7 minute read
Launchpad
WORKPLACE SCIENTIFICS Occupational hygiene professionals Dave Lombardi and Thomas Wood founded Workplace Scientifics because of their scientific backgrounds and to encourage industrial change – and Launchpad helped turn their business plan into action
Tell us about your company?
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Occupational Hygiene is a scientific discipline that is an essential element of an organisation’s health and safety management system and their compliance. As qualified occupational hygienists we created Workplace Scientifics to provide anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of occupational exposure to chemical, physical and biological hazards for a wide range of businesses.
At Workplace Scientifics we specialise in occupational hygiene consultations, exposure related risk assessments and compliance testing for a variety of industries such as petrochemical, food processing, construction, engineering, fabrication, health and beauty, plastics, and metal processing.
When did you first decide to start up on your own and what inspired you?
We started the Workplace Scientifics journey in 2019 because we both shared a common interest in encouraging industrial change and wanted to work with our very own customers to help influence shifts in the approach towards the delivery and application of occupational hygiene.
Due to our backgrounds, we were concerned by the lack of DAVE LOMBARDI, LEFT AND THOMAS WOOD OF WORKPLACE SCIENTIFICS
awareness around occupational disease and so we had a concept to create a greater level of awareness around the control of workplace exposure hazards. Our overall vision was to see a significant reduction in workrelated illnesses over the coming years and to have contributed to this drop.
How has Launchpad helped you?
Launchpad came highly recommended as the foundations for any business can be drawn up with their continued support. Since founding our business, we have received endless support from Darren McDool and the Launchpad community. We also found their training sessions and personalised business mentoring programme very useful, allowing us to turn our business plan into actions. They also directed us towards funding opportunities and assisted throughout the application process.
What are your hopes and aims for the business?
Our ultimate aim is to guide managers and leaders of organisations through positive change to help create safer working environments. In Grant Cardone’s book ‘The 10X Rule’ he talks about being omnipresent – the concept of being everywhere, in all places, at all times. We hope to use our omnipresence to showcase useful and insightful information to our networks as we continue to form long-lasting business relationships allowing us to thrive, not just survive.
Launchpad advisor Darren
McDool said: Tom and Dave have been a pleasure to work with and have sensibly taken advantage of free Launchpad support. They’ve fine-tuned their offer by testing the business model in oneto-one meetings and at new business workshops, before getting input from our marketing associate on shaping their online presence.
With impressive product knowledge and industry experience added to the creativity, determination and professionalism they’ve always demonstrated, I’m sure good things lay ahead for Workplace Scientifics.
Starting and growing a business is not easy and that’s why the Launchpad programme was created. Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and our partners means there is no cost to the entrepreneur, so we can get straight to work on turning those dreams into reality.
Stop dreaming and do it. Contact us for information now on 03330 00 00 39 or email growthhub@ sheffieldcityregion.org.uk.
REMOTE INTERVIEWING OR INTERVIEWING AT A DISTANCE –WHICH WOULD WORK FOR YOU? During COVID-19, work practices have changed – and recruitment with it. Here Glu Recruit MD Rob Shaw looks at the opportunities ahead for interviewing candidates as lockdown eases
During the pandemic, we’ve all adapted to changes with regards to living our lives online. Meetings are held via webcam, documents are signed digitally, and even interviews are done from the comfort of your own home.
With some lockdown measures now easing, we wanted to look at the opportunities ahead for interviewing candidates. Is it still better to stick to webcam or should you invite a candidate to the office for a social distanced interview?
Giving people an option
One thing that has been discussed at great length during the crisis has been how employers treat staff. Social media has been awash with companies who have treated their employees ‘well’ considering the outbreak – and pointing the finger at those who haven’t.
Therefore, it really is crucial that you give candidates an option of a virtual or in-person interview and make clear that there is no judgement on whichever way they choose. Anxieties and underlying health conditions could mean that a person doesn’t feel comfortable being in an office with others and you should respect that. Many firms are choosing a virtual interview to begin with, followed by a socially distanced second interview.
For those who wish to have a virtual interview, we’ve compiled a list of tips here. The main thing to remember is to prepare: check your technology and internet connection, find a quiet room with an appropriate background, prepare your questions and ensure you are on time. While we would like to tell you to treat it like a normal interview, this is the ‘new normal’ – so be prepared to adapt to the situation.
If you both decide on a socially distanced interview, find a room with adequate distancing space for all panellists and the candidate. Open a window to allow fresh air into the room – they can get stuffy at the best of times, let alone during an interview!
Ensure the surfaces in the room are thoroughly cleaned before and after each interview. Provide hand sanitiser for the panel and the candidate. Request that your candidate brings their own copy of their CV and a pen in case they wish to refer to it and make notes. And, of course, do not shake hands!
A tour of the office is possible, again as long as you can stick to two metres apart. This also includes when talking to colleagues on the tour – there MUST be a two-metre gap between everybody.
Be flexible!
During this strange time, we’ve discovered we are more flexible than we thought we were. We’ve adapted well to a whole ‘new normal’, and discovered ways of working that we have never had to consider before. This includes interviewing remotely and having meetings via the internet.
If it’s absolutely necessary for a candidate to visit your office for an interview, you must adhere to the strictest hygiene rules and regulations. Remember, it’s not only to protect yourself, it’s to protect others, too.
If you need any more support or guidance for recruiting during these unprecedented times, you can contact us on 0114 321 1873 or hello@glurecruit.co.uk.
WHAT TO LOCK IN FROM LOCKDOWN…
Holly Crosby is a coach, trainer and counsellor at Think:me. Here she shares with unLTD how we should hold on to those individual successes we created and enjoyed during COVID-19 – and which really matter
I think there’s now a consensus that it’s not about getting back to normal, but rather moving forward and creating something new.
In some ways, that can stir difficult feelings around the unknown, but it can also be a good opportunity to create the space for doing more of what’s good for you and what you enjoy.
At the very early stages of this, when life was stripped back to the very basics, we had an opportunity to think about what really matters.
All of my conversations with people were about looking after our health and those around us, staying connected to family and friends, and a sense of wanting to pull together in a crisis. This really did bring out what matters to us most – this was always there, but often got crowded out by other aspects of our busy lives. Over these last few months, whether it’s been exercise, baking or family quiz nights, lots of us have done things we didn’t previously, some of which have been a great success! So, it’s really important to connect to what that was and what it gave you, for you to make it continue.
What do you want to lock in and what do you want to leave behind?
Have you had more meaningful conversations with others and felt a positive impact? Have you had the time to exercise consistently and felt the benefits? Have you been closer as a family unit and want that to continue?
All the positive things you’ve done or experienced in lockdown can continue – it’s a case of working out how that will happen. Some of this will be down to what you prioritise and what is possible and some of it will be down to not doing everything as you did before.
We’ve been quick to think we’ve missed everything we’ve not been able to do, when in reality there will be some things that you haven’t missed!
Before we know it, we slip in to doing things because we’ve always done it. Yet this is a perfect opportunity to find out what matters most and how that becomes a part of everyday life.
Take some time to really think about what you have enjoyed and what you’ve missed. What aspects of both do you want to carry forward? What matters to you most?
