黑洞社区

Stephen Martin, chief executive of Humberside-based construction company, Clugston Group, goes undercover tonight in a Channel 4 programme to find out just what his workforce think of the way the company is run, and to better understand the issues they face on a day to day basis - never more relevant in the midst of a recession where site workers are fearing for their jobs. Undercover Boss was aired yesterday at 9pm but Emily Wright caught up with Martin for a chat to find what he learnt about his own company from the experience and to get a sneak preview on the characters viewers will meet in the programme

So, how did this TV appearance come about?

We were approached by Channel 4 to take part in a reality TV series about the construction industry which would show the boss going undercover and, like most other construction firms they had called, we said no. I think, like most other firms, there was the concern about how we'd come across and how I would come across as we had to sign away any editorial control. And especially at the moment in the current climate everyone is very sensitive. But then I thought long and hard about it and decided it would be a good idea. It's a great management technique to get out and meet the workforce and this was I got to see exactly how the staff lived, worked and, more importantly what their fears and concerns are and what they wanted from me as the chief executive.

How did you feel before the filming started? You must have been a bit nervous?

Yes, we started the filming over around two weeks in January and I was very anxious. I genuinely did not know what I was going to be doing or when. I was taken out at 4am at the last minute to do a night job, had to do video diaries in the evening, was filmed having breakfast. The cameras were there from when I woke up to when I went to sleep.

What was the cover story then? Were the site workers not suspicious about the cameras?

No, we had a cover story, though we couldn't lie. So we said it was a documentary about an office worker seeing what it was like to be on site. Which was true, we just didn't say head office. And if people started to ask questions then I got pretty good at changing the subject quickly.

Presumably you didn't use your own name?

No I was Martin Walker, my surname and my mother's maiden name

What did you learn over you two week stint undercover then?

Three major things -one is the importance of communication, especially in a recession. I used to send out a quarterly glossy newsletter and no one had heard of it, let alone read it. It was clearly a total waste of effort. As a result of learning this we have set up five minute briefing sessions on smaller sites and WETs - Worker Engagement Teams on the larger sites where people can address representatives and have information passed down to them every few weeks. I realised being on site that information was not passing through, just some big decision which only acted to get the rumour mill going, people would hear half the real story and then come up with scenarios in their heads that were far more dramatic than what was actually going on. I also heard that a lot of staff had lost their bonuses and didn't know why because they got their amended pay cheque before they got the letter explaining it. Things like that I now know about I can work on stopping happening again.

The other thing I learnt was how many aging construction workers we have heading for retirement now as all the baby boomers are coming to that ago. There is no system in place to pass on the skills and expertise they have, this is knowledge that spans decades. So we have set up a scheme called Bridge the Gap to promote this and Digby Jones is involved He will be explaining how employers and staff can work together to make sure the knowledge is passed on.

The final thing is the importance of young workers. I met some who really wanted to work hard, be involved and bring something to the industry and that has inspired me to think about ways to keep them on, even in tough times.

How did you find the site work itself?

I am a chartered builder but I hadn't done this sort of work for 20 years. It was exhausting. Physically draining and I had the added issue of the cameras, trying to find things out without giving anything away - it was tough.

Did any big shocks come out of the experience?

The main one was about communication and information passing down the line. We spend a lot on communication and I thought we were doing well in this area when clearly we weren't at all.

What were people's reactions when they found out your true identity?

I had to choose three people to tell on camera and they all reacted very differently. But positively. They were all shocked. One guy was relieved as he was summoned to head office to receive the news and thought he was going to lose his job. The other was one of our older workers, he's 64, been with the company for 36 years and hasn't had a day off in his life. He was touched at how I had treated him despite my senior position. He was so pleased I had taken the risk and decided to do what I had done so I could find out more about my staff and better deliver what they wanted and needed.

Was anyone upset? Or concerned about what they may have said to you before they knew who you were?

Yes but I reassured them that the process was just to find out how I could improve the company and that anything else had heard didn't matter - I wasn't interested.

Were you looking forward to watching the programme?

No! I was hiding behind the sofa as I hate seeing myself on TV. I have seen a rough cut but not the finished programme. It's a big risk because you open yourself up to so much criticism but I wanted to do it for the company and to get that level of understanding.