Workplace EV charging is moving from a nice-to-have employee benefit to a practical necessity. As more staff switch to electric vehicles, businesses across Hertfordshire are installing charging points to support the transition — whether for a handful of company cars or a growing fleet of employee-owned EVs.
This guide covers the business case, specification considerations, grant funding, and what to expect from a professional workplace charging installation.
Why install workplace charging?
The reasons businesses invest in workplace charging vary, but the most common drivers include:
Staff retention and recruitment. EV charging is increasingly expected by employees who drive electric vehicles. Offering charging at work removes range anxiety and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability that resonates with current and prospective staff.
Fleet transition. Businesses replacing diesel and petrol fleet vehicles with electric alternatives need reliable charging infrastructure. Workplace charge points are the foundation of any fleet electrification plan.
Customer and visitor charging. Retail, hospitality, and professional services businesses are installing chargers for customers and visitors — adding a service that encourages longer visits and supports brand values.
Future-proofing property. Commercial landlords and property managers are installing charging infrastructure ahead of tenant demand, avoiding costly retrofitting later and maintaining competitive premises.
How many charge points do you need?
There is no universal answer — it depends on how many vehicles need charging, how long they park, and whether charging is for staff, fleet, or visitors.
A useful starting point:
- Small offices (under 20 staff) — one or two 7kW charge points, with load management if supply is constrained.
- Medium businesses (20–100 staff) — two to six charge points, often with a mix of dedicated fleet bays and shared employee charging.
- Large sites and industrial premises — multiple charge points with centralised load management, potentially including 22kW units for fleet vehicles with shorter dwell times.
We assess your parking layout, current and projected EV uptake, and electrical supply during a free site survey — recommending a scalable approach that avoids over-specification while leaving room for expansion.
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme provides grant funding for businesses, charities, and public sector organisations installing EV charge points for staff and fleet use.
Key points:
- Up to £350 per socket, for a maximum of 40 sockets across all a business’s sites
- 75% off the cost of purchase and installation, up to the per-socket cap
- Available to businesses, charities, and public sector bodies with dedicated off-street parking
- Must use an OZEV-approved installer and OZEV-approved charge points
The WCS is separate from the home chargepoint grant. Businesses can apply for both schemes across different sites. We handle WCS applications as part of our workplace EV charging service.
Grant funding reduces upfront cost but does not replace the need for proper specification. A well-designed workplace charging system considers supply capacity, user management, and future expansion from the start.
Load management for workplace charging
Workplace installations rarely have unlimited electrical supply. Most commercial properties share their supply between lighting, HVAC, equipment, and now EV charging. Without load management, adding multiple 7kW chargers can exceed supply capacity — particularly on older commercial buildings common across Hertfordshire business parks.
Static load management allocates a fixed maximum power across all charge points. If four chargers share a 22kW allocation, each receives up to 7kW when active — but total draw never exceeds the limit.
Dynamic load management adjusts charging speed in real time based on total site demand. When the building’s other systems are drawing heavily, charging speed reduces automatically. When demand is low — overnight or at weekends — chargers operate at full speed.
We specify load management as standard on multi-point workplace installations. Our smart EV charging systems service designs load-managed systems suited to your supply and usage patterns.
User management and billing
Workplace charging raises practical questions about who pays for the electricity:
Free staff charging — simplest to administer, treated as an employee benefit. Suitable for small teams with modest charging demand.
Pay-per-use billing — charge points with RFID or app-based billing allow businesses to recover electricity costs from employees or visitors. Useful where charging demand is high or where visitor charging generates revenue.
Fleet allocation — dedicated charge points for company fleet vehicles, metered separately from employee and visitor charging.
Modern charge point management platforms handle user registration, billing, and reporting — we specify systems with the management features your operation requires.
Commercial and public charging
Beyond staff charging, some Hertfordshire businesses install chargers for customers, tenants, or the public. This involves additional considerations:
- Higher duty cycle — public-facing chargers experience more use and require robust, vandal-resistant units
- Payment integration — contactless or app-based payment for public access
- Accessibility — charge point placement and cable management meeting accessibility requirements
- Planning considerations — some commercial installations require planning permission, particularly in conservation areas
Our commercial EV charging service covers public-facing and multi-unit installations across Hertfordshire, Watford, and St Albans.
Installation process
Workplace charging installation follows a structured process:
- Site survey — assessment of parking layout, supply capacity, cable routes, and user requirements
- Specification — charger selection, load management design, and user management platform
- Quotation — itemised proposal with WCS grant deduction where applicable
- Installation — typically completed with minimal disruption to business operations
- Commissioning and handover — system testing, user registration, and management platform setup
Most workplace installations are completed within one to three days, depending on the number of charge points and any civil or electrical infrastructure work required.
Regional context
Hertfordshire’s business landscape spans office parks in Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City, retail and hospitality in Watford and St Albans, and industrial premises across the county. Each setting presents different parking layouts, supply arrangements, and user profiles.
Businesses in Bishop’s Stortford and along the M11 corridor are seeing particularly strong EV adoption among commuting staff — making workplace charging a competitive advantage for recruitment.
Related guides
- Home EV charger installation costs — investment ranges for residential charging
- Smart EV charging and load balancing — how load management protects your supply
- OZEV grant guide — home chargepoint grant eligibility
Arrange a workplace survey
Workplace charging specification depends on your parking, supply, and user requirements — a site visit is the only reliable way to scope your project. Book a free site survey and we will assess your Hertfordshire premises, recommend a system, and provide a clear quotation with WCS grant funding applied where eligible.
