Sam Altman is to return as chief executive of OpenAI days after being fired from the ChatGPT creator.

OpenAI has also agreed to change the board that ousted him after the majority of employees threatened to quit over the decision unless Altman was reappointed.

The company said: “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as chief executive with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (chairman), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.”

Bret Taylor is the former Salesforce co-chief executive and Larry Summers is the former US Treasury secretary. Adam D’Angelo, the chief executive of the answers site Quora, was part of the board that ousted Altman.

OpenAI announced the changes in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “We are collaborating to figure out the details.”

Sam Altman, 38, said on X: “I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. When I decided to join Microsoft on Sunday evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. With the new board and with Satya’s support, I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI, and building on our strong partnership with Microsoft.”

Satya Nadella, the Microsoft chief executive, hired Altman to lead the software company’s new advanced AI research team, along with OpenAI’s former president Greg Brockman and other staff. The decision had been seen as a coup for Microsoft.

The loss of key staff and the petition signed by 700 of OpenAI’s 770 staff calling for the board to go and for Altman to be reinstated as its boss had left the company in a deep crisis.

Employees, investors and even the new interim chief executive Emmett Shear, the former chief executive of Twitch, spoke out against the way in which OpenAI’s executive committee had handled the situation, as the reason for ousting Altman remained a mystery.

When he was ousted on Friday, four board directors said in a blog post that Altman had not been “consistently candid” with board members, without elaborating.

The Verge, the technology news website, said that the new board would vet and appoint a board of up to nine people that would reset the governance of OpenAI. It added that Microsoft, which has invested more than $10 billion into OpenAI, wanted a seat on the expanded board, as did Altman himself.

The new website The Information reported that neither Altman nor Brockman would reclaim their seats on the board. It said that Altman had agreed to an internal investigation into alleged conduct that prompted the board to oust him.

Thrive Capital, an investor in OpenAI, said that the reinstatment of Altman was “the best outcome for the company, its employees, those who build on their technologies, and the world at large.”

Read more:
Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO after employees threatened walk out

The UK is on course to avoid a recession this year as wage growth outpaces price inflation and interest rates are expected to have already peaked.

The EY Item Club raised its forecast for economic output growth to 0.6 per cent, an upgrade from the 0.4 per cent forecast in July. Falling energy and food prices mean that inflation is on track to fall to about 4.5 per cent by the end of this year, faster than a previous forecast of just under 5 per cent, and hit the Bank of England’s key 2 per cent target by the second half of next year.

Wage growth will ease but inflation should cool even more, EY has forecast, which should lift household spending. The report was produced before the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The more optimistic forecasts come after the Office for National Statistics upgraded historical GDP data to show that the economy had expanded by 1.8 per cent since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, faster than Germany and France. Previously GDP was estimated to still be 0.2 per cent lower.

Easing price inflation should mean that the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee will hold rates again when it meets next next month, EY said. The committee decided to maintain interest rates at 5.25 per cent last month after putting through 14 consecutive increases since the end of 2021.

Investment by businesses has also been more robust and is forecast to grow at 5.9 per cent this year, the highest rate since 2016 and significantly better than the 1.4 per cent forecast in July.

Martin Beck, chief economic adviser to EY Item Club, said: “While recent industry surveys have been fairly gloomy about the UK economy, there have been enough positive developments, including upwards revisions to past data, to lift the mood music and reduce the danger of recession becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

There are, however, still “prominent risks” to forecasts, he said, including potential volatility in both oil and gas prices and higher interest rates. Economists downgraded their GDP growth forecast for next year to 0.7 per cent, below the 0.8 per cent that had been expected in the summer, as the pressure of increased borrowing costs filters through to consumers and businesses.

The EY Item Club estimates that higher interest rates have been a net positive for households with the income boost on savings accounts exceeding the extra spent on mortgage interest payments. The scales are due to tip next year, however, as deposit rates stabilise and more borrowers roll over fixed rate mortgages on to higher rates.

That should also weigh on the housing market, where prices are expected to fall by about 10 per cent from peak to trough, flatlining this year and sliding an average 4 per cent next year.

There is less chance of a more serious correction in the housing market, the EY economists said. The ratio between the average house price and incomes has declined, indicating better affordability, and lenders are likely to allow borrowers to temporarily postpone mortgage payments rather than foreclosing.

The economists added that a sharp drop in inflation and subdued growth could open the door for the Bank to start lowering interest rates in May next year. Hywel Ball, EY UK chairman, said: “There’s no getting away from the fact that growth will be limited in the short term but there are reasons for optimism for next year and beyond.”

Read more:
UK economy ‘on course to avoid a recession’, says EY Item Club

Investors and enthusiasts alike are buzzing about Swifty Global, formerly known as Dear Cashmere Holding Company (DRCR). Not only is this company at the forefront of technology and innovation, but it’s also making waves in the world of stock trading.

In this article, we’ll explore where you can purchase Swifty Global (DRCR) stock and delve into its impressive growth story.

If you’re eager to invest in Swifty Global (DRCR) stock, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s available on several trading platforms, both in the United States and around the world. Here’s where you can get your hands on this promising stock:

In the United States:

• Ameritrade: Ameritrade is a reputable brokerage platform that offers access to Swifty Global (DRCR) stock. It’s a trusted choice for many American investors.
• Robinhood: Known for its user-friendly interface, Robinhood provides an easy way to buy and trade Swifty Global (DRCR) stock, making it accessible to a wide range of investors.
• E*TRADE: E*TRADE is another well-established brokerage platform that facilitates the purchase of Swifty Global (DRCR) stock, ensuring a seamless investing experience.

In the Rest of the World:

• Charles Schwab: While listed, creating an account with Charles Schwab may be a bit challenging, but it’s worth exploring for international investors looking to acquire Swifty Global (DRCR) stock.
• Interactive Brokers: Interactive Brokers is a globally recognized brokerage platform that offers access to Swifty Global (DRCR) stock, making it a viable option for investors worldwide.
• Saxo Bank: Although Swifty Global (DRCR) is not listed on Saxo Bank, it’s still worth considering this platform for your investment needs, especially if you’re seeking a diverse range of investment options.

Swifty Global, headquartered in London, New York, and Dubai, is not your ordinary technology company. It’s a dynamic force dedicated to developing groundbreaking solutions in the realms of blockchain and cryptocurrency. Swifty Global is on a mission to drive shareholder value by accelerating innovation and enhancing usability.

At the heart of Swifty Global lies the SWIFTY Global ecosystem, a mobile-centric powerhouse designed to simplify everyday tasks. Within this ecosystem, you can seamlessly play, earn, and transact with fiat currency or digital assets, all from the convenience of your device. SWIFTY Global incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) to boost productivity, reduce manual interactions, and provide users with real-time data.

One of the most exciting developments within the Swifty Global ecosystem is SWIFTY Predictions. This innovative mobile app, set to launch in the coming months, boasts patent-pending technology. It allows users to participate in sports predictions, offering quick odds both before and during live games. The interface is simple and intuitive, making sports betting more accessible than ever before.

Swifty Gaming, a subsidiary of Swifty Global, has played a pivotal role in the company’s astounding growth. Focused on revolutionizing the gambling and sports betting sector, Swifty Gaming has introduced cutting-edge technologies and user-centric design principles. Beyond its financial success, Swifty Gaming has cultivated a loyal customer base and set new industry standards.

In conclusion, Swifty Global (DRCR) is not just a stock; it’s a symbol of innovation, growth, and limitless possibilities. Whether you’re looking to invest in this exciting company or simply eager to witness its journey, Swifty Global is undoubtedly a name to watch in the world of technology and finance.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this remarkable story. Invest in Swifty Global (DRCR) today and join the ranks of those who believe in the power of innovation and progress.

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If you’re eager to invest in Swifty Global (DRCR) stock, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s available on several trading platforms.

The proportion of top A-level grades is down on last year but still remains above pre-pandemic levels.

A* and A grades were awarded to 27.2% of students, compared to 36.4% last year, 44.7% in 2021 and 38.5% in 2020.

But the number is up by 1.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels, when 25.4% of A-level entries were awarded A or A* grades.

Follow the latest A-level news live here

The overall pass rate – the proportion of entries graded A* to E – has fallen to 97.3% this year, which is lower than 2022 (98.4%) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6%). In fact, the rate is at its lowest level since 2008 when it stood at 97.2%.

Pupils in England saw the biggest drop in top marks, with the share of exams graded A or above down by 9% compared to 2022.

Welsh students saw a 7% drop in top grades while Northern Ireland saw a decrease of 6%.

But compared to the last summer before the pandemic in 2019, the number of top grades awarded in England is up by 2%, in Wales by 7% and in Northern Ireland by 9%.

The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said this year’s A-level results would be lower than last year following efforts to return to pre-pandemic grading.

It comes after COVID-19 led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators have said they do not plan to return to pre-pandemic grading until 2024.

Many A-level students in Wales and Northern Ireland were given advance information about topics to expect in their exam papers this summer but students in England were not given the same support.

“The reality is that those systems are different anyway, they’re different awarding bodies,” Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told Sky News when asked if there were questions about fairness.

“University admissions officers know the difference in these systems so they’re quite sophisticated in understanding the difference between the English system and the Scottish system.”

There are still regional differences when it comes to the share of students achieving top grades.

Compared to pre-pandemic levels, the number of pupils receiving A-A* grades is still up by 3.1%. That compares to the North East, where 1% fewer pupils achieved top marks.

But overall, students in the South East achieved the greatest share of top marks, with more than 3 in 10 papers (30.3%) receiving A-A* grades. That compared to 22% in the North East, 22.3% in the East Midlands, 22.9% in the West Midlands, 24.1% in the North West and 26.6% in the East.

Boys scored more A* grades this year compared to girls, at 9.1% compared to 8.8%.

A total of 3,820 students in England alone scored three A* grades, according to separate figures from exams regulator Ofqual.

This is down from 8,570 last year, but up from 2,785 in 2019.

Maths still remains the most popular A-level subject, followed by Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, History, Sociology, Business Studies, Art and Design, Economics and Physics.

Computing saw the biggest increase in entries, up by 64% since 2019. Media and film studies, as well as political studies and economics, also saw increases in entries.

There is still a big difference in the type of subjects male and female students are choosing to take at A-level.

Of the 15 most popular subjects, 77% of those choosing to take physics are male compared to 78% of those studying English Literature being female.

UCAS also says fewer A-level pupils have gained a place at their first choice of university or college compared to last year.

It said 79% secured their first choice, compared to 81% in 2022, when exams were re-introduced and 74% in 2019, when grading arrangements were the same as this year.

A further 9% of students are in clearing, which compared to 12% in 2019 and 7% in 2022.

Elsewhere, 12% have been placed at their insurance choice, compared to 14% in 2019 and 11% in 2022.

More than twice the number of students from advantaged backgrounds (76,780) were accepted compared to those from disadvantaged backgrounds (25,760).

UCAS Chief Executive Clare Merchant said: “Today’s data shows that challenges in widening participation to the most disadvantaged students still persist.

“This demonstrates that we all need to continue the efforts to ensure the most disadvantaged individuals in society are able to benefit from life-changing opportunities in higher education and training, particularly as the 18-year-old population grows”.

Overall, 414,940 applicants have gained a place at university or college, down from 425,830 last year but up on 408,960 in 2019.

Pupils in Scotland received their results last week and the Scottish Qualifications Authority figures showed that the Higher pass rate was down from last year but it remained above 2019 levels.

Read more:
A-level results: Number of top grades down on last year but still above pre-pandemic levels

Smart maintenance software can be another important factor in manufacturing, helping to ensure that machines and tools break down less often and run with a low error rate. This is by no means a matter of pure schedule management.

The inventory software from the Swiss company Timly tackles the issue holistically. Maintenance planning, documentation, provision of information and, if desired, linking with personnel files of maintenance staff are just some of the functions included in the software package.

Maintenance planner: Industry has special requirements

Planning the maintenance and repair of complex industrial production facilities can become a real challenge in practice. One reason for this is the multitude of relevant laws and regulations. In addition, there are possible internal requirements.

A rough distinction can be made between three areas:

-Safety requirements: The result from legal obligations, the regulations of the GDPR, and other industry-specific ordinances. Those responsible have little leeway. Inspection deadlines must be adhered to in order to avoid sanctions by inspection bodies.

-function-maintaining specifications: These are maintenance and inspection schedules that are recommended or prescribed by the manufacturer in order not to lose warranty claims, for example. Regular maintenance also contributes to the longevity of machines.

-Individual specifications: The work processes in the company usually make it necessary to carry out certain recurring activities on a daily basis. These can be cleaning tasks or the refilling of operating materials. Here, too, there is hardly any flexibility if the operational readiness of the work equipment is not to be jeopardised.

Coordination is difficult if the upcoming appointments are managed in different systems. It is also helpful if the schedule management is directly linked to the documentation. In this way, it is easy to see what condition a machine was in during the last maintenance process and what work was carried out.

This is where Timly’s maintenance software comes in. The claim is that only one solution is needed around the topic of inventory and maintenance.

Use software for maintenance management: Advantages and important prerequisites

Software-based appointment management is standard in all sectors nowadays. Automatic reminders, checking for collisions and the simple creation of overviews are functions that can be fulfilled in this way, saving time and avoiding errors.

However, to get by with a uniform system, the maintenance software used must be able to record a wide variety of assets. For this purpose, Timly offers dynamic profiles that can ultimately be adapted to parameters of almost all conceivable inventory items. In practice, it is used to manage furniture as well as complex machines and vehicles.

For easier allocation, container objects can also be defined to which other assets are linked. In this way, a production plant consisting of many individual components is mapped logically. With this model, dates and documents of machine components can be recorded in a fine-granular way. It is then possible to display a general overview for a production area.

Timly’s maintenance software helps keep track of tools and machines

(Copyright: Timly Software AG)

Inventory management, maintenance planner – software simplifies workflows

The use of maintenance software such as Timly can be seamlessly integrated into smart production, also known as Industry 4.0. The programme is designed as a cloud service. Setup and secure connection in accordance with the requirements of the DSGVO are already included in the software package.

Access is possible with any mobile device that has an internet connection. The integration of IoT sensors has also already been implemented. GPS trackers can be used, for example, to locate mobile work equipment. Monthly costs for the SIM card are included in the package.

In addition to the possibility of integrating a GPS device, interfaces have also been implemented for equipment control through distance measuring devices and smart sensors for temperature and humidity measurement.

Timly cooperates in this area with adnexo, the established Swiss manufacturer of high-quality IoT sensor technology. Measured values can thus be documented automatically and, if desired, coupled with notifications from responsible persons when previously defined events occur. Time-consuming manual checks on machines are increasingly being eliminated.

Maintenance app simplifies information exchange

To access information from the maintenance mangement software from all conceivable work locations, Timly offers a web app for smartphones and tablets. In combination with the possibility of marking assets with QR codes, this creates an intuitive way to call up the profile of a piece of work equipment.

All that is needed is to scan the QR code with the integrated barcode scanner. Employees can call up all relevant information directly at the workstation and update it if necessary.

Process and file maintenance logs with software

Regulations require formal documentation of maintenance work and test results. The type and scope are based on industry standards such as DIN 31051 and DIN EN 13306.

With its maintenance software, Timly offers the possibility of filing documents of all kinds in the digital file of a device. Therefore, a log can be filled out directly on the mobile device on site and saved in real time in the device profile.

If Timly is also used for personnel management, this applies analogously to qualification proofs and certificates of the inspection personnel. In this way, maximum transparency is provided. If desired, every employee can convince himself of the legally compliant condition of a machine. All the necessary documents are available for inspections.

Use Excel as a maintenance planner: Not a sensible alternative in industry

Before purchasing maintenance software, the question often arises in practice as to whether a comparable functionality can also be depicted with existing programmes such as Excel. However, the requirements of modern maintenance planning usually exceed the possibilities of the spreadsheet programme.

Multi-user capability and poor manageability on mobile devices stand in the way. Smart functions, such as checking for scheduling conflicts and automatic reminders, can only be implemented with VBA scripts. Ultimately, maintenance planning with Excel generates a significantly higher workload compared to the use of specialised maintenance software such as Timly.

Timly’s asset tracking software also has clear advantages in specialised sectors such as wood processing or IT.

Always keep everything in view with Timly’s intuitive maintenance software

(Copyright: Timly Software AG)

Market leader in maintenance software: industrial customers rely on Timly

Timly’s maintenance planner has become one of the market leaders in maintenance software in a short time. Customers include companies such as SodaStream, Siemens, Panasonic and Bayer. The diversity of the clientele shows that Timly’s universal approach to inventory management and maintenance planning meets practical requirements.

The functional scope of the maintenance software is constantly being expanded and adapted to current problems to ensure its future viability.

