An Interview with Mhairi-Therese Gallagher

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On International Women’s Day 2021, we had a chat with Mhairi- Therese Gallagher about her career as an Electrical Design Engineer.

 

 

 

Q1. What would you say to girls in school/college who may be considering Engineering as a career choice/study option?

Go for it, it was the best decision I’ve ever made and wish I made that leap right after secondary school. But life got complicated for me at that time and I decided to focus on my family.

 

Q2. How or why did you choose Engineering as a career path/area of study?

I have two reasons, first, I grew up as the shadow of an amazing Engineer, my dad. I would stand beside him in his workshop and help him with electrical work when I was as young as 6 until I got to work with him in the factory where he was the head engineer. Secondly, I finally made the decision to take that leap when I saw my 10-year-old son building his own website from scratch and telling me he wanted to be a computer engineer, as my son had special needs I knew if he was to follow his goals I would need to do this first in order to be able to support him in following this path. Not only did I graduate with an honours degree in computer engineering but my experience helped him get into the same course I studied in. He’s now a second-year engineering student. And I’m an electrical design engineer.

 

Q3, What challenges do women face in Engineering professions/academia?

Professionally I haven’t felt that I have had any challenges specific to women, like everyone, once you have proven your ability any doubts disappear. In our factory, the men are the ones who brag about our female engineering operatives, how they are the best at wiring and fitting smaller fitting, how organised and meticulous they are in their work. Everyone is appreciated for their skills here. The only challenges I faced were personal- I had to study Engineering while raising four children as a single mum, I suffered health issues and family loss. But through sacrifice, perseverance, motivation and focus I managed to graduate with my honours degree in electronics and computer engineering.

 

Q4. What are your hopes for the future of Engineering?

I hope to see more female engineers joining us. There is a big difference in the numbers of female students attending university to study Engineering, This was something I was glad to see when teaching Engineering at DCU and hope the numbers continue to rise.

Supporting Employees Remotely

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Supporting Employees Remotely

There is no denying that we’ve all experienced both professional and personal challenges this year. Continued ambiguity hangs like a cloud over our heads. Providing adequate support, having a proactive approach and ensuring the correct procedures and plans are in place, no matter what happens, is going to be vital to ensure overall employee well-being and business success. Whether you are looking to hire new team members or looking for ways to support and encourage your existing employees, keep reading.

REMOTE ONBOARDING

Does the thought of hiring new staff in 2020 make you a tad anxious? It’s understandable. Most companies have a tried and tested onboarding process which HR and employers are used to and are confident in implementing. Onboarding is a vital stage of the recruitment process which shouldn’t be overlooked. Onboarding remote staff doesn’t mean that hiring new employees remotely can’t run just as smoothly as before. Here are some ways that you can make the process a little easier.

Welcome Your New Employees

Make new employees feel welcome even before they start. Send an email introducing the new team member to the rest of the company, encouraging them to say hello. It can be a daunting experience starting a new position, so breaking the ice before they start can be a positive gesture. Suggest 1:1 Zoom or team calls with the new employees closest working colleagues so they get to make a connection with them initially.

Share Essential Information

Here is a list of some important material that you should share with your new team member. We recommend using a file-sharing tool such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

  • Usernames and passwords
  • New email login
  • Communication tools
  • Documents (how-tos)
  • Company staff contact sheet
  • Company policies

It is going to be more difficult for new staff to ask questions remotely, so be comprehensive in the information you provide to them.

Tech Set-Up

It may be tempting to skip or hurry in aspects of the onboarding process to save time. Make sure that technology set up for new staff is not one area you skip. Valuable time could be lost if new staff aren’t properly trained to use the essential tools and technology required. Whether it is you or a tech support employee, make sure to allocate time to run through all the technology needed to fulfil the job.

Outline Clear Objectives and Goals

It has been proven that it takes 90 days for a new employee to learn the “ins and outs” of a company. Take this time to set clear objectives and goals which can be monitored. Having clear communication about expectations will help your new employee stay on track and feel supported.

