Air filters prompt staff at Mackessy Technology to return to office work

A tech business owner whose entire staff have chosen to return to the office, has warned that firms will struggle to retain workers if remote working continues.

Philip Mackessy,  CEO of Mackessy Technology, also insisted the trend will worsen an escalating mental health crisis as people again lose personal interaction with colleagues.

He has invested in air filtration systems for his Limerick city offices to counter the remote working model, and every one of his staff is back in the office.

He also offered to buy devices for their personal use at home.

“Sending people home is not a means of keeping them safe. We have a mental health crisis because of these prolonged lockdowns, so telling people to work from home again is a blunt instrument,” he said.

After installing the hospital-grade filtration systems, he surveyed his 15 staff and every one chose to work from Mackessy Technology’s 2,500 sq ft Henry Street office.

It provides tech and software solutions to the motor trade, including major insurance firms.

The CEO, 40, says Government advice to ask staff to again work remotely would be “absolutely detrimental” to his business and believes devices such as the Mia Air Hepa 14 he uses, should be subsidised in the workplace.

The high efficiency particulate absorbing (Hepa) filters have already been rolled out in German schools, significantly removing the need for ventilation as winter approaches.

The systems trap and destroy airborne particles and viruses, including Covid 19, before pumping out clean air through a fan, and are capable of multiple air changes per hour.

“I offered each of my staff one of the smaller Mia Air systems for their home as it is not only when they’re here in the office that I want them safe.

“If we were to support Government advice on working from home, it would hugely damage our business. It didn’t work for us being remote during the first lockdown; we wanted the team in here.

“Everyone got a sanitisation pack, screens went up, we got glass in from Spain, refitted the office with markings everywhere. There are temperature checks every day and twice weekly antigen tests.

“We found that the majority of the team wanted to come into the office, they needed that social interaction, which suffered hugely when we were at home.

“In fact, they said in workplace surveys that they felt safer here than they did elsewhere.”

The unit, a portable ‘plug and play’ system around the size of a small water cooler and running constantly, can be monitored remotely.

“Having worked very hard to build the business and the team, we need those people to be here and we need them to be comfortable and we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe,” said Mr Mackessy.

“They are all, without exception, choosing to stay here, one of the main reasons being the fact that the filters are here. Mental health is also very important.

“Working remotely will affect retention of staff, it does not work for everyone. It’s not as easy as saying ‘everyone go home and you’ll be fine’.”

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