It is our honour and privilege to support organisations that do invaluable work in our society. This month, we were glad to be able to donate 10,000 facemasks to enable The Children’s Society to continue its important work. The Children’s Society helps children to escape and recover from extremely challenging situations, giving them a new start in their lives.
How data is reshaping the workplace
Data analytics is changing how we design, plan, manage and maintain workplaces. Data analytics provides a comprehensive and refined understanding of how workplaces are used, enabling managers and facilities teams to make better decisions.
Our report on how data is reshaping the workplace discusses:
- How working practices are changing
- Leveraging data analytics
- Data-driven service solutions
- Data enabling workplace sustainability
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Lessons from three decades in our business
We are fortunate to have some incredible people in our business who are passionate about what we do. Having these people has been the key to our success. We do our utmost to keep our people happy and train them to become future leaders. One of these people is Tony Noonan.
Tony Noonan has been with Bidvest Noonan for 29 years. Tony has worked his way up through the business to become a Soft Services Manager.
Throughout his time here, Tony has not only developed his skills but has become a trailblazer. He has overseen some innovative projects that have benefited the business and our clients. Tony is a role model for those who aspire to forge a long and successful career and a perfect example of someone who lives our credo.
We recently asked Tony why he stayed, what he has learned, and what his experience brings to our business.
What has made you stay?
“The company recognised my potential from early on and gave me plenty of opportunities to progress. This was important to me. As a family man with a wife and three children, Bidvest Noonan offered me the stability and assurance to provide for my family.
Over the years I have built up strong relationships with many people across the business. A lot of these colleagues have become lifelong personal friends of mine and have contributed to my stay here.”
What have you learned along the way?
“I have learned many things since joining the business, but I believe that getting the basics right, having patience in everything you do, and building trust are the most important principles that have stuck with me.
For me, if you want to get any job done, you must first get the basics right, every time. I am a firm believer that something years in the making can fail overnight, so if you don’t get the simple things right, you’ve already lost half the battle.
I understand the importance of maintaining a professional and healthy relationship with clients. I have learned that if I want clients to believe in my way of thinking, I have to build a high level of trust with them. I never compromise on this.”
What qualities do you think you bring to the business?
I believe every person brings a unique ability to a job, but there is no real substitute for experience. It is important to apply what you have learned over time to everything you do. One of the qualities I feel I developed and can bring to any job is patience.
I spent five years overseeing a project that involved the introduction of anti-statics sealers in a client site that covered a floor space of over 280,000 sq2. There were many ups and downs but I kept patient, remained focussed, and believed in what I was doing. That mentality helped the project become a huge success. The client continues to apply these sealers on an ongoing basis.
Tony’s colleagues recently recognised his long-standing commitment to the business by celebrating his 29th work anniversary. Integrated Accounts Life Science Lead, Sarah Scanlon has said:
“I have known Tony since I joined the business over 14 years ago. Tony has always worked well with clients and staff, and he is the go-to guy to get a read of a situation. He is very loyal and extremely hard working. He was very supportive of me when I joined the business and continues to be so. He is like that with many other staff and managers within the business too. He really is an asset to this company.”
World Book Day – Recommended Reads
Today is World Book and Copyright day! We are celebrating by kicking off a new insight series. We have asked people across our business what books interest, inspire them, or have shaped their thinking.
This month we asked Fintan Connolly, Michael Kennedy, Simon Giles, Una Ni Mhurchu, Janice Knight, and Cornelia Olivier to share a book that has piqued their interest, and why.
Simon Giles, Finance Director – Freakanomics by Stephen Dubner and Steven Lewitt
“What intrigued me about this book was that the authors wanted to focus, in a fun way, on how the study of economics is understanding how incentives, or motivations, work. This book shows how irrational thinking governs our lives. The authors use lots of fun statistics to challenge assumptions around the world. The big takeaway for me that I have tried to remember and use throughout my career is that, as people, we all love to try and find reasons why something happens – to be able to explain it. However, what we must all try to avoid is confusing causation and correlation – one is really helpful, especially in the business world, one isn’t!”
