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ARTICLES IN Features, Life
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How to keep safe as a business traveller in 2021

International travel has ground to a halt for the vast majority of us. While travel restrictions forced many of us to put our holiday plans on hold, the impact goes far beyond holidaymakers - many businesses have been forced to limit any corporate travel since the start of the pandemic.

Features, Life 13 hours ago
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Top tips for nailing your virtual interview

Job interviews are tough. Video interviews can be a disaster. Poor internet connection, the threat of a pet or child appearing in the background, and nowhere to hide from your own face as you try to concentrate on presenting the best version of yourself.

Features, Life 16 hours ago
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The workplace trends to follow in 2021

In 2020 we experienced a lot of change to our working lives, with many of us turning to Google for tips and advice on working from home. Influenced by what we’ve all been searching over the past few months, Lauren Gordon, Behavioural Insights Adviser at Bupa UK shares the top workplace trends to follow for 2021 and tips on how to make these trends work for your physical and mental health.

Features, Life 1 day ago
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Digital advice strengthens online sales

To help businesses capitalise on shoppers’ appetite to buy local, web development and digital marketing agency, digitalbeans, releases advice on key areas for online investment.

Life 1 week ago
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The UK's regional startup hotspot revealed

New data has revealed that Birmingham has been crowned the UK’s regional startup capital for a seventh year running, defying challenges to business confidence posed by the Coronavirus pandemic.

News, Life 1 week ago
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The Link Between Health and Safety and Operational Efficiency

In workplaces throughout many different industries, there has long been a myth that productivity must be sacrificed for the sake of health and safety. The idea that health and safety is something that gets in the way of swift operational management is dangerous and, in reality, unfounded. In fact, high levels of health and safety are vital to operational efficiency, whatever sector you work in.

Life 1 week ago
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Nine Ways to Help Your Team Beat January Blues

British businesses have had a tough 2020, with almost all small businesses reporting they had been dramatically affected by the pandemic but with January being historically one of the hardest months in the working calendar, it is important we work together to beat those blues and be the best we can be. 

Life 1 week ago
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80% of employees reluctant to return to the office post-pandemic

New research conducted by Accountancy and Finance, HR and Data Analytics recruiter, Wade Macdonald has found that 44% of employees are finding working from home much harder, physically, mentally and emotionally, than being in the office.

News, Life 1 week ago
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How to make your home workspace a permanent fixture without breaking the bank

Despite home working remaining firmly on the agenda for the near future, more than a third of people (37%) admit they still don’t have a dedicated space to work from at home. What’s more, just a quarter of home workers have invested in comfortable seating (26%) or a desk (27%).

Features, Life 1 week ago
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Offices will reopen soon: Flex spaces can ease the transition on employees

After eight gruelling pandemic months, it appears that not one but three vaccines are extraordinarily effective at protecting against the coronavirus, and at last employers will soon be gearing up to welcome workers back to the office.

Life 2 weeks ago
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In company of one: loneliness

In an ever more digital world, we find ourselves less connected. As our society continues to evolve, otherwise welcome advances can also increase the risk of loneliness exponentially. It is time to address the elephant in the startup and entrepreneurship room: loneliness.

Life 2 weeks ago
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2021 – A New Dawn

“What will the new year bring us?” “365 opportunities!” This was the question and answer in a cartoon that was sent to me a few days ago, showing two people sitting on a hill looking into the distance. New Year’s eve this year was not so much a celebration in the normal sense so much as a “Great, 2020 is over so now let’s move on!” But the cartoon perfectly matches my own mood and that of many of my clients and other contacts.

Life 2 weeks ago
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Five reasons why employee stress management is crucial for employers

In today’s world, stress has become an inevitable part of professional life. According to a survey conducted by the Regus group, across 15 different countries, the levels of workplace stress have risen over the past two years. Employees all over the world are getting exposed to excruciating levels of work stress. The sad state of employees calls upon employers like you, to take actionable measures for employee stress management. It is essential, both for the well-being of your employees and your organisation.

Life 1 month ago
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Why it’s more important than ever to host a virtual Christmas party

The 2020 festive period is now in full swing. However, with the UK coming out of lockdown to tighter tier restrictions, it’s fair to say Christmas will look different this year. A work Christmas party is often a great excuse to let your hair down and celebrate the festive season with your colleagues. After a year filled with lots of change, ups and downs and staying at home, now more than ever it is important to celebrate all we have achieved.

Life 1 month ago
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Organising to maximise business efficiency

Running a startup is challenging - it involves wearing many different hats and having to deal with multiple decisions and challenges every day. If we work in a cluttered and disorganised environment on top of this, it can make us feel overwhelmed and stressed. Disorganisation can make it harder to prioritise tasks, focus on important decisions and think creatively.

Life 1 month ago
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Activities That Startups Should Avoid Doing In-House

One of the common mistakes of start-up founders is trying to micromanage by insisting everything is controlled internally. This has the effect of slowing down progress. Busy start-ups need to decide what activities are important to conduct in-house by their employees and others that can be safely outsourced to a third-party.

Life 1 month ago
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Small businesses suffer most furlough stress

e-days, the absence intelligence company, says data from 86,000 recorded UK absences has revealed that stress levels have spiked twice in 2020 following the changes to the furlough schemes. These peaks were especially noticeable in organisations with fewer than 250 employees as the effects of the pandemic proved more challenging for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).

News, Life 1 month ago
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The seven Ways 2020 Changed Leadership Forever

There's no doubt about it: leadership has been put to the test this year. Over the course of 2020, leaders of businesses everywhere have had to step up to a monumental challenge. Not only have many businesses had to fight to stay afloat, but company leaders have been required to find new, creative ways to work remotely, motivate their team in the face of extreme adversity, and achieve their goals.

Life 1 month ago
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UK tech workers prefer better work-life balance to a pay rise

When it comes to job satisfaction, Denmark tops the list of the best places to work in digital in Europe - beating the UK, Germany and France - according to the 2020 Digital Talent Global Work Happiness Index.

News, Life 1 month ago
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Five ways to stay connected to your colleagues this festive season

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way the world works, and with UK workers working at home for the foreseeable future, it can be difficult to connect the workforce together. To support workers, flexible office specialist, Workthere, has shared five tips on how you can stay connected to your colleagues, both in and out of the office.

Features, Life 1 month ago
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36% of companies outperformed 2019 results in positive recovery for business landscape

New research by Accountancy and Finance, HR and Data Analytics recruiter, Wade Macdonald has found that nearly half of UK businesses outperformed their initial predictions for this year, a more assured position than many were expecting only nine months ago.

News, Life 1 month ago
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Businesses risk losing top talent due to poor mental wellbeing support

Almost half of UK businesses have seen an employee move on because their mental wellbeing wasn’t being looked after, with a quarter losing a key member of their workforce, according to new research from not-for-profit healthcare provider, Benenden Health.

Life, News 1 month ago
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What is helping you through the pandemic?

This has been quite a year and if 2020’s taught us anything it’s that we need to take very good care of ourselves, as our business’s biggest asset. Your wellbeing is the source of energy and creativity that your business needs.

Diversity, Life 1 month ago
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How to combat video meeting fatigue while working from home

As the UK emerges from lockdown for a second time, it’s crucial we keep up the conversations we’ve been having about the importance of a healthy work life balance. The majority of people who I’ve spoken to have enjoyed the freedom of remote working and are keen to retain some of this newly-discovered flexibility in the future. With this new mindset and the ongoing restrictions, I certainly don’t anticipate an immediate rush back to offices.

Life 1 month ago
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Ensure dark nights don't lead to longer days: tackling winter blues

Winter alone can have a negative impact on anyone’s mental health. Couple this with spending the best part of the year dealing with a pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and it's no surprise that according to ONS statistics, the weeks after the clocks went back saw record levels of loneliness in the UK.

News, Life 1 month ago
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Instant win wellbeing at work - and how to get started on a budget

Considering introducing an employee wellbeing programme in 2021, but concerned about the financial outlay and where to begin? Fear not, as it does not take a huge chunk of cash to create a successful wellbeing programme for your staff. However, you do need to invest some time to plan an initiative that will best suit your team. Here are four cost effective suggestions to get such schemes up and running, and to maintain momentum. 

Life 1 month ago
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UK SMEs still aren’t providing the flexible working employees want

Small businesses in the UK still aren’t offering their people enough flexibility, according to new research from Tiger Recruitment. While the pandemic has required many to work more flexibly from home, more than a quarter of employees questioned say they still aren’t happy with the flexible working options available to them, and men are just as dissatisfied as women.

News, Life 1 month ago
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Ethical Christmas Gift Guide from Startups on Santa's Nice List

With one month to go until Christmas, social impact accelerator and mentor network, Impact Central, has released its top fifteen picks for ethical Christmas gifts for this season - from planet-friendly stocking filler snacks to sustainable menswear staples.