Provide an Open Channel for Communication

Create a community environment, even when your staff are working remotely. Using tools such as Slack or Asana can help all staff feel connected. Be sure that new employees are aware of how they can contact their line manager or fellow employees, this is vital particularly in the early days in their new position.

MOTIVATING YOUR STAFF REMOTELY

As employers, we must always be thinking about our staff’s well-being. Happy, motivated and focused staff are what keep businesses going. We all know this year has been tough. Showing your staff that you understand and that you care about them is going to boost morale as they’re going to feel supported. Here are some ways to continue to keep staff motivated.

Proactive Adaptability

As employers, you need to be ready for whatever is thrown at you. With forever changing restrictions and guidelines, it is vital that a business is seen to be rolling with the punches and doing whatever is necessary to adapt. Keep employee trust and faith by using a proactive and communicative approach – no matter what.

Stay Connected

Ensure there are open channels of communication with the entire team. It can be easy for staff to feel disconnected as they’re not physically in the office. There are many platforms available that are specifically for team management. A popular option is Slack which allows you to have different “channels”. Each channel can be for a different topic such as a project update or something more casual so that all staff has somewhere to go to chat.

Be Sensitive & Understanding

All employees are without a doubt going through their own experiences and challenges. Showing compassion and patience to all staff will help to improve overall morale and well-being. It may also boost motivation and overall job satisfaction if your employees feel supported.

Goal-Oriented

Create clear and obtainable goals for each employee. These goals should be tracked and monitored weekly. This will not only keep staff motivated and focused, but it will also provide them with a sense of achievement. Without clear task intention, employees may lose their drive and interest which are both so important to keep a business going.

Suggestion Box

Why not create an anonymous suggestion box? There are free online tools that you can use to facilitate this. Not all employees are outspoken or confident enough to bring up issues and woes. This is a perfect way to not only show your staff you care but to also improve in areas that are needed.

 

A happy and supported workforce will only benefit the company and helps to create a great reputation as somewhere that employees are listened to and respected.

 

Do you need 2020 recruitment advice? Contact our offices here.

Rethinking Redundancy

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Redundancy: it’s a situation you never thought you’d face, yet living in unprecedented times leads to circumstances you could not have previously imagined. While being made redundant may feel like a blow to your ego, it’s important to remember that it’s the job being made redundant. Economies ebb and flow and so does the job market. As the old saying goes, when one door closes; another opens. In fact, in the future, you may look on the day you were made redundant as the day you started to forge your own path.

 

It’s all well and good talking about the future, but even with the promise that things will get better, the sting of redundancy hurts. And it hurts NOW. Below are some immediate steps you can take to ease your transition from your old road to your new path.

 

  1. Go easy on yourself! Familiarise yourself with the Kübler-Ross change curve (pictured below). That “sting” you’re feeling? It’s most likely shock and it’s completely normal to feel that way. Being aware of your feelings during this time will help you keep a clear head. If you can predict your reactions to this big change in your life, you’ll be able to adapt more easily.

 

 

  1. Use this as an opportunity for training and personal development. Are you interested in a different industry than the one you recently left? Perhaps you were in the same role for a long period and want to study up on advances in that area. Going forward, you don’t want to settle for just being competent in your career; you will want to excel in it. Actively pursuing training and development ensures that your knowledge and skills are always relevant. There are many courses available online and across Ireland to brush up on your skills and indeed learn new ones.

 

  1. Take up a new hobby so work doesn’t define you, or perhaps revisit an old hobby. Our time in lockdown reminded us that having a well-rounded life is important and a real boost to our mental health. In the same vein as personal development, there are courses for a range of hobbies available online. Lose yourself in the latest best-seller; dust off the acoustic guitar; learn a few phrases in a foreign language. Remember that you are more than your job and taking time for yourself to enjoy your favourite pastime is time well spent.

 

 

  1. Work on your narrative. You want to forge your own path? Then you need to start by telling your story in your own words. Before long, you will be interviewing for a new job and you will want to be able to showcase what you enjoyed in your last role, what you learned in your last role, and what you want now. Beyond traditional interviewing, you will also want to take advantage of your own personal network. Does your best friend’s brother work at your dream company? Take this time to perfect your “elevator pitch”. Before you can get what you want, you need to know how to ask for what you want.

