Last month we officially reached the milestone of a year since the first national lockdown. With lots of change and uncertainty - both at home and work - many of us turned to Google for advice and support.

There is no denying the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 on the UK economy. The pandemic has tested the resolve of even the most robust firms, causing enormous upheaval and unpredictable market conditions. As such, many UK businesses were forced to rely on Government support schemes to stay afloat.

Towergate Health & Protection is warning employers that they could unwittingly be leaving themselves open to uninsured liabilities that could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds if their employee benefits are not aligned with their contracts of employment. 

The challenges for founders of today's tech startups are manifold: the product must be developed and constantly optimised; investors must be convinced your idea is viable; employees must be recruited and managed – and so on and so forth. 

Getting a small business up and running is complex enough without having to worry about click fraud affecting your ad campaigns. 

Have you noticed that there has been a dramatic shift in people's priorities over the last 12 months? But as things begin to ease out of the third lockdown and into a 'new normal', how are we going to maintain habits and rebuild our businesses so they are fit for the unknown future? Here Sara Osterholzer, co-founder of The Good Business Club, shares some insights on the small business movement to Build Back Better and how to get involved.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption and setbacks for many, but it has also presented opportunities for others to turn their part-time passions into fully fledged businesses.

SDG Monitor started from a common mission of three sustainability professionals to help the United Nations to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. SDG Monitor is a true startup of COVID-19 Pandemic.

By now, many of us are aware of the benefits that coworking can bring; from collaborations to new inspirational ideas and the opportunity to work alongside others experiencing similar challenges. That’s why world-wide well over three million people opt for coworking spaces. And despite events of the past 12 months closing many coworking hubs, leading some to see a 50% decline in footfall, that figure is still set to double in 2022.

The findings of a new report shows that employee welfare has been catapulted to the top of the HR agenda for business leaders, with two-thirds of employees reporting a spike in support being offered to both furloughed and non-furloughed teams since May 2020. 

A new report has revealed the devastating impact a year of lockdown has had on the mental health of those running business. According to a study by Harper James Solicitors the strain of the past 12 months has led to one counselling platform recording an 84% rise in demand.

Rishi Sunak has predicted a rise in hybrid or flexible working in local hubs once the pandemic is over. Speaking on the Politico Westminster Insider podcast this month, he cited the rise of 'neighbourhood' serviced offices springing up across New York, and thinks these small local hubs for people who want to avoid the commute but don't want to work at home is something that should be picked up in the UK. 

Forget remote working, it’s all about asynchronous working thanks to an increase in global teams becoming the norm and changing the traditional workplace. Departing from the classic in-office, same-country model, global teams are creating a robust new workforce, global teams create asynchronous working styles that go against conventional practices.

The UK is more environmentally conscious than ever, with 89% of adults prioritising being more environmentally friendly this year. Ahead of World Recycling Day on 18th March, flexible office specialist, Workthere, has shared top tips on how UK workers can be more conscious of recycling in the office.

incspaces, a space-as-a-service operator with locations across London, Leeds, and Manchester, is urging workers to consider supporting their vital local economies as they begin to return to the office later this year. Under the Government’s roadmap to recovery, office workers are expected to begin a phased return to the workplace from 12th April as an increasing number of businesses are given the green light to reopen. The team behind the growing flex space initiative is keen to use this as an opportunity to support small firms.

Research from Ezra, a global provider of digital coaching, has found that UK office workers value their new norm of working from home so much that many would forsake career progression, company benefits and even a pay rise to maintain it.

A year into the pandemic, the vast majority of companies have had to adapt to new methods of working. Prior to the first lockdown in the UK, working from home was reserved for freelancers or viewed as a nice occasional perk.

Debra Clark, Head of Specialist Consulting at Towergate Health & Protection makes a frank warning to employers: “If you do not engage with your staff, you will lose them.”

2021 sees the continuation of much of the UKs workforce setting up office at home.  However, as the government reveals its roadmap for the lifting of lockdown, workers are considering when to return to the traditional office setting.

Employees are at greater risk than ever of suffering burnout and employers should consider putting in place preventative and curative measures. For startup employers in particular it is important to look at tackling burnout in a sustainable way, eradicating the factors and issues before they take hold.