One Issue 12 March 2017

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ISSUE 12 : MARCH 2017

The voice of the Aspire Team - Bringing our community together

WHAT’S INSIDE

THE ASPIRE PLAYERS OF THE MONTH

February ‘17

SKY GARDEN IS THE LIMIT

See page 10 for more on the winners.

WITH MENTORSHIP SCHEMES AND ONSITE SHADOWING PROJECTS, THE ASPIRE TEAM IS NOW BETTER CONNECTED THAN EVER.

READ MORE INSIDE >>>>

READ MORE INSIDE >>>>

AspireAsOne

aspire one team

one vision

ONE MESSAGE FROM

The Steering Committee

LearnAsOne SOMETIMES IT’S HELPFUL TO REMEMBER THAT ANYTHING WORTHWHILE IS DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN. LIFE CAN BE A STRUGGLE, BUT IT’S A REWARDING STRUGGLE. WE SOON LEARN THAT THE MORE WE PUT INTO LIFE THE MORE WE WILL GET OUT.

A great way to improve ourselves is by helping others. What better way to learn than by teaching others and then empowering them?

Aspire provides such a platform for its community, by enhancing employment skills and building self-wealth and confidence. So where do you start? The first step is to decide on what you wish to accomplish. The second is to list all the steps you need to take to reach your goal.

The third is to build an action plan by indicating the dates you will carry out each step. The fourth is to begin following the steps in your plan.

The goal you decide on is yours!

It’s helpful to remain focused on your goals and be ever mindful of your potential and let it energize you. If you still can’t find ways to improve, you might want to question your motives and desires. So, why not change your attitude?

Stuart Linington Managing director, Facilities services

Everyone has many accomplishments and by focusing on them and savouring the pleasure they have brought, we can motivate ourselves to seek even more pleasure than that which we already have. Use positive energy to pull you forward.

I would encourage you all to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead inside and outside the Aspire framework/community and harness the power of your ambition, and then pursue in small incremental steps. Good luck on your exciting journey to achieve your goal!

NEW FOR 2017

LearnAsOne - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOU We are currently working to launch this exciting new project later in the year.

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WE’RE ALL ABOUT YOU A DAY IN THE LIFE THE ASPIRE TEAM AT ONE NEW CHANGE HAVE BEEN LEADING THE WAY WITH A FANTASTIC NEW PLAN TO HELP STAFF CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER.

Reception Supervisor Aileen McKay was recently able to experience the benefits of this scheme first-hand.

Shadowing Sustainability Manager Andreanna Coley (right), she was able to see a completely different side of the One New Change site.

Throughout the day, the two of them visited several retail units and suggested improvements for their waste disposal and recycling procedures. Aileen took this valuable opportunity to ask Andreanna all

about Bywaters’ procedures for other sites and the benefits that came with them. She also experienced how clients were dealt with on a day-to-day basis, as communication is such a vital part of Andreanna’s role.

By the end of the day, Aileen had gained a valuable insight into how all the different roles of the team at One New Change came together, commenting that the exercise ‘most certainly benefits our One Team approach’. Once again, this project has provided an enjoyable, effective method of building lasting connections across the wider Aspire team.

Andreanna Coley

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romoted by onsite Operations Manager Celia Bouchut, the One Team Shadowing Project enables Aspire members from various departments to ‘job swap’, spending a day in a different role.

THE PERFECT HOSTS BASED JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM VICTORIA STATION AND FOLLOWING A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION OF THE WHOLE SITE, 123 VICTORIA STREET HAS PROVEN TO BE AN EXCELLENT VENUE FOR RECENT CUSTOMER EVENTS. But better still than the central location and the tasteful decor is the high standards of customer care the Aspire team has become renowned for.

One of the most recent major events held here was the Taj Hotel Lobby Event late last November.

Offering everything from mulled wine to festive canapés, and combined with the natural good cheer of the staff, the team did a great job of spreading some Christmas spirit. Thanks to their consistent professionalism and enthusiasm, the event was a great success on all accounts. Several of the customers in attendance were so impressed that they wanted to book the venue well in advance for future functions.

Congratulations again to the team at 123 Victoria Street for always coming together to make these events work so well.

