Fostering collaboration lies at the core of our company culture. Our company’s strategies and goals are not only determined by our board but also by listening to our management team, promoting transparency, and creating opportunities for teamwork. Managers regularly engage in various forms of communication with their teams, such as informal catch-ups, 1-1’s, team meetings, performance reviews, collaborative projects and tool-box talks. In 2024, we launched a comprehensive training programme for all managers, to enhance their ability to conduct effective 1-1 sessions with team members. This initiative underscores our commitment to develop open communication across Managers and team members, promoting idea sharing across teams, and facilitating open communication and collaboration.
Whether it’s through our transparent culture or through honest conversations during employee 1-1’s, all employees are encouraged to discuss their contribution to business performance scorecards, openly share their ideas and remain aligned to business goals. Additionally, our company holds quarterly All Hands meetings where our senior leadership team presents updates on the company’s progress and strategies. All employees are encouraged to participate and provide feedback through live polls, ensuring alignment of company direction with the collective opinion of the entire team.
Everyone at our company is encouraged to contribute to our collective journey, understand our goals, and collaborate based on our shared values. Through our open and flat structure, where you can sit beside our leadership team in our open plan offices, we welcome suggestions for improvement and encourage employees to refer candidates who align with our company’s values and possess the necessary skills for current job openings.
We have also introduced our new employee Intranet, to facilitate seamless collaboration across all our employees. The platform enables file sharing, collaborative work on documents and presentations, knowledge sharing and communication of best practices. It serves as a valuable tool to enhance teamwork and productivity across SMS Environmental.
Together, we strive to create a positive and collaborative work environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute to the company’s success.
Because of our values….
Our values are deeply ingrained in everything we do. We believe in recognising and rewarding our team members through various channels; such as peer nominations, annual performance reviews, and quarterly core values champion rewards, which include exciting prizes like retail vouchers and weekend getaways. We are dedicated to identifying and nurturing talent within our organisation, with a special focus on leadership development through our 5 module Leadership Essentials management training programme; which covers all aspects of great leadership, across Leadership styles; providing constructive feedback and reviewing your team; leading impactful 1-1’s and enhancing team performance; how to recruit through values and how to continue self development as a motivational manager. Looking ahead to 2025, we are furthering our people development initiatives, ensuring high potential and recently promoted employees partake in the roll out of our 2025 Leadership Essentials and we will deliver further training programmes.
Transparency and accountability are at the core of our ethos. We consistently share our one-year plan, quarterly rocks, three-year strategy, vision, mission, and updates on our key performance indicators through quarterly All Hands, recruitment processes, new starter inductions and in team meetings. Our regular updates ensure our company remains engaged with our vision. We praise employees who consistently deliver outstanding results. Our annual reviews not only measure individuals against their role scorecard but also rate them against our values. Through effective manager training on how to conduct productive team member reviews, our HR team have also led multiple, open Q&A sessions so Managers can ask questions about how to complete the best quality of reviews for our people. We cultivate a culture of mutual responsibility and appreciation that promotes a positive and forward-thinking atmosphere company-wide.
We are committed to supporting the career growth and advancement of our team members, empowering them to pursue fulfilling and rewarding careers. Through initiatives like our multi-module Leadership Essentials programme, City & Guilds Assured training, Neuroscience based coaching with Heads of Department / Directors / SLT to lead with authentic impact, and mentorship opportunities from experienced staff members, we equip our teams with the skills necessary for continuous learning and professional development.
Illustrating this, Michael Crook, CEO, proudly states: “I am proud to say that 85% of our Board and 86% of our Senior Management Team are home-grown talent we have developed from entry-level roles to leadership positions.”
We cultivate a culture of inclusivity and support, where every team member is encouraged to freely share ideas, experiences, and perspectives. We prioritise open and honest communication through quarterly employee eNPS satisfaction & wellbeing surveys; 360 feedback in our annual review process; Newsweek Most Loved Workplace annual surveys and our Investors in People survey every few years. Through open-door policies and our surveys, we ensure every voice is not just heard, but truly valued. Employee feedback is listened to and we respond.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are deeply committed to fostering equality and celebrating diversity (both of which are at the heart of our SMS Environmental’s strategy).
