Lee Blendell was in his third week at Salus when we caught up with him. He was getting to know colleagues and systems, and preparing to take on his first projects with the Catterick team.
He had been interested in joining for several years. “I’ve always had a professional eye on Salus,” he says. “I’ve always kind of liked the idea of what they do and what they’ve said.”
Lee has spent 34 years in construction. He started as an apprentice joiner with his local authority, then worked in self-employment, site management and contract management. A move into warranty surveying brought him into contact with building control, which he went on to pursue across domestic and commercial projects enjoying the mix of reviewing information and getting out to site, meeting people and helping them work through questions.
“You like to think that you’re adding a bit of value,” he says.
Why Salus?
Lee first contacted Rita Raven, then HR Manager, several years ago. There wasn’t a suitable opening in his area, but he kept in touch. Earlier this year, Reena Ford, People Advisor, contacted him about an opportunity. He met Steve Moore, Associate Director, and James Tutton, Director, at Catterick to discuss the role. Personal circumstances meant he withdrew from the initial offer he received. When he was ready to reconsider, he emailed Reena to ask whether there might still be an opening. Following another conversation, the offer was reissued and he accepted.
“I feel very lucky that they were still open to a conversation.”
Lee describes the move as self-led, based on his own research. Alongside the building control role, Salus’s fire engineering expertise interested him. He would like to explore that side of the work in future, as well as opportunities to develop towards management. His interest in fire safety began during his site management days, working on hospital ward refurbishments. Opening up ceilings revealed the work needed on compartment walls, fire doors and dampers—an aspect of construction he wanted to understand more about.
The first few weeks
What stood out on his first day? “The organisation and the welcome.”
His equipment and system access were ready. Reena took him through the HR induction, and Steve introduced him to the working systems, with time to get familiar with them.
Lee is still learning his way around, but has found both the project systems and the surveyor app straightforward so far. Colleagues have also made themselves available when he has questions. “Everyone will take the time out and ring you and say hello and how you doing? And if you need anything, please give me a call. And they mean it, because I have done.”
Working from his home office, he has been able to call or join colleagues on Teams to talk things through. He also mentions being included in a meeting about work that began before he arrived.
“I didn’t feel like an outsider.”
His next priority is to build his workload, get to know clients and contribute his experience. He wants to be available to colleagues in the same way they have been available to him.
It is early days, as Lee points out, but he is pleased with how the move is going. “I mean, there’s no perfect job,” he says. “But equally, I feel quite happy. I’m starting to feel quite settled here.”