There can’t be a better way to launch an Employee Handbook than talking to a much-valued member of the team. All the photographs in this book are the handiwork of Steven M. Wiggins. Steven joined BUILDHOLLYWOOD in June 2021. Full-time, he spends his working week photographing sites across London, traversing the length and breadth of the capital taking pictures that don’t just showcase specific displays but also evoke the shifts in atmosphere and energy attendant on our diverse urban culture. Steven’s photography is hugely valuable to the company, both as evidence of displays for clients but also a constant source of imagery that the BH family can use for communications and marketing purposes.
Steven M. Wiggins
BUILDHOLLYWOOD
STEVEN M. WIGGINS
What do you enjoy most as a photographer?
Capturing unique moments and people.
What would you say is your area of special expertise?
Probably environmental street photography and portraiture.
What photographers or other creatives have influenced your work?
A Serbian photographer called Boogie (born Vladimir Milivojevich, 1969). His work is gritty, dark and very in your face but he does a great job of capturing people in impoverished surroundings. I also like how he doesn’t self-censor his imagery. Many of his photos feature people posing with guns/ weapons, graphic drug abuse and others who are just caught in pretty hopeless situations.
What’s your background or training?
I’ve never really been taught photography and I don’t really come from any kind of creative background; I just bought a camera one day and started taking photos.
What would you say are the characteristics of a successful photographer?
Having a strong understanding of composition, being aware of your surroundings, observant and being able to talk to everyday people.
What has been your favourite BUILDHOLLYWOOD project and why?
Probably the ‘Your Space Or Mine’ collaboration with photographer Vincent Chapters. I’ve always loved his work and it was great to have a hand in collaborating with him as well as seeing his work be put up around town.
Can you talk us through a couple of your favourite pictures from your personal projects?
The first one’s called ‘Youth 2017’. I took this photo at the Notting Hill Carnival of that year. It’s always been one of my favourite photos. Every time I look at it I get reminded of the energy the group in the photo were giving me. It’s not posed, it’s more candid but because they’re all looking into the camera while jumping around it just creates a unique situation. There’s a lot going on in that photo. The photograph titled ‘Happy Meal’ (I took this in the area I grew up). Everyone always thinks the subject is crying but he just had an infection which causes his eye to stream. I took this when I didn’t really know anything about photography but it’s probably one of my best pictures.
Your photography is predominantly done on the street - what do you love most about the city?
Probably how varied it can be. We have sites all over the city so it’s interesting going from the inner-city areas to the trendy areas, to the touristy areas and then further out to the edge of London with green spaces, etc. All these places have very different demographics and vibes, yet it’s all still the same city.
Youth 2017
Happy Meal
Welcome from the boss
Our story
Art college > actors & anarchists > drama teacher over an empty school in Chelsea > students become actors > musicians build sets > decide to make cuts > lose all funding > no film equipment > DIY Tim Roth’s Mum > Charlie Gillet > bank loan > expression of everything > BUILDHOLLYWOOD a good film > sight & sound review > see where with investor > the diorama theatre > squat > alternative up posters to promote small comedy nights > > more comedy > more posters > more requests crew from BUILDHOLLYWOOD film join poster growing and evolving > promote all major new with same audience > own sites on the streets fly posting to council approved sites > support a totally different street media company is born, streets and the importance of creativity >
BUILDHOLLYWOOD
teacher > the clash lyrics > a collective > take become teachers > the unemployed become make a film > a year in the making > Thatcher’s
DIY > Art School attitude > find investors > > collective make the movie > no narrative an
the film is made > it’s not what you would call where it goes > nowhere > loses money > debt alternative comedy > Roland Muldoon > put asked to do more > move to Hackney empire requests > more fly posters > pay off film debt > poster company > start making money > constantly new music releases > brands want to connect streets of 11 UK cities > asbo > move from illegal sites > support young artists and creative communities > born, built on a genuine connection with the BUILDHOLLYWOOD
We love cities
cities
We are BUILDHOLLYWOOD
– the creative street advertising specialists.
Not so much the corporate, controlled, concrete and glass metropolis but our social and diverse urban spaces – lively places where unexpected encounters await just around the next corner. Our cities are magical, brimming with all sorts of people, lifestyles and culture, all culture. We think that’s something to celebrate.