News, Life 1 month ago
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London Offices Entering Biggest Period Of Change

First Office Hub, the global workspace broker, which has just helped a tech company to expand from a traditional leasehold property into a 20,000 sq ft managed office space, describes the London office scene as extremely active with companies of all sizes and across all sectors researching offers and looking to secure the right deals ahead of 2021.

News, Life 1 month ago
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The Scaleups Fighting COVID

We are in a new world war, with a common enemy. However, the frontline is not on the beaches of Normandy, the plains of Russia or the Pacific islands but in the homes, offices, hospitals and care homes of every country in the world. 

Life 1 month ago
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Working from Home?

Are you working from home? Do you enjoy it? Given a totally free choice how would you like to split your time between working from home and working in the office? These are questions facing not just many millions of people in the UK, but hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Life 1 month ago
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62% of employees suffering from mental health issues

New research involving 150 HR leaders has found that 3 in 5 UK workers have experienced mental health issues since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The report authors, Accountancy and Finance, HR and Data Analytics recruiter, Wade Macdonald, and workplace law specialist, Doyle Clayton, have raised concerns of an increase in known incidences as a result of the current lockdown measures.

News, Life 2 months ago
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Depression headset and app set to tackle UK’s ‘lockdown loneliness’

As England is once again in lockdown, new research shows the rate of ‘lockdown loneliness’ and its impact on mental health is as high as 27% in the UK. As the NHS strains to support an increase in mental health conditions, the Flow headset and therapy app treatment for depression, the first of its type to be medically approved in the UK and EU, aims to tackle ‘lockdown loneliness’ and mental health outcomes by providing immediate, at-home access to effective treatment.

Life 2 months ago
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Startups called on to scale new solutions to end homelessness

Startups from around the world are being called on to apply to join the first investment portfolio of the Venture Studio from Crisis. The Studio will invest in, support and scale ventures that help accelerate the end of homelessness.

News, Life 2 months ago
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5 Tech Giants Showing Confidence in the Office Space Market

You’ll have a difficult job browsing content platforms nowadays without coming across articles focusing on - or at least alluding in some way to - the working from home revolution. A whole host of companies, including Twitter, have announced that they will allow staff to continue WFH permanently if they wish, following its success throughout lockdown.

News, Life 2 months ago
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The five pillars of workplace wellbeing for staff working from home

The sudden move to working from home has been a challenge for many SMEs. With smaller teams often benefitting from close knit relationships with their colleagues, COVID-19 is forcing many businesses to reconsider their approach to employee wellbeing. In many cases, however, this is easier said than done, with research from Wildgoose finding that nearly half (47%) of employees at SMEs are finding that their mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

Features, Life 2 months ago
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Surprise but no Shock

As we enter Lockdown 2.0 we are at least all much better prepared than we were in March when we entered Lockdown 1.0 and went into the total unknown. We are better prepared this time because we have all learned so much already this year about living and working during a pandemic and we take those lessons learned into the second lockdown.

Life 2 months ago
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Top Tips For Running in Winter During Lockdown and the tech to use

With the gyms officially closed more people will now take to the streets to get their exercise, although this wasn't a problem during the 1st lockdown, (remember those lush summer days) we have an extra obstacle to come up against - the weather. Finding the motivation to run in the rain is tough, but getting out of the door is the hardest part. Once you’re running, the wet weather and puddle-dodging are exhilarating. And logging the miles in a downpour is a surefire way to feel hardcore. Wet-weather runs can give you a mental advantage if you’re training for an event, too. Knowing you’ve run in all conditions means you’re prepared for any weather race day throws at you.

Life 2 months ago
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ADPR launches free careers advice for anyone affected by COVID-19

Somerset based communications agency, ADPR, is offering completely free careers advice and support for anyone considering a role in PR & Marketing and has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Life, News 2 months ago
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Four easy ways to maintain your wellbeing at home

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.

Features, Life 2 months ago
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Third of employees have no time to take holiday

A third of employees are too busy to take holiday, with another 63% stating 'there’s nowhere to go' when asked why so many had the majority of their holiday left to take.

News, Life 2 months ago
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Tackling presenteeism during the pandemic

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.

Features, Life 2 months ago
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Angel Business Club Launches Mental Health Webinar Series

A webinar that explores mental health in the workplace will kickstart the Angel Business Club Insights series on Wednesday, 4th November. The webinar, titled ‘Inspiring Mental Wellbeing In The Workplace In a Post-COVID World’, will be hosted by former vice president of HR at Unilever Geoff McDonald.

News, Life 2 months ago
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Six ways that businesses can help reduce employee stress

Ahead of Stress Awareness Day, which takes place on November 4th, Cheryl Lythgoe, Matron at Benenden Health, shares her tips for employers on how to support employees coping with stress as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives.

Life 2 months ago
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Optimism and Realism

Everything in life and business is a learning opportunity. The fact that all of us learn more, and more quickly, from our mistakes and when times are difficult, rather than when all is easy and going well, has always been known, but 2020 is certainly reminding us very forcibly of that fact.

Life 2 months ago
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Wellbeing provider warns we cannot afford another mental health meltdown

Just under half of manufacturing workers suffered a decline in their mental health during the first lockdown and the industry 'cannot afford another hit to mental health as we move through the winter', according to corporate wellbeing expert, Westfield Health.

Life 2 months ago
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The future workplace: will where we work change?

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?

Features, Life 2 months ago
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Top Tips for negotiating in a competitive and changing business world

Research from Correct Careers Coaching found evidence that 83% of sales professionals feel they require support in using social media for building business relationships, emphasising sales professionals seeking to try new approaches to increase business sales.

Life 2 months ago
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Working from home? Five tips to create the perfect home office

With many still working from home in light of recent events, Interior Style Advisor at Furniturechoice.co.uk, Rebecca Snowden, offers her top tips on how to create the most productive home office space.

Life 2 months ago
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Upgrading IT could save businesses over £100k per year in lost productivity

The debate continues whether remote working will continue when the UK is relieved from the effects of the pandemic. But one thing that is seeming almost set in stone is these regularly moving restrictions are going to remain into 2021 with mass vaccination not likely until the Spring or Summer.

Life 2 months ago
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A third of businesses plan to downsize city centre offices

Over a third (37%) of business leaders are considering downsizing their primary office space - amid a long-term shift to remote working.

Life 2 months ago
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Software sets out to humanise social interaction as COVID-19 continues

ZING, a new video calling platform, has launched with the aim of making video calling more natural, fun and closer to real life human social interaction. The ZING platform is designed to encourage more natural interaction amongst colleagues, particularly on social video calls, as the ongoing COVID-19 crisis extends the time people are told to work from home.

Life 2 months ago
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Why self-promotion fuels innovation

You might not think that self-promotion has a close connection to innovation. However, research proves that there is a connection between self-promotion, growth mindset and in turn, innovation.

Life 2 months ago
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Corporates and startups: making the most of working together

The number of partnerships between established corporates and new startups has rocketed in recent years, yet few are delivering what these companies were hoping for. 

Life 2 months ago
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How the future of work is changing

In April 2020, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 49.2% of adults in employment were working from home because of social distancing measures introduced following the COVID-19 pandemic. With remote working now a necessity for many, companies can adapt by staying on top of the latest trends. Here, Ashmita Das, CEO of Kolabtree, the freelance platform for scientists, discusses some of the trends in remote working.

News, Life 2 months ago
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Study reveals HR leaders are prioritising wellbeing investment for 2021

Focus group research conducted by e-days, the Nottingham-based global absence intelligence company, has revealed that ‘wellbeing’ is the most popular area of investment for HR leaders as we move into 2021.

HR, Life 2 months ago
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In Remote Working Environments Purpose is More Important Than Ever

A company's values and culture are becoming increasingly important for the modern worker, quashing even the number on their paycheck. This has never been clearer than today, with the global pandemic both shifting and confirming priorities for workers around the world. 

Life 2 months ago
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The Importance of Looking After Yourself as a Business Owner

Last month, in the run-up to World Mental Health Day, I joined a panel webinar at Orbit 20 - an online festival organised by WeCoffe - to discuss this topic. 

Life 2 months ago
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Starting a Business: Don't Just Dream, Do!

The line between dreaming about your perfect business and actually running a killer corporation is not a huge gap - it is a simple step. Sadly, a lot of people get stuck on their idea. They dream about what could be, without ever focusing on achieving their goals. If you also have a great passion and an amazing idea, then make sure not to be one of these people. All you need is to divide your process into smaller, easier to handle bits. Doing so will help you tackle them more eagerly, and deal with the tasks as they come. Today, we take a look at five essential steps needed to stop dreaming - and start doing.

