Celebrating Our Women in Construction
Here at Classic Folios and Spaciable, we pride ourselves on what we’re building. It might not be bricks and mortar but what we do for the property developers we work with, helps them to build the foundations of their strong client relationships. This gives them more time to concentrate on what they do best – provide beautiful homes for their buyers!
The products we supply, which are used from initial meetings in the sales suite, right through to handover day and beyond, means our clients’ buyers are more likely to use that same developer when they buy a new home in the future and are also more likely to recommend them as builders to their friends.
And we have an amazing selection of women working towards all these goals. All the way from the entry level position employees through to the Chief Operating Officer, women are at the helm and making big decisions about the direction we steer the company.
If Women Ruled the World…
Those Women Probably Trained at Classic Folios
Okay, okay, so we might not be supplying the continents with their new world leaders; but we do have an enviable collection of talented women in our workplace. To celebrate them on this occasion, for the Women in Construction Global Summit, we’re taking a moment to herald these powerful people and learn a bit more about them and what they do.
We’ve taken a selection of the big players here at Classic Folios but the women we work with throughout the ranks are intrinsic to the smooth operation and success of the business. (As are the men, of course, but this one’s just for the ladies.)
From being asked to ‘Get the boss,’ to thinking about what needs to happen to make pregnancy, and maternity leave, not hinder a woman’s career progression, we hear what these powerhouses have to say about women in business, and learn a bit about their own experiences to date.
Julia Mardell has worked at Classic Folios for nine years now and says, I love it. She’s risen through the ranks in business and started here as Production Manager Designate, which then led to her promotion to Operations Director and finally into her current role, Chief Operating Officer.
We asked Julia to describe what she does at Classic Folios:
My role entails looking after the business as usual, and general day to day happenings in the office, along with, and most importantly, ensuring the great team are as happy as they can possibly be.
It might be down to her dedication to ensuring the happiness of the team but all we know is that Julia is one of the most loved members of the company. Always approachable, no matter what is happening that day or week, a generous provider of office snacks and an organiser of those activities that make the office life full of fun and laughter. All of that is besides her efficient managing of the business.
In light of the Women in Construction Global Summit, we asked Julia about how she has found working life as a woman, both generally and at Classic Folios:
I’ve never found gender an issue across my whole career and certainly not here. I was welcomed into the Leadership team and any ideas and suggestions I have are always considered along with everyone else’s. I think sometimes I am relied on to have the softer viewpoint and to be the litmus test on people issues. I like having that responsibility and always give my responses the utmost consideration and am proud that I perform that role in the company. With such a conscientious team, it makes my job very easy.
I honestly don’t think gender is taken into consideration here. It is whether the person is right for the job and has the capabilities. It really does not matter what gender they are, everyone is truly treated the same, certainly from my perspective and the rest of the Leadership and Management Teams.
We asked Julia if she had any thoughts that she wanted to share with us on equal rights in the workplace:
I have been extremely lucky throughout my career and have never come across any hurdles because I am a woman. I was the first female Production Manager at Auto Trader. I think the only time it was ever brought up was when we had deliveries, both here and at Auto Trader, and I have been asked to go and get the boss!!
It just makes me smile when I say, ‘I am the boss!’
As I said previously, it is not about gender, it is about the ability to do the job in hand. I think we have it right here, but I do understand in different industries and countries that is not the case. Women are not better than men or the other way round, but we should all work to our skill sets and these do vary.
We can’t believe you’re told to get the boss?
It always makes me smile when I am asked to get the boss, especially seeing them go red after!!
Have you noticed any changes in business generally for women, in terms of career progression, pay, etc. and is there anything else you would like to see for women in work?
Women certainly get more opportunities now than they did when I started working. I do think the pay scale does remain slightly out of kilter but it is going in the right direction. People should get jobs because of their skill set and I do get annoyed when I see women appointed to a role to tick a box, but invariably, if given an opportunity, women always seem to make the most of it and make it work for them.
Thank you, Julia, for sharing your working life story and your views on women in the workplace.
Next up is:
Anna Terrell is the Head of Content. She has worked at Classic Folios for nine and a half years, starting as Editorial Manager and then taking the Production department under her leadership.
Anna says:
The role involves overseeing the creation of all the technical content for Classic Folios and Spaciable, from the initial draft of a master manual template, through to the input of plot specific information, ensuring high quality and accuracy.