Fintan Connolly, Chief Business Officer – El Diego by Diego Armando Maradona
“I could have picked lots of other titles including ‘Open by Andre Agassi’, ‘Shakespeare by Bill Bryson’, ‘Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall’ or ‘Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin’, but decided on my most recent read, the story of the footballer Diego Maradona. Possibly the most gifted footballer ever, but an individual who didn’t have the skills or maturity to deal with the fame and adulation. This book captures it brilliantly. All the more pertinent, with his untimely passing late last year. A flawed genius!”
Una Ni Mhurchu, General Counsel – Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee
“This book is a great piece of fiction that highlights, using vivid imagery, how fear can control people. I read this a couple of years following 911 when the idea of controlling the masses through fear really felt so prevalent and damaging. I was a college student at the time and it really emphasised how independence of mind is so important. I think it would still be a great read for anyone interested in the current debates around populism and culture wars.”
Cornelia Olivier, Client Relationship Director – The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander
“The authors of this book bring to life how opening up yourself to ‘possibility’ can encourage creativity, confidence, and great relationships. They take you on a journey of discovery and wonder, inspiring you to constantly challenge the self-limiting beliefs we impose on ourselves and others. There is a lot of fun learning on how to unlock the ‘possibility’ in your life.”
Michael Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer – Unstoppable by Adrian Gilpin
“I saw Adrian speak at a conference years ago and it was one of those eureka moments about having the right attitude to life and casting away negativity. Some months later I read Unstoppable which charts Adrian’s personal journey to living an inspired life. His storytelling really hooked me and changed my outlook. He explains how sometimes we are our own worst enemies and let our negative thoughts get in the way of our ambitions and ability to enjoy life.”
Janice Knight, Director of HR, Workplace Solutions – Coaching for performance: Growing human potential and purpose by John Whitmore
“This book shaped the early start of my coaching career and the book I still refer to. It is one I highly recommend. What I really like about this book is how coaching is expressed as an enabler and that a coaching culture creates conditions for high performance. Whitmore sees emotional intelligence as a life skill that can be taught and claims it to be an essential skill of leaders. It also details how change comes via self-awareness and self-potential. I am a fan of the GROW model and use this frequently, it is a simple yet effective tool that helps shape a conversation but also gives structure and advancement to many situations. He says successful leaders of the future will lead in a coaching style rather than command and control.”
Eve Rushmer – Pushing boundaries and living life to the fullest
Eve Rushmer is a valued and important member of our operations support team. Eve lives with a rare chromosomal disorder in which all or part of the short arm (p) of chromosome 18 is deleted. People living without this part of their Chromosome 18 have disabilities that make the world more difficult to navigate. Despite this, Eve has been very successful and has even found ways to help others.
She recently appeared on the C18 Podcast where she discussed both life and work whilst living with the disorder. She tells a remarkable story of resilience and determination to succeed at school, learn to drive, and get a good job. On top of that, Eve has completed a number of daring and demanding activities to raise money for Chromosome 18 Europe.
Eve very much lives her life by pushing herself to do the things she loves the most. Her condition doesn’t stop her from dancing, exercising, and even learning how to drive! Her story of overcoming these challenges throughout life are an inspiration to anyone facing difficulties.
“I would like to say to any parent out there (with a child that has C18 disorder) that it is okay to give your child the support they need to thrive in life. I know it is going to be hard, but you will get there. Look at me now. I drive a car, I have passed my driving test. I’ve even got a job in London and it is the best feeling”
Listen to the podcast below:
Bidvest Noonan signs deal to invest in Interact and H20 Solutions
We are delighted to announce that we have signed an agreement that will see Interact, one of Ireland’s leading M&E Engineering services providers, and H2O solutions, Interact’s highly accredited water treatment business, join our group. This agreement, which is subject to CCPC approval, will significantly enhance our service offering and enable us to offer clients even greater value and support.
Interact is an exceptional business with a reputation for exceeding industry standards and leading best practice. The business employs 80 skilled and experienced people and operates nationwide across Ireland. It has a strong presence in many of our key sectors, including the Retail, Healthcare, Education, Commercial, and Public sectors.
