News

When STech, which runs Space Casino, announced on April Fools’ Day 2024 that it would be adding a four-day working week to its package of benefits, employees had to be reassured that it wasn’t a joke!

The move to a four-day working week had very clear objectives: to improve work/life balance, boost morale and boost productivity. If the benefits of happier, more productive employees outweighed the impact of employees working 20% fewer hours then the trial would be considered a success. After eight months, STech and its employees have certainly felt the benefits.

“It’s had such a positive impact on the working environment at STech,” said Kate Ellen, head of HR. “We’re seeing real and long-lasting effects. Our employee satisfaction score has jumped, we’ve seen a 25% reduction in sickness absence, a 40% improvement in employee retention and a 60% boost in job applications.”

‍

The reduced working week has been hailed a success and will be here to stay for STech, although it has decided to discontinue the unlimited annual leave policy in 2025.

“There was a large amount of enthusiasm for unlimited leave when it was announced but we’ve found that uptake hasn’t necessarily matched this, and uncertainty has actually led to increased anxiety around taking leave – many people have taken less,”’ explained Kate. “We think people really appreciate the clarity of a fixed number of annual leave days that they have earned, are entitled to and are encouraged to take.”

With employees spending more time questioning what ‘unlimited’ really means, and teams trying to even out the workload with some people taking 50+ days versus some who took less than 10, the simplicity that was hoped for was not achieved. STech is looking forward to entering 2025 with a renewed dedication to employee wellbeing and maintaining the improvement in eNPS scores it saw in 2024. The cementing of the four-day week into employee contracts, and a return to a definitive amount of annual leave, will mean a clearer, simpler approach to employee benefits.

https://igamingbusiness.com/company-news/stech-ask-whether-less-is-more/

‍

STech has appointed Fiona Hughes as its new Head of Compliance.

Before joining STech, Fiona spent five years at Aspire Global as head of compliance and MLRO, overseeing the company’s B2C, B2B and white-label activities in nine licensed jurisdictions.

Commenting on the appointment, STech CEO Edward Mackrill said, “I’m delighted Fiona has decided to join STech at this pivotal point of our journey. With the regulatory landscape continuing to shift in the UK, Malta and further afield, I’m confident she can help us take our compliance offering to the next level.”

“I’m delighted to be part of a talented team of professionals at STech,” said Fiona Hughes. “Since joining the team, it’s clear that the employees are at the heart of everything they do. I’m looking forward to contributing to the company’s continued success and making a meaningful impact in my role.”

STech’s compliance framework is supported by its in-house responsible gambling software and the very latest technology from the likes of Resistant AI, SEON, Experian and LexisNexis.

igamingbusiness-news

‍

‍

‍

STech has appointed Simon Kent as its new Head of CRM.

Kent brings with him a wealth of experience, including almost nine years at Betway where he focused on the retention of their high value customers across a number of regulated markets.

“I am excited to be joining a company who put their employees first,” said Kent. “STech have a fascinating vision for the future and I’m looking forward to being a part of that.”

STech CEO Edward Mackrill said of the appointment, “We are delighted Simon has joined STech as the head of CRM looking after our flagship brand Spacecasino.com‍

Simon has a proven track record of achieving great results in CRM and we look forward to the new insights he will bring.”

STech has continued to invest heavily in its marketing team ahead of expected launches into a number of new jurisdictions later this year. This has been supported by the implementation of the latest technology from the likes of Optimove, Raventrack, Resistant AI and SEON.

igamingbusiness-news

‍

In 2024 employee benefits should have evolved from office coffees, biscuits and ping pong tables. Over a third of our waking lives are spent at work and research in recent years has revealed that managers and the quality of our working environment have a greater impact on our mental health than doctors or therapists.

Improving employee wellbeing is the number one business priority for STech. Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week the company has been reinforcing the benefits available to employees, including a four-day working week, fully remote working, unlimited annual leave and a yearly wellness allowance to support mind and body health.

“The links between employee wellbeing and productivity have long been established,” said head of HR, Kate Ellen.

“Since implementing these benefits we’ve seen reduced employee turnover, reduced sickness absence, a vastly improved working environment and no measurable drop in productivity – it really is win-win.”

With hybrid working now the norm, and a greater awareness of the importance of mental health, employers must examine new and progressive ways of championing employee wellbeing to avoid being left behind.

STech is the provider of futuristic online gambling website, Space Casino, which offers sports and casino betting to its customers.

https://igamingbusiness.com/company-news/making-wellbeing-at-work-a-priority-how-stech-is-championing-workplace-wellbeing/

• UK licensed gambling operator STech begins four-day working week trial.
• STech joins companies such as Amazon, Basecamp, Bolt and Microsoft in offering benefit to employees.

TUESDAY 2 April, LONDON: UK and Malta-based gambling operator, STech, are trialling a four-day working week with full pay - one of the first UK licensed gambling operators to do so.
The trial began on 1 April and runs until the end of the year. By allowing employees greater flexibility, productivity and employee wellbeing are expected to improve, cementing STech's reputation as an outstanding place to work.
‍
“It’s about treating employees like adults - judging them on their performance not the number of hours sat in front of a computer and encouraging a healthy work-life balance," said CEO Edward Mackrill.
"To support this trial there will be an increased focus on automation and using the very latest technology to improve our existing workflows. ”In addition to the four-day working week, STech offers fully remote working, unlimited annual leave and a host of other fantastic employee benefits.

‍

If you would like more information about this trial or the business, please reach out via email pr@stech.com

STech is a UK and Malta-based company providing online gambling services in multiple jurisdictions. With an exceptional team of in-house developers, marketers, and designers, STech aims to introduce technology to an industry that is historically tech-illiterate and create an unrivalled experience for customers.