Why Lewisham Council is a great employer

At Lewisham Council we recognise that staff are our best asset that is why people continually choose Lewisham as their preferred place of work.  We work towards ensuring that people feel valued and rewarded for the contribution they make and that they enjoy lots of benefits, many of them unique to Lewisham.

Our staff pride themselves in being able to make a local difference and we are a council that values people who are adaptable, innovative and seek to make a positive change for local services.

When we describe Lewisham as one of the most vibrant communities to live,  work and learn in London, it’s only an opinion. But when the vast majority of people in Lewisham agree, it’s obvious that the up-and-coming tag genuinely applies. Lewisham’s a place with something for everyone, a lively London borough that stretches from the River Thames in the north down to Bromley in the south. It’s the second largest inner London borough too, covering an area of  over 13. miles square miles. Central London is only a 15-minute train journey away, and rail, road and bus links are excellent. There are so many places to visit, and Lewisham’s mix of cultures is reflected in its range of shops, restaurants and markets.

More and more people are choosing to live and work in Lewisham, thanks to the efforts we’ve made to transform the borough into a visually exciting and imaginative hub within London. The area offers as much peace and quiet or hustle and bustle as you can handle. It depends where you look. For much-needed chill out time, there are plenty of parks and open spaces to explore. On the other hand, if you’re looking to let off steam, then there are a number of bars, restaurants and cafes.

Lewisham is one of London’s best-connected areas offering frequent trains to and from Waterloo East, London Bridge, Charing Cross, Blackfriars, Victoria and Cannon Street. The East London line connects New Cross to Surrey Quays and Whitechapel, while the Docklands Light Railway connects travellers to Canary Wharf, Tower Hill, Bank and the London Tube network.

We believe that time away from work is just as important as the hours you spend serving the community. This is why we try to be as flexible as possible in giving people the work-life balance they need to enjoy your time in the borough. Add to this the generous holiday entitlement and final salary pension scheme and it becomes apparent why people are choosing to work here.

If people want to affect real change and help build something truly special then Lewisham is the place to be.  We are a Council that values people who are adaptable, innovative and seek to make a positive change.. People can choose from hundreds of occupations  from Legal  to nursery staff to Occupational Therapist. No matter where you start within the Council, you’ll be given the tools you need to build a promising career.

Lewisham is also an organisation that is dedicated to continuous improvement including the development  of its employees.  People who make a positive contribution to the first class service we deliver to the community will find hard work is rewarded with genuine career progression opportunities and some of the best training opportunities around

Lewisham was assessed as a Four Star authority by the Audit Commission, improving on its previous status as a three star authority.  Our assessment concluded that the council was performing strongly and delivered real improvements, that it is extremely ambitious in creating and seizing opportunities to improve life chances.  Our employees were the greatest contributors to this success and now enjoy many of the benefits and can realise the ambitions which working for a high performing organisation brings,

The diversity of our population and workforce is one of our greatest strengths in Lewisham, our commitment to this is intrinsic to the way we think and is consequently part and parcel of everything that we do.  Working with a diverse and vibrant community brings its own rewards.  Achieving level 5 of the Equality Standard as well as having Investor in People status are a sign of the commitment we have to our workforce.

Employees are be respected as individuals in the workplace regardless of their ethnic origin, gender, disability, sexuality or age.  This includes acknowledging achievements and performance in a culture of openness and trust where employees needs and views are taken seriously.  We ensure that our employees are treated fairly and consistently with recruitment and promotion always on the basis of merit.

At Lewisham we are interested in people's potential whatever direction that might take, we offer a modern working environment where people have a sense of belonging to both the community and teams they work in.  We like to involve staff in shaping the future of our services.  We do not just offer the best holidays, flexible working, pensions, childcare support we also care about the job people do.

Working for Lewisham people can expect:

• corporate and departmental induction.
• an annual performance evaluation.
• a personal development plan.
• access to a wide range of learning & development opportunities.
• fair consideration of requests for flexible working.
• support with technology for remote working.
• fast and free access to professional support.
• access to a wide range of support services from Occupational Health.
• your ideas to be listened to and taken seriously.
• opportunities to join staff forums and special interest groups.
• opportunities to see your ideas taken forward.
• fair treatment and a commitment to equalities.
• zero tolerance to bullying and harassment.
• to be listened to, valued and to be proud to belong to the Lewisham team.
• access to a wide range of benefits unique to Lewisham.