OUR PURPOSE
To be at the forefront of creative street advertising worldwide; to bring art and culture to our cities.
OUR MISSION
To be a catalyst for street campaigns that effectively connect with communities and add to the vitality of our cities.
Established
We are the UK’s leading creative street advertising specialist, with operations in the UK, Europe and the USA.
We work from four offices and two warehouses where we develop and manage our street poster network of over 10,000 spaces across 12 major cities and a Creative Studio that provides inspiring fabrication and installation services. This network gives our clients and partners a dynamic and creative platform for their music, fashion, art and brands. The BUILDHOLLYWOOD sales team includes DIABOLICAL, JACK AND JACK ARTS, who specialise in their respective sectors of music, fashion/ lifestyle and arts. Sitting next to these agencies, we have UNCLE who are the international flyposting experts.
In Manchester, BUILDHOLLYWOOD has a dedicated printing facility, RIVERPARK PRESS, that produces 10,000 posters weekly to exclusively serve our clients and partners.
in 1993
Alongside our commercial work we have been curating and hosting what could be described as the country’s biggest ongoing creative project on the street, Your Space Or Mine. Completely funded by BUILDHOLLYWOOD, it is an initiative to give artists and creatives a unique platform in the public realm.
The idea behind this project is not only to support the creative community, but to also use our street space to inspire and energise local neighbourhoods. We believe art and culture should be for everyone and made accessible for all to enjoy.
Utilising our in-house expertise and talent, we play to our strengths which includes: a deep knowledge of our streets, cities, arts and culture, combined with quality production, print, 3D fabrication, creative concepts,
project management, event management, poster display, curation and creative partnerships. We offer an end-to-end service with a multidisciplinary team of creators and makers, ensuring every project is handled with skill and care. From idea generation and concept development to production and installation - our talented team are the backbone of every project we undertake.
By keeping everything in-house, we can offer an exceptional service, and we are always focused on delivering the very highest project standards.
BUILDHOLLYWOOD is wholly committed to prioritising safe, sustainable and ethical practices. We are always developing, always learning and always improving in these areas.
OUR VALUES:
AUTHENTIC CARE COMMUNITY CURIOUS GROW
Authentic
We believe that we are at our strongest and most creative when everyone can be their authentic selves. We treat everyone with respect, share our differences and unique perspectives, and feel proud of them. We are confident to pursue our passions.
Inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging
We’re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we’re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong.
We are committed to actively building on our culture which is rooted in us all belonging, somewhere where we can all thrive and grow.
Our priority is to create an environment where people feel safe with inclusive policies and practices and equal opportunities.
This is more than a set of guidelines it is a way of being and we will always strive to do more.
This mindset extends beyond the business and into our work, the street is a place that presents an opportunity to be inclusive and accessible, without walls or fees to view. It is a privilege to be able to gift this space and actively fund projects to promote work by communities, charities, artists and organisations to play our part in creating a sense of belonging and wonder in our cities.
The original word on the street
BY ADRIAN BURNHAM
Ade has been with the business at many of it’s most important moments and in this, his most recent chapter, he is our Senior Arts Co-Ordinator and also manages his Flying Leaps enterprise in conjunction with BUILDHOLLYWOOD.
‘Authenticity’ can be an elusive concept, but one interpretation goes like this: someone is authentic if their actions are true to their values. Do our decisions and actions reflect sincere choices, ones true to ourselves, rather than socially scripted responses?
It takes gumption to get posters up on the street. Okay, it’s not rocket science, but initiative, enterprise, ingenuity and persistence are all key qualities in a professional flyposter. And, of course, it’s a practice that didn’t start out as a ‘profession’ but rather a calling, a necessity.
Originally you could say it’s the paper and paste equivalent of a town crier. Someone has something to say so they get up off their tush and put the word, their word, on the street. The individual agency afforded by flyposting is a big part of its attraction and its longevity.
Shepard Fairey, who wheatpasted his way to art stardom with the noughties ‘Obey’ posters, would argue it’s a low-tech activity that provides creativity without compromise, there’s no gatekeeper to reject you, it’s a pure manifestation of what you want to say whether people like it or not!