Maintenance planner free of charge: test the full version in everyday life

The software manufacturer offers a free test phase so that those responsible in companies have the opportunity to test the handling of Timly based on their own work processes. All functions of the maintenance software are available. Feedback from your own employees is a good basis for determining acceptance and suitability for everyday use before the software is introduced in your own company.

Read more:
How smart maintenance software digitises manual processes

Waves washing over your feet, breathing in the cool mountain air, enjoying a cocktail on a warm continental evening…

Whilst annual leave is a well-deserved break, it can be difficult to deal with holiday handovers before any time off can begin. This is also applicable to team members who are also planning holidays; and those that are left behind and have to keep the show running.

A good holiday handover means you can benefit from your downtime without worrying about business. It will also take away much of the anxiety from the people you ask to step into your shoes.

Make it a great holiday handover, though, and it will empower your team – allowing them to develop new skills and experience, and possibly grow into future leaders.

The HR Dept has some top tips for your personal holiday handovers, enabling a smooth progression from the 9-5, to unwinding. These tips are also applicable to any employees who are also taking a break, as well as business leaders.

Plan early

Let key people know when you are away in good time so that responsibilities are not sprung on them. This also acts as a failsafe to ensure that holiday absences do not clash, leaving no one at the helm. There needs to be an understanding of what will need to be done while you are away, in particular, identifying any essential tasks or deadlines. Prioritise everything in order of importance and choose who to assign responsibilities to. Think about the workloads of everyone remaining in the business while there is an annual leave absence.

Think strategically about learning and development

You’ll want to choose an adequate person for the job but think also if there is the opportunity to help someone grow into a leadership role. A two-week spell with more responsibility could be the perfect dress rehearsal to see if a junior member of staff is ready for a promotion. They are placed a little out of their comfort zone and given a chance to shine. They will learn new skills and get a feel for what extra responsibility feels like. Even if it turns out they are not ready to permanently level up, they will be a step closer to it thanks to the experience.

Train where necessary

If your deputy will be taking on new tasks for which they are unfamiliar, provide them with some training so they can hit the ground running. Reinforce this with written notes which they can refer to when you are away. Shadowing you may work well for certain tasks, so they can see how you tackle them. This may be particularly apt where it involves meeting other people, say, clients or suppliers, so that you get the opportunity to introduce them as well. Also, ensure they have access to the resources they need to perform your role – whether it is user-permissions within software, or physical access to tools and equipment.

The return handover

Don’t forget the debriefing when you return. Offer praise for a job well done, and mentoring and support in areas where they need development. Review how the business coped whilst you were away and consider what may need to be put in place in the future to make future spells of annual leave even more successful.

Read more:
How to do a great holiday handover

There are many options available when it comes to betting in 2023, but with so much variety, it can be difficult for newbies to decide which bets are right for them.

The good thing is, once you get your head around the basics, and try your hand at a few bets online, for example at gambling sites not on GamStop, you will find online betting quite easy as a pastime.

Here, we’ll present an overview of everything you need to know before getting started.

An Overview of Betting for Beginners

To get started with online betting, you must first register with an online site or platform that offers the type of bets you are interested in, whether it is sports betting or some other. Then you would need to take the time to understand the different bets available. The most common types of online bets include single-event bets such as predicting who will win a game, and multi-event wagers which involve predicting multiple outcomes across multiple games.

Parlay bets, meanwhile, involve betting on multiple outcomes at once. Props are bets placed on specific player performances within a game, and futures bets are long-term bets over the course of an entire season, like who will win the league title. No matter the bet, it’s important to know the different rules and regulations that must be followed at the online casino you choose.

Beginners should also be aware of where and how they can place their bets. Most people choose online sportsbooks or casinos not on GamStop UK for instance, as these offer convenience and security when placing bets online. Whether you are on the move or sitting in the comfort of your home, if you own a smartphone or tablet, you can place bets with just a few clicks.

You could also play at live dealer casinos where you will be able to interact with real dealers in real time. This adds an extra layer of excitement and realism to the experience. If you prefer a more social atmosphere, then you could try out a land-based casino. There you can meet other players and enjoy the thrill of playing against them in person.

Understanding Probability and Odds in Online Casino Games

When playing online casino games, one thing you should understand is probability, which is the likelihood that a certain outcome will occur in a given situation. You should also understand the odds associated with each game. Odds are the ratio of favorable outcomes to unfavorable outcomes. Knowing these two concepts are key to making informed decisions when playing online casino games.

It is also important to understand how different types of bets affect your chances of winning. For instance, betting on single numbers in roulette has greater wins but lower odds than betting on even or odd numbers. Similarly, some slot machines have greater wins but lower odds than others. Understanding these differences can help you choose which games to play and which bets you should place for maximum returns.

Tips for Responsible Betting

Responsible gambling is all about making sure you are in control of your gaming habits. To ensure this, it’s important to have a few strategies in place.

As mentioned, always be aware of the odds when playing any game. Knowing the odds can help you make more informed decisions about which games to play and how to bet on them. Also be sure to take regular breaks from betting as this will help you take the time to analyze your wins and work out how to place more savvy bets. You should also create a budget and stick to it at all times. This will help you not to spend too much on betting than you can afford. Responsible betting also requires that you avoid chasing loses – when you lose, accept it and try some other time, instead of continuing to play in the hope of recouping your losses.

How to Find a Safe and Reputable Online Casino

When looking for a safe and reputable online casino, it’s important to do your research by reading reviews from trusted sources like gambling review sites or forums. This will give you an idea of what other players have experienced when playing at the casino in question. Also, make sure the casino offers customer support services such as live chat or telephone support, so you can get help if needed.

Discovering New Ways to Enjoy Betting

If you’re looking for new ways to enjoy betting, there are several options available. One option is to try out different types of bets. For example, instead of just betting on the outcome of a game or race, you could also bet on teams or individual players. This can add an extra layer of excitement and challenge to your betting experience. Another option is to explore different sportsbooks and online casinos that offer different types of bets and bonuses. This will give you access to more opportunities. You could also look into joining a fantasy sports league where you can compete against other players in predicting outcomes and earning points based on how well your predictions turn out.

In conclusion, online betting is fairly straightforward to understand. Just remember the basics which are researching your bets, finding reliable sportsbooks or betting sites, and understanding the odds. With that, you should be able to make informed decisions and get the most out of your experience.

Read more:
The basics of online betting for newbies

A recession hitting the UK economy is looking like an increasingly far flung prospect after yet more data today shows businesses and families are fending off the cost of living crunch.

A net balance of 43 per cent of UK businesses are buoyant about the economy over the coming year, the highest level in a year, according to research firm S&P Global and consultancy Accenture.

The level also rose sharply 18 per cent from October.

The survey indicates economists’ bets on Britain falling behind its European and cross-Atlantic partners and slipping into recession this year may be overblown.

Business confidence in Europe was a net 23 per cent, nearly half the level recorded in the UK, while in the US, confidence hit 32 per cent.

Experts at the turn of the year warned Britain was on track to suffer the longest recession in a century that would wipe around three per cent off of GDP.

But a batch of numbers out in the past couple months have signalled that families and businesses are still spending and are holding up well amid the cost of living crisis.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics last week revealed output grew 0.3 per cent in January, much better than the 0.1 per cent forecast by City economists.

Inflation has dropped for three straight months, although it is still in the double digits, while the purchasing managers’ indexes have returned to growth territory.

Separate figures out today from consultancy BDO today also show output is rising at the quickest pace since January 2022.

As a result, “the anticipated recession now set to be milder than previously feared,” the organisation said.

Matt Prebble, strategy and Consulting Lead for Accenture in the UK and Ireland, said: “The renewed optimism among UK businesses once again demonstrates their resilience in the face of economic uncertainty.”

Jeremy Hunt is readying what is expected to be a ‘placeholder’ budget on Wednesday in which little tax and spending announcements will be launched.

Better than feared economic growth will boost the Chancellor’s capacity to support firms by lifting tax revenues.

Estimates from think tanks the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Resolution Foundation indicate the Chancellor has around £9bn to spend next week.

He is reportedly mulling watering down and extending the 130 per cent super deduction to soothe the impact of corporation tax rising to 25 per cent from 19 per cent.

Over the weekend, Hunt announced a series of measures to be included in the budget that are designed to strengthen the workforce, which has been knocked by around 900,000 people leaving it since the start of the pandemic.

Swelling costs, primarily caused by energy bills skyrocketing after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and higher wages, are crimping companies’ margins.

“As they strive to tackle economic headwinds and drive growth once more, businesses will need a helping hand from the government in Wednesday’s Spring Budget to continue creating jobs and economic opportunities for communities across the country,” Ed Dwan, partner at BDO, said.

Read more:
Recession avoided as UK steams ahead of Europe and US

Independent bookshops are a cornerstone of many high streets, offering cosy reading nooks and personalised recommendations to those willing to venture into town for their next paperback.

But running one is no easy feat. Sapphire Bates feared she would have to close the doors of her shop in Kent after rising business costs and a drop in custom left her £800 in the red. But an appeal on Twitter caught the imagination of book lovers and top-selling authors.

“We need your help,” Bates wrote. “I run Book Bodega, an indy bookshop in Ramsgate. Winter is killing us, it’s so quiet and we need to make £800 by Tuesday to pay our bills.”

Alongside the tweet, Bates, 29, posted a photo of her shop with no customers inside. But after reaching out to her followers for support, she said she was “gobsmacked” by the response.

“It was such a difference on Sunday,” she said. “We had people coming in all day. Even people who weren’t in a position to buy were coming in just to say, ‘We really love what you’re doing, we like your shop and we want to see independent bookshops do well’. There’s been a lot of love. Everyone’s been so kind. I’m so grateful.”

Bates, who opened Book Bodega in June last year with her partner, Nicholas Turner, said the response was “a massive motivational boost”. The couple have struggled to get authors to come to the shop, as Ramsgate is often overlooked by publishers when they are launching books. Adam Kay, the author of This is Going to Hurt, saw the tweet and offered to do a free event in the shop. Others who got in touch to offer support include Anthony Horowitz, the writer of the Alex Rider series; Sue Perkins, former host of The Great British Bake Off; the romance writer Jill Mansell; and Deborah Frances-White, presenter of the podcast The Guilty Feminist.

Bates said that she knew running a bookshop in a seaside town would come with challenges during winter but she had not realised just how difficult it would be. “Winter was tight but we’d managed to pay for everything,” she said. “This month was the first where we’ve been short by quite a lot of money.”

Bates had about 500 followers on Twitter before last weekend. Now she has more than 7,000. The shop is now inviting cash and book donations so it can give back to the local community. It is supporting Cliftonville Community Centre in Margate, which helps struggling families in the area, and Bates hopes to support other local causes.

Bates hopes her appeal reminds people to support local, independent bookshops, whether online or visiting in person. “I know it’s not just us that’s having a hard time this winter. It’s all bookshops, across the board,” she said.

Read more:
Book Bodega of Ramsgate turns new page with Twitter SOS

The biggest rail workers’ union has rejected what the Transport Secretary has described as the “best and final offers” aimed at resolving the long-running disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

Mark Harper described the move by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) to reject the proposals from Network Rail and the train operating companies as “a kick in the teeth for passengers”.

He said it is clear “no realistic offer” will be accepted by the union as hopes faded that the dispute will be resolved any time soon.

Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, said they had to reject the “dreadful offers” after a consultation of his members and vowed to keep up industrial action for “as long as it takes”.

The RMT said its executive decided to reject both offers on the basis that they do not meet members’ expectations on pay, job security or working conditions.

The union said it was seeking an “unconditional” pay offer, a job security agreement and no detrimental changes being imposed on members’ terms, conditions and working practices.

The union said it believes Network Rail’s plans for maintenance were unsafe, unhealthy for staff and unworkable. Network Rail rejects the union’s claims.

But Mr Harper said: “The RMT’s rejection of these best and final offers is a kick in the teeth for passengers across the country and their own members, who having been ordered to take strike action are now being blocked from having a say on their own future.

“It is now clear that no realistic offer is ever going to be good enough for the RMT leadership.”

The RMT said it will now seek further meetings with Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group to try to achieve a negotiated settlement.

Mr Lynch said: “We have carried out an in-depth consultation of our 40,000 members and the message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers.

“Our members cannot accept the ripping up of their terms and conditions or to have safety standards on the railway put into jeopardy under the guise of so-called modernisation.

“If our union did accept these offers, we would see a severe reduction in scheduled maintenance tasks, making the railways less safe, the closure of all ticket offices and thousands of jobs stripped out of the industry when the railways need more investment, not less.

“Our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes to get a negotiated settlement that meets our members’ reasonable expectations on jobs, pay and working conditions.”

Both Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group have offered a pay deal worth 9% over two years.

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) said its members will vote on the same offer it has received from the Rail Delivery Group.

A TSSA spokesman said: “Members involved in this long-running dispute will now have the chance to vote on whether what the train companies have come up with is enough to address their demands.

“What is on the table now is a result of careful negotiations and the commitment of our members in their determination to demonstrate our collective industrial strength.”

A Rail Delivery Group spokesman said: “Our passengers and many hard-working RMT members will be deeply dismayed that the union leadership has opted to reject our fair proposals without putting out a vote to their full membership in a democratic referendum.

“Having listened to the union’s concerns during recent negotiations, we went back to the table with substantial changes to give colleagues a minimum pay increase of at least 9% over two years – rising to over 13% for the lowest paid – which they will now miss out on without even having had an opportunity to have their say. We removed driver-only operation and gave an improved job security offer.

“The railway’s financial crisis is not going away. We remain willing to engage, but the RMT leadership must now accept the urgent need to make the railway fit for the future for both our people, and the communities the railway serves.”

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail chief negotiator, said: “The RMT’s leadership is condemning its members to a further round of fruitless, pointless and costly strikes, for passengers, for employees and for the economy.

“We have made multiple concessions, compromises and offers, while the RMT has shifted on nothing.

“It’s time for a second referendum on our new, revised offer and time to end this and work together to rebuild our railway.”

Read more:
Union rejects ‘dreadful’ pay deal as Lynch promises to prolong strike misery

What makes a good PM in leadership and how can this apply to business leaders? 

We speak to Nick Gold, MD, Speakers Corner to find out his opinion on the overarching traits of great leaders, and establish how this impacted the recent UK leadership contest that took place in September.

The characteristics of a good leader

Traditionally, good leaders have been characterised as strong, powerful, and assertive. And while these qualities have value, it takes far more than a loud voice and a commanding presence to be a great leader in 2022.

As the UK’s leading speaker bureau, we’ve encountered dozens of incredible leaders and leadership speakers. Here are the traits they have in common:

• Empathy — the power to understand others’ problems and perspectives
• Accomplishment — the ability to deliver success (and a track record to prove it)
• Confidence — the self-belief and charisma to instil confidence in others
• Vulnerability — the strength of character to admit they don’t have all the answers.

So how do these characteristics apply to our new PM — and what can business leaders learn from them?

Empathy — the hallmark of a modern leader

Understanding the problems faced by your constituents is an inherent part of being a politician. But Truss has faced accusations of lack of empathy by journalists, celebrities, and even members of her own party. So is empathy as important as it seems?

Research suggests empathy isn’t just useful — it’s the most important leadership skill. Empathy breeds inclusivity, which is linked with positive outcomes like better engagement, high retention rates, and improved problem-solving. It shows you understand and care about the problems people face everyday, which gives them confidence in you as a leader and ally.

But empathy is about more than just lending a listening ear. You must also take action to tackle those problems.

Accomplishment — aligning action with objectives

Taking effective action to drive success isn’t always easy. But great leaders back up their words with action and do everything they can to achieve their goals.

This is perhaps why Partygate was one of the final nails in Boris Johnson’s ministerial coffin. Boris set out criteria for success and how the country could achieve it: reducing the spread of Covid-19 by reducing contact. Then he did the exact opposite by holding regular in-person gatherings at Downing Street.

Rishi Sunak’s furlough scheme was widely lauded for keeping people in jobs throughout the pandemic. But his popularity then dipped, thanks to the still-growing cost of living crisis. As then-Chancellor, the looming recession took its toll on his leadership chances.

As foreign secretary, Liz Truss’s accomplishments had been arguably lower profile than her rival’s. But certain achievements — like helping Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe return to the UK after 5 previous foreign secretaries failed to — may have been overlooked.

Good leaders get results. Leadership speaker Chris Roebuck says, “Too often, leadership speakers just focus on individuals being a better leader. But that doesn’t necessarily deliver success for the organisation.” Proven track records of success speak for themselves — they show others that you’re trustworthy, skilled, and experienced, giving them confidence in you as a leader.

Confidence — charisma and self-belief create empowered teams

When Boris Johnson was in the race to become prime minister back in 2019, one journalist described charm as his “secret weapon.” And while Johnson certainly has his critics, few can deny that his irreverent humour and sheer force of personality have been key to his leadership success.