In recognition of their strength, we have decided to retain the Interact and H2O Solutions brands. We will transition our own considerable M&E services business into Interact, doubling its size, and cementing its position as a market leader. Our dedicated transition team will implement a tried and tested integration plan to ensure a seamless transition. There will be no disruption to the services we deliver.
Interact’s Managing Director, Philip Murphy will lead this substantially larger business. Philip will have our full support and will be able to draw on the strength of our group to deliver exceptional service to clients.
We are thrilled to grow our mechanical and electrical engineering capability in Ireland. We do not plan to offer M&E engineering services in the UK, where our focus remains on growing our security and facilities services businesses.
Our CEO, Declan Doyle, MD of Workplace Solutions, Mary Kealy and Interact MD, Philip Murphy have recorded a brief message sharing their perspective on this exciting news.
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can”
Pat Byrne is an Area Supervisor at Bidvest Noonan, and an experienced one too! Pat took the long route to get where he is today and is something he is very much proud of. We want to share his unique perspective on life and how it helped forge his career.
“A colleague recently approached me who was struggling with his self-worth and questioned whether he had the ability to progress his career. He felt since he left secondary school, he was constantly being overlooked because did not have a college degree. I was able to empathise with him as I experienced a similar situation too. I wasn’t fortunate enough to attend college, but it never stopped my appetite to forge a career and get to where I am today.
I told him he wasn’t alone with his worries, and there are many others who often struggle to see a clear career path. I shared with him how my outlook changed when I changed my mindset. I firmly agree with the great Arthur Ashe. He says you should “start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can”. I focussed on my strengths, my abilities, and making people see the type of person I am. I believe that as long as you are putting in the graft, you will be noticed. “What’s for you won’t pass you by“.
I have seen first-hand how someone can go all the way to the top in a company by going down the long road. I believe inspiration is all around us, so do not let one person or job define you. Work hard enough and one day you will reap the rewards. Think positive, stay motivated, and above all else, back yourself.”
Editor’s Note:
Subsequent to writing this piece for us, Pat was invited to attend a Train the Trainer course helping him to take the next step on his journey.
Cornelia Olivier on what makes female leaders unique
What are some of the traits that leader possesses?
I have been fortunate to work with strong leaders throughout my career. There are a few things that strong leaders seem to have in common: they know their strengths, they keep learning, they look to work with people who are different from them, and they work hard at honing their technical and soft skills.
What do women leaders bring that is unique?
I think women leaders bring different perspectives. Women are well represented in our societies, in our customer bases, and our workplaces. Building empathy as an organisation with the traits and needs of that group is valuable. Our perspective as women leaders equips us to formulate solutions that can benefit our teams and our communities more holistically.
In your work situation, it is often women leaders that become your biggest allies. They are often the first to recognise that you are putting in the effort and loving what you do. Determine who your allies might be and start working out how you can earn more of their trust.
Which woman has inspired you the most?
When I was very young, I had a friend whose mother was a small business owner. This lady loved her job! She worked long hard hours, sometimes late into the evening. She sourced meals from people that cooked better than she did. She devised ways to do mundane tasks faster. Watching her showed me that the boundaries we experience are often self-imposed. She taught me that it is okay, in fact it is great, to delegate tasks that you’re not good at to people who can do them well. She taught me that you can be successful in your career while still loving your family. She said you can have it all but takes hard work to achieve it. She also taught me that, in some ways, women have more choices than men do. I always try to remember these when I want to retain strong female colleagues! She made such an enormous impact on me as a little girl and has helped me become the leader I am today
What advice do you have for women aiming for leadership positions?
From my experience, leadership is a journey rather than a destination. You have to keep working at your technical and soft skills, stretching your abilities, and practicing your humility by doing new things and feeling uncomfortable every so often. Get used to making mistakes and apologising sincerely. Invest in relationships at all levels. Most of all, find joy in your job, it makes you an easier leader to follow.
Chiara Di Rienzo on women in leadership
In your opinion, what defines a great leader?
If there is one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic taught us is that great leaders, in work and life, are courageous enough to show vulnerability and lead with empathy and compassion.
