This week started in the office with end-of-month administration and client catch-up discussions. It ended with a couple of compliance tours out in the field. On one particular site, a comment made by the site manager reverberated around the team: “Only look down on someone when you are offering your hand to help.” Powerful and meaningful!
This got us thinking. How does that idea apply in the workplace? We are, after all, offering a professional service for financial recompense. How can that be seen as extending a helping hand? Perhaps the logic is simple: it is not the service itself that is the helping hand, as much of what we advise on is a statutory requirement. It is the added value, the spaces between, that create and develop mutual trust and cooperation. Perhaps that is the helping hand.
Let’s dive in!
Monday — Admin Day 📋
The day comprised meetings, both in-house and client-facing. These important tasks keep the wheels turning, help us fully understand our clients’ requirements, and allow us to plan our engagement strategy for the month ahead. This included finalising the synchronisation of the team’s diaries to ensure a balanced allocation of resources to meet demand, while also allowing space for those inevitable plan changes.
Tuesday — Training Day 📚
We were back in the classroom delivering Day 2 of the CITB SMSTS training course on behalf of our partners, MS Associates. It is always good to create a space where delegates are able to speak openly and share their knowledge and challenges.
Back at base, we were heads down and focused on the tasks in front of us. Being focused means being conscious of the effort required to complete the task, understanding the brief, carrying out the research, and having the discipline to see it through. The tasks included:
- A virtual pre-start meeting with a groundwork contractor for an exciting new client project.
- Development of a safe system of work for a nearly 2km fencing project, including ground preparation.
- Development of a project-specific compliance management system using the tools provided by Monday.com.
Wednesday — Flowers & coffee 🌻
One of our team celebrated a birthday over the weekend. Happy birthday, Sinead 🥂. Leon took the opportunity to meet Sinead for coffee, flowers and a catch-up. Lee was busy with New Forest Fencing, assisting with a new PQQ, finalising the 2km fencing project and other projects, and commencing preparations for a new version of the Health & Safety File.
Following coffee and flowers, normal service resumed for Sinead and Leon, with Sinead completing our monthly newsletter and Leon responding to audit questions.
There was more besides: others in the team were preparing for the next round of client engagement.
Thursday — Let the train take the strain! 🧐
Another site compliance tour formed part of our scheduled client commitments. For one team member, this involved both a train journey and a bike ride. The project was a house of Tudor origins, with some skilful application of craft clear to see. It is a challenging project, involving a multidisciplinary team of professionals and trades.
We were also active across our various bases, carrying out numerous tasks that involved in-house development programmes, temporary works appointments, and sharing the excellent news with a client that they had just been awarded their CQMS Enhanced recertification.
Friday — Site Day 👷♂️
We were out early on the road, and rail, for a day of positive engagement with site teams. The sun was out, the teams were positive, and we were not standing still; we were moving and moving with purpose. This was clearly reflected on both sites today.
On one particular site, a very engaging philosophical conversation took place with the site manager about how our characters influence the way we behave and engage with others in the workplace. We do not have a character switch; we have to own our behaviours and actions.
Closing thought
We opened with the question: should we only look down on someone when we are offering our hand to help? From the week that has just passed, that question has not really been asked of us. Our client teams work together, combining their shared knowledge and solving daily challenges collectively. The managers and mentors guide this process; we are in the spaces between, prepared to extend a hand if it is required of us or one of our associates.
Well done to Freya Maidment, graduation complete and off on her travels. A proud moment for Leon. 👏👏👏
