With searches for “work burnout” increasing by 47.38%, businesses must design workplaces that are tailored to employees’ needs and accommodate evolving team dynamics and project demands.  Flexible spaces help to achieve this, creating a positive environment that encourages collaboration, integration and innovation, which is beneficial for the success of a business.   Studio Alliance office design experts have provided five practical tips to encourage this within the workplace.  1. Adaptable spaces   Adaptable spaces are beneficial for ensuring rapid communication and allowing for a seamless exchange of ideas.  Moveable walls, modular furniture, writable surfaces and interactive technology are at the heart of this, enabling teams to work together, collaborate and make decisions easier.  2. Transparency   For the…

British Glass has accused the Government of shattering the UK glass sector after a controversial new packaging tax was passed by Parliament. Under the new packaging extended producer (pEPR) scheme, which shifts the cost of collection and sorting from local authorities to producers, heavier containers like glass will incur higher levies, meaning products in glass bottles and jars could be set have an additional cost in excess of 10p whereas products in plastic or metal containers will only have a marginal cost.  Glass fees for beverage packaging will be around 49 times higher than other, less-recyclable materials, leaving brands with…

Nebius’ recently launched Nebius AI Studio has been recognized as one of the most competitive Inference-as-a-Service offerings on the market by leading independent analytics provider Artificial Analysis. Nebius AI Studio offers app builders access to an extensive and constantly growing library of leading open-source models – including the Llama 3.1 and Mistral families, Nemo, Qwen, and Llama OpenbioLLM, as well as upcoming text-to-image and text-to-video models – with per – token pricing, enabling the creation of fast, low-latency applications at an affordable price. Artificial Analysis assessed key metrics including quality, speed, and price across all endpoints on the Nebius Studio AI…

Dave Capper, CEO at Westfield Health, shares his thoughts on the ‘Get Britain Working’ plan with a focus on tackling long-term sickness, a main cause of economic inactivity in the UK:   “The government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ plan is an important step in addressing the UK’s economic inactivity crisis. The £240 million initiative aims to reform jobcentres, expand work and learning opportunities for young people and reassess the role of employers in ensuring work is accessible to individuals with disabilities and health conditions. Economic inactivity and long-term sickness are two of the biggest challenges facing the country today, and these reforms are crucial measures that…

Vitality, the health and life insurer, has today published the ‘Active Women, Healthy Lives: Understanding Barriers to Women’s Participation in Sport’ report into women’s physical activity and health. The report finds that less than 1 in 4 (23%) women are completing the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week and that 96% of women feel responsible for their own levels of physical activity*.   The report suggests that this feeling of responsibility could be misplaced. Given the link between health and productivity, employers have an opportunity to support female employees by stepping in to help improve their health and tackle…

Australia is emerging as a goldmine for UK exporters, particularly in food and beverage, retail, and other high-growth sectors. With a robust bilateral trade relationship, strategic location, and affluent consumer base, the country offers unparalleled opportunities for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) ready to expand internationally. UK food and beverage exports to Australia have more than doubled over the past decade, driven by the market’s demand for premium, sustainable, and innovative products. Whisky remains the leading UK food and beverage export to Australia, reflecting the appetite for quality British products. The Australian grocery market is highly concentrated, with 85% of all food…

New research* shows that some cities across the UK have seen rents increase by 40 per cent or more over the past four years – a rate of more than 10 per cent per annum. (*Zoopla, October 2024). The findings from Zoopla reveal cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow have seen above-average rent rises over the past four years, as well as areas such as Dorset and Somerset. Glasgow has seen rents rise more than any other UK city in that period, with average rents rising 44.4 per cent. However, a home in the Scottish city is cheaper than…

An artisan gingerbread producer from Grantham has expanded his routes to market and seen online sales for his traditional Grantham Gingerbreads grow by 400% in the past year, using key learnings from the Small Business Charter’s Help to Grow: Management Course. The success of Hawkens Gingerbread, founded by Alastair Hawken, now includes its products being stocked by the likes of Selfridges and the National Trust’s shops, while the company’s efforts have also led to Germans acquiring a taste for quintessentially British gingerbread. Alastair started the business in 2009 after discovering that Grantham Gingerbread – England’s oldest biscuit recipe – had…