Among her colleagues and especially her team, Anna is known as a loyal supporter of her co-workers, quick to recognise their hard work and reward their achievements. As well as her dedication to the team and company’s success, Anna is also the Ambassador for Mental Wellbeing within Classic Folios and Spaciable. She’s the person who keeps ensuring mental health is a topic of conversation and encourages the team to speak up when they need help. Basically, she’s a good egg, our Anna. A very good egg. Anna says, I love working for Classic Folios, it is a very supportive, nurturing and caring company that I am proud to be part of. And we’d argue that a lot of that company culture comes straight from her approach towards her colleagues, her team and the company at large.
We asked Anna how she would describe Classic Folios’ approach to employing and promoting women within the business:
I would like to think that CF approaches employing and promoting all people in the same way, regardless of gender, race, sexuality or religion.
Have you noticed any changes in business generally for women, in terms of career progression, pay, etc. and is there anything else you would like to see for women in work?
I think the situation is improving for women in business, but that we still have a way to go before they are genuinely considered as equal, especially with equal pay.
Ideally, I would like to see a world where we don’t even have to have these conversations as women are recognised as an equal to men.
I would also like to see processes in place to ensure that women do not lose opportunities because they are pregnant or on maternity leave.
As a working mother, Anna knows the work/parent juggle well and supports her staff with this challenge, offering flexibility to working parents and promoting the wellbeing of any team members before they go on maternity leave. She’s always looking after us. Such a good egg.
And the third in line is:
Lorraine Oade is our Assembly Supervisor. Lorraine has worked for Classic Folios for nearly four years. She started here as an Assembly Assistant and has risen through the ranks.
We asked Lorraine to describe her role at Classic Folios:
My role involves managing workloads, making sure our department meets deadlines. Stock control, liaising with suppliers, machinery services, health and safety, manual handling training and ensuring we hit our KPI targets. I’m also a trained Fire Warden.
And Lorraine’s training as a fire warden is by no means the end of her additional roles at the company. As far as we’re concerned, every company should have a Lorraine. She’s never one to shy from a challenge or take on something new:
Alongside this I have completed numerous online training courses and in-house training with the Design team. I now look after the design of plates and inserts for the Motor Folios, which is another area of Classic Folios.
In addition, I am responsible for data entry/input and admin for Marketing and Production.
With so many responsibilities within the company, it’s hard to imagine what we would do without Lorraine.
We asked Lorraine if she had any thoughts on her experience of working with Classic Folios:
Classic Folios is the nicest company I have ever worked for. I feel I am treated equally and with respect from all my colleagues.
We asked Lorraine what she thought of Classic Folios’ approach to employing and promoting women:
I don’t believe that gender is an obstacle to promotion within Classic Folios.
On the subject of equality in the workplace, Lorraine told us:
I believe that women should always be treated equally in all respects.
We couldn’t have put it better. Thank you, Lorraine.
And our final lady of the moment:
Hollie Carvey is the Deputy Editorial Manager. Hollie started working for Classic Folios and Spaciable just over seven years ago, starting, in essence, at the beginning of her working life:
I started as a Junior Editorial Assistant and was hired a few weeks after finishing my last exam at university, and before graduating.
As another example of someone rising through the ranks to get to their current position, Hollie describes what she now does here day-to-day:
My current role involves assisting Anna, Head of Content, with managing the workflow through the Editorial department, writing content for new and existing clients and checking team members’ work before it's sent to the client for review.
Around the office, Hollie is known as organised and unflappable. She is intelligent and assertive, while being friendly and approachable. It’s no wonder she’s so successful with her team and her clients alike.
We asked Hollie to describe her experience of working for Classic Folios, generally and as a woman:
My experience of working for Classic Folios has been very positive. The Editorial department has always consisted of a mixture of men and women, which has worked fantastically.
The company has always been willing to be flexible to suit people’s schedules.
We asked Hollie how she would describe Classic Folios’ approach to employing and promoting women within the business:
Classic Folios does a fantastic job at employing and promoting women. My experience of the recruitment process with the company is that it’s always been gender-blind, as it should be.
Does Hollie have any thoughts she would like to share on equal rights for women in the workplace?
I feel that it is very important for young women starting out in the workplace to know that no job is off limits because of their gender.
And finally, we asked Hollie if she’d noticed any changes in business generally for women, in terms of career progression, pay, etc. and is there anything else she would like to see for women in work?
Having built up a network of contacts across the housebuilding industry, it’s been great to see so many women being employed and promoted in various roles within construction that were once considered 'men’s jobs.'
We agree, Hollie.
The number of women going into construction-based careers is increasing and we can only hope that’s a trajectory we’ll see continuing for many years to come!
