We take a look at one of the many ways you can assist the implementation of social distancing measures in an office environment, by using zonal flooring.
Open plan offices may struggle to find adequate ways to keep employees distanced when returning to work, following the adjustments to current coronavirus rules. Zonal flooring is one effective way to keep continuity with a new spatial design, and clearly divide large open plan spaces into concise, targeted areas.
The planned changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme have been confirmed by the Chancellor and set out in a factsheet. Further guidance on flexible furloughing and how employers should calculate claims is expected from HMRC on 12 June.
Flexible furloughing Employers will be given the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back part time from 1 July 2020, but will be responsible for paying the employees’ wages for the hours/days worked. Employers will be able to continue to claim under the scheme for the balance of an employee’s normal hours and will be required to confirm the usual hours an employee would be expected to work in a claim period and the actual hours worked. Scheme closes to new employees from end of June From July onwards, claims can only be made by employers already using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in respect of previously furloughed employees. The scheme will close to new entrants on 30 June, which means that the final date by which an employer can furlough an employee for the first time will be 10 June, in order to have met the three week minimum period of furlough. However, employers will have until 31 July to make any claims in respect of wages for June. Employer contributions The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to be slowly tapered from August 2020, resulting in employers being required to gradually increase their contributions towards furlough pay. The tapering will take effect as follows: June and July: The Government will pay 80% of wages, up to a cap of £2,500, plus employer National Insurance and pension contributions. Employers are not required to pay anything. August: The Government will pay 80% of wages, up to a cap of £2,500. Employers will pay employer National Insurance and pension contributions. September: The Government will pay 70% of wages, up to a cap of £2,187.50. Employers will pay 10% of wages to make up 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500, plus employer National Insurance and pension contributions. October: The Government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875. Employers will pay 20% of wages to make up 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500, employer National Insurance and pension contributions. We await the further details from HMRC on 12 June. Speak to the specialist Employment Law team at Hatch Brenner Solicitors for Employment law advice via 01603 660 811, or find out more in our Employment Law for Employees and Employment Law for Employers web pages.
TaxAssist is championing a Buy Local campaign to help business communities thrive by encouraging consumers and local businesses to come together and support each other.
The Buy Local message has never been more important, with businesses needing all the help and support they can get post coronavirus lockdown. TaxAssist Accountants is keen to champion their cause and its network of accountants are pushing out the message nationwide across their shop windows, websites and social media channels.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of small businesses including retailers, barbers, restaurants and cafes have temporarily closed and these businesses in particular will need support to help to keep the local economy thriving once they are given the green light to re-open from 15th June for non-essential shops.
There have though, been many examples of innovation from the small business sector, which has embraced technology and ingenuity to adapt to the conditions imposed by the pandemic and TaxAssist has created a dedicated Buy Local hub on its client site to highlight many positive stories.
Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “I am really impressed with how businesses have shown tremendous energy and innovation in adapting how they operate during these difficult times and we must all do what we can to help them. This is because the local business owners you are spending your money with will, in turn, put that money back into the local community by using local suppliers and employing people which all helps to keep the local economy thriving. The Buy Local message is key and one which TaxAssist Accountants is proud to spearhead.”
During the pandemic, TaxAssist Accountants is holding Virtual Discovery Days and has continued to receive a steady stream of enquiries about its franchise opportunity as people evaluate their future career and lifestyle choices.
“I think that lockdown has really forced people to rethink what they want from their life and what’s important to them,” states Karl. “Certainly, from people we have spoken to recently who are interested in joining TaxAssist, we have heard that they want to cut out their commute and fulfil a wish to take on a more rewarding role, by working with local businesses and integrating more closely in their communities.
“TaxAssist Accountants is a people-based business, operating from shops and offices, but our strength is that by fully adopting market leading software, the network has proven itself to be remarkably resilient, able to continue to offer a first class service to over 77,000 clients remotely. The timely advice, guidance and support our accountants have been able to offer during the COVID-19 pandemic has been very well received and will make a real impact on the survival and recovery of independent businesses across the UK.”
