Claudia Healy, Chief Human Resources Officer at STO Building Group (STOBG), spoke to Interface about the HR platform empowering its people in pursuit of a strategic vision… “Culture is the number one priority in a people business like STOBG. If you’re not nurturing and inspiring your folks, well, they can just vote with their feet. They don’t have to stay. Or they could do worse, they could quit and stay. And that’s something we would never want. Meeting your people where they’re at, understanding their goals and aspirations, and how you can help them reach their potential is vital. Realising how you can really see your people and truly understand what matters to them, is an incredible priority.”
A HR Transformation Journey
Healy joined STOBG at a key inflection point for the business; it had grown exponentially doubling its employees in just six years as revenue spiked. When she took up her role as CHRO in 2020 revenue was $8bn. Now nearer the $12bn mark, rapid growth has seen mergers with several companies. Hence the need for a profound transformation journey.
“A cornerstone of the journey has been recognising and harnessing the power in the platform. We’ve really embraced this philosophy that we are better together. And we’ve been understanding that by taking an enterprise or holistic world view, rather than focusing on a singular or isolated aspect, we can scale more effectively and deliver superior quality services, solutions and experiences.”
People Management
The construction industry is “hyper-competitive” when it comes to talent says Healy. “The demand for our services is growing so it’s a key challenge for STOBG to tackle. We need to win this war for talent by standing out, by being more than just a place to work. Our reputation as a premier builder known for our expertise in construction, delivering predictable outcomes and leading with integrity sets us apart. This, and our people, are the foundation of our value proposition.
Furthermore, these qualities will help us attract professionals who are not just looking for a job… They’re looking for a place where they can contribute to meaningful projects, further their careers, invest in their futures and ideally make a career here. There’s nothing you can’t do if you work hard. You can learn and grow and develop and start as a project engineer and make your way all the way up to become one of our C-suite executives.”
At the heart of STOBG’s culture is a deep care for its people. Healy stresses the importance of actively listening to employee voices to ensure their ideas and feedback are integral to the company’s decision making. “We have an annual employee engagement survey. We read every single employee comment. I read over 8,000 comments last year. Interestingly, what recognition means to our people has more to do with being recognised for what they do for the client for going above and beyond with their contributions, rather than recognition by financial means.”