 

 

  1. Take control. Create an action plan and set goals. Update your CV. Decide on how many job applications you will send per day and make sure you send them. Check in with 3 new contacts per week. Keep on top of your LinkedIn profile. Has your old company included an outplacement service with your redundancy package? Take advantage of that service. Be proactive and work with your outplacement co-ordinator.

One day soon, you’re going to look back on this period of your life and be so glad that you never gave up. You may be in a new job or a different career altogether and realise that, while redundancy is a difficult thing to face, this was a turning point in your life. It forced you to take stock of who you are and build a version of yourself based on your own personal values. Change, while unnerving, is an invitation to opportunity. Before today, you were sitting in the passenger’s seat, being driven down a road you were familiar with, but it wasn’t a route of your choosing. Take this time to identify your values, take the wheel, and forge your own path.

 

Click here for more information on Proactive Outplacement.

Hiring Staff in 2020

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This year has brought with it some significant changes to most sectors around Ireland. There is no doubt that with such change comes uncertainty as to what’s going to happen. Many employers are not in a position to make long term recruitment decisions, leaving them at a loss. Other trends that are appearing this year are shorter work days, extended remote working and virtual recruitment processes.

As a recruitment agency, all of our consultants are monitoring these trends as we come into the final quarter of the year. As we approach 2021, there are still a lot of uncertainties for the future. However, working with a recruiter can at least keep you up to date and prepared for whatever could happen.

 

Working with a Recruiter

It is crucial that any employer has the knowledge to make informed decisions that are the best option for them. Recruiters pride themselves on their extensive expertise in their specialised sector. Working with a recruiter will ensure you’re equipped to make important hiring arrangements. We understand that you may not be in a position to make long-term commitments or decisions right now. Nevertheless, planning ahead and looking at all your options may solve your short-term problem. For example, you may not be in a position or have the approval to hire a full-time staff member. There are other options which may solve that problem. Contract and part-time staff are becoming more prominent across various sectors/ industries around the country. Recruitment agencies have access to a wide scope of candidates looking for short or long term positions.

 

Recruitment consultants are there at hand to advise you on all options available to you. Staying informed of all insights and changes in the market is going to keep you one step ahead. We believe that an honest and upfront approach is what is working best. These are unprecedented times; they call for for transparency and vigilance to keep up to date.

 

New Hiring Methods

It’s the year of Zoom. No matter how technologically inclined you are, 2020 had everyone picking up a device and using the video call tool. The way in which we approached many aspects of both our professional and personal lives changed. The process of screening and recruiting staff has had to make a shift with interviews being conducted over Zoom. The onus was and is on the recruitment agency to ensure that all consultants are fully equipped with the knowledge to carry out these interviews. For us, it was important that we have advanced IT infrastructure that guarantees that all interviews with candidates run smoothly and without issues.

 

So, what can a recruiter offer you?

  • Consultants will keep you up to date with new trends and insights, so that you can make the most informed decisions.
  • They can offer multiple solutions for both short and long-term positions.
  • They can assure you that the interview process runs smoothly, even though no physical screening can take place.

Adapting to our new norm and avoiding complacency is how we can make it through these trying and unsettling times. Work with a recruitment agency to plan for the future and make informative decisions for current and future hires.

 

To speak to one of our consultants, click here. We have our team at the ready in Stillorgan and Dundalk to facilitate your employment needs.

The New Normal

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On Friday 1st May our Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, announced a 5-phase plan which has given the nation hope and a focus for the coming months.

However, from a work perspective, the majority of employees can expect to work from home for the foreseeable future. So, is working from home the new normal? This type of work is presenting its own issues and challenges for employees. At RecruitmentPlus, our employees have had the option to work from home 1-2 days per week for over a decade and currently all of our employees have been working from home since 16th March. Using this experience, we want to share some of our ideas and top tips that might help you in your new daily working from home routine.

