Pack more of a punch with happy workers
In the chair: Contented workers are absent less often and can boost business
productivity. Jenny Chapman speaks to Claire Nunes,
from relationship advisory service Relate.
There was a time when you had to be married, or about to be, to qualify for
counselling from Relate, the former Marriage Guidance Council, but these days
the organisation’s services are available on a much wider scale, from primary
schools to prisons, families to businesses.
This last area may come as a surprise, but Relate has some of the best courses
around for helping businesses to run more smoothly, retain staff and bring out
their potential and, ultimately, make more money.
Claire Nunes is the new director of Relate, Cambridge. She’s just arrived after a
30-year career in law, and one of the areas where she wants to raise Relate’s
profile is among the business community.
Claire, 54, grew up in Cambridge. Her parents ran The Merton Arms in
Northampton Street. She went to Chesterton Girls School, Cambridge Regional
College (“it was two huts in York Street in those days”), then on to Warwick
University to take a law degree.
“I did my articles in Leicester, and then my husband, Joe, decided he wanted to
take over the Merton when my father retired, so, to my horror, I ended up back in
pubs.”
But Claire kept well clear, concentrating on building her career as a solicitor.
She worked for Sterndale Burrows, under Mr Burrows, the Cambridge coroner.
The firm merged and merged again and is now part of T Lorimers. Claire set up
her own practice, Johnston Nunes, before joining Crossmans, where she
became the managing partner and built a strong conveyancing practice.
“That’s also where I gained my business experience,” she says.
So, why, after 15 years at the helm, did she decide to leave?
“I’ve had breast cancer twice in my life,” she says, “and I don’t mind people
knowing, to show that you can survive. It was 10 or 12 years ago the first time,
and shortly after getting the all clear I got it again. The thing about getting a lifethreatening illness is that you do reassess your life.
“There’s a lot of stress in the legal profession, it is a very, very demanding job
and has changed out of all recognition – the actual delivery of services is now a
very small part; and I’d done it for 30 years and I do like a challenge.
“I very much wanted to get into the not-for-profit sector. Then Crossmans merged
18 months ago with Michael Taylor Associates to become Crossmans MTA and
adopted the much larger firm philosophy which did not suit me so well.
“I had the opportunity to go because the conveyancing department had been
scaled down due to the recession.
“I didn’t have a job when I left, but a lot of charities are now looking for business
skills, so I thought I’d take the plunge, and, of course, I was delighted when I saw
the advertisement in the Cambridge News for this job.”
Relate has been active in Cambridge for more than 60 years, almost as long as
the organisation has been in existence, but most of us still think it’s all about
marriage.
“I am very keen to extend the services of Relate and to dispel the image that we
just deal with marriage guidance, because there’s so much more that we offer,
covering all relationships – anything from couples to a boss and their employee,
client and provider, team working; relationships impinge on every area of life and
we spend most of our day working.
“We can offer support for people in the workplace, and it would be excellent for
an employer to be able to offer this as part of the HR package.
“What we offer can reduce time off work due to stress and other work-related
problems, and if you have a happy workforce it’s more likely the business will be
successful.
“Relate runs a programme of courses which range from managing stress to
helping achieve increased performance, managing relationships at work,
combating bullying and harassment, and team building.
“These courses exist, but they have not been used in Cambridge, although we
have trained people here.”
Claire adds that bespoke courses can be offered as well and at “very competitive
prices”.
“I want to raise our profile because Relate does so much more than the public
image portrays, and in the best possible way because there is so much training
and supervision.
“I want to get the word out there that we can help you whatever your situation.”
Claire and Joe, who now teaches at CRC, have two grown-up children and the
family live at Impington, along with five cats.
First published in the Cambridge News Tuesday Jun 20th 2010