Life 2 months ago
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Working from home? Here’s how to protect your back

With varying government guidelines in place across the country, many will find themselves working from home. Exploring the nation’s relationship with their sofa and desk chair, FurnitureChoice.co.uk polled Brits to find out how many suffer from back pain. Using this insight, experts reveal the best and worst seating positions for your back, whilst we spend more time at home on the sofa.

Life 2 months ago
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WorkClub a different type of workspace

WorkClub workspaces support hospitality venues, co-working hubs and pubs, to drive more footfall during day-time hours. These venue hosts become neighbourhood workspaces, allowing WorkClub members to work closer to home, supporting the local ecosystem around the corner from their homes. We spoke to Nick Donnelly of WorkClub to find out more about them.

Life 2 months ago
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Mentoring hotline launched to help support young job seekers

The impact of COVID-19 on young people’s career prospects has been severe, with under-25s being more likely to be furloughed than any other age group, and many more young people being let go or having their job offers rescinded following the March lockdown. 

News, Life 3 months ago
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Reviews: Is your business listening to wants?

In this second ‘Millennial’ article series, we will be exploring the way in which millennials buy – and what happens after they’ve made a purchase, the good and the bad.

Life 3 months ago
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How to achieve a working from home work-life balance

This week is National Work-Life Week - an opportunity for both employers and employees to focus on wellbeing and achieving a good work-life balance. But with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus crisis rumbling on, achieving a healthy work-life balance has presented new challenges this year.

Life 3 months ago
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Hidden fractures in the workforce point to a ticking timebomb of remote working

At a time when WFH looks set to continue for many in both the short and long term, ‘hidden fractures’ are forming in the workforce which risk causing irreparable damage to cultures and productivity. That’s according to new research from Totem, the digital culture platform, which is urging employers to take action now to better manage remote working and prevent employee engagement and retention levels falling to an all-time low.

Life 3 months ago
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Workers give over 1,000 unpaid hours a year to their employers

Millions of Brits give up more than a month of time each year by working additional unpaid hours, totalling five years over their working life, research reveals. In a poll conducted by Hitachi Personal Finance for this year’s National Work Life Week, data reveals exactly how much time Brits are spending working past their contracted hours and what else the nation could be doing with this time.

News, Life 3 months ago
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What is the difference between traditional 'change management' and employees first 'change management'?

Over 60% of organisational change initiatives fail, but change itself isn’t the stumbling block. Change is common and natural, even inevitable. Seasons change, people change, mountain ranges change — yet successful change management remains a lofty, even insurmountable challenge for many organisations. Over 60% of organisations view change as something that should not be desired, something that should be dreaded; so many leaders within organisations fight hard to create sustainable/practicable practices, systems and functions with change being the last thing they desire.

Life 3 months ago
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Five top tips to make the jump into a coding career

The art of coding is reported to enhance productivity and communication within businesses, therefore, it is fast becoming a sought-after skill by employers. As the tech industry continues its exponential growth and becomes an integral part of every business, where’s the best place to start for a career in coding?

News, Life 3 months ago
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Upskilling opportunities during lockdown: UK employers miss the mark

According to new research from Pluralsight, the enterprise technology skills and engineering management platform, 43% of UK office workers are worried they will be left behind as companies seek new skills to cope with the rapid pace of change.

News, Life 3 months ago
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8 in 10 workers want a robot therapist; can AI help the mental health crisis?

2020 has been the most stressful year in history for the global workforce and people want robots to help, according to a new study by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, an HR research and advisory firm. The study of more than 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-level executives across 11 countries found that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased workplace stress, anxiety, and burnout for people all around the world, and they prefer AI robots instead of other people to help.

Life 3 months ago
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Serviced Offices: Why The Pandemic Could Be Their Finest Hour

The pandemic has caused significant disruption to communities, businesses and the economy on a scale that has never been experienced before. The economy shrank 20.4% between April and June as ongoing lockdown measures led the country into recession.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Industry body calls on businesses to become more inclusive of dyslexia

The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has published new guidance, ‘DMA Talent: Dyslexia Employer Guide’, created using insights from neurodiversity consultants, brands/employers, and dyslexic employees working across the creative, data and marketing industries.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Lessons learned from 2020

As we enter the last quarter of 2020 I thought that it would be useful to take a look back at this extraordinary year and see what lessons can be learned from these truly remarkable circumstances. It has, after all, impacted on every business around the world in one way or another. Indeed, the impact has been so great that business, and the way that business is done, will never be the same again.

Life 3 months ago
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UK workers would gain back £4,168 a year with switch to homeworking

Workers would gain back an average of £4,168 of their time if they switched to home working permanently for a year, according to a new study from money.co.uk.

Life 3 months ago
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Remote work is here to stay, argues economist

Will working from home become the new normal? Yes, according to The Case for Remote Work, a new report from think tank, The Entrepreneurs Network, by innovation economist, Dr Matt Clancy. Reviewing a wide range of research from across economics and social science, it argues that the business case for remote work has improved significantly over the past decade.

Life 3 months ago
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How to make your CV stand out when applying for jobs remotely

Applying for jobs, let alone during a pandemic, can be an extremely time-consuming and stressful job in itself. It’s crucial to ensure that amongst a sea of other applicants, you tailor your CV for success - especially now that employers will likely be hiring remotely.

Features, Life 3 months ago
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The latest autumn reads to help you adapt to new ways of working

As we move into Autumn, and continue to adapt to new ways of working, Wiley have put together a list of some recent and forthcoming titles.

Life 3 months ago
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The Impact of Mental Health Issues on the UK Workforce

The coronavirus pandemic has created a mental health crisis in the UK and the outbreak is now having a significant impact on our workforce says psychotherapist, Noel McDermott.

Life 3 months ago
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Brits now more inclined to use health app than visit hospital or GP

A new survey conducted by Quin, a pioneering, female-founded, digital health startup, found that 26% of the UK public would rather use health apps than visit a GP or hospital, and that usage of health apps has increased by 37% since the pandemic began.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Sustainability is the Key in Attracting Talent

It should come as no surprise that a strong environmental ethos within an organisation is a driving factor for many jobseekers when choosing where to apply for work. However, a recent report has detailed just how important sustainability aligned with social responsibility really is in terms of recruitment.

Life 3 months ago
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How to create an office in any area of your home

Working at home but don’t have a study? From the kitchen to the bedroom, flexible office specialist, Workthere, has shared top tips on how to create a practical workspace in any room of your home.

Life 3 months ago
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How is VC-backed startup HomeHero adapting in the wake of COVID-19?

2020 has required businesses, specifically young startups, to evolve and adapt in so many ways to successfully navigate such unprecedented challenges. With the world shifting towards remote working, company culture has become more important than ever. VC-backed startup HomeHero is on a mission to transform how people manage their homes, all whilst juggling the delicate challenge of retaining company culture when the team is growing fast and personalities are joining HomeHero, remotely, every other week.

Life 3 months ago
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The way you hire from the EU is changing

The Home Office has launched a new campaign to ensure businesses are ready for the introduction of the UK’s new points-based immigration system as free movement ends.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Six in 10 SMEs relied on accountants for pandemic survival

Small businesses are heralding accountants’ increasingly critical role in keeping them running since COVID-19 arrived, considering them to be among the ‘key workers’ of the post-pandemic economic recovery according to new research.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Mood boosting playlist to keep you motivated while working from home

Flexible office specialist, Workthere, has created a Spotify playlist for people to listen to whilst working from home to help boost their mood and increase their productivity levels.

Life 3 months ago
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Help businesses bounce back by leaving positive reviews

According to research from outsourcing provider, Woven, more than three-quarters (78%) of consumers trust online reviews when it comes to making a purchase. As UK businesses continue to manage the fallout from lockdown, customer service experts from Woven have revealed the significant impact that positive reviews could have in helping small businesses recover.

News, Life 3 months ago
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Return to work U-turn: Employees demand flexibility most offices lack

Office workers are now demanding new levels of flexibility in working arrangements following COVID-19 remote working. That’s according to a new survey of 189 office-based workers carried out this month by UK-based office software experts, SmartWay2.

Life 3 months ago
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How will the UK handle working from home again?

Boris Johnson addressed the nation at 8pm last night, and announced a myriad of new restrictions - including a new urge to work from home if possible.

Life 3 months ago
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Top Tips to Adapting and Pivoting

Every business needs to constantly assess what it sells, to whom, and how it sells it. It also needs to constantly assess the market and its competitors, as well as attempting to forecast future trends in demand and technology. All of this is quite a task in normal times when events move in a predictable way and in a linear timescale.

Life 3 months ago
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Businesses lose 40 million working days a year due to poor mental health

More than 11 million UK working adults have taken time off work for poor mental wellbeing, costing businesses an estimated 40 million working days each year, according to new research from not-for-profit healthcare provider, Benenden Health.

Life 3 months ago
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Five steps towards the end of furlough

The Government’s furlough scheme has saved an estimated two million jobs and helped protect tens of thousands of startups and SMEs from closure. However as the clock ticks down to the end of October, the point at which the scheme will end, many businesses are now understandably concerned about what will come next once this provision is taken away.

