Speaker Spotlight: Rachel Clifford, Spire Healthcare

Next month, we're excited to welcome more than 350 HR rebels and leaders to our inaugural Engagement Excellence Summit. We'll take over the Brewery with 30+ amazing speakers to educate attendees on how to break the rules when it comes to improving employee engagement with topics such as defining values based on your company's DNA, the do's and don'ts of giving bonuses, burning the employee handbook and so much more. 

The good news is that we'll release some of the featured content around the breakout sessions here on Reward Gateway after the event in mid-February.

To get you singing the tunes of rebels around you, we're counting down to the summit with a Speaker Spotlight on just a few of the rebels we're welcoming to the stage. We've got some of our speakers to answer a few questions so we can get to know them a little better.

Let's start with Rachel Clifford, the Group Head of Reward and HRSS at Spire Healthcare.

Hi, Rachel!

Rachel is a senior Reward specialist whose experience has been gained in a variety of industries including insurance, construction and most recently healthcare. Rachel’s current role has a broad remit which includes compensation, recognition, benefits, company cars, performance management, payroll, HR systems and HR administration for over 9,000 employees.

We'll be publishing the full agenda of breakout sessions and talks very soon, but here's a sneak peak at Rachel's session. She'll be taking about why bonuses stifle employee engagement and by attending you'll:

• Learn about the negative impact bonuses can have on employees
• Hear about maximising minimal budgets and resources
• Find out how a change in recognition started a culture change

Who is your favourite rebel? 

My favourite rebel is Emmeline Pankhurst. Without her, women would not have the opportunities we have today. “Deeds, not words” is also an incredibly powerful quote of hers which resonates for me in every aspect of life.

What's been the best moment on your engagement journey so far?

It would definitely be when I realised how successful our employee recognition platform launch had been here at Spire. I felt very proud! 

What's the next summit on your horizon?

The next summit for me will be to tackle the wellbeing proposition, with particular focus on mental and financial wellbeing – not sure it’s quite on the horizon yet, but it’s definitely next on the list!

If you were climbing Everest and about to reach the summit, what would your victory song be?

Toss between "Happy" and "I'm Still Standing." Not something I think I need to be concerned about as my chances of reaching the summit would be limited!

If you were climbing a mountain with a stranger, what could they rely on you for?

If I was climbing a mountain with a stranger they could rely on my sense of humour and I’d probably also share my hip flask ;-)

Stay tuned for the next Speaker Spotlight...