Stephen Chawke’s Post

Happyy Mondayy and December! Its a great morning here at 2 Seasons in Optus Campus Sydney, the playlist is so good; a great mix of early 2000s and international songs. First time getting a large coffee this year, as I've got a long checklist today. Posting this here because I just wanted to express how awesome it is to work outdoors when you can. It makes a huge difference in your productivity and here are couple of tips to step away from the designated seats when you can: - Try to step away from the screens when you're having lunch/break and have a walk around the area/campus - Every 2 hours or so, get up and stretch! Make sure you're doing those squats, you don't want a flat bum by sitting all day 😂 - Try to have catch up with people who are not from your department, its great to get insights on what's happening around you. (Even if the meeting is virtually, you can sit outside and have that meeting) Hope this helps. 😊 #optuslife #positivity #outdoorliving

They said 'time flies when you are having fun". I guess that sums up what I think about my journey in Optus. I started my life in Australia about 14 years ago when I was on the final stage of finishing my university degree. I certainly didn't have any proper work experience back then but 2 years after, destiny took me to Optus. I must say that Optus has helped me brought out my A-game and has helped me discovered my gift of the gab which something I never thought I have. I mean I never thought I would received all these flattering recognitions ive received starting from a small weekly recognition to an annual recognition named "Number 1 club" throughout my journey with Optus. I could talk about so many memories and stories and things i've learned throughout those 10 years but I guess the real question is if it is that "cruisy" working with Optus? Of course there were down time but life is not fun when its flat and boring so the answer is no. There were certainly so many challenges in weekly basis if not daily basis but we all know that these challenges are just opportunities which will allow us to grow stronger and better. It is how people around you helping you to get out your B-game as soon as possible and keep you in positive mindset and I am extremely fortunate to know many people (including my ex leaders) with these qualities around me. So, if you ask me why sticking with Optus? The clear answer is simply because of the people, the culture and the values. You will thrive regardless of the challenges when they enable you to do so. Most importantly, these are not just something that just written on the paper or word or pdf documents but something that we see and practice everyday. I mean, look at how our ELTs making the time to talk to our customers- they are not just preaching but also jumping in and getting their hands dirty which also just reminding me to one of the comments I saw on the social media over the weekend where someone stated that a CEO would never respond to customer's enquiry directly. Well i guess that doesn't apply to our very own leader Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. #IAmAProudEmployee Anyways, enough said!! I look forward to see what Optus have in store for me in the future! Here its to more successful and great years with Optus!! #OptusLife #BestWorkPlace #10YearsWorkAnniversary

Being here at one of our most frequented country clubs this weekend gets me thinking about how we consistently deliver top-quality service, especially during peak hours. 🔥 📝Specialized Training: It’s evident how our teams ensure every member feels like they’re the only one in the room. 📱 🤳Balancing Tech and Personal Touch: We’ve seamlessly woven technology into our service without losing that all-important personal touch. 📢 🎤Communication is Key: The clarity during the hustle and bustle never ceases to impress me. 🔍 ❓Staying Ahead: The magic? Always being a step ahead, anticipating our members’ needs. 🌀 ⭕️One Brand: Whether it’s a casual chat or a formal event, our Core Values are upheld strongly. This weekend, it’s clear to me why our members value this experience so much. Sticking to these principles ensures we always deliver our best.

The biggest takeaways from our Q1 performance! Last Friday, we took the opportunity to look at what really worked well for us, and where we need to improve, moving forward to Q2. What I am particularly proud of: 📌 Achieving Certified B Corp status, showing we practice what we preach 📌 The best financial quarter in GS2 | B Corp Certified 's history 📌 The most number of placements - with exceptional customer feedback 📌 We celebrated a promotion - well done Luca Araguez on becoming a Delivery Consultant! 📌 We celebrated three GS2 employees 1st work birthdays 📌 We're in the process of establishing a company wide training programme, with expert guidance from Tara Waterman Where we didn’t quite do what we needed to, and where we need to put some work in: 📌 In terms of headcount, we were 1 short, but we’re still working on finding the best possible talent to join our journey 📌 Our OKR’s are still a work in progress, we have implemented small changes for Q2, limiting the number of initiatives per ker result we run with 📌 Our office move has been slightly delayed but we made the most of the situation and are enjoying time in our temporary space until our new office is refitted. Reflecting back on how the previous quarter is an important exercise and one I always carry out. Did you reflect on your Q1, if so, how was it? Now it is time to crack on make Q2 the biggest yet 💪🏽 LETS GO! 🚀

