Expert Office Advice

Councils in the North East region are being urged to reject a potential new “workplace” parking tax.

The UK’s first workplace parking charge to be implemented will be in Nottingham, and it is highly likely that other councils across the country will follow suit.

Nottingham City Council was recently given the green light by the Government to impose the workplace parking levy to help fund its £150 million contribution to extensions of the Nottingham tram system.

Under the scheme, any company with more than 10 staff parking spaces will have to cover the £250 annual charge for each one. It is planned that this charge would rise to £350 per space after two years.

The new parking tax has been labelled ‘outrageous’ by businesses in the area, as it seems inconsiderate to put an additional tax burden on firms at a time when Nottingham businesses, workforce and households will be recovering from a deep recession.

Richard Elphick, IoD chairman in the North East, expressed fears that this strategy has not been thought through properly. (more…)

Buying office equipment can be expensive and in some cases it is more practical to lease it rather than purchase. Modern office equipment can become out of date and obsolete very quickly requiring repairs, upgrades or replacement. Hiring can be a good alternative to buying as the cost is spread out over the period of use. Also, if the equipment becomes out of date or breaks down it is often possible to trade it in for an upgrade at little or no additional cost.

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It is important to most businesses to have a relaxed, comfortable and efficient work area that improves motivation but is also functional. Designing a pleasing commercial environment includes choosing the right carpet.

It is often worth spending more money in order to get a really good quality carpet that fits in with your requirements. Find the carpet style that suits your specific office needs and that works well in an office environment.

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Company branding in the office is a technique that many companies utilize. Placement of logos and slogans is supposed to increase brand awareness to the users of the objects. The company can either use the pens, mugs and mouse pads to attempt to increase brand awareness in the company itself or to clients and exterior stakeholders.

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A good paper filing system is essential to the organisation of any business. In order to ensure that the records of a business are maintained efficiently it is essential that they are organised in a methodical, logical and systematic way.

Try to avoid storing your paperwork in too many folders; it is not efficient to make separate folders for anything less than 20 papers. If you have small records that are comprised of less than one or two documents it is better to file these in miscellaneous folders. It is also important to use enough file headings as finding records is easier when they are organised under sections and subheadings.

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Recent studies have shown that people in the UK are spending more hours than ever before on their computers. According to many stress experts, those who work from 45-60 hours per week are high risk for various stress related diseases.

Choosing the right office furniture and equipment can help reduce the eye strain, back strain and the overall physical pressure that can be caused by long hours sitting in an office.

It is important to pay attention to aspects such as the size, shape and height of the furniture and also where it is placed in within the office.

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Glasgow city council has recently introduced its initiative to offer small businesses two years of rent-free office accommodation in order to support start-up companies.

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Quite often you hear news stories which divulge details about the latest new company to hit our shores, but why in our current economic climate are overseas companies opening branches in the UK? This is indeed a very good question, because as we know, the pound is incredibly strong against almost every other major currency, so moving, setting up and staffing a UK venture can be very costly for the overseas investors. Yet still they come.

Taking a quick walk down any high street in a major city will help to explain. Using London as my example, a gentle stroll on a Saturday afternoon will yield a popular coffee shop on almost every corner; yes you guessed it – Starbucks. Starbucks hit our shores 9 years ago with its first shop in Kings Road, Chelsea, and in that time have grown from strength to strength, popularised by international television and sitcoms, the English people are no longer satisfied in the café anymore, instead we want elegance, we want choice and more importantly we want it now. Furnished better than many homes, it’s a place to meet, share and enjoy while taking in the atmosphere and of course, get a cup of gourmet coffee.

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The recent climate change in the financial markets has forced several companies to re-think their localities, opting instead to move out to cheaper real estate to increase margins and reduce costs. But are the moves coincidental or are companies still being shepherded to specific locations for their needs?

Well it seems that moving your business is a good idea, several locations around the UK are proving themselves to be beneficial for certain types of business. More northern cities for example are lending themselves very well indeed to companies such as call centres and offices where building charges are much lower compared to the likes of London and Birmingham. The long depression that these locations were faced with has meant that their growth has been delayed, forcing the locals to place their futures in their skills and abilities. This is evident in the recent moves of many of the internet based businesses, such as website designers, graphic designers and sound engineers who all seem to have congregated in the general area of Manchester.

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