Life 4 months ago
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Five tips to protect your IP while working remotely

Here Ramya Sriram, Digital Content Manager at Kolabtree, the freelance platform for scientists, gives five steps to ensure that you protect your Intellectual Property (IP) while working with a freelancer or remote worker.

Life 4 months ago
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Business advice from the military: planning the return to work

Boris Johnson and his government have been pushing for employees to return to their offices in a bid to get the economy back up and running; but figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in the last week of August, only 50% of workers are back in the office.

News, Life 4 months ago
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A free working space and training programme in Brixton

A community-led co-working space dedicated to creating real social impact, Impact Brixton has announced the launch of Impact Day - a free working space and training programme for local individuals or organisations working towards social change in Lambeth.

News, Life 4 months ago
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Staff training crucial for SME recovery post-COVID

A new study, commissioned by business bank, Allica Bank, shows that the practice of regular training correlates strongly with high performance in SMEs and will be vital to businesses’ prospects of a swift recovery post-COVID. The study analysed data from over 1,000 companies and ranked their success on a scale that evaluated factors including productivity, growth, consistency and outlook.

News, Life 4 months ago
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Top Tips to pitching

One thing that every early stage business should produce is a pitch deck, whether they are looking to raise external funding or not. A pith deck is typically a 15 to 20 page very simplified business plan set out in a PowerPoint type format. Its purpose is to succinctly outline all aspects of the business to any outsider. Just like a business plan, producing a good pitch deck is a good exercise for any founder in refining the business itself, and considering all aspects clearly and objectively.

Life 4 months ago
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Teach children entrepreneurship to future proof workforce

Is the education system equipping young people with the skills to succeed in a fast changing labour market? A new report from The Entrepreneurs Network argues that as children return to schools after lockdown, students as young as eleven should have the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship in order to develop the skills and mindset necessary to prosper in the modern economy.

News, Life 4 months ago
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Startups must re-evaluate trading horizons to succeed post-COVID

A new study, commissioned by business bank Allica Bank, urges small businesses to re-evaluate their trading horizons, following the establishment of a clear link between overseas trade and SME performance.

News, Life 4 months ago
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Demand for smaller offices in city fringe locations on the rise

The ‘commute’ was falling out of favour prior to the pandemic, as an increasing number of office workers started to embrace flexible working.

Life 4 months ago
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How remote working is transforming company culture

Remote working has been in the technology ecosystem for many years. I have personally been doing partial remote work for the last ten to twenty years and what I have found is surprising. Most individuals are not used to this style of work which is accelerating a nationwide transformation of company culture.

Features, Life 4 months ago
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Top tips to adapting and pivoting

Before any business is established the founder will of course have spotted a gap in the market, thought of the original idea, conducted research, and come up with the MVP. Taking these basic thoughts and then forming a business around them, with all the necessary steps that regular readers will now be very familiar with, does of course take considerable time and effort. 

Life 4 months ago
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How businesses can keep employees happy as they return to work

Research from Workthere has revealed five top tips to keep employees happy at work. Workthere’s 'What Co-workers Want' report found that 59% of coworkers in the UK say they are happy with their current workplace, but what can providers do to improve happiness within their offices? Workthere asked 1,874 European office workers about 48 different office features in order to determine how satisfied they are with them and identify the areas offices should look to improve to provide an overall happier place to work.

Life 5 months ago
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How are employees feeling about changes to working routines?

New data looking into 6,273 employees, commissioned by Perkbox, the employee experience platform, has revealed the considerable impacts of the furlough scheme and the prospect of returning to work to wellbeing.

News, Life 5 months ago
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THE WAY WE WORK NOW

The startup ecosystem is going through some big tests right now. This time has forced us all to discover just how efficient and productive we really can be working from our kitchen tables. It’s tested the limits of our patience (‘when will it ever end?’) and resilience (‘when can we go outside?’) and ability to stay focused (‘how do I ignore the distractions of home and get my work done?’).

Life 5 months ago
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Top Tips to surviving in business

According to the Office for National Statistics 213,285 businesses failed in the UK in the first half of 2020, a 14% increase on the same period in the previous year. Without looking much more deeply into the numbers it is not possible to say for certain how many of those that failed were due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown but we would not be far wrong to say that the 14% increase, or 26,193 businesses failures were as a result of the pandemic.

Life 5 months ago
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Top Tips to Communication

We all communicate every day in both our social and our business lives but, let’s be honest, some do it so much better and more effectively than others. The very word ‘communicate’ can be interpreted in so many different ways, and applied in even more ways.

Life 5 months ago
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How the London office scene will change post lockdown

As lockdown eases, both business and employees are changing their thoughts about the best place to work - for businesses to achieve a cut in costs and favourable flexible agreements. For employees, it gives a vital away from home space.

Life 5 months ago
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How to cope with the challenges of returning to work

As the government’s furlough scheme comes to an end, many businesses are looking at their staff returning to work in the forthcoming months. This is at a time when anxiety remains high about a second wave of infection and we're seeing reports of rising infection rates across the country and globe.

Life 5 months ago
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How to sustain success

So I was listening to a podcast this morning - I listened to loads of podcasts so that's not unusual - but there was something about this podcast and the messaging within the podcast that rang a moderate alarm bell. The conversation was one of those that I estimate actually holds a lot of people back.

Life 5 months ago
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The Myth of Perceived Loss

We’ve all seen it, that moment on a gameshow where the contestant is essentially asked ‘double or nothing’. They’re nervous or excited (although, this is often the same thing), and they’re wondering, 'I can either take the £3’500 I’ve earned or gamble and go home with the jackpot.'

Life 5 months ago
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Imperial College London open new tech hub with Blenheim Chalcot

Blenheim Chalcot, the UK-based digital venture builder, and Imperial College London welcomed its first business members to Scale Space on Imperial’s White City campus this week. This new 200,000ft2 facility, will be home to scale ups and innovative businesses across the technology, digital and life-sciences sectors.

News, Life 5 months ago
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Working From Home Essentials: The Best Docking Stations

If you have purchased a new computer within the last few years, you likely lack something - ports. You know, places to plug in your stuff. With streamlining and consolidation, many modern computers (including the entire MacBook family) have shifted to utilising only USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. Because of this, a dock or hub is essential when you Work From Home.

Features, Life 5 months ago
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Free content series launched for advisors and their small business clients

Global small business platform, Xero has announced it will host a free to watch content series called Xero On Air in September, designed to connect, inspire and share information with its accountant and bookkeeper partners and small business customers around the world.

News, Life 5 months ago
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10 tips for small business owners to COVID-proof the office

Lockdown rules in the UK are easing up and Brits are slowly starting to go back to work in their offices. So what can employers do to ensure their office space is a safe working environment and keep their employees comfortable and safe during this time?

Features, Life 5 months ago
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The new norm post-COVID means redefining home working

At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has caused large-scale disruption to businesses worldwide, remote working has been a shining example of how to ensure ‘business as usual’, particularly in areas such as customer service. If Gartner predictions are correct that over 40% of all employees will continue remote working post-COVID, businesses must redefine remote working by ensuring customer service staff - contact centre agents and supervisors - are equipped with fit-for-purpose technology to ensure they deliver a truly first-class service to the customer. Anne-Meine Gramsma, Chief Commercial Officer at ContactCenter4ALL, explains.

Features, Life 5 months ago
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UK SME data suggests sales recovery, but jobs continue to decline

New analysis from Xero, the global small business platform, and AlphaBeta (part of Accenture), have revealed trends relating to the recovery of the UK’s small business economy following the impact of COVID-19, showing tentative improvements in revenue and payment times.

News, Life 5 months ago
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50% of employees are looking for a new job post-COVID-19

Fifty percent of people currently employed are planning on looking for a new job after COVID-19, according to new research released from Hooray Health & Protection. Nearly a quarter (24%) of employees questioned said they were somewhat likely to seek a new job, 13% said they were very likely and twelve percent were pretty positive when they said they were extremely likely to look for a new job post COVID-19.  

News, Life 5 months ago
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Half of UK employers plan to reduce office space and ‘stagger’ return to work

Forty nine percent of employers are planning to stagger return to work based on employees’ own health risks related to COVID-19, whilst 46% will be staggering employees return depending on how critical their role is to the business. The next most popular strategy is the creation of smaller work groups (40%), followed by changing work hours (34%), a voluntary return scheme (33%), and splitting shifts (28%).

News, Life 5 months ago
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MOT your business and save it from COVID-19 collapse

While car MOTs were scrapped during lockdown, taking the same approach with a business could be a mistake that leads to catastrophic consequences. Just as leaving unchecked, unroadworthy vehicles on the road is potentially dangerous, by not taking control of a business and leaving success to chance is a gamble at the best of times, but right now that approach could be the beginning of the end.

