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November is National Career Development Month. It was set up by the National Career Development Agency (NCDA) in 1967 as an annual event to promote career development and help people attain their work goals. As well as giving advice and suggestions to businesses and schools hosting career development events, the NCDA also sponsors an annual poetry contest around the subject.

 

And, as you’d expect, we thought we’d like to get involved here at The Base. So, we asked our Business Development Manager, Sylvie Morton, to give us the lowdown on what initiatives we’re supporting and anything else we’re doing to mark the month.

 

‘Perhaps the biggest and most exciting thing we’ve secured this year is a free scholarship with Code Nation for their 12- week Master Coding bootcamp, where someone will have the chance to learn how to become a junior software developer. A tenant here at The Base has taken this up, so one of their recent graduate recruits will be going to improve their knowledge and coding skills.

 

‘The Code Nation bootcamps are fantastic, as they give attendees real-life skills that employers are crying out for in the world of coding, and about 90% of people who go on the camps go on to get fantastic jobs after being on the course.

 

‘Another thing we’re doing is promoting the Cheshire and Warrington LEP Accelerate programme to our tenants. This is where businesses can get a grant they can put towards skills training for employees. It could be as much as 100% in some cases, so it’s a really great opportunity, especially after the year we’ve all had in 2020.

 

‘We’re also actively letting people know what apprenticeships are available locally, and also pushing the  government’s Kickstart Scheme. The scheme gives funding to employers, so they can find temporary job placements of 25 hours a week for 6 months for 16-24 years old who are on Universal Credit. It gives them work experience and – who knows – the companies might uncover a fantastic person they want to take on permanently.

 

‘This is co-ordinated by Warrington Borough Council locally, who we’re always delighted to work with, as we operate The Base building on their behalf.

 

‘National Career Development Month is a wonderful program to support as it benefits both employers and employees. Businesses can empower their staff to achieve their goals, and they can access financial and practical help they might not ordinarily be able to. We’re very happy to lend our support to it in any way we can.’

 

Want to know more about The Base?

The Base is a grade A office and co-working space in the centre of Warrington that’s home to many market leading digital tech companies. Contact us for more information.

The impact of coronavirus on the office. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to have a huge affect on our working lives and looks like it will continue to do so for some time yet. But just what will the future of work look like? Will commuting to the office become a thing of the past? Will swapping three-piece suits for tracksuits become the norm, or will we just go back to the way we were before once the pandemic is over? Innovation and adaptability will still be key One of the defining factors about the pandemic is how quickly businesses have adapted. They’ve mobilised workforces to be able to work from home, sorted out supply chains and created safe shopping environments for customers, quicker than they probably thought was possible. Even traditional high street businesses, like banks, have managed to offer customers innovative and simple ways of arranging vital services, such as payment holidays, much faster than they normally would. And now they’ve done it and shown it can work, they’ll look to carry on with this innovative approach. Flexible working’s here to stay Where and when we work will be far less rigid in future. Some companies are reducing physical office space or will be looking for flexible space with shorter leases, so employees can also be more flexible in where they work. The 9-5 working day might soon be a thing of the past too, as working parents have shown how flexible hours can be just as productive working fixed hours during lockdown. For many workers, basing their working day around their children’s school hours really suits their lifestyle. Employee physical and mental wellbeing Of course, this is something lots of companies really focussed on before the pandemic. But for those who didn’t, it’s now become one of the biggest changes to their workplace cultures. Companies have actively encouraged their employees to look after their wellbeing during the pandemic by making sure they can set up home offices, encouraging them to not to work extra hours, having daily online check-ins, and offering access to wellness programmes and initiatives. This enhanced focus is likely to be one that continues, as employees will be attracted to companies offering these kinds of programmes. Attracting top-class talent will be much easier with them in place. Leaders will need to show compassion Companies that have emerged relatively unscathed through the pandemic are those with effective leaders. Organisations where leaders have shown understanding around people’s anxiety about the current situation they’re facing, and have allowed them to be flexible and adaptable has helped to reassures employees, and also given customers a positive impression of the organisation. This style of leadership will help build innovative, empathetic, and diverse workplaces where employees feel valued with a sense of belonging. They’ll be able to adapt quickly and confidently when faced with new situations and challenges as they happen. Want to know more about The Base? The Base is a Grade-A office and co-working space in the centre of Warrington that’s home to many market leading digital technology and advanced engineering companies. Whilst calling The Base your home, you will have access to free business support, including marketing, tax, legal advice, as well as help with innovation, research and development. Contact us for more information. Or follow us on LinkedIn, facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with all our latest news.

