Strategic report Governance Financial statements Other information STRATEGY OUR PEOPLE Our people are our biggest asset and are and we are actively involving our colleagues in of coping with them. As a result, we ran a number fundamental to delivering our vision, our strategy identifying what has worked well and how we of colleague initiatives over the period running up and the sustainable growth of our business. develop our new hybrid working model for to tax year end, traditionally our busiest period. We know that to deliver the best client the future. One of these initiatives was the launch of our new experience and in order to contribute to a more Throughout the pandemic we’ve put colleagues’ recognition scheme, HL Heroes, to recognise sustainable and resilient society this needs to safety and wellbeing at the forefront of our colleagues who demonstrated outstanding start with our colleagues. We want our colleagues approach. We’ve set up a working group of behaviours and conduct aligned to our values and to have meaningful and rewarding careers, where representatives from across the business embodying the HL Way. The awards recognised they can reach their potential, and a motivating including HR, Operations, Health & Safety, colleagues over a number of categories including and inspiring colleague experience that ultimately Risk, Facilities and Communication to manage role modelling our values, giving back to the means they are better off through working with the COVID-19 safety procedures and policies for community, collaborating with colleagues or HL. We aim to do this by: our colleagues, particularly those working within demonstrating personal resilience and support of • Embedding a market leading culture where our office. others. We received 180 high calibre nominations we live our values through doing things the We’ve communicated with colleagues regularly from which the winners were selected by panel of “HL Way”; throughout and set up new channels including 12 colleagues from across the business. The Attracting, developing and retaining regular Executive Committee email updates, winners were announced at a celebratory event • attended by all nominated colleagues and the People outstanding and diverse talent; and colleague forums for those working in the office Executive Committee. A focus on colleague engagement including and working remotely and a dedicated Sharepoint Engaging our people • a comprehensive listening and feedback site. We’ve also held regular online ‘Town Hall’ Our culture and the HL Way by creating an inclusive, programme to involve colleagues in the sessions giving our colleagues direct access to Over the past year we’ve placed a big focus on evolution of our business. our Leadership team. developing our culture as this underpins the diverse and healthy We have also increased our focus on colleague delivery of our strategy. We have launched the workforce with equal We believe this starts with having an engaged and wellbeing including provision of resources and ‘HL Way’ as an umbrella term for ‘how’ we act inclusive workforce, which is one of the pillars of guidance through a dedicated wellbeing hub at HL. The HL Way encompasses our values, opportunities for all. our strategy. on our COVID-19 Sharepoint site. This gave us the our standards and the way we behave to deliver Impact of COVID-19 on our people opportunity to provide greater visibility of our the best outcomes for clients, colleagues, The past year has been difficult for all of us. At HL existing wellbeing initiatives such as our employee communities and our shareholders. The HL Way we’ve been fortunate that the pandemic has assistance programme. To help raise awareness has been created by colleagues and builds on our resulted in strong business performance and across the business and increase direct support values and the great practices that already exist record client demand. However, this has also to colleagues, line managers have undertaken within the business. It is made up of a set of tools created challenges for our people due to increased mental health training and we have increased the and guidance that helps colleagues to put our levels of activity, dealing with service challenges numbers of qualified first aiders and Wellbeing values into practice and make good decisions. and adapting to working in new ways with the Champions. We also held a dedicated COVID-19 It empowers effective and well governed majority of our colleagues working remotely. colleague forum, where a range of colleagues from decision making at the right level supporting HL These challenges have also presented new across the business opened up to all about their to be agile and efficient and continuously improve opportunities to improve how we work together, mental health and wellbeing challenges and ways client outcomes. 29 Hargreaves Lansdown Report and Financial Statements 2021