Above and beyond: Josh Paterson named FoundOcean's inaugural Employee of the Quarter
Recognition, says Alison Mclean, FoundOcean's Head of HR, does not have to be grand. "It doesn't have to be big," she says. "It just has to make a difference."
That principle has shaped our revamped Employee Recognition Scheme.
Josh Paterson, an apprentice electrician in his fourth and final year, is the inaugural winner of FoundOcean's Employee of the Quarter award. The quarterly format is a development of an existing annual programme, reworked in response to employee feedback seeking more regular, peer-to-peer opportunities to acknowledge colleagues who go above and beyond.
Nominations are open to everyone and assessed against FoundOcean's core values – Entrepreneurial, Responsible and Innovative. A Recognition Committee then reviews every submission before arriving at a decision.
In Josh's case, the decision was unanimous.
Josh received an Amazon voucher, a certificate – now on display at home – and moves forward as a candidate for FoundOcean's Employee of the Year award. Josh was very surprised. He had no idea his name was in the running.
Investing in people inside and outside work
FoundOcean's commitment to Josh extends beyond the workshop. The company sponsors his stock car racing – he competes in the Pro Stock Basics formula in his own blue and white car which he bought earlier this year, now complete with FoundOcean livery on the bonnet.
The sponsorship is deliberate. Alison Mclean believes people will always perform best when they are supported as whole people, not just treated as a set of skills. Josh’s stock car sponsorship is just one expression of that principle.
“I believe you can teach most people most things,” Alison says, “if they have the right attitude and behaviours.”
That philosophy runs through FoundOcean's approach to recruitment and development. For early-career team members, the company runs apprenticeships in partnership with Forth Valley College, as well as Associate Project Engineer roles built around real project experience – both supported from day one by experienced mentors within the team.
Long service is also recognised alongside individual achievement. Workshop Manager Brian Sherry, who has been with FoundOcean for 26 years, is also on the Recognition Committee himself – someone who helps celebrate the team while embodying exactly the kind of values the awards are designed to honour.
Why it matters
The recognition scheme is part of something larger. Alison is clear that empowering people to contribute their ideas is not a wellbeing policy – it is how FoundOcean delivers for its clients.
This focus comes from the top, with Kerr Wright, Managing Director, a firm believer in empowerment. "If you empower your people to be confident and come up with ideas," he says, "that’s where the growth is. That’s where you get the best results."
As he put it at FoundOcean's recent 60th anniversary celebration:
"Our people are what make FoundOcean a great success and a great place to work. FoundOcean is a place where we value hard work, commitment and loyalty – and this is the cornerstone of our success."
Josh’s nomination is a reminder that, in a business built on precision and reliability offshore, those qualities begin on dry land, with our people.
Nominations for the next Employee of the Quarter are open now. All FoundOcean employees are able to put forward a colleague, with the reason for the nomination.