PCE People – Alex Blackwell
Introducing Alex Blackwell, Human Resources Generalist
Why did you join PCE?
I originally worked in digital forensics and marketing, but I really wanted to focus on the people side of business. I was looking for a career in Human Resources (HR), when a temporary position with PCE became available. I came in for an interview and was excited about the opportunity and despite not having much HR experience, PCE took a chance on me and 3 years later, I’m still here, enjoying my role and learning a lot with lots left to learn.
Why do you still work for PCE?
PCE is a company that care about their people, and that is a big thing for me. We are an ambitious company that wants to learn and wants to listen, and our innovation and forward-thinking approach make us an exciting place to work. That said, it is ultimately the people and culture that stands out most. There is a lot of passion for PCE throughout the business and a real family feel with genuine people – you feel part of a team even with people you don’t work closely with. You don’t get many companies like PCE and I’m glad to be a part of it.
What are you most proud of?
PCE give you the opportunity to get stuck in and show what you can do - you get real responsibility here which means you get the chance to do things you’re proud of that make a difference. I’d say the work done around employee engagement is something I’m quite proud of, from re-designing the induction process to creating reports and presentations that help us learn from our people, by using metrics such as Employer Net Promoter Score (eNPS), and site morale. I feel I am involved in things that will help make a difference and that’s something I’m proud of.
What could we improve on at PCE?
Communication and collaboration. I think we get a lot right here and are improving every day, but it’s so important all our employees are connected, coordinated, and aligned in what we are doing to help make sure everyone is heard and understood, and that we as a business are cooperating well and learning from each other.
Why is your role important to PCE?
You’re only as good as your people. My role is to help make sure we get it right from a people perspective – are we listening to and learning from our people? Are we a business people want to come and work for, and most importantly want to continue to do so? It’s my role to help support the HR team and wider business to deliver on these fronts, from recruiting the right people to studying our people data to help us learn and further improve the people side of our business. We need to adapt as we grow, all whilst making sure we don’t lose our family ethos and core values that are so important to PCE.