If you are interested in joining TaxAssist Accountants, we are holding monthly Virtual Discovery Days where you can spend a day with the team and find out more about the business opportunity and support on offer. Click here for more information.
We’re hosting a charity quiz night on Friday 24 October at the New Bury Community Centre in Bury St Edmunds.
You can enter a team of up to 6 people and it costs £30 per team. There will also be a raffle on the night.
The event will raise money for Just George, which is a special name fund at the Children’s Cancer Group (CCLG) raising money for research into rhabdomyosarcoma in memory of George.
Doors will open at 7pm, with the quiz starting at 7:30pm.
To take part in the fun, simply email fundraising@gascoynes.co.uk.
There aren’t many silver linings to be found in the midst of a pandemic, but the way local businesses were able to rally round for their communities is one of them. Many consumers, who’d never shopped with their local suppliers before, turned to those businesses for supplies and services when big brands couldn’t reach them. For the community, they became a lifeline, and for the businesses themselves, it meant boosted sales and visibility.
So, as the UK begins to ease lockdown and some kind of normal life resumes, the local businesses who found new customers want to keep hold of them. But with the national and global players in all sorts of different industries gearing up to win back their customers, what can they do? Your farm shop might not have the marketing budget of Sainsbury’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay at the forefront of your new customers’ minds. Instead, you need to find the right tools, create good content and reach those people directly.
Email marketing is an affordable solution for businesses who want to stay in touch, build brand loyalty and entice buyers back. It doesn’t cost a lot to use a professional email marketing platform like Smart Messenger. So, you don’t need to blow your budget, you just need to get the right messages to the right people. Find out how much email marketing costs.
Here are some suggestions of content to include when you are using email marketing to build connections with new customers.
1. Storytelling.
All businesses have stories and the ones from the past three months are particularly interesting. How did you serve your community during the lockdown, what did you do to reach customers who desperately needed your help and what response did you get from the people where you live and work? Tell those stories and thank the community for turning to you and buying local. It’ll engage their hearts and minds as they read your email.
2. Showcase
Remind your customers of all the reasons why your product or service is the best choice. It might be the way you make it, a bespoke element, a genius solution or a sustainable supply chain. Identify the things that make your most loyal customers come back time and again, then tell the new ones what they can expect from you.
3. Promote Local
Champion the ‘buy local’ cause for yours and other businesses. Remind your new customers that you were there for them when they needed you and will be again. Share the local suppliers you work with to produce your goods or service, then shine a light on those companies you buy from. Show customers that buying from a local supplier means the money goes back into the local economy, which benefits everyone.
4. Offers and loyalty plans
Got something to give? Send it through email marketing. Smart Messenger customer Panther Breweryserved their community during the lockdown and sent a ‘thank you’ voucher to new customers. The result? A fantastic email open-rate and more sales.
“As email marketing newcomers, we wanted to choose a service where we could rely on support throughout. Our Account Manager advised us on how best to structure our first campaign and what to offer our clients. The results were brilliant – we achieved a 68% open rate and a 42% click through rate! We’re absolutely delighted with the service.”
Martin James, Owner & Head Brewer at Panther Brewery
5. Highlight change
Your business practice might have changed due to the new rules, or perhaps you’ve diversified your product range to meet a new need. Whatever changes you’ve made, tell your customers. Our client Office Water Supplies became incredibly busy after diversifying into sanitation supplies early on in the pandemic. They came to us, we created a managed campaign for them, and now their customers know their business has expanded. It was easy for them; despite the fact they were snowed under with demand.
“We learnt of Smart Messenger and their services via Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and the member training sessions. Further to the outbreak of Covid-19, we felt it was imperative we reached out to our network to keep them updated with new products and services that had become available. In addition, we wanted to reassure existing customers that we could continue to serve their requirements. The feedback has been excellent, really clear decisive designs with minor alterations never being an issue and instant customer response. We look forward to continue working with the team at Smart Messenger moving forward.”