We’re in Sydney this week delivering the final of a 3-phase project focused on enhancing strategic performance. Over the last 3 months we have observed significant transformation. Phase 1 focused on enhancing team ways of working - leading to increased psychological safety, the development of team norms, and a review of enabling systems and processes. Phase 2 was focused on building team capability, with the team taking on a number of new initiatives to bed down their learning, and Phase 3 focused on bringing strategy to life at the team level. It was a huge undertaking to try and squeeze so much learning and growth into a small period of time. But there was visible change - courageous conversations, open reflection, adjustment to ways of working, and a recognition from many junior staff that they were supported to influence at senior levels. We have been reflecting on the factors that enabled such a remarkable evolution…? I wish we could say - it was all us! But when we work with teams, it’s a collaboration. We design tailored programs of work. But the application of learnings can only come to life through commitment and openness of teams. The team we worked with today embodied these values and it was a pleasure to support their continued reflection and growth. There are other important ingredients to optimise strategic performance, and we will explore this more deeply in our upcoming blog. Sign up to our newsletter, to be the first to hear about it. 📧🥳 Www.SimpleNimble.com.au

My highlight of last week? The Global Service Centre offsite in Cologne, led by the new Head of GSC Emmanuel CLAVIER. Gathering over 120 teammates together for the first time. We covered many exciting topics:   🏆 Achievements: We reflected on our numerous accomplishments in 2023, especially in delivering best in class Quality of Service (QoS). It's clear that when we focus, we can truly achieve remarkable results.    🔝 Priorities Ahead: This year, we’ll continue to focus on our QoS journey, refine the GSC’s vision, and secure greater visibility for the work done by this tireless team!   📊 Measures: How can we help our QoS measures further evolve in direct link to the business impact? This was the main topic during a challenging Q&A session, which left us with food for thought.   📈 Pulse Check (employees survey): Wellbeing is key! And we’ll continue our efforts to support our GSC colleagues in their wellbeing at work.   📚 Learning and Development: It’s important our teams stay at the forefront of their fields - let’s make the time for more training and upskilling so we can encourage development. 🙌 Fun: we also had some fun together, enjoying a nice dinner and getting to know each other better. Bravo to everyone involved in the organisation of this fantastic event. I know that we’ve got exciting times ahead as we turn these insights and plans into impactful actions!    Emmanuel CLAVIER Claire Seignot Andreas Dietz @Konrad Ebneter Craig Broadbent Karen Snell #OneAXA #ProudToBeAXA #Collaboration #customerfirst

How was your week? After one week of discovery in my new role, I'm am trying very hard not to get overexcited! Next weeks plan is to organise what I've learned so far into immediate priorities, projects for Q1 and strategic plan thereafter. #customerexperience #cxstrategy #weekend

Last quarter, our Employee Success Team (whom are tasked with the critical job of managing Verizon Connect's events, communications and programs that reinforce our winning strategy and culture throughout the year) put on a highly-complex event for People Leaders across 9 countries and 18 offices globally. It was our first ever "VZC People Leader Summit." The planning and execution - from content and multi-media, to engagement and logistics - were extraordinarily complex. To no surprise, the team pulled it off with professionalism and enthusiasm from start to finish. Best of all: attendees rated the event highly-favorably. The space-themed event reinforced VZC's "rocketship" mentality, and reminded everyone of the unique culture we've built as a business - allowing us to have fun while working hard and harmoniously. As we get ready for the next whirlwind event (the infamous VZC Hackathon), I want to give a BIG thank you to the team behind this magic: - the events "everything" expert and pro, Katie Braga - graphic designer, creative and culture genius, Isabella Good - communications and marketing planning extraordinaire, Ashly Dominguez - and of course their extremely-talented team leader, Sandy Petschow (Partyka) ...not to mention, the countless partners and contributors our team relies on everyday. 🚀 #gratitude #employeesuccess #talentedteam

🚀 Midweek Momentum: The Bank Holiday Hustle! 🚀 Hello LinkedIn family! Here we are again—Hump Day has arrived, and despite the recent Bank Holiday, it feels like the week hasn't missed a beat. Isn't it curious how these shorter weeks often seem to demand the intensity of a full five days’ work crammed into four? I spent the extended weekend deep in the trenches at our Brentwood depot, catching up and prepping for numerous new site launches. There’s no rest for the driven! Today finds me back at the mothership—Jangro Ltd HQ in Bolton, right next to the buzzing Toughsheet Community Stadium. A quick shoutout to Bolton Wanderers for clinching a spot in the Play-off finals—what an electrifying atmosphere here! I’m in Bolton for our regular Group Development committee meeting, where we plot the future growth of Jangro. We’re brewing some exciting developments in the background, and I can’t wait to share them with you all. Later tonight, I'll be heading south to Shrewsbury, gearing up for an early morning rendezvous with Chris Martin at CMYKUK to explore some nifty new printers for our production team. Always on the lookout for tech that boosts our efficiency and creativity! And speaking of tech, I'm eagerly anticipating next week's adventure at Interclean Amsterdam. It promises to be a whirlwind of meetings, reconnecting with old friends, forging new partnerships, and diving into the latest industry tech and products. Here’s to a super-productive rest of your week. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries, embracing challenges, and celebrating every win—big or small. Keep up the fantastic work, everyone! #HumpDay #Jangro #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #Networking #ISSAAmsterdam #KeepPushing