At Polytec, our team is at the heart of everything we do. This time, we’re introducing Leanne Dennis, our Office Manager, who keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes. From ensuring day-to-day operations stay on track to sharing her IT systems knowledge with colleagues, Leanne is an integral part of the team.
Joining Polytec
Leanne joined Polytec after being made redundant from her previous role. “I saw the advert, applied,” she explains. Although she didn’t know much about Polytec at first, she quickly realised how unique the business is. “What we do here—you just don’t think it exists until you’re involved in it. It’s one of those jobs where you think, really, somebody does that? But it makes sense.”
With a background as an Office Manager, Leanne was no stranger to keeping things organised, but Polytec presented a new challenge. “In my last role, I set up the office from scratch because the company was previously run out of their kitchens! Here, everything was already set up, which was a big difference.”
A Typical Day at Polytec
If there’s one thing Leanne enjoys, it’s staying organised. “My job is making sure everything is up to date,” she says. “There was a gap between my predecessor leaving and me starting, so I had to track things down or redo them from scratch.”
Leanne is also passionate about knowledge-sharing. “I don’t want to be in a situation where if I’m off, everything stops. Nobody is indispensable, no matter what people think.” She’s been teaching colleagues how to manage different administrative processes—whether they want to learn or not! “Zahir sits next to me, and now he knows how to do things on our system that he never thought he’d need to know,” she laughs.
Working with the Team
One of the best things about Polytec for Leanne is the people. “It’s a small team, so it’s easy to get on with everyone,” she says. “Our Managing Director Chris is a fountain of knowledge, and between them all, they’re slowly teaching me, and I’m teaching them.”
She also works closely with colleagues in Germany and America. “the team in Germany are really helpful on our systems – if I don’t know how to do something, I’ve got a few key people I can go to for help. I’ll be visiting Germany soon to meet them in person, which will be great—it’s nice to put faces to the names of the people you email all the time.”
Life Outside of Work
Outside of work, Leanne leads a busy life. Having spent years as a dedicated single mum, ferrying her boys to sports clubs, she now enjoys getting involved in new activities. She recently joined a women’s travel and social group, where members organise everything from coffee catch-ups to trips abroad. “It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and try new experiences,” she says.
Leanne has also been focusing on her fitness and is proud of her progress. “I’ve lost three and a half stone so far,” she shares.
And if she had to name one unusual skill? “I can sleep anywhere, at any time,” she laughs. “My friends find it amusing—I just switch off and go to sleep whenever I need to!”
Final Thoughts
Leanne plays a crucial role at Polytec, ensuring everything behind the scenes runs efficiently. Whether she’s helping the team stay organised, sharing her knowledge, or keeping operations on track, her contribution is invaluable.
We’re proud to have her on the team!