With the Government’s work from home order scrapped, the question of whether or not businesses will continue to work from home will depend on the age of the business owner. New research from Hitachi Capital Business Finance reveals that older small business owners will continue with hybrid and home working, whilst younger small business owners seem raring the get back to a bustling office in the next six months. At a time when the nation gears up for a return to a pre-pandemic world of work, Hitachi Capital surveyed a representative sample of 1,464 small business owners and decision makers, asking where…
Author: sme-admin
Have you created a strategy to address how you will enforce and fund the protection of your intellectual property (IP) assets, if required? Enforcement IP rights are enforced through civil proceedings. This means there is no policing body that prevents infringement of IP rights and infringement disputes must be brought by the rights holder. However, litigation costs in the English courts can be very high – ranging from £100,000 to several million pounds according to the size and complexity of proceedings. Thankfully, legal enforcement proceedings are relatively rare and most often negotiation can lead to settlement before legal action is…
The upcoming switch off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) will change the way that we make calls, but there’s also another consequence for internet connectivity — the full fibre rollout. The type of broadband connection a business has can have a major impact on connection reliability, which can impact operational efficiency. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business communication services provider Crystaline, examines the different broadband connections offered in the UK, and what they might mean for your business. Openreach, which runs the UK’s digital telephone and internet network, reported that in 2020 broadband usage more than…
James and James Fulfilment, a provider of outsourced fulfilment services to online retailers, announces that significant growth over the last 12-18 months has led to strategic investments in new hires, infrastructure and facilities at its Northamptonshire-based headquarters. Through 2021, James and James hired 92 people and expanded its operational capacity with a new state-of-the-art, multi-million pound, 600,000 sq ft distribution centre. These investments will benefit employees and clients and support future UK, European and US growth. Of the 92 people hired, 27 are based from James and James’s headquarters (HQ) and 65 within their UK fulfilment centres. Recent key strategic hires…
Further lockdowns are the number one worry for the owners and directors of UK SMEs but 53% are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead and 22% are very optimistic, according to a survey of 1000 SME owners and directors by Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance, provider of the UK’s only Personal Guarantee Insurance. Worries about Brexit are also keeping SME owners and directors awake at night. This supports the latest Business Insights data from the ONS showing that paperwork remains a top challenge faced by businesses for importing and exporting. 27% said Brexit was their top concern, while 18% ranked late…
In response to current concerns on the ways health risk related to COVID-19 negatively affects individuals’ mental wellbeing, in turn reducing perceived efficiency at work, Dr Michael Koch, Lecturer in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour at the University of Kent, reveals the dangers of this and what must be done to rectify the ongoing damage. He said: “The COVID-19 pandemic affects countless people. Yet, our understanding of its impact on mental well-being and work especially among the self-employed is limited. These individuals are among the most economically vulnerable given that COVID-19 has disrupted businesses, leading to business shutdowns and…
With climate high on the agenda at the G7 summit in Cornwall, the government has launched a plan to get small and medium-sized businesses in on the journey to net zero. The ‘Together for our Planet’ campaign calls for SMEs to pledge their commitment to net zero by 2050 or sooner. And with changes in work commuting patterns brought on by the pandemic, investing in a cycle to work scheme might just be one of the tickets to reaching net zero. Electric Bike Access has released a new study on what switching to a cycle to work scheme could mean…
For the first time, a collective of pioneers in climate change solutions have come together to help make Bristol’s transport cleaner and greener – sooner rather than later. Spearheaded by digital hub Action Net Zero CIC and its founder Pamela Barbato, key partners are revealed today. These partners will be working together to help Bristolians make greener choices when it comes to moving around the city, region and the UK. The partners are: Good Energy – 100% renewable energy providers who also support clean technology, including helping to get more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road. Co Charger – enabling…
Mobilize Power Solutions UK, the recently launched provider of turnkey electric vehicle charging infrastructures and services, has appointed two experienced electric vehicle professionals, Ben Grocott and Alistair Decent, to help grow the business. As a new division in Renault Group, Mobilize Power Solutions was officially launched in June 2021 and is headed up by Managing Director, Mark Dickens. The appointments are part of the business’s expansion plans as it gears up to deliver comprehensive charging infrastructures in the progressive electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle market. Ben Grocott has been recruited as the UK E-Mobility Manager. He will be working closely with corporate…
The Northern Affinity has launched a campaign to encourage businesses across the north to celebrate Christmas 2020 in August as it strives to help the hospitality industry and independent businesses bounce back. Declaring 16th to 22nd August ‘Northern Christmas Week’, the firm is inviting businesses and individuals across the north to show their support by hosting a virtual or safe face-to-face Christmas event. Businesses in the north will also be able to register their services on a special Christmas directory which those getting involved and hosting events will be able to use to find suppliers, entertainment, and venues. Michael Edwards, founder of…