We're back with another instalment of the You SCANtec series, where we speak to team members to get the lowdown on their role and time at Scantec. Here, we caught up with Andrea Davison, our Operations Director, to learn about her journey at Scantec, what it means to cultivate a high-performance culture, and how careers can grow and flourish with us.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Andrea. Can you give us an insight into your career to date?
Sure thing. I started out on a graduate training scheme for a major supermarket, which I hated! I moved into a sales role, which I thought would be a stop-gap job but quickly realised that honesty in sales goes a long way, and I was good at it. After working my way up the ladder, I saw an advert to join an independent recruiter and took the leap into recruitment. I stayed with them for three years before joining a national recruiter in their corporate division, where I worked for 16 years.
I liked what I heard about Scantec and became their Operations Director in April 2020, which means I’m celebrating my two-year anniversary with the team. I work across all eight recruitment teams in the business, and from the outset, I set my sights on shifting the cultural dial.
Can you tell us more about your work in this area?
There's been a significant cultural shift at Scantec over the last two years. Like many recruiters, the business used to have rigid rules in place, which had morphed the culture into one that was more autocratic and was not where anyone wanted to be. Working closely with our MD, Peter Bates, we've stripped back the rules and are now focused on developing a high-performance culture that’s built around trust. Instead of having policies and processes that lend themselves to the worst employee, we're focused on trusting the great and responsible adults we have here.
People have autonomy in the way they work. Instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach to KPIs, they are tailored to each person and adjusted over time as they grow and develop.
Diversity is a key element of building a high-performance culture. We're passionate that every Scantec employee is comfortable being themselves and feels truly valued as an individual. Dropping the office dress code is a small example of how we're actively encouraging and championing everyone's differences and unique characters. In short, as long as you have the drive to perform, you'll fit in at Scantec.
Does Scantec’s commitment to employee health and wellbeing play into this?
Absolutely. Mental wellbeing is a crucial component of our high-performance culture. We trust our people and give them control over how they work, which links directly with mental health. We do a lot of work in this area and currently have four newly trained mental health first aiders in the business. There's no such thing as a big fix when it comes to addressing mental health in the workplace, which is why we run lots of small initiatives. For example, providing a hybrid working option removes any anxiety or pressure people face to be present in the office five days a week.
You're involved in training and development at Scantec. What opportunities are there for people to grow their careers?
Living our value of transparency, everyone has access to our competency framework, which outlines the criteria that needs to be met in order to advance. Support is provided throughout this period to ensure people can reach that next level. Career growth at Scantec is flexible. If you're in a fee earning role and want to move into management or vice versa, we'll always try to work out a pathway that enables you to do this.
Ongoing training is essential for everyone. Currently, I'm looking at introducing training to help the team grow and develop in areas such as negotiation skills, and we’re continuing to invest in diversity training to hone our culture, do the right thing, and positively impact the businesses and careers of our clients and candidates.
The team has taken the bull by the horns when it comes to sharing knowledge. Our dedicated Culture Committee has arranged regular Lunch and Learn sessions that see staff members support each other's development by offering training and advice in areas they excel. Our peer mentorship scheme also plays a huge role in helping new recruits gain the skills and confidence they need to hit the ground running.
What would you say to someone thinking about joining Scantec?
If you're looking for a role where you can make a lot of money and value autonomy in the way you work, you'll thrive in our supportive environment that’s full of fun and like-minded individuals. Here, you're treated like an adult and have complete control of your own destiny.
Find out how your career can flourish…
Scantec is passionate about finding and developing the absolute best talent for our business. If you’re new to recruitment or an experienced professional and want to learn how your career can grow at Scantec, we want to hear from you. Find out more or contact Andrea Davison at andread@scantec.co.uk today.