We’re living in times when things change incredibly quickly. This is particularly true of technology, where things have progressed so rapidly over the last 25 years or so, it’s led to this period being named ‘Industry 4.0’, or the fourth industrial revolution.

It can sometimes be difficult to stay on top of change when it happens so swiftly. People are scared to blink in case they miss something. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at what some of the big trends will be in 2020.

5G is here – just not everywhere yet.

This will have a huge impact on just about everyone, including businesses. It’ll speed up machine to machine communication and make it much easier to implement. Data production will be faster too, meaning production will be greater as well as efficient. Costs will also come down as less hardware’s needed to run 5G than with 4G.

 Increased use of AI

This one probably won’t surprise you as it’s a subject that pops up regularly. 2020 will continue this trend with AI being used to help with the demand for new products. Machines are now starting to ‘learn’ at a far quicker rate than ever before, which means costs are reduced and the size of projects has increased.

3D printing

Again, this is something that’s been around for a while, but the technology is advancing mind-blowingly quick. 3D printers are now so advanced, companies can build new products almost as soon as they’re ordered, and prototypes of products can be produced extremely quickly. They can also cut down on how much factory space they use, as there’s very little room needed for storage.

 The Internet of Things (IoT)

This is one of the most exciting developments of Industry 4.0, at least in the eyes of consumers anyway. It’s gaining traction for businesses now too, as it means devices and machines involved in complex processes and supply chains can talk to each other and fix their own software issues. This makes everything much more efficient and cost effective.

Cloud computing set to stay

Not only will it stay, it’ll continue to grow and evolve at a fast pace. One upward trend will be that of hybrid cloud systems where organisations adopt a mix-and-match approach and use several different types of cloud-systems to store data. An example would be a private cloud for sensitive information and a public cloud for things that are publicly available. The advantage of doing things this way is that you can adapt to situations very quickly if you need to.

Bang on trend?

There’s no doubt these trends will be what shapes business in 2020. Your business. Like a lot of trends, they’ll soon become the norm. It’s vital you keep up and make sure your business is bang on trend, so it remains strong and competitive.

A human resource (HR) function is critical for any business, no matter how small. From payroll and benefits to hiring and firing, or making sure you’re following the latest employment laws, having your own HR team can often have benefits that outweigh the costs.

Understandably, in today’s uncertain economy, businesses are under constant pressure to reduce costs while improving profitability. This can be a challenge for any SME, but it’s one that an HR professional can help with.

You also need to think about exactly when to bring HR into your business. If it’s just you and a sole employee, should you do it then or wait until you get bigger? One option is to outsource it (some HR providers offer packages designed for SMEs) and bring it in-house when the time’s right

Whichever way you choose to do it, here are five ways HR can benefit your SME:

1. Streamline your spending – an HR department can cut costs by keeping spending and salaries in check, as well as helping find better-value benefits for employees. It’ll also help you keep up with market conditions and get your recruitment right.
2. Hire, retain and promote people – a business’s ability to attract, hire and retain top talent is critical to reducing costs. HR can help you recruit the right people at the right level of pay. They can also analyse what’s going on in the world of work and help you benefit from understanding what the latest trends and expectations among workers and business owners are.
3. Prioritise learning and mentoring – by training and mentoring employees, you can increase productivity while reducing employee turnover. An effective HR department will help you properly gauge how happy your employees are by using focus groups and staff surveys, so you can really improve satisfaction.
4. Introduce automated processes – there are online HR systems you can use if you’re not ready for a full department just yet. Automating certain HR processes can free up some manual repetitive tasks and increase both accuracy and speed. This eliminates the cost of having to deal with errors and process delays.
5. Stay on track with employment policies – laws and regulations can become out of date quickly, which means handbooks, contracts, policies, and procedures must be updated regularly, so they add value to your business.

