Vanarama HQ was buzzing at the news that CEO Andy Alderson received The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies 'Best Leader' award on the same night we jumped to number 18 in the publication's annual '100 Best Companies To Work For' list.
What makes this award more impressive is that The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For list is put together from the answers given by staff members in an anonymous survey from which the scores are compiled. It takes into account opinions about bosses, working conditions and employers' values direct from the people whose work builds the success of the business.
Commenting on the awards, Andy said: "You're only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I've got a fantastic team. I love their drive, and their passion for the business and its customers – they are definitely what makes us so successful. In turn, one of the company's biggest commitments is to facilitate the well-being and continuing development of our employees – I've always believed that if you look after your people, the rest will take care of itself. That these awards are based on the opinions of my staff makes me especially proud – both of them and the business we are building together. What a great start to 2017, I'm delighted!"
Forging forward into 2017
The awards come at a time when Vanarama is pursuing a programme of expansion and employee development, facilitated by the company's recent move into a state-of-the-art office building in Hemel Hempstead's Maylands Industrial Estate.
Andy continued: "At Vanarama, we try to take big steps every year and 2017 will see us take several large ones in quick succession. The new building represents a £5million investment in our future, and is a clear indication of how important the continuing development of our people is to the future growth of the business."
Of all stages of Vanarama's growth, this has certainly been the most bold and complex. Notwithstanding the structural and ecological improvements required to create an excellent 21st Century building, the company also had to cater for an exponential growth in staff and the services and products that it offers.
Our customers are at the centre of everything we do, but it's our people who are the ones making it all happen. Our new home is another step on the path to bigger and better things for our customers, because the people they rely on now have everything they could ever need to do their jobs under one cutting-edge roof.
The core of our business
At Vanarama, the question we ask ourselves every day is "how can we better serve our customers" – it is the beating heart of the business – and it became clear that new premises were needed if we were to house the staff needed to answer that question. But for us, the move to our new building – Vanarama HQ – is not just about having a larger building for a larger team, it's a new era for the company as a whole.
Of all stages of Vanarama's growth, this has certainly been the most bold and complex. Notwithstanding the structural and ecological improvements required to create an excellent 21st Century building, the company also had to cater for an exponential growth in staff and the services and products that it offers.
Andy added: "Cutting-edge training facilities, new spaces for our employee wellness sessions – such as Yoga and Pilates – and company doctor, and a brand-new cafeteria are just some of the things we've invested in while kitting out the new office. Now we've settled into our new home, the company's future is looking very bright – for the team and our customers."
Yes, there's a café – Caférama – and the coffee is excellent and the food delicious, and it is right next door to cutting-edge training facilities where we help our staff to develop their skill sets. Yes, there's a floating boardroom that hangs from the centre of the building's roof, but it sits right above an expansive and vibrant sales floor featuring huge screens feeding real-time data to our sales teams, notifying them of success, customer reviews, and hints and tips.
One of our training rooms even has a sliding door and ramp installed to allow vans and cars to be driven in and give our sales teams the chance to get hands-on experience with the products they sell. Why? Because this building, this whole company, is focused on the people who tread its carpets and empowering them with the skills to treat customers to the highest levels of service possible. Now, we've finished settling in, the next step is putting our new facilities to use – exciting times.