Commercial flyposting is synonymous with thriving cities. How would anyone know, for example, that my pies were better than yours without telling them? So, whether it’s advocacy, art paste-up or professional posting in the service of culture or commerce, flyposting is a time-honoured pursuit.
Charles Dickens wrote about interviewing the ‘king of old school bill-sticking’, he had knowledge of the trade going back to the 1780s. It’s a flyposter by the name of Blazes Boylan who cuckolds
Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s modernist classic Ulysses. A flyposter is the central character in Vittorio De Sica’s 1948 Italian neorealist film ‘The Bicycle Thief’.
More recently Malcolm McLaren argued that to outlaw flyposting would leave the control of culture in the hands of only those who could afford it, “To ban flyposting will be another arrow in the heart of our ability as a society to accommodate contrary points of view.”
Pursuing passions
As part of our authentic value we refer to “Pursuing Our Passions” here some of the team talk about theirs.
John Knowles
HEAD OF BILLPOSTING AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS
BASED: London Warehouse
STARTED: 2022
My friend recommended meditation it to me, and it quite quickly became a huge part of my life. I was a regular at the Buddhist centre in Bethnal green. An amazing building just on the corner of Globe road where I went to school.
The courses on Saturday afternoons were amazing. Since becoming a dad and the pressures and worry of bringing them up, I found myself relying on meditation to keep me focused, live in the present and take control of my thoughts when they run away from me.
When I meditate regularly, my life just takes a shine, and I can glide through the day that bit easier. My favourite mediation is around gratitude. I firmly believe that no matter where we are in life, if we can be grateful for what we have then we will be ok.
Pinar Sevilmis
ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
BASED: London Head Office STARTED: 2023
My passion for collage-making blossomed into Pindex Studio, a handmade jewellery brand I started right in my living room. Years of cutting up everything I collected fuelled my love for storytelling in tiny images. After six months of experimenting, I found a way to turn this practice into jewellery making. Each charm is handmade with a visual story - maybe olives with beer, or a coffee date with a croissant and love letter. The BH family’s support for this passion project means a lot to me. It’s more than a brand; it’s a wearable story, and my therapy.
Kevin Graux
ASSOCIATE BUSINESS DIRECTOR
BASED: London Head Office STARTED: 2009
Back in 2020, I decided to learn about astrophotography. I’ve always had an interest in space and often wondered how the incredible photos we see of the cosmos are taken, so I started to research the kit and software I’d need, and quickly realised it’d be a good challenge.
Before I knew it I was aligning an equatorial mount, synchronising online star maps, and navigating celestial coordinates, to aim cameras at various objects in the night sky.
It’s a great nerdy mix of science, art and technology, and a calming way to keep things in perspective. Keep looking up!
Ashley Ashton
Mike Clough
HEAD OF PRINT OPERATIONS DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
BASED: Glasgow Office STARTED: 2021
One of my lifelong passions is gaming and quizzing, from video to board games, pub quizzes and all things trivial. Anyone who knows me can attest to how competitive I am –even if I’m just watching The Chase.
Whilst I love that it can be a wee ego booster at times, more so I find that it’s a fun way to keep my mind active, learn new things and socialise with others.
BASED: Manchester Warehouse STARTED: 2018
Each year I take part in an endurance challenge on behalf of various charitable causes. Over the past few years I’ve completed the Lake Windermere marathon 2022, Lake District 100km in 2021 & 2022 and Lake District 50km in 2023, raising money for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis and Refugee Action. I love doing it because it benefits my physical & metal wellbeing alongside raising much needed funds for the great work being done by my chosen charities.
Care
We take care in what we do and we are meticulous in the execution of our tasks. Caring for our craft is what sets us apart from the competition. We care about the world around us and how we affect it, we strive to reduce our impact, make positive contributions and improve the environments we work in. We care about our own wellbeing and each others. We provide support, knowledge, and empathy where we can.
Care for our craft
At BUILDHOLLYWOOD we put excellent client service at the fore, always delivering high standards in this area means that we can be proud of our work and we make a lasting positive impression with our clients so that they return to us time and time again.