There are many different strands to HR, and you might not need all of them. So, whether it’s a full in-house service or individual functions that would suit your needs best, you’ll be able to find the right provider at the right budget.

Keeping staff motivated and productive key challenge, say business leaders

Some are Zooming whilst others have gone Slack.  Some are climbing Trello boards just as others settle into Basecamp.

One thing is for sure: bosses across the north west will emerge from the current lock-down with a whole new understanding of what technology can do to help their teams work remotely.

It may have taken a week for businesses to adjust and get their home-based staff working efficiently, but now comes a new challenge: how to keep colleagues happy, motivated and accountable.

“Not everyone can adjust to working from the sofa,” as Warrington-based entrepreneur Debbie Ryan notes.

She is part of a cluster of businesses at a technology hub in Warrington called The Base.  Almost 300 people work in the impressive glazed building across a range of industries, from artificial intelligence to computer games design, and from sophisticated database development to on-line crowd-funding.

Virtually all have decamped the majority of their staff to home in response to the corona virus and, as technology leaders, that part of it has proven relatively straightforward, says James Hamilton of Pixeltree Media, a digital design consultancy.

“We already encourage working from home to help our team’s work-life balance, so the enabling technology was already in place.

“The key for us is ensuring that we all stay in touch, both across projects and the company as a whole.  Isolation is unproductive.”

Each company uses different software platforms to help achieve this but the point is more an organisational one, argues Hamilton. “The technology is already there and familiar. What many bosses haven’t thought about is how to organise daily routines, tasks and communication in a way that is fun, motivating and ensures people still feel part of a greater whole.

His tricks include a daily dial-in via Zoom, using its video facility so that, as each team member runs through their tasks, challenges and requests for input, they can see each other and generate the banter that is key to happy teams.

“We’ve learned an awful lot about people’s taste in home décor,” says Hamilton, smiling.

Daniel Pala, a director at web support agency Ixis, says that daily group connectivity helps with visibility and accountability.  “People can ask for support, but it also means their responsibilities are clear.  Now more than ever teams must pull together and a blend of good tech and a guiding hand from line managers helps ensure that everyone remains on task and happy.”

Trust is still a key ingredient, however.  “If we don’t trust our staff then something is clearly wrong – and those faults lie with management,” says Pala.  Still, he says, his day feels as sociable and busy as when he’s in the office, with google ‘hangouts,’ short messages flying around via Slack (a sort of WhatsApp for business) and file sharing via Google Documents.

“Everything is in the cloud and negates the need for staff to be in the office all the time. We’ve been able to reduce the need for complex internal IT support as a result and the cost savings have been substantial,” notes Pala.

Routine is welcomed by many staff, suggests Debbie Ryan, who runs Impact Group, the on-line training and fund-raising platform.

“It can be bit disorientating for some to go from the formality of an office environment, with its written and unspoken codes, to working from home,” she suggests.  “We encourage our team to put on their best work clothes and find a defined space in the house that they can call their ‘office’.  It’s key to mental health and well-being for many.”

Looking ahead, James Hamilton believes the work environment will change for good.

“On the whole, businesses weren’t prepared for this.  The big opportunity is to train them in the future use of these technologies and to help them build resilience and put measures in place to cope with future crises.”

It needn’t cost the earth either, he argues.

“Available technologies mean that the cost of this will be marginal, really.  Cloud-based apps share their cost across a global market so individual plans for business mean that even the smallest SME can have an infrastructure to match a PLC.  It’s a great leveler, technology, and with a fair wind it will mean that more SMEs survive this crisis than may otherwise have been the case.”

