A Helping Paw

Area operations manager Nick Thomas and his canine companion Buzzby

In the early 2020s, Nick Thomas started working as area operations manager for Holcim’s south-west division. Prior to joining the company, he spent six and a half years actively serving in the military before a hand injury rendered him no longer able to carry out duties.

After joining the cementitious sector of the organisation, Nick worked his way through various roles within Holcim, moving from Kent to Glasgow to Ellesmere Port before making his way to Cornwall, where he now looks after 11 plants.

But it hasn’t been plain sailing for Nick, who was forced to seek help when he reached a low point in his life.

“After leaving the army, I reached a point where my mental health had deteriorated and I didn’t realise I had an illness,” Nick said. “I was oblivious to what was going on and I used to hide behind alcohol. The truth is, I became a functioning alcoholic.

“In 2017, I reached a point where I couldn’t carry on and I just broke down in my car in a layby with my head in my hands. My wife reached out to a charity after a failed suicide attempt, which I’m now really glad went wrong, but at the time it was just something else I wasn’t good at.”

Nick was supported by military charities Combat Stress and Help for Heroes, which put him in touch with Veterans With Dogs.

“The charity spoke to me about how they’d been helping veterans in the past and if it was something I might want to look into,” Nick said.

“I was a little taken aback by that because I didn’t realise what a dog could do to support someone with mental health challenges. But they continued to work with me and it took me 18 months before I accepted that I might benefit from some help. That’s when they paired me with Buzzby.”

Laying and changing the foundations

When Nick presented the idea of bringing Buzzby to work with him, his line manager fully embraced it, finding a way to get Nick’s four-legged companion on site.

“From the very beginning, Holcim has found a way to make things happen with me and Buzz,” Nick said. “Whether it’s having time away for training sessions or assessments or assisting me with workplace adaptions, they’ve been really helpful.

“And because I’ve had him since a puppy and he’s grown up around the Holcim site, he’s used to the plant, vibrations and lorries. He’s not bothered by any of that now!

“I owe a lot to the team at Holcim because they’ve really embraced mental health over the years. It’s not an overnight job and they’ve spent a lot of time and effort to get it right. All I needed to do was ask for help and they provided it. I guess the proof is in the pudding, so to speak; I enjoy my job and nothing stops me.”

More than a man’s best friend

On site, Buzzby helps Nick overcome various challenges. If Nick begins to feel anxious or uncomfortable while at work, Buzzby will pick up on this far quicker than he could and will alert Nick by jumping up at him, which is his queue to leave the situation.

Nick said: “Through the training and support I’ve been given, I can now read what Buzzby is trying to tell me. As well as alerting me when I am becoming uncomfortable, he helps me in other ways too, like forcing me to take a break because he needs to have a walk. That gets me away from my desk and out of the office for a breath of fresh air, which I’ve been guilty of not doing in the past.”

And it’s not just in a professional setting where Buzzby has helped Nick, but in a more personal one too.

“The biggest thing Buzzby has brought to my life is freedom,” Nick said. “I have a degree of normality back in my life now thanks to him that I didn’t have before. I can go to the shops on my own and I can travel around the country without feeling anxious.

“Yes, I’ve had to learn to accept that I have an assistance dog, which is a big part of the learning process. But that’s where Veterans With Dogs has been really helpful. They’ve taught me how to best work with Buzzby and walked us through different scenarios we might face together so we are fully prepared.”

Past meets present

As well as bringing more recent learnings to his role, Nick draws on his experience in the army to forward him in his career.

“As an operations manager, I have to be flexible and adaptable, which is something I learnt during my time in the army,” Nick said.

“My military background prepared me for how best to manage different situations and environments that are constantly changing, which has been really beneficial in my current role. Every day is different at Holcim and I’ve drawn on the skills I’ve learnt to deal with sometimes difficult conversations on site. At the same time, I’ve also been able to build rapport with my team, leaning on the teamwork and leadership skills I’ve been taught.”

“Holcim is part of the Armed Forces Covenant and set up an infinity group for members of the armed forces and veterans to join. This gives employees a dedicated space where they can discuss any issues they might be experiencing, whether at work or in their personal lives, which is fantastic.”

As part of Nick’s role, it is important that he is aware of the different kinds of support available to Holcim employees, including various DEI and affinity groups. From carrying out site inspections to spending quality time with his team, Nick has built relationships with the people he works with – something he also credits to his time in the military.

Nick said: “The joy of my job is getting to hear the creativity from my team and turning that into a reality with tangible results. That’s one of the most fulfilling parts of my role, as well as just checking in with my team to make sure they’ve had a good day.”

Unity in difference

People make up a huge element of Nick’s role at Holcim, so it’s no wonder he’s passionate about increasing diversity in the construction industry. He’s seen first hand the benefits a diverse workforce can bring and he’s keen to make sure the sector is reflective of the wider population.

“Diversity is essential in the workforce because it brings together so many different ideas and perspectives,” Nick said.

“As an international company, Holcim has embraced this and encourages people from all walks of life to join its workforce. As an organisation, we’ve adopted a strategy that is focused on people, purpose and performance, and everybody is aligned with the same goals.

“We’re all focused on the same objectives, which is key as a sustainable business because as well as our people, we have to look after our planet.”

Sustainability is a key focus for Nick and his team, who work closely with Holcim’s innovation centres around the world to develop new techniques, mixes and formulas to produce sustainable products.

“We have a lot of Geocycle and eco-friendly materials now to drive us towards a low-carbon future,” Nick said. “It’s through using reclaimed materials and methods such as carbon capture that keep Holcim world leading. And, of course, that can only be made possible thanks to the fantastic people – and dogs – who work here!”