JobsAndCareersWithJamesCaanAutumn2016 - 41

Y

ou might not have heard of
SIG, but there's a good chance
you've been in a building
the company has helped to make,
maintain or renovate. That's because
SIG is one of Europe's leading
distributors of specialist building
products. A FTSE 250 company with
10,000 people in 18 countries and
more than 700 trading locations - it
has certainly come a long way since
its founder started selling insulation
from an old ice cream van in 1957.
SIG has seen huge growth and change
over the years, but its people have
remained a key differentiator in the
marketplace for the company.
In fact, more than 30% of its UK
employees have at least 10 years' service,
including UK and Ireland Managing
Director, Rob Barclay, who originally joined
the company as a 27-year-old External
Sales Executive.

A clear direction
SIG's ambition is simple: to be the leading
specialist solutions provider to the
construction industry. The company has
a clear strategy for achieving its goals
- and recruiting and developing great
people is a big part of it.
The journey for new employees starts
with a group induction programme to
help them understand the business, its
strategy and the company's values from the
outset. Giving everyone this ﬁrm footing,
regardless of where they're located, is
part of SIG's Stronger Together vision,
with everyone across the group working
together and sharing best practice.
Stronger Together is an important part
of the organisation's culture and is what
makes SIG a great company to work for.
In fact, when SIG surveyed all its
employees in 2015, more than three
quarters of them said they were committed
to staying with the company.

F OR TH E
L ONG H AUL

When George King joined SIG in
1990 as a warehouse operative, he
didn't realise that 26 years later
he'd be a UK Sales Director sitting
on the board of SIG Exteriors, one
of the organisation's operating
companies. 'I'd started my career
on the roofs, and then went into
running the yard, then sales,
branch management, regional
management and then became
Divisional Sales Director and on
to the board,' George says. 'It just
shows we can all progress our
career working for SIG.'
As part of his rise through the
company, George was managing
two branches by the age of 21. He
credits his success partly to the
various opportunities he's been
given, like presenting at a national
conference only four years.
However, he says his colleagues
have also played a big part: 'The
people we work with are why I'm
still at SIG. The camaraderie and
friendship you make over the
years is very strong within the
business and we all have one goal,
which is to be successful.'

SIG offers a
whole range of
other employee
benefits but a big
'thank you' to each
other is important

Core values
There's no doubt that when you think of the
construction industry, fun isn't the ﬁrst thing
that springs to mind. But it's one of the
core values at SIG alongside trust, respect,
integrity, commitment and teamwork.
Importantly, these values weren't
decided by leaders at the top of the
business; they were carefully crafted by
engaging with employees and getting their
views on what makes SIG special.
Now they are the guiding principles by
which the company's people work with
customers, suppliers, communities and,
of course, each other.
These values are celebrated through
the company's Values in Practice 'ViP'
scheme. This scheme recognises people
who go the extra mile in their role by
consistently demonstrating the SIG
values. Of course, SIG offers a whole range
of other employee beneﬁts like bonus
schemes and a share incentive plan, but
having ViP as a way for people to say a big
'thank you' to each other is important.

A career of SIGni�icance
From Delivery Drivers to HR professionals,
sales people to Warehouse Operatives and
graduates to experienced Managers, SIG
recruits people with a variety of skills and
backgrounds. It puts a lot of emphasis on
developing them to be at their best.
For those working in branches, health
and safety training is especially important.
Other training will be role-dependent, so
it could be about developing sales skills,
logistics capability or product knowledge.
For those just starting out on their career,
SIG also recruits a number of graduates
and apprentices and provides tailored
training for them. These programmes focus
on attracting and developing high-calibre
people who are capable of growing into
SIG's future leaders.
So, whether you're taking your ﬁrst
steps or seeking a change, you can build
a rewarding career with SIG.
With 10,000 people in 18 countries, SIG
offers a world of opportunities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 0114 285 6300
Visit sigplc.com/careers
Email recruitment@sigplc.com
Graduate and apprenticeships:
Email talent@sigplc.com
http://www.sigplc.com/careers
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