How Altum Group built a culture that fuels growth
Altum Group have been going from strength to strength over the past few years, and MyAnova have watched our incredible journey.
With over 200 employees across six jurisdictions and a retention rate of over 90%, Altum’s core values are extremely people-focused. It was clear from our conversations that Altum really understands the bottom-line impact of building a people-first organisation.
Their business thrives because their client service directly benefits from happy, engaged employees. This improves client retention, loyalty and referrals, which ultimately drives business growth.
MyAnova sat down with Conor Roche, head of HR at Altum Group, to learn more about what their people strategy really looks like. To read the full report, click here.
Tell us a bit about your role as it relates to wellbeing and DEI
I am the Head of Human Resources for the Group at Altum and am responsible for setting the people agenda for the entire business. That covers everything people related, including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I am a big advocate for DEI, and shortly after joining Altum established a dedicated committee to drive this agenda alongside our Chief Executive Officer, Zena Couppey. I chair the committee, and Zena acts as Executive Sponsor, ensuring support is there.
Our aim has always been to ensure DEI is embedded in our culture. Whilst my direct team plays a central role in helping drive initiatives, responsibility for building an inclusive and supportive workplace is shared by everyone. For us, it’s woven into every aspect of how we operate.
Why do you believe it’s important for businesses to prioritise wellbeing and DEI?
People are the ultimate drivers of business success. When employees are healthy, engaged, and happy, it leads to superior client service, lower turnover, increased productivity, and greater efficiency. Businesses often underestimate the commercial value that sound DEI practices can bring to an organisation. Those who do recognise this ultimately get ahead.
How do these efforts support your employer brand and recruitment?
Our standout feature is our exceptionally high staff retention rate. In a market experiencing rapid consolidation, often accompanied by uncertainty, maintaining stability is a real differentiator. When employees feel supported and valued, they stay. That continuity strengthens our teams and client relationships, helping us maintain a competitive edge.
What are prospective candidates asking about when it comes to wellbeing and DEI?
Candidates today want to know what kind of company they’re joining. We’re often asked about flexible working policies, remote work options, parental leave, EAPs, volunteering opportunities, CSR activities, and ESG commitments. These questions reflect a growing desire to align personal values with workplace culture, and we’re proud of how our answers speak for themselves.
How do you measure the impact of your initiatives?
We use a range of metrics, including our employee engagement survey via MyAnova. We track employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS), engagement, and productivity, with targets to improve year over year. We also closely monitor absenteeism, turnover, and retention. Holding ourselves accountable through regular reviews ensures we stay on course.
What’s been your most impactful initiative to date?
Our engagement workshops have had a significant impact. They show our people that we view engagement as an ongoing conversation and not just a once-a-year exercise. Staff really appreciate the follow-through; it demonstrates that we care deeply about their feedback and are taking meaningful action.
What challenges have you faced in building a people-first culture?
Rapid growth can sometimes make it hard to pause and reflect. As we expand, especially through acquisitions, we’ve had to invest time in understanding the cultural landscape across different teams. Ensuring consistency while embracing diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity.
What’s been the most surprising outcome of an initiative?
Not so much surprising, but we were really pleased with the minimal disparity of our first gender pay gap analysis, which we conducted last year. Even more encouraging, we could clearly trace the gaps to measurable and identifiable factors. We’re planning to publish the findings externally this year, highlighting our progress and commitment to transparency.
What are the biggest challenges in this type of work?
Time and resources are ongoing challenges, especially in a function with such broad responsibilities. Thankfully, Altum genuinely prioritises people, so we receive the support we need. Early in my career, DEI wasn’t as prominent in HR training, and that lack of structured learning still creates hurdles for some. Platforms like MyAnova and communities like Mind the Gap have been invaluable in bridging that knowledge gap, especially for smaller teams or those new to DEI.
Are you making any cuts to wellbeing/DEI budgets this year?
Quite the opposite. Employee engagement has been identified as a key pillar in our HR strategy, and the budget to support wellbeing and DEI initiatives has grown year-onyear. We’re building out a roadmap collaboratively with our employees, ensuring their voices shape the future of our culture.
What advice would you give to others aiming to improve wellbeing and DEI?
Start by really understanding your organisation. Get feedback from people at every level, identify key metrics, and be honest about where things need to improve. You also need buy-in from senior leadership, linking DEI to business outcomes helps build that case. HR has a huge opportunity to be a strategic driver, not just a support function, but it takes belief and commitment to realise that value.
If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be?
I wish I’d had exposure to DEI and engagement in the very early stages of my career. These areas are often seen as specialist functions, and HR professionals rarely get hands-on experience at a more junior level. Embedding this knowledge at the offset would better equip future leaders to drive real change.
A look to the future
What’s next for Altum?
We’re continuing to evolve our people strategy by investing in internal communications, enhancing employee benefits, and expanding development opportunities. This includes initiatives such as career coaching, enhanced leadership training, and refreshed recognition programmes. We’re also reimagining how we connect with employees through town halls and structured career pathways, while expanding the data we track to ensure inclusion across all dimensions. The overarching goal is to create an environment where every individual feels supported and empowered to thrive.
Any DEI or wellbeing trends for 2025 you’re watching?
While some companies are reducing their focus on DEI, we’re doubling down. A recent Gartner report still lists DEI as a top priority for 2025, and we strongly believe that a people-first approach must be more than a trend. It should be a core value. If you’re scaling back DEI, it likely means you never truly embedded it in the first place.
Highlights MyAnova like about Altum
- A clear commitment to DEI, evidenced with their diverse leadership team
- Employees travelling across the globe, attending exciting events and conferences
- A shared ownership scheme, healthcare and dental
- A graduate scheme as well as other training and development opportunities
- Engaging social content – our personal favourite on Valentine’s Day: “Is your service provider giving you red flags? Let’s turn your “it’s complicated” into a ‘happily ever after’.”
- Celebrating key dates and wellbeing initiatives across their global office locations
- Championing sustainability through green initiatives