1. What does a typical working day look like?
There is never a typical day, particularly as my role is a blend of internal leadership and external consultancy. What is typical, however, is that my day starts with reminding myself of my client project and internal role calendar: What is the order of work? Who is involved with me? Do we need to catch up? What do I need to finish off? Who do I need to update? Then it is getting prepared for the meetings or deadlines ahead, which can be back-to-back. Around meetings, I spend my time finishing client reports, getting ready for presentations, or kicking off new projects. There rarely goes a day where I am not drafting proposals, pitches or tenders. Then there is the Reward Events calendar and Thought Leadership piece. Again, it isn't unusual that I don't have any activity in some way that contributes to an event calendar.
2. What initially drew you to a career within Reward, and why did you choose this field?
I started in HR about three decades ago and enjoyed it, and in late 1990's/early 2000's I had the opportunity to work in Reward on a secondment. I was involved in a significant project, introducing a modern pay structure to a large organisation, and following that I went on to do flexible benefits (both of which were innovative at the time) and various incentive and bonus schemes. I loved it, it was the people and commercial elements that I got!
3. What excites you about potential advancements or changes in Reward?
When I started in Reward, it was a relatively new thing that pay was being managed outside of the Payroll department. Fast forward nearly 30 years and the role that Reward plays in supporting the business strategy has evolved. You only need to look back over the last five years, from Brexit, Covid, and the Cost of Living crisis to see the importance of Reward. I might have designed hundreds of pay structures or bonus schemes over the years, but the philosophy, the construct, the implementation - it's all evolved. At Innecto we are continuously challenging the purpose of Reward programmes and ensuring they work for the company both today and in the future.
4. What sort of company is Innecto to work for?
I might be biased as I am part of the Leadership team, but I believe it provides a good basis for our team of Analysts and Consultants to flourish. We care about what our clients think of us, and the work with do and how it lands. We work at pace, as it energises us, but we don't compromise on quality. Being part of the Personal Group family allows us to do what we do best. The people in Innecto and the amazing clients we have are what make it enjoyable.
5. Which is your favourite or most used employee benefit?
My most used benefit is holidays/time off. Buying and selling of holidays allows the ability to flex what time I need, based on my plans for the year. Next on my list is Tech Salary Sacrifice - the big-ticket purchases are made easier and you can spread out the costs through the screen. The one I haven't used, but value it, is any health-related benefits - it's the peace of mind.
6. What types of reward projects excites you the most?
I have been in reward long enough to have gained extensive experience across all reward subjects across various sectors. However, what excites me the most is working on unique projects that involve scaling up, building an exit strategy, or undergoing a transformation. Currently, I find digital transformation and AI to be particularly interesting, due to their ability to drive rapid change and reshape the skills and roles landscape and this is something that I am actively working on. In terms of reward projects, I enjoy working on those that offer a clear return on investment, such as bonus and incentive schemes, job architecture and approaches to managing and progressing pay.
7. What's your favourite moment at Innecto so far?
There have been so many. From celebrating Innecto's 20th anniversary with clients, being purchased by Personal Group, to seeing Innectee's successes over the years.
8. What advice do you have for aspiring Reward professionals?
If you have a head for numbers and enjoy understanding the influence that Reward plays on behaviours, motivation, and engagement, then pursue Reward. Generally, people get into Reward by accident, but once they get immersed in the profession, they enjoy it. Sometimes the level of data analysis we do can feel overwhelming to some people, but there are so many disciplines in Reward that generally people find their passion areas.
9. Which series/book are you hooked on?
I enjoy watching films or series, but I never remember watching them - much to the annoyance of my husband. Mind you, 'The Offer' was cool to watch. In terms of business books, I love Irresistible, by Josh Bersin - it is my go-to now.
Sarah Lardner is Innecto's Director of Business Innovation and Senior Principal Consultant. With an extensive knowledge of international Reward, Sarah has the experience and drive to deliver high impact Reward practices for her clients, many of whom choose to work with Sarah and Innecto time after time. Find out more here.
