10 February 2015
On a snowy January day, the business school sent a delegation of MScs and MBAs to Standard Life to learn about the company and network with some of their professionals.
Walking through Edinburgh’s business district, the Standard Life House is positioned between the Lloyd’s headquarters and the Caledonian Waldorf-Astoria hotel, and truly is a magnificent building both inside and out.
We were welcomed out of the snow to tea and coffee and were brought to a conference room with absolutely breathtaking views of the castle. Here, we spoke with Neil, an employee on the graduate scheme currently placed in Group Strategy, who introduced us to the company’s strategy, different lines of business and global locations. Erin enjoyed hearing from Group Communications and Human Resources who identified Standard Life’s core competencies. “I found it interesting to learn about the 'why' of Standard Life – 'we’re in the business of building a more prosperous world' – and then see that translated directly into their operations and interactions with stakeholders.” Similar to Jim’s previous company, “it was great to get the impression that Standard Life really puts their employees first in the organisation and give them every opportunity to develop the tools to excel at what they do.”
After a quick comfort break, we had a few roundtable discussions with staff to get all of our questions answered and learn about why they chose to work at Standard Life and the best (and worst!) attributes of the company. Jim and Erin both appreciated the Q&A with Gregor who told us about their sustainability strategy and how the company has developed it over the past few years. This was followed by a session with three University of Edinburgh alumni and Andrea, an HR Director, who focuses on talent and development in the graduate scheme.
Jim claimed that having a real estate background, “I have an uncanny excitement about touring properties, particularly when they adapt cutting edge technology or embrace contrarian designs. The Standard Life House had both.” We ended the day with Will, a Human Resourcing Consultant, giving us a tour that emphasised the openness and engagement that the company strives to bring to their employees. These included open floor plans and desks, multiple break out points, and a feeling that everyone had an equal voice in the company, from executive management to the graduates and interns.
“It was truly an A+ office and an A+ experience for everyone involved,” Jim continued. The business school’s career services organise several office visits every semester to local Edinburgh firms. These are great opportunities for students to interface with potential employers and see if they are a good fit. This was Jim and Erin’s first career trek, but truly a very positive experience, and we will definitely keep an eye out for opportunities with Standard Life as part of my career search.