Insights
The latest from OFR
Building Magazine lists OFR as one of the UK’s top consultants
OFR Consultants has ranked in Building Magazine’s annual ranking of the top consultants in the UK’s construction sector. The company features in the top 150 practices in the country; the listings also show that OFR is the only specialist fire engineer to appear in the Top 50 Engineers list.
OFR ranked as one of the UK’s best companies to work for
OFR Consultants has been named in a list of the Best Companies to Work for 2022. The company ranked highly in the lists, earning a place in the top 10 Best Consultancies to work for. OFR was also ranked 41st in the UK-wide overall companies category - making it one of the best businesses to work for in the country.
Mind matters; today and every day
Our Mind Matters team is made up of mental health first aid trained individuals who are passionate about supporting their colleagues and raising awareness of issues such as anxiety and depression. With Mental Health Awareness Week underway, we look at how the team has been helping others throughout the year and the topics they have been exploring during the campaign week.
The daily juggle
At OFR Consultants we protect and promote our people, investing in them to ensure that they can manage their work and home lives effectively. This month, we announced a series of new initiatives for our OFR working parents, with increased maternity and shared parental leave pay. Here, we hear from three parents in our workforce who talk about their approach to juggling the family work-life balance.
Protecting our whole selves!
OFR prioritises colleague wellbeing, and we have a range of initiatives driven by our Mind Matters team who share information and deliver engaging sessions throughout the year. This month, our brilliant colleague Sam Bryant helped us celebrated MHFA Whole Self Day, delivering a talk on how we can bring whole selves into the workplace. Here, she tells us about learning how not to leave an aspect of our personality at the door.
Supporting our working parents
Since 2016, we’ve worked hard to establish a flexible and inclusive working culture, working with our colleagues to nurture an environment where productivity is more important than presenteeism. It’s something that’s appealed to the many working parents in our team who this month, have been given even more benefits from OFR. Our head of HR Lucy Kirkup explains.
Showing our support for Forever Manchester
We’re big fans of Forever Manchester, donating to the organisation and supporting its events throughout the year. This week, ten of our colleagues showed their love for the charity, attending a birthday party celebration and sponsoring an award, and here our colleague Helen Buckley tells us more.
From water tanks in Mexico to protecting primates in Vietnam, we’re proud to have supported the WLT this year
This year, as we continued our OFR journey to Net Zero, we set upon our Carbon Balancing journey with the World Land Trust (WLT). The partnership has helped us balance our carbon...
Supporting the community through Haringey Giving Week
We are proud of working alongside many other businesses within the industry, that share our values and community-focussed ethos. This November, as part of the wider team delivering Related Argent’s regeneration of Tottenham Hale, we are getting behind Haringey Giving Week – a week-long fundraising campaign. Here, Karen Hugh tells us more about what this involves and who it will benefit…
Supporting our colleagues on Mental Health Day
Today is World Mental Health Day which this year focuses on making mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority. At OFR, we strive to do this every day, ensuring that our colleagues have access to any support they need. Here our colleague and mental health first aider Katrina Speirs-Simpson tells us more.
Calling all graduates! Come and meet our team
OFR is made up of great people – brilliantly talented colleagues based across the country who help us deliver exceptional work for clients. There’s 115 of us now, all based out of seven offices – but we’re on the hunt for even more talent to join the team! This autumn, we’re heading out to graduate fairs across the country to meet more budding fire engineers! Here our colleague Helen Buckley tells us more.
Our journey to Net Zero; OFR partners with the World Land Trust
As we continue our journey to Net Zero, finding new ways in which to reduce our impact on the environment, we are today proud to announce the start of our Carbon Balancing journey with the World Land Trust (WLT).
Ruoxi and Mel get the chop for children’s charity
Two members of our OFR team have recently raised a whopping £1,237 for children’s charity, The Little Princess by having their locks chopped. Principal fire engineer, Melanie Harris and senior fire engineer, Ruoxi Shi have smashed their original goal of raising £1,000, thanks to generous donations by OFR colleagues, friends and family.
Supporting the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity
We are proud to be cheering on our colleague Alan Curran - London technical director - who will use his OFR Better Days allowance to embark on a gruelling 210 mile cycle ride from Leitrim to Killarney in just three days!
Supporting a great cause in the East Midlands
We’re supporting AquAid and The Africa Trust
OFR contributes to Manchester homeless charity project
Specialist fire engineers from Manchester-based OFR Consultants are working with industry colleagues to create the new Embassy Village – a new community in Manchester that will provide wrap-around support for the city’s homeless and vulnerable men.