News - Page Categories View All Timeline Our Sector Sustainability Community Charity & CSR HR Select Category Timeline Our Sector Sustainability Community Charity & CSR HR May 05th 2015 Gender split – small business owners and managers to vote in election There is a substantial gender split among small business owners and managers in the way they are likely to vote, according to the latest Business Environment/OnePoll survey conducted in the last fortnight before the General Election. A survey ... May 05th 2015 SMEs believe larger companies fail to shoulder tax burden Greater emphasis on eradicating tax avoidance/evasion, improved education and greater infrastructure investment called for by small and medium sized businesses Small and medium sized companies (“SMEs”) believe they are shouldering ... Apr 28th 2015 Business Environment’s Monthly SME news round-up – April 2015 Selecting April’s best news for small and medium sized business Business Figures More workers, better service sector and a spending boom More workers needed Three reports out this month suggest that the UK has the capacity for more skilled ... Apr 21st 2015 Open your company to the world through social media Social media is a great way to connect with the wider world, so why not use your Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts to open your office doors to the universe Giving people access to how you work and your team can be a great way to humanise ... Apr 14th 2015 Healthy offices mean happy staff Creating a healthy working environment doesn’t just mean following the health and safety rules – it means providing offices that people are happy and comfortable working in. There are many ways you can update and improve your working spaces ... Apr 07th 2015 Simple business ideas that have saved money Sometimes it’s the simplest idea that can save businesses money – and like all good ideas they can come from anywhere. When you’re looking at ways to save money in your business, it’s worth putting a call out to all your staff as even the most basic ... Mar 31st 2015 Business Environment’s monthly SME news round-up – Mar 2015 Selecting the best news for small and medium sized business from over the past month Budget tax cuts welcomed – but with caution Small businesses gave a cautious welcome to the tax cuts announced in this month’s budget. They included reducing ... Mar 25th 2015 Business Environment takes part in Earth Hour Earth Hour began in 2007 by WWF when they famously started the lights-off event in Sydney, this commitment to the planet has now grown to engage a staggering 162 countries and territories and has become the world’s largest mass participation ... Mar 24th 2015 Mistaken identity – how to deal with a negative twitter doppelganger Following a number of high-profile cases of mistaken identity on Twitter, we look at what you should do if someone in the news has a similar Twitter handle to your company. From big name companies like John Lewis to fictional EastEnders character ... Mar 17th 2015 5 jobs you might not have heard of in 2010 The business world is an ever-changing one – and the last five years have been no exception, with advances in technology and globalisation creating a number of jobs which simply didn’t exist before. Here are 5 roles you might not have heard of ... Mar 10th 2015 Volunteering Blog – Cancer Research UK Cancer Campaigns Ambassador BE’s PR & Marketing Officer visits Cancer Research UK’s Bart’s Cancer Institute On Monday 9th March I had the great pleasure and privilege of joining other CRUK Cancer Campaigns Ambassadors at Bart’s Cancer Institute in Central London. ... Mar 10th 2015 Small businesses see turnover increase Small businesses are ‘leading the economic recovery’ as government figures show 2 in 5 firms reported greater turnover than last year The number of small businesses that have increased turnover, expanded their workforce and reported profits ... Mar 03rd 2015 Small firms confident about the future Small firms have expressed confidence about future performance with two thirds expecting an increase in turnover. The Manufacturing Advisory Service report, which covers over 500 small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), found that ... Mar 02nd 2015 Enterprise zones see the creation of over 15,500 jobs in the UK Since the conception of Enterprise Zones in the UK, over 15,500 jobs have been created. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced that Enterprise Zones have now created in excess of 15,500 jobs across the country since opening for ... Feb 26th 2015 New finance company Claratus Commercial Finance launches in partnership with BE Offices Based in Minories, Claratus aims to simplify the world of business finance for SME customers, including those within BE’s centres. Claratus can arrange finance across the broad spectrum of available products from traditional loans and ... Feb 24th 2015 6 ways to get the support of the local community Arriving into a new town can be difficult for small businesses. But if you embrace your local community you’ll not only boost your business, you might also make some friends along the way. While some businesses like cafes or retail stores are ... Feb 17th 2015 How to make your website mobile friendly Does your website meet Google’s mobile usability standards? What can you do to make your site more mobile friendly? Google has issued a warning to webmasters that all websites should be mobile friendly, following the news that 50% of the searches ... Feb 16th 2015 Help to Grow Scheme a Positive Step for SME Growth The Government last week announced that it will help 500 small businesses to become mid-market players through a new ‘Help to Grow’ scheme, in a move which further highlights the importance of British SMEs to the economy says Business Environment’s ... Feb 16th 2015 Basingstoke to become Business Improvement District Basingstoke businesses are due to consider whether or not they would they would like to join forces with a private sector led Business Improvement District (BID) which aims to help promote the Hampshire town, boost interest in the area and ... Feb 10th 2015 5 ways to improve your customer service Is your customer service as good as it could be? The customer service skills of UK businesses have once again come into question, with a survey by Interactive Intelligence highlighting that a massive 79% of customers have to deal with between ... Feb 09th 2015 Bristol Businesses Go Green for European Green Capital Businesses in Bristol will be finding out this week how they can participate in Bristol’s year as the European Green Capital and by doing so benefit from the activities and support initiatives that will be running throughout 2015. At a launch ... Feb 05th 2015 Thames Valley to receive £10.2m boost to benefit Reading Expansion of Growth Deal with the Government agreed by Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership. An additional £10.2m is set to be invested in the Thames Valley Berkshire region between 2016 and 2021 following an agreement by ... Feb 03rd 2015 What are the business benefits of 4G? The UK is a mobile working haven – and the rollout of 4G is making working on the go even easier than before. Here’s what jumping on the 4G bandwagon – and faster speeds – could mean for your business. Extra productivity The need for quick and reliable ... Feb 02nd 2015 PwC urges private Milton Keynes businesses to share their successes The 2015 UK Private Business Awards open for nominations Management consultants PwC are urging private Milton Keynes and South Midlands-based businesses to share stories of their success but putting themselves forward for the 2015 UK Private ... Feb 02nd 2015 Is your brain turning to mush? If you are over 40 it might be! There is a strong possibility that we will live till 100 and work until we are 70, but new research by Citrix and the University of Texas’ Center for Brainhealth indicates that from the age of just 42 our brains start ... Jan 27th 2015 Stay on top of your game with staff training Investment in staff training can be worth every penny. It keeps your employees at the top of their game, so you stay on top of your game. But what types of training should you be investing your hard-earned cash in? On-the-job versus off-the-job ... Jan 22nd 2015 London’s shortage of office space could hamper economic potential A lack of affordable office space as well as a crisis in housing provision in the City of London is set to hinder the capital’s economic potential according to Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, Mark Boleat. Undeniably ... Jan 20th 2015 How to build staff relationships Your business is nothing without your staff. If they don’t get along, productivity will ultimately suffer as a result. Here are some ways you can build staff relationships and maintain harmony in the workplace. Let them talk it out If members ... Jan 19th 2015 BE donates office equipment to communities in Belarus Desks, chairs, printers, photocopiers and other office equipment arrives in Minsk for distribution to needy communities in Polotsk and Bobruisk. This charitable cause was brought to our attention by one of our employees who has a connection ... Jan 13th 2015 How to de-stress your employees Stress in the workplace is unhealthy for your employees and your company as a whole, so it pays to take the time to de-stress your staff. Here we look closely at a handful of the techniques that you could