Getting back to the office

As the concept of the ‘workplace’ has evolved in recent years, PTSG has refitted its Castleford headquarters to create a truly contemporary office space

Getting back to the office

The office is changing. The whole concept of the ‘workplace’ has evolved rapidly in just a few years. Employers no longer expect their staff to spend 40 hours of every week in the same office – especially if that space is uninspiring.

At the same time, now that workers in all sectors, including construction and FM, have returned to the office after the pandemic, they expect more from their workspace.

Research has shown that the characteristics of an office can have a serious impact on the behaviour, perceptions and productivity of workers; satisfaction with the work environment has been directly linked to overall job satisfaction too.

Productivity is defined by the ability to get the job done in the most efficient way possible. Inevitably, employees who are unmotivated or uninspired have an adverse effect business, because they impact the day-to-day running of it.

On the flipside, happy employees are measurably more productive; and a well-designed workspace is proven to contribute positively to this. 2022 sees PTSG celebrating 15 years of trading.

For the Group’s directors, it was the perfect time to unveil a brand-new contemporary workspace at its Castleford headquarters. The pictures and video released by PTSG (available here and on their social media channels) show how the new office, training and relaxation space is equipped and furnished to an extremely high specification. The layout is designed for the Group’s finance team to occupy the upper level, with the downstairs available for all.

Boasting a mixture of glass-fronted offices and open-plan workspace, state-of-the-art dining kitchens and inviting break-out areas – including a pool table – everyone can enjoy a more comfortable and inspiring experience during their working day.

Considering the smaller details

Not only is the entire office light and airy, with plenty of open spaces and partitions made of glass, there is also an abundance of plants. This is no accident. Studies have found we are happiest being close to the outdoors – in fact, nature is vital to our sense of wellbeing. Plants add inspiration to an office and relieve stress. Pot plants also provide oxygen which makes it easier to breathe, so it is well worth the investment. Furthermore, bad or dark lighting can lead to eyestrain, fatigue and even headaches, so natural light is important to help employees feel brighter, more refreshed and less lethargic.

A fact that hardly needs the backing of studies is that boring furniture can also have a negative impact on employees.

A productive office is one that finds the optimum balance of comfort and functionality. That’s what PTSG’s new office has achieved with comfortable and colourful relaxation spaces complementing the clean lines of the desks, offices and meeting areas. People need to feel free to move around their workspace, and inspiring conversations are proven to happen in welldesigned break-out spaces. That ethos had a strong bearing on the design and layout of PTSG’s new office at Castleford. Its office-based staff are sure to look forward to coming to work instead of counting down the minutes to home time.

A symbol of evolution and growth

The PTSG campus on Whistler Drive in Castleford now covers 15,000 square feet and is one of 47 office and depot locations throughout the UK. As CEO Paul Teasdale said in a recent interview with FM Director magazine, “To be a great company to do business with, it is vitally important that we are a great place to work. It is an overused cliché sometimes, but our people really are our main asset and it is essential that we look after them – creating opportunities for people to develop careers, not just jobs or tasks to undertake.”

A happy and productive workspace, such as the new office at Castleford, also has a positive effect on people’s mental health – and this is something that PTSG holds in high regard. PTSG has a diverse workforce in many respects: age, ethnicity, sexuality and disability, but the majority of its workforce – especially its site engineers – are male. And males are still far less likely to seek health for health issues of all kinds.

The Group’s drive to promote mental health among its people has seen over 20 people become qualified Mental Health First Aid Trainers in the last two-and-a-half years. People now routinely approach PTSG’s Mental Health First Aiders for help.

To be a great company to do business with, it is vitally important that we are a great place to work

This is a real culture change and clear proof that the approach is paying off.

Group HR Director Helen Aukland said: “The link between happy workers and greater productivity is very clear. A positive environment is central to happiness at work and when people feel better, they are far more creative and likely to come up with innovative solutions to challenges and problems. Positive mental health has farreaching benefits for the employee, the team and the business itself.”

Water treatment

PTSG as a business continues to go from strength to strength. 2021 saw the Group make four acquisitions, with a fifth following in January 2022. The acquisitions of HCS and Total Environmental Compliance in June 2021 led to the formation of PTSG’s fifth business division: PTSG Water Treatment Ltd. While PTSG already offered a comprehensive specialist services solution, these new strategically targeted acquisitions cemented the Group’s status as the one-stop provider of specialist services to the construction and FM sectors.

With year-on-year growth forecast to continue, PTSG’s skilled and talented people continue to be central to that success. The new workspace at its Castleford headquarters is an investment in people and PTSG is confident that it will facilitate an overall improved working experience for this large and varied Group.