Features, Life 5 months ago
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How the gig economy can save the UK SMEs post-COVID-19

Over the course of the last three months, the private sector has undergone a seismic shift with an anticipated 531,000 businesses in the US set to go under in 2020 and a fifth of all small businesses in the UK to fail during the COVID-19 period.

Life 5 months ago
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Top Tips to getting the right partners

Some founders come up with their business ideas alone, whilst others do so with friends or associates. Some founders wish to stay as sole founders, whilst others prefer to work with co-founders to share the tasks, decision making, and risks, as well as adding often complementary skills or knowledge to their own.

Life 5 months ago
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Back to work: Safety and Productivity in a Post-COVID Office Space

Commercial real estate, HR and technology professionals are focused on finding innovative ways to meet the challenges of a post-COVID workplace through safe and effective back to work strategies. John Williams, Head of Marketing at Instant Offices, considers what this means for businesses heading back into the office.

Features, Life 5 months ago
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No-deal Brexit fears trigger investors to seek international options

Growing fears of a no-deal Brexit will prompt an increasing number of British and international investors to move their financial assets overseas out of the UK, believes the CEO of a large independent financial advisory and fintech organisations.

News, Life 5 months ago
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Startup accelerator program integrates mental health support

Starting a company and being a founder is stressful - especially in the current COVID-19 environment. Last year, 19% of all European founders said starting a company had a negative impact on their wellbeing, and a global pandemic will not bring that number down. However, mental health issues are not widely discussed in the startup ecosystem and beyond.

News, Life 5 months ago
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Rise of the Homepreneur: Resourceful Brits Bounce Back

‘Homepreneurs’ are emerging across Britain during lockdown, as time at home and changing employment conditions have encouraged many to consider new opportunities and think creatively about the future.

News, Life 5 months ago
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CEOs must adapt to changing employee expectations

A new survey by global consultancy, Brandpie has uncovered that the number one challenge CEOs expect to face over the next five years is finding the right talent. Furthermore, Brandpie reports that 98% of CEOs surveyed agree that the new generation of talent have different expectations from previous generations - with emotional considerations such as alignment of a company's culture and values trumping benefits like flexible working, training, and access to technology for the majority of millennials.

Life 5 months ago
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How to successfully message a recruiter for your dream job

Following the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, we have seen widespread business closures, pay cuts, reduced hours, and redundancies, resulting in many workers looking for a new venture. Today, LinkedIn is one of the go-to platforms for budding job hunters searching for a new role, therefore the competition is high. To help those looking to enter a new career field, online educational platform, Preply has provided tips on the things to consider when messaging a recruiter on LinkedIn.

Features, Life 5 months ago
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How to de-clutter your virtual space to improve productivity

In the COVID-19 era many people are taking the opportunity to organise and simplify their home working spaces, making good use of the ample time at home. But de-cluttering your virtual space - including your computer/laptop, phone, cloud storage, etc - is just as important as de-cluttering your physical space.

Features, Life 6 months ago
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Latest data available on Close Brothers Asset Finance’s SME Data Hub

The data from Close Brothers Asset Finance’s latest research is now available on its free-to-use SME Data Hub. Conducted in late June and early July in partnership with Kantar, the research focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Resurgence of entrepreneurship expected following the pandemic

The home kitchen and dining area have become the most lucrative money making locations in Britain, that combined are generating £37.4bn to the British economy during lockdown - that’s being coined as ‘Kitchen Table Talent’. The research commissioned by Attic Self Storage, revealed that although restrictions are being lifted, 41% of office workers are expected to continue their jobs from home, with 44% saying it’s the most productive place they have ever worked.

News, Life 6 months ago
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10 steps to achieve maximum productivity whilst working from home

Are you working at home and struggling to maintain productivity? For the majority of Brits currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for those looking to do more home working in the future, flexible office specialist, Workthere, has shared 10 tips on how you can create an office space that leads to maximum productivity.

Life 6 months ago
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The top tips for starting a business

Welcome to a new series of articles where I will provide practical top tips on a wide range of decisions and challenges that early stage businesses have to make every day. Here I will look at everything from start up to scale up and from the more simple to the more complicated.

Life 6 months ago
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Businesses call for tech investment as report reveals 1.4m SME jobs at risk

Sage has launched new research revealing 62% of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) have made or are planning to make redundancies following the COVID-19 pandemic. This equates to 1.4m jobs at risk if the Government fails to take decisive action now.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Preparing for the new normal and building a financial plan

There is some light at the end of the tunnel for small businesses. As the lockdown continues to ease many retailers and hospitality businesses are now opening up again, or preparing to return soon.

Features, Life 6 months ago
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Re-skilling Britain’s workforce for the economy of the future

Re-skilling Britain’s workforce for the economy of the future has acquired a new urgency post lockdown, as COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated long term trends towards digitalisation and distance working.

Life 6 months ago
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What is the biggest barrier when it comes to remote working?

As the nation continues to work from home for the most part, new research reveals that a quarter (24%) of those currently working from home say maintaining communication with colleagues is the biggest challenge they have faced while working away from the office.

Life 6 months ago
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Five steps for becoming a furlough-preneur

Even in the bleakest of times, entrepreneurs have found a way to innovate and create disruptive products that have enhanced our daily lives or solved a problem. Take the humble chocolate chip cookie, baked for the first time after the Great Depression. During a period of severe economic hardship, this new treat offered some richness and comfort and remains immensely popular to this day.

Features, Life 6 months ago
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Xero meets with Small Business Minister to call for SME support

The Managing Director of Xero today has argued for a national campaign to help the UK’s 5.9 million small firms bounce back post lockdown.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Real estate tech scale up programme to open applications soon

NAEA Propertymark has partnered with REACH UK, a scale up programme, to help its members navigate through the world of technology by selecting the best startups and launching them into the marketplace.

News, Life 6 months ago
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London startup is bringing together the racket sports community

London-based startup, RacketPal is on a mission to help more than one billion racket sports players and enthusiasts meet their perfect playing partners. The team is excited to announce the successful closing of its first pre-seed funding round worth £150,000.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Contingency planning: 3 key lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has massively accelerated the pace of change in the business world. Leaders and employees have had to adapt to operate in a challenging environment, where the only certainty is change. Not only have organisations had to rapidly adjust to the changing needs of its people, customers and suppliers, but it has also navigated the financial and operational challenges. This has led to many businesses prioritising the now, focusing on reshaping its operations to stabilise revenue and align with short term demand.

Features, Life 6 months ago
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Workspace Demand Soars in Oxford-Cambridge Arc Post-COVID-19

Property consultants, Bidwells latest research has revealed that up to 20 million sq ft of new lab and office space will be required in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc within the next two decades to keep pace with soaring demand, twice the volume of the previous 20 years.

Life, News 6 months ago
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The pandemic is changing payment culture as we know it

COVID-19 is changing the way SMEs take payments, with the use of cash payments having halved and online card payments rising by a quarter during the pandemic, according to the latest independent research from Close Brothers Asset Finance.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Free 'Wellness in Action Plan' to alleviate anxiety around returning to work

Workplace wellbeing expert, Kate Bishop is offering a free Wellness in Action Plan for all UK employers and workers to help tackle the rising levels of anxiety felt by those returning to work after months of working from home or furlough.

Life, News 6 months ago
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Google announces support package for small businesses

Local businesses are core to our communities, but the impact of COVID-19 has been tough on business owners. As the UK steadily reopens its doors to businesses and people alike, Google has pledged to support small businesses across the country with a burgeoning package of products, tools and services to support the reopening and growth of British commerce.

News, Life 6 months ago
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How to use COVID-19 redundancy to your advantage

Redundancy is not a modern phenomenon. Recessions date back to the year 1430 and at each occurrence, swathes of hard workers have lost their jobs.

Life 6 months ago
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A guide in SOC 2 compliance for startups

Secure business operations on digital platforms bring a unique set of challenges to compliance for managers. Startups now have to seek SOC 2 compliance just like other traditional businesses.

Life 6 months ago
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What will office space look like post-lockdown?

While WFH or Working From Home has become one of the new buzz phrases from lockdown, this is not always the preferred option, reality or choice for a large number of companies or indeed employees. 

Life 6 months ago
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Supporting career progression during the pandemic

At a time when many professional growth strategies have been put on hold as businesses navigate the huge impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the country’s career coaches is working to support and empower ambitious employees as they continue on their own pathways to success.

News, Life 6 months ago
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British business: Three years of innovation in just three months

Britain’s small businesses achieved three years of innovation in just three months as they battled to keep trading during the coronavirus lockdown. While such efforts to keep revenues flowing have been successful for some owners, concerns about employment prospects and future investment remain for many as lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Relief for retailers as re-opening powers resurgence in confidence

The re-opening of shops provided a much-needed relief for retailers in the last two weeks, as the number of companies with a negative assessment of trading conditions plummeted from more than half (54%) to 37%, according to the latest Opinium-Cebr Business Distress Tracker.