Paul Mitchell, Business Partner at Office Water Supplies
These are just a few of the ways that you can engage with your new customers and encourage them to keep using your local business. If you’d like to know more, get in touch with our friendly Smart Messenger team on 01603 858250.
Pure hosted its annual Norwich charity quiz night on Thursday 13 April, bringing local businesses and clients together for a fun evening which raised over £2,700 for Norfolk’s cancer charity The Big C.
The battle of the brains, organised by professional recruitment specialists Pure, saw 36 teams of four from organisations across the county pitting their wits against each other. The teams included people from Age UK, Tax Assist, Price Bailey and Kaplan Financial, and there was plenty of friendly rivalry on the night. The overall winners were a team from Anovo, with each team member presented with £20 Cinema City gift cards.
The event, held at the Sprowston Manor Hotel, also included a raffle to help raise further funds with prizes all kindly donated by local businesses.
Joseph O’Sullivan, Manager of Pure’s Norwich Office, said: “We’ve been running our annual charity quiz nights for eight years and they’ve always been extremely well supported. It’s a fantastic way for local businesses to come together, support a good cause and to have fun at the same time. This year our Norwich team has pledged to support The Big C for all our charity activity and we’re delighted to have raised such a wonderful amount for this exceptional organisation. I would like to thank everyone who attended, donated and contributed so generously to the event. We hope to see you all again next year.”
The Big C provides drop in support and information centres across Norfolk and Waveney. These are used by thousands of people affected by cancer every year and provide valuable information about diagnosis, treatments, side effects and recovery. The support also includes trained staff who can provide emotional help, support and complementary therapies.
Last year’s Norwich quiz night also raised over £2,000 for EACH. Pure’s annual quiz nights, held at all four offices throughout the year, are just one of the many charity events the professional recruitment specialists for the East of England run throughout the year.
From loaning our MINI to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Charity (NNUH Charity) to help with the deliverance of vital chemotherapy drugs to oncology patients at Spire Hospital, to raising an incredible £837 for the charity as well as launching a Mini Roof Competition to lift spirits and provide the opportunity for families and individuals to get creative…Chatsbrook have made a monumental and positive impact on our community.
NOW, after receiving a total of 36 entries from a variety of ages, we are excited to reveal the winning MINI Roof Design and its creator!
CONGRATULATIONS TO DANIEL HORNBY– A local Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer- it’s no wonder his design is incredible!
His vibrant design perfectly captured the industries Chatsbrook support AND we loved the vibrant and abstract inclusion of the NHS rainbow.
We invited Daniel to see his winning design on the MINI for the FIRST TIME…
“I am really happy to have won this competition! It looks even better than I imagined in real life!”-Daniel Hornby.
Scarlet Francis, at Chatsbrook, articulated “Daniel’s design won us over. It was a pleasure to be able to invite him to see the fruits of his labour! The bright design has already put smiles on lots of people’s faces- certainly making any future #MINIAdventure very exciting!”
The winning design incorporates the NHS rainbow- a symbol that will forever be embedded in our minds. Our Chatsbrook MINI completed a total of 137 runs, clocked over 437 miles and delivered treatment for over 2220 patients! It is our way to symbolize our continued support of key workers. If you happen to spot the Chatsbrook MINI on its travels, don’t forget to #ChatsbrookMINI for a chance to be featured on our page!
Jamie Goodman, Volunteer Driver Co-Ordinator at NNUH Charity, relayed “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the trust had to take alternative measures to effectively treat our patients safely working in partnership with the Spire Hospital. It is only with the generous donations from Chatsbrook that we have been able to support the oncology team in delivering care off-site.”
It has been fantastic to see the extent that collective efforts can have on a local community-Thank you to everyone involved!
