Do Monday mornings fill you with dread?
If so, it might be a sign that your workplace isn’t bringing out the best in you.
You’re not alone—feeling unhappy at work is surprisingly common. In fact, a 2023 study found that nearly 1 in 3 UK employees report being unhappy in their job. And it’s not just about feeling fed up—chronic work dissatisfaction can have real consequences for both mental and physical health, from stress and burnout to sleep issues and anxiety.
But here’s the good news: more and more UK businesses are waking up to the importance of employee wellbeing. Why? Because it’s not just good for people—it’s good for business. Studies show that happier employees are 13% more productive, and companies with engaged, satisfied staff tend to enjoy stronger reputations and better retention.
At Kendra, we’ve taken this to heart. We’ve embraced a set of simple but powerful practices that are proven to make a difference—things like flexible working, open communication, and real opportunities for growth. And the results speak for themselves: our employee satisfaction scores are consistently high, and our staff turnover is well below the national average.
So, what makes a workplace somewhere you want to be on a Monday morning? Let’s break down the key ingredients of a happy work environment and take a look at how Kendra is working to bring them to fruition.
Praise for a job well done
A positive work culture is everything. At Kendra, positivity is one of our core values, underpinning everything we do. Positive workspaces include:
Consistent praise and recognition
Praise and recognition make staff feel valued. Here at Kendra, our people can expect written or verbal praise wherever it’s due, as well as other incentives – like our quarterly rewards initiative. Prizes are given to those who demonstrate our core values in their day-to-day roles and – in addition to that – we dish out gift vouchers and even thank you dinners to those who’ve done an exceptional job.
Good financial incentives
An excellent work culture is important, but so is a decent wage. That’s why we offer best-in-industry salaries, incremental increases and a generous annual bonus. Not to mention our employee referral scheme, offering financial incentives for any referral introductions.
Open communication and feedback
When it comes to communication, we don’t subscribe to the traditional, hierarchical way of doing things. Everyone is free to share their thoughts and ideas, whether they’re an apprentice or a director.
In fact, we recently undertook a HR ‘deep dive’ where our trusted HR provider interviewed employees confidentially to gain insights about their views and experiences of Kendra. From this, we learned what we’re doing well and what we could be doing better, allowing us to revitalise our processes and improve our culture.
Being part of a great team
If your team has good energy – and you encourage and inspire each other – you’ll have fun and feel less stressed. Most people say what they love most about Kendra is the people – and we truly believe we’ve got the best this industry has to offer.
Our ‘one team’ ethos is undeniably strong and a central part of who we are as a company. In fact, it’s this sense of camaraderie, along with our positive work culture, that makes Kendra such a great place to work– which explains our high staff retention rate of 90%.
To bring people together, we hold regular internal competitions and initiatives as well as team building events, such as taking part in the popular ‘3-Peaks Challenge’. And once a quarter, we release a staff newsletter featuring our people and what they’ve been up to.
To bring people together, we hold regular internal competitions and initiatives as well as team building events, such as taking part in the popular ‘3-Peaks Challenge’. And once a quarter, we release a staff newsletter featuring our people and what they’ve been up to.
A good work-life balance
A healthy work-life balance does wonders for your wellbeing. Our employees are encouraged to recharge their batteries whenever they can. Here’s some signs of a good work-life balance:
It’s not all ‘take’ with no give
Occasionally, a client’s project will overrun; it’s an unavoidable part of working in this industry. But when that does happen, staff will get back the hours they put in.
Work arrangements are flexible
People have different styles of working. That’s why we give our office folk the option to come in or work remotely, depending on what suits them. Most of our office workers have adopted a hybrid working style, which is particularly beneficial for mums and dads that need to work around childcare.
Although not everyone is able to work remotely (depending on role etc), we will always endeavour to be as flexible as possible. For us, it’s not necessarily about how many hours people spend behind a screen or on their feet but the work they produce at the end of the day.
Downtime is prioritised
We don’t want our engineers to miss out on all-important family or ‘me’ time, which is why we offer local travel – within 1.5 hours of home – wherever possible. While we always keep travel to a minimum and promote the use of public transport, company cars are provided if travel is necessary.
To avoid burnout, we also encourage employees to use their annual leave before the end of the year (they can carry five days over) and annual leave increases after every five years of service. We even offer the opportunity to buy extra leave.
Your health is prioritised
Many companies offer private healthcare, but we offer it to employees and their families, with access to an online GP. Other wellness perks include being signed up to our Healthy Reward Scheme; it offers reduced gym membership, discounted sportswear and even free Apple watches and cinema tickets.
Feeling empowered to succeed
According to Survey Monkey, 60% of UK employees want to feel empowered to do what they do best. Here’s some tell-tale signs a company is setting its employees up for success:
Personal development plans
At Kendra, there’s ample career development opportunities. Each year, we set employees achievable goals and map out tailored career plans as part of their annual one-to-one reviews.
Our leadership team are not just managers but friends and mentors who nurture talent where they find it – something our apprentices and fast track engineers can openly attest to.
Continued learning
Everyone is encouraged to continue learning new skills. This includes regular training – and the full suite of BCIA courses – to keep employees up to date with the latest industry trends and technology.
This keeps us one step ahead of the competition, adding to our glowing reputation. We’ve won four BCIA Awards in the last eight years – a huge accomplishment in the world of BEMS – and are privileged to be one of only four companies in the UK to become Master EcoXperts in Building Controls.
Get in touch
We’ve worked hard to become the upbeat, people-led company you see today; somewhere that aims to strike a healthy work-life balance while helping your career flourish.
Why not consider Kendra for your next career move? Check out our vacancies or contact your local office.
