This year, we’re celebrating Propylon’s 20th anniversary as a leading company in legislative and regulatory software solutions. To mark this milestone, our #20years blog series will take a deeper look at the positive impact of employees who, through their commitment, effort and achievements, have played a crucial part in the growth and success of the company over the last two decades. First up in the series, we have our Head of Human Resources (HR) and Talent, Patricia Conlon, who has been with the company since its inception.
In the beginning...
When Propylon was established back in 1999, the team consisted of co-founders Paul McKeon, Declan Hogan, Sean McGrath …and Patricia Conlon was there too, somewhat in the background helping get things up and running and sorting out the logistics of contracts, offices and new hires.
Since then, Propylon has continued to flourish and Trish has remained at the HR helm. She was instrumental in building the foundations for Propylon in the U.S. – from sorting out offices, office furniture, and computer equipment to travel arrangements, personal accommodation, visas, conference attendance, work permits and state registrations.
The growth of the company in terms of recruitment, retention of employees, and the creation of an inclusive and welcoming company culture is testament to her tenacious efforts. Trish has continued to play an integral part in the development of the business throughout its exciting journey over the past 20 years.
As co-founder and chairman Paul McKeon says, “her title may have been HR, but she was the “fixer” when we needed to succeed. With her support, expertise and intuition, we have continued to evolve as a company and have grown stronger and more focused as a direct result of her initiatives and input.”
We would not be where we are today without the support of Trish over the many years of growth. She puts our people at the top of every conversation. Her flexibility and pragmatism, along with putting her heart and soul into what she does, is a breath of fresh air.
Developing a positive and inclusive company culture
Human Resource managers in any company have a responsibility to develop a company culture that aligns with the organization’s mission, values, vision, and goals while also fostering an environment of transparency that engages both employees and leaders in embracing these core principles.
It is perhaps in this area where Trish has really excelled, creating and sustaining an inclusive, integrated and positive company culture that has spanned two decades and across two continents, nurturing our people, inspiring innovation, and embracing our core values.
Company culture can be described as what an organization believes in and stands for. As a collaborative company, we promote autonomy, decision-making and teamwork. Employees are given opportunities to contribute, placed in roles in which they can succeed and grow, and offered opportunities to build meaningful relationships with managers and co-workers.
Through her work with the co-founders when the company was being established, she helped develop a clear vision for the company and establish meaningful and inspiring company values that still hold strong today.
The heart of Propylon
At the heart of Propylon are these values. We strive to deliver enduring and innovative solutions that meet the needs of our clients by staying committed to our core values of teamwork, customer focus, quality, and innovation.
These values are lived out on a day-to-day basis and inspire the work and drive of our employees, providing a sense of purpose and fulfilment. Respect is an important principle that underpins our company values, placing the emphasis on the importance of every member of the organization.
Together, we each play an important part in growing the company and, ultimately, in our success. No matter the roles and responsibilities we have as individuals, we all contribute to that success as a team.
Trish has cultivated a sense of “family” within Propylon. As a company, we want to invest in our people and in return see those people deliver for Propylon year after year. It is no coincidence that we have many, many staff that have been with us for many years. Trish has been instrumental in developing that bond of loyalty between Propylon and our employees.
It’s the little things sometimes that matter most; the ability to listen, to rationalize a problem and offer support. Trish has always delivered on all the things that matter and has been a constant, someone you can always rely on.
Great place to work
As our footprint in the market continues to grow so too has our staff numbers, and our geographic locations have also increased. Trish’s role as “HR guru” has evolved from the more traditional HR functions of administration, contracts, manuals and so forth to more strategic undertakings.
Trish initiated our involvement in social responsibility projects, charity events, and initiatives like Great Places to Work. As a company dedicated to building trust in every relationship throughout our organization, we are delighted to have been officially recognised as a great place to work at Great Places To Work Ireland since 2016.
A strong, positive company culture is one of the most important assets in any workplace and, to her credit and our delight, Trish has not only developed, but sustained, such an environment at Propylon.