Research tells us that voters view politicians who don’t appear confident less favourably. Perhaps this is why Conservative party members are nostalgic for the outgoing PM versus Truss. But both Truss and Sunak possessed the self-belief to see them to the final stages of the leadership contest.

Confidence is essential for leaders. It gives you the strength to face challenges, influence others, and inspire teams. Studies have shown that confident leaders are perceived as calmer, more open, and willing to engage in feedback — creating a better working environment for everyone.

Vulnerability — an underrated skill in the age of accountability

At a time when one public gaffe can wreck reputations and send share values tumbling, vulnerability is often difficult to display — especially for politicians.

In a now-infamous interview, Liz Truss’s numerous U-turns are exposed in toe-curling fashion. Some people view this as flightiness. But despite her repeated backtracking, her strong lead in the polls remained. So perhaps her willingness to own her mistakes and change her mind was popular with party members.

Ambiguity and change are increasingly present in our fast-paced world. So it’s impossible to be steadfast at all times. It’s not easy admitting you don’t have all the answers, or that you were wrong — especially when you’re a public figure. Being open to feedback and displaying openness are powerful tools for any leader looking to inspire and motivate others.

Leadership speakers to inspire staff

Polling data suggested Truss was on course to win the 2022 leadership contest before the final decision had been announced — but it remains to be seen if she has the genuine leadership skills of other powerful politicians. You only have to hear the speeches of Winston Churchill and Barack Obama to understand how great politicians are built on these leadership traits.

It’s much easier to become a good leader if you have a role model to share their experience and expertise with you. That’s why leadership speakers are so popular.

Leadership speakers engage with staff and event attendees on a whole other level. They demonstrate the impact of strong leadership both logically and emotionally, through storytelling and sheer presence. Watch and learn Business Matters readers – the more leadership speakers you can see, the better you will lead your own business.

Read more:
What can we learn about leadership from the recent PM race?

Dr. John Vitarello is a medical doctor and fellow of cardiovascular disease at the University of Virginia.

Read more:
How Dr. John Anthony Pacelli Vitarello Is Helping Americans Fight Heart Disease

Boots has launched a new budget brand that includes toiletries such as shampoo, shower gel and toothpaste for under £1 as the deepening cost of living crisis leaves UK shoppers cutting back even on essential items.

The high street health and beauty chain said it had created the new “everyday” brand to make it easier for customers to find the lowest-priced toiletries on its shelves as living costs continue to rise.

Jenna Whittingham-Ward, the head of beauty for Boots brands and exclusives, said the budget brand would allow customers to make “make small everyday switches to help save money” while leaving them “clean and feeling good”.

“At a time when many people are facing choices between heating and eating and we’re all bracing ourselves for a winter of feeling the pinch more than ever, we’re offering a no-compromise range to help customers,” she said.

With UK inflation running above 10% for the first time in 40 years, driven by soaring prices of food and fuel, Boots said shoppers were looking for deals and promotions.

Everything in the 60-product range will cost £1.50 or less, including large bottles of shampoo and conditioner for 75p and period products starting at 70p. The range also includes toothbrushes, cleansing wipes and hand wash.

Retailers are being forced to adapt to straitened times as retail sales data highlights shoppers cutting back and switching to cheaper own-label products.

Boots has already frozen the price of more than 1,500 products until at least the end of the year to make sure they remain affordable for customers.

In May, Asda launched the “just essentials” food brand aimed at shoppers facing pressure on their household finances, with the supermarket recently reporting that one in three shoppers were regularly buying the label.

Boots said the budget mango and papaya shampoo and 85p “zingy” raspberry and pomegranate shower gel would not disappoint, with Whittingham-Ward saying it had stuck to its slogan, “if it has got Boots on it, it has got our best in it”.

Makeup sales often thrive in difficult economic times as small luxuries become a way for cash-strapped consumers to treat themselves. This idea is known as the “lipstick effect” and Boots said it was seeing evidence of the trend, with overall beauty sales up 14% on last year and demand for fragrances rising by nearly a fifth.

“Sales of beauty products at Boots continue to rise, suggesting customers still want to treat themselves to new makeup, perfume or skincare, despite cost of living pressures,” said Seb James, the chief executive of Boots UK.

“During the last recession, we experienced two things: firstly, the ‘lipstick effect’, which is the determination to continue purchasing small treats, and secondly, increased spending on own label and promotions,” he added. “These trends have returned, with 500,000 new signups to our Advantage card [Boots’ loyalty scheme] within six months – the biggest number of new joiners for some time.”

Read more:
Boots launches budget range as UK shoppers cut back in cost of living crisis

British businesses are scrambling to sever economic ties with China in the wake of increased political and security tensions between Beijing and the west, an industry leader has said.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director general, Tony Danker, warned that the sudden restructuring of supply chains from China could also exacerbate the cost of living crisis.

Speaking to FT Weekend, he said thousands of companies in the UK were engaged in rethinking supply chains in anticipation of anti-China political sentiment hardening.

Danker said the UK would need to find new trade partners and rekindle old ones – such as the EU – if the west cuts ties with China, and that if Britain failed to do that, corporate supply chains would be “more expensive and thus inflationary” and its trade strategy would be redefined.

“If the political experts and security experts are right, we are all going to need to be good friends again,” he said.

“Every company that I speak to at the moment is engaged in rethinking their supply chains … because they anticipate that our politicians will inevitably accelerate towards a decoupled world from China.”

The CBI boss said Britain needed “new strategic alliances in the world”. In Washington, he added, the need for companies to build “resilience” in preparation for a divorce from China was “all they are talking about”.

“It doesn’t take a genius to think cheap goods and cheaper goods may be a thing of the past,” Danker said, warning that price rises were inevitable.

The CBI chief’s comments about Britain’s economic reliance on China come as the Conservative leadership race continues, in which the issue of China has featured heavily.

Earlier in the week, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak clashed over who would take the toughest stance on China.

The contenders to become the new prime minister accused each other of pursuing a closer relationship with China, and both pledged to stand up to the threat posed by the superpower to Britain’s national and economic security.

Truss accused her rival of “pushing for closer trade relationships”, while Sunak said “Liz has been on a journey” to get to a point where she opposed closer ties.

Danker said he was happy to see both candidates appearing to grasp the need for a positive business strategy.

However, he also voiced concern that climate issues and opportunities of economic growth in the green sector were not being taken seriously. The green agenda was being treated derisively as a “woke” issue, he said.

“The candidates need to be careful. I understand the politics, but being a green sceptic now is eroding the platform you will have as prime minister for what we think is the biggest economic and business opportunity for the UK.”

Read more:
UK firms are cutting ties with China amid wider tensions, CBI chief says

Trademark application disputes have surged to record levels since Brexit, according to research by a law firm of official figures.

The number of oppositions to UK trademark applications more than doubled to 8,026 last year, compared with 3,584 in 2020, Mathys & Squire, the intellectual property law firm, said.

Britain left the European Union’s trademark system in January last year, meaning that any business wishing to protect a trademark now needs to make a separate application. Mathys & Squire said it had led to a “rush” to file applications and, in turn, a rise in the number of oppositions being filed.

Recent disputes include McDonald’s opposition to an application to register the McVegan trademark in the UK, which the fast-food chain won, and Shine TV, the producer of the BBC’s MasterChef series, successfully opposing three applications for trademarks incorporating Master Chef Academy for education and training services.

There were a record number of applications, with 195,000 in the year to October, up 54 per cent on the year before, official figures showed.

The “significant” increase in trademark applications resulted in a lengthening backlog at the Intellectual Property Office, the government agency that handles them, and the average examination feedback turnaround time for customers increased from five to fifteen days to up to three months, the office’s annual report showed. It said it had since returned to the previous level.

To help to deal with the demand, the office has appointed 259 new members of staff, including trademark examiners, patent examiners and IT specialists.

“Reductions to this feedback time are planned in 2021-22 with the aim to achieve normal service levels by the end of the year,” the office said in its last annual report.

Disputes over trademarks, known as trademark oppositions, occur when a business files an application with the office and another person or business tries to block it. The office then will determine whether it should be refused on the basis of an earlier right or other grounds, such as bad faith.

Harry Rowe, managing associate at Mathys & Squire, said: “It is likely that this is no short-term spike in disputes, this is what trademark protection in the UK is now going to look like.

“Brexit has opened up a whole new battlefield for businesses with valuable brands to protect. Prior to Brexit, trademark owners could protect their trademark across all the EU member states in one application. Now that the UK is no longer covered in an EU trademark, trademark owners must file two separate applications in order to achieve the same protection.”

Read more:
Brexit increases battles over trademarks

Google and Facebook would be forced to agree a price with newspapers for using their stories under new laws being drawn up by the government.

If adopted, the tech giants would be told to negotiate payment deals with news organisations in order to display their content. Should talks collapse, arbitrators would set a fair price.

The plans from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are understood to be modelled on a law passed by the Australian government in February last year, which drew fierce opposition from the two platforms.

Facebook initially responded to the move by blocking all news content to Australians but reversed the decision after negotiations with the government and tweaks to the law.

Similar action in the UK would serve to counter concerns over tech companies taking the lion’s share of online advertising revenue by ensuring that public interest journalism is funded.

The new regime would be regulated by the Digital Markets Unit, the digital watchdog set up within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

It would be given powers to act “swiftly and effectively” where the regulator found that a platform had not offered “fair and reasonable remuneration for its use of publisher content”, a government source media.

Algorithms used by search engines that filter how people read and access news will also be investigated by the unit amid criticism from publishers that they work to the detriment of quality, paid-for journalism.

Google and Facebook took about 80 per cent of the £14 billion spent on digital advertising in the UK in 2019, according to the CMA. National and local newspapers took less than 4 per cent. Google has a more than 90 per cent share of the search advertising market in the UK. Facebook controls more than half of the display advertising sector.

The CMA has said it wants to “lift the lid on how advertising revenue drives the business model” and ensure that major platforms “do not engage in exploitative or exclusionary practices”.

A source in the department told The Mail on Sunday, which first reported the story, that the planned regime was “pro-competition” and “supports the sustainability of the press” by tackling the “imbalance of power between the largest platforms and publishers”.

Legislation would be introduced “as soon as parliamentary time allows”.

Facebook pays UK news outlets millions of pounds a year to license their articles but is still in the crosshairs of the crackdown over its dominance of online advertising. The social media company also funds 80 trainee reporters in newsrooms across the country as part of the Community News Project.

Most British newspaper groups signed up to the scheme, under which articles appear in a dedicated news section on the site. In return, publishers have been promised substantial cash sums and the promise of new readers.

Read more:
Tech giants face being forced to pay for news

Rishi Sunak will today unveil a £500million funding package to help get furloughed workers back into jobs.

During the pandemic, the £70billion furlough scheme is credited with saving millions of jobs.

But around one million workers were still on the programme when it finally closed last week, sparking fears of a surge in unemployment.

In his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference today, the Chancellor will announce funding to ‘prioritise’ job support for workers coming off furlough.

The £500million extension to the Government’s plan for jobs will also provide tailored packages for others hit by the pandemic, including the young and workers aged over 50.

Last night Mr Sunak declared he is ‘ready to double-down’ on his promise to ‘do whatever it takes’ to recover from Covid-19.

He said the furlough scheme protected 11million jobs and the UK is ‘experiencing one of the strongest and fastest recoveries of any major economy in the world’.

He added: ‘But the job is not done yet and I want to make sure our economy is fit for the future, and that means providing the support and skills people need to get into work and get on in life.’

The Chancellor will also use today’s speech to set out his vision of shaping the economy around ‘the forces of science, technology and imagination’.

He will pledge to ‘make the United Kingdom the most exciting place on the planet’ through enhanced infrastructure, improved skills and scientific investment.

Today’s jobs package will see those coming off furlough prioritised for jobs support during the next three months.

Measures will include mock interviews and help with writing CVs and applying for jobs.

Under the measures, the Kickstart scheme helping young people on universal credit will be extended to next March.

In its first five months, the scheme has found work placements for 76,900 young people.

The £3,000 incentive for new apprentices will also be extended until the end of January.

Treasury sources said the over-50s have seen the second largest fall in employment during the pandemic and are ‘much less likely’ to return to the workplace than younger colleagues.

They will also be offered tailored support to find a new job.

The Treasury said more than £500million of new funding will be used for the package, coming from the education plus the work and pensions departments.

Last night the Confederation of British Industry welcomed the package. Chief policy director Matthew Fell said: ‘Businesses are committed to playing their full part in training and re-skilling the workforce of tomorrow as we move towards a new economy.’

The announcement of the investment comes after the Chancellor pushed ahead with the end of furlough and the cut to universal credit.

A £20-a-week increase in the benefit introduced during the Covid crisis is due to finish on Wednesday.

Since the start of the pandemic, furlough has helped pay the wages of 11.6million workers at a cost of almost £70billion.

Mr Fell added: ‘Businesses will welcome the Chancellor’s plan for jobs pivoting from furlough to economic recovery.

‘With record vacancies and widespread labour shortages, this package’s success will be measured by its ability to get people back into work.’

Labour’s work and pensions spokesman Jonathan Reynolds said last night: ‘The Government’s struggling Plan for Jobs has failed to hit its original targets; it is not creating the number of jobs needed and has failed to address the supply chain crisis Britain is experiencing.

‘Giving himself an extended deadline will do nothing to compensate for the Chancellor’s tax rises, cost of living crisis and cuts to universal credit which are set to hammer millions of working families.

‘Labour would create new jobs with our plan to buy, make and sell more in Britain to get our economy firing on all cylinders.’

Read more:
Rishi Sunak to unveil £500M funding package to help get furloughed workers back into jobs

A detailed analysis of how the UK’s small businesses were impacted by COVID-19 and other economic challenges in 2020 has been published in a joint study by UKs leading payments authorities.

The research, which set out to track how many organisations suffered from late payment and the impact this has on their future sustainability, found that more than half of all of the country’s smaller businesses suffered from late payment, facing a collective debt burden of £17.5 billion.

A significant 51 percent of UK small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) were affected by delays in receiving payments for goods and services; that’s broadly in line with 2019 data which showed 54 percent of SMEs experiencing late payments and well above the figures reported in 2017 and 2018.

When it comes to a regional split, Scottish businesses are the worst affected. Three in five of those surveyed (60 percent) have experienced late payments, with Wales at 59 percent and Northern Ireland 57 percent.

And, while the overall amount owed to the country’s SMEs fell from £23bn in 2019 to £17.5bn in 2020, the total remains considerably higher than the £12.9bn late payments debt reported in 2018 and 2017’s £14.2bn.

On a more positive note, the average overdue amount dropped to just under £20,000 compared with 2019’s £25,000, although it isn’t clear if the reduction in overall business activity throughout the pandemic had an impact on those numbers. The average overdues also need to be seen in the context of feedback that says the futures of 59 percent of SMEs would be threatened if late payment volumes reached £50,000 or more.

The research, carried out at the end of 2020 by the people responsible for Direct Debit, Faster Payments, and cheques in the UK, also showed that UK SMEs are paying out billions to collect money they are legitimately owed. Almost a fifth (18 percent) of those waiting on funds spent more than £500 per month chasing payments in 2020, adding up to a hefty £5bn total bill for the UK’s smaller businesses.

And SMEs are often waiting a long time for important invoices to be settled; three quarters of those experiencing late payments receive funds one month or more over agreed terms, and 27 percent are waiting longer than two months. This could go some way to explaining why a third of small businesses experiencing late payments have to rely on bank finance, and why one in five resort to reducing directors’ salaries in order to manage cashflow.

The worst offenders for paying late are businesses in the private sector, accounting for 59 percent and £10.9bn of overdue invoices. But what is most interesting, especially given the noise made by various small business organisations that would suggest the problem is restricted to large businesses alone, is that more than three quarters of the outstanding private sector debt (£8.3bn) is owed by one SME to another! Corporates owe £2.6bn, while late payments from consumers tot up to £4.4bn (24 percent) with the public sector at £3.1bn, or 17 percent.

Dougie Belmore, Pay.UK’s Chief Payments Officer says that 2020 brought many challenges: “Notwithstanding the challenges of COVID, I find it disquieting that more than half of the country’s smaller companies are struggling with late payments. Right now, there are more ways than ever to settle a bill and I’d encourage any business dealing with overdue invoices to make payment as easy as possible. Offering a choice of payment options or dates, or moving to automated collection with Direct Debit, could help to remove perceived barriers, and may go some way to helping overcome the problem.”

Sue Chapple, Chief Executive of the CICM, says that late payment cannot be put solely at the foot of larger corporates: “Certainly the feedback we are receiving from members, many of whom hold senior roles in major PLCs, is that they are taking significant steps to protect their supply chain, and some are even insisting on paying supplier invoices within 14 days or less, regardless of longer terms and conditions.

