The Element of Success: Blending Traditional Business Thinking with Innovation.
Neville Hattingh, Element Environment, CEO and Founder.
Business leaders have big ambitions. They understand the value of happy, productive employees and the importance of rewarding and retaining them. They also want solid and profitable businesses. In reality, running a business can be chaotic, making it challenging to transition from good intentions and aspirational statements to measurable actions.
Element Environment, a leading Australian consultancy providing environmental, planning, and social sustainability services, has the right mix with a robust business model and a clear focus on its priorities. We chatted with Element’s CEO, Neville Hattingh, to learn how he balances traditional business thinking with innovation, turns ambitions into actions, and improves client-consultancy relationships.
Differentiation in a Competitive Market
In competitive environments, differentiation is critical. How does a business remain relevant while standing out from competitors? Element’s recent accolades, including awards for Best Environmental and Best Planning Firm (revenue < $30 million) in Australia at the Client Choice Awards, highlight their success.
Neville attributes these achievements to a few core factors. “Our business model focuses on our staff. By looking inward and taking care of those who are the backbone of our business, we deliver better outcomes for our clients,” he explains.
From its inception in 2013, Element set out to create a company where employees could achieve their professional aspirations without neglecting other important aspects of their lives, such as exercise, time with family and friends, and rest. This holistic approach has been a cornerstone of their success.
Pioneering Flexibility – before Covid.
Long before COVID-19 made remote work mainstream, Element was pioneering workplace flexibility. “We created a truly flexible working model from the outset, which was unusual before COVID,” says Neville. “We trust our team, and the result is that our clients benefit from happier, more responsive, and engaged professionals.”
Element’s model includes 100% remote work, balanced with daily huddles and quarterly offsite meetings. The company’s flat structure encourages an open-door policy, where team members are always encouraged to ask questions and share knowledge.
Investing in Wellbeing
Element’s commitment to employee wellbeing is evident in its investment in an Executive Director of Wellbeing, People, and Culture, who has over 20 years of experience in organisational psychology. New employees undergo a thorough onboarding process, and the company conducts internal training at least fortnightly. They also host “Friday 20” sessions every three weeks, where team members present on topics of personal interest that often enhance wellbeing.
“Wellbeing is a core value at Element; our vision is to invest $1,000,000 annually in people and the community”, explains Neville. “It’s a big hairy audacious goal, and we are some years out from achieving this, but we are determined to get there and are excited for the positive change we can create when we do.”
Lower Billable Targets for Greater Growth
Element has consciously set lower billable targets for its team to allow more time for learning and development. This strategic decision ensures that employees have the time to grow and develop their skills, ultimately benefiting the company and its clients.
The Element Experience - a lesson in Differentiation
Beyond its business model, Element differentiates itself through the “Element Experience,” which hinges on three key components:
Exceptional Client Service: Providing unparalleled, old-fashioned client service with a smile, as affirmed by an average rating of ~9.3/10 from over 38 clients in the Client Choice Awards.
Solutions-Focused Expert Advice: Offering creative solutions that allow clients to sleep well at night and shine in their roles.
Collaborative Problem Solving: Working with clients as true partners, an extension of their teams rather than just consultants.
Building a Community
Community is everything at Element. “We proactively encourage community among our clients by introducing them to each other to solve planning and environmental challenges collaboratively,” explains the CEO. This approach leverages the diverse expertise of its clients, creating innovative solutions to complex problems.
The Element team speak to their clients regularly about thinking of Element as an extension of their teams. “We tell them openly that we don’t want to be seen or treated as a typical consultant; we want to be a true partner that lightens their load, helps solve their problems, lets them sleep well at night and makes them look good in front of their boss. Our clients are not used to this approach as other consultancies don’t work like that, but once they realise that this is how Element operates and we do what we say, they feel the true value of the Element Experience.”
Aligning staff to the Business strategy
Creating a good Business Strategy is one thing, aligning staff to the Strategy is where the rubber hits the road. Once again, Neville has his own approach that is effective and in keeping with the company’s people-first philosophy. “When we get together as a whole company every quarter, we alternate the themes between aligning the team with our business strategy and team building/giving back. One quarter, we will meet in a great venue like Glenworth Valley, align the team with our strategy and brainstorm ideas, while the next quarter, we might play wheelchair basketball or cook meals for the less privileged at Oz Harvest. We find that spending a day together once a quarter aligns everyone on our strategy, builds relationships and teamwork and allows us to give back to others, which is part of our culture.”
Element’s success is a testament to the power of balancing tradition with innovation. Element has set a new standard in the industry and likely beyond, by focusing on its people, investing in wellbeing, and delivering exceptional client service.