by Kellianne Smith, Head of Global HR & Organisational Development, The Argus Group
At Argus, our strategic priorities include creating business solutions that reinforce our brand position, “Our Interest is You”, which serves to benefit our clients, our community and, importantly, our colleagues.

Our corporate core values, ethos and policies ensure that inclusion, diversity and equality are woven into the fabric of our organisation. This culture of openness has created an environment where our staff are encouraged to showcase their unique skills and abilities in order to make meaningful contributions to our overall operations.

Argus has achieved this by completing a company-wide transition from applying top down, silo-driven strategies to a more inclusive approach of setting and achieving business objectives through collaboration across all layers of our organisation. We know that our people are our greatest investment and we make a concerted effort to allow every level of staff member to participate in aspects of strategic and business planning. The result is a proactive and dedicated team who have a voice, are unafraid to  challenge approaches, suggest fresh ideas, and encourage us to remain agile.

Our senior leadership team and colleagues partner in business development, creating a strong synergy that allows us to achieve our stated goals and objectives. Specifically, we have achieved this by:

• Transitioning from a “top-down” planning approach to a collaborative group-wide process that includes management, colleagues and our clients
• Opening direct channels of communication with senior leadership
• Remaining transparent with our actions and results
• Strengthening leadership effectiveness, training and development, and overall employee engagement
• Recognising the importance of individuals’ roles in any successes
• Acknowledging the positive impact that colleagues have made as a team in stabilising and strengthening the company
• Increasing participation and exposure across all levels with strategic and business planning workshops

With silos lifted, information is shared throughout the company through our open-door policy that provides for regular communication meetings, company-wide Town Halls and focus groups. In addition, Argus CEO, Alison Hill hosts monthly ‘Fireside Chats’ where small groups of staff members attend an intimate lunch and are encouraged to ask any question and provide feedback, ensuring staff remain aware of other teams’ projects and our current objectives and strategies.

It is inspiring to witness the energy, enthusiasm and commitment in colleagues who are keen to suggest better ways to improve their work environment and the client experience by focusing on positive business outcomes. The entire team is fully aware of how corporate and business units link and our transition from department silo objectives to group objectives has proven successful. At Argus, every colleague is made to feel engaged and empowered.

Our intention is to remain an employer of choice in all our operating jurisdictions, which we measure each year by setting goals of less than 10% unplanned attrition and retaining 80% or above in our employee engagement survey scores. We are proud to report that in 2018 we surpassed these goals and continue to thrive. This is a true testament to the passion and determination of the entire Argus team.

Our collaborative approach has encouraged strong cultural alignment across Argus that ensures transparency and trust and that our colleagues are always reminded of the value they bring.

This article was originally featured in the TOP TEN 2019 edition of the RG Business Magazine.

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