Clients

about ganymede

Ganymede specialise in recruiting the best technical and engineering talent and providing complete workforce solutions to help build and maintain infrastructure and transportation for a wide range of UK clients.

As part of the RTC Group, an AIM-listed recruitment group, Ganymede is a market leader in providing a diverse range of people solutions to the rail, energy, construction, highways and transportation sectors.

With offices strategically located across the country, we provide our clients with the benefit of a national network of skilled personnel combined with local expertise. We currently have over 1,500 skilled staff currently deployed across the country on a daily basis.

We tailor our solutions to suit our client needs. Whether it’s recruiting permanent and temporary technical, engineering and safety-critical roles or providing fully managed workforce solutions of recruitment, training, account management, contingent labour and fleet provision, we work closely with our clients to understand their requirements, keeping their goals in mind every step of the way.

OUR SERVICES

Labour Supply

Our contingent labour services include the recruitment, training and workforce management of safety-critical personnel from our strategically located offices across the UK.

Contract Recruitment

As well as compliant contract recruitment, we provide payroll solutions and a unique IR35 assessment service designed to protect our clients and contractors.

Permanent Recruitment

Ganymede's permanent recruitment processes help you find the best talent for your business and is backed up by our market-leading two year guarantee.

Executive Search

Our executive search service is completely tailored to the needs of your business. Added extras include advanced screening processes and psychometric testing.

OUR VALUES

Ganymede’s core values define what we stand for and how we do things, helping us to provide the best possible service to our clients and candidates and maintain a healthy working environment for our employees.

Socially Responsible

We care about local communities and are committed to attracting and retaining diverse talent. We strive to support charities and good causes and take care of the environment by operating ethically and sustainably.

People Are Our Passion

People are at the heart of everything we do. Through our in-depth recruitment processes, we attract, develop and retain the best people, supporting our clients to deliver projects safely and efficiently.

Taking Pride

Every action taken by the organisation is done with skill, care and pride in mind. This ensures that every level of the organisation is accountable and provides the best possible service.

Delivering Excellence

By continually building upon our vast industry knowledge and working collaboratively with our clients, we always deliver first-class, innovative and tailored solutions with our client goals in mind.

Safety First, Safety Always

Safety is at the forefront of our business operations. Awareness and continuous improvement eliminates complacency and ensures we keep our workforce, industry colleagues and communities safe.

OUR sectors

2 YEAR GUARANTEE

Like many other recruiters, our rebate scheme promises to provide you with a completely free replacement

within 8 weeks. However, nothing we do at Ganymede is standard, and that includes our extended recruitment

guarantee. The Ganymede guarantee enables you to hire with confidence in the knowledge that your recruitment

partner has a vested interest in your success.

