Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

HR practiceMovers and shakers

Top Job: Alison Mckenzie-Folan, head of people services, Wigan Council

by Tara Craig 31 Oct 2008
by Tara Craig 31 Oct 2008

Where were you working before, and what were your responsibilities?


I was at the Health and Safety Executive, as head of finance unit and previously deputy director of HR. I was responsible for leading major change in HR policies and programmes to support the delivery of organisational objectives.


What qualifications do you hold?


I have a BA (Hons) in business studies, a postgraduate diploma in occupational health and safety, and am a member of the CIPD.


What are the duties in your new role?


I will be leading Wigan Council’s HR and payroll function to deliver our people strategy.


What are the main challenges HR faces in the next five years?


The battle for the HR function to become more fit and efficient, less concerned with administering transactions and file-keeping, and much more business orientated has to continue.


What is the most overrated tool in your job?


E-mail is indispensable, but it lulls people into a false sense of comfort and is heavily misused because it encourages the mindset that sending a message equals communication. It doesn’t.


And what work tool would you like to see invented?


An instant e-mail retrieval tool.


What is the worst thing about HR?


The obsession with process and with checking to make the sure the process is done according to the book, rather than on whether the outcome is a good one for the business or makes sense to the client.


How do you wind down after a bad day in the office?


By spending time with my family, or singing and dancing with my best friend in my kitchen.


What is the strangest situation you have been in at work?


Trying to hold a reasonable conversation about health and safety in a chicken slaughterhouse.


What three words would you use to describe yourself?


Lively, open and committed.


What was your lucky break?


I don’t believe in them. But working for really good people that I could learn from has been important.


Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?


Actors George Clooney and Doris Day, pop music impresario Simon Cowell, musician Paul Weller – the list goes on and on.


What advice would you give someone starting out in HR?


Don’t get stuck in a rut. Develop your skills and experience by changing your job roles and responsibilities.


What job would you like your children to do?


One that they enjoy.


What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?


Answering these questions


Sum up your philosophy on life in one sentence.


Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

With the right team, it can be done.


CV




  • Jul 2008-present: Head of people services, Wigan Council


  • Apr 2007-Jul 2008: Head of finance unit, Health and Safety Executive (HSE)


  • Feb 2006-Apr 2007: Deputy director of HR, HSE


  • May 2004-Feb 2006: HR services transformation programme manager, HSE


  • Nov 2003-May 2004: Head of HR operations, HSE

Tara Craig

previous post
Top bosses see pay and bonuses rise in 2008
next post
Course of the week: discrimination and the law

You may also like

Movers and shakers in HR: Stagecoach, Sodexo UK,...

11 Apr 2025

What do HR specialists enjoy most about their...

21 Mar 2025

Mitie appoints Kathryn Dolan as chief people officer

6 Mar 2025

Movers and shakers: Bibby Financial Services, Mastercard and...

21 Feb 2025

Movers and shakers: appointments at Lloyd’s, YPO and...

5 Dec 2024

Angela Williams of Corsearch is HR Director of...

20 Nov 2024

King’s College London get top marks for HR...

20 Nov 2024

Personnel Today Awards 2024: The shortlists in full

13 Nov 2024

Accenture executive’s disability claim settled out of court

29 Oct 2024

Movers and shakers: recent appointments at HSBC and...

24 Oct 2024

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+