“Small businesses can take action to reduce late payment volumes by invoicing correctly and on time and adhering to any specific requirements their customers may have (e.g a Purchase Order number) to ensure they do not fall foul of a simple process or risk their invoice being in dispute. They can also look at simple techniques such as offering small discounts for early settlement.

“Whereas there are, of course, many businesses who are wanting to pay late – partly because they, in turn, are trying to manage their own cash position – there are many more who value their supplier relationships. Agreeing terms and conditions from the outset, and employing professional credit management best practice, can make all the difference in getting paid and keeping the cash flowing.”

Read more:
Half of UK’s smaller businesses are owed £17.5 billion in late payments

Nowadays, working on a computer is frequently associated with mobile devices which don’t require a permanent connection to the power supply.

Modern notebooks, netbooks, and Ultrabooks are designed to be taken everywhere and the advanced technology allows to achieve longer performance time. However, sooner or later, our computer will inform us about the charging need due to a low energy level. Below we present the most important rules to extend the operating time as much as possible and to postpone recharging.

1. Reduce screen brightness

This is one of the essential factors which increases energy consumption. Working on a bright screen is certainly much more comfortable: eyes get less tired and the picture is clearer. However, it’s worth decreasing. The darker our screen is, the longer performance time without charging the device could be expected. Do not exaggerate with reducing brightness level, because in a long-term perspective it affects negatively your sight which is more important than the state of our computer’s battery.

2. Limit the number of programs launched at the start-up

Most applications start automatically at the same time as the system. This is a practical solution (applications are available immediately), but it consumes more battery power. Therefore, you may want to consider disabling all unnecessary programs, or even removing unused ones. This will not only help to maintain a good battery lifespan, but also keep your hardware running faster and trouble-free.

3. Unplug unnecessary devices

Any device connected to our computer requires a power source. Do not forget to unplug the 3G modem, Bluetooth adapter or external drive when not in use. Especially, an optical drive is a device that requires a lot of energy. It is often replaced by the USB flash drive.

4. Activate power saving mode

When you are not in the middle of a demanding game or work, your laptop will run in power-saving mode without a hitch. What’s more, your laptop battery will benefit from it as it allows to lower a clock speed of components and to control your screen brightness settings, especially when you don’t show any activity on the computer. By enabling the mode, you can extend the battery’s autonomy.

5. Control the temperature

Temperature is an extremely important factor that affects battery life. A battery generates energy and when there is too much of it, meaning that which it cannot use and safely transfer to any equipment, turns into heat, which can not only lead to permanent damage to the inside of the battery, but also to wear it out. In order to ensure optimal values, clean from time to time a heat extraction system (with compressed air or a compressor) and avoid using the device on soft surfaces (which could cover cooling holes). The purchase of a cooling mat will be a good solution.  Also take care that your laptop is not experiencing excessively low temperatures as well, as this, like overheating, can damage your laptop’s components and battery. Remember to clean your computer only when it’s shut down.

6. Let your battery rest

If you want to take a long break from using a laptop, it’s better to remove the battery and leave it in a cool, dry place, since even disconnected battery loses its energy (but, of course much slower), it’s better to charge it to about 50% to avoid deep discharge. Most of currently available on the market batteries are prone to complete energy loss. It can lead to the capacity reduction or even to a permanent damage. Remember to remove your battery according to the instructions included in the manual, only when the computer is shut down.

 7.Remember to save cycles

All batteries for laptops and other devices are designed to handle a certain number of charge cycles, usually somewhere around five hundred full cycles. Essentially, a charge cycle represents one full discharge to zero and then a recharge to full again. Discharging to about fifty per cent and recharging to full equals half a cycle. Each charge cycle decreases the capacity of the battery from its design specification, meaning that the fewer times you fully discharge it, the longer the battery will last.

 8.Unplug your laptop from the power supply every so often

Modern laptops can safely be left plugged in for long periods of time, and most powerful gaming laptops even work best when plugged in but not non-stop. Every laptop should  be unplugged from time to time. Recent scientific reports on devices such as laptops say that constantly plugged in laptops actually have fewer cycles than those that kept their batteries between 20% and 80%. Although you should not leave your laptop in this position at all times, this would only deplete the battery very quickly, so try to strike a balance and plug it in when you see that the battery has discharged below forty per cent.

 9.Use applications for measuring and analysing laptop batteries

If you do not wish to leave everything in the hands of fate or rely on guesswork, we highly recommend you install a laptop battery measurement and analysis app to help you always to keep an ear to the rail and plan your laptop usage. Such applications are available for both Windows and IOS laptops. The most popular one for Windows-based laptops is BatteryCare, which provides information such as storage temperature readings, discharge cycle monitoring and more. Users of IOS laptops, on the other hand, should consider installing Battery Monitor, which also provides the most relevant data on the subject.

Taking proper care of your laptop battery is important to ensure your mobile device lasts as long as possible, so if you want to enjoy your equipment for as long as possible, be sure to follow our advice. And if it is too late and you need to replace the battery in your laptop, buy accessories for it, or need advice on how to handle such equipment, you can always count on Battery Empire – https://batteryempire.co.uk/15-laptop-batteries

When you buy batteries from Battery Empire, you can be sure that you are purchasing a safe match for your electrical device.

Read more:
How to take care of your laptop battery?

The chancellor says his priority remains protecting jobs as official figures showed the coronavirus crisis had dealt the worst blow to the economy since the Great Frost of 1709.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said early estimates, subject to revision, suggested that gross domestic product (GDP) tumbled by 9.9% in 2020.

It was a consequence of large parts of the economy being placed in hibernation through unprecedented lockdowns and other restrictions on normal activity as efforts to contain COVID-19 took their toll on output.

The figures showed a fightback from the record quarterly slump between April and June, the second quarter, when GDP nosedived by 20% as a consequence of the initial lockdown.

They also confirmed the prospect of a so-called double-dip recession was averted at the end of the year amid renewed lockdown conditions, with a first estimate for the October-December quarter showing growth of 1% – a better than expected performance.

ONS deputy national statistician for economic statistics, Jonathan Athow, said: “Loosening of restrictions in many parts of the UK saw elements of the economy recover some lost ground in December, with hospitality, car sales and hairdressers all seeing growth.

“An increase in COVID-19 testing and tracing also boosted output.

“The economy continued to grow in the fourth quarter as a whole, despite the additional restrictions in November.

“However, GDP for the year fell by nearly 10%, more than twice as much as the previous largest annual fall on record.”

According to Bank of England historical data, it marked the worst performance for the economy since the Great Frost hibernation of 1709 – more than 300 years ago – when a horrifically cold European winter, followed by widespread floods, crippled activity.

The consequences of the public health emergency reach far beyond lost output as previous ONS figures, yet to fully reflect 2020 as a whole, show more than 1.7 million out of work with over 800,000 fewer people on company payrolls since the pandemic began.

Measures to tackle the crisis and protect as many jobs and businesses as possible mean the Treasury has embarked on its largest peacetime borrowing programme, that is tipped to exceed £400bn, in the current financial year.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed he would use his budget on 3 March to announce further aid given the continued pressure on activity – with the firm focus on protecting jobs.

He suggested he would ignore pressure to ease the strain on the public purse strings through widespread tax increases but signalled the budget would have to include some sacrifices.

“Public finances are important and we’ve only been able to provide the support that we have because of a strong economy and finances coming into this,” he told media.

“I want to make sure that whenever the next shock hits the country that we can also respond in the same way that will require our public finances to be put back in a strong position.”

Mr Sunak also dismissed the notion that the UK economy had seen the largest contraction among its international competitors, arguing that different measures of GDP calculation suggested the UK had performed better than, and at least in line with, many G20 nations.

Read more:
Rishi Sunak outlines priority as economy suffers deepest annual slump since 1700’s

The government has unveiled details of a £23m fund to support fishing firms as it tries to quell industry anger over Brexit border delays.

The money will help firms whose exports to the EU have fallen sharply since rules changed on 1 January.

Fishing firms say extra paperwork has made it difficult to deliver fresh produce to the EU before it goes off, hammering their businesses.

One trade group called the fund “welcome” but a “sticking plaster”.

On Monday, fish exporters held demonstrations outside government departments in central London, warning their livelihoods were under threat.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted many had experienced “bureaucratic delays [and] difficulties getting their goods through” to buyers on the other side of the channel.

Having left the EU’s customs union and the single market, UK exports are subject to new customs and veterinary checks which have caused problems at the border.

Covid has worsened the issue, with the industry also facing lower market prices and demand from restaurants due to the pandemic.

New border rules

The government said the scheme would be targeted at small and medium-sized fishing businesses who will be able to claim a maximum of £100,000 to cover losses.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay said: “This further £23m package of support will help our hardworking fishing sector navigate the challenges of the next few months.

“It is vital that no community nor region within our United Kingdom is left behind as we continue to support British jobs and build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.”

In addition to funding, the government will provide further training to help fishing businesses adapt to the new export processes.

Separately, the prime minister committed to providing a further £100m to help modernise UK fishing fleets and the fish processing industry.

Sticking plaster

Donna Fordyce, chief executive of Seafood Scotland, said: “After almost three weeks of voicing their concerns and frustrations, we welcome the fact that the Scottish seafood sector has been heard and action is being taken.

“This [fund] will offer a ray of light to some small and medium-sized companies that have experienced crippling losses over the past few weeks.”

However, while the money was “a much-needed sticking plaster”, she said it would not “completely staunch the wound”.

“The sector still needs a period of grace during which the [new trade] systems must be overhauled so they are fit for purpose.”

Read more:
Government puts £23m support fund in place for struggling fishing firms

A record number of small businesses expect to shut this year unless the government steps in with more help, according to a survey of the sector.

At least 250,000 companies with fewer than 50 staff will fold after haemorrhaging sales and taking on debt during the coronavirus pandemic, the quarterly monitor by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found.

With the economy closed for a third lockdown, confidence within the small company sector has sunk to the second lowest level in the decade the survey has been running. Only last year’s March lockdown reported a lower level. One in five small businesses shed staff in the three months to December, including the November lockdown, and one in seven expect to make redundancies this quarter.

“We risk losing hundreds of thousands of great, ultimately viable small businesses this year at huge cost to local communities and individual livelihoods,” Mike Cherry, the FSB chairman, said. “A record number say they plan to close over the next 12 months and they were saying that even before news of the latest lockdown came through.”

Britain’s manufacturers said, however, that customs delays caused by Brexit were a more immediate risk than the lockdown. According to a survey by the manufacturing industry group Make UK, 47 per cent of respondents considered customs delays the biggest business risk; 46 per cent said the biggest threat was a national lockdown.

Little over a week after Brexit became a reality examples of border disruption are emerging. Companies have had goods turned back at the border after failing “rules of origin” requirements. Others have said that prices may have to rise to absorb the cost of paperwork.

The survey conducted jointly by Make UK and the accountants PWC found that a third of companies believed that investment prospects would decrease having left the EU. Less than a fifth (18 per cent) said that they would increase.

Twenty-six per cent of companies expect exports to the EU to fall and 16 per cent believe that they will increase. A third said that the UK’s ability to attract international talent would decrease and 11 per cent expect the UK to be a more attractive destination.

Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said: “The transition to new trading arrangements was always going to be the biggest challenge facing manufacturers this year . . . the fact we have an agreement in place doesn’t alter that.”

Mr Cherry said: “Action in March will be too late to stem closures. We have to look again at how we treat emergency debt facilities.” The FSB surveyed 1,400 of the country’s 5.9 million small businesses.

Figures published by the property adviser Altus showed that half as many pubs shut last year as in 2018 thanks to “government interventions such as furlough, grants, rates relief and liquidity in the form of cheap loans”.

Read more:
At least 250,000 small firms will close as restrictions devastate trade

UK vape manufacturer Aquavape hopes to add more convenience to the customer shopping experience whilst helping retailers maximise sales.

Product displays remain an integral component in every retail store. Their setup has a direct bearing on sales, determining how enjoyable a shopping experience can be.

With the recent launch of the UK’s first vape touchscreen, British vape company AquaVape is hoping to revolutionise the shopping experience for vapers in a move that will also see retail stores capitalise on the opportunity brought about by this new tech.

The Bolton-based e-cigarette firm has teamed up with convenience stores across the country to help them repurpose their vape section if they are to take advantage of what is a booming market segment that is projected to grow even more in the coming years. This, despite a slowdown in other sectors of a world economy still reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As AquaVape director Ebrahim Kathrada notes, “The e-cigarette market is expanding and as the number of vapers continues to rise, we would encourage retailers to look at their display and make changes.  There is always room for improvement.”

With much about everything going online in this digital age, the introduction of an interactive touchscreen kiosks in retail stores by AquaVape couldn’t be timelier.

The technology can be the perfect bridge between a brick-and-mortar retail environment and the convenience and efficiency of the online world.

As it stands, the UK is now the number 1 vaping market in the world, closely followed by the United States. That is a huge market to tap into.

But as Kathrada is quick to point out, it is important that retailers start looking at the in-store vape shopping experience from the customer’s standpoint if they are to make inroads in what is still a relatively new market.

“We have to understand this completely from a customer’s perspective. Walking into a store and seeing a wall of vape can be very daunting,” he says.

The vape manufacturer, whose Fresh Menthol e-liquid scooped up the top prize in the inaugural Vape Business Conference & Awards in 2019, aims to make vape product displays more appealing to customers, thus giving them an incentive to shop.

Indeed, AquaVape’s touchscreen kiosks are more than just an interactive display to help customers make convenient vape purchases in busy retail stores. It’s a database that provides valuable vape insights that help customers reach more informed buying decisions.

Aquavapes category approach means retailers have access to a wide array of products from leading manufacturers and suppliers from around the World.  With a wide portfolio of products offered by Aquavape the category is simplified and managed effectively with the support of bespoke furniture and patented digital technology.

The system is pre-loaded with vape training videos, full multi-product information and detailed explanations touching on vape devices, e-liquids, vape tanks and coils.

All a customer needs to do is input the informationinto the system, upon which the program returns solutions based on the query, before it prints out a barcode receipt with the customer’s order upon request.

Dubbed the “Silent Salesman” by the people over at AquaVape, the vape touchscreen makes shopping an easier and more fun experience for customers, with retailers standing to benefit in more ways than one.

Win-win situations don’t happen often in business, but on the rare occasions that they do, it’s usually a truly remarkable experience.

Read more:
AquaVape launches the first UK vape touchscreen

COVID-19 has taught us that profitability and sustainability are not conflicting goals; they are inter-twined to achieve an equitable economic growth.

Arun Pandey, Chairman and MD, Rhiti Group explains that in our endeavour to become ‘Atma Nirbhar’, it is important that we grow economically and of many other sectors contributing to economic and social growth is the sports sector. Its significance is valued and well recognised by the Government especially in empowering women and youth. Be it health, education or social inclusion objectives, sports has been imprinting an everlasting mark in all the spheres of life from time immemorial.

Covid-19 is Impacting the Sports Industry

However, since the onset of COVID-19 crisis, measures that have been taken by the Government to curtail the spread of the disease, have also disrupted many regular aspects of life, including physical activity and sports. To safeguard the health of athletes and others involved, most major sporting events at international, national and regional levels had to be shelved. So much so, that for the very first time in the history of modern games, the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been postponed to a later date in the year 2021! Many, who are a part of the sports industry, are walking a tight rope in trying to hold onto their jobs. Along with the economic repercussions the COVID crisis has also impacted the generation of social cohesion through sporting events and activities. According to a Bizzabo marketing report, last year more than 40 percent of marketers named live events as the most important marketing channel. With seasons postponed or canceled, the suspension and standstill of sports isn’t only a disappointment to fans; it’s a disruption to business. For brands that rely on these events for advertising revenue, it’s devastating. According to Statista’s analysis of the sports industry, a loss of approximately $2.2 billion of national TV revenue is expected as a result of Covid-19, in addition to around $3.5 billion in fan spending on professional sports

It is about time that India’s Sports Policy underwent a drastic change by incorporating new partnerships and strategies in order to adapt to the new normal and thrive.

Marketing During and after the Pandemic: Digital is the way ahead

Even before the pandemic, the sports market and broadcasting landscape was shifting. The sports community has adapted rapidly by creating online content tailored to different people; from free tutorials on social media to paid  virtual practice sessions, to players risking their health to start playing again, relentless efforts to realign sports as an integral part of lives is on. Therefore, it’s imperative that businesses make the adoption and improvement of digital capabilities a priority. Athletes can use their social presences and platforms to share training techniques and workout videos. This presents sponsorship and partnership opportunities, both, for brands and sportspersons. Furthermore, brands are also creating digital content specific to their industry to reach out to clients.

