Meet Kavita Prajapati, IT Support Administrator

What is your job title and what year did you join the HRA?

IT Support Administrator. I joined in December 2019.

What motivated you to work in this field?

I’d previously worked in the private sector all my working career, but after a break I decided it was time for a change. I started applying for public sector roles, in particular roles within the NHS, as I had a background in Psychology. I saw the Health Research Authority come up and I had never heard of them before.

I looked at the website to find out what they do and what they stood for, and thought it was interesting and completely different to my previous employers. I have always been interested in research and the importance it plays in increasing our knowledge about human health and wellbeing, so I had to apply.

What would you like us to know about your work at the HRA?

My current role is not directly linked to research, it’s more of a supporting role ensuring our staff have the tools and equipment they need to work at the HRA. My role allows me to speak to everyone and really understand their needs. I love getting to know our staff members (personally and professionally) and how I can help make their work life a little easier, or simply fix something!

Speaking to different staff members on a daily basis enables me to understand all the different needs they have, which helps me to tailor my training style, instructions and communication. Every day is a learning day for me. Not only do I learn from my role, I learn from our staff too, which I value a lot.

What are the interesting challenges in your work?

Over the years, I’ve had many staff members approach me with the same issue they’re facing that needs fixing. After troubleshooting, I send the appropriate instructions on how to fix it. In most cases, the issue is resolved, however for some, the instructions don’t resolve the issue! Sometimes I don’t know why some fixes work for some and not others. This can be challenging, but with a bit of trial and error (and very patient staff), we get to a solution.

Do you have any career tips to share?

Don’t be afraid to vocalise to your line manager what you want to get from the HRA. If you’re looking to progress, discuss potential areas or roles within the HRA that you’re interested in and ask to job shadow. This way, you can gain an insight into the role.

If you’re happy in your role and simply want exposure to another team ot directorate within the HRA to see what work they do, just ask! Over the last 12 months, I’ve been lucky enough to have a mentor at the HRA and have a front row seat into their world and the work that they do. I’ve also been able to work on my personal development and look at how I can improve on areas I struggle in. The advice and tips I have been given are helping me a lot and I am so grateful.

What’s your favourite part of working at the HRA?

The flexibility! Being able to work from home, full time and have all the resources I need to do my role is brilliant. The flexible working policy has improved since I have been here, and the HRA have really listened to staff to help make their work life easier and more flexible for them. I work the hours that work for me and achieve a good work life balance. I’ve never worked anywhere where your wellbeing is prioritised, and I love that about the HRA.

Outside of the responsibilities of your role, what is there to get involved in at the HRA?

There’s plenty of different groups at the HRA to get involved with. There’s a camera club if you’re a keen photographer and a book club if you’re a bookworm. We also have several staff equality networks lead by staff. I am part of the REACH network (Race, Equality and Celebrating Heritage). Our network meets monthly to discuss past/upcoming events, topical stories and is a safe space to raise issues. If you’re passionate about staff equality, joining a staff led network is a good way to connect with others and share experiences.

The Learning and Development team also run different personal development courses that staff can get involved with.

I joined a ‘Stepping up into leadership’ programme which was designed for staff members with a Black and Minority Ethnic background. The course ran for six months (in person) and we had a guest speaker teach us how to take the next step up in our career. In the sessions we were given group activities to complete, written assignments, learning materials, and asks to get us thinking about ourselves and the tools we’d need to take the next step in our career.

All the sessions lead up to everyone having to do a presentation on what we had learnt and what we would take away from the course. Public speaking is something I struggle with, but the course allowed me to work and improve on this which has helped me in my role (and personal life) and given me the confidence I need to take the next step in my career.