BUSINESSES WE WORK WITH

Case Studies

Employer Branding, Attraction and Engagement

What message does your organisation’s recruitment and onboarding activity directly or indirectly communicate about your business?“Employees are our greatest assets”… yet if we have learned nothing else over the last 2 years, what we can clearly see is that, unlike assets, people cannot be bought. Whilst salaries are clearly important (particularly with rapidly rising costs of living), we can all understand that people look for far more than this in deciding where and who they wish to work with.The supposed shift in what people now look for in their employment; flexibility, autonomy, remote working options, outcomes vs outputs, employer concern – is less so a shift, in my opinion, rather an unveiling of the truth, supported by two years of evidence that ‘traditional’ attitudes to working arrangements were easily updated.February 24th was ‘Covid-19 Freedom Day’ in England, where all coronavirus restrictions were lifted, with pressure building for the rest of the UK to follow suit. Hopefully we will all be returning to normal!The question is, what is normal in the workplace in 2022? This is a critical question for organisations to answer and to decide which of the measures they implemented during the pandemic were temporary and which were transformative. And whatever is decided upon must consider the impact it will have on being able to attract and retain the critical talent required to capitalise on the growth opportunities ahead.An organisation’s employees are MUCH more than assets. They need to be attracted and retained with clear benefits that reflect their personal goals and values. These need to be evident in your organisation’s proposition from the very first interaction a prospective employee has with you. Cast your minds back to pre-2020 and you may recall that many sectors were reporting critical skills shortages – the Department for Education’s Skills Needs Survey estimated 210,000 skills-shortage vacancies in the UK in 2019, up 147% from 2011 – this isn’t a situation that has improved! As such, recruitment activity needs to be modernised, focussing upon the candidate (customer) experience to enable you to succeed in hiring the best people for your business.How can your recruitment partner play its part?Quite often the very first interaction a prospective employee has with you, is courtesy of your recruitment partner. How well equipped is that partner to represent your brand? How clear is that partner on the attitudes, behaviours and skills required in candidates to correctly identify who will truly be successful in the role? And how confident are you that your recruitment partner can encourage those candidates to entertain a career opportunity with you?The ONS recently reported a UK record high of 1.2million unfilled vacancies (my colleague Christian Addison’s blog references this here) – competition for talent is as fierce as ever.So, in addition to ensuring your proposition to prospective employees is clear and that your own recruitment activity reflects your organisational values and how you wish to be perceived by future employees, it is imperative that you choose the correct recruitment partner and work with them as a partner to deliver the same.To ensure your recruitment partner positively impacts your brand to your potential new recruits ask yourself whether they are….Defining / re-defining value propositions for individual roles, providing candidates with valuable information about an opportunity beyond a job descriptionAgreeing upon attraction strategy, advertising media and routes to market for target audience, to ensure our clients have the greatest reach to the highest calibre candidatesIntegrating digital solutions to inject pace and accuracy into the selection process, reducing time to hire and improving hiring effectivenessChallenging convention to ensure unique and high impact messages are communicated to the candidate market, ensuring clients remain competitive in a demanding marketStreamlining the hiring process to deliver continuity of assessment and an enhanced candidate experience, giving confidence the process is owned Reporting on candidate feedback, progress and outcomes to inform future hiring decisions and tactics.If they are not, then you may want to reconsider who you choose to partner with for your next requirement because how can you be sure that your new hires are going to be onboard with the ethos and culture of your organisation and fully ready for the task at hand?Many organisations utilise several recruitment suppliers in tandem to deliver to a recruitment need, adopting the mantra “many hands make light work”. I mean, you will have every agency dedicating all their time solely to finding you the best candidate on the market – right? Now, put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and ask yourself; if you had two roles to work on, one - exclusively with the client where you have spent time going over all the details of the role and person you need to hire, or two – a role in competition with several others – which would you choose?Considering the challenges presented in the current climate, if like us, you feel that several suppliers culminate in too many cooks spoiling the broth, then reconsider your approach to recruitment and engage with a partner who you can be confident understands your business and will pull out all the stops to find you the right candidate!I’d be keen to hear from any client who has tried both tactics and which one works for you and why. If you have current opportunities and would like to discuss how Ganymede Solutions works hard to positively impact your brand to new recruits, then please contact me on 07796 990 418 or email chris.oconnor@ganymedesolutions.co.uk. Chris O’Connor, Operations Director - Recruitment

Ganymede Engage

Ganymede Solutions are excited to announce the launch of our new Managed Service Provision platform, Engage.Ganymede Engage is the technology platform that drives our Managed Service Provision. It centralises all of your recruitment & workforce management functions into one, user-friendly system – minimising time wasted on recruitment processes, and maximising time spent growing your business.Paul Crompton, Managing Director explains “We invested in Ganymede Engage to provide a technology solution which naturally compliments our recruitment and workforce management offering. Ganymede Engage will provide our clients with complete visibility and control of their recruitment activities and temporary workforce through a cloud based platform, delivering efficiencies and maximising access to the best talent available.” Visit our Engage hub to learn more. Get in touch