We recognise that investing in all our teams are paramount to delivering exceptional service and enhance our customer service and delivery.
SMS Environmental is committed to inclusivity and diversity, with a renewal of pledges that support the company’s ambition. These pledges are reviewed regularly and used to measure success towards this goal.
SMS pledges:
To invest in leadership development to develop the best managers in the water industry
To recruit and retain people that live the SMS values, creating the best work culture
To deliver career paths and development plans for everyone at SMS
At SMS Environmental, we understand the importance of work-life balance and personal growth. We offer a range of professional development opportunities, including training programmes, mentorship initiatives, and career advancement pathways. Additionally, we provide support for personal goals, such as flexible work arrangements, employee assistance programs, and special accommodations to promote physical and mental well-being. We believe that when our employees thrive both personally and professionally, they bring their best selves to work every day.
As an accredited “Investors in People” organisation, all staff at SMS Environmental receive comprehensive training and support to enable them to achieve their goals and contribute to the company’s continued growth.
“SMS Environmental is honoured to be awarded an ‘Investor in People’ certification for another year. We are extremely proud of our highly talented and highly talented specialists. Their dedication to providing outstanding customer service is recognised and celebrated, and we remain committed to ensuring the best personal development of every member of the team.” David Clift, Chief People Officer
Our values are not just words on walls – they are the fabric of our culture and engrained in all we do. Shaped through employee interviews, from those who already showcased our SMS values, we created our values based on our best team members. These values represent our people, culture and collective identity across everything we offer. Each quarter, we recognise our Core Value Champions, with team members carefully selected by our SLT based on their embodiment of our company values.
When it comes to recruitment, we hire candidates who are chosen not only for their skillset and experience, but also for their cultural fit and commitment to our core values. Each manager has received training on how to recruit by values, through our Leadership Essentials programme. This focus ensures all employees, from new to long standing, align with our company values from day one.
Employees are rewarded when they are nominated and demonstrate any of our company values.
Our values are not just for us – they serve as a beacon to inspire, shape and influence not only our teams, but also our wider industry, driving positive change and improved outcomes on a global scale.
At SMS Environmental, we create a Loved Workplace through various programmes and practices that prioritize employee well-being and happiness. Our offerings include:
Employee Assistance Programme: A 24-hour helpline to support staff through life’s challenges.
Work-life balance: Discouraging overtime and promoting quality family time to ensure employees do not rush through tasks.
Leadership Framework: Focusing on rising stars within the company and providing growth opportunities through our 5 module Leadership Essentials training programme
Internal Mobility: Encouraging identified team members to explore other areas of the business (Account Managers often spending 6 months integrated with the risk assessment team).
Business Coaches: We’ve established a unique partnership with a neuroscientist and business coach, offering employees not just traditional business guidance, but also cognitive insights. These resources create a safe space for discussing both work-related and personal matters. Employees have quarterly meetings to encourage regular interactions and support. Additionally, our board approves and supports more extensive coaching sessions whenever employees need them. This comprehensive approach in coaching reflects our commitment to employee wellbeing and growth.
Advanced Approach: Prioritising employee retention and happiness over profit margins to deliver the highest quality.
Annual Performance Reviews: to encourage career development, shares success, realign career aspirations, and form development plans to achieve career growth against our company goals and values
Team Member 1-1’s with Managers to identify success, confirm growth opportunities and deliver through a trusted, open environment to resolve problems, share ideas and bridge gaps
Established partnerships with the River Thame Conservation Trust and Tree Appeal to support conservation activities and tree planting initiatives. Through financial support and charitable activities, we are helping to ensure the sustainability of programs that benefit wildlife habitats, water quality, and climate change mitigation. Additionally, our community engagement efforts demonstrate our commitment to making a positive impact beyond our business practices. Our mission is to make a positive impact through the environment and in the ethos of everything we do to ensure our operations reduce carbon, such as the introduction of our Electric vans in our 2024 fleet and focus on our values to be the best out there.
Engagement in charitable activities such as volunteering with the River Thame Conservation Trust, participating in MacMillan Coffee Morning and Save the Children events.
These programmes and practices, combined with a comprehensive benefits package, foster a caring, supportive, and motivating workplace where employees thrive.
