HR QUESTIONS & ANSWERS As part of your acquisition journey, we want to facilitate a smooth transition and address any questions or concerns you may have. We understand that this period may come with uncertainties, and your wellbeing is our top priority. To provide you with the information you need, we’re launching HR Q&As, where you can ask any HR-related questions and receive timely, clear, and supportive responses. We’ve put together responses to some Frequently Asked Questions as a start point, but you can also contact myself or my colleague, Olivia Watson at anytime in confidence to ask any question that is preying on your mind or hasn’t been discussed. Our goal is to ensure that you are well-informed and comfortable during this transition. We value your input and look forward to helping you navigate this exciting phase together. Sarah Street Director of HR, Artelia UK [email protected] 020 7269 0450 m: 07793 707 600 Olivia Watson HR Coordinator [email protected] 020 7269 0450 m: 07741 558 044 Passion & Solutions
FAQs - some of the things you may be wondering about..... Artelia, Passion & Solutions Q. Who do I work for? A. You are still employed by Castons – but Castons is now wholly owned by Artelia SAS. The company’s new trading name after acquisition completion will be Castons Artelia Group. Q. Will there be any change to the Castons brand? A. The Castons logo will remain the same as it is until all clients have been notified of the acquisition. Following this period (approx. 3 months) an Artelia Group tag line will be added discretely under the Castons name, so that it reads Castons Artelia Group. Q. Will there be any changes to the Terms and Conditions of my Employment? A. No. Your contractual entitlements are protected by TUPE legislation (Transfer Undertaking Protection of Employment). When we transfer your employment to Artelia UK you will be fully consulted and this is only likely to occur mid 2025. Q. I have an agreed flexible working pattern, can this continue? A. Any arrangements previously agreed will Caston’s management will not be impacted by the acquisition. Q. Will I continue to receive the same benefits I do now? A. All contractual benefits will continue, including your entitlements to holiday and sick pay. You will be consulted if any changes were to be considered further down the line. Q. Will my holiday bookings and accrued leave be honoured? A. Absolutely! Nobody needs to cancel any holidays. Artelia’s holiday year runs from January to December and we will want to align Castons Artelia Group holiday periods and booking systems in time, but you will be notified of any changes. The allowances and entitlement will not change. Q. What benefits do Artelia staff get? Will we be given the same? A. A full review will be conducted and we hope that we can reach a standard benefit offering for all Artelia and Castons Artelia Group staff in the future. Q. Will my working hours stay the same? A. Yes. Q. Will there be any restructuring of staff as a result of this Acquisition? A. No redundancies will be made as a result of the acquisition. No restructures are anticipated in the near future and there will be no change to the day-to-day work of Castons staff. There may be opportunities for Artelia UK and Castons staff to work together on projects in the near future, supporting our ambitions for 1+1 = 3. Q. Will there be any changes to the line management structure within Castons? A. There will be no changes to the line management structure within Castons for staff, with the exception of Peter and Matthew who will now be required to report to Mark Day, Managing Director of Artelia UK. Q. Will my training agreement and career development plan be honoured? A. Any agreements you have with Castons for training will not change. We hope that the acquisition may lead to more career development and training opportunities for all staff in the future.
FAQs - some of the things you may be wondering about..... Q. What training does Artelia UK offer its staff? A. Artelia offers a number of mandatory and optional training and development activities, including in house and external courses, Artelia Group training such as H&S and ethics, ‘talk for your lunch’ knowledge share sessions, and training development programmes and partnerships with Professional organisations such as CIOB, APM and RICS. It is our intention to include Castons staff in all training opportunities. Q. Will there be new roles on offer in Artelia UK and elsewhere in the Group? A. All vacant positions will be advertised internally and all staff have the right to apply, this will include Caston’s Artelia Group employees. Q. Will I be required to travel to Artelia London office? A. This may be a requirement from time to time but there will be no changes to your current working arrangements. Q. Can I use the London or Birmingham office for meeting clients? A. yes, this can be arranged by contacting the AUK London Business Support Team, or the reception team at ANG. Q. Will this affect any payroll arrangements? A. You will continue to be paid on the last working day of the month, and you will continue to be paid by Castons. Q. Will my pension be affected? A. Your entitlement to employer’s pension contributions are a legal requirement and will not change. There will be the opportunity in the future to assess the Castons pension scheme and transfer to that of Artelia UK, but only if beneficial to its members. Artelia, Passion & Solutions Q. Will there be a change to the way my expenses are paid? A. Not to begin with, but Artelia UK use a financial management system to manage expense claims and in time, the way that expenses are submitted and approved will change. We have no timescales for this and it will align to the financial reporting process changes. Q. Will there be any changes to my company equipment? A. All phones and hardware will stay the same. There will be some changes to PPE to show the Castons Artelia Group Brand. Q. How do I introduce myself to clients, contractors & associates? A. You now can announce that Castons is part of the Artelia Group. Q. if I have a question or query with regard to the new company ownership, who should I approach? A. You should approach your line manager; alternatively, Colin Wood may be able assist. Q. What integration events and opportunities will there be? A. Following on from the kick-off meeting in January, Artelia will be organising further events throughout the year for employees of all Artelia Group UK Companies to meet. Artelia representatives will also be visiting the Castons offices in the very near future. Please introduce yourselves, we are looking forward to working with you all! Don’t worry about asking anything else that is on your mind. We’re here to help.?
9001 14001 45001 22301 www.uk.arteliagroup.com