Great leadership in my opinion is also the ability to create a meaningful and inspiring culture that connects people to the brand and purpose; a culture where people are supported to be their best, and achieve outstanding business results in a consistent way.
What are some traits you think great leaders possess?
I think that some of the traits that great leaders possess are integrity, a sense of purpose, a clear vision, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
Why is it so important that women have leadership positions?
Research shows that the more diverse and inclusive the culture of an organisation, the better its business results are.
Our society undoubtedly needs many more women in top leadership roles to help drive important changes in the workplace that can be beneficial for both men and women. Our society is not there yet and much more work is needed to get more women into leadership roles, to bridge the gender pay gap, and enhance work-life balance. It is not just about gender, we need diversity and inclusivity at the top in both government posts and C-suite roles. We also need to engage in tough conversations about what the future of the workplace should look like and what changes we want to see.
Which woman has inspired you the most and why?
I have been inspired by so many women at different times in my life.
I find Carol Dweck’s research on fixed mindset (abilities are fixed) and growth mindset (abilities can be developed) incredibly empowering. I remember reading an article about it eight years ago in the Harvard Business Review and using it over and over again when leading resilience and leadership training. Her work inspired my drive for continuous improvement through learning and development.
Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability is also incredibly powerful. What she says about vulnerability has pretty much become my mantra: “vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat; it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in”.
How have you developed your confidence as a leader?
My journey towards confident leadership started when I realised that confidence means courage; the courage to learn from my mistakes, the courage to do something completely new and out of my comfort zone (“feeling the fear and do it anyway” what a great book by Susan Jeffers!) and the courage of putting myself out there. For me, confidence is a muscle that I have to exercise regularly!
What advice do you have for women aiming for leadership positions?
I would give them the same advice I would give to myself which is: be yourself, stay truthful to who you are and the things that make you unique and distinctive. Take ownership of your own development and invest energy in building meaningful relationships with people. Focus on your strengths, the things that you love doing, and that energise you. Ultimately those are the things that will make you feel fulfilled and at your best from a work and personal life standpoint.
Emma Rahim – How female leaders can transform the workplace
It’s time for change and women in positions of power can give voices to those without.
In your opinion, what defines a great leader? What do you think is unique about female leaders?
For me, one of the fundamentals of being a great leader is being true to yourself. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, be you, and lead by your values. Build integrity and credibility by always striving to do the right thing. A great leader should be open and honest and have respect and understanding for others.
The ability to listen and learn is important. Work on the basis that you may not have all the answers but as a team, you will collectively find the answers together. Having a clear vision of what you want and following through is what sets leaders apart.
Female leaders are strong, powerful, and driven. We address the elephant in the room and confidently challenge stereotypes. For us, it’s not about competition and tearing each other down but it’s about universally lifting us up so we can bring out the best in each other.
As a female leader, I believe that my humility and tenderness bring out the best in people. I also believe that my astuteness, drive, and passion can help develop others to become future leaders. I strongly believe there’s a place for everyone at the table and success is a group effort.
Why is it so important that women have leadership positions?
It is vital we leave a legacy for years to come, that women can achieve at least as much as our male counterparts. We need to continue creating a culture that normalises growth for women in business. Supporting each other on this journey is incredibly important. We need to praise each other for our individual expertise and what we bring to the table.
As a woman in a leadership role myself, I feel passionate about creating an equal playing field when it comes to career progression and equal opportunities. Women in leadership roles can use ‘their powers for good’ by driving fair and transparent practices and challenging the status quo. It’s time for change and women in positions of power can give voices to those without.
Who has inspired you the most and why?
I’m proud to say it’s my mum! She came to England in 1979 not speaking a word of English. She taught herself English and secured employment and started earning her own money. During this time, she experienced many forms of discrimination including the colour of her skin, ethnicity, and gender. However, she continued to strive to achieve. From an early age, my mum always instilled in me that if you wanted something, you had to go out and work for it.
What advice do you have for aspiring women aiming for leadership positions?
