It has been a big day at Great Annual Savings Group (GAS) as we welcome 160 of our colleagues back to the workplace in a safe, working-from-home phased return.
Colleagues from the UKI Enterprise, UKI Corporate, UKI Field divisions and all professional functions logged on for the first time since the start of April this morning, following Group guidelines to prioritise safety.
Our returning field-based colleagues have all been provided with a personal protective equipment (PPE) package, including a washable face mask, disposable masks, anti-bacterial wipes, disposable gloves, cleaning cloths, surface cleaning spray and personal bottles of sanitiser with a refill.
All North East colleagues are able to work from home after the Group made a significant investment into its custom home working solution at the start of the year. This will continue whilst the safety features are installed at the Group’s newly expanded Spectrum 6 headquarters in Seaham, County Durham.
Craig Shields, Head of Quality and Risk at GAS, said: “We have been guided by one principle in all of our decision making throughout the international health crisis: putting our people first.
“We did not feel it necessary to rush anyone back into the office and, as such, we have today begun the first step in the Group’s phased return to the ‘new norm’.
“We have had good feedback from our field-based colleagues, who are appreciative of the packs we have sent them, along with a guidance and safety document for minimising risk to themselves and their colleagues when out in the field. We also want our customers and other businesses to physically see how seriously GAS is taking people’s safety.
“We have paid our colleagues 100 per cent of their salary whilst on furlough, which is over and above the government’s scheme. The response was fantastic and many have indicated they are looking forward to repaying the Group for its generosity.
“It’s wonderful to see our people beginning to return and we look forward to a time that the GAS family can all be together again.”
We were pleased to receive some photos of the packs being put to action this morning. Take a look at the GAS field-based staff modelling their new gear.
