The skills you gain

When you start a role, you expect to learn the technical side of it. What you don’t always expect is everything else that comes with it, like how you handle pressure, how you communicate, and how you make decisions when there isn’t a clear answer.

Those kinds of skills tend to build without you really noticing. Then one day, you realise you’re doing things differently, not just at work, but everywhere else too.

We spoke with three of our people to share their stories of growth and how HBF supports them beyond the office walls.

For Sheridan Rowe, that growth has unfolded over more than a decade at HBF, spanning roles, life stages, and a few unexpected turning points along the way.

Sheridan joined HBF in 2010, starting in the Member Contact Centre before moving through branch roles, claims leadership, and into her current role as a Risk Advisor.

At the same time, she’s been raising her daughter as a solo parent and building her own business on the side.

This means, for Sheridan, planning is a professional skill and a daily practice.

“Planning and preparation is key to survival in my life outside of work. But I’ve learnt a lot of that here in fast-paced roles where you have to think ahead and stay organised,” Sheridan said.

That ability to look ahead, prioritise and keep things moving has carried across everything she does. Work has sharpened it, but life has reinforced it, and now it is second nature.

Early in Sheridan’s career, communication was focused on taking member queries or supporting a team. Now, working with senior leaders, Sheridan has learnt how to adjust her approach depending on who she’s speaking to and what they need at that moment.

“You need to be able to adjust your communication style, moving from conversations with team members through to engaging with executives, and be effective in each setting.”
— Sheridan Rowe

Communication has been a core part of every role Sheridan has held, even if it hasn’t always been explicitly captured in a job description. It shows up in how she works as a therapist, in how she navigates parenthood, in how she reads a situation before responding, and in understanding what matters to the person in front of her.

If there’s one shift Sheridan can point to, it’s being more willing to step forward now, even if she doesn’t have all the answers.

“I used to hold back more. Now it’s about leaning in, just having a go and trusting that you’ll figure it out,” she said.

And while every career at HBF looks different, that opportunity to build confidence and capability over time is something many people experience. 

As Workday System Administrator in People and Corporate Affairs, James Evans said he’s slowly come to feel more confident, even if some nerves remain.

“That feeling of not knowing everything never really goes away. But now it comes with a bit of excitement, about what you’ll learn and what you can contribute,” James Evans said.

James’ career has followed a different path, but a similar pattern to Sheridan’s.

Starting in the Member Contact Centre, his role has evolved into a more technical and strategic space, focused on system governance and process improvement. Along the way, his work has shifted from task-based to understanding how everything needs to fit together — not just at work, but in everyday life.

“I tend to pause, think things through, and take a more risk-informed approach now,” he said.

James’ way of thinking doesn’t stay contained within systems or projects. It changes how he approaches decisions more broadly and helps him be more deliberate about what actions to take next.

“You start to think end-to-end in every aspect of life. How information, processes and people all connect, and how to find solutions that work holistically rather than in isolation.”
— James Evans

And then there’s another James, who shares a similar way of working shaped through different experiences.

While James Bennett’s path through HBF has looked different to James Evans’, both speak to the value of seeing how people, processes and decisions connect.

For James Bennett, Change Specialist, his time at HBF has spanned seven years and eight roles, including time in the Contact Centre, senior leadership secondments, training, acquisitions and major transformation programs. Between leading teams and delivering major programs of work, James has learned how to work in a way that brings others with him.

“One of the biggest learnings for me has been that successful change is less about the solution itself, and more about how well people are brought along the journey.”
— James Bennett

Earlier in his career, James’ focus was on structure, planning and execution.

“But over time, clarity, trust and engagement are what ultimately determine whether change is sustained,” James Bennett said.

And like James Evans, that shift has shaped more than just how James Bennett works. He reflects on the encouragement he has received from leaders, the importance of checking in on people, and the idea that even when everything feels urgent, not everything can be the priority — lessons that have become part of how he approaches transformation programs and everyday life.

“I naturally consider the broader system. How decisions impact people, processes and outcomes over time,” he said. 

What’s clear across these stories is that no two careers at HBF look the same, and that’s exactly where the value sits.

Sheridan’s experience has been shaped by balancing fast-paced roles with life outside of work. James Evans has moved deeper into technical and strategic work, developing a way of thinking that connects systems, people and decisions. James Bennett’s path through operations, leadership and transformation has grounded him in people, perspective and long-term impact.

The skills themselves aren’t identical, but the way they’re embodied and applied feels familiar.

Sheridan, James and James have learned how to step into situations where there is uncertainty, how to work through complexity rather than avoid it, and how to find solutions that consider both the immediate and the bigger picture.

There’s growing confidence in that. And a willingness to go one better.