You are the key to your own success! The only person that can stop you from succeeding is yourself. Forget any stereotypes or expectations the world has of you. If you want something strong enough, don’t let anything stop you, and make sure you go for it. Work hard, show your worth, and reap the results – the sky is the limit.
Jonny Kempster – From the Parachute Regiment to Key Account Director
“Thinking about others, holding out your hand to help and not judge them is a duty we owe to everyone. Putting others first doesn’t put you second. It just means you care, and hopefully, someone will care for you in the same way if you ever need it.”
How did your experience in the military help you to build a strong career in the security sector?
A career in the security industry is a fairly natural and, I think, pretty common route for ex-forces personnel. You can look at the army as a corporation with a clear mission. To fulfil its mission, it needs the right people in the right place and for all of them to understand what is expected of them and make sure they are properly trained to do it.
I joined the army as a boy soldier at 16 and became a ‘junior leader’, basically training for potential non-commissioned officers – sergeants and the like. I enjoyed myyears in the army and ended my time there as a sergeant in 7th Parachute Regiment RHA. The skills you learn doing any kind of leadership in the army are the same as managing people in civilian life.
The real difference between the army and a civilian organisation is that you tell people what to do in the army, and they have to do it. That doesn’t happen in the civilian world in the same way, and you need to take people with you. But common to both is explaining the job or mission and making sure your people are equipped to be able to do it properly.
We understand you are very active in sport. How has this helped you in your role?
I am a member of the 100 Marathon Club with 149 marathons or ultra-marathons under my belt, and I’m out cycling 100 to 200 plus kms most weekends.
Sport allows me to clear my head and think through issues away from constant messages. The time away lets me think about how to achieve our goals. Obviously, I’m a bit competitive, and I like to achieve challenging and difficult things. That’s an attitude I bring to my work, too.
Many of your colleagues would call you creative. Is creativity important to you?
Thank you, that’s very flattering. One of the things I like about this work is solving what are often quite complicated problems that involve a fair few stakeholders who can often have different aims and opinions.
Being what you call creative is thinking about what we are trying to achieve and what our clients are also trying to accomplish and making sure they go hand in hand. If you can understand what your client or stakeholder wants to get out of something, you can then have a constructive chat about it. Sometimes clients need help to identify what they need most, so thinking creatively about it really helps.
You have recently completed a course in mental health. What prompted you to seek this qualification, and why do you value it?
We live in a world where admitting to weakness, particularly emotional weakness, can be very tough. The pandemic and the isolation and dislocation it has caused is making this even tougher for some people. Making sure our mental health, as well as our physical health, is properly looked after is so important.
Thinking about others, holding out your hand to help and not judge them is a duty we owe to everyone. Putting others first doesn’t put you second. It just means you care, and hopefully, someone will care for you in the same way if you ever need it.
You are very approachable and personable. Does this help you in your role?
Does that mean I talk too much sometimes? I like being with people and understanding more about them. I wouldn’t want to live in a world where everyone is the same. Listening, as well as talking, is a skill we all develop with experience.
Managers need to be approachable, reasonable and ready to listen. Otherwise, how will you find out what is going on and identify potential issues before they become a problem? It also lets you coach and help your staff. It also gives me great pleasure and pride in my work.
David Casey shares his story and the insights that helped him forge a successful career.
“I am a firm believer in being a life-long learner and will never stop educating myself practically and theoretically. Education is the key to opening your mind. Both practice and theory combined are a powerful tool and will allow you to see business through a different lens.”
You have had a lot of success at an early age. Tell us about your journey to becoming a Director of Operations
I have a passion for working with people and a hunger for management and leadership. I attribute this to being naturally competitive. I come from a household with 6 boys and 1 girl so I got a taste for competition very early.
My background is in highly regulated environments. I stumbled upon facilities management back in 2004 while working as an engineering maintenance planner at a pharmaceutical Biotech facility. This role didn’t provide me with enough room for growth. During an annual review meeting with my then manager, he directed me toward the FM department. I began my career as a Soft Service FM team leader with a team of eleven people.
