A Fresh start, a new start

How many of us can remember our first day at work? What was It like.?

I remembered the following:

• lively and loud vibrant
• professional
• safety orientated
• welcoming and friendly.

I wonder if this is what we all experienced in our early period of working for First. Some colleagues (and I know I was ) maybe feel:

• Worried about what is to come
• So much still to learn and remember
• What will I enjoy and what won't I enjoy, anticipation.

It's important that we all recognize that at some stage in our career we're all newbies and know exactly  how it feels to be a rookie. We can all play our part at all levels in our business making colleagues feel part of the depot team, as quickly as possibly. This could be as simple as saying 'good morning' and wishing the colleague a pleasant day or just a smile. 

A sense of respect and support gives colleagues a sense of worth and encourages team work.  Team work creates consistency and fluidity.  Ideas and  cultures are filtered up and down working roles with many beneficial effects.  Every role is crucial to the smooth running of a business.  Let's work together.

This week, say hello to a new colleague, make them feel welcome, it will make their day, as well as yours.

Family Life

Hi All,

         A culture of respect and dignity in the workplace will ensure a healthy working environment. You can contribute to this environment by:​​​​

·         Building a sense of community spirit at work through group lunches,  organising or participating in events like 'Brew and Bake' and workshops that emphasise team building
·         Abiding by work ethics and maintaining confidentiality
·         Treating your colleagues as you would like them to treat you
·         Supporting your colleagues in times of need.

Communicate effectively:

Effective communication in the workplace will minimise misunderstandings among colleagues thus maximising work efficiency. When we have communication breakdowns at work, we spend time and energy trying to make amends.

 Remember, be mindful of these components of communication:

• Choice of words
• Tone of voice
• Non-verbal cues: body language and emotions expressed
• Relationships between communicating parties

Learn to work with others in a team:

Working as a team means that you are part of a collective body whereby everyone is working towards a common objective or goal. This also means that you need patience and understanding to learn and adapt to different working habits, points of view, and personalities of your team members.

 

 The more we collaborate and work together within our environment the better it is for everyone and our working day/night.  This also has an extra benefit as it filters into how we feel when we finish work and return to our friends and family.  A healthy work life helps us to maintain a more relaxed and positive home life.
I often speak about my family to colleagues and friends, we all do don't we.  After all, our family/friends are the most important people in our lives.  It's predominantly why we all come to work  to provide for ourselves and our nearest and dearest.  there will also, of course, be ups and downs; a bit like a 'roller coaster'.  With support, the lows are easier to manage.

 

 

 

 Thinking about this further, ultimately we all want to go home safe and secure from our work place. We want to get back to our friends and family at the end of each day/night, safely. We work in incredibly dangerous environments which is why safety needs to be at the forefront of each of our working period. We should all think carefully about our own safety and those around us.  Let's work together.

 

   

Driving for results

Hi everyone, I have to say a huge thank you to all of my colleagues who voted for me in the recent Employee Director election.  I am very pleased to say I have been re-elected as Ed in Essex, this not only makes me very proud that I have been given this opportunity once again, but also establishes a firm groundwork for myself to make sure that  all colleagues' voices are heard and represented in all areas of our business. The future can always be influenced by ourselves.  We all have our destiny in the power of our own hands . Look at these 10  examples i'm sure the list could go on

Last week, at the First Bus conference, we established what we all need to action to really make a difference within our individual depots and areas of work. This is an ethos that I will be promoting and having important conversations about.

Nobody can achieve this alone and it is evident that to succeed we must all play our part. A wise man once said to me 'You are only as strong as your weakest link' we need to make sure that if we do the right thing this is recognised and rewarded.
Next week I will be visiting Hadleigh On Thursday 9th  Nov and be in Chelmsford on Friday 10th Nov