“I love that I can make a bit of change in someone’s life.” – Victoria Butt
Snapshot
- The importance of caring in the workplace
- What it means to be a recruiter
- Meaningful work and self-esteem
The following article is based on just a few takeaways from our full interview with Victoria Butt, Founder of Parity Consulting and Recruitment which she established in 2012 when she was just 29. She’s passionate about hiring the best employees who also share Parity’s values.
Victoria is also a Board Member for Entrepreneurs’ Organisation Sydney and for Angel Investor for BIPOC women – which provide funding for women entrepreneurs who come from minority backgrounds. You can check out the full podcast here on The Caring CEO podcast episode #54.
Caring in the workplace
For Victoria, caring encompasses two main aspects:
- She values the concept of being a personal mentor, where she believes in aligning her thoughts, words, and actions. This congruence between mind, body, and action is crucial for her.
2. Secondly, she emphasises the importance of prioritising individuals and their needs. Similar to child-led parenting, she advocates for a person-first and person-led approach. Rather than simply going through the motions. Victoria truly sees and appreciates people for who they are through caring.
For us, her person-led approach (and more so actions) makes her one of those special leaders that build cultures of care and meantally healthy workplaces. A frequent outcome of these cultures is that they see less psychosocial health and safety issues.
Recruiter by heart
Victoria is passionate about her career as a recruiter. It was her initial job and she has developed a deep affection for the recruitment industry. She even wonders if she will ever completely step away from it, as her love for being a recruiter remains unwavering.
In the past, there was a saying in the UK that had a profound impact on Victoria:
“You have the power to change people’s lives.”
Recently, Victoria’s husband and a close friend both had unfortunate experiences in their respective businesses that were beyond their control, resulting in negative outcomes. The emotional connection people have with their work and self-worth can be deeply affected during times of unemployment or job transitions. Victoria strongly believes that as a recruiter, it’s her responsibility to provide support, care, and assistance to those in need. Even a kind word or gesture can make a significant difference in someone’s life. This is why Victoria finds great joy in being a recruiter, as she has the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others.
Meaningful work and self-esteem
According to Victoria, the commercial structure of her industry does not prioritise care or looking after those who need it the most. This frustration led her to build and name her business Parity Consulting, not as a mere marketing strategy, but as a reflection of her strong dissatisfaction with the lack of equality and fair treatment of candidates. At Parity Consulting, they firmly believe in treating everyone as equals and invest in building relationships, irrespective of whether they are clients, candidates, or partners. Victoria is proud of her exceptional team, as they consistently exhibit the values and behavior that align with this mission. We would add to this that diversity in backgrounds and especially diveristy in thinking builds the best teams.
Even though everyone has areas for development, Victoria acknowledges the challenges that arise when you are juggling multiple clients and numerous candidates with limited time. However, she believes that there are fundamental practices that can be implemented to care for and communicate effectively with people. In today’s digital age, automation plays a significant role in streamlining processes.
Victoria recalls that when she first entered the recruitment field in 2014, the approach was more manual. She vividly remembers scheduling frequent face-to-face meetings and handling tasks manually. Over time, the industry has evolved and advanced significantly. As a result, Victoria has come to realise that there is no justification for candidates not being treated with care and respect. #lovethis!
You may be interested in our WeCARE Manager training to build mentally healthy teams: https://wecare365.com.au/wecare-manager/
To learn more about WeCARE365 and The Caring CEO, visit us here: https://wecare365.com.au/
About WeCARE365
We create simple skill-building programs that help managers lead mentally healthy teams. We believe that the #1 priority for every leader and team is to be more caring and mentally healthy and to enjoy growing together. In the very best teams, people care about each other, have each other’s backs, and enjoy each other’s company. We know the best learning solutions are those that ‘everybody gets’, which are easy to roll out, promote, and provide ongoing practical support. If you would like to see a demo, please book here.