The activities of BT Group added £24 billion to the wider UK economy last year and supported nearly 300,000 jobs, according to a new report published today.

The report from consultancy firm Hatch looked at the spend of employees and suppliers of BT Group – which includes EE, BT, Plusnet and Openreach – and the estimated knock-on impact that has on economies across the UK.

The report found that BT Group, the UK’s largest telecommunications company which employs around 80,000 people in the UK, made a direct contribution to the economy estimated at £11billion in the last financial year (2021/22). Through the company’s employees and its supply chain, and their subsequent spending, Hatch estimates the resulting boost to the UK economy came to a total of £24 billion.

The company’s spending with UK-based suppliers came to a total of £9.3 billion. According to the study, BT Group’s combined activities supported a knock-on total of 284,000 jobs across the UK.

The report highlights BT Group’s presence in every nation and region in the UK and its current major investment in the rollout of full-fibre broadband and 5G across the country. It also profiles the range of activities by BT Group colleagues across the UK, from the volunteers helping care home residents avoid isolation and loneliness, to the teams protecting customers and the UK from cyber threats.

BT Group is also transforming its offices and contact centres across the UK and has already opened two brand new regional hubs in Birmingham and Bristol. New hubs are set to open in Manchester and Cardiff this year, and offices in Belfast and Glasgow have undergone major refurbishments.

It is part of the company’s Better Workplace Programme, one of the largest workplace improvement schemes of its type ever undertaken in the UK. The five-year programme will see the company shift from having around 300 locations in the UK to around 30, with a focus on creating new, modern workspaces.

Philip Jansen, Chief Executive of BT Group, said: “BT Group plays a vital role at the heart of the UK economy. We're one of only a handful of companies that serves customers in every corner of the country.

“We've continued our major investment in building next generation full fibre and mobile connectivity rapidly across the UK. We've already reached 9.6 million premises with full fibre, and our 5G mobile network now reaches 60% of the UK population. The benefits to families and businesses are huge: new jobs, economic growth and innovation, across every nation and region.

“We’re also transforming BT Group so that we’re fit to power the UK economy of the future. Our new state-of-the-art offices, spread across the UK, are a central part of that, bringing colleagues together in brilliant spaces that will enable collaboration and help us to better serve our customers.”

Notes

The Economic Impact Report 2023 has been prepared independently by Hatch Urban Solutions, drawing upon data for BT Group plc activities in the UK during the last financial year 2021/22.

Displaying its commitment to Warrington, BT has recruited 110 colleagues in the area within the last year and is now looking to hire a further 15 people to be based at the new building before Christmas.

BT colleagues are taking part in induction sessions as part of a phased return to the office taking place over the next few weeks following the end of Covid-19 restrictions. The impressive future-fit workplace, across two floors, will now be occupied by the communications and technology company, creating a fantastic workspace for around 750 colleagues.

The revamped office has been designed in large part by BT colleagues, for colleagues. It features full height windows providing lots of natural light, new café and restaurant facilities, flexible workspaces, collaboration zones and plenty of greenery for plant lovers. It also includes relax and refuel areas and a games space.

The state-of-the-art building is one of the first of BT’s new look offices to open in the UK as part of its ‘Better Workplace Programme’ – the largest workplace improvement and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK.

The five-year programme, due to complete in 2024, is part of BT’s ambition to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers and colleagues. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves into new offices and the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings. 

Nick Lane, managing director for consumer customer services at BT, said: “Our new contact centre in Warrington will offer our people an impressive and exciting state-of-the-art environment to work in with excellent transport links close by. It boasts some of the latest technology and facilities to help our colleagues thrive at work and to relax and unwind during break periods.

“Warrington is a key location for BT and we’re really pleased to have invested in this new office space and to show our commitment to the town through job opportunities and recruitment over the last year.

“The town, like many places across the country, has suffered economically as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have a number of posts that we need to fill and I would encourage anyone who may be interested to check out our careers website bt.com/careers where more information and details on how to apply can be found.”

BT says that a number of its colleagues have been working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, but many are expected to return to the office over the coming weeks and months following the lifting of Government restrictions.

Last year, BT completed its commitment to answer 100% of its customer service calls in the UK and Ireland – becoming the only major communications provider to do so with the aim of offering the most personal and local service to its customers.

Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Russ Bowden, said: “BT’s new contact centre will bring huge benefits to Warrington, creating new employment opportunities for local people and helping further boost our economic recovery, post-Covid.

