Law firm Tozers provides advice to SME businesses in London and across the country, when they relocate their businesses as well as their families and homes to the beautiful West Country. Here three of the law partners give perspectives from a property, corporate and employment standpoint offering practical advice on how to go about such a wholesale relocation of both business and home, avoid the pitfalls, navigate the hazards, and how to make it a success and a dream come true. Staycations remain the preferred type of holiday for many, with a recent survey revealing that 72% of Brits are…

Relocation experts believe that ‘work from the beach’ narratives undermine both the opportunities and complexities of employee mobility From Airbnb to Zopa, more and more businesses are leading the way in allowing employees to work from abroad throughout the year. This is a positive step forward for a more inclusive, borderless approach to work. However, many of the conversations around these benefits focus on swapping your home office for the beach. According to Localyze, an online global mobility platform that removes borders to talent and opportunities, relocating for work holds much more opportunity — and complexity — that goes far…

A quarter (28%) of small businesses in the UK are now generating more sales from social media than from any other channel, including e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar stores, according to research from BT*. Yet, despite the widespread uptake of social media as a sales tool, one in five (21%) entrepreneurs are concerned that they lack the digital skills to help them get the best results for their business out of social platforms. In a bid to help the UK’s smallest enterprises better leverage the business benefits of social media, BT has teamed up with business influencer and YouTube star, Patricia Bright,…

Low financial literacy could be costing the average household in the UK around £2,850 every year according to a new study by Allianz. Over a 10 year period, this could amount to £40,647 compared to households led by people who really understand financial basics. The study surveyed more than 1,000 people in the UK alongside six other countries, asking them a series of questions designed to test their understanding of financial basics, such as interest rates, inflation, and investment risks and returns. Worryingly, the results reveal that more than a quarter or 26% of Brits lack the knowledge and skills…

By Stacey Moser, Chief Commercial Officer at Universal Robots   In automating factory functions, larger companies have typically turned to expensive, complex industrial robots and expert in-house engineers. So, what’s the appeal of smaller collaborative robots (cobots) and why are an increasing number of larger businesses looking to this technology to complement their existing production set-up and accelerate their factory automation? Universal Robots’ Chief Commercial Officer, Stacey Moser, identifies five reasons larger companies are turning to cobot technology. 1. Cobots are being used to complement traditional industrial robots It’s not a question of either/or for large companies. Traditional industrial robots…

Author: Gilbert Verdian, Founder and CEO of Quant Blockchain technology has long been lauded for its promise of decentralisation, security, and scalability. But despite these lofty ideals, adoption has been slow. The complexity involved in implementing blockchain solutions has proven to be a significant obstacle, particularly for small and medium-sized firms (SMEs). There are currently hundreds of blockchains in existence: some public, some private, each with their own programming language, intricacies, strengths, and weaknesses. Assets or smart contracts created on one chain are ‘native’ to it and (until recently) could not easily be moved to another. Each blockchain also demands…

If you’re considering loaning money to an individual or a business for any purpose, it’s wise to pause and consider what documentation should be in place to protect you. Even if you know the people involved on a personal or close business level, it’s never a good idea to loan money on the strength of their word only. It’s far better to have a legally binding contract for repayment; this is where Loan Agreements come into play. In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamental aspects of a Loan Agreement: its purpose, benefits and essential components. You’ll thoroughly understand why Loan…

Fraud is affecting businesses all over the country, and it is proving more important than ever to be proactive when it comes to protecting the security of your business. With this in mind, Utility Bidder has shared expert advice and 5 tips on how you can help protect your business from fraud. 5 ways you can protect your business from fraud 1 – Conduct background checks on potential new suppliers Suppliers are a crucial aspect of most businesses as they are responsible for the sourcing of company products and this plays an important role in the success of any business. By conducting background…

Researchers from Leeds University Business School have developed a toolkit that promises to radically simplify decision-making around digital technology adoption. Industrial digital technologies (IDTs) are transforming the manufacturing landscape. The integration of IDTs into manufacturing promises to yield a production ecosystem that is drastically more flexible, efficient, and responsive. The adoption of IDTs has already had a big impact on UK manufacturers and will impact the global economy as a whole, offering promising opportunities to improve the position of UK manufacturers within global value chains. But with these opportunities come potential challenges, and therefore it is essential to find out…

By Ant Parsons, OxLEP Business Start-ups, and small to medium sized organisations are fundamental to the business landscape, in fact, recent figures from FSB show that SMEs accounted for 99.9% of the total business population, three-fifths of employment and around half of the turnover in the UK private sector in 2022. So, supporting their growth is key to building a healthy economy, providing employment opportunities and driving growth. Oxfordshire is home to around 679,000 people, over 43,000 registered companies, at least 40,000 self-employed people and has one of the strongest economies in the UK. In fact, PwC’s 2021 Good Growth…

Global survey results from IE University, #WorkAnywhere and Remote have revealed office workers are experiencing the highest levels of burnout and lowest levels of happiness and job satisfaction. This is when compared to remote and hybrid workers – indicating that the office environment isn’t the effective separator between life and work that many believe it to be. Some business leaders have justified return-to-office mandates by claiming that the office helps to establish clear boundaries between work and life, thereby boosting work-life balance and reducing stress. However, according to findings from The Global Life-Work Survey, in the past month alone, 41% of full-time office workers experienced…

By feature writer Fiona Scott Mike Randall doesn’t look disruptive. So many business owners call themselves ‘disruptive’ when they are not – they are not creating a deep and lasting change to a sector or industry. They simply like the word and ‘hope’ it applies to them! This 50-something businessman, who lives in London, might come across in the first few seconds of meeting him as a bit of a ‘banker’ yet that glint in his eye, that passionate tone and the vehemence with which he supports the SME sector, stand him apart. This is a man who wants to change…

With the rapid growth of the global manufacturing industry, the need to prioritise environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments is essential for the sustainable future of the industry, and in turn, the planet.  Dedicated initiatives such as Plastic Free July hold significant importance for businesses in today’s environmentally conscious world. The global movement serves as a reminder for businesses to evaluate their plastic consumption and take the necessary steps towards reducing their impact on the environment.   Cutting down on plastic use is not only good for the environment, but it also helps businesses operate more efficiently. Although introducing alternative materials and…

Ahead of the Consumer Duty deadline on 31st July, Close Brothers Motor Finance has revealed what matters most to customers. As we count down the final days to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consumer Duty 31st July implementation deadline, which requires firms to act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers, the incoming regulations make it even more important for dealers to review the products and customer service processes they currently have in place. Under the Duty, firms should provide customers with products and services that meet their needs and offer fair value. Customers should receive communications they can understand. They…

Author: Francis Dalton, Corporate Partner at national law firm Freeths For a founder or seller, the sale of a SME business will be one of their key life events.  For a buyer it can be a springboard to a faster growth rate.  In recent months buyer and seller expectations have changed in relation to SME transactions.  It is now taking an average of 12 months for transactions to complete leaving buyers and sellers in limbo.  In this article Freeths Corporate experts identify some of the frequently occurring gaps between seller and buyer expectations in Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) transactions…

The pandemic revolutionised the work landscape, making remote work the new normal for many. However, in a time of economic uncertainty and cooling job markets, employers are tightening their grip on benefits, particularly flexible and hybrid working arrangements. Now, as the world aims to return to pre-pandemic norms, a growing number of employers are compelling their employees to return to the office, leading to reduced flexibility for working parents.According to the most recent data from the UK’s labour market statistics, economic inactivity rates are consistently much higher for women. For example, from March to May 2023, the percentage of women…