A reflection on my first year at Unit4

Monday, 10 February 2020. The day I started a new chapter of my life, my first day at Unit4.

I use the word ‘life’ intentionally. For me, a move away from the organization I had worked and grown at for almost 20 years was a courageous leap, not just in the professional sense, but in every aspect of my life. I had proven my abilities, established how I added value, was a trusted advisor, and I had not only built and nurtured great working relationships, I had made meaningful friendships.

I chose to join Unit4 as it seemed like the perfect place to prove myself outside of my comfort zone. It was an organization that had big ambitions, was going through enormous transformation, and, crucially, put people at the heart of everything it did. It was this cultural fit that most interested me, somewhere I could make an impact, but had similar inherent values to my own.

My nerves on whether I had made the right decision to move were unwarranted. From the moment I stepped foot in the office my instincts that Unit4 was right for me were confirmed.

It really is the little things that make the difference… my manager was out of the country facilitating a global town hall meeting in Stockholm when I started (little did we know that this wouldn’t be happening again for the rest of the year due to COVID-19, but I’ll touch on this later) so I was welcomed on my first day by a colleague who had flown in from the Netherlands to spend time with me. It would have been easy to set up a few calls and leave me to my own devices, but the effort shown in these first few days demonstrates perfectly why Unit4 is so special – it puts People First.

A little over a month after joining, all sense of normality was turned on its head due to the global pandemic. With lockdowns in place there was a new dynamic to contend with; how to be productive, build a new network and make a positive difference while working from home and home-schooling two children!

I was lucky to have had a few weeks of getting to know my new colleagues prior to the work from home orders, as trying to forge connections with people over MS Teams is a tricky task! Unit4 again exceeded my expectations. Virtual Fit4U sessions were quickly introduced (there is a “4U” theme to most of our initiatives, our branding works well!), where I could attend yoga or HIIT sessions, have a chat in coffee mornings, or listen to inspiring podcasts, and thoughtful gifts were sent home to lift spirits. In addition, regular communications were sent from our CEO and CPO informing of the latest news and developments (which as a comms person was so great to see). These messages were not just from a business perspective, but from a people perspective – reinforcing the message that our people are empowered to make the right decisions for their circumstances, whether that be taking time off or working flexibly around their needs.

The pragmatic approach taken by Unit4 to be agile in these times has been commendable. People continue to amaze me with their strength and adaptability – made possible by confident and progressive leadership.

A 2020 year of reflection could easily be swallowed whole by talk of resilience in the face of the worst pandemic in living memory. But what I have witnessed at Unit4 is how to use challenges as a catalyst for inspiration, innovation, and advancement. 

True success comes when you’re not only making a difference for yourself, your organization and your customers, but also your wider community. This is part of Unit4’s DNA. Mike Ettling, Unit4 CEO, often refers to a Zulu phrase Ubuntu “we are what we are because of who we all are”. In my time here I’ve been part of a newly refreshed global CSR program where we make positive contributions around the themes of health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and education – which includes supporting disadvantaged and displaced youth via our partnership with iamtheCODE. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of Diversity, Inclusion and Equality initiatives, and have been given time off as a Day of Reflection to spend time connecting with family, my wider community and discovering differing viewpoints.

Self-education and personal development are high on the agenda. I know that I’m accountable for my own career trajectory, but Unit4 is firmly behind me supporting me all the way. This week I’m attending a session on unconscious bias – just one of many sessions being held in a three week long virtual Learning Festival. It’s programs like this that make Unit4 stand out from the crowd. Every organization worth its salt will have learning programs, but the emphasis on making personal development available to all, in easily manageable sessions, on a wide range of topics, makes it different – in such a positive way.

So, what are my take-aways from my first year at Unit4?

• Be courageous – take a step outside of your comfort zone
• Join in – you can achieve so much more as a collective than as an individual
• Never stop learning – from experts, the amazing people you meet and the circumstances you find yourself in

No organization is perfect, but if you put people first, encourage them to be genuine and foster a culture where they choose curiosity, they will make an impact. It’s these values that attracted me to Unit4 a year ago, and it’s these values that have made my first year, even with the challenges, so amazing!

#Unit4 #Anniversary #Learning #PeopleFirst #Culture #FirstYear