We’re a people business, and we have always known that it is our people who make Smart great. Being fair, flexible and inclusive is important to us, and we undertake specific work to help ensure that we are meeting our own standards. 

Our progress so far

Culture initiatives for a rapidly-growing team

‍Colleague engagement is critical to the success of our business, and in 2022 we introduced a number of initiatives to create an environment where our colleagues feel valued, heard, and supported.

• Our Great Place to Work survey and HR suggestions box allow us to gather feedback from colleagues on a range of topics, from workplace culture to benefits and compensation. We use this feedback to identify areas where we can improve and to develop action plans to address any concerns.
• Similarly, our “You said. We did” campaign demonstrates our commitment to taking action based on colleague feedback. By sharing the results of our survey and highlighting the actions we have taken in response, we show our colleagues that we value their input and are committed to creating a workplace that meets their needs.

You Said

‍Colleagues said they  would appreciate more personal financial information and support from the business. 

We Did

Created a #financial-well-being channel on Slack to share relevant resources.

Brought back free Octopus MoneyCoaching sessions.

You Said

As the business has grown, colleagues asked for more targeted and relevant communications. 

We Did

Launched ‘The Scoop’ newsletter for all colleagues.

Launched Pulse Management newsletter specifically for people managers.

Revamped location-based Slack channels to improve local communications.

You Said

Colleagues wanted more opportunities for reward and recognition. 

We Did

Created the Congratulations posts on Smart Hub and The Scoop to congratulate colleagues publicly for being promoted.
Launched The Smart Awards to celebrate the fantastic achievements across Smart, with monetary prizes.

You Said

Colleagues wanted more opportunities to learn new skills and hear what other teams are doing.

We Did

Implemented ‘Bitesize Learning’ sessions and Town Hall events to provide opportunities for our colleagues to learn, grow and connect with their peers. 

You Said

Colleagues would like more support for young professionals across Smart. 

We Did

Launched the George Street Network to help these colleagues build on their existing skills and learn new ones, grow their knowledge of the business, increase their network of colleagues and achieve their true potential.

Our colleague engagement initiatives are critical to the success of our business. By creating a supportive and engaging workplace culture and acting upon the feedback we receive from our people, we are able to attract and retain top talent, drive innovation and growth and deliver the best possible service to our customers.

Case studies

Sustainability talk series

We are taking big steps towards a greener and brighter future, and through the Smart sustainability talk series we provide an opportunity for staff to join this movement. Throughout the year we dive deep into discussions with sustainability experts, visionaries and change-makers from across industries to inspire, enlighten and empower staff. These captivating talks leave staff with the knowledge and motivation to make a positive impact on our planet.

Connecting and growing: George Street Network 

We launched the George Street Network in September 2022, with the objective of bringing together diverse talent at an early point in their career. It is a community for under 30s at Smart, offering a supportive environment for learning, networking and developing leadership skills. It includes internal and external guest speaker events,  team-building activities and internal job swaps. Sixty members have joined the network since its launch, and 77% say it has introduced them to people they wouldn’t otherwise have met.

Supporting our community: Fundraising

At Smart, we take pride in actively supporting our community and promoting diversity in the technology industry. One of the ways we do this is by hosting and sponsoring Rails Girls events in London and Kraków. Rails Girls is a special 1.5-day workshop designed for women and non-binary individuals, providing them with essential tools and a supportive community to explore technology and bring their ideas to life. We believe in the significance of such initiatives as they not only empower women but also contribute to bridging the gender gap in the tech sector.

In addition to fostering diversity and inclusion through Rails Girls, giving back to our community is deeply ingrained within Smart. Our charitable partnerships play a vital role in making a positive impact. Each year, our colleagues participate in a poll to select a new charity to support from a list of nominations proposed by our own team members. In 2023, we proudly partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support as our chosen charity. We regularly run fundraising events and, in addition, this year we sold laptops to staff with a proportion of the funds donated to our chosen charity. Over the past five years, we have collectively raised over £30,000 through a series of staff-led activities and events.

At Smart, we firmly believe that being a responsible corporate citizen means making a difference both within our industry and beyond. By empowering women in technology through Rails Girls and supporting charitable initiatives like Macmillan Cancer Support, we strive to create a better, more inclusive world, where technology is a force for positive change.‍

Colleague surveys

• Great Place To Work results
  The Great Place To Work survey measures colleague satisfaction and engagement, which is then benchmarked against similar organisations. In  2023, we received a response rate of 89%, which is well above the average of 65% for similar-sized businesses. As many as 90% agreed with the statement, “Taking everything into account I believe Smart is a great place to work.” Overall, the average positive feedback score was 85%. We are proud that, in 2023, we were certified as a Great Place To Work™ in the UK, Poland, Spain and the US.
• Glassdoor results
  ‍Our ratings on Glassdoor show an increase in our ‘recommend a friend’ score from 65% in January 2022 to 85% in January 2023 . Similarly, our ‘business outlook’ score rose from 82% in January 2022 to 94% in January 2023. Other categories that saw an improvement were ‘senior management’, ‘work/life balance’, ‘culture and values’, ‘career opportunities’, ‘compensation and benefits’ and ‘diversity and inclusion’.