PROFILE SHENAZ KHAN
Career timeline: Shenaz Khan
1985
First job Pensions Administrator (South African Mutual)
1987–1992 Variety of client services roles
1997–2006
Next steps • Senior manager – Life Business, ING • Assistant general manager – Client Services, ING • Executive director – Customer Service Group, ING • Head of performance management, reward and HR consulting, ING • Head of organisational development, ING • Executive director, people & culture, ING
2006–2011
At Westpac • Head of corporate core people & performance, Westpac • GM human resources, BT Financial Group, Westpac • GM human resources, retail and business banking, Westpac
2011
Current GM human resources, group services, Westpac
22
HCAMAG.COM
SK: Westpac is tracking extremely well to increase the number of women in leadership roles. As at the end of April 2012, our women in leadership population has increased to 38.5%, so we are well on track to meet our target of 40% by 2014. How have we achieved this? We’ve hard-wired change within the organisation through policy and processes, including implementing Women in Leadership targets within business units. Progress on these targets is regularly tracked through the Westpac Group Diversity Council which is chaired by our CEO, Gail Kelly, and meets quarterly. We also understand that to support women in senior leadership roles we need to provide more flexibility in the workplace. We continue to support flexible work practices and stay abreast of industry-leading practice through strategic research and community partnerships. Over 48% of Westpac’s workforce operate on flexible working conditions and are accountable for their own work-life balance. This type of accountability is a huge contributor to overall productivity and employee engagement. There is also the soft-wiring that is taking place across our organisation which involves driving cultural change through a range of initiatives, including being one of the first Australian companies to sign the CEO statement of support for the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles. We have established an Employee Action Group to support the progression of women within Westpac. We are also the first private sector company to begin paying superannuation on unpaid parental leave for up to 39 weeks (from June 2010) in addition to 13 weeks of paid leave. HC: Is enough being done to support women in business? SK: Westpac has been doing a great job, and there is nothing like a target
Did you know? • Westpac has supported Surf Life Saving and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service since 1973, and sponsored the first civilian rescue helicopter in Sydney. • CEO of Westpac, Gail Kelly, has a background in HR. In 1990, she became head of HR at Nedcor, a South African bank, after starting her career as a teller and being fast-tracked into an accelerated training program. • Westpac has been described as one of the world’s most socially responsible banks, and in 2002 released a Social Impact Report that outlined the bank’s plan to meet the highest international standards in the area of CSR. This led to Westpac being assessed as the global sustainability leader for the banking sector.
to motivate energy, drive and commitment, and we also keep raising the bar to continue the momentum. Gail Kelly announced an aspirational target of equal representation of men and women in senior leadership roles last year so that’s another goal we will continue to work towards. I think there is heightened awareness among executives that to attract the best talent you need to offer work environments that are conducive to diversity and flexibility for both men and women. Many organisations are doing extensive work in this area and are really lifting the standards which will deliver benefits in the long term for attracting the best talent and achieving a productive and highly engaged workforce. HC: What do you consider to be your biggest career achievement to date? SK: Leading the merger of BT and St.George Wealth. This was a challenging period where we brought together two great wealth management businesses and I’m proud of the work we did on embedding a high performance culture while respecting and building on both organisations’ heritage and strengths. HC: Describe yourself in a few key words. SK: I’m passionate, positive and performance oriented. I love to have fun and celebrate successes along the way. HC: The advice I would give a fresh grad starting out in HR would be… SK: • Be curious and pro-active – ask questions about why things are done the way they are, ask successful people for tips and ideas • Put your hand up for the challenging tasks – sometimes these can seem mundane or scary but will lead to opportunities for growth and exposure • Deliver on your promises More industry profiles at:
hcamag.com