SGS Packaging Europe

We’re very proud of how our colleagues across the UK and Europe are adjusting to remote working and making the most of the situation. Whilst ensuring that a usual day’s work is completed to the highest standard, staff are also managing to factor in family activities, hobbies, quiet time and fitness, all while adhering to social distancing rules. However, staying at home may become a little harder on your mental health as times passes, especially now that the weather’s brightening up. To help you stay healthy and happy, we’ve popped together some tips for looking after your wellbeing during lockdown. Stay social Thanks to social media, video calls and other digital tools, it’s very easy to stay social despite self-isolation. Since the very start, we’ve been recommending that colleagues take part in Virtual Cuppa Breaks on a regular basis. By scheduling them in advance with your co-workers, you can have a natter and a laugh despite not being in the same workspace. This is also a

Liam Smith is a Reprographic Artworker at SGS The Maltings. Like his colleagues, he is currently working from home to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and stay safe and healthy. His home office set up (above) is wonderful, with plenty of room to work and even take care of forty seedlings, which he believes is great for his mental wellbeing. Liam says that he’s making sure to stick to his usual working hours and is enjoying a little lie-in each morning due to not having to travel to work for the time being. He then treats himself to a homecooked breakfast, such as pancakes (which are his favourite) with bacon, bananas or whatever takes his fancy as a topping. Liam also prepares a fresh lunch each day, as he’s a big fan of creating tasty and nutritious meals from scratch. With this in mind, when he’s not doing his daily tasks, Liam keeps busy in the kitchen. He says he’s missing chatting with his colleagues in the office, although Virtual Cuppa Breaks are a good wa

Helen Padget-Smith, Project Manager at SGS The Maltings, has been in touch to tell us about her home office, which she’s set up on a table in the kitchen (complete with a radio and a plant for company). She says that trying to keep her 10-year-old doing schoolwork has so far been the biggest challenge, with her usual duties being a smooth process thanks to digital systems put in place by SGS. “I’ve been drinking a lot of tea and surprisingly not raiding the cupboards as much as I expected,” says Helen. “Every day I wear different gym gear (the brighter the better), as it’s comfy and it means I can do a little workout with my boy in my lunch hour, or go for a run whilst social distancing.” Helen says that she misses the girls from her office the most, although they’re still able to have a chat through Virtual Cuppa Breaks, which we’re recommending to all colleagues. These are a great way to stay in touch with workmates during your break or lunch hour, with colleagues from acr

To help prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep our workforce safe, our colleagues have been working from home for the last few weeks. As a company we’ve delivered useful advice, resources and support to help everyone to not only remain productive, but also stay in touch. Good examples are meetings through Microsoft Teams and regular Virtual Coffee Breaks, which encourage team members to have a chat with each other through video calls. We’ve been asking colleagues about their home office setups to see what they’ve done to make their surroundings efficient and welcoming. Andy Ennis and Andy Stephens sent us some details about theirs, which are very different but both designed for a hard day’s work without any interruptions. Andy Ennis's office is pictured above: “There have been no real challenges to my working day so far as everything is running smoothly. I miss my lunchtime walks but I do enjoy catching up with a Netflix show during my lunch break. I also try to g

Many of our colleagues are working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Being at home throughout the day means that your living environment can become dirty quickly, especially if you have children and pets. To help you keep your home clean and hygienic, we’ve popped together some practical tips. Put at least one hour aside each day Allocating a time slot in your daily diary for cleaning makes keeping on top of the main jobs very easy. Even better, split this time into two sessions – one in the morning and another in the evening. By washing the dishes, vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom regularly, you’ll find that hygiene problems aren’t given a chance to build up, therefore reducing the likelihood of bacteria and the COVID-19 virus spreading throughout your home. Wash your hands before and after cleaning We’re now all used to cleaning our hands for at least twenty seconds, but it can be easy to forget to do it before and after cleaning the house. The reason for