Resourced Humans – Mini Soundbite Series
Purpose is layered, at work it’s about making a positive impact, in life it’s about showing my daughters they can do it all.
By Beth Lang
Head of HR, Auratus Group
Introduction
Beth, Head of People for the UK and US at Giraffe 360, speaks with honesty about the layers of purpose in her life, from creating impact in her role to being a role model for her daughters. With experience in both standalone and small people teams, she reflects on what it means to feel resourced, the invisible but vital role HR plays, and the lessons her four-year-old teaches her about staying grounded. Beth’s voice is a reminder that impact isn’t always loud or obvious, sometimes it’s about smoothing the path so others can go further.
What does purpose mean to you?
“So purpose to me means having a positive impact and leaving things better than when I arrived. I want to be having a positive impact on the people that I work with and the people in the company that I work at. But then it’s very layered — that’s not my purpose for existing. That’s my purpose at work. My purpose, if I step right back, is to give my daughters a good life and be a good role model for them. Show them that you can do it all.”
Beth captures something we often hear, purpose at work is meaningful, but it’s usually rooted in a deeper personal “why” that keeps us grounded.
When do you feel most connected to your work?
“I definitely feel the most connected to my work when I see or feel the difference that I’m making. It could be a manager having a light bulb moment, it could be someone getting a promotion that they didn’t believe they could have before, or because of development pathways I’ve created. Just when I see or feel the difference that I’m making to the business or to the people that work there.”
Connection comes alive in moments of impact. Beth reminds us that progress isn’t always measured in metrics, sometimes it’s in the shift you see in someone’s confidence.
What does being resourced feel like to you?
“Being resourced to me, as someone who’s largely worked in either standalone or quite small people teams, means having space to think and space to specifically think about the future and the impacts that I can have rather than just being reactive and responding to requests. So being future focused and more strategic.”
For many HR and people leaders, “being resourced” isn’t about having more tools, it’s about having the time and mental space to think strategically.
What helps you stay grounded, especially in challenging moments?
“What helps me stay grounded is definitely my 4-year-old because she’s insanely clever and will completely put me in my place. And there’s nothing more grounded than a 4-year-old correcting you on something that you’ve said that’s incorrect.”
Perspective often comes from the smallest voices. Children have a way of cutting through to what really matters.
What’s something you wish more people understood about what you do?
“Something I wish more people understood about what I do in my role is a very long list because there are a lot of assumptions about HR and people people. I would say the main ones are that we’re often not the decision maker. So when people see us as the bad guy delivering the bad news, quite often that’s not a decision we’ve made. And actually quite often we’ve been fighting against it. We just have to be the ones that deliver and manage it and make sure that it’s handled in the most humane way possible. And another one would be that HR people don’t hate people. We love people. That’s why we got into the job. We care deeply about people. And all of the stuff that we have to do as part of our jobs that employees don’t like, generally we don’t like either. And it weighs heavily on us as well.”
Behind every tough conversation in HR is often someone who cares deeply, carrying the weight of decisions they didn’t make.
What kind of impact are you hoping to make in your job, even in small ways?
“So the impact I hope to make in my job is basically for people to go further or achieve more than they would without me. I want to be unlocking people’s potential. I want to be helping to unlock the potential of the business through its people.”
Impact doesn’t always have to be seismic. Sometimes it’s creating conditions where others can succeed.
What role do you feel you play in the teams around you?
“The role I play in the teams around me — I see myself as, you know curling? That’s where they throw the rocks on the ice. I’m the person with the little mop at the front, helping them go further and faster and making the ride a bit smoother. A lot of what I do, people don’t see. But it’s making the journey smoother. It’s maybe making them go further than they would if I wasn’t there. It’s making the ride easier. It’s removing friction and yeah, I’m just there with my little mop and nobody even knows.”
Invisible work is still impact. Often, the smoother the path, the less people realise someone’s been paving it.
What’s one small thing that helps you feel like yourself?
“One thing that helps me feel like myself would be time by myself. Time where I’m not being mum, I’m not being partner, I’m not being HR lady — time where I’m just being me. And that could be a bath, it could be a morning circuit class, it could be sitting in a dark room by myself with no one pestering me. But yeah, I like my alone time. I’m a bit of a loner. That’s how I recharge.”
Alone time isn’t selfish. It’s a reset that allows you to show up for others with more energy and intention.
Has your sense of purpose changed over time?
“My sense of purpose has definitely changed over time. I think earlier on in my career, it was very much about feeling the need to prove myself. I’ve always worked in tech, so I’ve quite often been the only woman in management. I’ve quite often been the youngest in the room when it comes to leadership teams, so it was all about proving myself and probably quite a lot of faking it till I make it. Whereas now it’s definitely more about that bigger purpose beyond just work. If I’m going to spend 40 hours at work a week, it has to mean something beyond making myself look good or making a lot of money. It has to be something that my kids would be proud of me for, that I can come home and feel like I’ve accomplished something, made a difference to someone — big or small. Whether that’s driving a massive increase in revenue or just making somebody feel a little bit more confident that day. My purpose is definitely a lot more about having a positive impact on others rather than just what I want to achieve for myself and the things I want to be able to buy.”
Purpose evolves, from self-definition to legacy.
If you could share one message with this community, what would it be?
“My message to the Resourced Humans Collective would be to step back and try not to sweat the small stuff as much. I think we all spend a lot of time getting very stressed about things that, in the grand scheme of things, just really don’t matter. Deadlines, projects, KPIs — in the grand scheme of your life, does it matter? Are you going to sit on your deathbed going, ‘Oh, but I didn’t hit that Q3 target’? No. So don’t sweat the small stuff. Prioritise and focus on what actually matters.”
A reminder to zoom out. The urgent isn’t always the important, and perspective can be the most valuable resource of all.
Beth’s reflections capture the heart of what Resourced Humans is about: reminding us that the people behind people functions are navigating purpose, balance, and impact in deeply human ways. Her honesty about the invisible weight HR often carries, the importance of being resourced with time and space, and the grounding lessons from her own family remind us why this community exists, to listen, to share, and to ensure that those who support others feel supported themselves.
Feeling inspired?
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