Managing director at Resolve IT Solutions, Andrew Seaton, is a firm believer that if you invest in people, they’ll invest in you too. unLTD’s Brogan Maguire met up with him for a chat about the business’s brand-new office, its ‘people-first’ approach and why Resolve is an IT company with a difference…
I’d heard a lot about Resolve’s new office space, but until I went along to meet Andrew there for our interview, I hadn’t really built up much of a picture in my head.
When I arrived at the new location on Acorn Business Park in Sheffield, I was quickly impressed by how easily identifiable Resolve’s unit was.
I was just as impressed when I walked into the office, greeted by a beautiful plant wall, bright décor and a huge breakout area complete with comfy sofas, a pool table and a huge television.
“We wanted to create a space that got the best out of our staff, both personally and professionally,” Andrew told me as we sat down for a coffee. “This area was actually the most important to me, as I want everyone to have somewhere they can really relax, recharge and socialise with other people in the building.”
As well as being a fun place to unwind and chat at lunchtimes, the breakout area is set to be used for monthly team meetings where excellent work is celebrated over food and drink.
The office has been fitted out by WorkBox UK, who worked with Resolve to create a space which is smart and professional while still being fun and reflective of the relaxed culture of the company.
Andrew added: “Investing in an office may seem like a strange thing in these days of hybrid and home working, but our team were clear that they wanted to be together in an office.
We have a unique culture at Resolve, and investing in offices that people can work, collaborate and have fun in is another way of investing in our team – something I am really proud of.
“Because of this, we asked all our employees what they liked about coming to work, what they would find most beneficial and what they needed to get the most of out of their working day.
“It is critical that our working environment reflects who we are as an organisation and reminds us of this every day. Our staff need to see how proud of them we are, how much we care about them and how committed we are to giving them the best possible workplace experience.
“Staff who feel valued and appreciated will give the same energy back and ultimately be a much happier workforce.”
It’s no secret that bright colours, plenty of greenery and light-flooded spaces encourage happiness, and the Resolve office is no different.
The wall in the breakout area is covered in a stunning mural, painted by Sheffield artist Rob Lee, with other pieces from local creatives dotted around the rest of the space.
Working in the greenest city in the UK has its perks, with trees outside every window and a view that doesn’t resemble a typical, grey business park.
It’s touches like these that really demonstrate how passionate Andrew is about Sheffield, his staff and the business he has built from the ground up.
He said: “I started this company 18 years ago as a fresh-faced graduate, when it was just me and my car, driving around fixing computers.
“Obviously over the years things have massively evolved and we have grown so much, but one thing that’s never changed is how dedicated we are to putting people at the heart of everything we do.”
This ethos is what really makes Resolve stand out from the crowd.
Not just an IT company, Resolve’s focus is on ensuring customers have a fantastic experience, with engineers who listen, understand, and offer genuine help and support.
We all know that having IT issues can be a nightmare, especially as most of us don’t have much technical know-how, but employees at Resolve are trained to be as personable, friendly and explanatory as possible, with no jargon or judgement.
This approach is clearly working, too, as Andrew tracks his ‘customer happiness score’ and currently has a 97 per cent ‘excellent’ rating.
“There was a real gap in the market for an IT company that worked effectively with its customers and I think that’s why we have done so well,” Andrew said.
“Our people-first approach stretches right through the business. Offering the best customer service is just another part of that, alongside our dedication to being an amazing place to work.”
It would be easy to be pessimistic and believe this is all talk, or that the new office is simply a token gesture, but it’s clear just from meeting Andrew and watching the team at work that this is not the case.
Everyone has embraced the space wholeheartedly, making the most of the collaborative approach and making a conscious effort to get away from their desks and take a break during their lunch hour.
As I walked round, I saw plenty of smiling faces, heard lots of enthusiastic work conversations and could feel the buzz of productivity.
When I mentioned that to Andrew, he smiled and said: “It’s easy for me to say these things and tell you all about our amazing new office, but it’s a completely different thing when you see it.
“Creating this wonderful space and shouting about having a fun place to work is great, but I would never put that above any of the other things that make for a fantastic company.
“The only reason we can do this is because we’ve put so much time and effort into becoming a brilliant employer.
“Our staff wellbeing is always our highest priority, and of course we show that through processes like healthcare benefits and regular pay rises, but what I think they really value is how much we care and how invested we are as people.
“We understand that our employees are just normal human beings and sometimes they will have things going on outside of work. To me, being a great company to work for comes from listening, being supportive and doing whatever we can to help.”