We all play our part in delivering this excellence, it is a shared responsibility. We take pride in our efforts, strive for the highest standards and continuously seek ways to improve.
Our managers are dedicated to providing you with tailored training, support, and the resources necessary to help you do your job, grow your skills and to deliver and maintain these high standards.
Here are some tools and resources to get you off to the best start:
PRESENTATION SKILLS
Book onto a presentation training session with one of our Sales teams to enhance your public speaking and presentation skills.
HOW TO GET ORGANISED
Read this article for valuable tips on how to stay organised and manage your time effectively. We work in a busy environment and organisational skills are essential to ensure nothing is missed.
MICROSOFT EXCEL
Excel spreadsheets can have many different uses and provide a clear way to organise, track and analyse information and data. Check out Microsoft support for some bite-sized tutorials to advance your Excel skills.
IHASCO
This is our online training platform providing an extensive library of accredited courses - courses include anything from Health & Safety, Compliance and Soft Skills training. Check out what is available here
MICROSOFT 365
The Microsoft package is the backbone of our company communication and organisational tools. We use it for email, group chats, creating and storing documents and much more. Book yourself in with our IT team to help you learn how to use it best in your role.
ASANA
Schedule a training session with George Dolan from our Creative Studio team to master Asana and streamline your project management. These sessions run every Wednesday at 9.30am at our London HQ.
Care for the around us
We are dedicated to sustainable work methods and minimising our environmental impact.
From painstakingly disassembling each project to recycling the paper, wood, screws and materials we use, to ensuring we use materials that are best suited to the job with the highest environmental credentials, and that we think about how we can reduce the miles travelled to reach us, and ensure that we recycle carefully and effectively. This is a constantly evolving process for us as new knowledge and new materials become available. We are committed to continuously including them in our methods.
We have been awarded the ISO 14001, which is the international standard related to environmental management. It is a system that helps us to minimise how our processes affect the environment, comply with all applicable laws and environmental requirements to continually improve on the above.
world
Our responsibility as a business
Corporate social responsibility is a framework that helps a company to be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. This framework guides our actions as a business to contribute to the overall good, to ensure we always think ethically and responsibly and about how we can positively impact the society around us.
We are building our own BUILDHOLLYWOOD Corporate Social Responsibility plan that will focus on these five areas:
– Sustainable and regenerative sourcing
– Decarbonising
– Promoting diversity and inclusion
– Health and wellbeing
– Reducing waste
Care about our wellbeing
There are many ways to support your wellbeing at work. We run a programme of talks and events throughout the year that focus on good physical, emotional and financial health. We want to cultivate an environment where people feel they can be open and heard about any challenges they are facing. Your manager or the Head of People and Culture are always available to talk to you about any support you may need.
These resources below are also available to support and nurture your wellbeing:
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (EAP)
We have a free and confidential EAP with Canada Life available to all employees and their immediate family members. The EAP is there to cover a huge range of support to help you navigate difficult life challenges and events. This includes access to 10 counselling/therapy sessions. You can all contact Canada Life on 0800 79179330 or alternatively access their apps - WeCare, myStrength and Toothfairy. You can access these via your work mobiles. Our access codes are: E35102 or E35103.
NABS
As a charity partner of ours, we really value the support NABS give to the advertising and media industry. NABS is a charity that offers expert, impartial and friendly advice to those working in the industry. They’re completely free to use and it’s a confidential service. They offer resources such as one to one coaching, a confidential advice helpline and career advice and masterclasses.
You can check out their website here further information.
Community
We are part of something bigger than ourselves, one team and one community with a common goal and purpose.
We each play our own important part but cannot thrive without each other. We are present and engaged for our colleagues. We recognise our role and influence in building a positive community, caring about how we speak to one another, the way we make each other feel and the support we give one another.
Community at work
We are a company based on the street and the city with community and culture at the heart of everything we do.
Our cities are Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, New York, Paris, Sheffield and Swansea.
We work out of offices and warehouses, on foot and in vans.
We really value being together, working alongside each other means we can support each other, grow and learn from one another, create and share ideas and pass on our knowledge. Being together creates energy and creativity and we should be present in our communities and with one another.