Our CEO, Michael Crook’s, leadership is fuelled by ambition; pushing boundaries of excellence, and driving teams to be better than they were yesterday. Forging a clear organisational strategy and direction to achieve business goals, and a culture rooted in internal promotion, exemplified by his journey from Water Treatment Engineer to CEO, he drives continual improvement to ensure the best for all our employees. Forming our new SLT of 7, from 6 internal promotions, with a focus on structure, clarity, and accountability, to launching scorecards to ensure everyone at SMS has accountability , to spending time in the field listening to our customers to ensure the best quality service and to initiating Heads of Departments attendance at SLT meetings, he ensures every layer of SMS is aligned and engaged.
Fostering a mindset of creativity, innovation and continuous improvement, Michael ensures everyone at SMS has a voice. Through launching quarterly All Hands meetings where employee questions get answered, formalising our core values from employee interviews, instilling values led people initiatives from hiring to retirement, initiating eNPS and wellbeing surveys where he listens to employee feedback, launching our annual performance review process, and peer nominated core value champions; he leads a flat structure where our SLT sit in an open plan office where anyone can suggest new ideas and collectively problem solve. He values that every employee at SMS is an expert in their field, and prioritizes people development, launching initiatives like our 5 module Leadership Essentials Manager training, Neuroscience & Psychology led coaching and continual internal promotions, to ensure his commitment to people development, team mindset, growth, and retention. Furthermore, he promotes employees to work smarter, not harder, by investing in new systems like BambooHR, Access Financial and HubSpot CRM, to lay the groundwork for sustained organisational success and growth.
At SMS Environmental, we pride ourselves on offering unique benefits, bonuses, and compensation packages designed to reward our employees for their hard work and dedication. Examples of what we provide include:
Benchmarked Base Salaries: All employees receive benchmarked salaries against industry standards, ensuring fair compensation for their contributions.
Commission and Bonus Schemes: In addition to base salaries, employees can earn additional income through commission and bonus programs.
Enhanced Leave Entitlements: Employees receive an additional day off to celebrate their birthday, along with increased holiday entitlements.
Employee Assistance Programme: Free access to a 24-hour helpline for support on both work and personal issues.
My SMS Scheme: Exclusive discounts and benefit schemes for employees encompassing food, technology, holidays, fashion, and gifts.
Overtime discouraged: We emphasise work-life balance and ensure time for family by not encouraging overtime and preventing employees from rushing through tasks.
Employee Sick Pay: Offering a comprehensive sick pay package to support employees during illness or other health-related issues.
Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Packages: Generous parental leave packages to provide additional support during new family additions.
Employee Pension Scheme: Our comprehensive pension plan helps employees plan a secure future.
Private Medical Insurance or Alternative Cash Plan for all employees following 2 years service.
Cycle to work scheme
Electric Car scheme through salary sacrifice
Financial Advice phone / virtual meeting service
Travel Planning / virtual meeting service through salary sacrifice
Smart Technology scheme through salary sacrifice
Long Service rewards
We continually evaluate our benefits to ensure employee satisfaction and maintain our position as a market-leading water treatment company.
SMS Environmental provides water hygiene services to enable clients to meet their statutory obligations with regard to Legionella control. SMS also provides products and services that have synergy with the core business, such as other water treatment services, other water sampling, air sampling, air conditioning, ventilation hygiene, and other building services.
All SMS services are tailored to individual organisations. Our expert advisors visit clients to discuss requirements and create a service package to meet their needs.
To replace traditional methods SMS has developed Opuz, our unique compliance maintenance software application. Opuz is a market leading certified system which enables SMS and our clients manage assessments and record keeping online. Opuz ensures record keeping is managed in real time and brings peace of mind to our clients. Data is secure and at our fingertips for monitoring, analysis and reporting.
In addition to these services, SMS offers environmental control training courses, consultation services and we can even help you write your water treatment policy documents.
Harwell, Oxfordshire
Utilities
Gavin Harris
0 - 1000
https://youtu.be/PS1yCL15fA4 (The past)
https://youtu.be/MKbIY17ahkw (The present)
https://youtu.be/7a1uVvuR-1k (The future)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyMLfpIWZPk (Core Values)