My 6 months in my new role were difficult. Not all strong individuals make great people managers. I was a young supervisor and I didn’t have the skills or experience in people management that I needed. My career has been a learning journey, and you will not always have the tools available immediately. However, it is important to have the will to learn. This can be through further education, training, personal development, and peer support. I advanced to the position of Soft Services FM after two years and my team grew to almost thirty. Following this, I was promoted to a contract manager and held responsibility for the hard and soft services teams. This was my first exposure to commercial responsibilities and budget forecasting.
I joined Bidvest Noonan in 2011. I held a meeting with the Managing Director of the business who sold me on the culture and values of the company and convinced me to join the business. He highlighted the opportunities he saw for me within the company. Further promotion to Strategic Account Lead and Life Sciences Lead roles followed from 2012 to 2019. Late in 2019, I applied for the position of Director of Operations for the strategic accounts of Integrated Solutions. With a strong business strategy and a path for success, I set about putting my leadership team together in line with the direction that the business was heading.
What characteristics or abilities have helped you most to be successful?
I believe my willingness to work hard and to do whatever it takes to ensure the client is happy, as the reason for my growth within Bidvest Noonan. I am a firm believer in being a life-long learner and will never stop educating myself practically and theoretically. Education is the key to opening your mind. Both practice and theory combined are a powerful tool and will allow you to see business through a different lens.
I find my ability to both think and act like an owner as another reason for my success. I go to work every day with the mindset of “If this was my business I would…”. My father always said to me: “David, dress for the job you want and not the job you have”. My interpretation of his knowledgeable words was to always strive to be successful in the role you have and always make yourself available to support your boss, and their boss too.
You have very strong relationships with clients. How have you built these?
I have 21 years of service in this industry as a service provider. This has enabled me to work closely with some strong and challenging clients. Taking my father’s advice and changing it slightly, I openly engage my clients and try to understand what success looks like for them. When you truly understand your clients’ goals and objectives, both personal and professional, you will be able to design a solution that is built for success.
I believe that all people, irrespective of status or position, should be treated with respect and spoken to with honesty. Relationships are formed and based around trust, and to earn the trust, you must always deliver on your commitment to support your client. I focus on effective service delivery and identify opportunities by challenging the status quo of the service delivery on my client’s behalf.
What was your proudest moment at Bidvest Noonan?
I have had many proud moments working at Bidvest Noonan but among the greatest is seeing the growth and development of my colleagues, many of whom are now leaders within our organisation. If I was to retire tomorrow, I would be happy in the knowledge that I helped develop, mentor, support, and grow some of the future leaders of our organisation.
I am also immensely proud to have overseen contracts that have become winners at our company’s best-managed contracts awards.
Jonathan Moore shares lessons and insights from his career and international experience
Jonathan Moore is a Director of Operations in our Security Solutions business. He shares his fascinating career journey, lessons from his international experience, and his vision for security in the post-pandemic world.
What was your path into the security industry?
I started my career in the British Army, where I served for 7 years in a variety of environments. The Army helped me develop a resilient mindset, discipline, loyalty, and a passion for problem-solving. I learned many lessons in the Army, particularly about myself which I feel helped me mature quickly and shaped who I am today.
I joined the private Security sector over 15 years ago. I worked in the world of consultancy before moving into Security Management, in which I settled. My first role was as the Head of Security for a large steel manufacturing company. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work in senior leadership roles for a variety of large multinationals and take on security challenges in diverse regions such as The Americas, EMEA, and APAC. I was very fortunate to spend some time living in Singapore and India where I gained memories and experiences I will cherish for life.
What lessons did you learn from your international experience?
I have had exposure to a wide range of regional and country-specific challenges which gave me the opportunity to develop solutions to unique problems. I have also been privileged to work with extremely talented people of all cultures and backgrounds. This was invaluable, and I have made many great friends along the way. Professionally, it broadened my perspectives and deepened my expertise in the fundamentals of Security and Leadership. Most importantly, it reinforced my long-held belief that in the security industry, as in so many other areas, the ability to build strong relationships and communicate well is critical.
What attracted you to Bidvest Noonan?