Also, brands need to adjust their media investments based on the moods and expectations of consumers. Building brand credibility should be prioritized over sales promotion. For example, at a time when demands of essential goods are shooting over the top and there are low inventories and delays in deliveries, there is no point in running online campaigns and discounts to acquire new consumers. Instead of making efforts to acquire new customers, e-commerce marketers should focus on nurturing existing customers with the highest lifetime value

Managing sponsorship and finances: More strategic partnerships and advertising

Emphasis on allocating advertising budgets to create more tailored content and promotions to establish a more targeted expenditure is vital for sports brands now. Affiliate marketing can help digital marketers increase brand awareness and engagement rates in areas they may not have previously pursued. This in turn will benefit the brands as well. Exploring more creative promotion and advertising opportunities is helping brands stay relevant while curbing needless expenditures. For example, digital advertising is saving the cost of venue spends which is required when indulging in a physical advertising session . Eventually, it can also help attract fans who are looking to fill the absence of professional and live sporting events with virtual, competitive alternatives.

Extending support and communicating as per the context: using carefully crafted messages

The current crisis is a great moment for brands to put out responsible communication that supports people simultaneously ensuring that their communication is brand safe and relevant.  However, brands have to be extra cautious about putting out their communication in the right context or else they might face the flare.  Some sports brands like SEVEN have identified the unique role sports plays in the lives of sports enthusiasts and are considering ways of helping them during this crisis period. An added feature in their service that helps people stay at home and feel safer, while they remain connected to sports, albeit virtually will enable brands to survive and thrive in the future.

Let’s set the ball rolling: moving forward towards normalcy

Rohan Bopanna found playing tennis in COVID times a completely different experience. Yet, he took the risk to fly to the USA to play because, somewhere the ball had to be set rolling! From sportsmen who are  travelling and putting up with the restrictions of living in a bio-secure bubble to sports brands attempting to stay connected with clients and sports enthusiasts, even while being distant, each element constituting the sports ecosystem is mitigating the COVID-19 crisis in trying to move ahead towards the new normal.

Read more:
Sports brands navigating the pandemic to survive and thrive

The basic concepts of protecting entry points, such as doors and windows and indoor areas with valuables such as artwork, computers, arms, and coin collections, utilize in domestic burglar alarms.

Regardless of the size or number of doors and windows or interiors in which a homeowner wishes to secure. The only actual difference is the number of safety measures deployed and tracked within the building. Burglar alarm installations Liverpool increases your home safety by installing a burglar alarm.

What Is A Burglar Alarm?

Any protection device has the most straightforward meaning of its name. Literally, it is a means or process by which a system of interworking elements and devices ensures something.

In this case, we are discussing home surveillance devices, interconnected electronic equipment networks, and a central control panel to defend against burgher and other possible domestic intruders.

A Burglar System Of Home Safety Includes:

• A control panel, the leading security device manager of a house
• Controls for door and window
• Inner and Outer Motion Sensors
• Surveillance cameras wired or wireless
• Siren or warning of high-decibel
• Stickers of the yard and doors

How Does a Burglar Alarm function?

Burglar alarm installation Leeds uses the basic idea of securing entry points in a house with sensors connected with a control panel or control center located conveniently somewhere in the house. The sensors are usually located indoors, leading to and from a house with easily accessible windows, particularly those opening up on the ground. With motion sensors, open spaces inside the homes will secure.

Control Panel:

The control panel is the computer weapons and disarms systems, communicates with each part mounted. Sounds an alarm in case of a violation of a safe zone, and communicates with an alerting business.

They usually have simple programming and interaction touchpad. Passcodes enter the device to arm and disarm, function with voice commands, and program to use the critical fobs called wireless remote controls.

Doors and windows:

Doors and windows fit with two adjacent elements: The door or window has one part of the appliance, and the other part mounts on the door framework or the window sill. When a door or window closes, the two sensor components unite and construct a safety circuit.

Sensors communicate with it and reporting that the entry point is safe while the protection device is in the control panel. When a door or window opens suddenly, the safety circuit split, and the control panel interprets this as an infringement of an area. A high decibel alarm is immediately notified to the alarm monitoring company.

Motion Sensors:

When armed, these safety features secure a specific space by creating an invisible area that cannot crack without an alarm. These devices are commonly used to cover charming rooms and less frequented parts of bigger homes.

Cameras for surveillance:

Wired and wireless cameras can function as part of an overall safety system in several ways.

Monitoring is usually used:

• Difficult to see or remote parts of your estate
• Remains such as garages, barns, warehouses
• Both external and internal entry points, such as doors and front doors.

Read more:
What is a burglar alarm, and how does it work?

Norwegian-based Bellona Foundation, environmental nongovernmental organization, issues a statement in which it considers the $2 billion damage from the Arctic spill in May to be overstated.

The Russian environmental resources management service, Rosprirodnadzor, said that the diesel fuel spill at a thermal power plant in Russian Norilsk inflicted on the environment damage assessed at almost 148 billion rubles ($2 billion).

A state of emergency was declared in Norilsk as a result of permafrost thawing. Several tons of diesel fuel leaked from the fuel tank at the TPP of Norilsk Energy Company No. 3 and leaked into the neighboring river on May 29.

“The figure of 148 billion rubles also says nothing, since there is a logical question, where did this figure come from” the group said in a statement.

According to Russia’s Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) mining giant, which owns the power plant where the accident took place, the spill was caused by melting permafrost, which set the supports of the fuel tank in motion.

Many different scientists have already expressed concerns about global changes in the Arctic, after the accident in Russian Norilsk.

In particular, concerns about this are expressed in the Nature scientific magazine.
Arctic natural and anthropogenic systems are undergoing unprecedented changes, with permafrost thaw as one of the most impacts in the terrestrial cryosphere. In addition to the potential adverse effects on global climate, ecosystems, and human health, warming and thaw of near-surface permafrost may impair critical infrastructure. This could pose a serious threat to the utilization of natural resources, and to the sustainable development of Arctic communities. There is an urgent need for pan-Arctic geohazard mapping at high spatial resolution and an assessment of how changes in circumpolar permafrost conditions could affect infrastructure.

Owing to the increasing economic and environmental relevance of the Arctic, it is of a vital importance to gain detailed knowledge about risk exposure in areas of current and future infrastructure.

A total of 69% of the pan-Arctic residential, transportation, and industrial infrastructure is located in areas with high potential for near-surface permafrost thaw by 2050. Consideration of ground properties in addition to permafrost thaw showed that 33% of infrastructure is located in areas where ground subsidence and loss of structural bearing capacity could severely damage the integrity of infrastructure.

Also Nornickel said in a press release, it had appointed the London-based Environmental Resources Management (ERM) company to conduct an independent inquiry into a massive contamination accident.

“A world-class, international specialist environmental company, ERM has been selected to provide an independent review of the events surrounding the oil spill, the potential causes and remedial actions undertaken and planned. ERM will produce an independent report for the Environmental Task Team to consider,” the company said in the press release.

As stated by Gareth Penny, one of Nornickel top managers and head of the task force, the company is determined to “address the spill effectively and timeously” and is committed to “ensuring that we deal with all stakeholders in a transparent and open way.”

The mining giant said it had already spent close to $6 billion to clean the spill.
The company also prepared a long-term program for monitoring permafrost and eliminating damage to the environment after a fuel spill in the Arctic in its hometown.

During a telephone conference for journalists, Norilsk Nickel’s Operations Director Sergei Dyachenko noted that there is currently no ready-made system for such monitoring, so estimating its cost is still difficult.

He added that the company intends to use its own resources and, if necessary, the capabilities of Russian scientific organizations when implementing the project, it is not planned to attract foreign experts at the current stage.

In addition, Norilsk Nickel has already developed a program of urgent measures for 2020-2021 to increase the level of security, to strengthen protective structures around hazardous facilities. For these purposes, it is planned to spend about 2.5 billion rubles ($35 million) in 2020, next year – about 11 billion rubles ($141 million).

Experts from the Bellona Foundation are confident that all of the above measures will help the Russians overcome the situation and become stronger.

“Usually after this kind of stress, companies, enterprises and even individuals who have great internal potential and resources not only survive, but also become more powerful and successful” NGO concluded.

Read more:
Norwegian-based environmental NGO considers $2 BN Arctic spill damages overstated

Despite the uncertainty and ongoing contradictions by politicians, business leaders, analysts and media on the true impact of the COVID-19 crisis, there are at least two things we know: the virus is already having an unprecedented effect on how businesses operate and all organisations will have to prepare to make changes to deal with the aftermath.

Indeed, as the British government continues to consider just what the future will look like, many businesses are finding solutions themselves that will take them forward – despite the many challenges they now face. While many organisations have taken steps to ensure their employees remain safe, it is little wonder most are also looking for ways to protect themselves from any and all risks. As the country battles to get to grips with the new normal of a huge proportion of the population working from home – which may outlast official lockdown – the ongoing impact of COVID-19 has left businesses scrambling to keep their now remote workforces efficient and up to speed.

For many businesses, dealing with the fallout from the pandemic requires that they find ways to enable spread-out teams to collaborate productively on projects. Connecting a relocated and dispersed workforce that manages ongoing projects is a process that needs to be handled deftly to avoid causing serious disruption to day-to-day activities and long-term objectives. Organisations looking to avoid disruption and retain talented employees need to consider deploying solutions that will foster better communication and collaboration among teams regardless of where they are based – in other words, they need to embrace technologies that ensure they have the agility to lessen the blow of COVID-19.

Dealing with the long-term impact of Coronavirus

UK businesses and international companies with substantial UK footprints need to devise strategies that prepare them for a post-Coronavirus world. But how do you do that when no one can say with any real certainty what a post-Coronavirus economy will look like? This is why it has also become absolutely critical for organisations of all sizes and types to have the business agility they need to deal with a broad range of scenarios and outcomes.

Even beyond the spectre of COVID-19, companies need to create business agility to deal with the challenges impacting them today – from disruptive technologies, to skill shortages, through to other elements beyond their control, such as Brexit and climate change. Employing bold strategies, new ways of working and business tools that offer greater flexibility is the only sure step companies can take to meet unforeseeable future challenges.

Being ‘business agile’ enables companies to rapidly adjust tactics, resourcing, personnel, management, asset deployment, capital investment, or whatever element needs to be corrected to keep operations on course when business conditions shift dramatically. Building a high degree of flexibility ensures that teams can stay on course to achieve specific strategic goals and overall business objectives.

Creating ‘business agility’ to face COVID-19 and beyond

Creating business agility, especially in more traditionally structured companies, requires collaboration, information sharing and project visibility across the organisation. This will only become more vital as businesses deal with the outbreak.

Teams can achieve greater agility and effectiveness by employing tools that enable each member to communicate in the context of team and organisation-wide goals, to understand where adjustments are required, as and when they are needed, and to see what others are working on and how things are progressing day by day.

Empowering team members and arming them with the tools to contribute to decision-making processes enables innovation that may not otherwise have been possible. Ultimately, business agility depends on whole teams and organisations being able to make adjustments together. Three key components can help make teams more business agile:

• Alignment: Breaking down silos within an organisation is vital in overcoming poor workplace collaboration, missed opportunities, misaligned goals, duplicated work processes and incompatible systems. Establish and communicate one unified vision of what you are trying to achieve to disparate parts of your team or organisation. This vision should be communicated regularly to all employees through the most effective internal channels. Managers should use this vision as a reference point for improving collaboration within and between their teams, aligning team goals with organisational objectives.
• Speed: Being able to rapidly adapt to customer or market changes is more critical than ever in the current climate. Within the UK, all one has to do is look at the struggles of the high street as companies like Amazon have transformed consumer habits forever. Companies that embrace business agility and recognise the need to constantly evolve – implanting the impetus to change with the marketplace in their corporate DNA – are the ones that thrive and embrace opportunities when market dynamics shift. Putting in place technologies that ensure employees recognise changes in their industry, understand how the business needs to react and have the flexibility to initiate the necessary adjustments creates a faster, more effective decision process.
• Effectiveness: Businesses need tools and technologies that enable more effective communication and collaboration across teams, business units, and especially geographies. During this period, we will see more remote and disjointed working at a large scale, as the pandemic has forced many companies to shut offices and shift its workforces. Global research conducted by Clarizen found that 70% of 300+ companies surveyed already have employees working from home or remotely regularly – and that figure has grown hugely as businesses deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. Companies must put in place methods and tools to ensure work communications between spread-out employees and teams are as easy and direct as possible – even across different time zones. Having a cloud-based technology platform that enables employees to coordinate work, monitor resourcing, manage workflow and keep up to date on the status of projects – regardless of where they are – is key to becoming more business agile.

Preparing for the future

Over the next decade, businesses will continue to see massive change. While there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus, it only poses a real threat to successful collaboration if enterprises do not fully prepare for it.

Today’s business leaders must ensure they are devising and implementing strategies that provide the business agility needed to meet the challenges that will come from the health crisis, and other, unforeseen hurdles in future. With effective tools and practices in place, businesses can not only overcome many of the issues but can also enhance productivity to become truly business agile and succeed in a post-Covid world.

To learn more about how cloud-based work management tools help foster workplace collaboration while boosting efficiency and business agility, visit www.clarizen.com. Or try our free trial here: https://www.clarizen.com/free-trial/

Read more:
Becoming ‘business agile’ in the face of the ongoing uncertainties surrounding COVID-19

Do you know why most businesses struggle to thrive in the market? It’s not always because they have the wrong strategies or offerings, but it is because they have the wrong employees.

The success of your business depends a lot on the effort and time your employees put in their work.

While dedicated personnel can enhance your work environment with their hard work and positive attitude, a wrong hire can disrupt your work environment, and waste your and resources – and therefore ending up being an expensive problem.

That is why you must hire the right person for the right job at your company. But, how do you know which person is right for the job? That is what we will cover in this article.

In this article, we are going to discuss some simple yet useful strategies to hire the right employee.

Tips for Hiring The Right Employee

Recruiting an employee can make or break your entire company. You might feel a bit stressed while hiring a new person for the job since you will be constantly judged for your decision.

Don’t worry! The following tips will help you recruit the right employee for your business.

Create a Proper Job Description

A proper recruitment process starts with proper job analysis. Most employers don’t define the job category, task description, requirement, and skills needed in their job posting, and end up receiving a flood of resumes from the wrong candidates.

While creating the job circular, explain the job description properly with clear objectives, requirements, as well as responsibilities. It will save a lot of time while filtering resumes, and help you to interview the right candidates.

Review The Resumes Carefully

You may receive hundreds of applications for the position you’re offering in your company, but are you planning to interview them all? Definitely not!

To determine the right candidate for the interview, you need to properly review their resumes, cover letter, background, the references they provide, etc.

Checking the background and references of the applicant seems to be a daunting job. You need to find out if all the presented skills, credentials, and experience are possessed by the candidate in reality.

Some companies are meant to help you with that job. For example, if you want to perform an employee background check in the UK, you can hire such a firm that will do all the pre-employment screening for a potential candidate.

Prescreen The Applicants

Pre-screening a candidate is important because it can save you a lot of time for the interview and selection committee.

An applicant may look experienced and hardworking on paper, but not in real life. A pre-screening interview via phone can help you determine whether they are a good fit for your company.

Doing a phone prescreen interview will uncover whether they can be compatible with your office culture or not. You should also ask about their salary expectation – that will help you narrow the list for the final interview.

Test for Analytical & Learning Skills

This is one of the trickiest parts of recruiting an employee. While you should never hire someone based on what’s written on the resume, finding out if they are lying can be more challenging.

Your candidate may look confident in their interview, but what you are looking for is the right skill and experience that are essential for the job. Ask them something tricky or let them solve a problem that is related to the job they applied for.

For example, if you’re looking for a software developer, letting them solve a real problem in front of you can help you hire your next employee

Find Out If They are Committed To The Job

You don’t want your employee to quit a week or month after they join. Some people tend to switch their jobs and even careers frequently for a higher salary.

Such employees can be a huge problem for your organization. They will waste your money and time you were planning to spend on hiring and training them for a particular position.

While you go through a candidate’s resume, find out their behavior towards their previous employers. If they are not loyal to any company, hiring them will potentially invite disloyalty in your organization.

Check Their Relationship With Previous Employers

You want to hire someone who will fit in with the company’s environment and culture. It can only be possible if they had a good relationship with their previous employers and co-workers.

While interviewing the candidate, check whether they have the skills to get along with your teams. But, how are you going to do that?

You can ask them how they are managing to work with their current co-workers and employers. If you find they are not getting along with their current bosses, hiring them may not be a good idea.

Test Their Personality

To be a good employee, someone has to be a good person as well. They should have a positive disposition, well-mannered, friendly, and co-operative to maintain a healthy office environment.

However, you can’t determine someone’s personality by asking them personal questions during the interview. Then how are you going to find out if they are a good fit for this job and your work environment?

A good way to determine their personality is social media. You can connect with them via different social media platforms and research their social presence. That should give you an insight into what type of personality they possess.

