Meet Taryn Whitfield. Taryn is a Global Mobility and HR Advisory professional, she has worked at K2 for approaching 12 years.
On 7th March, K2 celebrated International Women’s Day. For us, however, one day just wasn’t enough! Keen to shine a spotlight on as many of the business’ wonderful women as possible, we developed a campaign titled The Women of X Annos, which refers to the K2 women who have been part of the K2 Family for ten years or more. This campaign features a series of written and video interviews through which we explore the personalities, the roles and the formative experiences of K2’s longest standing female employees. So far we have introduced you to four of our X Annos women, two in the US, one in the UK and one in Singapore. Today, we head back to the UK to talk to Taryn Whitfield, a hugely experienced and highly respected Global Mobility and HR Advisory professional…
As a member of the X Annos community, what motivates you to keep working at K2?
- Working with a genuinely great bunch of people. We spend a lot of time at work, it’s important to bring your best self and enable others to do the same, to find joy in what you do and your relationships with others.
- K2’s unwavering focus on service excellence. We have the space and opportunity to deliver the very best we can.
- Flexibility to balance work and personal commitments. Having flexibility is great, and affording people that trust encourages a deep sense of commitment.
What does gender inclusivity mean to you?
A truly inclusive work culture. Fairness and equality on every level. Ensuring people are supported, encouraged, respected and recognised. It’s about doing the right thing for everyone, always.
What advice would you give to women aspiring to leadership roles in the business world, based on your own experiences and insights?
- Be true to yourself.
- Work hard, learn from others – remember that respect is earned.
- Spot the inspirational leaders you can learn from. Listen, observe, ask questions.
- Learn resilience.
- Keep hold of your confidence, especially during the tough times. Believe in yourself.
How has K2 supported your career growth over the last 10+ years?
K2 has enabled my personal and professional growth through giving me autonomy and support, as well as by implicitly trusting me. It is a great thing to feel empowered, it drives and motivates people.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career journey, one which has shaped who you are today?
For someone who is relatively risk-averse, it’s been the times I’ve really challenged myself, felt uncomfortable, taken the risk! It’s often easier not to make a change, but most often in life it’s the harder route that yields the most reward, helps you to grow and learn, enables you to climb the mountain rather than run up the hills.
How do you think that K2 is challenging the Status Quo in the global mobility industry?
By continuing to differentiate – our people, our client service, our culture. We’re not afraid to do things differently. Exceptional service and personal client relationships sit at the heart of K2. We do not compromise. Our entrepreneurial spirit means we continually look at new, different and better ways of doing things, then take action – quickly.
What do you think the future would look like if we had more female leaders?
Leadership diversity provides the opportunity to strengthen not only organisations, but also society as a whole. Diversity has a positive correlation with innovation and productivity. The future would look brighter!
How can more companies foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women?
- Building and demonstrating senior commitment to inclusion is imperative.
- Role-model inclusive behaviour and integrate inclusivity into a company’s core values.
- Building an inclusive company culture should be among the top strategic priorities for any company looking to increase retention of talent and unleash greater levels of innovation.
- Promote and enable transparency and open, honest communication – difficult conversations should not be avoided, but encouraged.
Next up, we sit down with Katie Musloe, Vice President – Operations. Watch this space!
