flexible working Archives - ConferenceCall.co.uk blog

Why your business has to tackle mental health head on

Published May 9, 2022

Why your business has to tackle mental health head on

Mental health problems are more common than you may think – figures from Mind, the mental health charity show that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.

The effects of the coronavirus lockdown might even make this figure higher – being stuck between the same four walls can have a negative impact on mental health at the best of times, feelings that will be exacerbated by the pandemic ad talk of death and illness, not to mention insecurity over jobs and personal and business finance.

May 9 to 15 is Mental Health Awareness Week, a campaign designed to help encourage people to talk about mental health and address and issues head on. This year’s campaign will focus on the problem of loneliness.

Flexible working Inspiration Work from home

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Do you let your staff dress down in summer?

Published May 5, 2022

Do you let your staff dress down in summer?

It looks like we’re headed for a heatwave next week, with temperatures in London set to hit 24°C – not ideal for life in an office. If you have to endure a suffocating commute, or your packed into a crowded office for the best part of the day, then you’ll be well within your rights to complain that it’s just too hot – especially if you’re forced to wear a suit for work.

So, as an employer, is it time you implemented a summer dress code, to lighten the mood and help keep things cool as the temperature rises? And should non-customer facing staff be able to wear what they like to work in, as they can when they work from home?

Flexible working Guides & How-Tos Small business Work from home

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Why your business needs a VPN

Published April 1, 2022

Why your business needs a VPN

If your business offers remote working, you’ll understand that the security of your data is paramount, especially when employees are working away from the office – something that is arguably more important now than ever, given the coronavirus lockdown means more of us are working from home, with employees potentially using their own equipment.

A virtual private network (VPN) is essential to keep your company’s network and data secure – here’s everything you need to know about this essential piece of security kit for your company…

Small business Technology Work from home

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Is working from home killing you?

Published February 11, 2022

Is working from home killing you?

Working from home is generally considered a great way to balance your work and home life, potentially increasing productivity and reducing stress levels – get it wrong though, and it can have the opposite effect and turn you into a stressed-out insomniac.

Could the negatives outweigh the positives when you work from home?

News Technology Work from home

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Work from home staff can save companies up to £6k a year

Published February 9, 2022

Work from home staff can save companies up to £6k a year

If you run your own business, you’ll appreciate the need to save money and cut costs wherever possible – but have you ever considered flexible working as a way to cut overheads?

Maybe you were forced into remote working during the numerous lockdowns of the last couple of years and found it saved your business some much needed cash when things were tight?

Employees may even have found a better work/life balance and bank balance through working from home.

If none of this sounds familiar, then it might be time to reconsider your thoughts on remote working. Not only do the UK’s flexible working laws mean more and more workers can benefit from working from home, offering the option could be the difference between hiring and retaining the best people and having a high turnover of staff.

And before you get into a blind panic about employees not pulling their weight while at home, consider that research from the London School of Economics found those who are offered flexible working are actually happier and more productive workers. Then consider the savings you could make…

Flexible working Work from home

flexible working work from home

Work from home – do you need a nanny?

Published February 2, 2022

Work from home – do you need a nanny?

The distractions come thick and fast when you’re working from home – daytime TV, housework, knocks at the door, and cold callers on the phone all do their best to break your concentration.

And then the cat seems to need feeding every five minutes – while there’s no doubting having a pet around the place can help alleviate the loneliness that can come with working from home, they’re not always great for productivity, but they’re nothing compared to having a baby around the house while you’re trying to work – so, if you’re a work from home parent, is it time you considered taking on a nanny?

Flexible working Inspiration Work from home

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What are the best online bookkeeping tools?

Published January 26, 2022

What are the best online bookkeeping tools?

Accounting is one of the most arduous tasks a small business owner has to face – all you want to do is get on with the day-to-day running of things but each month you end up getting yourself lost in a mountain of receipts, bank statements, pay slips and credit notes.

The good news is, there is accounting software out there that can help, you just need to know exactly what it is you’re after to find the right software to suit your business needs.

Technology

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What’s the best day to work from home?

Published December 23, 2021

What’s the best day to work from home?

More of us than ever before are working from home. As we enter the second year of pandemic restrictions, most of us who are able to will have worked remotely at some stage since this time in 2020.

Many have moved to a hybrid system – part-time home and part-time office – which means you may be able to choose which days you work from home. Is Monday and Friday best as it means you miss the first and final commutes of the week? Or how about Tuesdays – being at home on officially the worst day of the week has to be a good thing? Or what about breaking up the week with a work from home Wednesday?

Let’s try and work out which day is best for you to work from home.

Flexible working Work from home

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How to stop staff switching off for Christmas

Published December 21, 2021

How to stop staff switching off for Christmas

With just a couple of days to go until Christmas Eve, there’s a good chance many of your staff are beginning to wind down – unless, of course, Christmas is your busiest time of the year. If things do slow down over the festive period, you might be taking things easy yourself, or even on holiday already.

But what if you need people to stay switched on over the holidays? Especially in that ‘dead zone’ between Christmas and New Year? Here are some tips to help keep things ticking over.

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How to work from home

Published December 15, 2021

How to work from home

Employees are being told to work from home wherever possible as part of the government’s ‘Plan B’ to tackle the Omicron variant of Covid-19 – a new strain that’s thought to be the most transmissible yet.

The coronavirus pandemic has seen more people than ever working from home, and many businesses now use a ‘hybrid’ working system, where employees spend some time at home and some at the office. By the start of December this year, more than two-thirds of staff travelled to work at least once.

More than a third (36%) of British staff did some form of remote working in 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics. And it’s a way working that has caused some strong debate – some have even suggested home workers should be paid less than those that travel into the office.

The truth is, working from home isn’t for everyone. But, if done correctly, it can be a great way of working and keeping a healthy work/life balance. To make sure you’re making the most of telecommuting, here’s how to work from home.

Guides & How-Tos Work from home

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