When it comes to work culture, creating a friendly, open and inclusive atmosphere encourages sharing ideas and feedback across all levels.
SoGlos chats to PoloWorks' head of people, Harriet Mathew, about the ways in which the Cheltenham firm is creating a great workplace that's empowering colleagues to pursue their aspirations.
How important are your staff to the success of the business?
Colleagues play a crucial role in the success of our business. They all contribute to the delivery and development of services to our customers.
Their skills, dedication and passion drive our operations, innovation and customer satisfaction. Without their contributions, achieving our business goals would be significantly more challenging.
What kind of feedback do you get from staff at PoloWorks – are there certain aspects they particularly enjoy or comment on?
Feedback from our colleagues highlights a few key areas they particularly enjoy. Our friendly, open and inclusive culture encourages sharing ideas and feedback across all levels.
Our commitment to professional development and career growth is also frequently praised, as it empowers colleagues to pursue their aspirations within the company, with structured progression plans in place in many parts of the company.
We’ve also had great feedback about our support for charitable initiatives, which includes company fundraising events for nominated charities and volunteering days available to all colleagues.
Why is colleague engagement so important to PoloWorks?
Colleague engagement is paramount at PoloWorks because it directly impacts our ability to innovate, provide exceptional service and maintain a competitive edge.
Engaged colleagues are more likely to go the extra mile, contribute ideas for improvement, and feel a strong connection to our mission and values. This leads to higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, and ultimately, better business outcomes.
How do you boost colleague engagement?
To boost colleague engagement, we implement a variety of strategies. Regular feedback from our colleague Think-Tank helps us understand and address our team's needs and concerns. Our people engage in quarterly feedback and development discussions through our continuous conversation process.
We also invest in training and development programs to support career growth and ensure that our colleagues feel challenged and valued. Additionally, we organise team building activities, fundraisers and social events to foster a sense of community and belonging.
Recognising that an overwhelming proportion of a colleague’s engagement journey with an organisation rests with how they are managed, we invest heavily in management development training for all new managers.
Do you have any exciting new engagement plans in the pipeline for 2024?
Having recently taken part in the Great Places to Work engagement survey, we will be analysing the feedback in detail to inform our engagement strategy for 2024.
How would you sum up the work culture at PoloWorks?
Dynamic, inclusive and forward-thinking. We prioritise open communication, continuous improvement and employee well-being.
Our culture encourages innovation, values diversity and supports personal and professional growth. This atmosphere not only makes PoloWorks a great place to work but also drives our success in the competitive landscape.
