Extra holiday and cash windfalls are on the cards for employees at building materials supplier Southern Sheeting after they were recognised with Long Service Awards.
Five team members, who have collectively been with the company for 40 years, have been rewarded for their hard work and dedication in the annual scheme.
Celebrating employees and making them feel valued has always been important for the family-run business, but it is especially crucial now as the company expands and sales increase.
Sales manager Dan Hill has been with the company for 15 years and has received £2,000 and two days of extra holiday, while yard supervisor Gary Brehme, who has been with the company for 10 years, went home with £1,000 and two additional days of holiday.
Further long service awards for five years went to contracts manager Garry Osborne, delivery driver Lee Syratt and yard operative Craig Vatcher, who all received £500 and an extra day of holiday.
Dan said: ”Southern Sheeting has always been a company with plans to expand and where you have the opportunity to progress your career, which makes it an exciting place to work and where you want to stay.
“I’ve always felt valued working here and I know everyone else feels the same. That feeling of being valued flows from the top down, from our managing director Tony who goes above and beyond to make sure everyone knows their contribution matters. The Long Service Awards are just one of the ways Southern Sheeting shows that it cares.
“Even though the business has grown a lot over the years, it still has that family-run and friendly atmosphere which is very hard to find. You never feel like you’re just a number here. We’re all so lucky that as a team we get on really well.”
Gary said: ”I’ve been yard supervisor at Southern Sheeting for 10 years now and I love my job. The customers are great and there’s a fantastic vibe at the business.
“It’s friendly and still feels like a family run business even though it’s grown so much since I joined. There’s a real sense of camaraderie here.
“Southern Sheeting is expanding and growing its customer base – we have never been so busy, but they still find the time to take care of the team, which is what makes a great business.”
Sales overall rocketed by 33 per cent in 2020, and it has also expanded the ecommerce side of its business, seeing website traffic increase by 127 per cent last year.
Tony Hobbs, Managing Director, Southern Sheeting, said: “Celebrating our long service awards gives everyone so much joy and we take a lot of pride in making our team feel valued for the contribution they make to the business.
“Our team has already expanded by 40 per cent to meet the growing demands of our trade and domestic customers as the construction and home improvement markets boom. But we never want to lose the family-run and friendly atmosphere that makes Southern Sheeting special.”
