Stratum Consultants Ltd

Stratum Consultants announced as a finalist in the Southern Cross Wayfinder Awards!

Stratum Consultants has been announced as a finalist in the Southern Cross Wayfinder Awards! 

The New Horizon Award recognises innovation in workplace wellbeing:

A trailblazing business that has innovated and implemented transformative programmes or strategies to enhance the wellbeing of its people.  They are carving new paths for others to follow, showcasing the benefits of investing in the health and happiness of their people and seen positive results.

Our 36-hour work week where we close at noon each Friday has earned us a place as a finalist in this category. 

In late 2022 Stratum Consultants introduced a truly impactful wellness initiative that we believed was the first of its kind in our industry and certainly rare in New Zealand - a Reduced Working Week where all of our offices close at 12 noon on Friday’s for a long weekend, every weekend.  People are paid for a full working week and there is no requirement to ‘make up’ the time.

Our people’s work is demanding and complex.  To provide a genuinely impactful wellness benefit and enable sustained performance we were looking for an ongoing (not one off) benefit for all of our people. We kept coming back to the value of time.

The owners and leadership team considered a variety of other benefits, and were clear that something that provided ongoing benefit was key to sustained and true improvements in wellbeing, and the other element of success is that this initiative is for everyone.  It is not something for only a portion of our people.  We also love the potential for benefits to extend to whānau and communities of our people which is aligned with our organisational values.

We’re thrilled our initiative is being recognised on a national scale.  The winner is announced in November - fingers crossed!

Stratum confirmed as a finalist in the Te Puke Business Excellence Awards

Stratum Consultant’s history in the Bay of Plenty over many decades has meant we’ve been a key part of the evolving Te Puke landscape.  When we say ‘we know this land like the back of our hand’ it’s particularly evident in Te Puke with Stratum shareholders and leaders of our business born and bred locals who are truly passionate about Te Puke’s prosperity.  Our business is to support land and orchard owners and their development projects, but as locals we genuinely care out the broader outcomes and supporting the creation of communities and developments we can feel proud of.

But it’s not all about the projects we’re part of in Te Puke, it’s also how we give back, with Te Puke a key area of focus for our community support.  We sponsor and support a variety of Te Puke groups and are proud to be able to give back in a community we have such strong connections with.

With such a long-standing history in Te Puke it goes without saying that they’re excited to be part of the 2023 Te Puke Business Excellence Awards as a finalist in the Service category.       

CEO appointed at Stratum Consultants as Managing Director retires.

Stratum Consultants is pleased to announce the appointment of Mel Lewis as the Chief Executive Officer.  Mel’s appointment follows an extensive selection process that considered candidates from a range of backgrounds.

Stratum Consultants has experienced strong growth over the past decade, and the retirement of long-standing Managing Director Andrew Robinson created an opportunity to look outside of the business to bring in a new skillset as the business enters its next phase of transformation.

Mel Lewis joins the organisation with extensive experience in the wider property sector having served as the Chief Operating Officer at Quotable Value (QV), but with a long tenure at QV in a variety of executive, operational, and project roles.  Mel has a Bachelor of Business Studies (Valuation and Property Management), a Master of Business Administration, is a Registered Valuer, and a Senior member of the Property Institute of New Zealand.

Mel will succeed Managing Director Andrew Robinson who had signalled his intention to retire 18 months ago. Mel’s appointment is a key step in Stratum’s succession and continuity planning. Mel and Andrew are currently part way through a four month transition period through to the 31st of March when Andrew will officially step down.

Andrew is well known locally and has been instrumental in the success of Stratum Consultants to date, both as the leader in his Managing Director role, but also a practicing civil and geotechnical engineer involved in several noteworthy land development projects in the Bay of Plenty.  The Stratum Consultants Board thank Andrew for his years of service and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Post Lockdown Musings from our Staff

The nationwide lockdown during Covid-19 Alert Levels 3 and 4 certainly had a big impact on our lives, our business, the way it operates, the interactions we have with our colleagues and valued clients, and its overall fiscal management. However, it has also highlighted a number of positives along with some new tools and ways to undertake our day to day business moving forward.

We asked four of our staff to reflect on the last couple of months and their reflections provide some interesting food for thought moving forward.

Stratum Consultants Update No.4 on Covid-19

On Thursday we eagerly moved into Alert Level 2!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during the lockdown period. Our staff have worked hard to try and make the remote working arrangements as painless as possible and to continue to deliver the high standard of service for the people we interact with.

This extended period of remote working has enabled our staff to adapt and grow their skill-set particularly around communication, and many of our staff have become proficient across a number of different digital platforms, increased time management skills and personal responsibility.

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Forward Planning Amid Uncertain Times

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There is no doubt we are currently in an uncertain and challenging economic environment at the moment with Covid-19 and our Level 4 status. However, opportunities and silver linings do exist. It is understanding these opportunities and implementing strategies to set yourself up for when the time is right is where you will benefit.

We have found a number of our clients are making good use of the time the lockdown period affords them to implement strategies that will allow their projects to start in good time once restrictions ease. A very useful tool to achieve this is to…

Stratum Consultants Update No.2 on Covid-19

Stratum staff are all working from home and fully functional.

Obviously we can’t carry out site inspections, testing or field surveying, unless you are involved in an essential service industry. If you are involved in these industries, we have staff on standby who are able to carry out site based work for you. Please call should you need assistance.

With respect to office based work including design, plan preparation, reports, consent applications etc, we are fully operational. Please contact us via mobile or email as you normally do.

Stratum Consultants Update No.1 on Covid-19

Covid-19 has spread rapidly around the world and is quite possibly the most serious event to affect our daily lives and our businesses that many of us will experience in our working lives.

The closing of our borders last Saturday started the dominos tumbling – so that now it’s very hard to predict the course of events over the next weeks and months.

This email is to advise you that Stratum Consultants Ltd remains open and we are carrying out business in as near to normal manner as we can.

Contact us today to discuss your project.