News, Life 6 months ago
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The impact of COVID-19 on UK small business revenue and employment

Global small business platform, Xero has announced its new analysis has revealed the extent of COVID-19’s impact on UK small business employment and revenue between March and May 2020, showing a 28% drop in revenue and a six percent decline in employment. Late payments to UK small businesses increased by 7.8 days between February and May 2020.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Two thirds of businesses unable to count cost of COVID-19 on workforce

More than two-thirds of business leaders across the UK have no idea how much employee sickness is costing their business, according to e-days, the absence intelligence platform.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Has Coronavirus worsened the North-South divide?

The Coronavirus pandemic could deepen the North-South divide in the UK - that is according to new Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer. He did, however, make it clear that the problem could be alleviated with a fairer distribution of investment into the Northern regions.

Life 6 months ago
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Revenue outlook improves for UK SMEs

As the UK marks three months under lockdown, Sage has published an in-depth report based on weekly polling of a total of 5,000 SMEs over the course of the lockdown period.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Mayor of London teams up with Microsoft to provide support for scaleups

The Mayor of London’s scaleup programme has teamed up with Microsoft to provide some of the capital’s leading small companies with extra support to help them grow.

News, Life 6 months ago
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An insight into entrepreneurship

Roy Ledgister, Founder & CEO of Convivia, speaks to Startups Magazine about his experiences and offers some insight into entrepreneurship.

Life 6 months ago
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Creative industries face £74bn loss post-COVID, how can the sector recover?

Britain is facing a projected £74bn drop in revenue for creative industries due to the coronavirus pandemic, with 400,000 jobs of artists, designers, musicians, creators and curators likely to be lost.

Life 6 months ago
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A future in voice: introducing the Alexa Incubator Programme

The vision for Alexa is to set customers free to do more in life. To achieve this, Amazon is continuing to assist the growing number of startups and entrepreneurs working with voice technology.

News, Life 6 months ago
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Why SME support is crucial to get Brits back to work

The number of people on UK payrolls dropped by 612,000 between March and May, according to early data from the Office for National Statistics and HM Revenue and Customs that is starting to show the depth of the hit to the economy from the pandemic. The UK unemployment rate for the three months to April 2020 was estimated at 3.9%, 0.1 percentage points higher than a year earlier but largely unchanged on the previous quarter.

Life, News 7 months ago
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Why SME investment could be the answer to furlough employment bubble

Over the last few weeks, Chancellor Rishi Sunak spelled out how he and the Treasury plan to end the Job Retention Scheme - also known as furlough - at the end of October. The scheme is currently paying 80% of the wages of at least 8.4 million workers placed on furlough by their employers. Many are concerned that the majority of these workers will be made redundant as soon as the scheme ends, leading to mass unemployment.

Life 7 months ago
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What will negative interest rates mean for investors?

The Bank of England has revealed that it may take the cost of borrowing below zero for the first time in its over 300-year history; following moves by Eurozone countries to introduce negative interest rates. The move could effectively mean that savers pay to have their money with banks and are incentivised to borrow money and increase their spending.

Life 7 months ago
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Could flexible working be the key for better wellbeing?

During Mental Health Awareness Week last month, in the UK and for seven days, the nation paid itself some attention and shone a light on the impact of work and COVID-19 on our wellbeing. For the rest of the year, however, we must continue to look after each other and our mental health in and out of work.

Life 7 months ago
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How can you support local businesses during lockdown?

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on our everyday lives, therefore, it is important we maintain high spirits and support each other and our local communities as much as possible. As non-essential stores remain closed until further notice, there is little we can do to help with this reality. However, for those small local shops and convenience stores that continue to provide us with our essential items and necessities, there are steps put in place to help support their success during this tough time.

Life 7 months ago
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Unemployment soars and many look to start their own business

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently published have showed that the number of people claiming unemployment benefit went up from 856,000 to 2.1 million in April, with almost 1.5 million officially unemployed.

News, Life 7 months ago
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The impact of COVID 19 on our economies and SMEs

The world over, money related bundles have just been reported by countries in an offer to re-establish their economies in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic holding nations over the globe.

Life 7 months ago
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Five steps founders should do to survive

The world is now facing a public health crisis known as Covid-19 and a financial crisis. The crisis on our hands manifests differently for individuals and companies. The uncertainty over our ability to revert to our normal state creates pressures on mental health, relationships, and business performance.

Life 7 months ago
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"How do I scale my business?"

According to UK Government statistics some 660,000 new companies are established each year and many of these will have plans to scale rather than to remain a micro business. Some founders will of course be happy to run their startup as a side hustle, and others will only be looking for a lifestyle business. But for many others that are looking for something larger, ‘how do I scale my business?’ is a question that I am often asked.

Life 7 months ago
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24% of UK businesses now offering delivery services due to lockdown

The team at Quotezone.co.uk, an insurance comparison site, surveyed 600 UK businesses about how they are dealing with the lockdown. The research revealed that two fifths of UK businesses (39%) have had to pivot their offerings since the beginning of lockdown, with 76% of these providing a brand-new service.

News, Life 7 months ago
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5 ways to strengthen company culture during a crisis

When you are trying to navigate the management of a business in the midst of a global pandemic, it’s all too easy to neglect the maintenance of your company culture. Yes, it’s true that other priorities might seem more pressing right now; after all, your clients and suppliers won’t be sending you impatient emails demanding to know how you plan to safeguard your internal team relationships.

Features, Life 7 months ago
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How crisis can bring about the best in business

"In a crisis, beware of the danger- but recognise the opportunity," John F Kennedy. Highlighting the light in the dark, this is perhaps one of the most salient quotes for our times.

Life 7 months ago
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Is anything more important than kindness?

Kindness - a word used so frequently. Social media feeds are covered in quotes including: "In a world where you can be anything, be kind" and many more. Especially now, given our current Corona-climate, we’ve all realised the power of kindness.  

 

Life 7 months ago
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UK businesses could pay up to £250,000 of annual leave post-COVID-19

As employees return to work, UK businesses are likely to face a backlog of annual leave requests that could cost thousands of pounds. By collecting data and analysing the average monthly salary at a baseline at £2,214 and at least 50% of employee annual leave owed, Coworking Specialists Instant Offices have calculated how much it would cost for companies of different sizes to pay staff for a minimum of two weeks of annual leave.

News, Life 7 months ago
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Ramping up critical thinking and managerial decision-making skills

“The rapidly changing world brought about by COVID-19 means leaders face many challenges, opportunities and dilemmas - never has there been a greater need to develop critical thinking, personal agility and managerial decision-making skills to help organisations survive and thrive."

Life 7 months ago
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Major changes in UK’s online behaviour since lockdown

The UK’s online behaviour has changed dramatically since the country was put into lockdown on March 23rd, with the consumption of adult content notably spiking at a 292% increase when the changes came into effect.

News, Life 7 months ago
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How can SME’s ensure that they are COVID-19 safe?

British shopkeepers sighed a breath of relief on Monday night as the Government announced lockdown restrictions will be lifted as of 15th June 2020, allowing non-essential retailers to reopen.

Life, HR 7 months ago
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"How do I make my business post lockdown ready?"

After nine long weeks of lockdown, businesses are starting to re-open or, at least, planning to reopen in the near future. For some of the luckier ones this might be possible without having to make too many, or too onerous, changes. For others, the planning will need to be much mere detailed and the implementation will be much more complex.

Life 7 months ago
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Health and wellbeing: Why it’s good to talk during a pandemic

There is nothing better than being able to walk out of the house to exercise in the park, the countryside or even to stroll by the sea. Just the ability to go outside gives us a new sense of perspective, and enables us to maintain our health and wellbeing.

Life 7 months ago
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Pivoting your startup can impact your IP - here’s how

Agile startups have proven that they are able to help in a crisis. Access to bright thinkers and technical experts means they can come up with creative solutions quickly in response to changes in circumstances - and many have been helping in the fight against COVID-19.

Features, Life 7 months ago
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Live Q&A with HMRC to help businesses navigate the global pandemic

The global pandemic is creating huge uncertainty for people, businesses and livelihoods in the UK. To support those who are looking to better understand the new government financial support that is available and how it can help them, Jim Harra, Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary of HMRC, will be participating in a LinkedIn Live interview and Q&A hosted by Emily Spaven, UK Editor of LinkedIn News, on Thursday 21st May at 3pm BST. 

News, Life 7 months ago
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How can employers foster a culture of openness around mental health?

For Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th May 2020), Naomi Thompson, Head of Organisational Development at Benenden Health, provides insight into how employers can create a culture of openness around mental health.

