Covid: 12 months on…

As the financial year comes to an end and we are embedded in 2021, it seems fitting to recap on events and learnings of the last 12 months.

To quote Construction News, ‘The challenges of the past year have been immense, and the next 12 months are unlikely to be a quiet ride’, so balancing resilience and unpredictability, with informed preparation will be key during the continual new normal.

Since Covid, CLM have continually levelled up in terms of business improvement. Not only ensuring that our current client portfolio received our very best service, but we also welcomed new business. We referred to our business strategy and concentrated on business capability, delivering continuous improvement, and creating sustainable success. This clear and collective vision has ensured we are all working with the same shared objectives in mind and achieving outstanding results for our clients.

Our team have adapted seamlessly to working from home, thanks to technology introduced and integrated at the start of 2020, ensuring we could respond rather than react to the pandemic. It has been a record 12 months in many respects for CLM, including number of completions, delivery time and number of new clients.

Living Our Company Values

Our team’s commitment to wellbeing is evident in how each member lives and breathes our company core values of Capabilities, Accountability, Integrity and Respect. As a business, we use several channels to open up healthy debate among the team; from one to ones, mentoring and engaging team meetings.

‘Supporting the wellbeing of employees of SMEs is literally the key to financial success’, according to Paul Devoy, CEO of Investors in People. In the last 12 months Investors In People have identified three overriding priorities emerging for SMEs, regardless of sector:

1. Training

It is imperative to invest in proper training for managers. A good manager can be transformative, empowering employees to grow and develop their potential. The lack of sufficient training can have a very negative impact on the prosperity, health, and wellbeing of many companies. Training and development at CLM have come in all forms, from intensive leadership qualifications, online training via RAU and Peterborough College to 1-2-1 coaching sessions for those new in role. We have developed all team members with in-house training ensuring we are a flourishing, inter-skilled team.

2. Workplace culture

In a world where #BeKind is the global request, the ‘human’ manager is key for successful workplace culture. Good social relations in the workplace are very important, and concerted and creative efforts need to be made to reduce social isolation for employees working from home. At CLM, directors Laura and Hamish Wilson, have kept in close contact with the team, not only through team meetings and calls, but also by acknowledging birthdays with a gift, card and Golden Ticket day off, work anniversaries with a Little Hamper Co gift delivered to home as well as a ‘Spring has sprung’ delivery from Bloom & Wild for each team member. Despite Covid, our team dynamic thrives as we aim towards returning to the workplace and supporting each other as we do so.

3. Work life balance

‘According to Van Zyl, one in three employees of SMEs are working carers (including parents) – a sector of the working population that has been particularly adversely affected by COVID-19. A 2020 survey by Working Families found that this group prioritise their families over anything else and it is the ‘always on’ culture (made worse by working from home) that they struggle with the most. Having honest conversations about workload expectations and allowing flexible working for all employees will enhance wellbeing and motivation, as well as fostering gender equality in the workplace.

‘Mental health – it’s a hot topic. By facilitating conversations about difficult or taboo topics employers are showing that they recognise for their employees there is life beyond work that they value. It also demonstrates that it benefits everyone if employers are understanding about any issues that arise along the way.

‘With 2020 being the year it has been, looking after the mental health and wellbeing of employees has never been more important. Many are facing the challenge of feeling isolated by working from home, losing touch with colleagues due to furlough or dealing with grief should they lose a loved one to COVID-19.’

CLM is extremely fortunate to employ an incredible team of individuals who care, not only about their clients and projects, but also each other. This has always been demonstrated in the workplace but ever since the first lockdown the team have supported each other in a variety of ways using the resources available to them.

Navigating Covid 19

Over the last 12 months, the CLM team have risen to the challenges of the pandemic by demonstrating a variety of valued characteristics.

• Teamwork and support have been outstanding, with colleagues really stepping up to cover workloads ensuring our project delivery remains seamless.
• Project co-ordinators have nurtured projects through to completion in record time using smart ways of working and innovative channels of communication.
• The team have pooled their skills to head up regular meetings both internally and with external clients via Microsoft Teams, never losing that human touch which matters so much, particularly now.
• As Investors In People, our team have demonstrated their resilience and capabilities both in and out the workplace; supporting, inspiring and empowering each other. This has been seen via numerous training courses, delivering continuous improvements and creating sustainable business success.

Onward and Upwards

Our team are at the heart of resilient leadership, with a specialised management structure, focusing on:

• team queries and project allocation
• obtaining third party consents and providing industry related training
• dealing with complex projects and in-house training

‘In some ways, the coronavirus has acted as a shot in the arm for the industry. We’ve seen greater cooperation and collaboration with great leadership. If I had to pick one thing out, then it has to be what may be called a productivity revolution; the industry has to prepare to work in a different way.’ ~ Wates group commercial director Simon Potter

We are fortunate enough to work with clients who are committed to providing their customers with the highest level of service. Our ethos echoes that and we work intrinsically with our clients ensuring the CLM team is trained directly in line with their customer service standards. We continue our company promise of reducing project risk from unknown third parties, providing a professional approach, ensuring clients are aware of risks as well as cost certainty.

Thriving Partnerships

We are a small team who make a big impact; our team are thriving during these unprecedented times and this truly confirms their professionalism and conscientiousness, for which CLM is recognised. We are enormously grateful to our committed and conscientious clients who, with our dynamic team, continue to deliver some exceptional results!