May is mental health awareness month, a time when we can collectively campaign to make mental health & well-being for all a global priority. Whilst the last few years may have exacerbated mental health challenges for many people, the World Health Organisation wants to provide us all with an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health. At Travis Perkins, we’re proud to make the well-being of our colleagues, both inside and outside of work, a top priority; something that Damon Godfrey has found firsthand.
Damon is an Assistant Security Manager within our Group Security Operation Centre (GSOC) and has worked for the Travis Perkins Group for 8 years. He supports the day-to-day operations of the GSOC, which is a 24-hour, 365 days a year operation that reactively monitors the CCTV and Intruder Alarm systems across our entire estate.
We spoke to Damon about his experience of suffering from ill mental health, and how providing awareness and emotional and practical support within our Group has helped.
Instilling calmness in a demanding environment
Part of Damon’s role is to ensure that the shifts are sufficiently staffed, including nights, weekends and bank holidays (even Christmas!). This also requires many varied types of training to be carried out, meaning the team can best support branches and the wider business with security issues.
He also leads the technical team, which liaises with branches and engineers all over the country, checking that any security equipment on sites is operating correctly and providing the right levels of protection.
When asked what motivated him to apply for his current role, Damon told us that having worked in the team for a number of years, he felt a change in attitude and culture might really benefit the operation and the team. “I wanted to bring a more relaxed mindset to an environment that I know through experience can often be intense and stressful.”
Being a supportive colleague and genuinely caring
We spoke to Damon about what he most enjoys about the role, and his answer was simple: the people.
“The people make this job for me. We have day shifts, evening workers and night teams, each of them as crucial to the success of the team as anyone else in the department. I really enjoy being able to act as a support point for anyone in the department who needs it, whether that be work-related or personal well-being support. I care about my team and want my team to have the best time at work they can, so doing my best to make that happen is exciting to me.”
Making the most of career progression within the Group
Damon started with the Group as an Admin Clerk, dealing with credit notes and invoice disputes between branches and suppliers. This quickly progressed to Team Leader, where he was able to take on more line management responsibilities. However, he felt like he needed a change in direction.
“I’d always had an interest in security and loss prevention and was encouraged by our department head to pursue any ambitions I had, even if they lay outside of the current team. I applied for a role as a Technical Administrator within the GSOC and after a few months, was promoted to Night Shift Supervisor, in which I developed the line management experience I’d gained previously.”
Recognising changes in mental health
In 2019 Damon found that his mental health had deteriorated and resulted in an extended period of depression and anxiety. As a result, he knew a change in lifestyle was needed in order to look after himself.
“I applied for a Fraud Analyst job within Group Security and was still able to offer some support to the GSOC team during the covid lockdowns. A couple of years into this role, I knew an opportunity was coming up that I could really jump into and enjoy in a department I know with people I know, and I was able to rejoin the GSOC as the Assistant Security Manager.”
A supportive culture within the Group
We asked Damon why he wants to continue working within our Group, and he said that the supportive culture particularly displayed during the Covid lockdowns has been really noticeable and is something he is grateful for.
“The benefits that are offered via MyPerks are great as well. So far I’ve been able to save over £420 in discount vouchers, cashback and other offers. There are opportunities for progression and development if you want it, and they put their money where their mouth is when it comes to Mental Health and well-being support.”
Delivering commitments to D&I
Damon is part of one of our colleague networks, working on delivering commitments to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), which he’s found really valuable.
“I wasn’t oblivious or ignorant to it before, but I’ve been able to learn so much more about Diversity and Inclusion than I thought I would through the different webinars, workshops and online courses offered through the group. As cheesy as it might sound, all these kinds of inclusion networks have really helped me grow as a person.”
Company values that are personal and relatable
We asked Damon which of our company values he felt resonated with him the most, and for him, ‘We Care’ has meant a lot.
“I suffer from depression and have had some less than favourable experiences with ill mental health and well-being. Knowing that there is emotional and practical support available is such an important thing for me, as someone who may need it myself, as a member of a department of more than 40, and as a line manager.
I think these new company values are different. They’re personal, they’re relatable, and they’re things that people can resonate with and understand the importance of. To me, they’re actual human-based values that the group is demonstrating that they believe in, which gives me more cause to believe in the values and the company.”
Join a company that cares about you
If you’re looking for a new role in an inclusive environment where you can feel truly supported, we may have an opportunity for you.
Browse our available Head Office & Central Services Jobs today to find out more and apply.