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WE’RE ALL ABOUT YOU

THE LS GRADUATE SCHEME

The only way is up JOINING THE LAND SECURITIES TEAM ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER FINISHING COLLEGE, IT IS REMARKABLE THAT JORDON JOSEPH, GARRET O’NEILL AND ALIA HASHEM HAVE ACHIEVED SO MUCH IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. AFTER DEVELOPING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS, WORKING AT SOME OF THE COMPANY’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS SITES, THEY HAVE BECOME RISING STARS OF THE ASPIRE TEAM.

Garret O’Neill and Jordon Joseph outside the iconic 20 Fenchurch Street.

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The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street is a unique space that offers 360 degree uninterrupted views across the City of London. Access to the Sky Garden is FREE, so why not take in the views for yourself.

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tarting as Operations Trainees Jordon Joseph, Garret O’Neill and Alia Hashem began BTEC Level 3 Facilities Management courses together at Westminster Kingsway College. Although much of the work for this was done remotely, they still managed to keep in contact throughout the course, discussing work placements and ongoing projects.

Each of them was also assigned a mentor from Land Securities to oversee their work and offer any advice when necessary. As well as providing them with additional support, this also meant that the three were equipped with all the Aspire values needed to succeed.

The structure of the course was also beneficial in that it allowed all three to experience a range of departments first-hand, including Health and Safety, Health and Environment, Asset Management and Marketing. Having worked in these, Jordon, Garret and Alia were able to considerably broaden their knowledge. This helped them to appreciate how different jobs were related to one another and the collective role they played, and so better prepared them to become a part of the wider Aspire team.

Alia Hashem enjoys a non-alcoholic mocktail inside Greenwood, Victoria’s newest and largest pub. It is just one of NOVA’s great new retail facilities managed by Alia.

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Gentlemen can make Greenwood at Nova their one stop barbershop by booking an appointment at SHARPS, but don’t worry guys, Alia’s skills will be elsewhere!

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After finishing his training in August 2016, Garret has since become an Operations Support Assistant at One New Change, a short distance from St Paul’s Cathedral. Acting as a kind of ‘go-between’ for customers and management, he deals with important queries and does everything he can to act as a bridge between other members of the team. Speaking to Garret about his time spent preparing for this role, he comments that the work experience he had whilst on the course was invaluable, giving him skills ‘that couldn’t simply be taught’. Another advantage is that Garret is now able to continue working with his former mentor, Operations Manager Celia Bouchut, who is also based at One New Change. With this previous experience, they were able to work seamlessly together as soon as Garret graduated.

Like Garret, Jordon has also taken on the role of Operations Support Assistant after graduating in 2016. Now working at 16 Palace Street, part of the Cardinal Place site, Jordon is always ready to step in to help the team wherever he is needed. Aided by his past work experience, he is clearly

able to communicate easily across departments and seems at ease dealing with members of staff regardless of their roles.

Jordon comments that he owes much of this to his former mentor, Operations Manager Ben Thompson, who was not only happy to answer any of his questions but actively provided the advice that has made him so effective in his current role.

Although she worked for her qualification alongside Garret and Jordon, Alia now works as part of the Retail Liaison at Nova. But despite the difference in titles, her role at the Nova site places customer and client satisfaction at the forefront of everything she does there. Following her time spent under Operations Manager Kerry Whitebread and the completion of her course, Alia has become one of the most well-known members of the team, professional on all fronts and more than happy to help when needed.

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What is truly impressive is how naturally the three graduates seem to have integrated into the rest of the team. Although they only spent a short period of time working at 20 Fenchurch Street, both Garret and Jordon show a great rapport with the other Aspire members there. Now, despite working in other locations, they are still immediately recognisable to staff such as Abel Tewelde, part of the onsite Security Team.

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Their experiences in major sites like 20 Fenchurch Street, with its publicly open and very impressive 35th floor Sky Garden, has also helped them to appreciate the scale of the Land Securities London portfolio.

For all the professionalism and teamwork these three graduates bring to work each day, it might be easy to overlook the commitments they make to the Aspire team in their spare time.

Both Jordon and Garret were two of the most prominent players

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at the ScoreAsOne 2016 football tournament last November and all three have attended other events since then, including the recent Christmas party in December.

