been an Associate member of CIPD. ForFarmers has continued to support my learning and development and has given me opportunities to take on more responsibility. This supportive culture can be seen across the organisation as we organise training courses from sales techniques to time management and IT related sessions. Helping employees through training and support is one of the best aspects of my job.”

“At ForFarmers there are always opportunities to learn something new and take on more responsibility. This culture is encouraging as well as rewarding. I really enjoy working with the HR team and I have made some really good friendships with my colleagues.”

Reacting to a global pandemic

“ForFarmers is a really interesting company to work for, not only is it a successful and complex business but the core values really focus on employee engagement, customer service and providing the highest quality products.”

“The recent Covid-19 pandemic has affected our ways of working, living and socialising. From an employment perspective, ForFarmers has continued to support it’s employees; following Government guidance throughout and putting substantial measures and policies in place in order to protect it’s members of staff. Communication has been critical during this uncertain time and together with the marketing team we have been able to inform our employees along the way. HR is a key cornerstone of any organisation but especially in times of uncertainty. We provide vital information, support, guidance, opportunities and can be that listening ear when you need it most.”