Life 8 months ago
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How businesses can support employee mental health right now

A considerable task business owners face during the outbreak is keeping teams motivated and productive in the face of uncertainty. According to the people management and CIPD poll, around 63% of employers say anxiety is the biggest challenge facing their organisation right now, followed by the inability for their teams to work remotely.

Life 8 months ago
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5 ways to avoid burnout when you're working remotely

In the current climate, many of us have found ourselves in different working environments - with the majority of people working from home. With our home and work spaces becoming the same place, it’s more important than ever to ensure you take steps to create some separation and avoid burnout - a common issue faced by small business owners.

Life 8 months ago
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How to run your business remotely

Working from home is the new norm for many professionals and it’s still not clear how long this new way of working will last. So for many small businesses this means adjusting and managing the logistics of running a business remotely for the foreseeable future.

Life 8 months ago
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Cutting the noise and focusing on you

Right now we are in uncharted territory. COVID-19 is here, we don't know how long for, and it is affecting so many people in so many different ways. Everyone is feeling different things and everyone has different circumstances. You are not others, others are not you.

Life 8 months ago
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The why – understanding innovation motivation

The first step in an energy company collaborating with a startup is to ask itself a simple question: why? In part one of this series, we answered that from a wide-angle perspective – because the industry needs to innovate to keep up with the pace of change, and collaboration with startups appears the quickest, surest way to do so. Because the old model of fiercely guarded, siloed research has reached its limit.

Life 8 months ago
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Strategies to foster a stronger team whilst working from home long-term

The last few weeks has seen an unprecedented shift across the country from working in offices to working from home. Entire teams are working remotely and in truth this is a far bigger challenge than having just the odd person working from home.

Life 8 months ago
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A government harbour in the COVID-19 tempest

Amid the current pandemic, the economy is taking a brutal hit, and as fledgling businesses, startups have a particularly fierce challenge to keep afloat. To try and help companies that aren’t eligible for existing relief schemes during this time, such as the CBILS loan, the government has announced a £1.25bn fund to try and help these companies - including startups - survive.

Life 8 months ago
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The changing face of an entrepreneur

For the majority, the word entrepreneur conjures an image of a male in his twenties or early thirties. It’s unlikely the picture of someone in retirement age would come to mind and even less likely a woman in her 60s. However, a new wave of silver start-ups is emerging and with good reason! One such disruptor is Sheila Holt. Having traded on a smaller scale for a few years, Sheila embraced her entrepreneurial spirit and began scaling her finance business, Sapphire Lending Ltd, at the age of 60. 

Life 8 months ago
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Top tech tools to help boost finances during COVID-19

The current pandemic has brought shock and uncertainty to businesses across the world. From global heavyweights to SMEs that are the backbone of the British economy, the question for many leaders is, how can we keep afloat during this crisis? Thankfully we live in a digital age where many businesses can be taken online. Along with government support, there are many tools that can be easily accessed to pivot during this period. 

Life 8 months ago
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How to keep track of cash flow

More than ever, cash flow is a key issue for small businesses, and understanding it is crucial to making informed decisions at the right time. The government will be asking businesses to demonstrate that they have an understanding of the state of their cash flow as it stands, and in the future before allowing access to the grants and schemes being offered.

Life 8 months ago
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The real-time strategy guide for when uncertainty is the only certain thing

The biggest enemies of good decision-making in times of deep crisis, like COVID 19,  are neither uncertainty nor ambiguity; they are over-confidence, procrastination, and incomplete or biased data.

Life 8 months ago
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Opening the door to innovation

Skim read the annual report of a major energy company from 2010 and you won’t come across many instances of the terms: 'innovation' or even 'startup'. Now, it is a different world. Even the slowest moving established energy companies (perhaps especially the slowest moving) recognise that innovation is key to survival in a changing market and that collaboration with startups is a good way to go about it.

Life 8 months ago
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What are the risks, challenges and opportunities?

When most people think of startups, they picture hip loft offices, beanbags and charismatic CEOs with boundless enthusiasm and a seat-of-the-pants attitude. While this may be the case for some new businesses, particularly within tech, the picture for many startups is starkly different.

Life 8 months ago
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Top tips for scaling businesses to successfully pivot, adjust and innovate

Businesses in the UK, and across the world, are facing unprecedented challenges in order to survive and thrive in the wake of COVID-19. Scaling businesses are facing an additional and unique set of challenges, as many will be in the ‘critical growth’ phase which is often loss-making – embarking on a stage of expansion in order to achieve future revenue growth. This makes the current climate daunting to approach.

Life 8 months ago
16/26
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"Why adopt a siege mentality?"

The longer the coronavirus lockdown goes on, the more my conversations with startups have varied from the norm. Just another example of ‘the new normal’ maybe, but recently I keep overhearing conversations comparing being in lockdown as being similar to being under siege. 

Life 9 months ago
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Tips for startups on managing money in the face of adversity

With COVID-19 continuing to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds it can be hard to prioritise the right things for your startup when it comes to managing money. This is undoubtedly a tough time for everybody, but for startups, freelancers, sole traders and small business owners, it’s hitting particularly hard.

Life 9 months ago
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How to ensure your staff are kept motivated...

Across the globe, companies are introducing innovative ways to help their workforce focus. Wildly unconventional benefits and perks have surfaced over the last few years, with research estimating that increasing happiness can boost productivity by around 12%.

Life 9 months ago
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From government to coding: what could go wrong?

It’s always been clear to me that I’m not a math person. Or at least that’s the story I’m used to telling myself. Soon after graduating from Political Science and International Relations, I started working for Panama's foreign service in Geneva. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, representing my country on issues I cared for like gender, climate change, and mass migrations. 

Life 9 months ago
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How startups can navigate through this period

There is no question that these are unprecedented times, incredibly difficult for everyone mentally, physically, socially and economically.

Life 9 months ago
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How crucial is employee training in 2020?

In 2020, companies throughout the world are investing significantly in colleague training. 94 per cent of British businesses’ suggesting, ‘that even in the current economic climate, learning and development is at the heart of their strategy’. The report by UK L&D noted how none of the companies who are spending more than the national average of £300 on training for each employee have a retention rate of less than half a year. Clearly, staff morale and job satisfaction are enhanced by sufficient training.

Life 9 months ago
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Big life questions answered...

As a startup there is probably a high possibility you are not currently doing what you planned to do when you were child. ‘When I grow up I want to create my own business’ isn’t heard as often as policeman, astronaut or pilot we surely all have to agree.

Life 9 months ago
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A survival guide for business owners and entrepreneurs

Found & Flourish is a female founders and aspiring entrepreneurs online membership, media & events platform. We have over 10,000 women within our network and run on average 40 events a year. Our mission is to empower women in business to launch, grow and scale their dream businesses. We also provide services, resources and community to support the women at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey.

Life 9 months ago
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FAQs for small business owners on the COVID-19 virus

The current Covid-19 pandemic is causing havoc for businesses across the world. If you are an employer with a small business, you are likely struggling or are concerned about the future of your company in the current economic climate.

Life 9 months ago
15/26
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"How will my business trade six months from now?"

Any business at any time has to constantly be considering how best to trade in the present, and how best to trade in the future. This is equally true in the good times as it is in the difficult times. For many, this strange period where the world is caught up in the coronavirus pandemic is certainly one of the much more difficult times, but for some lucky businesses it is actually a period of rapid growth and great opportunity.

Life 9 months ago
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How small business owners can turn down-time into an advantage

It’s part of the natural ebb and flow of running a company. Sometimes there’s peaks, sometimes there’s a trough. Some seasonal businesses experience them every year so have them planned into their annual activity. But what if you have an extended period of downtime enforced upon you?

Life 9 months ago
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Ten steps to safeguard your business

With many office-based businesses still required to work from home, it can be stressful trying to manage your company and protect your employees, customers, and interests. Capital on Tap's CEO, David Luck shares his 'business health MOT' checklist, to ensure you’ve got the best plan in place for your business’ longevity.

Life 9 months ago
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How employers can close the gap on gender inequality

In the current climate, overcoming the fallout from the coronavirus crisis will be a top priority for most, if not all, businesses worldwide. However, this does not mean we can ignore the underlying challenges that continue to impede global progress towards goals like ending the gender diversity crisis.

Life 9 months ago
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Navigating the R&D landscape: A guide for UK SMEs

For the UK, innovation has become a top priority. Indeed, adapting to the coronavirus economy is the most important objective for most businesses and those that innovate successfully will thrive. However, R&D has become a much more public discussion over the past few weeks. In the recent Budget, the Government put significant emphasis on increasing R&D activity. It recognises that the UK could be more of a global innovation hub.

Life 9 months ago
14/26
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"Can my business survive Coronavirus?"

Coronavirus is on everyone’s lips, not literally but figuratively. And for very good reason. It seems so long ago already that the only thing in the news was all things Brexit, and how companies will need to adapt in order to survive, and now that has been brushed aside by a much bigger and more urgent threat – coronavirus.

