How Arco Protected its Colleagues During the Pandemic

2020 has seen unprecedented demand for PPE, and at Arco we've implemented changes at pace to ensure we deliver on our core purpose, to keep people safe. As a business, we've done everything in our power to ensure continuity of supply for our customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article offers a look behind the scenes to demonstrate what we've been doing for our colleagues. Jo Heselton, our Group Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Manager outlined the steps we took as a business to protect our workforce during the pandemic.

Responding at Pace to Official Advice

From the start of the pandemic, the Safety, Health and Environment team constantly anticipated and followed advice from all relevant bodies, including the Government, Public Health England, the NHS and World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure we operate in-line with the latest advice.

Assessing the Risk and Implementing Control Measures

Arco conducted thorough risk assessments for all our sites and implemented the suggested control measures immediately to prevent the risk of spreading the virus, and to protect our colleagues. Floor decals and signage were installed to support social distancing, hygiene advice posters were fitted and following Government advice, colleagues were advised to wear face coverings whilst moving around, or in communal areas. We installed hand sanitiser stations across our sites as well as one-way movement systems around buildings and protective barrier screens (where appropriate). Shift patterns were reviewed at our National Distribution Centre to leave 30-minute gaps between shifts to reduce exposure and contact. Enhanced cleaning regimes were established, with areas being cleaned on an hourly rota as well as a full deep clean each evening. We continue to monitor our cleaning processes with the introduction of fogging and surface swabbing in November to determine the efficacy of our cleaning protocols. In addition to steps taken at our sites, face masks and hand sanitiser packages were sent to all employees' homes to protect them and their families.

Communicating Change

With over 1600 employees, communication is vital to advise colleagues of new procedures as well as listening to their own queries, suggestions and concerns and addressing these.

"The most important factor was keeping our colleagues up to date with the latest advice as well as opening a dialogue for colleagues to express concerns to us."

Arco has a dedicated internal comms team which has shared tailored advice for colleagues across all sites, with specific information relevant to their team and way of working.

All updates were shared via email, as well as a dedicated Coronavirus information point on Arco's intranet. The comms team created accessible guides for colleagues with disabilities, as well as translating information for employees whose first language isn't English. Guides were also specifically prepared for colleagues to share with friends and family and Managing Director, David Evison, provided several updates via video link.

Working from Home

Preparations and planning for colleagues working from home began in March, with over 100 laptops purchased prior to Matt Hancock's "work from home if you can" speech to the commons.

Arco's infrastructure team rapidly implemented new remote working technologies, ensuring there was no disruption for customers with colleagues able to work from home. In just 2 weeks, an additional 200 new laptops were sourced, configured and delivered to colleagues working from home alongside monitors, headsets, keyboard/mouse sets, power adapters and network cables.

By the end of March, virtually all office staff were working remotely. 4G Wireless access points and contracts were arranged for colleagues without a suitable home connection, and we have developed an ongoing scheme enabling colleagues to request additional kit, including desks and chairs, to enable them to work from home effectively and safely.

Getting Back to Work

Once retail stores were permitted to reopen, we ran a one-week re-boarding for retail staff, pausing, and taking the time to ensure that the correct procedures were in place to protect colleagues and customers. A member of the SHE team also conducted separate phone calls with all 43 retail stores to enable a virtual COVID secure check before re-opening.

All colleagues returning to Arco sites will be required to be re-boarded back to the business, to ensure we can continue to operate safely, and in turn keep our customers safe.

Colleague Wellbeing

Arco recognises the challenges that come with working from home including caring for dependents, home schooling and balancing work and personal life. Mental health and wellbeing have always been a priority, but this was a priority once colleagues were no longer physically working together.

Arco already had 100 trained mental health first aiders spread across all areas of the business. Jo commented "implementing our mental first aiders scheme was a big focus for us last year and they've been brilliant at supporting colleagues throughout the pandemic, listening signposting them to information and further support." Arco keeps its wellbeing hub updated with mindfulness tips, FAQs, and contact information from our Occupational Health Advisors, Health Assured with our Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential phone-line support, a service which is available to all Arco colleagues as well as immediate family.

What Arco Has Learned, and What's in Store for the Future

As Health and Safety experts, colleague as well as customer wellbeing is something we take very seriously, and we ensure one does not come at the cost of the other.

We are constantly updating our policies in-line with the latest advice to help keep colleagues safe. With a new head office under construction in Blackfriargate, Hull, we're designing office layouts and work rotas to ensure that social distancing can be maintained when the government advises it's safe to return to working from a shared facility.