Meet the team: Mike Harrison, Site Manager
Meet Mike Harrison, Site Manager at Thermatic Homes – fixer, planner and problem-solver! If you ask anyone what Mike’s greatest strength is they will tell you ‘he gets stuff done!’
We sat down with Mike Harrison to get an insight into what a typical day looks like, how he started his career and much more.
Mike Harrison, Site Manager
1. Are there any moments in your career, past or present, that stand out to you?
My career in construction started as a Resident Liaison Officer. After a few years, I settled at Mears. This is where I made the decision to move from the customer care role and to the site management side. I booked a week holiday, paid for my own course and returned to Mears with a view to moving over. My Contract manager at the time helped me with this transition and 6/7 years later I’m here.
2. What kind of skills do you need to be effective in your role?
Good communication, organisation, problem-solving, patience and the ability to motivate people.
3. Can you tell us about a typical working day for you?
I arrive on-site and see what trades we have and issue works. I monitor daily progress while inspecting quality, whilst keeping the client and residents fully informed. I deal with a variety of issues that arise and keep track of materials. I make sure that I’m available for any queries that arise and assist with the end quality and snagging.
4. Where do you see Thermatic Homes in 5 years?
As I am new here and my role is the first within Thermatic Homes in the building services sector, I believe we will have developed this new side of the business and have multiple Site Managers looking over multiple schemes.
5. Can you tell us about the hardest moment in your career and how you overcame it?
Before my journey into construction, I was a pub landlord. In the October of 2008 we had a break-in during the night with us all in bed (Myself, my partner and three young children. My daughter was only 9 months old at the time). I had been in the pub industry for approximately 10 years and decided it was unfair on my family to go through that sort of risk. I used my good communication skills to transfer into a Trainee Customer Liaison Officer with Manchester Working and moved to the construction industry.
6. Thermatic’s culture is at the heart of the business – can you describe what the culture means to you?
Before joining the team, I worked with Thermatic Homes for Approximately five years where I had the pleasure of working closely with Tommy (McGlone) and had met with Karl Wallace, the Managing Director of Thermatic Homes on several occasions while working on the Brunswick PFI. The first thing that you see is a group of people who genuinely enjoy working with each other from the lads on the tools through to the Managing Director. The professionalism and attention to detail are what first stood out for me, and this is still apparent now I am a part of it. Every team member has made the effort to make me feel welcome and offer their assistance if required.
7. What do you believe is the greatest thing that Thermatic Homes has achieved so far?
With only being with Thermatic Homes for a short period of time I believe their greatest achievements are yet to come. However, currently, I would say it’s their ability to keep developing and adapting, keeping the company relevant with the ability to move forward with any of their client’s needs.
8. Do you have any advice for people who want to work in the industry?
Find something you enjoy doing. If you enjoy it, you will stick at it through good and bad.
9. What do you love most about your job?
The quality produced at the end of the job and a happy resident. I find in this job it’s very easy to complain but takes a lot to compliment, so enjoy the little wins. I also enjoy the different daily challenges and the people I work with.
10. Finally, if there was one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Not to be too critical of any failings, everything I have done has eventually led to this.
