Work Is Not A Place

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

In this episode, Fred MacAuley is joined by Mark Scott, CEO at Cantium and his colleagues, Mark Harris, Executive Director for IT, and James Young, Head of IT Strategy and Architecture.

Obviously, technology plays a pivotal role in enabling a remote and flexible work culture. Choosing the right equipment is essential in creating a consistent experience regardless of whether the user is in the office on desktop or working remotely on a laptop or mobile device. The team discuss the main challenges and considerations in order to provide the correct balance of security and usability.

They also explore the issues with connectivity and the benefits of using Anywhere SIM technology to provide a better and more stable solution.

The team also chat about cloud computing capacity and how well cloud service providers have coped with the recent increase in demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode 3 is an excellent insight into what needs technology issues need to be considered when enabling staff to work remotely.

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 episode, the team focus on productivity and how to get the best from a team while working apart. They chat about the nuances of video calls and how to deal with the missing body language that we unconsciously read when in physical meetings. In addition, the highlight the need to create thinking time in preparation for meetings and reflection time afterwards.

They also look at how to measure productivity and performance and some of the things that you can do to ensure staff members are being recognised for their efforts. Also, how you deal with the onboarding of new staff and make them feel part of the team, even though they haven't physically met.

Again, it's an interesting and honest discussion about the benefits of empowering personnel to make their own choices about work/life balance.

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.