Every company that is ranked in the Europe’s Best Multinational category has offices in multiple countries. But one of them has more than 450 locations in Northern Europe alone. With their ‘quality vision and hearing for all’ philosophy, Specsavers serves – among many other countries – the UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands. And this year, 92% of their 4,900 employees in Northern Europe called Specsavers a Best Workplace.
Managing Director of Specsavers Northern Europe, Richard Owens, explains his philosophy for ensuring that the Specsavers vision remains on track. “In general, you can’t train someone to have different values, so we make sure to recruit people who are truly aligned with our values and behaviors. Our five Cs guide our behavior: collaborative, curious, courageous, compassionate, and commercial. But those five Cs constantly evolve in terms of what is expected of our leadership.”
Siv Skovgaard is a Sales Assistant at Louis Nielsen – the Specsavers brand in Denmark. Siv and Richard’s philosophies are fully aligned. “The values have become part of everyone who works here,” she begins. “I felt those values when I found Louis Nielsen while looking for an apprenticeship – I felt the openness right away. I was even comfortable telling them I’m dyslexic during our first conversation. It made a huge difference that I could be so open.”
Richard says the best advice he ever got was to surround himself with people who challenge your thinking, and always ask plenty of questions. “Being curious and seeking different perspectives is key to being successful. Often, the quietest person in the room has the great ideas. But unless you ask the right questions, you might never hear them.”
Richard attributes their great Best Workplaces score to the fact that Specsavers is, at its heart, a family-owned business. “Our culture, values and behaviors have supported an open, caring, and trusting culture for decades. Last year, we also made a global commitment to further enhance our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) agenda. Our ambition is to create a workplace where we are all proud to belong.”
Beyond simply being proud of being ranked on Best Workplaces lists, Richard says the Trust IndexTM employee surveys are an annual lesson – and a kick in the pants. “We listen to the feedback from the Trust Index surveys. We use it to adapt our way of working and office spaces. I read every single comment that colleagues add – whether it’s a store colleague in Finland, a Partner in Sweden or a support office colleague in Denmark. Thank goodness for Google Translate! The feedback is extremely valuable. It creates clear areas of focus and connects to our business plan for leadership."
Siv says that the same level of commitment can be felt in the stores, too. “Partners aren’t just bosses. We’re all on the same level and they never act superior to us. They take out the trash and empty the dishwasher. We gather for evening meetings with food and wine, there are great employee events and social activities too. Partners aren’t afraid to invest money in helping us bond as a team.”
Siv says that this urge to move forward trickles down to the stores, too. “I think many of my friends feel a bit stuck in their jobs. They remain stagnant. At Louis Nielsen, you can try it all. I could become an Optical Dispenser, an Optometrist or a Partner. There are so many possibilities. And I’ve got so much support, I’d never have to do it alone. Even if I become a self-employed Partner, I know I’ll have all the support I need to make it a success.”
Want your global company to feel family-owned? Ready to spread your services across borders, time zones and cultures? To be a Best Workplace like Specsavers/Louis Nielsen, you’ll need a strong culture, a business plan led by your values, and a formula that ensures that no matter how many times you replicate it, it remains as fresh, new and inviting as your very first location.