COVID-19 has changed the way we work forever, with limited in-office hours and lockdown 2.0 seeing hundreds of businesses going back to 100% remote work, there has been a dramatic rise in demand for surveillance software that monitors employee activity.

Lockdown has been a massive change for almost everyone across the world, both in our personal lives and in our profession.

We are failing to meet our CO2 emission goals, seeing widespread overexploitation, and entering a sixth mass extinction event. This doesn’t bode well for a strong economic future. The science screams for urgent action, yet society seems to be slumped, dragging its feet towards a more sustainable future.

The word 'disruption' has long been a buzzword in startups and small businesses looking to take on larger rivals, often with a reputation for doing things a certain - old fashioned - way. The global energy market has been flooded with 'disruptors' while the multi-billion pound FinTech industry has long revelled in its 'challenger' moniker.

It was 2am on a cold December morning when I attempted to get a ride home after a rather disappointing Christmas party. I pulled out my phone and opened up Bolt. At that time of night drivers were few and far between. I was matched with a driver on the other side of the Thames to myself with an estimated arrival time of 27 minutes.

$6tn in the next five years, this is how much the world will spend through contactless payments, according to analyst firm Juniper Research. For many of us who have discovered and since relied heavily on contactless payments since its introduction in 2007, either through card, phone, or watch, or those of us who have taken a stroll down a COVID-era high-street to see shop windows adorned with 'card payment only' signs, this is hardly a surprise.

COVID-19 has driven a period of rapid adoption for digital technologies amid a climate of business contraction and job losses, but I encourage you to try to look behind the headlines for something more positive. I believe that this can be found in the statement: "The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated changes already occurring in society.” 

Since the beginning of the year, wellbeing has been a prominent topic of interest among Brits, in fact, searches for the term ‘wellbeing’ have increased by 257% in the past five months. As people continue to spend more time indoors, Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at FurnitureChoice.co.uk, explains how to create a calming oasis to maintain wellbeing at home.

We’ve all heard of the importance and growing demand for authentic branded content over the years, but what does it actually mean and how can you set to achieve this within your business?

The international pandemic has forced every founder to re-evaluate their strategy, urgently! I’ve paid close attention to the media and have noticed that the business model pivot topic has certainly been well covered. The article that surprised me the most, was one by Sifted that referenced a Station F survey of VC funded startups in Europe, the USA and Israel. The stat that grabbed me was this one: 80% of the startups involved had gone through some kind of business model pivot in the last few months. That’s a lot of change, especially considering that startups are also dealing with other challenges related to the pandemic.

Historically, startups based in the regions have been 50% less likely to secure funding than those in London. This has created a situation where 72% of all venture capital deals in the UK involve London companies.

The worldwide pandemic COVID-19 has been dictating where and how businesses operate. The lockdown forced (and continues to force) many companies into a state of ‘remote working’. With little time to prepare, many startups have been scrambling to find new ways to communicate, collaborate and share valuable business information.

Remote working is here to stay. According to a survey by KMPG, 68% of CEOs are planning to move operations online and downsize office spaces. As more businesses realise that employees do not need to be under the same roof to be successful, they are considering how to embrace a more flexible work environment.

Like pretty much everything else that has happened so far in 2020, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are going to look a bit different this year. When we think of Black Friday, we imagine bustling crowds swarming into shops and busy customers, battling to bag a bargain. This year, however, 70% of consumers say that they're not planning on returning to physical shops for the foreseeable future. This means retailers need to take an online-first approach to Black Friday. 

Today’s workplace culture has many employees feeling the pressure to turn up to the office at all costs, even when ill; however, the global pandemic COVID-19 has shown it is more critical than ever for businesses to tackle the widespread challenge of 'presenteeism' especially when majority are working from home.

With the ever-growing numbers of people who are in the white collar jobs, against the very limited space in towns and cities where most people would prefer to get an office, there is a need to put up offices in homes. Also in this pandemic season, working from home has become a part of the new normal. Remote working has greatly helped in decongesting offices and minimising the need for daily commute.

Company culture has a big effect on our overall happiness and wellbeing. A toxic workplace culture can impact someone so dramatically that it affects their performance and can create a ripple effect into their families’ lives. By having a supporting, caring and inspiring working environment, employee health is improved which impacts the business’ bottom line through increased productivity and the creation of positive brand ambassadors for your business.

As many UK businesses begin to reopen, investor eyes will be sharply focused on whether startup companies can withstand the ongoing COVID-19 storm. However, investors do not need to stand by nervously as these fortunes are gradually revealed. By being actively engaged in the development of portfolio companies, investors can not only identify earlier the budding businesses likely to emerge strongest, they can also move quickly to help the most challenged.

The Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire all over the world and because of that, it’s becoming more and more difficult for businesses to keep their operations going. Since March this year, 40% of all businesses in the United States have been closed down because of the Coronavirus. Due to that, many businesses are faced with more challenges than usual.

Traditionally, the office has been a place we go to in order to work. But with almost three quarters (74%) of firms planning to maintain increased levels of home working after the pandemic, according to research from the Institute of Directors, are the days of the physical office numbered?