As EMCOR UK and our customers continue to manage the transition of thousands of employees back into face-to-face work, we do so in the wake of unprecedented social, environmental and political changes. In light of what we have learnt throughout the pandemic, we are striving to transform workplaces armed with a renewed sense of duty to protect both the mental wellbeing and physical health of the UK’s workforce. We aim to bring together our customers’ desires for talented and productive individuals with our empathetic approach to mental health and wellbeing, and our understanding of the necessity for a flexible work-life balance allowing individuals the flexibility to work from home or in person as required.

In order to reimagine the world of work, we have focused on creating destinations of choice where people can collaborate, connect and succeed. Using SMART digital tools, we deliver personalised experiences that are centred around health and wellbeing, with a focus on sustainability.

Our priorities:

1. We are implementing SMART technology to optimise performance, converging the latest technological solutions with workplace design.
2. We are closely monitoring our environmental impact to create sustainable workplaces for the future. We holistically measure temperature, light, humidity, CO2 and noise levels, to support our customers in understanding the impact of their buildings and assets.

How are we transforming our workplaces?

Rather than the workplace simply being thought about as a building, we are putting the needs of the building occupants front and centre. That means analysing the space and how people use it, maximising technology and digital tools to boost both building and people performance and accommodating new hybrid ways of working. We craft desirable workplaces to not only support but also attract the best employees.

We transform our workplaces by focussing on three aspects.

1. Technology: As workplace environments are evolving rapidly, we are committed to staying ahead by employing the latest technology to keep up with the pace of developments. We recruit fast-paced automated solutions to help connect the employees of our customers to each other within their workspace and increase the ease of their communication.
2. Sustainability: We uphold an unwavering focus on sustainability by working with supply chain partners who share our passion for the environment. Achieving a sustainable workplace is a collaborative process, and everyone involved in the development and maintenance of EMCOR UK workplaces share common values, from our supply chain partners to our customers.
3. Wellbeing: The wellbeing of the people who use our workplaces take top priority. Sustainability is not only about making decisions which are mindful of the environment, but about retaining people for long periods of time. Retention of employees is best achieved through cultivating a workplace in which employees enjoy coming to work and wish to remain in throughout their career.

Measuring the quality of our workplaces

As physical workplaces once again become more populated, we are continuing to measure the workplace experience of those using the space through surveys and feedback. This enables us to collaborate with our customers to better understand the varying individual requirements of their own people. We use Leesman surveys, sensors and monitoring tools to monitor everything from employee satisfaction to occupancy levels, CO2 rates and noise levels. Through collecting this data, necessary changes to both workplace usage and design can be identified and implemented.

How do we transform workplaces to define the working world following a period of dramatic change?

COVID-19 has detached us from previously held assumptions about what it means to work and where. The working population have gained autonomy over the path of their working lives, as well as a feeling of protectiveness towards their mental health and wellbeing. People no longer view the workplace as an area with four walls and a desk to work at, but as somewhere to collaborate, advance their skills and enhance their wellbeing. Workplaces across the UK are challenged to present themselves as a destination of choice for employees under a renewed expectation for employers to understand the needs of these users and provide facilities which meet their expectations.

It is important to also understand the dramatic impact of the pandemic on people’s experiences at work and appreciate the comfort and focus found by many in working from home. To address renewed desires for a hybrid work culture, we collaborate with our customers to re-imagine their working world, providing bespoke solutions to meet the needs of diverse groups of individuals. We utilise our expertise to craft dynamic, agile workplaces fit for face-to-face collaboration, yet inclusive of those tuning in from home. The careful monitoring of our workplaces ensures our customers receive personalised experiences, amended to their evolving requirements. We craft appealing and supportive destinations of choice by empowering users with the flexibility to utilise on-site benefits when they desire.