Work Is Not A Place

Cantium Business Solutions
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • BIMONTHLY SERIES

Remote working has been forced upon millions of people in the UK, and for many individuals and businesses, it is a new experience. This series of podcasts explores all aspects of home and remote working. We will look at the practical and cultural differences of working alone as opposed to in the workplace, and how best to adapt to a new way of working. We will also explore a wide range of topics and the things that need to be considered from practical, cultural, and compliance perspectives. There are also many benefits to remote working that create opportunities to provide a better work/life balance for employees. At the same time, employers can reap the benefits of attracting and retaining better talent. The podcast will feature Cheif Executives, Directors, Senior Management, HR, IT and Strategy experts who will discuss their experiences of creating a sustainable approach to flexible and remote working.

  1. EPISODE 1

    Work Is Not A Place

    Host Fred MacAulay is joined by Cantium Business Solutions CEO, Mark Scott, Executive Head of HR, Gill Nye, and Director of Strategy, Nick Hunter. In this initial podcast the team discuss how they have mobilised their entire workforce of 500+ staff to work from home.  They chat about how they have addressed the various issues that had to be considered when moving people from the structured environment of the office to working remotely. While Cantium has been long-time advocates of flexible working, they have identified the need to work with the whole team to help them adapt to an enforced and prolonged period of working alone at home. It's an interesting insight into how they are monitoring the health, wellbeing, and productivity of the workforce, and how they are learning more about the strengths and motivating factors the drive their personnel.

    33 min

  2. EPISODE 4

    Episode 4 - Information Governance

    In this episode, Fred MacAuley is joined by Cantium CEO, Mark Scott, James Young, Head IT Strategy and Architecture, and Nick Hunter, Head of Strategy. The team are focusing on Information Governance and looking at what you need to consider to protect data when adopting a remote working culture. They look at how you create the correct balance between security and usability and the need to continually reinforce the messages that ensure employees remain vigilant about security. They explore the collaborative tools that help to convey the correct messages, and that reduces the need for paper output. Throughout the discussion, they reveal tips that assist the workforce, such as using second screens and creating 'safe environment', even within the home. It's an interesting discussion with valuable information about best practice in information governance, especially when employees are increasingly working outwith the office environment.

    30 min

  3. EPISODE 5

    Episode 5 - Mobility redefines geography

    In Episode 5, Fred MacAuley is joined by Mark Scott, CEO at Cantium Business Solutions, Brett Smith, Associate Director, and Nick Hunter, Head of Strategy. This session explores how connectivity is breaking down geographical barriers.  Whether in sales or recruitment, the ability to operate remotely offers many opportunities for organisations to widen their location targeting.  So, how will this impact current strategies, and in what way will these new online relationships differ from the traditional face-to-face relationships?  Also, what does the future look like for face-to-face meetings, conferences and exhibitions?  And, if this type of networking is now obsolete, what does the new sales landscape look like? These are all topics that the panel explore in this open and informative session with interesting references to diverse subjects like the Blitz of World War 2, and the hit film Glengarry Glen Ross!

    32 min

  4. EPISODE 6

    Episode 6 - Bringing the workforce back

    Cantium CEO, Mark Scott, Executive Director of HR, Gill Nye, and Head of Strategy, Nick Hunter join Fred MacAuley for this episode. The discussion centres around bringing the workforce back to their workplaces and the plans that are being put in place to keep them safe and mentally secure. Firstly, they outline the various challenges and the need to be mindful of differing attitudes toward a return to the workplace. So, it's about implementing smart controls, but with adequate provision for flexibility. Much of the process is about engagement with the staff and education about new hygiene processes that meet not only Government guidelines but also the expectations of fellow employees. The discussion also explores how social distancing might be achieved by a combination of physical changes to office layouts, shift patterns, extended working hours, flexible working and a continuation of home working. They also explore how the management team are seeking to take the positives from the enforced lockdown to implement even more flexible working arrangements for the staff in the future.

    30 min

  5. EPISODE 7

    Episode 7 - Personal Development and Learning & Development

    In Episode 7, Host Fred MacAuley welcomes Cantium CEO, Mark Scott and Executive Director of HR, Gill Nye to a discussion about Personal Development and Learning and Development. Like many businesses, Cantium has excellent processes in place to encourage personal development, which under normal circumstances, serves them well.  However, under current conditions and when adopting a remote working culture, how do you maintain effective personal and learning development programmes? In this open discussion, the team share how they have initiated new online methods of communicating with staff and assessing their progress.  They discuss how culture plays a significant role in empowering their staff to make suggestions and to challenge the way things are currently implemented. Mark and Gill also reveal how their new recognition App has become an invaluable tool that allows them to recognise the efforts of the staff daily. All in all, it's another interesting and insightful discussion with some useful information on how an organisation with 500+ staff is managing to maintain an excellent programme for personal and learning development.

