How does Rowan ensure happiness at work? You may or may not know, but last Saturday was the UN’s International Day of Happiness. With mental health especially high on the agenda during these difficult times, we spoke to Rowan Associate Director Scott Wilkinson, to find out what Rowan does to ensure its employees’ happiness.
Q. Hi Scott! What do you do at Rowan and, given the unprecedented circumstances, how has your first year with Rowan been and what has Rowan done to make life easier during the Pandemic??
A. Hello! I’m an Associate Director in the Sales & Marketing practice here, helping out SME owners and Directors fill challenging sales and marketing positions, mainly in the North-West. I’ve had a great first year and have learned a lot from my manager, Louise Stephenson. I come from a background of higher volume, contingent recruitment, so the move into Exec Search was a step change for me. Despite the unusual circumstances, I’ve had a great first year and have learned a lot. Rowan was very quick to invest in new technology like MS Teams and communication throughout the Pandemic has been excellent – we have regular calls, virtual meetups and team events and a good degree of flexibility around working patterns.
Q. Everybody’s personal situation is different, how is that accommodated?
A. We’re managed with a personal touch and working patterns have been flexible to suit our needs. I do 2 or 3 days/week in the office, which allows me to do drop my son off at nursery. It’s a grown-up environment where we’re not micromanaged and have freedom to organise our time as we best see fit. If something needs to change at short notice and I need to finish early or something, that kind of thing is always accommodated.
Q. Executive Search can be pressurised, and results are always important. With that in mind, how is it that Rowan is able to keep its people happy in the workplace?
A. You’re right, it can be stressful at times. However, Rowan is an extremely collaborative company – we’re a close-knit team, which shares its successes but also its failures. A problem shared is a problem halved, and everyone here genuinely has your best interests at heart and just wants to help out. We’ve been sent birthday presents and work anniversary gifts (shoutout to @Morgan Newton at @Brindle Distillery for the @Cuckoo gin!), and have fun internal events; quizzes, workouts, even a bake-off recently! Communication between Heads of, Associate Directors, Researchers and the MD and support staff is encouraged, and I feel like I can reach out to anybody in the business if I need to.
Q. What would you say is the best thing about working at Rowan?
A. As Paul sometimes says – it’s all about the people. My manager Louise has been brilliant since I’ve been here, and I’ve managed to do really well during a difficult time – I’m looking forward to getting back to normal and driving the Sales & Marketing division forward in the future! Paul [MD of Rowan] is a visionary leader, who is brimming with new ideas and innovations for the business. I’ve learnt a lot from him through working for Rowan.
Q. Sounds great! Anything else to mention? A. Just that it’s Rowan’s ten-year anniversary in October, so look out for more posts and articles about the inner workings of the company and who we are as a business. These are exciting times ahead! Rowan is the North-West’s leading Executive Search and Assessment business, with a sustained track record of success and a consistent focus on its people. We are currently looking for Assistant Directors and professional Researchers.
If Scott’s experience sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, please do get in touch for a confidential discussion. The UN General Assembly, conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal, recognises the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth , which promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and