Besides, you can introduce them to your other employees and see how they interact with each other.

You can also have lunch or coffee with them to see how they behave with the servers. Are they making eye contact and being polite with the server, or they are just being arrogant, disrespectful, and rude to them. This kind of behavior defines them as a person, and as an employee – because how they treat the server is potentially how they will treat their subordinates and others in your organization

Hire an Intern

This is one of the most effective ways to hire the right employee for your company. You can hire some freshers or final year students to work as an intern in your company.

While they will work for a limited time in your organization, you will be able to learn about their skills, attitude, confidence levels, and their dedication towards the work. You can then choose the best one as the permanent employee of your company. It is like a trial run before you commit to hiring them on a permanent basis.

Final Thoughts

For years, the recruitment process has been considered one of the most challenging jobs for most employers. It’s quite stressful for a hiring manager since they have to take responsibility for their selection.

However, hiring an employee shouldn’t be that stressful all the time. By following the above-mentioned tips, you can simplify the process and make your interview session a successful one.

Read more:
8 tips to hire the right employee for your company

Ahead of the chancellor’s July statement, when extra funding for training and skills is expected to be announced, Nigel Morris, tax director at MHA MacIntyre Hudson, says the apprenticeship levy has failed to help the government reach its target of 3 million new apprenticeships, and any new training fund must be less bureaucratic.

“Funding for retraining is much needed as the end of the furlough scheme draws closer, particularly to help young people. There’s a lot that can be learned from the existing apprenticeship levy, which sets the standard for how not to run a skills fund. The government is aware of its failings and a review was outlined in the Budget statement. With unemployment likely to start rising soon they must avoid the same pitfalls.

“The root cause of the apprenticeship levy’s failure is bureaucracy, and it hurts SMEs in particular. The courses provided have to meet rigid criteria and this increases their cost. It could actually be more expensive for SMEs to use these courses than it to use private training providers, even with government subsidy. The result is clear for all to see, apprenticeship starts for businesses with less than 50 staff have fallen from 37% to 27% since the levy was introduced in 2017. This is especially unfortunate right now. It should be the flexible and innovative SME market providing most of the new jobs and apprenticeships; large employers are cutting workforces considerably and can find it harder to react and change to new ways of working.

“The lesson is surely to design training schemes with less bureaucracy that make training more cost efficient and attractive for SMEs. The best approach would be to trust the employer and allow greater leeway for them to select courses. The chancellor must learn from past failures to lessen the detrimental impact of Covid-19 on UK employment.”

Read more:
Sunak must learn from failure of the apprenticeship levy

With the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Spotify, virtually all of us are signed up to at least on monthly subscription service – in fact, many of us are signed up to several.

And as the last few months have seen radical changes to all our daily lives, there has never been a more convenient time to have the outside world brought straight to your home for a monthly fee.

With that in mind, take a look at these fantastic subscription services to battle your boredom and keep you informed in the comfort of your own home.

PressReader

In the internet age, online news is easy to access for free, but as print journalism goes into decline, many publications have monetised online platforms by restricting access to premium articles, flooding readers with online advertisements, or even putting a paywall in front of their content.

Enter PressReader. The ‘all-you-can-read’ news service costs £27.49 per month, and grants subscribers access to over 7000 magazines and newspapers. Amongst the major publications it features are The Guardian, The Telegraph, Rolling Stone and Elle to name just a few, and subscribers can access the service from up to five devices.

Apple Arcade

The tech giant released this service back in September 2019, and it’s pretty under-rated.

The platform includes over 120 games for just £4.99 and features new releases every month.

Smartphone gaming already has its own major hits of course, but the main reason that Apple Arcade gives the likes of Candy Crush a run for its money is that it involves no in-app purchases, eliminating the ‘pay to win’ element.

In addition to this, Apple Arcade games are downloadable for offline play and compatible with the iPhone, iPad and even the Apple TV.

Business Book Box

This service is the only one on this list that offers a physical product, making it something of an odd one out. Nevertheless, it’s a highly worthwhile addition.

Monthly book subscription services are by no means unique, but Business Book Box is the first in the UK to focus on business-related non-fiction.

You can adjust your preferences to any combination of special interests including finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance and law for a more personalised reading experience. The service also offers variants ranging from a quarterly box for those with a little less reading time on their hands, and a Women in Business box, offering books from the glass ceiling breakers of the business world.

GINX Esports TV

Another special-interest addition to the list, but a worthwhile one for anyone looking to keep on top of the growing industry that is esports.

GINX Esports TV is the world’s first dedicated esports TV network. Also available on PC, tablet and mobile, its carefully curated programming aims to bring esports to a mainstream audience. As well as covering gameplay, Top 10 Countdowns and more on its channel, its coverage on major gaming news includes Call of Duty, CS:GO, Fortnite and more.

Whether you’re a gaming expert, casual hobbyist or simply have a professional interest in in this fast-developing industry, GINX will keep you up-to-date and entertained.

Read more:
4 Must-have digital subscriptions

The lockdown and uncertainty over summer holidays has led to a boom in business for one UK company who are now recruiting a ‘Staycation Designer’ to help them meet demand.

Sussex based Compass Pools has reported a 600% increase in orders for home swimming pools as millions of us prepare to spend our summer holidays in the UK with ‘Swimming pools’ becoming one of the top 10 Googled products in the UK.

To meet increased demand the company is now on a recruitment drive, which could also help those that have been made redundant from the travel industry.

Compass Pools made headlines last year after they designed a one-of-a-kind, death defying swimming pool that sits 200 metres above London’s skyline.

Managing director and pool designer Alex Kemsley says the cost to build a basic home pool starts from £60,000 and they can be installed in as little as 17 days, meaning Brits’ desire to own their very own slice of paradise needn’t only be a pipedream.

He said: “The uncertainty over Coronavirus means thousands of British holidaymakers have shelved their foreign holiday plans and are opting to stay in the UK instead.

“We’ve seen a sharp rise in enquiries and orders for home swimming pools as people decide to holiday at home rather than head to the airports.

“A home pool can give years and years of pleasure and can also add value to a home so it’s an investment that a growing number of people are choosing to make. We have also had a run of hot weather and that’s helped too.

“The increase in business has enabled us to recruit and grow our team, offering positions to many who had lost their jobs in the travel industry.

“Now we are looking to recruit the UK’s first ever dedicated Staycation Designer to help customers plan the perfect pool holiday in the comfort and safety of their own home.”

He added that as well as a Staycation Designer the firm was also seeking Production and Installation Engineers.

He said: “Staycation Designer would suit someone from the travel industry who could help people design the perfect pool space and staycation, and the Production Engineer role would suit someone with a background in the automotive or motorsport industry, as they’d be helping to manufacture our pool shells.

“To help get the pools in the ground, we also need more Installation Engineers. This could suit someone from the construction industry.

“Logistically, the lockdown was initially a bit of an issue for us as hotels were closing, making long distance jobs difficult.

“We’re now working round the situation in a safe manner, and pools have started to go in with new practices over the past few weeks.”

To apply for one of Compass Pools’ new vacancies, visit: https://www.compass-pools.co.uk/careers/

Read more:
Swimming pool company seeks staycation designer after sales explosion

Before selecting a prototyping or production solution, the benefits of different materials and various processes are considered.

For example, plastic 3-dimensional printing technologies are often weighed up against metal CNC machining processes. Let’s take a look at a less common, but growing 3D technology – 3D metal printing – and the methodologies and applications of this process in the development of online 3D printing.

Rapid prototyping with metal materials

One tends to regard the ingredients of online rapid prototyping as synonymous with plastic materials. However, with the growth of on-demand modeling and production, some 3D printer companies now produce prototype models or end-use parts from metals or metal alloys, typically used in industrial engineering. After a part design is uploaded, production is almost instantaneous due to the advance of rapid prototyping services that use both plastic and metal materials.

Additive manufacturing (AM) with 3-dimensional metal printing

Let’s take a look at two processes employed for printing 3D metal parts and prototypes. Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Laser Metal Sintering (DLMS) are both based on Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology, which was one of the first methods used in 3-dimensional printing. SLM and DLMS are commonly considered to be most appropriately used for the end-use rapid prototyping of geometrically-challenged, customized designs, or for low-volume production. Another AM 3D print process is Electron Beam Melting (EBM), which, instead of a laser, uses the electron beam as its heat source. It produces less stress and is commonly used for the production of lighter-weight parts for the aerospace industry.

Differences between SLM and DLMS

Both the SLM and DLMS technologies are resistant to warping, a common issue found in some methods of 3-dimensional printing. This resistance to warping is a result of support assemblies that protect the production process from stress. However, the two technologies do work differently and support different types of metal. DLMS works with most metal alloys, unlike SLM, which supports titanium as well as steel and aluminum. Although both use laser sources, the laser temperature of the SLM approach needs to be high enough to melt the powder into a liquid form. Using less energy, the DLMS source is required to heat the powder particles enough to fuse them together. DLMS is highly suited to the production of parts for the automotive and aeronautics industries because of its relatively low-stress technology. SLM can handle more complicated geometrics, requiring less post-production assembly than other 3D printing technologies.

Benefits of 3D metal printing

When metal parts or prototypes are required, there is no surpassing 3D metal printing for time and cost savings. Engineering industries, which include the likes of NASA or Formula One, require rapid turnovers. Parts must perform accurately. Thus, fast DfM is required to provide swift feedback during the 3D rapid prototyping process. Online 3D printing can now be achieved in five minutes or less, with a simple file upload, or a quick edit of a design.

Read more:
3D metal printing: Its technology and successes

Accidents can happen every single day. Especially when there are about thousands of car accidents on an everyday basis.

And even if you are someone that follows all kinds of safety precautions, there might be sudden cases where your tire has been punctured or you get crushed by a car.

Often, drivers don’t focus on what’s on the road and just look straight ahead. Due to this, many accidents can happen. The worst thing that can happen afterward is that you can’t force them to pay for the medical bills or repairs. However, with a professional lawyer by your side, you can not only claim medical compensation, but can also be paid for the damage caused to your vehicle. As stated by https://www.stewartlawoffices.net/, your attorney can contact a thorough, independent investigation on the black box, the surroundings, witness and injuries.

Below are the ways legal expert’s advice on how to move forward after a serious accident:

It’s Not Your Fault

Often, you might think that the accident happened because of you. However, it is most probably the other person’s fault. Many people start blaming others for their actions to not get in trouble with the police. In this way, they can also take a few bucks for themselves to “fix” the damages that happened to their body and car. You can even hire an expert to check if this was an accident from your side or the other. After all, it is very difficult to know who crashed the car first, especially when there are no CCTV cameras installed in that area.

Medical Experts

An experienced personal injury lawyer closest to your home can be selected to investigate your accidents, injuries and even the damage that has been done to your car or motorcycle. And especially if you are hurt or injured somewhere, you can get your lawyer to take pictures of the site and investigate it thoroughly.

Once investigators take the injuries to medical experts, they might be able to figure out how serious the injuries are and how they could have happened. This can also have your attorney the required evidence they need to get your medical and mechanical claims.

Inspection of Vehicles

Repairing damaged vehicles can be very terrifying, especially when they empty your wallet. One good thing that can happen is if mechanics can determine the severity of damage to certain parts. For example, if the rear is damaged, but the full engine isn’t, then you probably don’t have to pay a lot, and just for the rear. You might also want to check whether or not the brakes are working. In any case, if the car ceases to work, then your lawyer can call the manufacturing company to get you any kind of compensation or warranty.

In short, an investigation, conduction, and the assistance of a professional in vehicle crashes can indeed help to provide you with an investigation. This investigation is conducted by skilled experts and together they can provide individuals with the correct information on who crashed the other car in the first place.

Personal Injury Claims Are Tough

If an accident happens, looking at your injuries will make you realize that you need as much money as possible to treat them. These days, medical care is not affordable. Moreover, your insurance will also not be able to cover all the expenses. This is why it is important to get some compensation from the person responsible. The biggest challenge will be that they will want to pay as little as possible.

Generally, there are about two types of compensatory damages related to car accident victims. They include:

• Economic damages: these are voluntary compensations made to victims of the accident. In this, the person responsible has to pay for all the medical bills. The bills are relatively affordable to pay.
• Non-economic damages: there are compensations made for victims that have suffered injuries which are more difficult to pay, in terms of cash. However, the bills can get more expensive if the accident causes the victim to not be able to move or walk anymore.

A thorough examination of the victim’s body is made to ensure what body parts need financial help and what damages were caused by the vehicle.

Whether you accidentally bump in someone else’s car or crash into it, you need to make sure that all your insurances are perfectly lined up in case of accidents like these. Chances are that the driver can just run off without wanting to compensate for your injuries. Another thing to keep in mind is that these claims may take a big toll on you. This is why it is easier to hire a professional lawyer to do the work for you.

Read more:
Legal experts advise on how to move forward after a serious accident

Thousands of Brits are risking the wrath of their employer by frantically printing out their CVs while in work at their current job.

Research reveals half of office workers print off their CV right under the noses of their boss using the office printer while job hunting.

And more than three quarter print personal items off throughout the day in the office.

But it doesn’t go unnoticed – with nearly a third of managing directors issuing verbal warnings or sacking employees for printer misuse.

However, a quarter of office staff claimed they had been rewarded with a pay rise when their employer caught them printing off their CV.

But it’s not just once or twice – with more than one in four employees revealing they frequently use the office printer when looking for a new job.

The survey also revealed half of office workers around the UK use their employer’s printer ink because they don’t own a printer – but almost one in five said they do so to get back at their boss.

After CVs, the most common item for printer misuse was for travel tickets – with 45 per cent admitting they use an office printer for holiday admin.

Common items printed off in office time – and at a cost to their employers – are gig tickets interview documents and photographs.

In a survey of 2,500 office workers, data reveals a quarter of those printing out their work records do so during a lunch break – while a sneaky one in ten  of us leave printer misuse until the boss is in a meeting.

And it could be a daily occurence – with 38 per cent of office workers admitting they print personal items off up to five times a week.

On average people print off 11 pages of personal information – and at 5p per page the cost per employee per year is £85.

Multiplied by an average of 50 employees for a medium-sized business could cost upwards of £4,250.

After it emerged two thirds of Brits cite looking for a new job as a New Year’s resolution for 2020, workers intent to use their current employers printer to help getting their next role.

And the poll also revealed a series of mishaps that should put anyone off – several claimed they had caught a colleague or boss photocopying body parts, whilst another said he had caught a peer printing off an erotic novel.

Ian Cowley, MD of Cartridge Save, who commissioned the research, said: “It has been an unwritten rule in lots of businesses for a number of years now that employees use the printer. Most bosses do tend to turn a blind eye – but it is worth adding up that cost to the business.

“And making your staff aware of the repercussions of printer misuse. It could just be the embarrassment of being caught – but it could also lead to a disciplinary.”

Read more:
Office workers risking the wrath of bosses by printing out CVs at work

Statistics from a recent poll of European travel buyers hint at an industry split in two. While the results indicate support for more ethical travel, the numbers imply a need for less talk and more action, and it is actually the travellers, not business, who are pushing for programmes to be more sustainable.

Read more:
Is travel industry all talk and no action when it comes to the environment

Today’s fast-moving, increasingly disconnected and uncertain world means we need to find new, better ways to lead, deliver a competitive edge and build trust.

Experienced leadership facilitator, Rosie Tomkins, says we need to give those people who are shouldering responsibility more awareness of the power of the natural world and recognise a different form of intelligence that she calls NQ – Natural Intelligence – the missing ingredient of leading, performing at the top of your game and achieving outstanding personal and business success.

First time author, Rosie, has written a revealing and inspirational book, called N-Stinctive: The Power of Natural Intelligence. The book aims to help individuals and teams thrive and flourish by re-connecting with their own innate strengths and beliefs rather than rely on learnt responses from other people’s experiences. It draws upon her extensive knowledge, insights and practical experience in the field to provide a new perspective on developing leaders that she describes as a four-legged chair compared to the three-legged stool of traditional leadership training.

“In nature, animals instinctively know the best survival strategy, it’s built into their DNA. They trust it implicitly to stay alive. Human beings have 300,000 years of leadership DNA but have stopped trusting it and no longer know how to access it. To survive and flourish in today’s disconnected world we need to change leadership styles in response to different business situations and environments. It’s time to discover our animal self and become a better leader,” said Rosie.

With employee engagement and wellness increasingly an integral part of business strategy, Rosie brings her powerful insights from the natural world and reminds us of the success of the collaborative herd instead of the alpha male mentality of dog eat dog often perpetuated by business. This brings leaders a sense of balance so that they can influence the world from a more grounded perspective.

N-Stinctive: The Power of Natural Intelligence is published by Urbane Publications and will be available from 20 February 2020.

