Quorum Network Resources – Winner 2016 Scottish Top Employers (small employer)
IT specialist Quorum Network Resources is a dynamic small business whose 53 employees enjoy a friendly, open environment, encouraging a sense of team spirit across all sites.
The Edinburgh-based agile employer is responsive to individual employee needs in relation to work-life integration within a culture that recognises that one size doesn’t fit all.
The firm acknowledges the importance of employee wellbeing, both professionally and personally, through a flexible approach. This includes part-time hours to accommodate childcare arrangements, allowing time for personal appointments during the working day and extended lunch breaks to fit in external commitments.
This approach – which removes the stress of fitting non-work activities around work schedules and using precious holiday entitlement – inspires commitment and dedication in employees and demonstrates the company’s trust in them.
Quorum insists employees are the lifeblood of the company, and the firm wants them to know this.
Quorum encourages employees to be on-site, while allowing them the freedom of versatility with remote access to technology and infrastructure in order to facilitate home working.
Providing services to organisations ranging from Britain’s biggest banks to one of Scotland’s most innovative clothing companies, Quorum takes great pride in engaging customers and building long-term relationships with them.
It is committed to saying abreast of the newest products and technologies, and actively promotes continuous learning. The company invests in regular training opportunities which complement employees’ continued development and feeds their hunger for knowledge and an expanded skill-set.
It continuously seeks ways to develop and innovate working practices to refine work-life balance within the organisation, including promoting a healthy lifestyle, and operating a ‘bike to work scheme’. With 50% of its Board comprising of working mothers, Quorum is participating in the ‘50/50 by 2020’ initiative in partnership with the Scottish Government.
A progressive employer operating in an inclusive culture, Quorum views employees’ families as an extension of the employees themselves.
Childcare vouchers have been available to qualifying employees for over a decade, and the company hosts an annual family social event, allowing employees and their families to get to know one another.
Quorum has always paid above the minimum wage and has signed the Scottish business charter, pledging to pay in excess of the living wage. Its next step is to become an accredited living wage employer.
Indicative of the company’s approach to flexible working is the relocation of developer Dave Mateer.
Three years ago, he moved to Edinburgh from New Zealand and joined Quorum – but wanted to support his partner in a career opportunity with the University of Sussex. With long-standing clients in London, the firm agreed to establish a ‘satellite office’ to enable valued team member Dave to work remotely from an office in Brighton. His team has a daily video conferencing meeting, which assists with maintaining relationships with colleagues and ensuring vital sharing of knowledge.
Dave says the company has supported him both personally and professionally – and Quorum is appreciative of retaining a valued employee.