With the lockdown now being officially extended, it’s more important than ever to really focus on your mental health. Being stuck indoors, either on your own or with the same people, for long periods of time, and not being able to physically interact with others if you do venture out, can take its toll.

To help keep your mental health in good shape, here are some things you can do.

Get into a routine

This can be difficult when you’ve got nowhere to go. But getting up and dressed, sticking to set mealtimes and establishing a regular pattern for doing things can help you deal with the situation better. Even moving to a different room to one where you sleep, or going downstairs (if you have them), will make a big difference.

Exercise regularly

Physical activity is as good for the mind as it for the body, so try and get a fitness routine in place. There are loads of yoga and workout sessions available online, many of which are free. You don’t need fancy equipment for most of them, and they’re good way to pass the time, as well as helping your mental health.

Outside space

As well as working out indoors, spending time outdoors will give your mental health a lift too. Running, walking (with or without a dog) and cycling are great ways to do this. Just remember to be considerate of others by social distancing and avoiding places where there’s lot of other people. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, mowing your lawn and doing some weeding are good for the mind too.

Inside space

Wherever you’re spending time in lockdown, you’ll probably have that drawer or cupboard where you store junk. Now’s the perfect opportunity to get it sorted. It could also be a great time to give your home a serious clean and get into the nooks and crannies you might not normally have time to give proper attention to. The good feeling you’ll get will really help your mental wellbeing.

Stay connected

Even though you can’t see friends and family, keeping in touch will help you stay positive. Apps like Houseparty, Zoom and Skype are good for video-calling people, or there’s always the phone, text and social media if you prefer. You can also stay connected in your local community by offering to help deliver essential supplies to elderly or vulnerable neighbours, if you can.

Switch off

It’s important to have some downtime and do something to relax. If you’re at home working, get away from your laptop and do something you enjoy for a bit whenever you can. It’s equally important to do this if you’re not working too – don’t pressure yourself to always be busy. Having a break is okay. Switch off the TV and radio news sometimes too. Unrelenting bad news can cause anxiety to rise.

Be positive

Simply being positive can really look after your mental health. This can be difficult at times of uncertainty like these, but being happy and keeping upbeat can be very beneficial for your mind, as it combats stress, boosts your immune system and makes you more resilient. All of which are important to mental health.

Help is at hand

It’s perfectly okay to feel overwhelmed at what’s happening, and to have days when you don’t feel at your best. Things will get better and the situation will return to normal eventually, so try and keep that in mind when you feel low.

However, if you feel like you need someone to talk to, you might find these organisations useful:

Anxiety UK

anxietyuk.org.uk

Tel 03444 775 774

9.30am-10pm Mon-Fri

10am-8pm Sat and Sun.

Mind

mind.org.uk

Tel: 0300 123 3393

9am-6pm Mon-Fri

Samaritans

samaritans.org

Tel: 116 123

Available 24hrs

There are more videos online than ever before. The rise in social media use and apps means brands have never had a better opportunity to engage with customers by sending them a message straight to their smartphones and inboxes.

Video marketing looks set to be one of the biggest trends of 2020 (and beyond), so it could be a good time to start doing it for your business. But what do you need to know to do it properly, and how can you start introducing it into your business?

 

Personalisation is (still) king

This isn’t a new message, personalisation in marketing (and videos) has been around for a good while. What this means is that the content needs to appeal to customers, and tell them about products and services they’re interested in. An effective marketing video shouldn’t try and sell to someone – instead, it should show them how it can solve a problem for them or be useful to them in some way.

 

Be informative

Videos can be a great way of explaining things to customers, particularly if you want to clarify something complicated. And not everyone likes, or has the time, to read lots of words on a website. An explainer or ‘how to’ video is a good alternative. It can help with your site search engine optimisation (SEO) too, as people will stay on a page to watch the video.

 

Use data

To find out which videos got the most engagement or worked best, review all the available information you can. Test and learn which platforms your videos were viewed the most on, how much interaction you got and who responded the most positively. Once you’ve got all the data, you can work out what to do next time.