By Musab Hemsi, a partner at Anderson Strathern Employment lawyers are well versed in misconduct or grievance investigations at work. We can advise on the beginning, middle and end of the investigatory process and what should be expected for both the employer and employee. So far so good. But one aspect which often escapes lawyers’ critical consideration is – what happens to the parties involved after an investigation is concluded? While being proficient in the investigation process is crucial as an employment lawyer, it is also important to bear in mind the effects of an investigation and how these can…

Recent findings by Tlyfe reveal that the ratio of private tenants to available rental properties is projected to increase to 2.21 by the end of 2024, up from 2.2 in 2023. This subtle shift highlights an increasingly competitive landscape for renters, driven by a growing demand that far outstrips supply.  Despite surging tenant demand, 30% of landlords have sold or listed at least one rental property within the last year. A further 17.4% are contemplating similar moves in the coming months, according to the Goodlord and Vouch State of the Lettings Industry Report. In fact, half of all landlords have either…

Quadient , a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, shares some predictions on the trends expected to disrupt the finance and accounting sector in 2025. Quadient’s predictions include: How more finance teams will go all-in on blockchain How 2025 will see accounting becoming a dying profession if education doesn’t change 2025 will be the year of instant cash flow How AR teams will become a driving force in business decision making 2025 will see open banking redefining payments More finance teams will go all-in on blockchain Sarah-Jayne Martin, Director of Financial Automation at Quadient  “In 2025 more…

Research from ramsac, a leading cybersecurity support firm, has found that over 30% of UK adults couldn’t pass a cybersecurity test for 11-year-olds. By posing five simple questions that are part of the UK’s 11-14-year-olds curriculum, it was found that only 68% of responders answered all five correctly. ramsac asked those visiting their website to answer the following five multiple choice questions: Which of the following helps to safeguard against phishing? What is malware? If you left your phone with work information in a public place, what should you do? Outside your workplace, you find a USB stick, what would you…

New data from digital transformation consultancy Daemon reveals that while discounts are still a primary motivator for shoppers, willingness to share certain information and the changing retail landscape is reshaping consumer loyalty. Across generations, discounts are a common theme. 61% of GenZ, 67% of Millennials, and 65% of Baby Boomers say special discounts are the top reason that would keep them shopping with a retailer. Despite this, there are varying degrees of willingness to share personal information in exchange for these benefits. Over half – 58% – would provide their email address to receive a 25% discount on their next…

The annual Scottish Widows women and retirement report was recently released. The report highlights some shocking stats, including how only 56% of women are on track to receive retirement income from a private pension, compared to 68% of men – and fewer (49%) women are on track for retirement income from long term savings than men (61%).  In light of this Paul Leandro, Partner at independent consultancy, Barnett Waddingham, shares five things employers can consider to close the gender pensions gap and four things policy makers should do. Paul commented, “The pension system that we use is outdated. Despite being…

The UK accountancy sector is facing an urgent talent crisis, with accountants blaming outdated and negative perceptions for the weak talent pipeline, according to recent findings from accounting software provider FreeAgent. The latest research from FreeAgent surveyed 337 accountants and bookkeeping professionals to highlight the health of the industry’s talent pipeline and the future skills needed for the profession. Perceived barriers to accountancy enrollment  With a sharp decline in the number of students choosing to pursue accountancy qualifications, among the most significant obstacles are negative stereotypes about the profession, cited by 57.1% of respondents, high education costs (47.1%), and the lengthy…

ThreatQuotient™, a leading threat intelligence platform innovator, last week released the Evolution of Cybersecurity Automation Adoption 2024. Based on survey results from 750 senior cybersecurity professionals at companies in the U.K., U.S. and Australia from a range of industries, this in-depth research report examines the progress senior cybersecurity professionals are making towards adopting automation, its key use cases and the challenges they face. The fourth edition of this annual survey highlights how automation is maturing and how, in a world of continuous change, organisations are adopting cybersecurity automation for resilience, scale and collaboration. The report examines approaches to integration, whether…