The mortgage market revolves around firms of all shapes and sizes. But, whether a one-man-band or a PLC, they should all have clear, common goals – ensuring that the customer is fully satisfied and maintaining balance/harmony within the workplace.
Creating opportunities
In terms of scale, it’s easy to view big, corporate organisations as faceless machines and a world away from SMEs, but we can learn from each other. Corporate environments don’t always have a great reputation when it comes to helping other people unconditionally. However, I often describe Barclays as a ‘tribe’ – a group of like-minded people working together for a common purpose. This type of environment is important for creating opportunities, empowering the team and unlocking its potential.
For example, we’ve recently launched a ‘trainee adviser’ programme for colleagues to get a taste of different parts of the business without formally joining them. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see if a sideways step (or a complete change of direction) will suit them, and helps build relationships across different parts of the company that may make their existing job easier. It’s all about seeking ways to work together more effectively so we can deliver the best possible service to our customers.
Blurred lines
Working within a smaller business can sometimes result in lines being blurred between roles and people having to wear too many different hats. Having said this it’s often an environment in which certain types of people thrive because of the closer connection with the business, as well as the end customer.
On the flip side, within larger organisations some people may feel more like worker ants than an integral component of the business. Within any workplace open communication helps build confidence – cited by women particularly as the single trait they’d most like to improve – and also encourages realistic expectations of ourselves and others.
We’ve all made mistakes, and maybe struggled to achieve a good work-life balance; that includes me, I face a range of challenges just like any other single parent. But by being able to embrace our differences we’ll not only develop better working relationships with each other but we’ll reflect the diversity of our customer base as well. And that can only be good for them and good for our business, no matter how big or small.
