The Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) service company, QA Schemes Support Services, has been nominated as a Finalist in the Employer of the Year category at the BIBAs, Lancashire’s premier business Awards.
DGCOS Chief Executive Faisal Hussain, comments: “Respect, integrity, teamwork and communication are the core values that we embrace across the business, from the top down. Without them, we wouldn’t be the organisation that we are today, and I am delighted that this has been recognised through Lancashire’s business awards, the BIBAs. To be nominated as a Finalist in the Employer of the Year category means a lot to the entire team.”
“There has been a focus within the company in recent years on creating a positive working culture which has a direct impact on almost every aspect of the business operation. This is based on the simple logic that a happy workforce will show commitment to, and enthusiasm for, the job, which in turn leads to the best service levels, greater productivity and to a high standard, which ultimately benefits members.
“The values that DGCOS lives by were chosen by the team, therefore they are a complete reflection of what the staff feel is important. These values enable us to speak freely, listen properly, embrace differences, trust each other, work collaboratively, and to know our contribution will be acknowledged and supported. This is reinforced by the fact that Senior Managers are not hidden away behind closed doors in big offices. They are on the office floor with the rest of the team, creating an open environment where views are heard and ideas encouraged.
“DGCOS also has a rounded approach to recruitment, and we are keen to only employ staff that fit with our values. While skills and experience are significant, ‘soft’ skills are also incredibly important in making a difference to optimised team performance. We want everyone to be able to contribute to the business and openness, a willingness to be part of a team and collaboration are important in the people we have here.
“Training and development are also key for us, not just to fill any skills gaps, but to ensure that each team member has a full experience of the business operations. For example, DGCOS recently employed an external accountant to train non-finance staff on reading and understanding company accounts so staff can better understand this area of membership support. Additionally, in a recent ‘Day in the Life’ exercise, staff found out exactly what being an installer entails. Only by putting yourself in your customers’ shoes can you fully understand their challenges and issues and by gaining this first-hand experience, we will be able to deliver a high quality service with empathy and understanding.
“The success of this holistic approach to staff development are proven in hard facts: Our staff turnover in 2022 was 0.02% - the UK average is 16.4%*. Our absenteeism rate in the same year was 0.5% against a UK reported average of 2.6%**. To me, these results prove not only do we grow our business by creating new positions rather than having to fill existing ones, but there is also far more continuity within the business, which optimises our workflow. Yes, there is a time investment needed, and a financial one too for training and development but the cost of not making these investments would be immeasurable. We can’t wait to see if we are a winner at the BIBAs Awards in September – that would be a boost for the whole team.”
*Reference Cendex
**Reference Office for National Statistics
www.dgcos.org.uk