We’ve found the following works best for our team:

  • Agree core hours each day and learn to switch off after your finish time by turning your phone either to silent or off.
  • Create a daily To Do List so you can look back on what you accomplished for the day.
  • Aim to get some daily exercise. Whether it’s a short stroll in the morning, an online yoga class at lunchtime or a more physical workout, daily movement will help clear the head.
  • Arrange a virtual face-to-face meeting. Zoom meetings with teams or a one on one FaceTime with a work colleague help us to stay in touch with one another and to remind us that our colleagues are also trying to come to terms with this new working from home practice.
  • Find your own space to be able to concentrate on your work without interruptions. You’ll find you will be far more productive and your family will learn to understand not to interrupt your new working day.
  • Dress for work each day. Whilst it may be tempting to wear your comfy PJ’s and slippers all day, recent surveys agree that dressing each day does make for a more structured and work orientated mind-set.  Keep it casual if you prefer, but leave the PJ’s in the bedroom.

 

RecruitmentPlus celebrated 20 years in business in 2019 and was awarded Great Place to Work along with Best SME Louth 2020 and we’re still open for business, albeit working remotely to safeguard our employees and adhere to government guidelines.

We have vacancies across Dublin and the North-East so please continue to reach out to us on 01 2788610 or 0429356910.  Alternatively you can contact us on jobs@rplus.ie or www.recruitmentplus.ie

I’d like to say Thank You to our clients and our candidates (Temp, Contract and Perm) for your ongoing support.  A very special heartfelt Thank You to all our front-line and essential workers for the amazing job they are doing on behalf of the whole country in our fight to beat the Coronavirus.

Let’s continue to work together to beat this pandemic and demonstrate to other nations that Ireland will continue to adhere to C19 guidelines and we will soon “reopen for business” and work together to get our economy back on track.

In This Together

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Slowly but surely Ireland has been winning the battle against Covid-19 with new daily cases of the virus peaking in mid month and declining since, and with the mortality rate declining slightly according to latest figures, we can all hope for a very gradual transition over the coming months to something like the sort of social interaction and work scenarios that existed prior to this disease.

It will take all of our continued support to get to this position and we salute the HSE and medical scientific community in Ireland in their ongoing fight on our behalf.

So come on Ireland, let’s show our neighbouring countries that we’ve the determination and the resilience to fight this virus by continuing to respect social distancing and by staying home.

Recruitment Plus is proud to be supporting our clients in the healthcare sector by working tirelessly to source Temporary Front-line Healthcare Assistants who can offer immediate support during this crisis.  If you are interested in joining the fight against Covid-19, contact RecruitmentPlus today on 01 2788610 or email anne@rplus.ie or bernice@rplus.ie

We’re Still Open

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As the current COVID-19 situation develops, we continue to monitor the situation carefully and will communicate any client-specific information to our Temps as it becomes available.

Our thoughts are with our staff, clients, candidates, and Temps along with their families during this time.

Our priority is looking after our Temporary & Contract workers, Staff, Candidates and Clients.  If you have general queries regarding COVID-19 please visit the HSE website https://www.hse.ie for all the latest and most up to date information.

If your query is in relation to potential sick pay entitlements please visit https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/99104a-covid-19-coronavirus/

For the protection of our staff, clients and candidates our offices in Dublin and Dundalk will be temporarily closed. Staff will be working remotely and conducting any meetings, interviews or screening online in order to continue to find the best talent for our clients and to support our candidates in their search for their ideal job.

Do you need Urgent COVID-19 Temp Cover?

In this challenging time we can support our clients balance business continuity and business flexibility, through providing short term resources.

  • We can provide temps (vetted where needed) qualified and available across Healthcare, Food Supply/Warehouse/ Logistics and all sectors.
  • Expedited Garda Vetting (1-2 days expected turnaround time) for any healthcare worker who is hired to assist with the Covid-19 outbreak.
  • Our pool of temp candidates are pre-screened, registered and ready to fill-in for a variety of positions.
  • We have 2 x offices in Dublin and Dundalk and we are adding Temps to our database daily.

