Who you are, how long have you worked at Leonardo and what is your role?
Hello! I am Anne McCluskey and I am a Senior People Partner looking after strategic HR for the UK Engineering and PMO Leadership team. I joined Leonardo in 2009.
Where did you join from and what attracted you to Leonardo?
I was working for a small defence electronics company, previously part of a competitor of ours, and I was looking to return to a larger company. I was attracted to Leonardo as it had the ambition to lead the way in people management, and over the last decade I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with my colleagues to do just that. This has led to the company gaining gold accreditation as Investors in People and Young People, as well as being one of the first companies to gain gold accreditation for Wellbeing.
What do you like most about your job?
I love that every day is different and that I’ve been given free rein to implement novel and transformative projects into the business. I get to work with a terrific bunch of clever, interesting and challenging people in a job that allows me to play to my strengths.
What do enjoy about working at Leonardo?
I particularly like Custom Working. I’m measured on the output I produce, not the number of hours I sit at my desk. Though the hours can be long at times, I’m at that age where I’m now looking after my elderly mother at home. I get to organise my working week around her care appointments and I’m trusted to get on and do my job. In fact the company now takes caring responsibilities seriously and I’m Chair of Leonardo’s Carers Network, looking at ways to ensure everyone who is a working carer has the same opportunities as me.
What advice would you give someone considering joining Leonardo?
Do your research on us, talk to someone who works here if you can. Think about what skills you can bring to us. Be prepared for interview and demonstrate that you have done your research.
Why you would recommend Leonardo as a place to work?
When I joined in 2009, my colleagues sometimes said I wore rose-tinted spectacles. Sure, I’m an optimist and see most things positively. We do have our downsides here, but we are constantly trying to improve, and overall it really is a great place to work. To prove it? This is the longest I’ve ever stayed with a company!
