We know that Onecom is a great place to work, and we’re not shy of saying so – but it’s wonderful to have recognition from others. That’s why we’re delighted to have been named Tech Employer of the Year at the South Coast Tech Awards.
The title comes amid a flurry of awards – we also picked up two awards at the Mobile Industry Award for Best Mobile Service Solution Provider and Business Growth. We place great value on recognition in the industry, but this latest accolade feels most personal to us as it’s about the people who are at the heart of our business.
Having motivated, happy and well-rewarded employees translates directly into happy customers and the growth of our business as a leader in our field.
Judges at the South Coast Tech Awards were looking for “outstanding tech employers – those IT, telecoms or science-based businesses that have proved themselves great places to work, and where the employees are valued and empowered.”
Spectrum IT, which sponsored the category, had this to say about the decision to award it to Onecom: “Onecom demonstrated a broad and significant range of employee initiatives that scored highly in each category of the assessment criteria.
“The judging panel were particularly impressed with the innovative thinking in a number of initiatives that gave employees the platform to contribute ideas, suggestions and to be heard during significant programmes of change and transformation.
We were very impressed at OneCom’s approach to employee engagement and their investment in continuous professional development, this demonstrating an inclusive culture of support and progression.”
So, what is it about working at Onecom that so impressed the panel? Our submission focused on several strands which come together in our People Plan. It empowers staff, encourages open communication, and serves as a reminder to all our people that we are here to work hard, but that it’s important to have fun while we do it.
Among these are:
- A commitment to the Investors in People scheme which has seen us achieve Gold accreditation. We are now focused on building upon this to reach Platinum status
- Our induction and onboarding programme, designed to ensure all staff are valued from the start with a “big welcome” to Onecom
- Improved recruitment processes
- Career development schemes including a Future Leaders programme to spot and support rising stars, and Masterclasses to help our people upskill by learning from others
- Focus groups, Q&A sessions and employee surveys to give our people a voice
- Flexible working where possible
- A quarterly Superstars employee recognition competition, where we reward our people who’ve gone that extra mile for our customers, their peers and the wider organisation
- Exit interviews and “stay” interviews to find out not only why people leave us, but why they chose to start and develop their careers with us
- Family-friendly benefits including enhanced maternity and paternity schemes
- We love to promote from within the business. Since 2016, we’ve seen over 258 people move internally or be promoted to a more senior role
We also have a long list of employee benefits including a Fitbit scheme with Onecom-wide challenges to encourage active lifestyles, a paid birthday break for every employee, staff events in the summer and free fruit, a gym scheme and cycle to work scheme and many more.
Don’t take our word for it, though! Most importantly, listen to those who know best – our people:
“We are all included and encouraged to provide feedback on most parts of the business, to suggest improvements and offer our ideas. Hard work does not go unnoticed and there are great rewards for going the extra mile. There are even rewards for just being here! We are motivated to progress within Onecom.” – Account Manager
“I have never worked for a company that cares about their staff as much as Onecom does, with incredible work benefits (an extra days’ annual leave for your birthday, 1 hour off work a month for “My Time” and fresh fruit delivery every week to name a few). You feel valued and respected as a member of staff.” – Strategic Relationship Manager
“What I find most impressive about Onecom is how driven the people are and that the management really do recognise your hard work and efforts.” – Sales Executive
“What stands out for me is the team spirit within the company – collaboration with other teams is seamless, all employees are approachable, supportive and encouraging which really puts everyone on the same path to achieving the goals of the company. This makes Onecom a fun and enjoyable place to work where you can fulfil all of your career ambitions.” – Technical Operations Team Leader
“Onecom is an amazing place to work and I have already recommended it to friends. Although there are many benefits to working here, the most significant one for me is how the company really cares about its employees”. – Sales Executive
For information about Onecom, see our website.