IR35: Important Information for End Hirers

Following the Chancellor's budget announcement, we must now assume that the IR35 reforms in the private sector will continue to go ahead as planned on 6th April 2021, and end hirers need to ensure they are all fully aware of how their responsibilities are changing. What is IR35? IR35 is a piece of legislation designed to tackle what the HMRC have called ‘disguised employment’. Using a number of factors, it aims to differentiate between PSC contractors who are genuinely in business on their own account and those who should be considered employees for tax purposes. What does it mean for you? As of April 2021, it will be the responsibility of the end hirer to assess the employment status for tax purposes of all PSC contractors. In line with the legislation, you are required to take reasonable care in doing so, which means you need to properly assess the status of your contractors, provide a determination, and provide an explanation behind your decision. What should you do now? Time is ticking but there is still time to make sure your business is fully compliant with the changes to the IR35 legislation using the following steps: Assess your workforce. You’ll need to know how many contractors are working through a limited company, where there are, and what they do. Consider your options. There are a number of ways in which you can make your status determinations, including using a third-party provider or utilising the HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool, so you’ll need to decide which one is right for you. Carry out your Status Determination Statements. To get the most accurate assessment on whether or not a contractor should be considered Inside IR35 or Outside IR35, you should be liaising with the contractor themselves and their key points of contact within your business, so communication is key. Pass the Status Determination Statement down the supply chain. Your responsibilities under the legislation require you to pass your decision and the reasoning behind it to all interested parties, namely the contractor and the agency who engages them. Communicate with your supply chain. It’s important to protect yourself by ensuring any recruitment agencies within your supply chain are complying with the decisions you have made and are deducting PAYE Tax and National Insurance Contributions as required. Reassess when needed. You need to assess the IR35 status of PSC contractors any time any element of the worker’s contract or their working practices change. Depending on the nature of their engagement, you will also want to reassess every six to twelve months to ensure you and they are still compliant with the legislation. If you're unsure about any of the above, or require some advice and support on how to assess your contractors, get in touch with our specialist team as soon as possible to ensure you're IR35 compliant.

How to Effectively Work from Home

The Government has recently announced that people should work from home where possible during the current Coronavirus outbreak. Working from home has become popular over the years but for many, it will be a new way of working. What if you have never worked from home, what if you don't have a home office set up? Don’t worry, we have compiled a list of 7 top tips to make sure you are working as effectively as possible from the comfort of your own home. 1. Try to replicate your morning routineOne of the most important things to do is to create the right mindset to work from home, and this should start as soon as you wake up. That’s right, you need to continue setting your morning alarm, getting showered and dressed, eating breakfast and anything else you would normally do before work. Use the time you would normally spend commuting to do something productive like walking the dogs, making breakfast or just catching up with the news.It may seem strange putting your work clothes on just to stay in but, it will help tell your brain that it is work time and not relaxation time. 2. Create a suitable workspace Now you’re up and ready for work it’s time to make sure your workspace is ready. Here are some dos and don'ts for creating a suitable office space whilst you work from home: DO Make sure you have a clean large enough surface. - Similar to your office, you need enough space for your cups of coffee, documents, mouse and anything else you normally have on your desk. Make sure you have a comfortable chair - the last thing you want to do is spend all day sat on an uncomfortable chair.Try and set up a second screen if you use one in the office - this could even be your TV if you don’t have anything smaller. Simply connect your laptop to a TV (usually with an HDMI) then you will have your second screen ready to go. DON’T Work in bed - this may seem like a great idea but it’s not, your brain has learnt to associate the bedroom with being relaxed. Trying to work whilst your brain wants to relax is never going to work well for your productivity. Work in front of the TV - again this sounds like a great idea but realistically you are not going to be as productive whilst trying to watch your favourite series - why not stick the radio on instead? Work on any free surface you can find – If you are not comfortable you will not be able to produce your best work and even worse it may lead to health issues. 3. Try to replicate your working routine as much as possible In order to keep yourself in the right frame of mind, it is important to try and replicate your working routine. That includes your working hours, your tea and coffee breaks and your lunch schedule. Make sure you plan regular breaks and make sure you follow the governments advice about working safely with display screen equipment. 4. Plan your time and exactly what you want to achieve each day One great way to keep productivity at a high is to plan your workflow. At the start of the day, you need to know what your priorities are, what you need to get done first and what you want to work on if you have extra time. Check out our blog about effectively managing your time here. If you are part of a team it may be worth holding daily catch ups to ensure you are all on task and achieving what you need to achieve. 5. Keep work time and personal time separate So, you have your schedule and you’re burning through tasks but it’s already the end of the day, you might be tempted to carry on working as you no longer have to commute and you’re in a good flow. Which is great, however, it is just as important to give yourself some time off when you’ve promised it. Try not to extend your workday too far over what you planned, as this might lead to burning yourself out and starting to see your home environment as a stressful place. By doing this and keeping work time and personal time separate should make you more productive at work and less stressed when you aren’t working. 6. Use the correct software and tools We are fortunate that we live in an innovative world where the likes of Microsoft Teams and Skype have made it easier than ever to keep in contact with work colleagues, whether that's instant messaging, video calls or conference calls. Choose the correct tool that works for you and your team to make sure you stay in touch with what’s going on. 7. Stay connectedMake sure you’re still picking up the phone or getting on skype and teams and having conversations where you can. There are number of benefits of having conversations out of email, firstly you get to bounce off one another and keep those creative juices flowing, secondly it’s important to stay social when you’re removed from those people at work, don’t be afraid to just have a general quick chat.Want to read more tips and advice like this? Make sure you sign up to our blog to receive them directly in your inbox.