“I’m delighted that the state-of-the-art facility has now officially opened, with 110 people already recruited into roles, and a further 15 jobs currently on offer. It’s great news for Warrington and is testament to our continuing, strong economic performance, which makes us an attractive place for big businesses to invest.”

Liz Needleman, BT Group regional lead for the North of England, added: “Our investment in the newly opened office in Warrington is a real sign of BT’s commitment and confidence in the region’s ability to make a sustainable recovery after the uncertainty of the pandemic.

“I’m pleased that we have been able to hire over 100 new colleagues in Warrington over the last year and will be recruiting for more contact centre roles before Christmas. It’s exciting that our colleagues will now be able to benefit from this multi-million investment and work in a future-fit workspace.”

BT Group plays an important role in the economy of the North West and is responsible for generating £1 in every £160 produced in the region, according to an independent report. It also generated more than £1.71 billion to the local economy in “Gross Value Added” (GVA)*, during the 2019/20 financial year. BT Group supports more than 19,800 local jobs both directly and indirectly across the region.

The company says it will create the new jobs over the coming months and years, with around 225 roles currently available. The employment boost comes as construction work was completed on Three Snowhill, which will serve as BT’s regional hub site for the Midlands. The state-of-the-art new office, built over 17 floors, houses the latest technology and modern facilities that allow colleagues to perform at their best.

BT colleagues have been taking part in induction sessions as part of a phased return to the office over the next few weeks following the end of Covid-19 restrictions. In addition to recent new hires and colleagues moving in from other locations, there are currently 225 vacant roles available in areas such as digital, data, analytics, sales and HR. The new office will eventually accommodate around 3,500 colleagues from across BT Group, including digital network business Openreach.

Philip Jansen, chief executive, BT Group, said: “This is our first major regional hub site to open outside London and is a marker of how BT is transforming to meet the needs of our colleagues and our customers.

“It’s also a statement that we’re serious about the ‘levelling up’ agenda. While our head office remains in London, we are committed to creating more opportunities and basing key operations in other areas of the UK too. A number of our senior leaders are now based here in Birmingham, as well as colleagues from across the business in a wide variety of roles, including exciting new technology research and digital product development functions.

“Three Snowhill epitomises what we are trying to achieve through our new workspaces, and we continue to work towards that vision of providing future-fit, inspiring offices where people can collaborate, innovate and ultimately deliver the best for our customers and the best for our business.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It really is fantastic to see BT complete their switch to a new flagship office at Three Snowhill with the first of their colleagues moving in.

“Not only is it a huge sign of confidence in the West Midlands that a company of BT’s size and stature is investing in and committing to our region, but it is also brilliant news for people’s livelihoods with around one thousand new jobs to be created. 

“I look forward to working with BT to ensure these roles are filled by local people as part of my 100,000 jobs plan.”

The state-of-the art building will be the first of BT’s hub locations in the UK to open as part of its ‘Better Workplace Programme’ - the largest workplace improvement and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK. Other hubs that will open in the future include Manchester, Bristol and the new London HQ. BT will reduce its footprint from over 300 locations to around 30.

BT’s ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves like this, into new offices, as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings.

Elaine Bergin, BT director for colleague experience, who is based at Three Snowhill, said: “This is a really exciting time for BT as we launch our new regional hub in Birmingham with some fantastic job opportunities for local people and those looking to move to the area.

“BT is a great company and Three Snowhill is an incredible place to work, so I would encourage anyone who may be interested to check out our careers website bt.com/careers where more information and details on how to apply can be found.”

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing many staff shift to home working over the past 18 months, BT still firmly believes in the future of the office.

Elaine added: “We still see our shared workplaces as central to BT’s future. They will be places where colleagues come together to connect, collaborate, learn and develop, build friendships and share their experiences.

“We recognise that colleagues need the opportunity to work flexibly, and we can enable that through hybrid working. However, particularly for younger individuals and those joining BT for the first time, the opportunity to learn those soft skills and form positive relationships by working together in the office is invaluable.”

BT is adopting a hybrid, flexible approach called ‘Smart Working’ where teams will choose how colleagues spend time between home and their office. Shared workplaces will continue to be central to the company’s future.

Three Snowhill boasts smart building technology, flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. There are also a range of catering options including a ground floor café open to the public, world class event spaces, and a large media screen in reception. It also has a ‘bike doctor’ to encourage more colleagues to cycle to work.

BT will ensure it complies with all the latest guidelines on Covid-19 from Public Health England to ensure people are kept safe in the office. The company will be the main occupier of the 17-storey development, marking a major investment by the company in the UK’s second city.

