Thursday September 22, 2016
By Nisha T. Naidu
There is something different about working in a vibrant office, and that something is usually beyond what the eye can see. The interior of a workplace is reflective of the corporate culture that takes place within, and speaks volumes of the organisation’s mindset as an employer.
Previously in our Cool Offices series, myStarjob.com featured an array of workspaces that range from colourful to rustic to homely, themes that match their company motto and organisational culture.
Trendy workplaces such as Ikea, Leo Burnett, Maxis, Lazada and KFit, have made the cut prior to this, and our next stop is multinational property investment and construction company Lendlease.
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Sydney, Lendlease specialises in township construction and development, and has grown in to a large corporation that operates out of 10 different countries today.
The working culture at Lendlease
The dedicated human resource team that serves Lendlease Malaysia headed by Agnes Tan (second from right).
Lendlease’s working culture goes hand in hand with the values that the organisation puts in place, which are safety, customer focus, sustainability, innovation, and diversity & inclusion.
“For Lendlease, instead of just having values we make sure that employees can see visibly how we practice these values, within and outside the office. Our workspaces illustrate the value of collaboration” said Lendlease head of human resources in Asia, Agnes Tan.
Another example, Tan highlights, is the aspect of safety. Lendlease not only emphasises on physical safety, but there is also a growing emphasis on the importance of mental support, says Tan.
“Lendlease has implemented a Global Mental Health First Aid certified program, where carefully selected staff are trained to identify and lend a helping hand to colleagues facing personal or professional challenges.
"They are the first line of people that their colleagues will approach to share the challenges they face.” says Tan
As a growing multinational company, Lendlease is in the habit of pursuing the upskilling of its employees too.
Discussion areas in Lendlease exude an informal vibe to promote collaboration.
Says Tan: “We work with the line managers to proactively forecast the type of hires we need. We believe a lot in strategically planning our workforce, and we pave clear career paths for our employees.”
Lendlease also has a two-year graduate programme aimed towards fresh and young talent who wish to learn about the organisation and industry.
“We are less hierarchical than traditional organisations locally, candidates must be resourceful, are self-starters and have an ability to influence others (even without formal authority). More importantly, they must also be aligned with our values and principles,” says Tan.
Among the benefits that Lendlease employees enjoy are flexible working hours that can be adjusted according to the demands of their individual lifestyles and work responsibilities as well as plenty of learning opportunities that allow employees to expand their skills laterally.
Apart from that, there is a strong emphasis on staff welfare in Lendlease. Under Lendlease's Integrated Health and Wellbeing programme, employees are given three days of “well-being leave” on top of their 22 days annual leave to pursue activities that contribute to their personal wellness.
“We purposefully differentiate these three days of leave to give the message to our employees that health and well-being are important, and that they should take these three days to attend to that.
“This helps to reduce sick days by giving our employees time to alleviate stress and take part in a wellbeing activity, and return to work more engaged, healthy and productive,” said Tan.
On top of that, a corporate app called Renew promotes healthy competition among employees to get fit, by collecting points based on your fitness activities. The app monitors your movement and fitness level and allows employees to redeem vouchers and other rewards once they have accumulated the prerequisite points.
Lendlease’s office space
Fruits are provided to staff on a weekly basis, and the varieties of fruit are rotated to ensure their employees get all the nutrients needed.
Bright and vivid in colour, Lendlease’s office in Menara Binjai, KL follows the company’s international blueprint that has been put in place in terms of office design.
Yellows, turquoises and lime greens are some of the colours observed throughout the workspace, reflective of the open, transparent and collaborative culture that the organisation values.
Seen between blocks of workstations are open discussion pods, where teams are encouraged to conduct open discussions and brainstorm.
Natural daylight is harnessed in the two-level workspace where possible, keeping to their core value of sustainability.
Health junkies would approve of the daily goodies in the pantry. You’ll find no junk food here, only sugar free wholemeal biscuits, an assortment of fresh fruit, and the usual beverages.
Private meeting and discussion rooms are also available, complete with a striking colour scheme and a high-tech and paperless reservation system.
Lendlease is hiring!
Think you’re the right fit for the industry and culture in Lendlease? Then, we have good news for you. Lendlease is on the lookout for talent to fill in the positions below. Click for more details and to apply.
• Senior / Development Manager
• Senior / Project Manager
Do you work in an awesome office or know of one? Email the details over to editor@mystarjob.com for an opportunity to be featured on myStarjob.com! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook to keep up-to-date with our latest insightful articles and career advice.
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