5 Reasons to Hire Engineering Contractors

You’re a Hiring Manager who wants to minimise disruption to business and projects during the recruitment process, but how? This blog outlines several ways in which hiring a contractor could solve your problems, even if it’s just while you’re looking for a permanent employee.It’s estimated that there’s an annual shortfall of 59,000 engineers needed to fill technical roles across the UK. For employers, this means that competition for the best talent is at an all-time high – resulting in a longer time to hire, delayed projects and slower production.So where do contract engineers come in to this? How much do contractors cost? We work with several businesses that need a temporary solution to accommodate for an increase in workload or to plug the gap during their permanent recruitment drive. There are a number of benefits to doing this, read them below:1. They can hit the ground runningEngineering and civil engineering contractors are typically very skilled and experienced, with several years working as a permanent employee before changing to freelance. Hiring a contractor means you’re getting an expert that can make an instant impact to your business, with no training required. This is incredibly valuable if you’re working on a time-sensitive project or need to avoid any impact on production.2. There is no commitmentContractors can work with your business for as long, or as little, as required. Whether you need an engineer for 3 months to finish a project, or for 2 weeks to cover holiday or sickness, hiring a contract engineer is a great solution. Once the initial contract finishes, or you find the permanent employee you’ve been looking for, there’s no obligation to provide the contractor with more work. This is something seasoned contractors are comfortable with, and it provides great flexibility to your business.3. It isn’t as expensive as you may thinkIt’s impossible to determine the cost of hiring an engineering contractor – this will completely depend on the experience they have, the work required, and the sector they’ll be operating in. You may panic when you see a daily contract rate, but keep in mind that there are no other costs involved, such as holiday pay or sick pay. The contractor is only paid for the time they work, which is great value for money, considering sickness pay alone can cost up to 16% of your annual salary bill.4. They have their own insuranceContractors are required to have their own insurance in order to carry out their services. Professional Indemnity insurance covers them if they make any mistakes or result in you losing money. Public Liability covers contractors if somebody is injured or property is damaged whilst supplying services. This is a benefit to you and your business as it means that you’re not liable in the same way you would be if these mistakes were made by a permanent member of staff. The cost of insurance and cost of the claim would fall on the contractor, not your business.5. They’re a great answer to a permanent skills gapThe engineering skills gap is making it more difficult to recruit permanent engineers, but business can’t wait. When you recruit contract engineers, you’re giving your business the breathing space to take the time you need to fill a permanent position, while having somebody doing the job in the interim. It’s very likely that the amount spent on contractors would be less than the amount lost in not having somebody at least temporarily fill the role – delayed projects, low production and reduced output are avoidable.Each of these points combined should paint a great picture of the benefits of recruiting engineering or civil engineering contractors. Some businesses prefer to hire contractors, others use them as means to an end – either way, they’re a resource that your business should be considering during increased workloads and recruitment gaps.Engineering RecruitmentOur extensive contract division includes recruitment, compliance, payroll and ongoing contractor management, making the process as easy as possible for our clients. Not only can we help you to recruit engineering contractors and civil engineering contractors, we can also conduct all right to work checks, pay them, and provide you with a full end-to-end contract recruitment service.If you want to find out more about Ganymede our contract services or how we can help your business, contact us using the button below.CONTACT US

