A Year Into the Control Period
Bianca Molloy, People Director
“We’ve seen encouraging signs of growth”
By Bianca Molloy, People Director
We’ve now completed the first quarter of the year and marked a full year into the current control period. While the start of last year wasn’t ideal, we’ve since seen encouraging signs of growth. We acknowledge that shift availability hasn’t been as consistent as we’d like, and we recognise this can be frustrating. We are actively working to diversify our client portfolio to create more stable work opportunities, improve pay rates, and support your continued upskilling.
Legislative and Financial Changes
April marked the beginning of the railway year, which also brought several significant legislative changes impacting our operations:
Employer National Insurance Contributions have increased from 13.8% to 15%, adding to our cost base.
The Secondary Threshold—the point at which employers begin paying National Insurance—decreased from £9,100 to £5,000 per year. This means businesses pay National Insurance on a greater portion of employee earnings.
In addition, there was a 6.7% increase in the National Minimum Wage, adding further financial pressure.
These changes are significant and, in many ways, unexpected. We are doing everything we can to understand their full implications and to respond in a way that protects the business and continues to support our people.
We understand that inconsistent shifts and rising costs may be causing stress or uncertainty for some of you. Please know that we’re listening, and we remain committed to finding ways to provide more dependable and rewarding opportunities for everyone.
Key Updates and Achievements
Industry Representation: We’re proud to share that Gary Desmond has joined the Board of the Rail Industry Contractors Association. This positions TES at the forefront of industry discussions, giving us direct access to procurement teams and insights into upcoming work pipelines.
Training Excellence: Our training team continues to grow and is now recognised as a large provider in the industry. Earning gold accreditation is a significant accomplishment, and we’re incredibly proud of their efforts to ensure all staff remain competent, safe, and supported.
Leadership Development: We’ve been running management training focused on two key topics:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – to help our leaders understand how technology can enhance efficiency and safety without compromising our values.
Mental Health Awareness - All managers have now completed training via iHasco, followed by an in-depth session on the topic. In a male-dominated industry, we recognise the alarming statistics around male suicide — especially in men under 35. Not everyone finds mental health easy to talk about, but our goal is to be a source of support, especially when it matters most.
Looking Ahead
Long Service Awards: We’re thrilled to be launching our first-ever Long Service Awards this September. This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate those who have shown long-term dedication to TES. More details will follow soon.
TES on LinkedIn: If you haven’t already, we encourage you to follow TES on LinkedIn to stay up to date with news, stories, opportunities, and industry updates TES LinkedIn page.
People and Culture Expansion: We’re excited to welcome a new Head of People and Culture, who joins us on 16 June. As our workforce grows under new contracts, we know the importance of scaling our support teams too. We also understand that it hasn’t always been easy to get hold of the People and Culture team, and this new appointment is part of our commitment to improve access, communication, and service to all staff.
Ongoing Commitment to You
We’re committed to creating a more inclusive, diverse, and supportive workplace. A diverse workforce makes us stronger, and we’re actively working to ensure that everyone at TES feels valued and respected.
Above all, we want to say thank you. Your continued hard work, flexibility, and resilience during these changing times are the foundation of our progress. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited for what’s ahead.
If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, please reach out—we genuinely want to hear from you.
Best wishes,
Bianca Molloy