'A happy, healthy team is critical' - Stafford business director says as firm invests £250,000 into staff welfare
A thriving Stafford business has created a new £250,000 welfare area and extra office space to put the focus on staff health and wellbeing.
Employees at PTS Group, a Non Destructive Testing (NDT) company on the Common Road Industrial Estate, Stafford, were asked for their views on what would help them to maintain good mental and physical health.
After collating the responses, bosses at PTS Group wasted no time in transforming recommendations into reality with the construction of a new extension to the existing buildings to include a canteen, larger areas for staff changing, new toilets and a shower.
Managing director Ed Roe said: “The company is growing all the time and a major part of our success is down to the continued efforts of our workforce, so it makes total sense to us to ensure they are as happy at work as they can be.
“We have all seen the results of companies paying scant regard to the health and welfare of staff, which can manifest itself in reduced productivity, increased absenteeism and a poor working environment. We take the welfare of our team seriously and part of that was to ask in a survey what we could do to improve things for them.
“It sparked a big response and the overriding theme from that was that they wanted a greater communal area, so we have moved to address that by investing £250,000 in a welfare area - and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. The new building also meets our ongoing environmental obligations with the installation of solar panels on the roof and batteries for storing unused electricity generated.”
PTS Group works with companies in the oil and gas, construction, nuclear and renewable energy sectors, as well as many more industries - serving clients across the UK and Europe, and the business has seen a doubling of staff numbers in recent years.
Technical director Steve Baldwin, whose father started at PTS Group in 1995, said: “Staff retention is of paramount importance to us and a happy, healthy team is critical in helping us to achieve that continuity. There is no doubt that it also helps with recruitment.
“It is estimated that a £1 investment in mental health by a business can yield up to a £5 return in tangible benefits, making wellbeing a sound financial strategy rather than just an ethical responsibility, and when you think that poor mental health is costing UK employers £51 billion annually, it is something you really need to think about.
“We stay engaged with our employees, are always looking at any ways of improving the workplace environment and welcome any input they may have that could make things better. Our staff survey came out of that and we were delighted to act on it with the provision of a larger communal area - an amazing new building which can be enjoyed by us all.”