use. Give them a break The obvious solution ... Jan 12th 2015 BE Offices employee invited to No 10 for charity work BE’s PR & Marketing Officer Julie Tucker has been invited by Samantha Cameron to a reception for charity champions at No 10 Downing Street. The invitation for the event, which takes place tomorrow evening (Tuesday 13th January) ... Jan 12th 2015 Start-ups experience record breaking year in 2014 – Entrepreneurial power house status maintained by London and the South East – Outside of the South East, Birmingham ranks as top performing city – Manchester secures hot spot of the North position as entrepreneurial ... Jan 06th 2015 How to beat the Blue Monday gloom Monday 19th January 2015 is ‘Blue Monday’ – arguably the most miserable day of the year for workers in the UK. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Here are 3 ways you can keep your employees happy and motivated in the new year. 1. Recognise your ... Dec 30th 2014 5 ways to make your business more family-friendly New research from the US suggests companies who introduce family-friendly policies could benefit from a more productive workforce. If you’re thinking of making the office a little bit more family friendly, here are a few things to think about. ... Dec 23rd 2014 Can exercise really boost office performance? Research suggests that exercise can boost the performance of employees in the workplace. But what if you haven’t got time to hit the gym before work? Here we give you a list of exercises to do in the office. 1. Chair Squats Stand in front of your ... Dec 16th 2014 Bring your office up to speed with these 4 pieces of tech Is your office stuck in the past? Are you using outdated tech? If so, it’s time to bring your working environment into the 21st century. Here are 4 must-have pieces of tech that help you do business better. 1. Tablet computer The era of the desktop ... Dec 15th 2014 Do firms waste millions each year on Christmas parties? – Most employees would rather take money than have the party, with 20% considering them “a chore” – One in five have kissed a colleague at a festive party The UK spends nearly a quarter of a billion pounds on office Christmas ... Dec 15th 2014 Businesses ignoring importance of progression in employee engagement – Half of managers believe that candidates are most attracted by wages – Yet the main reason for staff moving on is career progression UK businesses are suffering a large disconnect with employees, as managers implement engagement ... Dec 09th 2014 £10m boost for congestion-busting new roads into Basingstoke Enterprise M3, a business-led Local Enterprise Partnership which is working to secure economic growth at sub-national level, has approved almost £10m of funding for the improvement of two of Basingstoke’s key gateways. The A340 and A33 ... Dec 08th 2014 Bristol’s Engine Shed celebrates its first anniversary by outlining its role as platform for economic growth Bristol’s innovation hub the Engine Shed is celebrating its first anniversary with the announcement that it has contributed £8m to the economy of the West of England as well as creating 128 jobs in the process. The Engine Shed is an innovative ... Dec 02nd 2014 How to make your employees feel at home in the office Good levels of morale increase productivity in the office and ensure employees are happy and motivated when at work. Low morale can easily break a company’s success, so it pays to keep a close eye on it and use simple and creative approaches to ... Dec 01st 2014 BE commits £1.7m to renovate Threadneedle Street Offices A sign of the confidence in London’s commercial property market” – David Saul Multi award-winning serviced office company Business Environment is to completely renovate its Threadneedle Street business centre in the heart of the financial ... Nov 25th 2014 Tips for making the most of a small office space Don’t let a small home office cramp your creativity – get some top tips for making the most out of it. If you work in a small office you might feel like it’s cramping your creativity. But even if you work in a tiny cubicle there are things you can do ... Nov 18th 2014 Top 10 coolest offices in the UK Google and Apple are well-known for having cool workspaces. But there are plenty of other offices that have some amazingly fun features. From helter-skelters to picnic tables, we look at the coolest places to work in the UK. 1. Innocent Drinks ... Nov 13th 2014 Business Environment Employees Depart for Nepal! Business Environment Centre Manager Yasmine Shah (Barbican) and Assistant Centre Manager Jade Armitage (Basingstoke) have today departed for an exciting two week volunteering adventure to Nepal, sponsored entirely by Business Environment. ... Nov 11th 2014 9 tips