Fears of impending job losses in the wake of the Coronavirus lock-down have triggered rising interest in Start Up training according to business training and business support specialists MENTA.
Would-be entrepreneurs can now receive advice and support to get their ventures off the ground from the comfort of their own home from MENTA trainers via Zoom and its new MENTA LIVE training sessions.
MENTA switched its face-to-face Start-up training to new online workshops within days of the lock-down announcement in March, has found that far from curtailing ambition, the enforced time at home was encouraging many clients to pursue their long-held start up dreams.
Participants from across Norfolk and Suffolk can sign up to three fully-funded training sessions covering business basics and viability, marketing, and bookkeeping and taxation.
Each interactive session will walk you through what you need to know about starting and running a business and there are also spreadsheets to help with financial forecasting and bookkeeping – all designed to ensure you stay on top of the numbers.
John Neild, Enterprise Programme and Contracts Manager at MENTA, said: “We are seeing a lot of interest in the new Workshop Live format including among people currently being furloughed by their employees or facing redundancy because of the pandemic.
“Many who are signing up are telling us that they want to use the time available during lock-down to work on their business ideas. The beauty of Workshop Live is that you only need a laptop or a mobile to sign in and take part.
“We’re delighted to have been able to turn these sessions around so quickly and help as many people as we can make the best use of their time during the lock-down. The feedback we have had so far has been fantastic, with many of those taking part telling us that they are delighted to receive this free help at what could otherwise be a very worrying time.” John Neild said.
MENTA training sessions are being run on an ongoing basis – to find out more and find the next available details click here
At Breakwater IT we want to provide our clients with five-star customer service in the most convenient ways. When a client gets in touch with us, this usually means something within their IT has gone wrong. This can often cause stress and interruptions to their working day. Our engineers aim to resolve these problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. Therefore, we are always investing in new technologies to support both our clients and our team. We are pleased to now officially introduce the Breakwater Hub. The Hub is a new way for our clients to log IT tickets. Using an installed desktop application or web browser, each individual staff member can login to their own platform and give a detailed report of their issue. Pre-set questionnaires for ticket requests allow individuals to answer simple questions within the Hub. This helps to minimise the back and forth between our engineers and clients. When received by an engineer, these questions enable them to identify and resolve the issue quickly. Sometimes, an engineer may still need additional details from the client. In this instance, they can reply to the client directly in the Hub. The client can also then respond using a simple chat function. The Hub contains useful features for our clients, allowing them to not only raise new tickets but monitor open and closed tickets. When checking on an open ticket, individuals can use the chat, see which engineer is assigned to the ticket, the priority level, ticket number and more. They can even close the ticket if needed. When reviewing closed tickets there is an option to reopen a ticket within 30 days if the issue has resurfaced. They can also view all the details from the ticket history. Additional features can also be added to a certain employees Hub. The features available now include invoicing and quotes. These functions allow those employees to view their invoices and any quotes given with Breakwater. We will also be introducing new features soon including an instant messaging chat function, and shops. Shops will allow clients to browse products such as laptops, monitors, accessories and more! They are then able to order these directly with us using the Hub. The Hub has been in testing recently with a few clients, but is now being rolled-out to all existing and new clients. We are excited to move forward with a new, more efficient way of supporting businesses with their IT. For more information on our services, get in touch: www.breakwaterit.co.uk | 01603 709300 | enquiries@breakwaterit.co.uk
I’m sure we can agree that the past few months have affected us all in some way or another, myself being included.
Being a recruiter it’s my job to be in charge of the recruitment process which I’ve been used to for the past 8 years, until it was my turn to be recruited and this was taken out of our hands by Covid-19.
After working for a national recruitment agency for the past six years I decided I wanted to be a part of the Atkinson Moss team, a team that has built a fantastic reputation in the local market and reflected my values in the industry. I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity that matches my expertise of joining the Office Support division with the added bonus of working alongside Claire Pitt.
