Based in Chesterfield and working across four offices in Sheffield and her hometown, Claire Madej is group HR & talent manager for Redbrik, an award-winning independent estate agency operating across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. She oversees recruitment, training, wellbeing and people strategy for the growing firm, which is known for its community-driven approach to selling and letting homes.
Claire, 37, has spent her entire career in people-focused roles, starting as a temp administrator in a global recruitment agency and working her way up through consultant, account manager, branch manager and group trainer positions before moving into her current post. Her remit spans everything from inductions and manager training to stepping in on property viewings when needed — a reflection of her “no I in team” philosophy.
Away from work, she juggles family life with her husband of seven years, an operations manager in logistics recruitment, their eight-year-old daughter and 14-year-old stepdaughter. She says mornings are a whirlwind of school-run chaos, but she treasures the time in the car with her daughter before switching into work mode for the day.
It’s Mum mode for me soon as my eyes open; it’s up, breakfast, get dressed then the dreaded hair routine. My daughter starts shouting “ow” before the brush touches her hair, which is always fun. Then remembering the endless lists of PE kit, water bottle, lunch, suncream, umbrella fully functioning, life-size robot — or whatever other crazy school project she lets me know of the night before it’s due — my laptop, smoothie for the journey and most mornings it’s “Where’s my keys? I’ve forgotten my phone”.
I do the school run every morning as this is my time with my daughter as I rarely do pick-ups due to working hours — thank you to Nana, who I would be lost without. Once the madness of the school drop is done and she’s safely at school, I use that time in the car to get mentally prepared for the day ahead.
I drive to work each day. My commute can be anything from 20 to 90 minutes, which is just enough time to squeeze in a podcast, usually something light-hearted and fun to relax the mind — Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed or Staying Relevant, to name a few favourites. Or a short in-car concert to my favourite music, usually rudely interrupted by a work call. There’s nothing worse when you’re belting out a ballad.
Whichever office I’m in, and depending on the workload or meetings, the first thing I do is put the kettle on and make a round for the team. Let’s face it, most of us are fueled by coffee, to help us get through the workday. Once that coffee touches the lips, it’s a sign that the working day has begun.
There’s no such thing as a typical day in my role. My tasks and responsibilities are so varied that each day is entirely different. To give you an idea, here are just a few things that were in my diary last week: staff inductions, recruitment, chairing managers’ meetings, exploring external training opportunities, wellbeing meetings, renewing facilities contracts, assisting with property viewings when teams are short due to holidays to get the houses sold. There’s no “I” in team.
The HR manager in me wants to say yes, I take a lunch break every day because it’s important to recharge and be more productive in the afternoon. But the honest answer is, Not that often. I’m very much an eat-at-my-desk or on-the-go kind of person. I know it’s not ideal, but it’s a habit I rarely break.
I’d also love to say I’m disciplined with meal prepping and always have a healthy homemade lunch ready, but that only happens about 20% of the time. Most days, I’m a sucker for a meal deal, usually a wrap, crisps and a smoothie.
I believe HR will become an even more essential and strategic function across all workplaces focused on enabling and supporting diverse working styles and individual needs. I also think we’ll see a shift in perception, where HR moves away from the outdated “fun police” stereotype and is recognised as the team of silent heroes who truly drive culture, wellbeing and people-focused innovation.
I tell people looking to get ahead in HR to expect the unexpected, and I mean that in two ways: No matter how perfectly you plan your day, week, or workload, there will always be curveballs. Something will come along and throw your diary out the window. And you have to stay adaptable. You’ll be dealing with real human beings: their lives, their stories and their actions. People are unpredictable, and no two situations are ever the same.
And just generally, for working mums, don’t kid yourself that a perfect work-life balance exists. It doesn’t. There will be times when family takes precedence and sometimes work will have to be the focus. Either scenario will end up in guilt of the other, but we have to push through that and remember we are not perfect; life is a blend.
There’s still a massive stigma around working in HR. We’re often seen as either “the fun police,” disciplinarians or “fluffy do-gooders” who protect everyone instead of being real. The truth is, HR is a supportive and nurturing function that’s crucial to any business — not just for the employees, but for the organisation as a whole to thrive.
I like to check through my to-do lists and highlight anything I have managed to get done. If nothing on the list is done, I often write about what I have done and highlight it for a sense of accomplishment. I also write down any critical to-dos for the next day. Then I check where I need to be located and any preparation that needs to be done.
I’m very lucky that the culture we have created at work allows some flexibility, so I’ll also try to get home on time and have the time I can with my family. I’m lucky I can pick up my laptop when my daughter is in bed and finish bits off or work on a project without missing out on time with her.
I sometimes really struggle with self-discipline, even though I know its importance and positives. It’s a bit of a theme in my life. I’m great at giving advice on how to stay organised, support your wellbeing and maintain healthy routines, but I can easily fall off track with my own. And like many people, I sometimes find it hard to get back on.
Just like my work life, my home life is a juggle between the kids, their clubs and hobbies, and trying to squeeze in some fitness. I’m the main cook in the house. That’s my job and, honestly, stay out of my kitchen.
Each weekend, I plan our evening meals and prep a few dishes in advance when I can, so we’re not caught short during the week. Weeknight dinners vary depending on who’s around and what everyone’s up to, so we don’t always get to eat together. But we make it a priority to have family meals on the weekend. That time together is really important to us.
My friends laugh at this, but jigsaws are my go-to for winding down. After dinner, with the TV on in the background, I’ll usually get stuck into a 1,000-piece puzzle. It keeps me off my phone, stops the mindless scrolling and is a really calming hobby I genuinely enjoy.
I go to bed around 10 to 10.30pm, always searching for that eight hours of sleep perfection but rarely get it. I’m a very light sleeper. If something is on mind, it will go round and round in there. I keep a pen and paper by the bed, as sometimes my best solutions or ideas may come from a restless night.
