The newsletter of Stagecoach Group Issue 126 | March 2018 Farewell STAGE Edition ON page 2 page 8 INSIDE Goodbye On Stage | Putting gender on the agenda Driving recruitment through wellness campaign TV PRESENTER Ferne McCann joined Stagecoach employees to celebrate International Women’s Day as part of the company’s national campaign to encourage more women into the bus industry. Ferne joined forces with the company, through an innovative employee fitness and wellbeing campaign, to help promote the extensive career options available within Stagecoach. The star – who recently gave birth to baby daughter Sunday – turned to the company’s female UK Bus staff for support during an eight-week fitness and wellbeing programme designed by her personal trainer Ellie Hopley. The home-based #DrivingFitnessTogether plan Ellie Hopley (left) and Ferne McCann with Stagecoach employees on International Women’s Day aimed to help the Stagecoach staff improve their physical and emotional health and those taking we’ve had extra support along the way and we’ve more active in different ways and looking after part have seen some fantastic results in line with been able to share our experiences. themselves better, it’s been amazing to hear their their individual aims which included weight loss, “I’ve loved hearing some of the brilliant results today feedback along the way and today.” improved fitness levels and improved confidence. and I’m also feeling really strong and fit after taking Stagecoach UK Bus Managing Director for England Employees have reported losing weight, feeling part in the plan since the beginning of the year. Now and Wales Mark Threapleton said: “We know that fitter, taking part in new activities for the first we are just focusing on keeping going with it and having a diverse workforce will help us deliver an time, attending new fitness classes, seeing health continuing to feel good! even better service for our customers and we offer benefits through improved nutrition and treating “I got my bus licence after training with Stagecoach a good salary and stable career, with excellent themselves to new clothes thanks to a new-found which is something I’m really proud of. As a career, development opportunities. We have a great team confidence. bus driving has lots to offer women as well as men of hard-working male and female staff who do a The group of more than 100 Stagecoach employees so I’d encourage anyone to consider it – afterall, if I brilliant job to deliver vital bus services to millions of from a variety of job roles across the UK gathered can drive a bus, so can they!” people every day. on International Women’s Day to celebrate their The company now hopes to expand the wellness “I’d like to congratulate these particular employees results in Manchester at an event attended by Ferne programme – which requires no equipment and is for embracing the opportunity to improve their health and comedian Juliette Burton. designed to fit into busy lives – to more employees, and wellbeing and for supporting each other along Ferne said: “It’s been fantastic to meet up with the male and female. the way. We take our responsibility as an employer Stagecoach ladies again, especially on International Wellbeing coach Ellie Hopley, who devised the plan, seriously – we fully understand the importance of Women’s Day, to celebrate how positive we feel added: “These ladies have done a brilliant job over looking after the wellness of our staff and we will after taking part in our eight-week wellness the last couple of months – whether it’s taking part in continue to invest in their health in the future.” programme. Doing it as part of a group means all the sessions on the programme or just becoming Two honours for Stagecoach at Transport Ticketing Global Awards STAGECOACH Group has picked up two top honours contactless project – one of Visa’s fastest growing at the 2018 Transport Ticketing Global Awards. transit schemes in Europe – has enabled millions The transport company won the awards for Best of Stagecoach bus customers to make contactless Smart Ticketing Project and Industry Contributor of payments, along with Apple Pay and Android Pay, on the Year at the awards in London this week. the bus. Stagecoach’s project to introduce contactless Stephanie joined Stagecoach in 2012 from Virgin payments on all of its buses across the UK won Rail Group where she was Director of Revenue Best Smart Ticketing project and was praised for its Management. She has around 20 years’ experience scope and speed of roll-out. in the transport sector and in 2017 was appointed Group Chief Digital Officer Stephanie Rivet (pictured Stagecoach Group Chief Digital Officer, leading on – the delivery of contactless and our other digital centre) was named Industry Contributor of the the delivery of the Group’s multi-million pound projects has been a real team effort, involving many Year for her role in the delivery of Stagecoach’s digital strategy. employees in many different job roles across the UK wide-reaching digital strategy. Stagecoach’s Stephanie said: “I’m delighted to win these awards Bus division and a number of external partners.” 