All of our workspaces are open Monday to Friday, we are in 5 days a week and offer remote working on the occasions it is conducive to doing a great job and supports the wider business goals.
LONDON HQ
15 Duncan Terrace, London, N1 8BZ
LONDON WAREHOUSE
Unit 12, Gateway Trading Estate
Hythe Road, London, NW10 6RJ
MANCHESTER OFFICE
1st Floor, 40 King Street Manchester, M2 6BA
RIVERPARK PRESS -
Unit 2, Norbury Court, City Works Ashton Old Road, Openshaw Manchester, M11 2NB
EDINBURGH OFFICE
Sierra Metro, 13-15 Ferry Rd
Edinburgh, EH6 4AD
GLASGOW OFFICE
100 Eastvale Place Glasgow, G3 8QG
Supporting communities in our cities
We believe that creativity, culture and community help build a positive and creative society. Through our longterm interest, that stems from our heritage and history, we continue to get behind initiatives and causes that are important. This helps us to engage with communities that reflect our cities and to provide a platform on our streets.
Here are a few organisations we have proudly supported, working hand-in hand to make a positive impact.
WAR CHILD
Since 1993, the charity War Child has been helping improve the lives of children affected by conflict.
SISTER MIDNIGHT
Supporting a new communitygenerated cultural space.
WALTHAMSTOW FC
Grassroots team Walthamstow FC have built a brotherhood for players and coaches alike.
WORLD REFUGEE DAY
- celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees.
BIG CREATIVE ACADEMY
Working with young people in further education supporting their creative journey.
JEREMY DELLER THANK GOD FOR IMMIGRANTS
Raising funds for Refugee Council & Revoke.
WELSH BALLROOM COMMUNITY
Providing a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community to come and learn about the Ballroom scene.
US.MAN.DERE
Collective championing creativity, driven via the exploration of Black British history.
QUEERCIRCLE
Art and calls for social change occupy the streets.
SAFFRON
A Bristol based organisation makes the case for equality in music.
S.M.I.L.E-ING BOYS
Kay Rufai has been bringing together a research-led mental wellbeing project for Black boys.
FESTIVAL CITY STORIES
Some of Edinburgh’s leading festivals created posters platforming stories from their work with local communities.
REWILDING RAVES
Climate Action Together with Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
Curious
We are always asking questions and learning whilst doing. We celebrate the gaining of knowledge for personal and professional growth. We keep ourselves well informed. We are collaborative and embrace alternative viewpoints and innovative approaches. We respond to the creativity in the world around us.
Always asking questions
asking
Use your Outlook Contacts or Peerdom to find everyone’s contact details
You can also see where everyone works, what team they are in and what they do by exploring the BUILDHOLLYWOOD Peerdom
No question is too big or too small: what is the meaning of life? Where are the biros? We are all here to ask and answer questions of each other.
To get you started with where to go for what, here is a list of our team managers.
BUSINESS SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Michael Chesters
CREATIVE STUDIO
George Dolan
DIRECTORS
Tim Horrox
Emma Clackson
FINANCE
Carmelle McAree
LEGAL
Martin Campbell
MARKETING
Khaly Nguyen
STREET TEAM UNCLE
Ian Wingate
PEOPLE
Ellie King
PRINT OPERATIONS
RIVERPARK PRESS
Mike Clough
SITE DEVELOPMENT AND PORTFOLIO
Anna McAree
HEALTH SAFETY QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENT
Gary Gordon
Chris Cooke
OPERATIONS
Billposting and
Maintenance Operations
John Knowles
Distribution Operations
Kate Garvey
Uncle Operations
Monica Argenton
Warehouse Operations
Ismail Masters
SALES
Business Development
Jayne Andrew
Conor Pathan
Diabolical
Kristela Phillipou
Jack Amelia Bath
Jack Arts
Mia Baker
Jack Arts Scotland
Charlotte Black
Uncle
Lily Thorne
We respond to the creativity in the world around us
We asked members of the team to share where they go for inspiration and creativity and here is what they said:
CREATIVE LOCATION PRODUCER
BASED: The Carwash STARTED: 2020
SUSAN HANSENNUART JOURNAL
FIFTHWALLTV
MARKETING DIRECTOR
BASED: London HQ STARTED: 2015
ELEPHANT.ART
I-D.CO
CULTED FASHION EAST
DAZED DIGITAL
NOWNESS
Khaly Nguyen
Damon Borley
Isla Hannigan
ACCOUNT MANAGER JACK ARTS SCOTLAND
BASED: Glasgow Office STARTED: 2022
THE LAST BOHEMIAN’S PODCAST
Women in the arts and culture world who have had extraordinary lives and careers and are often less recognised for their work, share their stories.
