ScS Recognised for ‘Commitment to People’ Award
Furniture retailer ScS has been awarded the ‘Commitment to People’ recognition at the People in Retail Awards 2024, celebrating its substantial efforts in building a supportive, inclusive, and people-centred workplace.
Over the past year, ScS has made significant strides in transforming its people strategy, focusing on employee development, engagement, and well-being.
We’re delighted to have received the Commitment to People award. This award reflects our dedication to our people and highlights the remarkable efforts of our colleagues, who continuously go above and beyond to support one another, our customers, and our community.
This award celebrates our commitment and the exceptional teamwork we’ve demonstrated over the past few years. We couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
Transformative people development initiatives
Recognising the need to enhance its employee experience, the company implemented a three-year ‘North Star’ people plan, developed with input from colleagues across the business. This strategy was not only designed by the People Team but also involved contributions from employees, ensuring it truly reflected their needs and aspirations.
One of the standout initiatives was the implementation of two major systems:
- New Communication & Engagement Platform: The introduction of ‘Our ScS Home’ modernised internal communication, making it more accessible and personalised. This platform connected a nationally dispersed workforce and has led to high engagement rates, with 75% of employees actively using it
- Learning Management System (LMS): The LMS, known as ‘Our ScS Learn,’ has dramatically improved training accessibility and completion rates, with 95% of colleagues signed up and engaged in the learning content. This has allowed for tailored development pathways, compliance training, and interactive learning
A culture of recognition and inclusion
The People Team at ScS, led by People Director Lucy Clough, has worked tirelessly to create an environment where employees feel valued. The team introduced both digital and paper-based recognition tools, encouraging visibility of employee achievements and fostering a culture of appreciation. The ‘Love What You Do Leave A Review‘ campaign, which promoted ScS as a great place to work, is just one example of their efforts.
The company also focused on diversity and inclusion, implementing training courses such as Menopause Awareness and ensuring gender pay equity, with female median hourly pay being 4.9% higher than male colleagues.
Positive impact on employee engagement and business success
ScS has seen tangible improvements from these initiatives, including:
- A significant increase in employee engagement scores, with the eSat score rising from 71 to 75.
- A reduction in employee turnover by 8% over the past three years, demonstrating increased retention and job satisfaction.
- Increased visibility and engagement on internal platforms, with over 1,000 ‘thank yous’ exchanged among colleagues since the launch of ‘Our ScS Home’.
Leadership and structural improvements
ScS’s commitment to people was also evident in its response to organisational change. A full structural change in retail roles was managed with clear communication, resulting in no redundancies. This, along with initiatives like the recent acquisition by Poltronesofa, was handled with transparency and care for employees, maintaining high levels of morale and confidence.
Why ScS Stands Out
ScS’s journey has been one of transformation, moving from a traditional HR-focused company to a people-centric organisation. The company’s holistic approach to employee well-being, development, engagement, and diversity is a testament to why it was recognised with the ‘Commitment to People’ award. The People Team’s vision and dedication to creating a workplace that truly values its employees set ScS apart as a shining example in the retail sector.
ScS was recognised for their exceptional ‘Commitment to People’ due to their genuine dedication to community engagement, people development, and internal culture transformation. Over the past 18 months, under the leadership of Lucy and the People function team, ScS has made significant strides in creating a culture that values collaboration, learning, and community impact.
Their partnership with charities, especially with Shelter, showcases a genuine effort to make a difference in the lives of people in need. Additionally, their internal development programmes and communication strategies highlight ScS’s dedication to building growth, wellbeing and inclusivity among their employees. The collective efforts across various teams, along with the promotion of an inclusive and supportive environment, further emphasise why they deserve recognition for their unwavering ‘Commitment to People.’
Natalie Fresen
