Laura McLaughlin

Said the following about Service Quality Team:

“The only TOC to deliver the Service Quality Regime during the pandemic, we tackled and delivered logistical and Covid-safety challenges with innovation, trust, leadership, teamwork, commitment and resilience.

Creative & Innovative: Introduced ‘SQ Lite’ an adaption to the SQ regime to ensure that the SQ Assessments could continue at our stations and on our trains and safety measures robust enough to withstand Government guidelines as well as national and local lockdowns.

Above & Beyond: Team members are based in each of the four regions at Northern and each one demonstrated resilience by overcoming their own safety concerns to serve our customers. The intel gathered on the SQ assessments was used to drive improvement for our customers and provide valuable information to the business.

Team Work: Working from home and remote lone working challenges became connected and supportive with the team WhatsApp group and regular wellbeing Teams calls to support each other during the rollercoaster of emotions . Good Morning and Good Night messages to each other became the norm and still continue.

Behaviours / Attitudes: Covid fears were replaced by trust and support; ensuring the team were on the necessary access lists to enable them to use facilities and wash their hands regularly providing PPE and additional equipment to help the team do their jobs as comfortably and safely as possible.

The SQ team achieved and continues to meet targets set, delivering for our customers by collaborating with key colleagues to drive improvement in our Stations and Trains as well as becoming the go-to team within the industry for guidance on new ways of working and delivering SQ requirements. Go Team SQ!“