Introduction

My first 30-days at Responsiv have been an insightful learning opportunity into the company and the industry. I am grateful for these productive early days, and I look forward to and feel prepared for the next 30-days to be hands-on, taking full responsibility over my team, and deepening my practical experience in the IT industry.

Starting Out at Responsiv

Shadowing the Delivery Manager, I got familiar with all the responsibilities which comprise my role. These include onboarding and off boarding associates, and running ongoing recruitment campaigns to fit Responsiv’s expansion and need for scalability. I will be supporting my Project Manager in running projects, taking on the management of resources by allocating scheduled timelines and regular check-ins.

At Responsiv, we have many exciting projects for high-profile and high-value clients in our pipeline. Delivering these projects on time and supporting clients with great customer service whilst staying within budget constraints is a high priority, and part of what sets us apart. Fulfilling this expectation will require my full attention to ensure everyone is doing their part and are on target.

At the end of my first month, I can say without hesitation that every member of the Responsiv team, no matter their role, is working towards this goal.

As with any SME and/or start-up, challenges are a regular and expected part of the working day. Everything you do will have an impact on the rest of the company.

I have found that the challenges affecting me are:

Juggling work responsibilities and achieving professional certifications
Shortages of staff (see great resignation post)
Onboarding new joiners, as I myself am still relatively new to the business and industry

Training and Opportunities

Responsiv value education and recognise, and embrace, the fast-paced nature of the IT industry. Professional certification and keeping on top of technological advancements is crucial for our staff, ensuring they remain knowledgeable in their work. This provides us with the expertise and confidence necessary for our clients, granting assurance and building trust around our consultants and management team. I am looking forward to achieving IBM certification in Business Analysis, a course that has been a challenge to study alongside work and family life. However, the flexibility Responsiv provides in regard to training opportunity and priority reassures me that I will accomplish this without issue.

Another responsibility of mine for the coming weeks is the welcoming of our university starters in August. We are making sure a detailed plan is in place for the structure of their placement year, with the desire of loading them with the knowledge and experience that will aid them both at Responsiv and their future careers.

This can be challenging for SMEs in comparison to larger organisations who have established practices and programmes for students managed by dedicated departments. Regardless, I have the privilege of mapping their journey from the ground up, something I am excited to do.

Great Resignation

Shortages of staff and IT talent in the UK is unfortunately a common occurrence since the pandemic. All industries are suffering. It is important to Responsiv, as any business, that we hire people with the right skillset and attitude to fit into our environment.

People here need to feel ownership of their responsibilities and have a ‘can-do’ attitude. As we are a relatively small team, if two or three members are absent on leave, deadlines and workloads are affected. This impacts project delivery. So far, despite market shortages of applicants, Responsiv endeavours to finish projects earlier or on the deadline, ensuring time is available for any ad-hoc changes, as well as client satisfaction.

It is impressive!

Life at Responsiv

Apart from serious work, there is also a fun side to Responsiv. This definitely sets the mood and keeps everyone motivated. There is a pub lunch every month, where all staff get the chance to take a month end break. This is accompanied by an adventure/team-building social every two/three months where staff enjoy golf, go-karting, etc. after work, as well as other social events like team cycling afternoons where staff enjoy a cycle to the pub for drinks and a work-free chat.

These events are good ways to build strong relationships across teams and, even more importantly, sends the message to our staff that members of the management team are approachable, friendly, and fun to work with.

So Far and Going Forward

Overall, I am happy working at Responsiv for many reasons. Especially due to the work-life balance everyone is enjoying here, and the ability to manage my own time – making more effective use of my time at work. I am looking forward to furthering my journey at Responsiv and cannot wait for more challenges to come along.

I would like to thank everyone for the support and patience they showed me in my first month. With the number of questions I asked, I can imagine the headaches I caused, yet everyone was absolutely brilliant in helping me in any way they could!