Written by:
Olivia Cox
Internal Communications Co-ordinatorSayeed and James are Marketing Executives at Correla. Handily for this article, they started on the exact same day back in October. Since then, there's been onboarding calls, a few too many acronyms to learn, plenty of "wait, what does Correla actually do again?" moments, and the slow realisation that they'd landed somewhere pretty awesome.
We put the same five questions to both of them separately, without letting either see what the other said. What came back was two honest, slightly different, refreshingly authentic answers. It's a great way to get a real feel for Correla, the people in it, and what it's actually like to work here.
Same start date. Same team. Two different takes.
Q1. What's it actually been like working at Correla, especially compared to what you expected going in as your first proper job?
Sayeed: Correla's been a genuinely welcoming place to start. Going in, I didn't have much to compare it to since it's my first proper job, but what struck me early on was how much trust comes with the role. I wasn't just shadowing or easing in slowly, I was given real work and real responsibility from early on, and that made the whole experience feel a lot more collaborative than I expected. It's less about hierarchy and more about people working alongside you.
James: Correla has been a great introduction to my professional career. It's my first full-time role after university, and I've been trusted with real responsibility from early on, which has let me broaden my skillset and become properly embedded in a strong marketing team. Coming into the working world, you worry about being scrutinised or undervalued, but every conversation I've been part of has left me feeling like an equal and genuinely supported in my journey here.
Q2. What's made it feel like a genuinely welcoming place? Any specific moment, person, or example that stood out to you?
Sayeed: There wasn't one big standout moment, more a pattern that built up over time. Whenever I've asked something I worried might be a silly question, nobody's ever made me feel that way. People take the time to explain properly, share the context behind things, and genuinely want you to understand rather than just get the answer. That kind of everyday patience is what made it feel welcoming, not any single gesture.
James: Correla showed me from day one that it's a welcoming place to work. The regular check-ins, the constant support and the general lift of the environment all feed into that. At the points where you do feel overwhelmed, and you will early on, there's always somebody willing to stop what they're doing and help. What I didn't expect was that it goes beyond the people directly around you. It isn't only your immediate team looking out for you; people across the business will take the time, and that makes a real difference when you're new and still finding your feet.
Q3. How have you built real relationships with the team despite being remote? Anything that has helped, like a running joke, a shared interest or a call that always goes off-topic?
Sayeed: Being remote, it's mostly the small, consistent things rather than big team events. Calls that drift off topic, a bit of banter in Teams chats, people checking in without it feeling forced. None of it feels scheduled or structured, it's just people choosing to stay connected. Over the past year, those little touchpoints have added up to something that feels like a proper team, even without being in the same room.
James: It's easy to feel disconnected when you're working remotely and not interacting face-to-face with people daily, but that isn't the case for me. Within our team and beyond it, we're encouraged to talk about our daily lives, exciting things coming up, and to crack a joke or two. These interactions encourage a healthy working environment and have done ever since I started.
A proper team doesn't need the same room.
Q4. Something people would not guess about you: a hobby, an interesting fact or a hidden talent
Sayeed: I can (sort of) play the piano. I picked it up during COVID, when everyone seemed to be teaching themselves a random new skill, and I never really stopped. It's been a while since I properly practised, so I wouldn't call myself great, but I can still make my way through a tune or two.
James: Not as much now, but I used to be a decent footballer. I played for several years with lots of different teams as a defender, through the week and at weekends. Although I may be rusty now, it was a big hobby that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I still keep it up through five-a-side games and friendly kick-abouts.
Q5. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? And would your team pick the same three?
Sayeed: Curious, thorough and easy-going, at least that's how I'd describe myself. My team might have other ideas though. I recently won an award for being "The Office Cheerleader", so don't be surprised if "easy-going" gets swapped for something a bit more energetic.
James: Innovative, resourceful and outgoing. That's my version, anyway. I suspect the team would keep "outgoing" and might argue I've claimed the other two a little generously.
Two first years, one shared feeling: this is a good place to start.
