Uncommon People: Hana Akehurst
You won’t notice us. But we’re always here in the background. Making sure you have everything you need. Helping you focus. Calmly supporting the every day. Uncommon People is a series to introduce you to the people who help make Uncommon thrive each and every day. Get to know us…
Can you please introduce yourself, tell us your name and your role at Uncommon?
My name is Hana and I’m a Client Experience Assistant at Uncommon Liverpool Street.
What career path led you to this position? What have you done before joining Uncommon?
Before working at Uncommon I spent the last 6 or so years working in independent cafes in New Zealand and London. Moving to London with a few years of barista skills under my belt was a real advantage as it is such a transferable skill! I was able to work in some really great coffee shops while building great relationships in a new city at the same time. Over time, I progressed to becoming the Manager of a popular café in Dalston. When I was looking for my new role, I really wanted to find somewhere where I could see myself progressing within the company. Last year, I began working at Uncommon as a barista and have recently transitioned into the new role of Client Experience Assistant in the Front of House team!
Can you describe your role and what an average day looks like for you?
Everyday at Uncommon is different and my role is hard to describe as it is so diverse! One hour you might be taking prospective clients on a tour of the building, and the next one answering members queries. One thing we can all guarantee will happen each day is the effort the entire team put in to provide excellent service for all our members and guests here at Uncommon office spaces.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
For most people in the hospitality industry – seeing people happy and being able to build strong relationships with members is always really rewarding. I also really love the team I work with, not only here at Liverpool Street, but the wider extension of the Uncommon team too. Everyone is open & friendly which really makes it easy to come in everyday. I know I have now formed some great friendships.
What advice would you give someone who’s considering a similar role?
Be curious and to listen. Before working at Uncommon I knew little about the workspace industry, but from my first day I made a real effort to ask questions and learn, and it really worked the magic! So be curious, show people you’re eager to learn and always do your best to retain the information.
What do you enjoy most about working from Uncommon spaces?
I really love the how varied our communal areas are. There are private, quiet areas for when you need to focus and just get the work done and more open, collaborative spaces for when you want to relax or have a chat with your colleague.
“Be curious, show people you’re eager to learn and always do your best to retain the information“
What’s your go to productivity hack?
LISTS!!! I am a compulsive list maker through and through. I’ve recently been trying to get into the habit of emailing myself a to-do list at the end of each day ready to get stuck into when I get in in the morning.
What’s your favourite way to unwind after a busy day and what are you passionate about outside of work?
During my time on furlough I made a real effort to keep off screens and to start reading again. I’ve really tried to continue this now that I’ve returned to work. It’s been a great way to unwind at the end of the day on the journey home. I really love music and pop culture and it’s always great to find a book that incorporates that – whether it be fiction or non fiction. I’d read anything about the music industry in the 70s!