How to Choose the Best Engineering Recruitment Agency

If you’re a Hiring Manager that is nervous of using a recruiter, or perhaps just don’t know where to start when choosing one, this blog is for you. We address your concerns and the common misconceptions of recruitment agencies, and equip you with the tools needed to separate the good, the bad and the ugly.The recruitment industry can be a minefield. There are nearly 40,000 recruitment agencies of all sizes to choose from and you have probably been contacted by what feels like half of them. Recruiters recently appeared in a list of the 10 least trusted professions, alongside car salespeople and bailiffs. But why?We firmly believe the misconception of recruiters is down to us naturally remembering the bad experiences, more than the good. The ‘once bitten, twice shy’ approach is understandable, but it may be hampering your chances of finding a recruitment agency that could genuinely add value to you and your business.There are reputable and trustworthy engineering recruitment agencies, but you need to know how to identify them. This blog will help you to do that, so keep reading to find out the tell-tale sales of a good and trustworthy recruiter that can help your business.Do your researchWe learn not to judge a book by it’s cover, but in this case, it’s important to take a look at the recruiters’ website and social media streams. It goes beyond whether the recruitment agency look good, you should also be looking out for case studies and testimonials as well as blog posts and content that demonstrates they have a real understanding of your sector and the issues your business faces.Choose a specialistThere are a number of recruitment agencies that operate across every sector. They work in high-volumes with no particular specialism and will often use their colossal database as a selling point, but this is not always a success factor. You’re an engineering business, engage with an engineering recruitment agency – they operate in your space and they spend their days talking to engineers, developing large networks relevant to your business. As well as an understanding of the skills you’ll be looking for in candidates, technical recruiters will also know a lot about the marketplace, including average salaries and where your competition is. This will save you a lot of time during the briefing and recruitment process as you’re much more likely to receive the right match.Ask questionsWe all know to ask questions, but there are particular things to ask that will very quickly expose the quality of a recruitment agency. You will want to know their efficiencies, which essentially translates to ‘how many CVs are you going to send before there’s a candidate I’ll want to interview?’. Multiple CVs and poor matches are a waste of your time, and a high-quality recruitment business will measure themselves on these numbers and have them to hand when you ask. Other, more obvious things worth probing into are accreditation, memberships and examples of previous work.These basic steps will leave you able to make a much more confident decision on which engineering recruitment agency to work with. Whenever looking for a recruitment service, keep these three things in mind and you’re much more likely to have a better and more efficient experience.Engineering RecruitmentATA is an engineering recruitment agency with a difference – we’ve been operating within the sector for over 50 years and have a large database of relevant and engaged engineers that could be perfect for your business.We’re so confident in our recruitment services that our market-leading guarantee covers all full fee permanent placements for 2 years, substantially longer than any of our competitors. Contact us to discuss your requirements and how ATA Recruitment can help using the button below.CONTACT US

View All Case Studies

WHAT OUR Clients SAY

Thank you for the help we received from Ganymede for the core renewals works at Wembley, where we renewed S&C and plain track and handed back to line speed. All the Ganymede staff worked to a high standard on difficult works with no accidents or incidents.

Workforce Manager

Colas Rail

It was great to work with a team who were interested with the task in hand and worked extremely hard, even in the high temperatures. I look forward to working with Ganymede again.

Engineering Supervisor

Amey

The Ganymede team went over and above to ensure we met our workloads, this type of commitment and pro-activeness goes a long way.

Business Manager

Volker Rail

Ganymede has worked collaboratively with us to provide a contingent labour service to fulfil our requirements to enhance the infrastructure on the Western Route. Ganymede continuously evolves to meet business needs and train their people to provide a high skilled workforce.

Programme Manager

Network Rail

Ganymede are an important partner within the Works Delivery organisation in Wales. They integrate closely with the local teams to ensure our delivery needs are met.

Works Delivery Director

Network Rail

Thank you once again Ganymede for providing such a high calibre of resource, the productivity noticed on site is above and beyond what we expected given our experiences with other contingent labour providers.

Works Delivery Manager

Network Rail

Contact us

To discuss our effective processes, or to find out more about what we do and how we can help your business, contact us below.

Engineering News & Insights

Leading labour supplier to the rail industry converts used PPE/Workwear into Energy

Leading labour supplier to the rail industry converts used PPE / Workwear into EnergyGanymede Solutions continually look for new initiatives that support them in achieving their Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, which includes considering environmental impact. As a leading supplier of labour to the rail industry, the sourcing, use and disposal of PPE/Workwear was a key area identified to support this strategy. Together with specialist rail PPE supplier, Safeaid, Ganymede Solutions considered the lifecycle of PPE/Workwear and implemented new recycling facilities. The goals were, firstly, to reduce the amount of PPE/Workwear that is not looked after properly and therefore disposed of before it needs to be. Then, to provide an alternative option to operatives and staff that prevents used clothing going into landfill. Through the recycling operation, instead of ending up in landfill, the shredded textiles are baled and sent on for further processing so that they become refuse derived fuel (RDF). This means that the textile shreds are incinerated to produce steam, which is converted into energy. An education into product lifecycle Ganymede Solutions will be providing learning resources to staff to ensure all PPE is looked after correctly and lasts for as long as possible. Furthermore, the process will be made as easy as possible for operatives to utilise this recycling scheme by having ‘drop and swap’ facilities in eight Ganymede locations across the UK, starting with its office in Wales. The aim is for 25% of staff to use the recycling facility throughout the first year. Gary Lobue, Head of HSEQ said of the new initiative: “We are absolutely thrilled to get this project off the ground, reducing waste to landfill is something we have been working on within our offices, but being able to provide this recycling service to our operatives and staff is fantastic and a testament to our dedication to our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.” Richard Bowen, Managing Director at Safeaid commented: “We are delighted to support Ganymede with PPE recycling facilities. As a business we’re committed to delivering environmentally responsible solutions to our customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals. These include our Signal carbon neutral PPE range which Ganymede also purchase for their workforce.”

