Company abolishes zero-hours contracts for all staff

Fit-out contractors Workspace Design & Build (D&B) has abolished zero-hours contracts for all staff, including its labourers.

All staff who are now employed by the Manchester-based contractor will be given a minimum 35 hours per week contract.

The commitment to providing job security and stability for all employees comes as Workspace celebrate continued strategic growth and a record order book.

Managing director Russell Davis said the business felt passionately that this was “the right thing to do” for not only those they employ but for the construction sector as a whole.

He said: “A company with a great culture is a place where people want to work and go the extra mile.

“Businesses within the construction sector are all having to re-evaluate how we work and embrace new ways of working to ensure we attract and retain staff.

“With an ageing workforce and Brexit placing uncertainty over the future of EU workers, it has never been more important to encourage people into the industry to fill the skills shortage.

“All our staff deserve security and stability and abolishing zero-hours contracts for all our staff – including all our labourers – was something that we felt extremely passionate about.

“Everyone now has a minimum 35 hours a week contract in place and equal rights of employment.

“Our business is going from strength-to-strength and we felt that this was the right time and the right thing to do.”

Built asset and design consultancy Arcadis recently reported that Britain needs to employee 400,000 people per annum by 2021 in order to meet the country’s housing and infrastructure needs.

Mr Davis added that moving away from zero-hour contracts should be a priority from everyone involved in the property and construction sectors to entice more people into these jobs.

“A shortage of labourers is a real problem and this issue cannot be fixed overnight.

“However, by leading the way, we hope to set an example to the rest of the sector, as well as proving to prospective employees that we are a great business to work for.

“By abolishing zero-hours contracts we will only strengthen our position in the recruitment market and, ultimately, further bolster our growth. At the same time we feel our staff deserve this commitment from us.”

Recently Workspace Design & Build also became the first official partner of the Tackle4MCR campaign, pledging their support for the new fundraising vehicle set up by Vincent Kompany and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

Tackle4MCR is a special fundraising vehicle with a social purpose that has been set up in the form of a limited company for one year by Andy and Vincent, with all proceeds going to the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Homelessness Fund.