5 minutes with Neil Corfield
Medlock is a people business. Whether it’s our clients, staff or supply chain, we put people at the centre of everything. In these ‘Five Minutes With…’ series, we sit down with different members of the business to talk about or work and our values.
Today we’re talking to Neil Corfield, a long time Medlock employee who worked his way up to project director.
What’s the focus of your role?
I’m a Project Director. That means it’s my job to keep work coming in, to make sure the quality expected of the Medlock brand is upheld and to support my staff to deliver the best projects possible to clients.
On a day-to-day basis, I work with my team to keep projects on track and on budget.
Tell us about your journey within Medlock
Before I was at Medlock, I was a Quantity Surveyor for a shopfitting company. I just didn’t feel excited about where I was and wanted a new challenge. After I made the move to Medlock, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. Starting as a Quantity Surveyor, I progressed to Senior Commercial Manager and then eventually Project Director.
That’s the great thing about Medlock, they’re so passionate about doing great work and delivering the best possible work for their clients. When you get on board with that ethos and bring the commitment needed to achieve that, they’re quick to reward your hard work. When they say they’re a people-orientated company, it’s not just marketing. Our commitment to our staff, clients and supply chain is a big reason why we’re so successful.
What does Medlock mean to you?
Considering I’ve been working here for 17 years, it means an awful lot. I wouldn’t have stayed here for that long if it wasn’t a business that looked after its people. It’s not just that they’re loyal to their staff, everything we do is geared towards getting the best results for our clients. I take pride in my work and it makes a big difference to work with people that share your eagerness to deliver great results.
Medlock has been such a big part of my life over the last 17 years. As much as I’ve changed in that time, the business has changed just as much. Throughout all that change, our commitment and passion have stayed the same. If a job worth doing, it’s worth doing well.
What do you enjoy about working at Medlock?
Two things loom large for me. The people and the work. When you get on with who you work with, when there are no big egos and when your colleagues are out to help each other, it makes coming into work every morning (or logging on to Zoom these days) a joy.
The nature of the work we do means nothing ever gets stale. This last month I’ve been working on everything from a luxury lodge in Lancaster to a rustic pub in Eccles. It’s that kind of variety that keeps the job interesting.
Any tips for staying sane in lockdown?
I’m getting out on my bike as much as I can. When we’re cooped up all day, I think it’s important to get outdoors and get the blood pumping. Also, I manage my daughter's football team, so when restrictions allow, I get a bit of an escape when the team trains. For me, this has been a great way to keep busy and to stay connected to some sense of normality.
That’s our five minutes up for now. We’ll be running more ‘Five Minutes With…’ in the future so be sure to check back soon.