It’s always busy at Advo; always packing lots into our working week. Here are just some of the February highlights…
Advo goes for IIP Gold
The main event last month, and into March too, is our Investors-in-People reaccreditation. We are hopeful to retain our Gold. The whole process is an ‘under the bonnet’ look at Advo as an organisation. We like to think we practice what we preach but now we have an outside expert taking a close look at everything we do in support of staff and as a well-run business. Starting with confidential staff questionnaires, followed by face-to-face one-on-one interviews with randomly selected staff and an extraordinary amount of factual data it really is a top-down review. We are hopeful to retain our Gold status, something few organisations achieve, but let’s wait and see!
Visit from a thoroughly nice chap.
We were privileged to have Rob Henderson, former British and Irish Lion, drop by Cobdown House to explore crossovers between Advo and his consultancy firm. While there he signed a Lions shirt for Alison Gill’s grandson, a super fan. What a thoroughly nice chap!
Website Updates, Reviews and SEO
Over the last few months Advo has been working to get the message out to Kent Businesses that we should be the ‘home’ for all payroll and HR needs. We have had some great client Google reviews, our thanks to all who put ‘pen to paper’, and some great success with our SEO work with the website climbing up the rankings. If you type in ‘Payroll Services Kent’ we have a good showing! We had new photos added to the website too (header Pic), which is part of the ongoing project.
Monday Night Football
We always try to have a varied choice of staff events. This month this included a great night out to give support to our neighbours, the London City Lionesses, in their FA Cup match against Spurs. Although a fantastic and exciting game the Lionesses were unlucky loosing 8-9 on penalties.
Masterclass on Benefits
We believe we have a great benefit’s package for Staff, but often the additional benefits, support and training opportunities go under the radar. We try to focus on one benefit each month, almost like a Masterclass, so people can get the most out of each, but this month Nic Draycott, our Operations Manager gave a complete overview. We feel that it is important for our people to understand their value.
Cobdown House Updates
Work continues unabated at our Head Office Cobdown House. With the horrendous weather the focus has been inside. The new infrastructure is in place and so the reconstruction continues with decorators following the plasterers. As a commercial building the regulations are deservedly onerous, often at odds with the original building design, but to date all has been overcome. We will have different parts of the house, with long-term tenants, board room hires and hosting events. It is our aim to create a new business hub for Kent.
With such a grand house, it’s high ceilings and staircases, and with decades of neglect it’s a big endeavour, but results are starting to happen as we move from room to room. You can see the chosen colour scheme for the older parts of the house. Newer parts will have a more modern feel. Egyptian Cotton walls and Jazmin white ceilings in the old parts are looking great. Flooring next!
Upcoming Events for March
A couple of events for the diary. Advo are one of the main sponsors for the Business Junction Spring Expo on 10th March. Hosted at Shoreditch Town Hall Advo will feature in panel discussions, podcasting and presentations. More on this soon.
We are also featuring at the West Kent Expo. As Gold sponsors it is our aim to start to get the word out about Cobdown House and the opportunities it presents to Kent Businesses. Our Facilities & Estates Manager, Cricket Brookfield and Colin Middleton, our IT expert, sport the next ‘must have’ fashion accessories, Cobdown House Polos and sweatshirts. Although Cobdown House is owned by Advo we believe this lovely Victorian house should have its own identity and brand. More on this next month as new websites and marketing is launched.
March is shaping up to be another busy month. We will bring you more Advo news as it happens… Check out our Linked-In and news pages.