BT Group plays an important role in the West Midlands economy and is responsible for generating £1 in every £180 produced in the region, according to an independent report. It also generated £1.5 billion to the West Midlands economy in “Gross Value Added” GVA, during the 2019/20 financial year.* BT Group directly employs 5,470 people across the region, with a further 600 employed as contractors.

The centre in Wilmington Drive has undergone a major revamp to modernise it and create a fantastic workplace for colleagues.

BT says it is now looking to hire 350 new people based at the building, including 100 roles with Plusnet, part of BT Group.

More than 200 people have already been recruited to roles at the location in the last couple of years.

The revamped office has been designed by BT colleagues, for BT colleagues. It features full height windows providing lots of natural light, a new café and restaurant facilities, flexible workspaces, collaboration areas, as well as lots of greenery for plant lovers. It also includes relax and refuel areas and a games area with table tennis, pool and games consoles.

The state-of-the-art building is one of the first of BT’s future-fit offices in the UK to open as part of its ‘Better Workplace Programme’ – the largest workplace improvement and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK.

Nick Lane, managing director for consumer customer services at BT, said: “We’re really pleased to be creating new, permanent job opportunities in Doncaster, a town which has suffered economically due to the Covid-19 pandemic like many others across the country.

“We have a number of posts we need to fill and I would encourage anyone who may be interested to check out our careers website bt.com/careers where more information and details on how to apply can be found.

“It’s a great time to be joining our team at Doncaster, particularly following the exciting refurbishment of the site. It now boasts some of the latest technology and facilities to help our colleagues thrive at work and also relax and unwind during break periods.”

BT says that a number of its colleagues have been working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, but many are expected to return to the office over the coming weeks and months as Government restrictions are lifted.

BT’s Doncaster contact centre first opened in 1997 and the company says the refurbishment will help transform the way it works, create efficiencies and enable it to better serve its customers.

Last year, BT completed its commitment to answer 100% of its consumer customer service calls in the UK and Ireland – becoming the only major broadband provider to do so – with the aim of providing a more personal and local service to its customers.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Glyn Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Business, said: “We are delighted to see BT investing in cutting edge facilities in Doncaster and creating hundreds of new jobs for local residents.

“It’s further tremendous news for the Doncaster economy which has seen a number of major companies announce expansion plans across our borough in recent months. We are fully committed to delivering jobs and growth and our Business Doncaster team continues to work closely with companies to promote opportunities and offer invaluable support.”

Teams based at the Doncaster contact centre will benefit from the fastest full fibre broadband internet connections, as well as EE 5G mobile coverage in the area. BT’s ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of new offices as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings.

The building itself will include multifaith and parenting rooms, and even a ‘bike doctor’ to encourage as many colleagues as possible to travel into work by sustainable transport.

Plusnet will be extending its customer service team to the BT Contact Centre to provide additional support for customers. Yorkshire based Plusnet already has a Sheffield office at The Balance in Pinfold Street.

BT Group plays an important role in the Yorkshire and The Humber economy and is responsible for generating £1 in every £160 produced in the region, according to an independent report. It also generated £1.3 billion to the Yorkshire and The Humber economy in “Gross Value Added” GVA, during the 2019/20 financial year. BT Group employs more than 6,500 people across the region.

The new building will complete the New Bailey scheme, close to the city’s Spinningfields business district. It will become a key hub for BT with the capacity for up to 2,000 colleagues – more than four times the number currently based in Manchester. The company will eventually occupy the full building, marking a major investment in the city. 

In the coming months, most colleagues will continue to work from home but when government and public health guidance confirms it’s safe to return to the workplace, BT wants to ensure it has inspiring environments to work in. BT is proceeding with this multi-million investment in Manchester as it strongly believes that brilliant office environments, combined with a more flexible approach to home working, will play a vital role in its future.

BT has secured the lease and plans to move colleagues into New Bailey from late 2023. It comes as BT today also announced a new temporary home in Manchester while the new site is prepared for occupation. 

The new temporary office at 125 Deansgate will give the leading telecoms and network provider the opportunity to grow its presence in Manchester, ahead of the transition to New Bailey. Deansgate is now ready for staff who want to work in the office in a safe and socially-distanced manner from this autumn, subject to government and public health advice.

The announcements are part of BT’s ‘Better Workplace Programme’ – one of the largest workplace improvement and consolidation schemes of its type ever undertaken in the UK. Manchester was announced in June 2018 as one of the first locations that will house BT’s workplaces of the future as part of the programme. The five-year programme will improve and consolidate BT’s footprint of corporate offices, contact centres and specialist sites across the UK. 