Considering the three of them have done so much since graduating less than a year ago is testament not only to the support they received during their training but also to their characters as well. We look forward to seeing them continue to learn and move up as valued members of the Aspire team.

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In focus with

ULTIMATE SECURITY, 100 VICTORIA STREET

Flossy Nwofor

PUTTING A SMILE ON EVERYONE’S FACE With her constant cheer and fantastic work ethic, Flossy Nwofor has become recognisable to staff and visitors alike. A highly-regarded member of the Security Team at Cardinal Place, her trademark smile can be seen daily alongside the Front of House at 100 Victoria Street.

Greeting every person who passes through the barriers, it’s no wonder that Flossy has been promoted to the front lines of Land Securities’ main base of

operations. After joining the team a little over a year ago and working across the site on a flexible basis, she has continued to impress time and time again, earning herself the fixed position at 100 Victoria Street that she maintains today.

When she’s not busy being a role model for the rest of the Aspire team, Flossy can be found working tirelessly at home. Even after a long day at work, she still does everything she can to support her family. This includes serving up a delicious selection of home-made Nigerian food each evening, from pounded yam to fried rice and

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various meats. Flossy demonstrates a broad knowledge and extreme passion for this cuisine, taking great pride in her ability as a chef.

Despite all this, she is still able to make time for nights out and parties, taking her renowned smile and winning personality with her wherever she goes.

As someone who embraces the ‘one team’ ethos and shows a clear interest in engaging more outside of work, you can be sure that Flossy will be making an appearance at upcoming Aspire events.

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ASPIRE STAFF RECOGNITION AWARDS ASPIRE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

February‘17

W

O F RE C O ITION

WINNER: Flossy Nwofor - Ultimate Security, 100 Victoria Street

E AT

GN

“FLOSSY EXEMPLIFIES CUSTOMER SERVICE”

CERTIF IC

LAST MONTH SAW THESE PEOPLE RECOGNISED BY YOU FOR EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE AND FOR SIMPLY BEING A GREAT TEAM MEMBER. NOMINATIONS CAN NOW BE MADE VIA THE WEBSITE.

PLAYER

hether they are visitors, customers or members of the Aspire team, dozens of people pass through the barriers at 100 Victoria Street every single morning.

OF THE MONTH

Regardless of their reason for being there, the one thing they all have in common is the warm welcome they receive from Security Officer Flossy Nwofor that brightens their day.

Bringing a perfect mix of dedication and positivity, Flossy has been a joy for the rest of the team to work with.

Estate Security Manager Jef Adams, also of Cardinal Place, comments ‘Flossy exemplifies customer service; she’s very friendly, welcoming and goes the extra mile to ensure she puts a smile on everyone’s face.’

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n the evening of February 1st, the staff of 80 Victoria Street, Cardinal Place, were faced with a dangerous situation when a fire started in one of the lighting control panels.

This might have put fellow Aspire staff at great risk, as well as causing extensive damage to the site.

What made this all the more serious was that Cardinal Place is currently the main base of operations for Land Securities.

Fortunately, a potentially disastrous situation was avoided thanks to the efforts of NG Bailey Operative Craig Ansell. After responding to the initial call, Craig showed great intuition and knowledge by quickly identifying

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the source of the fire, which was located on the third floor, even though the smoke detectors had activated several floors above.

What made this hazard particularly serious was that there were so many electrical devices in the area, meaning a lot of damage could have been caused if there had been a delayed response.

However, thanks to Craig’s efforts and ability to keep a level head in a distressing situation, the fire was effectively contained with minimal damage. He was also able to assist the fire brigade team who arrived onsite shortly after, outlining the measures he had taken and demonstrating great communication skills with the rest of the team.

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O F RE C O

PLAYER For playing such OF THE MONTH a vital role in dealing with this problem, Craig has been nominated by fellow Aspire member George Holt for Excellence and Accountability.

In addition to this, Craig has even received special recognition from Ian Burr, Head of Property Management at Land Securities and Chairman of the Aspire Steering Committee.

Congratulations to Craig for proving himself to be such a valuable member of the team.

