HomeRail NewsRailStaff Awards: Building a railway for the future

RailStaff Awards: Building a railway for the future

Listen to this article

Super-franchise Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is in the middle of a historic transformation. The company is spearheading a modernisation programme to make it fit for a future where more journey options will make it possible for people to lead more flexible and fulfilling lives.

The company is made up of Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Southern and Great Northern train services and covers a network that has the highest growth in the UK, with journey numbers doubling over the last 16 years.

In a bid to significantly boost capacity across the entire network, GTR is phasing in the biggest timetable change in rail history. In addition, over the last two years the company has delivered more new trains than the rest of the country’s rail operators put together. But none of this could be done without the commitment, dedication and determined effort of its 7,200 employees.

Proud as punch

Its people matter to GTR.

It’s why the company is sponsoring the Graduate of the Year category at the RailStaff Awards for a second year running.

In 2017, the award was won by electrical engineer Conor Maton from rail telecommunications leader telent. The 26-year-old was credited with helping the company to win an important contract to supply an IP WAN comms network for the Crossrail project in London. Following the contract award, Conor showed an outstanding level of dedication to learn about IP Networking technology and fully understand the project delivery.

This year, a staggering 37 of GTR’s nominees have made it to the final shortlist – a testament to the value they place on its people. The company couldn’t be prouder of every single one of them and their achievements.

Investment in people

It’s why GTR has invested in new state-of-the-art smart phones for all its frontline staff, giving them the right information whenever they need it. The phones will come pre-loaded with apps that will give staff live information, making their lives easier and customers’ journeys better. Frontline staff will have instant access to journey planners and live departures, customer information, important updates from control, the location and length of a train and a smart ticket checker. They’ll also be able to follow the company’s latest news.

It’s why the company has invested in a development programme called One Step Ahead. It’s for every new employee and the customer-facing teams and is designed to embed excellent customer service in everything they do.

It’s why once a year, GTR holds a prestigious staff excellence awards ceremony where it recognises those employees across the brands that make it their business to be nothing short of brilliant.

It’s why GTR creates a ‘Celebrating Us’ desk calendar that each month marks an occasion that helps them to celebrate the rich diversity of employees through their uniqueness in a way that connects them to each other and helps them to value their differences.

It’s because its people matter that this year the company received a massive 80 per cent response rate from its workers in its annual engagement survey, taking onboard staff feedback.

Its people matter to GTR because to build a better railway for the future, they need to be in it together.


Read more: Diamond in the rough


 

Recommended