A Sunderland care company has moved into new offices at the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) as part of its investment in the wellbeing of its key workers.
Managers at Comfort Call, one of the largest care companies in the city, said it has been impressed and humbled by how well its entire workforce has handled the additional pressures COVID-19 has put on their already-vital roles.
Now, a move to a new centrally-located riverside office base, aims to make life easier for the company’s 182 staff, while providing an environment to support their own health and wellbeing.
Comfort Call’s Registered Manager Nicole Donoghue said: “Every single member of staff in the care and office teams has been brilliant and we are so proud and grateful to them for what they’ve shouldered this past year.
“They’ve worked tirelessly to keep standards of care and safety high in such difficult circumstances but it’s been a really challenging time.
“As an employer, we want to make it as easy as possible for staff to get all the support they need to do their job and that’s a big part of our reasoning for moving to the BIC. It’s our job to care for the carers and our new, easy-to-reach and pleasant location helps us to do that really well.”
Comfort Call was set up in 2008 and provides homecare services in Sunderland and Houghton-le-Spring for 380 clients who are elderly, disabled or recovering from illness, accident or a prolonged hospital stay.
The company was based in Hebburn alongside teams providing services in South Tyneside and Gateshead but has now established a dedicated Sunderland base, after moving into a suite overlooking the River Wear complete with open-plan office space, a training room and meeting room.
Nicole added: “We wanted to be in the area where we operate to be nearer to clients and staff who find it easy to travel in from all areas around the city. We have an open-door policy and encourage staff to come together for face-to-face support from the team and this lovely riverside spot really helps to support our emphasis on taking care of ourselves at work.
“Staff are really enjoying the peaceful environment and the chance to enjoy a little walk or to enjoy their lunch outside with their colleagues. It’s great to have the facilities to show staff how much we value them.”
Donna Surtees, Centre Manager at the BIC, said: “We are all deeply indebted to our key workers and we are delighted to welcome the hard-working staff of Comfort Call to our friendly and diverse community.
“We are making lots of investments in our outdoor spaces to support the health and wellbeing of all staff onsite as they come back into the office environment and it’s great to see Comfort Call staff are already benefiting from these enhancements.”