Lynda Hulme
Lynda Hulme, HR Director at Fowler Welch, has a degree in Business Studies and a professional diploma in HR management, both obtained prior to starting work in the hard-edged world of manufacturing. Before joining Fowler Welch, Lynda worked in banking and insurance for 12 years, in a variety of HR and operational management roles, having joined the forward thinking, socially responsible Co-operative Bank in 2005. During this time, she supported a wide range of business sectors as an HR practitioner, including retail and corporate banking. As important, Lynda also chose to spend time as an operational line manager in a number of customer contact centres which gave her an unparalleled, first hand understanding of managing both teams and individuals. After a short break to establish her own hospitality sector business, Lynda joined Fowler Welch. While she had little knowledge of the industry, she quickly became addicted to the pace and challenge of logistics and, more specifically, to the drive to shape a people agenda and ensure on-going support and investment in both management capability and the wider workforce.
Through her team, Lynda has overseen the introduction of a number of initiatives in support of the overall people strategy, including a performance management / development process, management process and soft skills workshops and a range of employee benefits including childcare vouchers, a cycle to work scheme, a colleague referral programme and a collision reduction incentive scheme for LGV drivers.
Under Lynda’s leadership, the HR function at Fowler Welch has developed from being reactive and transaction-focused into more ‘valued adding’, supporting and enabling change across the business. It now works in close partnership with the operational and support teams to ensure the people activities are aligned to the vision of being an ‘Employer of Choice’.