What are the tech trends for 2023?

Tech plays an increasingly important part of life for businesses of every size. It’s helped make everyday tasks easier, improved communication, enabled organisations to adapt quickly to global events, and meant they can look after information more securely.

Tech is also an area that moves incredibly quickly. It’s easy to get left behind. So, we thought we’d look at what some of the tech trends for 2023 are to help you understand what your business might need as we start to plan for 2023.

Joined up tech

What we mean by this is that separate technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), the Internet of things (IoT), and 5G will start to connect to each other more seamlessly than ever before. This will automate and speed up processes and create more efficient ways of working. Businesses will need to keep their systems up-to-date to take advantage of this trend.

The metaverse

Before you start thinking Marvel movies or Facebook, in this instance the metaverse is used as an overarching term for how you interact with customers and other businesses. Using AI and VR to make customer interactions more immersive is one way of doing this, such as offering virtual experiences.

This tech can also work to show customers a virtual version of what your product or service is. Some clothing retailers do this already with virtual dressing rooms or simulated avatars trying on virtual copies of clothes to see how they look on customers’ bodies.

Cyber security

Of course, you can add this to any tech list in any year. But with the geo-political events of 2023, it’s more important than ever. Keeping your – and your customers’ – data safe should always be a top priority. Ensure data security is a top priority against sophisticated threats, including those from rogue nation-states.

Utilise the latest cybersecurity tools and consider hiring a consultant for comprehensive business protection.

Superapps

These are apps that are jam-packed with features to give users everything they need at their fingertips. Users can be customers or employees, and they’ll be able to personalise superapps to create the experience they want by switching features on and off or adding to them easily.

Features can include messaging services, payment facilities, and chatbot functions, and they should give users the same experience on a desktop as on a smartphone.

Sustainable tech

Business owners prioritise the climate crisis, considering emissions and carbon footprint but may overlook the sustainability of their tech.

Consider the environmental impact of both hardware (laptops, smartphones) and software (systems) for a sustainable approach. Why not try to extend your IT lifespan and recycle parts instead of discarding them.

For your software, many suppliers publish their environmental impact and goals, so it should be easy to check your own.

This is just a brief snapshot of the tech trends for 2023 to look out for. We know there’ll be lots more.

Please let us know what you think the trends will be in the comments.

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.

While at The Base, access free business support, including marketing, tax, legal advice, and assistance 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.

Contact us for more information.

Working near home vs. working from home

Having a place of work near to where you live has several advantages, as does working from home. But what about the disadvantages? Is one ‘better’ than the other, or does it not matter when it comes to productivity, convenience, and mental health? Let’s look at each option below.

Working from home

The advantages here are quite clear. No commute, not having to dress for work, and more time for yourself family, friends, and home commitments. Working from home usually means commandeering your spare bedroom, or the kitchen/dining room table to use as your office. Or, if you’re lucky some of you might have a purpose-built garden office. Whatever your situation is, your commute is likely to only be a few seconds.

You’re unlikely to need to pop on your suit, smart jeans, or stick to your office’s dress code either. You’re at home, so comfy sweatpants and a hoodie are acceptable attire, especially if you don’t need to speak to any customers on Zoom or Teams calls.

One of the biggest gains of working from home is time, and we all know how precious that is. Instead of sitting in your car or on public transport at the start and end of your working day, you can skip the commute and get straight to it. And once your day’s over, you can close your laptop and start relaxing. The rest of the day is yours. You can spend time with the children, go for a walk or to the gym, watch TV, or anything else that takes your fancy.

Another big saving is money. You don’t need to nip out for a fancy coffee and sandwich. Just pop to your kitchen and make them at home instead. Of course, you can always treat yourself to something once or twice a week if you’d like to. You also don’t need to buy new work outfits or other items specifically for the office, so you can make good savings there too. And of course, there are savings to be had on fuel and train or bus tickets, which can help you do your bit for the environment too.

Now. Onto the disadvantages. Working from home can be lonely and isolating for many people. Team building with your colleagues is much more difficult, and you can feel less motivated than in the office. These can take a toll on your mental health if you’re not careful.

Separating work and living areas can also be an issue if you’re tight on space, and distractions from pets and children can affect your productivity.

Working close to home

Again, there are obvious advantages here too. Being in a workplace close to home means you can walk or cycle rather than taking the car, which is also much better than the environment than driving.  It’s a great space to meet colleagues and create a clear distinction between your home and work life. Your health – both physical and mental – will benefit as a result.

Brainstorming and collaboration are easier face-to-face too. Not just with your team, but also interacting with other businesses in your building. The best partnerships are sometimes formed over a morning brew in the kitchen, or from chatting in corridors.

There’s also no more battling with technology and dodgy wi-fi connections or having to share your screen just to look at a document in the office. As well as good wi-fi, most offices have specialist equipment you might not have access to at home, like printers, projectors, and video conferencing capabilities.  The main advantage is that you don’t have to use any of your own stuff like you might at home – it’s all provided ready to use at the office.

Having onsite meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and catering facilities are an advantage too. They can help with productivity, getting your team together, or for grabbing a quick coffee to perk you up in the afternoon.

So, let’s talk about the disadvantages. Obviously, you won’t have as much time as you would working from home. You still need to travel, even if it’s a short distance. And sometimes you might need peace and quiet to get on with your work, which you can’t always get with people around you. There’s also the cost of coffees and canteen meals. They can soon add up if you’re not careful.

Now you know the pros and cons of working near home versus working from home, you can choose which one’s right for you, or whether a hybrid approach might suit you best.

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
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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.

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