The firm said early action at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak to temporarily cut staff salaries, utilise the Government’s job retention scheme and implement extensive working from home had mitigated the impact of the pandemic.

Atkins has now implemented a phased, highly-controlled plan to manage the safe return to working from its UK offices in line with Government health and safety guidance.

Latest published accounts reveal Atkins revenue in 2019 rose nearly 11% to £860m, generating an operating profit, before exceptional integration costs with SNC Lavalin Group, up 12% to £66m.

Operation margin across the business edged up slightly to 7.6%.

Across the business sectors, Atkins generated around 41% of revenue from transportation work at £358m, followed by infrastructure at 22% and aerospace and defence at 15% of total revenue.

Total staff headcount rose nearly 12% to 7,670 last year.

Atkins said it remained confident about future prospects recognising that construction had an important and much-needed role to play in helping regional economies bounce back and evolve from the current crisis.