THE GREAT WOMEN ARTISTS PODCAST
Celebrating artists with inspiring and informative discussions. I enjoy listening to this while working and find the interviews accessible and varied.
NTS BREAKFAST SHOW – W/FLO
I love to listen to this in the morning, it’s a great mix of music, very calming, and I always discover something new!
THE SKINNY MAGAZINE
Great local platform in Scotland that covers all things arts and culture in Glasgow, Edinburgh & Dundee. It’s a great way to keep in the loop both personally and for work.
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR DIABOLICAL
BASED: London HQ STARTED: 2019
PODCASTS SONG EXPLODER
A podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made.
SIDETRACKED WITH ANNIE & NICK Add To Playlist
MUSIC NEWS CRACK MAGAZINE
MIXMAG
PITCHFORK
Kristela Philipou
As a company based on the street there is no better way to keep well informed on what we do than to get out there and visit our spaces, our cities and our colleagues.
We can help you arrange a site tour or a premises visitask your manager for details.
Aim for at least 2 visits and site tours a year.
Grow
We take ownership of our careers, set ourselves goals and thrive on being challenged. We are ambitious and we see effort as necessary to grow. Individual success is all our success. We seek out learning and embrace feedback. And we enjoy the journey.
Growing as a business
Growing with the company
We want to support your journey of growth and set you up for success to progress in your careers.
To be able to do this we all need time for self-reflection, feedback, and clarity on our goals.
Here at BUILDHOLLYWOOD, we have an annual review cycle, where everyone will receive a formal review with their manager twice per year, first in January and March and then a follow up in July and August.
The process consists of the following:
– A one to one session with your line manager.
– Feedback from our peers to develop a well-rounded and holistic approach to feedback.
– Goal setting using SMART, a specific and measurable approach to setting goals.
– Follow up notes, support and actions.
You can access all our review forms here.
We also support internal moves across the business. They’re a great way to encourage our culture of learning and help you grow your skills. All open positions are visible on our website and reminders are sent out in our monthly newsletter. Once you have been in your current role for 12 months you can apply for any role you see advertised.
Reach out to the People Team for a confidential chat and they’ll talk you through the process.
Growing your skills
We think it’s important that we all have access to learning and development opportunities to support our growth. On top of ‘on the job learning’ we also offer a variety of internal and external training and workshops.
TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS:
– Team dynamics
– Presentation skills
– Owning your own development
– Mentoring
– Daybook and Nightbook
– Business development
– IPAF
– Forklift
– Ihasco training sessions
– Asana know how
Reach out to your manager if you are interested in any of the above. They’ll be able to provide you with further information and support you with booking a session.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, so let your line manager know if there are other training options you would like to explore. We’re always open to hear them and will treat them on a case-by-case basis.
Managers training opportunities
Managers play a pivotal role in driving our success and nurturing a positive workplace culture so to support our managers, the following training opportunities are available:
1. FIRST TIME MANAGER
This is a compulsory workshop for all new managers and is designed to support new and aspiring managers in building the foundation skills of good people management.
2. BUILDING EMPOWERED TEAMS
This workshop has been designed for experienced managers who are looking to build autonomy and accountability within their team.
3. REVIEW AND OBJECTIVE SETTING
4. COACHING AND MENTORING
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Our people are our greatest
The People team are here to support you through every step of your journey with us, from your very first day to your professional development and beyond.
are greatest strength
Without you we couldn’t function
We aim to provide you with the resources, guidance, and support you need to succeed.