    30 min

  6. EPISODE 8

    Episode 8 - Marketing during pandemic events

    In Episode 8, Host Fred MacAuley welcomes Cantium CEO, Mark Scott, Head of Marketing, Peter Fennell and Gordon White, Managing Director of Marketing Agency, fatBuzz. This discussions centres around marketing through pandemic events. They begin with the consideration facing most businesses as to whether or not companies should reduce their marketing budget during disruptive times, such as the recent lockdown in the UK.  In Cantium's case, the decision was to expand the marketing activity and respond to the need to communicate effectively during the period.   But, how did they achieve this and ensure the right messages were relayed at the right time?  The team discuss how brands can build a high level of Trust Capital by remaining true to their core values, rather than letting the pandemic become the story.  Being aware of the messaging and the need to be empathetic to the situation as the situation developed was critical; but also be aware that the communication was not just for clients, it was equally important to get the right messages out at the right time for the benefit of the staff. The team also look at how Agency/Client relationships have developed in the remote working environment and how this may alter the way they collaborate in the future. Overall, the team agreed that the requirement to remain relevant and be highly aware of the customer needs was the key to quickly returning to a strong position.

    33 min

  7. EPISODE 9

    Episode 9 - The staff's perspective

    In episodes 1 - 8 we've heard a great deal about the team at Cantium Business Solutions, in episode 9 we hear from them.  In this episode, we are joined by several people working with Cantium to discuss how they have adapted to home working during the COVID-19 lockdown. As usual Fred MacAuley hosts the podcast and is joined by regulars, Mark Scott, CEO at Cantium, and Gill Nye, Executive Head of HR. Participating for the first time are Jodie Martin, Senior Recruitment Advisor, Gavin Whalley, Group Architecture Manager, and Solutions Manager, Pete Thistleton. Each of the contributors is living in very different circumstances.  So, there is a good cross-section of experiences during the lockdown. Interestingly, one of the team, Gavin Whalley has joined the business since lockdown started, so he talks about the onboarding process and how he has dealt with joining the company in these circumstances.  Pete Thistleton is also very open about the challenges of him and his wife working from home with three young children, one of which has Cystic Fibrosis. In addition, Gill Nye reveals findings from the staff survey, which is an interesting insight into how the personnel are coping and what they miss about life in the office.

    39 min

  8. EPISODE 10

    Episode 10 - The CEO's perspective

    In Episode 10, Fred MacAuley and Cantium CEO, Mark Scott chat about the previous nine topics.  A lot has happened since the podcast launched three months ago; so, they took the opportunity to review the discussions so far, and to explore what they have learnt during this initial period. Mark begins by talking about the learning process around online meetings and making the staff comfortable with a new etiquette that accepted dogs barking, doorbells ringing and kids having the odd walk-on part.  He explains how, regardless of unfamiliar working conditions, productivity has risen, and overall performance has improved.  Key to this was the attention paid to staff wellbeing and leading by example and admitting it was okay to feel stressed, but putting in place a network which supported them if they were feeling pressured. Technology has played a key part in a successful period of remote working and Mark explains how their IT infrastructure enabled them to make the transition to home-working, and what further investments are planned to strengthen future flexible working options. Mark also provides his views on the future of exhibitions and conferences and what Cantium are doing in to develop relationships and build the business.  Indeed, he cites a useful example of how they have onboarded a client during the period and how this experience has opened up new opportunities to provide better options for clients in the future. It is a positive conversation that demonstrates how the business has progressed and how they will use the experience to become an even better business.  Greater options for staff will create a better work-life balance, and clients will benefit by being able to access a bigger pool of talent more quickly.  Indeed the business will also benefit by drawing talent from further afield, and onboarding them remotely.

    35 min
See All Season 1 (8)

About

Remote working has been forced upon millions of people in the UK, and for many individuals and businesses, it is a new experience. This series of podcasts explores all aspects of home and remote working. We will look at the practical and cultural differences of working alone as opposed to in the workplace, and how best to adapt to a new way of working. We will also explore a wide range of topics and the things that need to be considered from practical, cultural, and compliance perspectives. There are also many benefits to remote working that create opportunities to provide a better work/life balance for employees. At the same time, employers can reap the benefits of attracting and retaining better talent. The podcast will feature Cheif Executives, Directors, Senior Management, HR, IT and Strategy experts who will discuss their experiences of creating a sustainable approach to flexible and remote working.

Information

  • Creator
    Cantium Business Solutions
  • Episodes
    18
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Cantium Business Solutions 2020
  • Show Website
    Work Is Not A Place