 

Videos can be long-form

You’ve probably heard that concentration spans are shrinking, so messages should be short and sweet. With video, this isn’t always true. Some brands are actively marketing consumers with content of 15 mins or more. Videos of this length can be just as effective as shorter ones, as long as they’re relevant and engaging.

 

Start with a DIY video…

You only need a phone and an internet connection to make a marketing video on platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram stories, so there’s nothing to stop you having a go at making your own. They can be a great starting point, and are inexpensive to make. They can help with personalisation too, as customers feel like you’re talking to them directly and showing your human side.

 

… move on to something more professional

There are lots of different types of marketing videos, from animated graphics with voiceovers, films with real-people (actors in some cases) and even 360-degree videos designed to watch while wearing a virtual reality headset. They might not all be right for your business, but a bit of research can help you find out which will suit your needs.

 

The benefits could be big

Whatever type of video marketing you choose, the return on your investment could be great. Brand engagement and recognition will increase, and you can send a message directly to customers, as well as bringing new ones onboard.

As a business owner, you’ll know how important networking is. For most of you, it’s probably a crucial part of your business, as it helps you stay in regular contact with other business owners and can help you find new potential customers and suppliers. During normal times, you’ll probably meet up with some of your network regularly at breakfast meetings and other events. You can’t do that right now of course, but it’s still really important to keep the focus on networking during these far from normal times.

 

Look at your online network

Most of the people in your network will already be online and you’ll probably be connected. However, now could be a good time to check how up-to-date your network is by going through your LinkedIn and Facebook connections. Are you connected to or friends with the right people? If not, find their profiles and see if you can get connected.

 

You can also take this opportunity to tidy up your own profile too. Uploading a more professional (or more recent) photo is a good place to start, as is refreshing your details. Make sure your work information is up-to-date too, so people understand exactly what you do and how you can help them.

 

Use social media smartly

Twitter and Facebook can be great networking tools if you know how to use them properly. Most influential people in your industry will more than likely use them, so follow them and see what they’re up to. These platforms are also a good way to talk to other people in your industry and build a professional support network. Engage with them too by retweeting, liking, and commentating on their posts, so they start to feel like they know you.

 

Facebook also has forums and groups you can join that could be useful. As well as helping to grow your network, you might see the occasional job or referral posted too. Just remember to keep things professional when online in a business capacity.

 

Attend virtual networking meetings

If you’re already a member of a professional networking group, it’s probably already holding virtual meetings using Zoom or similar software. This type of networking can be just as effective as face-to-face networking (you’ll just have to provide your own refreshments), so try and attend as many as you think you need to. You might also be able to find specialist meetings or seminars for your industry through professional bodies, which can help develop your network further and improve your knowledge.

 

Check in with people

Once you’ve sorted out your profile and are happy with your network, make an effort to say hello once in a while. People will appreciate you taking the time to check on their health and wellbeing, especially during a crisis, and will remember you doing this when things are back to normal.

 

If you’re interested in networking, please take a look at BaseConnect, where you can register for a series of online business events run by The Base, a Grade A office building in Warrington town centre and their expert partners.

If you’re one of the millions of people who might be returning to your workplace soon after months of working from home, you might not be sure how to feel about it. There’s thinking about what to wear for work again, and having to travel, getting back to ‘normal’ is something we’ve all been waiting for, but now it’s actually here, you might have mixed feelings about it, as we all have to adjust to a different way of doing things.

 

One thing that is clear though, is that going back to the office or wherever you’re based, could have a positive impact on you, and it really is still something worth getting excited about.

 

A change (of scene) is as good as a rest

After months of sitting in a kitchen, spare bedroom or dining room, going somewhere different can make a refreshing change. You won’t have to look at the same four walls and keep seeing the same people with the same backgrounds on Zoom calls.

