Operations Peer Support Group – Starting is a big step

We all have good intentions, and hopes of making things better but starting can be a daunting thing. That’s why I was so pleased to see such a response to the operations peer support group. 12 of us got together from across the sector for our first session earlier in May.

The group is for those people in HR, IT, finance, ops, governance, admin, systems or organisational change etc roles within the third sector. We come together and share our learning, look for advice and have a wee rant if needed.

Once we got through the awkward introductions (and I’d been taught by one of the group how to use teams breakout rooms!), I’d prepped some broad questions to make sure we had something to natter about:

• What’s the weirdest thing that has fallen into your remit?
• What’s the hardest part of your job?
• What’s the largest time suck within your job?

Feel free to steal these questions and your internal reflections too!

I think people were really surprised that, although everyone worked in different organisations, and with a variation in job roles/demands, so many folk experienced the same kind of difficulties.

We had some great conversations in our wee groups, getting to know each other and seeing that we aren’t alone in these demanding roles. We’ve set up a shared space so we can help each other, share resources and ideas, and plan what we want to focus on going forward.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has signed up to the group and I am looking forward to our next session.

The group is always open to new folk – give me an email if you would like to join (sam.ella@iriss.org.uk).