Mick Howard leads 135-year-old manufacturer Clearly Drinks, which makes its own branded products as well as providing a contract bottling service to some of the industry's biggest names.
Earlier this year the firm revealed the positive impact of a £6.5m investment into its Wearside operation - a move Mr Howard described as a "brave and courageous decision" during the pandemic. Here he tells us more about the way in which Covid has changed the way Clearly Drinks works, amongst other things.
What was your first job (and how much did it pay)?
I joined the Army as a junior leader in 1985 for £25 per week!
What is the best advice or support you’ve been given in business?
Invest in the culture of your business. Sustainable growth and great productivity can only be delivered through your people.
What are the main changes you’ve seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you’re facing?
Thankfully the sector is now embracing the sustainability agenda with conviction. As a manufacturing business it is imperative that we take our responsibilities seriously and take ownership in delivering a net zero plan with substance.
Of course, navigating the business through the pandemic over the past few years presented the types of challenges none of us have really experienced either personally or professionally, and has really put us to the test. No more so than right now, with inflation at a 40-year high, and everyone really feeling the pinch, then remaining on track with our commitments is tough. Running a business right now is like being on The Krypton Factor every day – being constantly engaged in a contest!
How has the pandemic changed the way you work?
Our industry as well as many others have seen a big shift in attitudes away from traditional working models post-Covid. We fully welcome this shift to hybrid working as it gives employees more flexibility and a chance to take more control of their work life balance, which will only help with productivity, morale, and retention.
We find that managing a hybrid team works very well for our business. This was a practice we implemented during the pandemic when required, therefore, we were able to iron out any potential issues quite early on. Like all businesses, we have needed to adapt to the changing world and the needs of our employees. This has also been crucial for attracting and retaining talent as virtual working is becoming highly requested as a means of supporting a work-life balance post-Covid.
As a manufacturing business, it is important there is still an adequate level of site-based working to ensure team alignment, which is something our senior team successfully manages. We also have senior members of staff on hand to help younger team members and new starters who are on-site for their learning and development, ensuring that everyone feels supported and has everything they require to thrive.
Who is your role model in business?
Oprah Winfrey - she’s now a media owner and CEO of her own TV network but she lived in rural poverty during her early years of her life and even suffered extensively at the hands of abusive relatives. Great perseverance and self-belief.
What would your dream job be?
Owning a car dealership. I’m a petrolhead, so the idea of driving a different car every day without the burden of throwing money down the drain would be great.
What advice would you give to someone starting out a career in your sector?
Get organised - your job will get hectic from time to time. There is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night thinking about those things you either forgot to do the day before, or that are looming. Keep a notebook by your bed so you can dump your thoughts and not worry about forgetting the next morning.
Keep a daily planner at work – use outlook calendar to plan your day with the tasks and activities that need doing by priority.
Write things down in meetings. There is nothing worse than forgetting actions or commitments made. Your brain is good for having ideas, it is not very good for holding them. So get them out of your head onto paper. That alone releases stress.
Getting organised will help you maintain a cool head in hectic times and make sound decisions. And most importantly, it will help you sleep soundly too!
What makes the North East a good place to do business?
The Sunderland community has always been at the heart of the Clearly Drinks agenda, with our business investing in local skills, attainment, and raising aspirations throughout its history – never has that been more prominent than in the last two years. There is so much talent in the area that sometimes goes unnoticed, so it’s brilliant to be working alongside innovative and driven North East leaders.
How important is it for business to play a role in society?
It’s so important that we play a role in society and in our local community. As a business, Clearly Drinks cares about supporting, educating, and giving back to the communities around them. The people of the North East have been a big part of our story for the past 135 years and the business simply wouldn’t be where we are without them. That’s why we choose to work with charities that will make a real difference to their lives.
Alongside being a major employer in the North East, Clearly Drinks are dedicated to investing back into their local area and the people who call it home. We work closely with local charities and organisations to give support and opportunities to those with additional needs their community, to help and support them to gain employment. Employees within Clearly Drinks work directly with Moving On Tyne and Wear and North East Autism to enable a workplace experience for anyone who is struggling to gain employment and has helped a range of people to start work experience programmes and start full time employment roles within the company.
I am proud that we have empowered the team to ensure that colleagues with autism, depression, anxiety and physical disabilities can showcase their skills and gain meaningful opportunities. We have also partnered with the Salvation Army to part fund an employability coordinator, based in Sunderland, who helps people who are homeless develop their employability, seek and secure employment.
Outside of work, what are you really good at?
I wouldn’t profess to be really good at it, but I do enjoy cooking with a beer in my hand. Great way of de-stressing.
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