 

Better facilities for working

Of course, kitchens, bedrooms and bedrooms aren’t designed to be workplaces – not for the long-term anyway.  Offices have everything you need to be productive and work safely. They also create a clear distinction between home and work, where you know your working day’s over once you leave the building.

 

Return to a regular routine

Having more structured days can only be a good thing. It can be all too easy to let things slide when you’re at home all day, even if you’re working. When you’re at a place of work, you normally have regular start and finish times, take your lunch at a similar time every day, and organise days much more rigidly than you do when working remotely.

 

Improved mental health

For some people, working from home isn’t a positive experience. It can be very lonely if you live on their own, or there can be lots of distractions with a big family, which makes it difficult to concentrate on work. Spending time outside can help anxiety too, so anyone without a garden or outdoor area will probably feel better if they’re back in a work environment where there’s more space and a better working environment.

 

You can mix with other people (safely, of course)

Life in lockdown means you’ve only really seen other members of your household for a considerable chunk of time. Returning to work means you’ll be able to catch up on the office banter and share stories with colleagues, while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

 

Two heads are better than one

Having other people to bounce ideas off and work with is quite difficult when you can’t talk directly to them. That will change once everyone’s back together, so any jobs where teamwork’s required will thrive. You’ll see creativity and collaboration boom too.

 

A feeling of familiarity

Just as you’ve got used to working from home, doing it from your office again will start to feel familiar in no time. It might not be exactly the same it was, as our working lives continue to adjust, but you’ll soon get back into the swing of things.

 

If you are looking for office space or co-working space in Warrington, with social distancing measures in place, contact us today. 

 

You might be thinking Artificial Intelligence (AI) is something big companies do, not smaller businesses like yours. You might not even be sure of what AI is, so here’s a quick explanation you might find useful. AI is basically where a machine is introduced to collect or analyse data in a faster and more reliable way.

 

This can be a piece of hardware (computer etc) or software (computer programme or app) specifically designed for a particular purpose. They also learn how to do the thing they’re designed to do better or more efficiently while they do it.

 

AI is used to help businesses reach their target audience, increase brand awareness and generate sales. So, here are some of ways you can use AI to boost the performance of your small business right now:

 

Marketing automation

The data you can get from AI will allow you to make better and more informed decisions, which can lead to increased engagement and revenue. Precise targeting, more personalised communications and efficient spending are three of the instant benefits you’ll get. Marketing automation also enables you to understand your customers’ needs and motivations, so you can service them in a better way.

 

Drive sales

Your potential customers generate data from almost everywhere they interact with you, from your website or eCommerce store to your social platforms. AI is already available that can use this data to give you insights about your leads and help you drive sales.

 

Keep up with competitors

AI can also help you track what your rivals are doing by checking their social media accounts, changes on their websites and any news activity, among other things. Some applications can even point out gaps in markets and the strength and weaknesses of your competitors.

 

Stronger cybersecurity

You’ll know what a worry cyber threats and hacking can be to business owners. The good thing is, AI can help make things more secure. By looking out for unusual patterns and any potential weak spots where you might be vulnerable to attack, AI can be a highly effective tool in the fight against cybercrime.

 

Strengthen customer relationships

As we mentioned earlier with marketing automation, AI can take your relationship with customers up a level through the use of data, so you can engage with them in a way they like about things they’re interested in, such as offers and rewards. Many customer relationship management (CRM) platforms now come with AI as standard, to help you achieve all of this easily.

 

Reduce risk

Some companies are using AI to automate risk processes to reduce human error. Finance companies, in particular, have done this for years when making lending decisions to customers. Machines don’t get tired either, so they can keep doing potentially risky processes for longer.

 

Streamline HR

This is becoming more and more commonplace with businesses now. From weeding out applicants that don’t match the job spec and onboarding new starters to gauging employee satisfaction, AI makes all these processes quicker and simpler.

 

The benefits of AI for your business are almost unlimited. It can help you become more flexible, improve your marketing and customer relationship, look after your data, and make things faster and more straightforward, so you’ve got more time to grow your business.

 

Maybe it’s time to start embracing AI for your small business.