Life 9 months ago
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Put your thinking cap on - now!

If you ran a hotel right now, apart from running around looking for toilet rolls, you'd be doing some essential maintenance to the building. The sort of thing you never do because there's always ‘the day job’ of running your establishment.

Life 9 months ago
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Seven product development pitfalls to avoid

Many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs claim they’ve learned their best life lessons from making mistakes and bouncing back. But that doesn’t mean that expensive errors should be embraced. Spotting problems early on and better understanding the challenges ahead can help limit the cost and potential damage when things don’t go as planned. 

Life 9 months ago
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Five notions that could spoil your great product idea

“To me, ideas are worth nothing unless executed” - Steve Jobs. You know you have an incredible idea with which you could disrupt the market. But to do that, you need first to transform it into a software product. And you're possibly wondering what the starting point is, and at what stage you need to take to the market. You're worried because you know of people who did not make an impact despite their great idea. These thoughts are but natural and every entrepreneur goes through them.

Life 9 months ago
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Understanding the new 'normal'

The Coronavirus pandemic will change online behaviours significantly and possibly permanently both for consumers and businesses.  People have been forced to access information in new ways, interact and purchase new and different products and services online, and the longer this continues, the more likely these are to become habits. 

Life 9 months ago
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How to stay safe while working from home

THE Covid-19 pandemic has made logging on to Zoom and Microsoft Teams part of a new daily working routine for millions of Brits. The use of the video-calling tools has exploded in the past fortnight with people following Government advice to stay at home. But there are increasing fears at how this key tool for home-workers is bringing new dangers. 

Life 9 months ago
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How do we keep motivated during uncertain times?

Running your own business is not an easy thing. We know this. Everyone knows this. I am not saying anything revolutionary when I make this statement. But why is it hard? Well, to maintain financial and psychological wellbeing is tough for business owners but they’re not exclusive in feeling these worries, many employees also find maintaining financial and psychological wellbeing to be tough.

Life 9 months ago
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Seven steps to coping right now

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt and dominate our lives, feelings of anxiety are completely normal during times of uncertainty and in some cases isolation. Everyone will be impacted in a different way and it is important to remember that you are not alone. Already there are so many stories emerging of human kindness and compassion and people pulling together to help and support each other.

Life 9 months ago
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How to perfect a business continuity plan for remote working

Across the globe, millions of employees are being advised to begin distant or home working, but managing and coordinating a remote workforce is unfamiliar territory for many business owners.

Life 9 months ago
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How working in tech can guide your entrepreneurial spirit

Dhaka, Bangladesh; 2013 - around 1,200 people died and a further 2,500 people got seriously injured in a garment factory collapse. The ugly side of fast fashion reared its head.

Life 9 months ago
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What's going to happen to commercial property in the current situation?

The coronavirus pandemic has turned off the lights in millions of offices, factories and shops across the UK. But for many businesses who have switched to home-working the cost of their now empty property will still need to be met. And that dilemma is now causing growing concern among businesses – many of whom have seen revenue totally stop in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. Today one of Britain’s leading law firms has advised companies with concerns over meeting the cost of commercial leases to hold 'sensible' discussions with landlords as quickly as possible. Harper James Solicitors also advise firms yet to get a plan in place to do so – before it is too late.

Life 9 months ago
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How to successfully upscale your business in under three years

Upscaling can be a daunting task for any business, many will find it difficult to step outside their comfort zone or be reminded daily the risks with investing in new opportunities. While this approach may work in our personal lives, it can be detrimental to new business opportunities as well as the entrepreneurial mindset when it comes to upscaling your business.

Life 9 months ago
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How to turn your founder vision into a reality

As the founder of a startup, you’ll have developed and nurtured a great idea over many months, maybe even years. Perhaps you’ve isolated a problem and worked out how to solve it. Or been frustrated by the lack of options available in a particular sector and hit upon the perfect way to fill the gap.

Life 9 months ago
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How to reduce anxiety with the world collapsing around you

Is the coronavirus filling your days with anxiety and dread? Are you waking up each morning feeling like it is all a bad dream? Here’s how to restore a balanced mindset and get back a level head in the current circumstances. 

Life 9 months ago
12/26
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"Does remote working have to mean working remotely?"

These are strange times, unsettling times, and if I am honest this is not a normal question that I overhear much in more normal times, but recently THE question that I keep hearing is ‘do I have to work remotely and what does that mean for my customers?’ or, put another way, ‘does remote working have to mean working remotely?’

Life 9 months ago
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Pox by proxy
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Pox by proxy

Over the last month I have been developing an article about how mental health can be affected by social media, and what this means for you and your start-up. However, there’s something on my mind, and I suppose I must bite the bullet and talk about Coronavirus.

Life 9 months ago
11/26
"How quickly should my business adapt?"
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"How quickly should my business adapt?"

Any business at any stage of its life must be able to adapt and change to changing circumstances. One of the very real benefits that early stage businesses have is that they are small and fast on their feet and are therefore perfectly structured to be able to react swiftly to changing circumstances.

Life 10 months ago
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Coming out of the ‘mental health closet’ at work

I was 39 when I came out of the mental health closet – about six years too late. Once I emerged, my stress levels were so high they had morphed into a condition called agitated depression, which led to a dramatic mental breakdown, four months off work and an attempt on my own life.

Life 10 months ago
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Portrait of the entrepreneur as a young founder

The word entrepreneur was first coined by the French some 200 years ago. Today its meaning and cultural context would be almost unrecognisable to its originators.

Life 10 months ago
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Two-thirds of start-up founders suffer declining health

Around 67% of start-up leaders attribute personal health issues to their working lives, according to research released by leading global consumer health company, RB.  

Life 10 months ago
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Gender diversity pays off!

A startling statistic from the European Commission’s: when it comes to European startups, 83% of startup founders are male. At the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), we want to see more women entrepreneurs: more female ownership of startups, and more businesses owned by women. It’s about equality and social inclusion, it is also about a good economic sense and using Europe’s biggest untapped entrepreneurial talent pool - women.

Life 10 months ago
What challenges do female founders face?
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What challenges do female founders face?

In honour of Interntaional Women's Day, Startups Magazine spoke to Veronica Neo, co-founder & COO of dedicated classical music streaming service startup, Primephonic about what challenges she has faced as a female founder.

Life 10 months ago
10/26
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"Do I really need to network?"

Some people are afraid of networking and others love it! It is true. We have all come across people that love nothing more than going to networking events and chatting to as many people as possible – some of these really get the benefits that good networking can bring to them and their business, and others simply love networking because it fits their outgoing personality.

Life 10 months ago
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How to make a success of subscription

TouchNote recently led a debate on showing how to make membership models work, as the year 2020 is set to become the 'decade subscriptions dominate'. 

Life 10 months ago
threats to small businesses
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2020's top 3 threats to small businesses

Running a small business is not easy. There are any number of hurdles and challenges to overcome, and they can creep up without much warning, meaning it is absolutely essential to keep focused and remain on top of your game. 

Life 11 months ago
Top benefits of business awards for entrepreneurs
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Top benefits of business awards for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are always looking for new opportunities to raise their profile and drive their business forward and one way to do this is to win a business award. Even if you are not successful it is a great way to take stock on progress to date.

Life 11 months ago
Entrepreneurs suffer the most from mental health
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Entrepreneurs suffer the most from mental health

Mental health treatment specialists, Smart TMS, share their research into the effects of workplace stress, and explore the idea that the success and increased affluence that many entrepreneurs experience can actually be detrimental to their mental health and happiness.

Life 1 year ago
Revelations from a founder's smartphone sabbatical
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Revelations from a founder's smartphone sabbatical

For the whole of August, I embarked on a smartphone detox. There were a few reasons as to why, but the most prevalent was a worry around burnout. For the past 18 months I’d be working hard setting up and growing Shine Workplace Wellbeing, while also ensuring I was spending ample time with my two young sons.

Life 1 year ago
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A letter of introduction
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A letter of introduction

Introducing Dannielle Haig, international Business Coach and Business Psychologist, as Startups Magazine's resident Business Psychologist columnist. 

Life 1 year ago
Less lip service, more action: Wellbeing at work
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Less lip service, more action: Wellbeing at work

Over the course of a year, I spoke with hundreds of employees, employers and HR professionals. In those interviews, I learnt about wellbeing at work, the challenges in keeping people healthy and happy, and why wellbeing packages offered by businesses are falling short.

Life 1 year ago
Resilience and the 'Dark Triad'
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Resilience and the 'Dark Triad'

Director, Founder, Business Psychologist and Business Coach at DH Coaching & Consulting, Dannielle Haig, headed a personal development workshop powered by C&C, PA recruitment agency, teaching the importance of 'resilience'.

Life 1 year ago

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