Imagine a service company with 85 employees, but 65% of staff working in a wide variety of locations across the country, with three office locations.
These are not exactly ideal conditions for creating a cohesive and caring working community. In the case of Cool Climate, it has been achieved, thanks to Beeward, whose application is now an integral part of HR in the company. 95% of staff are registered members of the Community Rewards scheme, and colleagues have redeemed gifts 150 times in 1 year.
Cool Klíma is a 30-year old company that has been active in the installation and maintenance of professional air conditioning systems and heat pumps, as well as project and wholesale trade.In 2022, its annual net sales will reach almost HUF 12 billion net. Having joined Beeward in 2022, they feel that the system has fully lived up to their expectations. Anita Máté-Szabó, a Cool Airconditional Ltd. We asked HR for more details.
Cool Klíma staff work in teams of two at the same time in several locations across the country. This is a very special situation when it comes to building community within the company. Why did you choose Beeward?
Our CEO heard about this opportunity from the CEO of another company at a management roundtable. He was very impressed with Beeward and asked me to see how it would be received in our company.
Can you briefly say what values the company operates by?
We focus on the triad of ability, willingness and cooperation, and this is reflected in our management appraisal system. Beeward is a perfect fit with our goals, as it will strengthen collaboration between colleagues. As you mentioned in your previous question, 65% of our staff are mobile across the country, so they are away from our head office from Monday to Friday. But the others are not working in the same location.
We have 85 employees, three offices and around 50 locations across the country on any given day.
It seems to be approaching a 10 on the difficulty scale, if one wants to build a caring working community out of it...
Yes, but these circumstances make us even more motivated to not only be able to work together as a cohesive team, but also to be willing to do so despite the physical distance.
How did the company encourage employees before the introduction of Beeward?
We have appreciated your loyalty for years. It has been a tradition that on the anniversary of the day that a colleague started working for our company, the immediate workplace manager would present them with a gift. However, the physical distances mentioned above made it difficult to deliver these gifts, and the managers could not always guess what the anniversary employee would like. Beeward was also a big step forward in this respect, as the system reminds you of anniversariesa, so that they can be celebrated together. In addition, users get points for anniversaries, which they can spend on things that are really important or bring them joy.
You joined Beeward in July 2022. How popular was the scheme initially and how popular is it now?
Of course, we did not make registration compulsory, but 95% of our colleagues joined and registered on the platform. Obviously, the fact that we presented the system at a management briefing and answered all their questions about it played a part in this. Later we kept the motivation alive with newsletters. Overall, we have to be very pleased with the way the platform is being used.
Since the system was introduced, has cooperation between staff improved or have people become more motivated?
Beeward adds a lot to the good atmosphere at work. A reference to it has become part of the group language. For example, when it is said, "nothing, but I'm still waiting for the 5 becoins" (i.e. the point he or she is owed for the favour). This brings a playfulness to everyday life. Of course, you can also thank people for their kind deeds with words, but Beeward also allows you to send a message or even send out a fun animation. This is also an incentive for others.
What would happen if Beeward were suddenly unavailable in your company?
We can live a community life together through the platform that we would miss if it were not there, because we would not meet in the same space. Not to mention that when there is such a platform, many people don't want to miss out.
Who is left out, left behind?
Exactly. If you are not registered, you cannot see the message board, so you cannot access the internal information. Or why we're laughing at a funny animation in the office.
Does it make it easier for employers that, once the platform is up and running, rewarding staff is no longer their sole responsibility?
Appreciation of colleagues is very important, and it is a huge opportunity to get it not only from management, but also from your colleagues. Also, as a manager, you can access a wealth of useful information about your colleagues through Beeward. For example, you can find out who is in the centre of attention and who is regularly and willingly helping others.
Have you ever used the system to send an unpleasant or bad message?
I was very afraid of that, but fortunately it didn't happen. But it is an interesting coincidence that this attitude is typical of few of our colleagues, who have not registered for Beeward. Our CEO supported the introduction from the start, and even encouraged everyone not only to give recognition, but to justify it.
Are newcomers to the company already familiar with the platform?
Yes, the information about Beeward is already part of the introductory day. When a new colleague registers, they are welcomed by the others. I don't think it's uninteresting to welcome a new team member into a strange environment.
Did anything funny or surprising happen while using Beeward?
Due to a technical glitch, a message went around that one of our colleagues has been with us for 1821 years. I myself was sweating because it was a bit awkward, but everyone had a great time. So much so that this age-old "working relationship" was the subject of banter for weeks to come. Even our managing director mentioned at the next company meeting that Cool Climate needed just such dedicated people.
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