We have a secure self-service system, PeopleHR, where you can do anything from edit and amend your personal details, book in a holiday and see your payslips. You can also access PeopleHR via the app. You’ll have an induction to the system on your first day where we will show you how to log in and how to navigate the system.
Whether you have questions about benefits, need assistance with career development, or advice on workplace concerns, we are here to help.
Our aim is to keep our culture supportive and special.
You will be paid in arrears monthly by bank transfer on the 28th of the month, or the nearest working day if this falls on a weekend. You can find your payslips under ‘Documents’ in PeopleHR.
We offer a salary sacrifice pension scheme with Royal London. You’ll automatically be enrolled when you join us. Royal London will send further information to you in the post within your first 3 months.
For any payroll related questions please reach out to payroll@buildhollywood.co.uk.
Benefits
Here are the basics, although we are sure you will find plenty of other benefits to working here along the way:
ANNUAL LEAVE
Holidays: 25 days holiday per year, rising to 26 days at 2 years and 27 days at 3 years and 30 after 5 years service.
Birthday leave: A day gifted each year for your birthday.
Mental health awareness day:
One days paid leave in May in support of Mental Health Awareness week.
Group life assurance scheme: With Canada Life.
Death in service: The scheme will pay the families of employees who pass away a lump sum of 2x their basic salary.
Travel allowance: We know that life can be expensive, more so now than ever so we offer support with travel costs where we can.
– Personal mileage allowance on company vehicles
– London commuter costs contribution
– Company loans for season tickets
Company bonus: A discretionary bonus to share in company success.
Leave: Enhanced, sick pay, maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
Group income protection: If you are unable to work due to sickness or injury after 12 weeks you will be entitled to make a GIP claim of 50% of your annual base salary.
Candidate referral bonus: We have a Referral Scheme for all our open job positions. We’ll pay £500 to you if who you nominate successfully lands the role and passes probation.
Community day: One days paid leave each year to volunteer.
Moving day: One days paid leave to move house.
SALARY SACRIFICE SCHEMES
Cycle to work: Available to permanent employees, or those on Fixed Term employment with at least 12 months or more in length of service.
Electric car salary sacrifice scheme: Like Cycle to Work, but for electric cars. Save 40% off the cost of an electric car with Octopus Electric Vehicles.
Flexible working
We understand the need for flexibility to help us manage our workflow, work-life balance
and personal circumstances.
We believe that there is not a one-size fits all approach to flexibility, and due to the diversity of our roles approaches to flexibility will look different to everyone.
For those working in desk-based roles you’ll find us working from our spaces four days per week. Ask the people team for information on our flexible working approach.
For all staff, we encourage you to speak with your manager if there’s any flexibility you may require. We will always strive towards taking a position of empathy and care when considering your circumstances and where possible and within the realms of your role support you where we can.
If you wish to make a formal request to alter your work pattern please contact the People Team.
Social
There are times we can come together as a team and as a company. They are something to get excited about and here are some of the ways we get together:
WHOLE COMPANY
Annual conference and seasonal celebrations.
IN YOUR HUBS
Monthly get-togethers to let your hair down with your colleagues.
BIG BIRTHDAYS
When you have a milestone birthday (one that ends in an ‘0’) we gift you a voucher and a budget to celebrate with your colleagues. The size of the budget depends on how long you’ve been with us, and we ask that you choose an activity that is inclusive and can be shared.
VOLUNTEERING
We encourage all our employees to utilise their volunteering day to give back to our community through an initiative of their choosing. In 2024 we partnered up with Refugee Community Kitchen in London and Sow the City in Manchester and sent some of our staff to volunteer with them for a day. If you want to get involved reach out and we can help connect you.
FUNDRAISING
For anyone who undertakes a fundraising activity for a registered charity the company will donate £250 and support your efforts to fundraise.
What to do if you can’t make it into work
We appreciate that sometimes in life, unprecedented situations just happen. Here is the process to follow for such moments.
TOO UNWELL TO WORK?
If you’re absent from work for any reason that hasn’t previously been authorised, you must contact your manager no later than one hour before your start time on the first day of absence. Please ensure you explain the reason for your absence and your expected date of return.