Balfour Beatty Rail Safety Leaders Event

Balfour Beatty Rail Safety Leaders event provides reassurance that rail industry is moving in the right direction By Stuart FraserAccounts DirectorWell done Balfour Beatty Rail (BBR). It was great to be a part of the process for shaping how as a collective (BBR & their wider supply chain) from senior management down to the boots on the ballast can make the required step change to transform our safety culture for the better. I genuinely believe by training, developing, and empowering the chosen safety leaders who volunteered for the positions, we can make a difference to everyone’s safety and mental well-being. My only fear is how we keep momentum, there’s no doubt that after a powerful experiential day we all want to drive change. However, when we go back to our desks or site projects, we are focussed on the day-to-day tasks that are as vitally important in getting the job done and delivering our mantra of, “putting the passenger first”. To see first-hand the dedicated safety leaders, share their experiences and how they challenge each projects hot safety topics was fantastic. In fairness the day was filled with a mixture of emotions with Jason Anker sharing his heart-breaking accident and a life story of highs and lows that could have been scripted by Shakespeare himself.Speaking of Shakespeare and theatre springs to mind and on the day, there was a thought-provoking session where two actors aka Del & Rod used a common day to day issue to raise a close call. True to form as on most sites and to all our amusement, a large argument ensued between the pair that had all of us in the room in raptures of laughter. Probably as the issue was all too familiar but, more to do with the interaction and the barrage of abuse given to us as the audience as we tried to offer advice to them on how the close call should have been raised. Utilising our own emotional acumen and what we had discussed using the Human Aid process (Aid - Action, Impact, Do), that embraces two-way communication to get the individual breaching safety bought in and engaged. On a serious note, although there was humour added to a dangerous issue, what a great way to engage with the room. It helped bring real life instances to the forefront of everyone’s mind and reminded us of what pressures our teams on the front line must deal with.I genuinely believe the Balfour Beatty Safety Leadership programme is going to be a great success and Ganymede are proud to be able to support such a great initiative.On a wider note, and something the day has made me reflect on, is the fact on how we embrace the safety initiatives Balfour Beatty Rail and the wider rail industry is pushing to embed in all that we do, making safety a prerequisite, a habit, instinctual and not an afterthought? The truth is there is no hard and fast answer however, there is no doubting we need a cultural step change within all our organisations in the rail industry to change the behaviours at every level of our businesses. Nevertheless, this does not mean we cannot challenge the way we work so, with this in mind and a wider issue than the safety leadership programme. I for one would like to break the status quo and see one unified safety message for Zero Harm, Home Safe Every day, Free to be safe, Speak Up etc. We have worthy safety initiatives for each rail organisation, all with a powerful and righteous message to keep our people safe. Then again, I genuinely believe we are watering down the impact of these powerful messages with all the various nuances on safety from organisation to organisation. Which recalls, one of the quotes that stuck with me from yesterday, “The absence of accidents does not mean the existence of safety”.An example of these good safety initiatives that is intended to keep safety at the forefront and make us safer on site, is the introduction of the safety application for your smart phones. An inspirational idea if there was solely one application for the rail industry. Sadly, we are confusing the issue with the introduction of these safety applications for every business, each with a separate number to call in your concerns or a separate close call process to raise safety concerns on site. All confusing the issue and blurring the lines for contracted staff who work for multiple organisations and make up a large quantity of the rail industry’s operational staff. With all this in mind, I keep asking myself, do I believe we are mature enough within the rail industry to drive one multi-organisational safety message, with one railway and one purpose in mind, “Zero Harm” with everyone home safe every day? The answer is always yes! But and it is a big but, how Nick Millington, Brian Painter, Mick Rayner, Mark Groombridge do we get the ORR, Network Rail to drive this with all the tier one contractors including Balfour Beatty Rail, to drive this forward? In truth neither Ganymede nor myself have the power to initiate this endeavour. However, we can and will keep asking the question and pushing for a integrated approach, so that one day there is a unified and consistent safety message across the rail industry.About the authorStuart Fraser is the Accounts Director at Ganymede SolutionsEmail: stuart.fraser@ganymedesolutions.co.ukMobile: 07766 255 482LinkedIn: Stuart Fraser

