Jayna Patel (a member of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association) offers some guidance on the possible options available to SMEs where there has been a failure to complete the purchase of residential property before the expiry of the recent Stamp Duty holiday. It is first worth checking that the solicitors have not sought to impose an exclusion of liability clause. Due to the unprecedented work levels caused by the Stamp Duty holiday many firms informed clients that whilst they would work towards beating the Stamp Duty deadline, they would not be held liable in the event that this was not…
Author: sme-admin
During the pandemic, virtual events have given everyone a chance to socialise with loved ones during difficult times. It has also helped work events continue in a new dynamic, with many employees favouring the virtual experience over in-person events. But now, there is a strong desire to return to physical events. However, hybrid events are a mix of both, a combination of virtual and in-person attendance in one. They are set to take the lead in many sectors and create wider scale opportunities for event marketing teams. Hybrid events allow you to reach a large-scale audience and provide you with…
Santander UK has begun the roll-out of an innovative new mobile app, built using open banking technology, for its Corporate and Commercial Banking clients. The app provides Santander UK’s clients with a ‘single view’ of numerous account balances and transactions across their different banks. Created by tomato pay1, an open banking fintech for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the CashFlow Manager app is also designed to speed up payments through QR codes and simplify invoicing. CashFlow Manager displays in one neat location all balances and transactions for accounts businesses hold with their various banks. Santander UK’s clients who use the app…
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Awards are to be held online on 23rd September 2021. The awards celebrate the best of KTP’s three-way partnerships between business, academic/research teams and qualified graduates, designed to drive innovation for UK business and organisations. Among the finalists is St David’s Children’s Society with Cardiff University Business School who have together created a best practice model for the recruitment, preparation and support of adoptive parents. This has already led to the adoption of 23 children. Also in contention is SureScreen Diagnostics and their potentially life-saving diagnostic device. Developed in partnership with the University of Nottingham…
One-in-five (20%) UK workers now have their work instant messaging app on their personal mobile phone, according to new research from by B2B furniture ecommerce site Furniture At Work. The research, which asked 1,015 UK workers about their routine and habits during the working day, sought to uncover how attitudes to work had changed since the pandemic began, including the times when most workers are likely to take breaks and the measures they use to ensure their employer knows they’re working. Since workers started working out of sight from their employers, 51% said they started replying to messages faster to remind colleagues they’re working,…
A six-figure commercial mortgage from Allica Bank has supported the UK’s leading vehicle importing company in acquiring a new £900,000 operating site to satisfy the increasing demand for its services. Leicestershire-based My Car Import, which handles every stage of the registration and import process, wherever a vehicle is in the world, was previously operating out of three rented properties. Having grown by 70% in 2020, the company looked to acquire its own premises, and in particular a half-acre site with space for more than 300 cars, as well as an office and workshop facilities. The deal was brokered by 2XL Commercial Finance, the commercial funding firm specialising in business and property finance.…
Starting out her career as a research scientist, Eman Al-Hillawi now draws on her passion for people and positive change in her role as managing director of specialist change management consultancy, Entec Si. She talks to SME Today about her leadership journey to date and her ambitious plans for the business’s future. From scientist to businesswoman Steered down the science route by her father, Eman completed a Biochemistry degree at the University of Birmingham before embarking on a PhD. “Although I soon discovered that science wasn’t my real passion, I achieved many great things while working in a lab coat.…
Almost three-quarters of Brits are being contacted by their boss or colleagues while on annual leave, according to new research which coincides with calls for the Government to introduce the “right to disconnect” outside office hours. When asked whether their line manager or colleagues contact them about work when on annual leave, 35% said they are contacted by email and 29% by Whatsapp, with a quarter of employees saying their work still rings them about tasks during their holiday. With businesses setting out their roadmap for the future of working, and 11% of employees confirming they are contacted about work…
Improving mental health support for employees has risen to the top of many business’ checklists, and with recent events arising from Covid-19, these issues have never been more important. Mental health has been a long-standing issue for organisations across the globe, accounting for 54 percent of working days lost on an annual basis and it is currently the most common cause of long-term sickness in UK workplaces. Good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. Addressing wellbeing at work increases…
Throughout the pandemic many workplaces have offered their employees more flexibility. Flexible working options such as adjusting hours, days, or place of work, are attractive to many employees, and can offer your team more control over how, where and when you and your teams work. New research by Bupa found that 27% of working parents want to see more flexibility at work, too. One area that’s surged in popularity over recent months is ‘shared parental leave’. This is where both parents can take time off in a more flexible way during your baby’s first year. Our new research has revealed…