Benefits and policies

Current benefits package

The benefits that are offered to core members of the team at Techniquest may vary from time to time, but currently these include:

• Flexible / Hybrid working for staff whose role does not necessitate them being on-site full-time
• 25 days’ annual leave plus statutory Bank Holidays
• 1 additional day’s leave for your birthday
• 1 additional day’s leave to use as a ‘Wellbeing Day’ each year
• 10 complimentary tickets each year for friends and family to visit Techniquest
• Childcare voucher scheme
• Costco Wholesale reduced cost membership
• Access to a Charity debit card that provides discounts on a variety of goods and services
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Welsh hospitals cash Plan
• Employer pension contribution
• Death in service benefit

Our values

At Techniquest, we hold to a set of behaviours and values that shape not just what we do, but how we do it.

As a team, we recognise the importance of understanding what is expected of us, and we always support each other collaboratively across departments to achieve the very best we can for all of those who visit the centre, or engage with us in other ways.

• Inspiring

  We bring STEAM to life with expertise and passion, inspiring discovery for everyone.

• Inclusive

  We welcome everyone, embracing diverse backgrounds, ages, abilities and needs to make our experiences fun and inclusive.

• Igniting

  We share knowledge generously, igniting curiosity and collaboration.

• Innovative

  We embrace new ideas and creativity to solve challenges.

• Intentional

  We act fairly and responsibly toward colleagues, visitors, partners, and the planet, building trust and integrity.

To provide the best experience for our visitors and all who engage with us as a charity, we rely on a team that sets itself high standards: but the rewards that come from being involved in bringing science to life for people from all walks of life are significant too.

As a small team aiming to deliver inspirational results, pulling together and supporting each other is key.

Equality, diversity & inclusion

Techniquest is firmly committed to the principles of equal opportunity in employment. Equality, diversity and inclusion (E,D&I) are at the heart of our organisation and we are proactive in ensuring that all of our employees are valued and treated with dignity and respect. We want everyone to reach their potential.

Equality: ensuring everyone has the same opportunities to fulfil their potential free from discrimination

Diversity: the celebration of individual differences amongst the workforce

Inclusion: ensuring everyone feels comfortable to be themselves at work and feels the worth of their contribution.

Equality of opportunity, valuing diversity, and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all who work at Techniquest as it seeks to fully develop individuals’ skills and abilities across the whole team.

While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of opportunity lies with managers, individuals at all levels have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. The personal commitment of every employee to this policy and the application of its principles are essential to eliminate discrimination and provide equality throughout Techniquest.

It applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, selection, training, career development and promotion. These areas are monitored and policies and practices are amended if necessary to ensure that no unfair nor unlawful discrimination, intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect, obvious or hidden exists.

Management have the primary responsibility for meeting these objectives by:

• Ensuring that recruitment practices are non-discriminatory
• Cultivating a culture where inducement and attempt to practice unlawful discrimination is not tolerated.

In turn, everyone who works for us can contribute by:

• Embracing our culture and treating everyone with equal respect
• Being willing to challenge any attempt to induce others to practice unlawful discrimination
• Reporting any discriminatory action to management.

Recruitment

We will ensure that recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures result in no job applicant, employee or worker receiving less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristics within the Equality Act 2010 which are:

• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste)
• Religion or Belief
• Disability
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation
• Pregnancy or Maternity
• Gender Re-assignment
• Marriage or Civil Partnership
• Age

In accordance with our overarching equal treatment ethos, we will also ensure that no-one is treated less favourably on account of being part time or fixed term. Techniquest’s objective is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitude, skill and ability.

We will ensure that the policy is circulated to any agencies responsible for supporting our recruitment and a copy of the policy will be made available for all employees and made known to all applicants for employment.

Access

Techniquest ensures access for disabled employees, visitors and clients, and the design of the facilities enable ease of movement around the exhibition floor and event areas.

• A lift is provided between floors.
• Health & Safety procedures are in place with safe areas and evacuation chairs available as part of our fire precautions.
• Essential carers are admitted free of charge where additional support is required.
• We are committed to producing materials, signage, marketing leaflets etc. in a range of different formats to ensure accessibility, inclusivity and understanding wherever possible.
• Techniquest recognises the importance of the delivery of its programmes and activities through the medium of Welsh and where possible bilingual materials and signage are provided.
• Text will be of a size and colour that is easy to read.
• Employees will be provided with good access to work through reasonable adjustments particularly during pregnancy, after illness, disability and return to work.

A more detailed version of this policy and/or E,D&I Strategy may be made available on request.