When HR Director Joanne Cluxton finished school at the age of 16, like many young people she was unsure of what career route to take.\u00a0 Joanne had taken traditional subjects like biology and home economics, but beyond a brief introduction to business studies in her first year of secondary school, she hadn\u2019t much exposure to the world of business, and this wasn\u2019t an area she had yet considered career-wise.<\/p>\n
Having had her sights set on a degree in nursing and finding out she was too young to apply, she decided to pivot. Following some time working for local estate agent and property management businesses and while studying for a four-year degree specialising in Human Resources, in 2007, Joanne noticed a job advertisement for a HR Admin role at Mercury.<\/p>\n
Backed by Mercury to succeed<\/strong><\/p>\n With three years left on her course at DIT, now TU Dublin, Joanne recalls how Mercury not only supported her with real life experience she could apply to her coursework, but also the massive benefit of being supported financially throughout the remainder of her studies. She saw a company that was willing to invest in its people. \u201cIt was clear from day one that Mercury saw my potential and really backed me to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n Progressing through various roles in Mercury\u2019s HR Function, based out of the company\u2019s head office in Sandyford, Dublin, Joanne soon took on more responsibility. She recalls her learnings and experiences from this time, working in what was previously unchartered territory for her \u2013 from navigating employment law while the company oversaw healthcare projects in the UK, to a stint overseeing the HR operations for a big project in Ireland. The work covered all areas of HR, from Recruitment to Benefits and beyond. With ongoing support from Mercury, Joanne was able to further her studies and hone her leadership skills, completing a Diploma in Employment Law and MBA in Business.<\/p>\n Championing diverse perspectives and embracing digital innovation for success<\/strong><\/p>\n There are various opportunities within the industry. It\u2019s great to see an increase in the number of women on our sites and a focus area for us is to build on this number.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Joanne is proud of how Mercury is championing diverse perspectives and digital innovations to deliver leading edge construction solutions, changing the perception of the industry, and allowing for new opportunities for people to build a successful career with the company, utilising various backgrounds and skillsets.<\/p>\n She notes \u201cThe word construction used to have a dirty or muddy connotation, but that has changed now, especially with companies like Mercury that embrace digital tools to transform how we carry out work and deliver projects. \u201cThere are various opportunities within the industry. It\u2019s great to see an increase in the number of women on our sites and a focus area for us is to build on this number.\u201d<\/p>\n Another appealing aspect of working at Mercury is the opportunity to work on location in one of the many European cities where we have a presence. Joanne mentions how Mercury employees can \u201cexperience new countries and cultures, meeting people from different walks of life, learn from them and apply those learnings to their work. Having different perspectives helps drive the success of the business.“<\/p>\n We know our existing employees are a key driver for this and are great ambassadors for the company.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In an effort to attract and retain employees, Mercury has expanded its family-based policies and when an individual joins the company, they are made aware of these policies. Creating awareness in the early stages is an important and deliberate step taken by the HR team and developments in this space will be ongoing.<\/p>\n \u00a0Creating career development opportunities and building great teams<\/strong><\/p>\n Joanne and her team are actively engaged in promoting the career opportunities available to women at Mercury. The team has a number of initiatives in the pipeline that it plans to roll out this year to spread awareness of the excellent professional development opportunities available at Mercury across all of our European locations. The company is committed to building great teams and backing its people to realise their potential. \u201cWe know our existing employees are a key driver for this and are great ambassadors for the company.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy advice to anyone interested in advancing their career, or in pursuing a career at Mercury is to connect with the people who work here. I\u2019d also advise people to keep an open mind. There\u2019s no hard and fast rule for pursuing a certain career path. I didn\u2019t take the traditional route. I took my time to discover what it was I really wanted to do and found that at Mercury. Two plus two equals four, but three plus one also equals four.\u201d<\/p>\n The importance of a safe environment to work and grow is evident to Joanne. \u201cMy experience at Mercury has been one of encouragement and empowerment. It\u2019s a very open place. You never feel like you can\u2019t ask a question. The trust and respect is there with management and that\u2019s important for you to feel confident in your abilities and contribute to the success of the company.\u201d<\/p>\n Mercury is expanding and has achieved massive milestones in recent years. We\u2019re building on that, and I would like to see more and more of our graduates and females contribute to those milestones.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n