Inside 3PL : Meet Linda Ashton, HR Manager

Welcome back to Inside 3PL, where we introduce you to the fantastic people that make 3PL such an incredible place to work.

So far, you’ve met John Scully, Brandon Vaughan, Hannah Banks, Kath Knowles, Rebecca Whalley, Leon Parkinson and Tony Barnes.

Today, I’m very excited to introduce you to Linda Ashton, HR Manager. Linda is the first HR Manager in the companies history and has played a huge role in developing and shaping our company culture and ensuring we are the #1 place to work within the logistics industry.

Ready to meet Linda? Let’s go👇

Barry Ryan: To start, can you tell me a little bit about your role at 3PL. What are you responsible for?

Linda Ashton: As the HR Manager for 3PL, I am responsible for the people side of the business, which includes everything involved in the employee life cycle from when a colleague joins the Company until they leave, and anything they encounter from an employment perspective along the way. In addition to this, I am responsible for putting strategies in place to ensure we get the best out of our colleagues and are adequately equipped to support and advise the management team with helping us achieve this. Improving staff engagement, reward & recognition, training and communication are also high on my agenda and will form a large part of the initiatives included in the people plan for 2021/22.

BR: Why did you decide to get into HR?

LA: I wanted to work with people and enjoyed getting involved in strategies that help a Company achieve their goals through their most valuable resource, which to me is their people.

BR: Why did you decide to join 3PL?

LA: I was keen to work in a logistical warehouse environment, as it was not a business area I had worked in before and given changes in people’s shopping habits, especially with the pandemic, I felt it was a growing and safe business area to work in.

BR: What’s been your favourite project to work on at 3PL?

LA: I have thoroughly enjoyed doing the 1-2-1 with all the staff, as this has given me a fantastic insight into how the operational side of the business works and the frustrations and stumbling blocks colleagues face on a day-to-day basis. This project has also enabled me to get to know staff on a more personal level, whereby I now really feel part of the team and hope that the colleagues feel able to approach me with any future issues, suggestions or feedback they may have. I am really excited about finalising and sharing with the team all the feedback collated from their 1-2-1 sessions and seeing the difference this will make to things such as the way we work, communication, reward & recognition, staff engagement, training, the culture of the business and how all these areas will be an integral part of the people plan.

BR: Before working at 3PL what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

LA: I was part of a cultural change team for Cheshire police, which was quite literally an impossible task!

BR: What’s a fun fact about you?

LA: I was once on a TV advert for the gym Total Fitness. However, it was so long ago that believe it or not I actually qualified to be in the “young and trendy” membership target group.

BR: What three words describe 3PL?

LA: Fast-paced, evolving and challenging

BR: What makes 3PL a great company to work for?

LA: The people make it great and the commitment and loyalty they show to their work.

BR: What advice do you have for prospective 3PL candidates?

LA: It is not for the faint-hearted, as it is fast-paced and full-on, but it is great as there is never a dull moment.

Want to join Linda on the 3PL team?
We’re hiring. Check out our latest roles here.