Safety First Newsletter - Spring Edition 2022

The Spring 2022 edition of Safety First, Ganymede’s quarterly safety newsletter is now available to read.In this edition we focus on:Lessons LearnedThe Importance of Using Safety Critical CommunicationsTrack Safety Competence UpdatesCOSS and IWA CompetenceLookout Site Warden CompetenceCorrect use of Hand ToolsHand Tools – PanpullersSpotlight on SafetyAre you on or near the line or on the lineside?Workforce Health and Safety ChampionsEquality, Diversity and InclusionClose Call ReportingDiabetesFatigueFleetChanges to the Highway CodeRemindersWear your PPE with PrideEnvironmentalMeet the TeamMeet the TeamRead the Spring 2022 Safety First Newsletter hereAs always, we trust you will find the newsletter useful and engaging. If you have any questions or feedback after reading this edition of Safety First, please don't hesitate to get in touch using the form below.

Fatigue Issue 13: Tips for better sleep

Fatigue Issue 13: Tips for Better SleepMaking sure you get enough sleep will increase your energy levels and make you more productive. It can boost your immune system and help you regulate your moodYou can’t make yourself fall asleep, but you can put things in place to give yourself the best chance.During the day you can prepare for a good night’s sleep by: Spending time in natural light; it has positive effects on circadian rhythm, no matter how brightly the sun is shining. Taking regular exercise (including walking). It has numerous health benefits, including for sleep. Limit alcohol and caffeine, especially close to bedtime. It can disrupt the quantity and quality of your sleep. Create an association in your mind between your bed and sleep; try to avoid working in your bedroom. Avoiding naps lasting longer than 30 minutes after 3pm (unless you’re a night worker). Set aside 20 minutes during the day to write down your worries and problem-solve. Bedtime preparation could include: Avoid going to bed hungry or straight after a heavy meal. Stick to a regular routine; go to bed (and get up) at the same time each day where possible. Taking a warm bath or shower before bed. This lowers your core temperature, making it easier to get to sleep. Keep your bedroom cool, quiet and as dark as possible. Create an association in your mind between your bed and sleep. Try to avoid working in your bedroom. Cue your body to slow down and relax by preparing for bed the same way each night and go to bed when you are sleepy.Trouble sleepingIf you find it hard to drop off to sleep, or wake up in the night some of these techniques might helpTry conditioning yourself to fall asleep using pre-recorded audio programs with soothing music and voiceovers. You could try to follow a relaxation routine; performing deep breathing or backwards counting exercises in bed can help. Visualise being in your favourite place. Try to recall a long list, like all of the states of the U.SA. If you took time to note down worries/problem solve in the day, at night try to concentrate on the positive things; gratitude lists can be helpful. Don’t spend more than 20 minutes tossing and turning. Instead, get out of bed and do something relaxing in very low light. Try not to look at your phone as light from the screen can have an alerting effect.If you have any questions regarding the topics covered in our Fatigue series, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HSEQ team on 0333 011 2048 who will offer you support and guidance.