EXTENDED SICKNESS
If you are absent for longer than 7 days (including non-working days) you must provide a Medical Certificate (‘fit note’) from your doctor on day 8. Thereafter, fit notes must be provided to the company for the duration of your absence.
MEDICAL/DENTAL APPOINTMENTS
Where possible, you are required to arrange any medical or dental appointments outside of your working hours. In the event you have recurring medical appointments, it is at your manager’s discretion to accommodate your request.
All absences must be logged in PeopleHR. Our Sickness Absence Policy can be found here
You can find all of our policies here
PEOPLE
Advice and guidance on what is expected from you, how you can expect to be treated, and how you can access support, help and guidance.
HSQE
Our commitment to health and safety workplace practices and practical help and guidance on how to keep you and your teams safe. We are also proud that we have standards in place to ensure that we are meeting our environmental objectives. Here you can find our overall intentions and direction.
We feel confident you will be happy
confident happy here
But here’s what to do if you aren’t
Our culture is built on trust, mutual respect and kindness and we believe that a positive working environment and good working relationships are a minimum, and imperative to all our wellbeing, engagement, and success.
To support a positive work environment for everyone, and to help us ensure that any workplace issues, concerns, or disputes can be resolved in a timely, supportive, dignified, and proactive
manner, we’ve created a Resolution Policy. This policy covers both informal and formal disputes and is in line with best practice (for example the ACAS code).
Our Head of People and Culture, Ellie King, is on hand if you want to talk through anything. Her details are:
ellie.king@buildhollywood.co.uk 07961 862283
IT
Our tech is a crucial component of our success and our IT team play a pivotal role in ensuring that our systems and infrastructure runs smoothly and efficiently. The team are here to provide technical support, develop and maintain our IT systems, and drive technological innovations across the company.
Whether you need technical support, have questions about our IT systems, or are looking for innovative solutions to improve your work processes, our team is here to assist you.
IT support help@buildhollywood.co.uk
Daybook/Nightbook daybook@buildhollywood.co.uk
If your role qualifies, you will be given a work laptop and work phone for business use, as well as be given access to our internal systems. You’ll be asked to sign a Mobile Device Policy when you join. This is a policy that ensures the responsible use of our equipment and will be used to action any loss or damage to the equipment. We ask that you treat all company equipment provided to you with great care.
Finance
Financial management and planning helps us to plan, invest and grow. Our Finance team are crucial in maintaining our fiscal health and provide strategic financial guidance to support our company’s growth and success. Whether you have questions about budgeting, need assistance with invoices, or you need advice on day-to-day transactions our team is here to help.
We’ll arrange for you to meet the Finance team when you join. However, if you need any further help you can book in a training session with the team by emailing accounts@buildhollywood.co.uk.
Below you can find guidance on some of our key finance processes. The Finance team are on hand if you have any questions.
Internal Finance Processes
Travel and Expense Policy
Fleet
Our fleet is a vital part of our business. Our vans are the operational backbone to enabling our teams on the street to deliver our work efficiently, safely, and on time.
If you’re provided with a company vehicle, we ask that you familiarise yourself with all our fleet policies. These policies provide clear guidelines on vehicle maintenance, driving conduct, and reporting procedures, ensuring that every aspect of fleet management is handled responsibly and in line with legal and regulatory standards.
To learn more about how to properly care for our fleet and contribute to our sustainability goals, please refer to the Fleet policy.
If you have any questions or need any help, please reach out to Navajo Kaloki, Fleet Manager. His details are:
navajo.kaloki@buildhollywood.co.uk 07539 053710
Marketing tools & resources
Here you can find the following marketing tools:
Internal presentation template
Enhance your presentations with our branded template.
Letterhead
To make sure that all your communications have a professional look with our company letterhead.
Comp slips
Use our comp branded slips for informal or professional notes.
Fonts
Access our approved fonts to maintain brand consistency across all documents.
LinkedIn headers
Update your LinkedIn profile with our branded headers. Please familiarise yourself with our Social Media Policy to ensure you’re aware of the right guidelines to follow.
FURTHER LINKS
WEBSITE
buildhollywood.co.uk
buildhollywood.co.uk/your-space-or-mine
SOCIAL instagram.com/buildhollywood linkedin.com/company/buildhollywood
