Winner: Darwin Lloyd, ISS UK
Sponsored by: 14forty
What strikes you about Darwin Lloyd is the impression that this young ISS housekeeping manager has made on his colleagues, the result of an inclusive and positive attitude towards the teams he works in.
‘An excellent team player,’ we’re told. ‘A fine addition to the team’ who ‘can think swiftly on his feet and applies his creativity in the workplace’. Darwin ‘does his best for the group,’ too, bringing ‘joy and great people engagement’ with his ‘personable approach’. More than this, Darwin even has his own motto – ‘One team, one dream’.
It’s a litany of praise – but who is Darwin Lloyd? He grew up in St Lucia, where he worked selling and fixing bikes. On moving to the UK, his first job was in housekeeping and then, at ISS, as a cleaning operative, and then evening supervisor on the firm’s HSBC account. His ‘fantastic’ engagement skills enabled him to progress to the role of site manager.
At ISS, he’s taken part in the mobilising of an insurance and finance sector (IFS) account; become a role model in ISS UK’s ERG (employee resource group) community; reduced chemical usage and cleaning audit performance; modernised mailroom delivery; and used gamification to deliver ‘tool box’ health and safety talks, creating quizzes and games to supplement ISS’s regular health & safety comms.
Time and again, Darwin’s colleagues reference his interpersonal skills. They note how he realised that language and cultural differences could often be a hindrance for delivering the safety message, particularly in teams with high churn and a wide variety of cultures and nationalities. Darwin took this as a challenge, changing methods and language to ensure everyone got the safety message.
He’s seen by his employer as a role model of cultural acceptance, showing that, whatever your background, a professional career is possible so long as you have drive, commitment and support.
Darwin’s fast evolving leadership skills and approachable behaviour have already made him runner-up at the ISS Banking sector Awards Manager of the Year 2022/23. With his dedication and enthusiasm clear across all aspects of this awards submission, it became clear that when it came to judging the 2023 Newcomer of the Year award, Darwin was a natural selection.
In his own words:
“As a manager I feel it is important to be approachable, empathetic, to put yourself in your team members’ situations and find solutions for them and the organisation.”
“There is still a lot of stigma around H&S and it’s a challenge to make it alive and engaging. But I have seen it work through my early exercises of gamification; I would love to bring this to the wider organisation.”
“I would like to continue to grow my involvement in diversity groups. In our business especially, we have a high number of nationalities, so we should be at the forefront in securing a respectful, diverse environment.”
“I aspire to learn from my peers and obtain feedback. I will continue to be myself, keep enjoying the journey and sharing the love. One team, one dream!”
What Darwin’s colleagues say:
“Darwin often comes up with innovative approaches to resolving issues. The results of his work demonstrate that he is a valued manager. He strives to help the team win, rather than to be the greatest player.” – Anish Pandey – HSEQ Manager, ISS Banking
“To make our HSEQ delivery more interactive and engaging for his team, Darwin has created quizzes & games that supplement the Health & Safety information contained in communications sent from ISS. This ensures the team are not left to just read communications but tests their knowledge and understanding.” – Kevin Brady – Key Account Manager ISS at HSBC