On-demand webinar: Making the return to work in property and construction a success

The Covid-19 pandemic had a massive impact on property and construction, halting projects throughout the country and severely disrupting the activities of organisations in the sector. Now that business has picked up with the lifting of restrictions, bringing workers back to physical sites in a Covid-safe manner has become a top priority for employers. 

To learn more about the challenges involved in this and how employers can make the return to work a success, Michael Page recently hosted an in-depth webinar, with presentations from:

• Anthony Hulsman, Head of Facilities Management at Oxfordshire County Council 
• Sharon Murphy, Head of People Development at Orbit Group

Anthony is responsible for all engineering and maintenance at Oxford County Council and has worked closely on the closing and reopening of buildings throughout the pandemic. This has involved reacting to legislative changes and planning and executing the roadmap to reopening, whilst ensuring that all buildings remain Covid-secure. 

In the webinar, he provides an insight into the actions taken to ensure a successful return to work, and proposes a model for reopening of buildings, including: 

• Service accommodation recovery steps 
• Accommodation request forms
• PIFM accommodation request triage
• Minimum actions for reopening
• Example floor plan 
• Hard FM checklist per site

Following Anthony’s presentation, Sharon delivered a comprehensive overview of Orbit’s post-pandemic approach to hybrid working. 

Having already introduced agile and flexible working in 2018, Orbit used the pandemic as an opportunity to reassess their current models and ask employees their views. The company also introduced the WorkSmart programme, which enables employees to work remotely for three days per week or more as required by the role. 

Sharon discusses the benefits of this approach, which include: 

• Higher productivity
• A geographically wider recruitment pool 
• Fewer overheads and a smaller carbon footprint due to new workspaces

With a focus on the key areas of teamwork, culture, and an inclusive approach to leadership, Orbit is leading the way when it comes to developing new and better ways of working in the property and construction sector. 

Don’t miss out on these essential insights – check out the full interview above.

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