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ITION

WINNER: Craig Ansell - NG Bailey, 80 Victoria Street

E AT

GN

“A COOL APPROACH IN A HEATED SITUATION”

CERTIF IC

Even when problems arise or during busy periods, Flossy never fails to provide the same high level of service that has earned her the respect of her fellow members of staff. For her consistent excellence, General Manager David Wickens nominated her for a Player of the Month Award.

ASPIRE WHAT’S ON THIS APRIL ASPIRE ‘BOOK PEOPLE’ RECEPTION Looking for new books at unbelievable prices?... ...Then look no further!

A selection of hand-picked favourites will be on offer with discounts of up to 75% on all items. As if that wasn’t enough, a percentage of all profits will go straight to the Honey Pot charity, which works tirelessly to support young, vulnerable children and their carers.

PLEASE JOIN THE FUN, EVERYONE IS WELCOME Limited spaces - For more info and how to book your team’s place email aspire@landsecurities.com

21ST APRIL / 6-9PM ASPIRE FLIGHT CLUB DARTS COMPETITION

26TH MAY ALL STAR LANES KARAOKE

Flight Club Bloomsbury, 55 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1BS.

Spitalfields Arts Market, 95 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL.

You’re invited to Flight Club, the home of the darts phenomenon, the social experience you’ve been looking for!

Retro-American boutique bowling with burgers, cocktails, karaoke, and a foot-tapping soundtrack. www.allstarlanes.co.uk

For an easy, cheap way to support a fantastic cause or simply to add to your personal library, be sure not to miss this event.

We’re talking a spectacular bar, supercharged darts games and bespoke technology, with a hosting team to look after you.

The Book People will be visiting Dashwood House and One New Change on Monday 10th April and Wednesday 12th April.

•W elcome drink & food provided • Winning team members all receive a medal

UNLIMITED BOWLING & KARAOKE ALL NIGHT

Do you accept the challenge?

D E S O L C NOW WINNE

n i u q e n Man e g n e l l Cha EST 2017

EO CONT ASPIRE VID

WIN

£200

Winning entry receives worth of Gift Vouchers

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IL

I 21ST APR

NCED: FR RS ANNOU

WATCH NOW LIKE AND SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE

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SPRINGING INTO ACTION FOR MENCAP MEMBERS OF THE ASPIRE TEAM WERE RECENTLY PRESENTED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP FIT AND TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY AT THE SAME TIME. On the 9th March, Front of House Receptionists Evelina Philis of 80 Victoria Street and Stevie Syme of 123 Victoria Street both proved that they were more than up to the challenge.

The two of them gave up their free time to take part in the Spring Into Action static bike ride challenge, giving each of them 15 minutes to cycle the furthest distance possible.

This was all to help the charity Mencap reach its goal of 200km to support the hundreds of babies born every week with learning disabilities.

Stevie Syme of 123 Victoria Street

Evelina Philis of 80 Victoria Street

It was great to see Aspire members really giving it their all and getting the most out of the event whilst still raising funds for a worthwhile cause. Account Manager Anine Firing commented that Stevie ‘enjoyed the early morning workout’ while Evelina was able to cycle a total of 7.5 km in her allotted time, both bringing the charity closer to its target.

NJC ON THE SCENE THE NEW STREET SQUARE SITE, LOCATED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE HOLBORN AREA, RECENTLY SUFFERED A LEAK IN THE CAR PARK. Despite the efforts of those onsite at the time, staff were unable to identify the source of the problem.

This may have continued, had it not been for the quick response of Service Support Supervisor Adeniyi Fadiora of NJC. Thanks to his

CONTACT For further information regarding the articles in this newsletter please contact Amanda Heppelthwaite at aspire@landsecurities.com Land Securities, 100 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL T +44 (0) 20 7413 9000 E aspire@landsecurities.com One newsletter is keen to welcome points of view from Land Securities staff and service partners. Therefore, the views expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Land Securities. We welcome contributions whether through social media, email, letters or stories. Please forward contributions to aspire@landsecurities.com

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specialist knowledge, he was able to solve the problem by applying some blue dye to the drains onsite and jetwashing it through. By doing so, he saved customers and staff a great deal of inconvenience and averted what might have become a costly incident.

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