By Martin San Jose, C.E.T., Director Human Resources, Scovan
Culture is a living entity that ebbs and flows with the evolution of an organization. Good culture is organic – it’s defined simply by the people who live within the office walls or the shop floor. It is how people feel when they come to work every day and how they feel at the end. It is a sense of fulfillment, belonging and purpose. It is more than a gesture, a ping pong table, or a poster on the wall. Culture is being together – learning, growing, and disrupting for the better. It is facing challenges together as much as celebrating victories, big or small. Lastly, culture is more than one person or a small group of individuals. If we’re to truly live out our culture to our very core, it needs to involve each and every member of our collective team.
Over the last few years, we have evolved and transformed. Some aspects of our evolution were intentional, while others were necessary for survival. We head towards the end of the year with a completely new look, united under one brand. The formal merging of Scovan Engineering and Gemini Fabrication sparks a lot of excitement, new opportunities, and new challenges. This isn’t a bad thing, as with challenge comes growth and innovation. And at Scovan, we like challenges.
Geographically, our engineering headquarters stands two hours away from our fabrication and manufacturing headquarters. So how do we transform these unique cultures? It is not a matter of abandoning what we were or who we are. It is about evolving our culture, building upon what has made us unique and adding elements from our newest team members, departments, and committees to it. This is an opportunity to learn from one another and understand and appreciate different perspectives. Diversity only adds to the strength of an organization.
Great culture is not stagnant. Great culture fosters growth, creativity, camaraderie, and family. Now, remember, when I mention culture, I’m referring to the people that make up that family. Both Scovan and Gemini have a history of facilitating unique and dynamic cultures, so the question isn’t, “how do we combine our two cultures into one” but rather, “what foundational element are we basing our culture on moving forward.” Immediately, I gravitate towards a culture that not only puts an emphasis on people but also builds upon a culture of courage.
Without courage, we wouldn’t have progressed to where we are today. Without courage, we wouldn’t have come together to forge a path toward developing our ESG strategy, integrated projects, and innovative product lines. There wouldn’t be any form of collaboration, nor would there be any disruption. Without courage, there wouldn’t have been the birth of our innovation incubator, Fresh Fridays – which has seen well over 100 initiatives ranging from technology, standards, training and social subjects. And lastly, without courage, there wouldn’t be a bold, exciting vision – one that inspires and grabs the attention not only of our colleagues but the entire energy industry.
Fortune favours the bold. Our fortune comes in the form of our talented people who make up the identity of Scovan. Take the exceptional high-skilled craft workers, superintendents, and fabrication experts on our team and anchor them with a strong corporate services, business development and engineering operations team, and you have a formidable force. Add in an overarching culture with a foundation built on courage, accountability, innovation and good vibes – and you have an unstoppable force. Our united Core Values resonate across the office and shop floor with an emphasis on having the right people in the right seats.
Figure It Out – be accountable and lead by example. Commit to getting the job done with a focus on quality and results.
Disruption for the Better – challenge the status quo with a conscious effort to make things better from a different point of view. Take risks without the fear of making mistakes.
Good Vibes, Great Energy – have unconditional support for one another with a strong sense of accountability and ownership. Operate in a fun and safe capacity, be receptive and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Work Hard – be passionate, be relentless and take ownership of your work. Never give up, drive and persevere.
While there is no secret recipe for cultural transformation, there is simply a purpose to evolve. We aim to grow, learn and move forward as one unstoppable force. And in the spirit of disruption, Scovan has not only evolved as an organization, but we have and will continue to evolve as one family.
Originally published in Scovan’s IGNITE Vol. 5
