18 women in business Managing precious assets


Angela Shields, employment law specialist at Pitmans LLP interviews Deanna Surman, head of human resources of Jonas Group UK


Deanna Surman reports to Jonas Software, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company is the leading provider of enterprise management software solutions to the club, foodservice, construction, leisure fitness and sports, attractions, metal service centers, moving and storage, education, radiology/laboratory information systems, and consumer product licensing industries.


Jonas Software boasts 33 distinct brands, all of which are respected and longstanding leaders within their own domain. It is the valued technology partner of over 25,000 customers worldwide in more than 15 countries. Jonas employs hundreds of skilled individuals consisting of a cross-section of industry experts and technology professionals.


Why and how did you get to your current role?


Like many people, I did not start out thinking that’s what I want to do. I wanted something structured and with wider opportunities in the 1980’s, I was accepted on a two-year dispensing technician apprenticeship programme at Boots. As a large corporate and well respected retailer, I thoroughly enjoyed the training and development offered for employees. I was hooked on what we called “personnel”. I was quickly offered a secondment as a territory training officer at Boots and stayed with them for nine years. It was a very diverse role covering regional areas interspersed with some personnel related activities.


After a family career break, I joined Safeway Food Stores at an exciting time with the development of out of town super stores, Sunday trading and a move towards 24-hour trading. This was the time I knew my life was going to be spent in the world of HR. I was provided with lots of opportunity to grow and following a second family career break, I realised I needed to gain a professional HR qualification and it was also a personal ambition to achieve it by the time I had reached a milestone birthday.


After successfully completing my qualification, I continued to enjoy a wider range of HR roles, including regional HR and central HR positions. I stayed with Safeway for 15 years most of which were fantastic, but decided I wanted to explore a new direction.


Following Safeway, I worked for a not-for-profit childcare company which was meant to be a six month secondment and I ended up staying seven years.


I was then offered the role of HR manager at Gladstone PLC in January 2008. In 2010 Gladstone was acquired as part of the Constellation Software Inc (CSI) group, based in Toronto. Gladstone sits as one of a number


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Deanna Surman


of UK companies in the Jonas organisation. In January 2011, I was promoted to head of HR, Jonas Group UK.


Have you found any barriers to your career progression and how did you overcome them?


For me, the competitive employment market meant I could not rest on my laurels. Not only did I have to be in the right place at the right time, I needed to become externally marketable and for that I needed to qualify and have that “piece of paper”. I overcame this by gaining my Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Diploma in Personnel Management and Chartered Fellowship Status.


Are there any mentors who played a significant part in helping you get where you are today?


I would say that has to be one of the first female store managers appointed in one of the companies I worked for. She had a lot to live up to. She was an exemplary role model – she didn’t stop working and neither did I. I was positively introduced to her senior management team and actively encouraged by her, through being pushed out of my comfort zone to take up opportunities: regional roles, secondments, and head office HR positions.


What is the best piece of advice you were given?


Treat people how you would expect to be treated yourself and you have to earn respect.


What advice would you give?


Learn from your mistakes, don’t take things personally and if it isn’t meant to be, then move on.


What would you consider your greatest achievement?


My favourite example would be keeping my composure at the start of a one hour presentation when three people in the front row took out their knitting. You had to be there.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MARCH 2013


What proposed employment law do you consider will have the most impact this year?


For 2013 and beyond, I think auto-enrolment for pensions will have a huge impact across all business sectors. Preparations in advance of the provisions will be vital for businesses.


What would you abolish or change if you had the power to do so?


I would not necessarily change or abolish anything but I would like to see a less painful consultation process for both employers and employees on a restructuring. It is the time to explore all commercial options but sometimes in doing so it can cause such uncertainty for both parties. If I had the power I would create certainty – quite a mission impossible in a changing environment but I love a challenge.


How do you think your role will change over the next 5 years?


I envisage my role developing and bringing with it a deeper knowledge, skills and experience of how organisations work globally – I certainly hope so.


What is the greatest change in HR you have seen during your career?


The greatest change for me has been the perception of HR by business. I have seen it progress to being an integral part of business over the years. It is seen as a business partner who assists in sometimes having to make difficult decisions but ultimately helps the business move forward.


Details: Angela Shields Director


0118-9570450 ashields@pitmans.com


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