Visit: www.n-stinctive.com

Read more:
Changing our approach to leadership by unlocking the power of the natural world

Stephen Odzer grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He went to Yeshiva of Flatbush High School and took the Brooklyn College Scholars Program.

At the age of 18, Odzer went into the paper goods business and started his first company out of his parents’ basement. In 2000, Odzer (pictured right) was named the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in distribution. He sold his first company to his largest competitor, Brooke Supplies, in 2006.

Odzer is heavily involved with the Republic Jewish coalition, as well as various agencies that help people with disabilities. He is a major contributor to the foundations, and he supports the work of enterprises that help and employ people with disabilities.

Stephen Odzer is currently the CEO and founder of BT Supplies West Inc. of Henderson, Nevada. The company just announced a partnership with the NHL’s newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights, for naming rights to their new state of the art practice facility. Odzer also recently launched the Stephen Odzer Scholarship Foundation to award 20 college/university students with financial assistance for tuition. You can find out more about the scholarship at https://www.stephenodzerscholarship.com/.

What do you currently do at BT Supplies West?

I am a visionary. I dictate direction. I’m like a team leader while also being a cheerleader. I maintain relationships with large accounts.

What was the inspiration behind starting your own business?

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to build a meaningful enterprise. I went to school with some of the wealthiest kids in the country, so I was surrounded by children with CEO parents of huge enterprises. I wanted my business to be meaningful.

Who did you look up to as a role model when you were starting out in your career?

Other successful business leaders. There was a guy named Barry Halper who owned a small percentage of the New York Yankees. He helped me when I started my company. Another was Edmund Safra. He was a banker, and he helped me through a lot.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your career?

Of course. When you want to conquer the world, sometimes you’re impulsive and make mistakes. So, I’d be less impulsive if I had the chance to do it again.

What advice would you give to someone starting their own business in today’s world?

My advice is to be relentless and organized.

How do you continue to grow professionally?

By spending a lot of time with very successful people. This gives me the ability to see and learn from what they do right and what they do wrong.

What are you working on next?

We just announced a major partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team, signing a long-term partnership for naming rights to their new facility in Henderson – Lifeguard Arena. Now it’s time to begin working on the next major partnership.

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Profiled: Steven Odzer, BT Supplies West Inc.

It wasn’t long ago that getting a job at a big corporate company was the goal of every talented, ambitious student.

Here Aidan Cramer, Co-founder and CEO of JobLab, the platform connecting talented graduates with tech startups explains these were powerful global businesses that promised security for decades so long as you were willing to show up every day and work hard.

But then, in 2008, things changed. The collapse of Lehman Brothers seemed to be proof that no company could truly guarantee security, and if that were true, then the prospect of working for a big corporate suddenly sounded a lot less appealing.

At around the same time, the digital world was taking shape. Apps were promising more convenience than ever before, and for the younger members of the millennial generation and their successors, generation Z, this not only suggested that there was a new, radically different set of career options in the ascendancy, but that a ‘good career’ didn’t have to mean formal clothing, giant offices, and strict working hours. With the internet, went the argument, there could be much more freedom than ever before.

As if this wasn’t enough to make young people think twice about a corporate career, established businesses have shown their vulnerability in recent years. On the high street, global businesses such as Toys ‘R’ Us collapsed. Blockbuster disappeared.

Even Nokia, once the undisputed leader in mobile phones, faltered. In the eyes of millennials and generation Zers, it might make more sense to choose work that is meaningful, or to work in a business with a strong company culture.

The corporate world failed to anticipate these changes in perspective. It rested on its laurels. If it wanted to attract the brightest young talent, it should have been undergoing rapid digital transformation and looking for ways to offer the flexibility, responsibility and meaning that young people increasingly want. Even years later, these companies are struggling to make the changes necessary to retain and attract talent. It’s often you hear from people at these sorts of companies that there’s constant ‘bleed’: young people join, get trained and then leave — as studies show.

All this may not have mattered if there wasn’t an alternative. And that alternative is the startup scene. Startups can’t always promise security, but they can promise flexibility, autonomy and responsibility almost as soon as you walk through the door.

They tend to have smaller, tight-knit teams, and many have a social purpose. They can promise hungry graduates that they’ll learn skills quickly, and be able to feel tangibly the effect they’re having on the company’s success. At a big corporate, in contrast, change is slow; it’s like turning an old ship. That isn’t the case at startups, which by their nature are fast and agile. There’s no other way to be in the tech space if you want to survive and thrive.

Because the startup scene is booming in the UK, graduates are taking a chance that they can find another job elsewhere if everything goes south. But even if that were not the case, grads that leave a startup will still have developed skills and gained experience that they can take with them to a more ‘traditional’ job, if that’s what they want to do. And there’s also a perception that the big corporates are elitist, or tend to select based only on grade-scores and level of education.

This can only harm their hiring efforts: grades are not thought to be of ultimate importance in the startup space. And in fact, in the second quarter of this year, more than half our hires were from non-Russell Group universities.

Some will say young people are entitled. The marketing guru Simon Sinek said young people were ‘thrust into the real world’ only to find out ‘they’re not special’. But there is plenty of evidence that millennials are hard-working and ambitious, and the simple truth is that for many of them, they know they have options and they know that the fate of a company can change in a moment.

They’ve grown up in a digital world that empowers individuals armed only with a laptop and smartphone, and watched big, household-name companies make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Why stick around if they don’t find the work engaging? In the long-term, it will be to the detriment of the business as well.

If corporate companies think that they make attractive prospects due to prestige or wealth alone, they’re mistaken. If they want to compete with the hottest startups, they need to offer young people more. In the current employment landscape, talented young people know they don’t always have to compromise and will change jobs until they find the right one.

And at the moment at least, it’s the startup scene that seems to be offering the meaning, culture, flexibility and autonomy that young people really want. And that’s why, in the race for talent, the corporate world is losing out.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Read more:
Why the corporate world is losing the race for talent

Whether you are just starting your own company or you are looking to rebrand it, you will need an attractive and quality logo to represent you and the company.

A logo speaks volume of any company they represent and goes a long way to determine how your audience and customers view your company.

Creating a logo may sometimes feel intimidating and overwhelming. However, with the help of an easy-to-use online logo maker, you don’t need to worry. Easily create a high-quality and professional-looking logo in just a few steps – especially if you are on a shoestring budget.

Perhaps you think that to achieve a professional look; you have to consult an expensive logo designer? Maybe settle for a cheap cookie-cutter image from a freelancer because of your tight budget? The truth is you don’t have to pay through your nose to create a logo, and neither should the finished result look like a knock-off.

You can create a catchy, classy, and professional logo online free of charge and all by yourself. You only pay a small token to have the logo you designed; only when you are 100% satisfied with your final design.

This online tool will help you create your business logo as fast as you can imagine – in just a few steps. With the numerous powerful image editor controls and amazing templates on the site, you might be surprised how fast and easy it could be to make a great logo.

However, before I tell you more about this free to use online tool, let me open your eyes to some things that may help when it comes to creating a logo for your business.

Logo Design Tips to Help You Create the Best Logo

Creating a logo for your company goes far beyond just making the most-fancy cartoon and then adding your business name. You need to remember that your logo can be the biggest driver of attention to your company and then eventually land you some great deals.

Below are some tips you need to remember when creating a logo for your business.

#1: Always avoid using backgrounds

You will want to create a look that can fit any background or at least most backgrounds. So, I will always recommend that you just go for a transparent background so you can easily adjust it to fit any background from your paperwork, presentations or envelopes. Use a logo maker that allows you have your logo in different files; jpg, png, pdf, AI, and many more. That way, you will have an HD logo that can work for any of your brand materials.

#2: It’s important you have a vector AI file of your logo

You need to have the vector file of your logo – one of the reasons you should design your logo yourself. It is your logo and you have the right to own it and use it for whatsoever you want in the future. When you use the logo maker, you will also be getting the vector file, which allows you to edit, resize, and modify your project in a later stage.

#3: Don’t use hard-to read fonts

The flat design trend is enough for you. Don’t include any crazy fonts on your logo. They are always heavy and difficult to read. So avoid them. Use a easy-to-read fonts like Cinzel font.

#4: Make sure your logo is not confusing

A bad logo is one that has too many cartoons and elements that don’t easily glue, so avoid that kind of logo. Make a very simple logo with a clear message.

#5: Using a slogan is a good idea

Sometimes, you may need to use a slogan on your logo. This is especially important if you are using initials as your company logo or running a small business that nobody knows what you are doing. Use a short but catchy slogan that gives good insight into what you do in your company.

#6: Get a second and third opinion

This is very important when creating a logo for your business. Ask the opinion of other people about your logo. What do they think about it and what are their suggestions? These people may see what you didn’t see at first.

The Best Free Online Logo Maker to Help Get the Job Done

Now let’s talk about how you can create your own professional logo. Out of all the logo makers available on the internet, I can personally recommend just one online logo maker because of my recent experience with it as well as amazing reports from people about the tool. I can gladly say it’s one of the best logo makers you can ever use to create really stunning logos online and without breaking the bank.

It works well for all industries, including the fashion, beauty, law firm, plumber, photography, and all small businesses who needs a logo design fast and easy.

It has a professionally designed library that allows you to quickly and easily generate thousands stunning logos. You only need to choose one logo from the library and then customize to your taste to suit your business. You instantly modify the format, layout, fonts, and colors of the logo.

With just a few clicks and no design experience, this easy-to-use logo maker tool will help you create unique and awesome logos for your business and brands.

It Is Super Easy to Create A Professional Logo

One thing that is usually of limited supply to start-ups, entrepreneurs, and new businesses is time. We don’t have a luxury of time in our hands and so what we need is a tool that will be super easy to use. This tool has lots of already perfected logo designs so you can make your own logos from them in a matter of minutes.

The Online Logo Maker is Fit for Everyone

With the online logo maker, you can create a wide variety of logos, including Alphabet logos, vintage logos 3D logos, beauty logos, real estate logos, travel logos and many more logo categories to choose from. That way, you can be sure of getting a perfect fit for your business or company.

Why Should You Use This Free Online Logo Maker?

It is free to use

Looking for a free to use online logo maker? You have just found one! This tool is absolutely free to use. Browse through the rich library of professionally designed logos and choose the one that best suits your business without parting with a single penny. You pay a very small token to have your lovely logo ONLY when you are 100% satisfied with your final logo design and you are ready to use it.

It is very simple and fast

You don’t have to spend days creating a logo for your company. All you need to do is to choose a suitable design from the several amazing templates on the site and start editing. Without wasting much time, you can design your own logo just the way you have always wanted it.

You get unique designs

They don’t use stock icons like most logo makers online. So when you use the tool, you are sure of getting a unique logo design for your company. The tool has 10,000’s of unique templates designed by professional graphic designers which make it easy for you to have a stunning logo without stress.

Logos are available in multiple formats

This is more than just creating a logo! After finish creating your cool logo, you can save and have your logo in different formats, including in vector format. You only need to indicate in which format you want to have your logo, and you have it. Your logo will be ready to use without any watermark, will come in multiple variations, high resolutions. So it wouldn’t be a problem in case you decide to print it.

Freedom

You can use your logo wherever you like; on your website, letterhead, or your blog. You can also publish it on any social media of your choice.

How Do You Get Started?

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Looking for the best online logo maker? Here is your best shot

• The UK and South Korea have signed an in principle free trade agreement (FTA) that seeks to maintain existing trade arrangements post-Brexit.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox signed the deal with his South Korean counterpart Yoo Myung-hee in Seoul.

The preliminary agreement marks the first post-Brexit trade deal the UK has secured in Asia.

The agreement is roughly in line with the terms of the existing Korea-EU FTA.

It would cover South Korean exports including cars and auto parts. South Korea exports mostly cars and ships to Britain, while it imports crude oil and cars.

The agreement is designed to provide stability under a no-deal Brexit, with the UK due to leave the EU on 31 October, with or without a deal.

“The deal is significant as it eased uncertainties sparked by Brexit, amid the already challenging environment for exports on the escalating trade row between Washington and Beijing,” Ms Yoo said.

Both countries aim to ratify the deal by the end of October, and implement it in November.

South Korea – Asia’s fourth largest economy – is a global leader in electronics, steel and auto industry.

The country’s exports to the UK hit $6.36bn (£5.0bn) last year.

The UK is South Korea’s second largest trading partner among EU members, and the Asian nation’s 18th largest trading partner.

Read more:
UK signs post-Brexit free trade deal with South Korea

Fiat Chrysler has made a “transformative” merger proposal for French carmaker Renault, the Italian firm said on Monday.

The combined business would be 50% owned by Fiat shareholders and 50% by Renault stockholders.

The carmaker said the tie-up would create a global automotive leader, with 8.7 million vehicle sales.

Carmakers have faced pressure to consolidate amid major industry shifts, including towards electric vehicles.

In a statement, Fiat said the planned merger would create a “world leader in the rapidly changing automotive industry with a strong position in transforming technologies, including electrification and autonomous driving”.

No plant closures would be caused as a result of the tie-up, the carmaker said.

Fiat said that on a simple aggregated basis of 2018 results, the combined company’s annual revenues would be nearly €170bn (£149.6bn; $190.5bn) with operating profit of more than €10bn and net profit of more than €8bn.

Industry shifts toward electric models, along with stricter emissions standards and the development of new technologies for autonomous vehicles, have put increasing pressure on carmakers to consolidate.

Read more:
Fiat Chrysler proposes merger with Renault

ITV and BBC just announced BritBox for the UK – over a decade in the making, it’s a partnered platform aimed at becoming a rival to Netflix in catalogue and original content.

Similarly, M&S and Ocado recently clinched their joint delivery service deal to the tune of £750m. Partnerships can be a game changer for many businesses, including SMEs. What lessons can SMEs learn from partnerships, especially when it comes to launch?

Alexis Eyre, head of marketing at launch marketing agency Five by Five, believes partnerships will play into the future of SME launches in a big way:

• The importance of a challenger mindset: This is key – SMEs have the agility to build partnerships and adapt, so to challenge the status quo and offer a genuine alternative is integral in 2019. Collaborate to expose and close the gap, like BritBox can in the increasingly confusing era of subscription services.

• Look for the low hanging fruit: M&S needs to boost its online premium retail offer; Ocado knows its wealthy customers well. Both trusted brands, so customers are more likely to trust in their new partners too. Identifying the low-hanging fruit is vital in any launch because mass-market blitzes rarely work. Growth and expansion will follow.

• Think long-term: don’t just focus on the initial launch. Think how your need to crossover in marketing and activation over the next two years, so you can engrave the symbiotic relationship in the customer’s mind. For example, Lego has evolved partnerships with some of the most valued entertainment franchises around the globe, but it was not an overnight success.

Read more:
As big players prove partnerships’ popularity, is it time SMEs followed their lead?

New research reveals that a huge majority of accountants reject prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit strategy.

The survey conducted by Accountex, the UK’s leading trade show for the accounting and finance profession, found that 96% of respondents favoured alternatives to May’s proposed EU exit deal.

Almost half of the 260 UK accounting professionals surveyed stated that their preferred outcome of Brexit is to remain in the EU. However, more than one fifth of respondents said they want the UK to leave the EU with ‘no deal’ and trade on WTO terms. Only 4% back the PM’s Withdrawal Agreement as their preferred EU exit route.

A Canada-style free trade deal was the preference of a further 9%, while a Norway plus option, with the UK joining the EEA and the addition of a customs union, was supported by 8% of respondents. Only 5% backed the call for a second referendum and just 4% favoured extending the Brexit deadline to give more time for negotiations.

With just over three weeks remaining until the UK is due to leave the EU and a deal yet to be agreed, the poll also revealed that almost three quarters of accounting professionals are concerned about a ‘no deal’ Brexit and a further 59% think that ‘no deal’ should be avoided at all costs.

Of those surveyed, 59% of accounting professionals think that a ‘no deal’ Brexit will have a negative impact on their business and 58% of accountants in practice believe ‘no deal’ will have a negative impact on their clients’ businesses.

Ian Moss, editor at Accountex said, “We surveyed over 260 professionals from the accounting and finance sector and the sentiment was very clear: much like the MPs in parliament, an overwhelming majority reject Theresa May’s Brexit plan.

“The sector also showed little support for a second referendum or delaying Brexit, it’s apparent that decisive action and clarity is what’s desired.  What form that action should take is less clear cut, with almost half wanting the UK to remain in the EU and the rest split between ‘no deal’ and various trade deal options.”

The research also revealed that one third of accountants in practice have seen an increase in the number of clients turning to them to analyse the risk posed by Brexit and provide advice in recent months.

However, when asked whether the government and HMRC has provided sufficient information about Brexit to enable them to provide the desired strategic guidance to their clients or businesses, 88% of accounting professionals stated it has been inadequate.