Throughout most of my career, I have been an end-user of security services. I was frequently frustrated and disappointed by the quality of the product I received. I believed that a service provider that put people first, was client-centric, and delivered a quality product could be highly successful. I identified Bidvest Noonan as a business that puts its people and client needs at the centre of its decisions and delivers great service. After meeting with members of Bidvest Noonan leadership, I was convinced that this business shared my values and ambitions, and I wanted to be a part of it.
How has the pandemic impacted your role?
I am proud to say the pandemic has not detracted from our ability to support our teams and clients. We have been able to tailor our service according to demand and helped many of our clients navigate through what has been difficult commercially. In many ways, we have become stronger as a business and forged much deeper relationships with our people and clients.
I believe this pandemic has made us more resilient as an organisation. At Bidvest Noonan, we immediately got a good handle on the developing situation and were adaptive and agile in our decision making at every point. Of course, not every decision was correct, and we learned from our mistakes as well as our successes.
Our people who have been affected in so many ways by the pandemic. For me, personally, demonstrating visible and transparent leadership through the period has been fundamentally important. The first consideration of any decision I have made has been to our people.
How has the pandemic impacted the role of security?
It has been demonstrated that the role that our operational teams is more important now than ever before. Where many premises have been unoccupied or have had reduced members of staff on-site, our teams have remained present to ensure the buildings remain functional and people kept safe.
We have needed to be adaptive and agile to ensure the well-being of our teams and clients we look after. We have developed and implemented new security procedures required to maintain Covid Secure environments. Our work gives people confidence that they are safe when they return to the workplace.
We accelerated our innovation programmes to respond to the pandemic. We have employed new subject matter experts, invested in technologies, improved how communicated, and reimagined our solutions. With vaccines in distribution and growing optimism, we are ready to deliver even more value to the market. I am excited about our industry’s role in the post-pandemic world and especially about the bright future of our business.
Security Supervisor, Tomas Mazrimas, excels during the pandemic
Tomas Mazrimas is a Security Supervisor at the flagship store of one of the UK & Ireland’s largest and most successful fashion retailers.
2020 was a difficult year. Positive stories were few and far between. However, in times of adversity, heroes often emerge, and our business certainly saw many. Meet Tomas Mazrimas.
Tomas is a Security Supervisor at the flagship store of one of the UK & Ireland’s leading fashion retail chains. This store attracts millions of shoppers each year. Tomas is a critical member of the store’s operations team, overseeing the day-to-day running of security on site. Tomas puts our credo into action and embodies what it means to put people first. Keeping so many people safe in a busy store amidst a global pandemic is a challenge like no other, but he met it head-on. Tomas was the driving force behind new training methods to meet Covid-19 standards.
Understanding that sharing fast and accurate information is critical in times like these, Tomas developed communications in multiple formats including email, toolbox talks and videos.
Such was his impact, the client and his colleagues on site named him Hero of the Year for 2020. He was also a champion at the Irish Security Industry Association Awards (ISIA). He was crowned Security Supervisor of the Year for 2020.
Nick O’Connor, Integrated Accounts Retail Lead at Bidvest Noonan had this to say about Tomas:
“The transformative impact made on this contract would not have been possible without Tomas. From the moment Tomas joined our business in 2009, he has embodied our credo and has been responsible for developing one of the strongest performing security teams the Island of Ireland has to offer”
Annual Awards Winners 2020
Huge congratulations to all the winners of the 2020 Bidvest Noonan Annual Awards:
- Best Managed Contract (1-20): Whitewater Shopping Centre
- Best Managed Contract (21-50): 10 Fenchurch Street
- Best Managed Contract (50+): Mercy University Hospital
- Cleaning Operative of the Year 2020: Michael Forde
- Cleaning Supervisor of the Year 2020: Alexander Hodge
- Security Officer of the Year 2020: Donna Brickley
- Security Supervisor of the Year 2020: Gerald Whelan
- Support Services Person of the Year 2020: Sharon Kane
- Pandemic Hero Award: Dennis Baker
- Pandemic Performance Award: Rachel Naylor (SAOLTA Group)
Well done to all finalists, making it to the final is a great achievement. We look forward to the 2021 event where we will continue to recognise and celebrate the great work our people do.