Graeme Paton, BT’s managing director of Property and Facilities Services, said: “Our new buildings will bring our people together in an impressive and modern environment, transforming the way we work.  

“Excitingly, they will become strategic locations for BT in the UK with a considerable increase in the number of colleagues based in this city. We hope our colleagues will be inspired by the new spaces, which will give them the tools and environment to be able to thrive. Our building at New Bailey will boast panoramic views over the River Irwell and across the city, as well as incorporating outstanding design features including a rooftop garden and exceptional communal spaces.” 

Liz Needleman, BT Group regional lead for the North of England, said it was a huge boost for the city. 

She said: “Manchester has already been revealed as one of our key cities and I’m excited that we have now identified the development that will provide an impressive, state-of-the-art building for our staff and represents our future vision as a company. I’m really pleased we’re able to make this long-term commitment to Greater Manchester during an incredibly difficult time for our economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our new office spaces and increased presence in the city will make us one of the largest employers in the area.” 

Teams based at BT’s new and refurbished buildings will benefit from the company’s investment in the latest technology. BT’s ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves like this, into new offices, as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings. The programme is expected to be complete by 2024. 

BT Group plays an important role in the North West’s economy and directly employs more than 7,000 people in the region. According to an independent report, it generated a £1.6bn (£1,600 million) contribution – expressed as “Gross Value Added” (GVA)* – to the North West economy during the 2017/18 financial year. 

Manchester joins other locations already announced including, London, Birmingham, Warrington, Belfast, Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff and Ipswich (Adastral Park). More locations will be announced in due course.  

A celebration event was held yesterday (25 September) at BT Sport Production Hub in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, to mark the graduation of 45 people who took part in an 11-day BT Work Ready Programme.

Labour peer, Lord Tony Young attended to present certificates to the graduates. The participants, all aged between 18 and 24, have received training and work experience with the telecoms firm to help them in their future careers.

BT’s Work Ready programme, in partnership with charity Movement to Work (MtW), is helping thousands of young people not in education, employment or training across the UK. The programme equips them with vital skills and work experience for a career in an increasingly digital world.

Fabian Douglas, 21, from Bromley, said he had struggled to find a job since 2017 but was feeling more optimistic after taking part in the programme.

“The BT Work Ready programme has been great and I already feel so much more confident. I’ve gained tips on how to create a great CV, learned how to cope with the pressure of a job interview and developed lots of new skills which I’ve now updated on my LinkedIN profile. Being unemployed over the past couple years has been difficult, but this opportunity at BT has given me a clearer understanding of what I want to do.

“The work experience placement was brilliant and I’m really grateful to the BT staff who helped me get a taste of what it’s like working in a digital role for the company. It’s also opened my eyes to the opportunities available.”

Mat Sears, corporate affairs director for BT’s Consumer division, who presented certificates alongside Lord Young at the event, said: “I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all these young people who have taken the first steps towards their future careers.

“Nothing can imitate a real working environment so that is exactly what this programme sets out to achieve. The workplace is changing and nearly all jobs in the future will require at least an element of digital skills, so it’s vital that we equip the next generation with the tools and knowledge they need to be able to thrive.”

The work placements are part of a national pilot of the Government-led Transition to Work project which aims to support unemployed young people into work.

Youth unemployment remains a challenge in the UK. The national youth unemployment rate was 11.4% in May-July 2019*, compared with 3.8% for the whole population**. In London, 13.3% (121,000) of young people aged 16-24 are currently Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) according to latest figures***.

Since BT launched its Work Ready programme in 2014, around 3,000 young people have graduated from the scheme. More people took part than ever before during 2018 with 982 starting the programme and 77% of those completing it.

The Movement to Work charity focusses mainly on young people who are NEET. More than 50% of those who have completed a placement have gone into employment or back into education.

James Ashall, Movement to Work chief executive, said: “Congratulations to all the young people who have graduated from the BT Work Ready programme and we wish them all the best in their future careers.

“Brilliant employability programmes help businesses build a workforce that represent the communities in which they operate. This ultimately drives diversity, promotes social mobility and, crucially, supports individuals to fulfill their potential.”

Notes to editors

* Source: Parliament UK Research Briefing, September 2019 https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN05871

** Source: ONS Labour Market Overview, UK: September 2019 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/september2019

*** Source: NEET Statistics Annual Brief 2018

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief-2018