on how to tell an employee their clothes are inappropriate Is there someone in your office who comes to work in revealing clothing? Or is there a colleague who just looks scruffy all the time? Employees who wear inappropriate clothing can make everyone feel uncomfortable or give the wrong impression ... Nov 11th 2014 BE Offices clients and staff pay tribute to the fallen The busy BE Offices fell silent at 11am this morning as clients and staff alike congregated in the receptions of our 12 business centres across London and the South East to pay respect to those lost in past conflicts. Two minutes of silence were ... Nov 06th 2014 The Girls Prepare for BE Sponsored Volunteering in Nepal Business Environment Centre Manager Yasmine Shah (Barbican) and Assistant Centre Manager Jade Armitage (Basingstoke) are readying themselves for the adventure of a lifetime to Nepal on a two week volunteering mission sponsored entirely ... Nov 06th 2014 People of Reading Welcome Opening of Railway Station Redeveloped area will provide improved access for all with upgraded station access, a large open square, new taxi rank and more bicycle racks. Workers from local businesses and local residents alike have welcomed the official opening of ... Nov 05th 2014 Congratulations to Richard Botting of Envac Richard Botting of Envac, a Business Environment client at our Wembley business centre was presented this week with a desk gadgets goody bag as the winner of the prize draw for taking part in our recent Air Con Wars survey. The survey discovered ... Nov 04th 2014 Helen Grant MP opens CAFE and LPF new BE Office in Wembley A rainy November day in North London was brightened by the arrival of Helen Grant MP at No 1 Olympic Way, Wembley, to announce the opening of the new Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) and Level Playing Field (LPF) offices at Business ... Nov 04th 2014 6 tips on dealing with a bad boss Having a bad boss can be an extremely stressful situation. You may feel like you have no-one to turn to and that no-one else understands what you’re going through. Research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says ... Oct 28th 2014 7 tips for managing Millennials Millennials (Generation Y) are the generation of workers aged from 18 to around 33. They have a reputation for being difficult to manage as they are “arrogant” and “lazy”. But is this true? Here are 7 tips for managing Millennial employees effectively. ... Oct 23rd 2014 6 tips for dealing with a difficult co-worker We spend a lot of our weekday hours at work, and they can quickly become a nightmare if you’re dealing with a difficult co-worker on a daily basis. How should you handle a colleague who is making life difficult for you? If you don’t want to quit your ... Oct 20th 2014 Milton Keynes Chamber appoints new business community leaders The Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of a new inaugural President and Vice-President The position of President has been awarded to Andrew Hall, a partner at Haywood Mann, while the founder and Managing Director ... Oct 15th 2014 Basingstoke and Deane businesses to benefit from faster internet Rural areas in Basingstoke and Deane will soon be benefitting from high-speed broadband following the launch of the next phase of Hampshire County Council’s superfast broadband programme. An extra 10,500 businesses and homes will gain ... Oct 15th 2014 Bristol Post calls for Tax System Overhaul hindering SMEs The Bristol Post’s Real Rates Reform campaign is asking business leaders in the city to their pledge support and back its campaign for a serious overhaul of the tax system which is currently hindering growth and placing an unfair burden on ... Oct 14th 2014 Six tips for having an office romance Fancy getting together with a colleague? Is it a good idea or always a no-no in the office? We discuss some ways of managing an office romance and keeping it professional. The office can be a hotbed for romance – after all you spend most of ... Oct 13th 2014 Is it time to be more air-considerate to your colleagues? • 70 per cent of office workers have had ability to work compromised by office temperature • 86 per cent of office workers are unhappy with temperature in the office at certain points in the year • Just under a quarter are never happy with the ... Oct 07th 2014 5 reasons why dogs are good for business Being able to bring your dog into the office is great for dog owners. They get to enjoy their pet’s company and aren’t left worrying about leaving their four-legged friend home alone all day. But is allowing dogs into work beneficial for companies? ... « Older EntriesNewer Entries » (Or jump to page 1234567891011121314 of 14) 5 reasons why dogs are good for business