Moss added, “Technological advances mean that the role of accountants is moving from compliance towards advisory, and in 2019 that often takes the form of advising businesses regarding Brexit planning.  With the 29th March deadline drawing ever closer, it’s no surprise that one third of respondents to our survey have reported an increase in the number of clients turning to them to provide guidance about Brexit in recent months.

“However, it’s concerning that a majority of accounting professionals felt that they had inadequate information to allow them to give their clients and businesses the desired support.

“From March the UK could be facing changes to tariffs and quotas on EU imports and exports, as well as all the VAT implications, but it’s not yet clear what form these will take, or whether they will happen at all.  Clarity is urgently needed to enable UK businesses and the finance professionals who advise them to put in place effective contingency plans.”

In terms of the impact that Brexit has had on businesses so far, 40% of respondents said that Brexit had already impacted their business’s financial planning decisions.

Of those, almost one fifth said that they had made less ambitious revenue forecasts for the year ahead and 17% said they had held off from investment.  Only 16% reported that they had begun contingency planning for a ‘no deal’ scenario and 15% had assessed the risk for each potential outcome of Brexit.

Read more:
UK accountants unanimously agree no deal Brexit puts UK in the red

Gamblit Gaming quickly become a rising star of the casino gaming scene thanks to their innovative esports-based gaming ventures.

n a big to encourage younger gamers to come to struggling casinos, Gamblit developed a range of video games that you could gamble on and pick up real-money cash prizes. For a while, it seemed that this was a hugely promising enterprise. But in a dramatic turn of events, Gamblit Gaming has had to lay off a large number of its workforce.

Although the exact number of workers who were laid off has yet to be disclosed and is unlikely equal the layoffs at Honda’s UK plant, it is thought that it would be a significant amount and it marks a troubling turn in Gamblit’s fortunes. In order to try and stave off any negative rumours, Gamblit’s CEO, Eric Meyerhofer, stated the shock moves were part of ‘streamlining operations’ that were made to try and improve profitability. 

But there still remains a huge cloud over the future of this promising casino gaming start-up that looked like it could have once mirrored the success of many start-ups in the UK. The California-based brand was established in a bid to try and bridge the gap between traditional casino games such as the ones featured on the wombatcasino.com site, and the video games that have proven to be endlessly alluring for the younger generation.

The company initially received plenty of support from an ailing casino gaming industry that has been hit particularly hard by dwindling revenues from gaming over the past few years. Not only have bricks-and-mortar casinos had their profits decimated by convenient online gaming sites, but even Las Vegas has had its revenues dwarfed by overseas competition in resorts such as Macau in China.  

As a result, there have been many noticeable efforts made to try and encourage younger people into classic casinos. Whilst many young customers are turned off by the perceptions of old-fashioned casino games like roulette, slots and blackjack, by featuring skill-based games that incorporated video gaming technology, it was hoped that it could bring a new generation of clientele through the casino doors.

Gamblit initially seemed to be more than up to the challenge as they create special Gamblit TriStations. These innovative gaming stations could be customised to allow customers to compete against other on video games in a bid to win cash prizes. The company seemed to be well-poised for success as the average age of a user of one of these TriStations was 36-years old, which was much younger than that of the 58-year average for Nevada’s slots players.

In May last year, these skill-based gaming machines were approved for roll-out in Nevada’s casinos. This move saw the Gamblit TriStations incorporated into legendary Las Vegas casinos such as the MGM Grand, The Venetian and Planet Hollywood. But with the sad news that Gamblit is having to lay off much of its staff, it looks like casinos will have to find new ways to get customers through their doors.

Read more:
Gamblit’s esports casino venture hits hard times

New research has found that 85% of parents believe companies with over 250 employees should subsidise the childcare costs they incur.

The survey of working parents also found that 91% of parents think the government should provide tax relief on childcare costs from an earlier age in order to encourage parents to return to work earlier if they should so wish.

The availability and affordability of childcare is a big issue and 46% of those surveyed stated that the cost of childcare in relation to their salary was the biggest obstacle when returning to work after having a child.

Flexibility was the second largest obstacle at 28% with just 15% stating separation from their child as the hardest barrier when returning to work.

50% of fathers stated that finance was the biggest blocker when considering shared parental leave, with 34% also worried about the risk to their career.

Although 52% said that they were happy to wait until their child was between the ages of one and two before returning to work, 65% would return sooner if they could access more flexible childcare arrangements.

The issue of affordability and flexibility can also impact the career opportunities open to parents, with 52% only willing to commute for up to 30 minutes and 39% for just an hour.

Cuckooz Nest is calling on big businesses to do more to support mothers and fathers returning from parental leave and to consider the changes they can make to do this.

Charlie Rosier, Co-Founder of Cuckooz Nest, commented: “Childcare has always been a hot topic and while parents want to secure the best option possible for their child, the lack of flexibility and the high cost of doing so can often mean this just isn’t the case.

We’ve seen the difference on-site childcare can have first-hand via Cuckooz Nest when facilitating new mums and dads, their early return to work and the positive impact it brings. But for many, this isn’t a luxury they can afford and more has to be done to breach this financial barrier to provide flexible, affordable childcare for everyone.

Of course, there are changes the government can make but we really want to see Britain’s big businesses take the lead and get behind this initiative, whether it’s to provide an on-site nursery or to subsidise the cost for its employees.

Read more:
Parents believe large companies should subsidise childcare costs

Virtual Reality (VR) is finally hitting the mainstream after decades of disappointing results and a lack of advancement in the industry.

Headsets have come down in price, content is becoming more readily available, and VR is being used in a host of different industries and for many different purposes.  It inherently offers users a chance to enjoy, or possibly endure, experiences that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in. The user can become anybody they want in any environment imaginable.

As well as the escapism that gaming has to offer, and the immersion that VR films and entertainment has to offer, the technology has many practical applications, and these are being highlighted in a host of ways.

Almost anything that can be done in the real world can be done in a virtual world. For a business, this can include things like customer services, as well as HR, although it is important that the modern business doesn’t use VR for the sake of it. Like any business decision, the risks and rewards, as well as the benefits of using VR over non-VR solutions, should be considered.

Virtual Tours

Arguably one of the simplest uses of VR is in the creation of a virtual tour, especially if you have access to the area that you wish to offer a tour of. For example real estate companies can take video footage of a property, and then provide VR access to potential tenants or buyers. This gives a much clearer understanding of the house space than a gallery of 2D images that have been taken in such a way to push the benefits of a property.

A VR property tour that shows every angle of every room can be extremely beneficial, and some real estate companies even allow users to add their own furniture or design the rooms so that they really can picture themselves living in the space; beneficial to the buyer, who can ensure that they have room for everything, and beneficial to the estate agent because it can help encourage more sales.

Travel agents can offer a virtual experience of a holiday destination, of holiday cottage destinations, and other locations.

Affordable Experiences

Holidays aren’t the only experience that can benefit from the VR treatment. VR experience days exist that allow you to take control of aircraft and spaceships, while a VR racing experience means that you can take the wheel in any of hundreds of sports cars and racing cars around dozens of tracks that are realistically recreated in a virtual environment. Such VR experiences offer access to an experience that you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to enjoy.

They can be used by businesses to offer first hand experience of something unachievable or difficult to achieve. For example, selling tickets on a commercial spaceflight might prove easier if the company is able to provide a virtual representation of what the individual will experience while on that flight.

Alternatively, some companies make a business out of these experiences. VR racing centres are just one example – rather than paintballing, you can visit VR centres that enable team battle style wars and fights.

Experiential Shopping

Shopping is another area where VR advances are already evident, and they are in operation in households and behind personal VR headsets.

Clothes stores could allow users to try on clothing, alter sizes, and customise their clothes. Some car showrooms already offer the possibility of virtual test drives. They don’t give a precise feeling of how the car drives, but they can be used to determine whether the car offers the kind of room needed for the kids in the back and the pushchair and dog in the boot.

Education And Training

Virtual classrooms enable remote learning, while still providing the benefits of peer communication and collaborative learning. The book, Ready Player One, and subsequent film adaptation has shown off some of the ways in which a virtual world could be used in this way, and it would effectively level the educational playing field.

As well as offering a virtual classroom environment, VR can be used to teach highly specific skills. For example, surgeons need experience in operating, but this experience is obviously difficult to achieve without risk to health. A VR training suite allows the surgeon to gain virtual experience in a similar setting to the one they will be working in when qualified.

Prototyping

Engineers and designers, including architects, not only use virtual reality to help them create and optimise designs. They can also apply mathematical and algorithmic parameters and stress test items, objects, and even buildings and constructions, without risking the health and safety of others, and without potentially wrecking expensive products that have yet to hit market.

Designs can also be shared with other users, and multiple designers and engineers can work on the same project at the same time. Mistakes can be rectified and repaired, ideas can be tested, and products can be perfected and optimised before being manufactured.

VR is taking off in a big way, and it is not only the commercial entertainment market where it is gaining in prominence. VR is used in education and training, healthcare, and even in military exercises. Above are just some of the ways in which the modern business can use this technology, and additional uses will surface as the technology continues to improve even further.

VR-Simulators.com is a VR racing centre in Glasgow, offering access to thousands of combinations of car and track for users to enjoy while remaining safe and comfortable. They are the first 5D racing centre of their kind, and have recently expanded to include additional rigs. Book for yourself, or arrange a group booking for parties or educational purposes today.

Read more:
How businesses are using VR to improve their efforts

New research has revealed the impact of burglary upon families across the UK.

The research of burgled UK respondents found that over half of house burglaries in the UK occurred when someone was at home, and that 86.9 per cent of burglaries significantly affected members of the household, with over 17 per cent of victims moving home because of the burglary.

“About half of the people surveyed have been burgled within the last year, and a surprising 49% said that they had no major security deterrents installed in their homes when the incident occurred,” said Horacio Perez, Operations Director at Verisure UK. “You can’t put a price on peace of mind when you consider that parents are 63 per cent more likely to feel unsafe after a burglary compared to those who don’t have children and that over 70 per cent of children have been negatively impacted emotionally by the burglary.”

According to the survey, 31 per cent of victims reported their home no longer feels the same, and 14% said they had to seek emotional support following the incident. Perez added: “What’s even worse is that 1 in 8 people who have been burgled admitted to still feeling vulnerable up to six months after being burgled. That’s why we are working with the charity Victim Support to ensure burglary victims get the support they need to move beyond the crime.”

“Burglary not only robs victims of their physical possessions – it can also rob people of their sense of security at home, a place where everyone should feel safe. The impact can last not only for a few days, but months after the burglary has taken place,” said Barbara Oakley, Operations Manager, Victim Support. “Every year burglary affects over 435,000 households across England and Wales and, even if nothing is stolen, most people feel anxious and less secure in their home afterwards.

“Burglary affects the whole family. Victim Support can provide free, practical and emotional support to everyone affected, including children.” added Oakley.

Read more:
Over half of house burglaries in UK happen when someone is at home

Sophia Matveeva, CEO & founder of Enty, tells us who she admires in business and what advice she would give to someone starting out

What do you currently do?

I run a tech platform that I co-founded called Enty. On Enty women discuss what to wear and buy with professional stylists and a community. Enty is unique because it is the only troll-free environment online. While everyone can ask style questions and interact with photos, only professional stylists can write comments. I also write a column in Forbes about my start-up journey.

What defines your way of doing business?

Relationships are the cornerstone of creating and growing any business, so I make an effort to nurture mine. Nothing of true value is achievable alone and every self-made story has a team of supporters: as employees to build, as investors to finance and as friends to support when times get tough. Without great people around me, Enty would not have been possible.

Who do you admire?

I am a huge fan of Stitch Fix founder Katrina Lake. Like me, Katrina started her company while doing her MBA, and pursued it in spite of disbelief from many typical tech investors. Now that Stitch Fix has done a successful IPO and is expanding abroad, she can be counted as one of the true pioneers of the fashion tech industry.

I also admire Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater, a hedge fund. One of the core tenets of his success is understanding that people are wired differently, so approach the same issue in different ways. I’ve read his book Principles from cover to cover – it’s full of great advice on how to build a good life and a good company.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

It took me a long time to gain confidence in my abilities and that held me back. I think women especially suffer from a lack of confidence at the start of their careers. That can develop over time and with experience, but the time lag is frustrating. That is the only thing I would change. All the other mistakes are just the cost of learning.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

If you want to start something, then get on with it! The best way to learn is by doing. That does not mean having to take huge risk. You can stay in your day job as you work on your entrepreneurial venture on the side, but the key is to get started doing something.  Entrepreneurship is risky, so make sure to manage your risk as you start out, either with cash in the bank, a full time job or some freelancing work. Then, take the plunge when the venture looks like it can be a viable career option.

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Getting To Know You: Sophia Matveeva, CEO & founder of Enty

Housebuilder Berkeley has warned that London’s property market remains under pressure from high transaction costs, mortgage restrictions and Brexit uncertainty.

While the group – which is focused on London and the South East – said prices continue to be robust in and around the capital, it cautioned once more over “headwinds” affecting the market.

“These headwinds affect all segments of the market from home-movers to downsizers and investors alike,” it said.

The comments come after the group has repeatedly warned of an expected profits dip next year, forecasting a drop of around 30% following a peak in the year to April 30, when profits surged 15.1% to £934.9 million.

But in its latest trading update, the group backed previous guidance to deliver at least £3.4 billion of pre-tax profits for the five years to April 30 2021, with at least £1.6 billion of profits over the two years to April 30 2019.

The group, which is holding its annual meeting for shareholders on Wednesday, said it was continuing to invest in the market, having bought five new sites since the start of May.

It also called for changes to help developers in the London and South East region overcome woes caused by recent changes to stamp duty and Brexit uncertainty.

Berkeley said: “A functioning housing market, where good new development can deliver much-needed additionality across all tenures, requires conditions for growth and low barriers to entry which are currently absent from the housing market in London and the South East.”

In June, Berkeley said it sold 3,536 homes over its last financial year – down more than 9% from the 3,905 sold a year earlier – at an average price of £715,000, against around £675,000 a year earlier.

Looking at the London market as a whole, Berkeley noted that overall transaction volumes were 19% lower than two years ago while new starts were 30% below those in 2015.

Read more:
Berkeley warns over ongoing London market woes

At his keynote speech at the BCC International Trade Summit, taking place today at The Vox in Birmingham, British Chambers of Commerce Director General Adam Marshall will say:

Check against Delivery

“Businesses across the United Kingdom must do more if we are to reclaim our mantle as a great global trading nation.

“A great global trading nation. Our politicians have used and abused that phrase liberally since the EU Referendum last year.

“Yet they need to put in place the conditions, and the environment, that will actually help make it happen. As the saying goes, ‘wishing doesn’t make it so’. Great global trading nations need great foundations. Those that succeed have leaders that demonstrate that they are backing their businesses to the hilt.

“Either we take a clear-eyed look at the world around us, or others will set us an abrupt wake-up call – timed for their agenda, rather than ours.”

On Brexit:

“I want to urge both the UK Government and the EU27 to strain every sinew to move ahead – and put trade and transition at the heart of negotiations by the end of 2017. European businesses need clarity. British businesses need clarity. Third country businesses need clarity – with American, Japanese, Australian, Indian and Canadian firms pressing for this.

“Further delays to trade and transition talks would create a lose-lose scenario for everyone with a stake in the game. It would be unforgivable for politicians on either side of the Channel to privilege brinksmanship and disruption over thriving trade.”

On backing British business:

“In recent years, an entrepreneur could be forgiven for thinking that the British political establishment had turned lock stock and barrel against business. While politicians exhort businesses to trade more overseas, new input costs are piled on firms year after year without a second thought, our trading infrastructure continues to creak at the seams, and party leaders compete with each other to demonstrate who can wag their finger most furiously at corporate Britain.

“Yet we must not tolerate the demonisation of business because it improves political poll ratings. Nor should we tolerate policy decisions that make it harder for our trading businesses to grow at such an important time.

On supporting trade:

“A simple, disciplined, long-term approach to supporting exports and investment that is understood and valued by business is sorely needed. Leadership must come from the very top, with trade missions at the heart of every Cabinet minister’s job description, rather than tacked on as a hastily-arranged afterthought. And in every region and nation of the UK, a truly global Britain would be investing in flexible, face to face trade support.”

In conclusion:

“I am hugely optimistic for the future of British business, and for the UK as a whole.

“Yet optimism is not the same thing as complacency.

“Complacency, ladies and gentlemen, is the single greatest enemy of our future success.

“The ‘I’m all right Jack’ approach, both in business and politics, needs to become a thing of the past. The wake-up calls of Brexit, stagnant growth in cross-border trade, greater automation and the rise of the twin forces of populism and protectionism, require us to work twice as hard to secure and grow our place at the heart of global trade.”

Read more:
Adam Marshall: Further delays to transition & trade talks would be lose-lose