With the world of recruitment changing in a matter of weeks, I found myself caught up in an unprecedented situation with the job market changing overnight. My faith and belief in Atkinson Moss and what they stand for was strengthened further when Angie and Graham took the time to call me to reassure me that they still wanted me and my job was safe.
This was a huge relief and my excitement was reignited, I couldn’t wait to be a part of the AM team (whenever this could be possible).
My start date was confirmed shortly after, however my first week wasn’t exactly how any of us would have imagined! My laptop, essentials and a thoughtful welcome gift were delivered to me by Graham (albeit at a distance) the weekend before my first day. I immediately set up my make shift working from home office – not quite the lovely St Georges works offices I expected but I made do.
Monday morning came and it felt like I was sat next to Graham undertaking my first day in the office, (Thank goodness for Zoom) we spoke all day as he navigated me virtually around the system, database and tools I would need to hit the ground running. I feel that I have been able to pick up everything that is required and have been able to very quickly get on with my new job as if I were physically in the office. All that was missing was the direct contact with people I was so excited to work with.
In my few weeks out of recruitment a lot had changed, more than anyone could have predicted and I found myself being educated around the state of the current market by colleagues, candidates and clients, each of whom had a different experience. I was learning about the different ways it had affected them and importantly how they adapted and overcame the ‘new’ normal.
Although my onboarding process wasn’t exactly how we had planned, it was supportive, seamless and most importantly it worked. I know from my personal experience that with technology, a positive attitude and planning it can work for clients and candidates who need flexibility during these uncertain times. Being open to new ideas and utilising the technology available to us is not something that should be resisted when looking to welcome new recruits. It can be hugely effective and gives the flexibility to start a new employee from home which can be a benefit to all.
At Atkinson Moss we have proven experience of how this has worked for us and we are happy to share our experiences to help make it work for you.
The message at the South Norfolk Business Breakfast last week was how focusing on your staff satisfaction will have a direct impact on your business success!
We welcomed Chamber members to Park Farm Hotel, Hethersett for our sold out breakfast for a morning of networking and an inspiring talk.
As guests enjoyed their first cup of coffee of the morning, they made the most of interacting with the stands present at the breakfast: Buy local Norfolk, Cneqt DNA Limited, Inspired Renewables and Select Office Furniture.
After some time getting to know one another, they enjoyed a delicious spread of breakfast.
Guests then heard from our expert speaker Lisa Collen, Director of People for Flagship Group. She spoke about the undeniable correlation between a happy workforce, customer satisfaction and ultimately, profitability and how Flagship have introduced agile working, a relaxed dress code and flexible benefits among other well-being measures for their staff to enhance overall employee satisfaction.
There would be some reductions in consumer prices, but nothing to get too excited about according to new research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
Its analysis shows that this would have only a limited impact on the cost of living of the average household because the average tariff rates that the EU charges on the sorts of goods consumed in the UK are not particularly high.
The IFS points out that the average tariff under the World Trade Organization (WTO) most-favoured-nation (MFN) status that would apply to UK imports from countries with which the EU has no trade agreements is 4.6%.
Once the EU’s various trade agreements which waive or reduce tariffs on imports from certain countries are taken into account, the average is 2.8%.
With services dominating the UK economy, just £26 of every £100 spent by UK households is affected, directly or indirectly, by the import prices of goods on which tariffs are charged.
“Simple arithmetic suggests therefore that even cutting all tariffs to zero could only reduce prices overall by 1.2% at most,” report author Peter Levell concludes.
Crucially, any benefits that might accrue to consumers from running an independent tariff policy also need to be set against the inevitable costs to UK trade that would result from leaving the Customs Union, the report warns.
Businesses will probably be affected by customs delays and storage costs that would result from the erection of customs barriers on trade with the EU, while regulatory differences between the EU and the UK are also likely to create various non-tariff barriers to trade.
Such changes are likely to increase costs for consumers and offset the (already rather limited) gains from tariff reductions, the IFS argues.