1 Natasha gets in the driving seat... Find out more on p3. ON STAGE On Stage – A fond farewell THE TIME has come to say a fond farewell to our platform for many areas of the business, and that to On Stage over almost three decades – to see the Group On Stage Magazine after almost 30 years. is set to continue. way the company has grown since that first issue The popular staff magazine began its life in 1989. As such, this issue – number 126 – of On Stage was published is remarkable and it is all down to Issue number 1 was produced in Autumn that year will be the last. the efforts of our employees. On Stage has marked and was a 12-page black and white document, The magazine has proved popular with staff many important events in the Group’s history as giving news and updates from across the company. who have contributed hundreds of stories and well as letting us find out more about the people Since then the magazine has been an important part features. Over the years On Stage has taken many we work with. of Stagecoach’s history, helping share news, opinions different forms as you will see from some of the “Communication is more important than ever and and developments among the Group’s staff across previous issues pictured on this page. It has been it’s vital that, as a business, we move with the the UK and North America. an integral part of the Stagecoach culture and is times and embrace new technology. Our intranet, However, the arrival of the staff intranet, The Loop, thought of fondly by employees from across the The Loop, offers us another important platform means that technology has delivered a new way for business. on which to share information and encourage local and Group-wide news to be shared – already Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths said: “We more two-way interaction and we look forward to the Loop has become an important information would like to thank everyone who has contributed making the most of that as we move forward.” 2 Did you know? Virgin Trains leads the way in customer satisfaction and performance for long-distance operators. ON STAGE Satisfaction with Stagecoach bus services rises to 90% SATISFACTION with Stagecoach bus services has endorsement of the hard work of our employees What a risen to 90%, according to independent research by across the UK in delivering better bus services, consumer watchdog Transport Focus. better customer service and industry-leading Laugh! Britain’s biggest bus and coach operator recorded value for money. Bus users in metro-mayor areas A tale from one of our depots: the biggest improvement in overall passenger across England, including Greater Manchester, satisfaction of any major UK operator. are backing the work we’re doing in partnership A driver called in a defect on a bus saying Customer also once again rated Stagecoach as the with other operators and transport authorities to that the brake lights were not working. best value of the major UK bus operators, for the the provide easier, more affordable and better joined Supervisor: “How do you know that?” fifth year in a row. up journeys. We are also seeing high levels of Driver: “I am standing behind the bus and they More than nine in 10 customers in Greater satisfaction with our bus services in the rest of are not on.” Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tees England as well as in Scotland and Wales. Supervisor: “Who is pressing the brake pedal?” Valley and Tyne and Wear gave the thumbs up to “We know there is still more work for us to do, but Driver: “No one.” the company’s services, while the company also we desperately need tougher action from local After fits of laughter and someone pressing the recorded high levels of satisfaction in Scotland and authorities to address the impact of car congestion. brake pedal it was found to be working fine! Wales. Congestion is damaging local air quality, slowing The results follow continued significant investment bus journey speeds, holding back our economy, If you have seen or heard something funny – online, by Stagecoach in new low emissions buses, smart and pushing up the cost of transport for local in the papers, on social media or just while out and ticketing, contactless travel and live bus tracking. people. It is also undermining the gains in bus about – send your contributions for ‘What a Laugh’ Stagecoach Managing Director for Stagecoach use that we have delivered through our continued to [email protected] UK Bus in England and Wales Mark Threapleton investment in better bus services for local said: “These independent results are a fantastic communities over many years.” n Nominate your 2018 Stagecoach Champions Natasha gets in the driving seat DON’T forget to get ATOMIC KITTEN star Natasha Hamilton got behind the your nominations wheel of a Stagecoach bus in Liverpool as part of a in for our recruitment campaign by the local operator.