 For further information on hiring temporary/contract staff please contact Anne Fanthom on 0868314668 or email anne@rplus.ie

COVID-19 Update

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These are unprecedented times for businesses in Ireland. Because of the current COVID-19 situation, our employees have all been set up to work from home since Monday 16th March. We will continue this work from home scheme as requested by the government and we are keeping an eye on this constantly evolving situation. Our number one priority is the health of our employees and in turn their families and the wider community.

 

We are available by phone and email as usual. Our main and direct dial phone lines will revert to employee mobiles during working hours and all employees can log in remotely. We are committed to keeping continuity of service for our clients and candidates.

 

Beyond business as usual, we are happy to lend our expertise where we can. As a recruitment agency who has been in business for over 20 years and recently recognized as a Best Workplace, we have a huge array of industry knowledge to help employees and business owners at this time. So, if we can assist in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01 2788610 or mobile 0868314668. Everyone in Ireland is trying to figure out how to best manage their employment or business right now. And we all work better together.

 

Our Minister for Health Simon Harris has stated the next 7 days are critical in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus. Let’s all continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves, our families and the greater community.

 

As the old Irish proverb says “Ní neart go cur le chéile”.

 

 

Anne Fanthom

Managing Director

Tel 01 2788610

Mobile 0834246691

Great Place To Work

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Great Place to Work 2020 Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

RecruitmentPlus Named as One of the Best Workplaces in Ireland

We are delighted to announce that we have been officially recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland in 2020. The annual Great Place to Work, Best Workplaces in Ireland awards, took place in the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin on Wednesday 26th February 2020. This is our first year to be named as a top Irish workplace, which is assessed through Great Place to Work’s robust ‘Trust Index©’ employee survey and a thorough ‘Culture Audit©’ assessment of their policies and practices.

We were ranked as the 14th best small workplace in Ireland.

In attendance on the evening were Anne-Marie Wallace, Bernice Brennan, Hazel Whelan, Lorna Ward, Zuzana Foley and Managing Director Anne Fanthom who says, “Thanks to all our colleagues, candidates and clients for their good wishes on our Great Places to Work achievement.  The team are thrilled and reaching 14th place out of 37 in our first year of entry is a huge accolade.”

 

About Great Place to Work® and the Assessment Process

The key defining feature of a great workplace is the level of trust that exists within it. From an employee’s viewpoint, the definition of a great workplace is one where you trust the people you work with, you have great pride in what you do, and you enjoy the people you work with. The Great Place to Work Institute assesses the policies and practices in place in organisations under nine key areas: Inspiring, Speaking, Listening, Caring, Developing, Thanking, Hiring, Celebrating, and Sharing. They then benchmark these practices against other organisations in that country. The second key component of the assessment is an anonymous Trust Index survey that gathers the perceptions of employees under five dimensions: Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride, and Camaraderie. Finally, there is an in-depth qualitative analysis of open-ended comments from employees.

Business All Stars 2020

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We are pleased to announce that RecruitmentPlus has received Business All-Star Accreditation. Our team has been very busy over the last 8 weeks working with the All-Ireland Business Foundation to achieve our Business All-Star Accreditation Certificate. This accreditation is an outstanding achievement and recognises the hard work and dedication of our team in providing a best in class service to all our customers. Anne Fanthom, Managing Director and Bernice Brennan, Business Development Manager were in attendance at the Gold Medal Ceremony on December 12th at Croke Park to receive our official certificate.

Business All-Star accredited companies are defined as progressive, indigenous Irish businesses which meet the highest standards of verified performance, trust and customer centricity. In achieving this accreditation, we join a unique group of businesses and we believe this continues to demonstrate our commitment to improving our service to our customers and suppliers.

This award means so much to our company because it’s based on what we value most: performance, trust and customer-centricity. As a recruitment agency, we work hard to ensure the right person is placed in the right job. Our focus is always on the best outcome for our clients and candidates and they know they can trust us as we have their best interests at heart.

 

We would like to thank the team at Business All Stars as well as our clients and suppliers who supported us by providing references and testimonials in support of our application. We especially want to thank our team at RecruitmentPlus.  Every member of the RecruitmentPlus team is an All Star.