Why I stayed at Ganymede

Why I stayed at GanymedeIt’s no secret that there’s a lot of recruitment agencies out there offering opportunities to future consultants. At Ganymede, there is no doubt that our employees are experts at what they do. We spoke to our Head of Energy, Joe Prestedge, and our Principal Consultant, Natasha Higgins, on why they stayed with Ganymede.Natasha joined us in 2016 and has been taking the rolling stock sector by storm ever since. Natasha talked about the trust and security she felt from Ganymede from the very beginning: “Being a working mum, Chris O'Connor (our Director) made an agreement for me to work from home 4 days a week at the time. He had a huge amount of trust in me and my abilities from the beginning which meant a lot. For me, it’s never been about progressing or managing people, I could get that anywhere. It’s about having the freedom to walk my kids to school and still get the job done”.Natasha says, “The possibility is always there to have a chat with the team to see how I can develop myself. There has been loads of opportunity for me to help in different sectors and I have been loving it. They know what I’m capable of and only want me to be successful.”Providing opportunities for development ties in with our values. ‘People are our passion’ is at the forefront of everything we do. Joe has been with Ganymede since 2015 as our Head of Energy and talked about what made Ganymede have the staying power, he said; “I loved the industry I was in, but when Ganymede offered me the job, I couldn’t believe how open and down to earth they were, and extremely forward thinking. Ganymede actually wanted to invest in their employees. I loved the freedom it gave me.”Having a likeminded team has made a huge difference to both Natasha and Joe’s experience with Ganymede. Natasha says, “For me, it’s great how everyone has their own goals, and everybody wants you to do well and achieve them. In other agencies there is a lot of ownership over certain areas or sectors. But here, everyone is very supportive and willing to help you. If you’re having a down day, there’s always someone to call. The banter helps – me being a Luton supporter means I get it all!” And Joe’s role in managing people has only shown him the importance of the team he has around him, he says, “We really have such a good core team of experts. Honestly, it does sound cheesy, but it is like one big family. Everyone works so hard. It’s as simple as this, we speak to everyone with respect, you all get the opportunity to develop, and the support is always there, no questions asked.”And their journey with Ganymede isn’t over yet. When questioned on his future with the company, Joe has no doubt that the options for our energy team are only getting bigger, he says, “The future is huge. The industry is moving in a sustainable, green energy direction and our business is only developing further. Looking at all the different avenues of work available to us, I have no doubt that the opportunities are enormous and means we will only continue growing.”Find out more about a career with Ganymede today. Send me your CV or connect with me on LinkedIn today.Telephone: 07920 595 229Email: rachael.bailey-frost@ganymedesolutions.co.ukLinkedIn: Connect on LinkedIn

An insight into working as a dual fuel operative at Ganymede Energy

My name is Nicola McNamara-Cox and I have been working at Ganymede Energy for the past 4 months as a Dual Fuel Operative...I previously worked at a major energy provider in 2001 where I worked in several positions working my way up and getting to understand the business and the customers’ needs from the start. The positions I held included customer service advisor and duty manager. It was great learning and really got me interested in energy and how we can help customers get the most out of their energy needs.In 2018, I was made redundant and took the opportunity to become more hands on with a role in energy and successful gained an apprenticeship, where we had extensive practical training on Gas and Electrics and attended a skills academy. Once I completed my apprenticeship, I decided to look at companies that fitted my values and lifestyle.Why choose Ganymede Solutions?I completed quite a lot of research on the different options available in the energy market. I spoke to people at Ganymede who really spent the time to get to know me and what was important to me. Having an organisation that proactively helps with everyone’s mental health really clinched it for me, and their attitude to a great work life balance really hit home.“From Nicola's initial interview with myself, right throughout the onboarding process, continuing throughout her training and going live within the field, Nicola has been a pleasure to work with. Always enthusiastic, hard working with a can do attitude. Nicola has been a great addition to the team.” Joe Prestedge, Head of Energy“What an amazing day I've had, rang my first customer advised I was on my way and she did this "Wahoo" so loud down the phone and said "You're a female engineer! I feel less stressed and really happy and comfortable now." She was an absolutely lovely customer from beginning to end." Nicola McNamara Cox, Dual Fuel OperativeWhat is your day-to-day?I work no more than a 45-minute radius from my home, so I know I am always home in the evening to help with family commitments. It may sound like I just fit smart meters, but it is so much more than that. I help customers understand how to get the best out of their meters to help keep costs down. I do a compete MOT on their gas and electricity supply and their boilers to ensure everything is in good working order. It’s about making the customer feel comfortable and safety is our main priority.What do you like about working at Ganymede Energy?I could go on and on, but the diversity in Ganymede is great, the culture includes everyone, no one is better than anyone else and the managers make you feel you are on the same level. You are a person, not just a payroll number and that comes across from everyone.Would you recommend others to work at Ganymede?Absolutely, I have worked at some places where I really wasn’t happy , but since the day I started talking to Ganymede I felt included, supported and I have been given great training, brand new van, the best tools and PPE to allow me to do my job at the highest levels. I have recommended several people to work at Ganymede Energy and they love it too ... get on board I say!Interested?If you would be interested in being part of the next in take of engineers please contact energy@ganymedesolutions.co.uk to learn more about the opportunities available.

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