Michelle Prance

The Innovation & Strategy team is leading the way in terms of diversity. The team of 46 represent 15 nationalities from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, across an age range of 21 – 62. Gender diversity is high on the teams’ agenda and over 40% of colleagues in Innovation & Strategy are female; with 50% of senior roles fulfilled by women.

The purpose of the team is to provide recognised innovation leadership by shaping the Groups response to the competitive changing landscape, accelerating its transformation through partnerships and unlocking future sources of value for our customers.​

The Innovation and Strategy Team at Lloyds Banking Group are Shortlisted for this year’s WIBF Team Diversity Award. Michelle Prance is the Innovation and Strategy Director.

How does it feel to be nominated for our Team Diversity Award?

It never ceases to amaze me how many talented people we have. Being able to provide an environment where people can be their best, challenge themselves and others to drive better solutions for our customers is a rare privilege.

Can you tell us about some of the initiatives your team is leading, and do you have a favourite?

I have twins, there are never favourites! We are helping the group be a more Autistic friendly bank and employer. We’ve started this by improving our websites and making changes in our branches. Internally colleagues are supported by both Access and Think Your Own Way networks. Through creating greater awareness, safe spaces to share experiences and understanding colleagues are feeling more secure and supported. The Group is committed to ensuring colleagues are well balanced in both their work and home life, through the Diversity and Inclusion network we are trialling mental first aiders to create more openness and early signposting to professional assistance. The team works with a number of external organisations to promote gender equality, including Innovate Finance, an independent not for profit membership association, set up and backed by the Government to represent the UK’s global FinTech community.

Flexible working is becoming more and more important to todays workforce, how do you envisage flexible working developing in the UK in the next few years?

This will continue to evolve as needs change and technology becomes more robust. My own working patterns have changed over the years and will be about to change again as my children move into secondary school. Creating flexibility and acknowledging that it’s not a one size fits all solution is imperative.

If your boss had to describe you one sentence, what would it be?

Well I hope it would be along the lines of ‘thinks differently brings a range of perspectives to the table, not afraid to challenge but is respectful of differences.’

What professional achievements are still on your to-do list?

I have a very long to do list and I hope to have at least one more career change ahead of me and maybe move into teaching. I’m fascinated by the different ways in which people learn and interact with each other. I think the future to a better society is in us being able to communicate and collaborate with each other more effectively and more inclusive of diversity. Solving hard problems needs ‘different’ thinking from what we see today and we need to constantly challenge our human biases.

How do you like to relax?

Run, read and more recently Yoga.