There’s been a shift in the way businesses use their offices over the last 18 months, shaping office trends for 2022. Lincolnshire-based commercial interior design and fit out company APSS has nearly 25 years’ experience in creating amazing workspaces for businesses across the country and it has been looking at the different ways in which offices are changing. Many businesses are now opting for a more permanent hybrid working environment. The office design post-COVID has certainly changed. So what can be expected from the office environment, and what will this mean for companies? In 2022, office design, the flow of people moving about the office and its functionality are at the top the priority list. With a focus on environmental impact and creating flexible, hybrid working environments, businesses are adapting to a new working format. A pleasant office space increases productivity, boosts staff morale and makes an impression on visitors to your place of business. Biophilic offices are proving popular as they provide a link to nature. Nature friendly offices are becoming highly sought after by leading office designers as they create optimal working environments allowing occupants to work more. They have a positive impact on mental wellbeing, productivity, and morale for all who use the office space.

Hybrid Working Environment

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, around 70% of companies will incorporate a hybrid working environment. Office trends will see a shift to create more varied spaces to work in. This includes more than just the normal banks of desks or office and meeting room space. The hybrid office design supports staff working both in and out of the office environment. They need to quickly access the information and speak to the rest of the team easily. The post-pandemic workplace needs to be far more flexible. The key is organising offices so they are optimized for staff productivity and efficiency. Different business types require various layout ideas. Some require a central meeting hub. Others will require staff to be in full time when it is not possible for them to work from home. In this case the traditional desk spaces will continue to be required. Staff have got used to working from home over the last 18 months. It has become apparent the hybrid working environment is not a passing trend. Staff want more comfortable furnishings in the office and separate areas they can work in a quieter environment. They are requesting freedom of movement in the office rather than being chained to a desk, depending on the work they are doing. Many businesses may find they are rarely at full capacity anymore as more people work from home at least some of the time. This has freed up space in the office for meeting areas and staff amusements like a games area or a table tennis table. It has become more important for hybrid working environments to be a central meeting hub for employees and customers.

Bring Nature Into The Office

According to the EMEA, offices which incorporate natural elements report a 13% higher level of well-being than offices that don’t. More businesses are looking to incorporate biophilic (or green) walls, planter storage units or potted plants to incorporate the outside on the inside. Living plants incorporated into offices will help increase oxygen levels, decrease fatigue and improve concentration levels. This will help boost productivity whether at home or in the office. Wooden slatted walls or area dividers are great for creating separation between departments or work/meeting spaces. They look aesthetically pleasing and create a more natural feel. Alternatively, go a step further and incorporate tree trunks for a unique partition wall.

The Sustainable Smart Office

Businesses are looking at the different ways they can become more environmentally friendly and reduce their carbon footprint. This is because of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties 26th meeting (COP26) being held in 2021. As a country, we need to make big changes now so in 2030 we will start to see the effects of our efforts. The majority of consumers look for businesses which pay attention to the environmental and social impact they have on the world. Making changes to your corporate fleet, recycling more and minimizing business travel are great places to start looking to make a change. But many businesses are also looking to create a smarter office environment which reduces energy consumption. The last couple of years have pushed emerging trends into hyperdrive. What would normally have taken five to 10 years to become the norm in office design, has been forced to happen overnight. Many companies don’t want to go back to what can now potentially feel like the Stone Age. A smart office incorporates the best management tools to help staff work better, faster and happier. Using light sensors, installing automatic doors, using automatic bathroom facilities like flushes, taps and hand dryers is a great cost and energy saving tactic. It also helps reduce the number of touch points in a shared environment. You can even install intelligent climate controls now which detect preferences, usage patterns and regulate the temperate automatically. This could potentially end staff disagreements over whether the office is too hot or too cold. This has helped staff feel more confident in the work environment. It includes the extra benefit of creating a more efficient and environmentally friendly workspace, saving money on electricity and water. It’s a win-win situation. The government is looking at ways to incentivize businesses to use renewable energy. We have found many businesses installing solar panels on roofs which can significantly reduce bills and provides energy for your business.

Office Design for Staff Wellbeing

Office design has changed to incorporate more space between desks to accommodate social distancing. Perspex screens, also known as COVID screens, have become standard fittings in offices that continue to utilize an open plan environment. Alternatively, where offices have more space, the cellular office design is being brought back into fashion. This limits the spread of germs and has proven to reduce absence due to sickness by up to a quarter. It promotes productivity thanks to a quieter environment. Fewer distractions and additional privacy are also a benefit. Cellular offices can be tailored to each team or department’s requirements. Glass partition walls provide a good view of the full office and still allow for maximum natural light to penetrate throughout. APSS are specialists in commercial interiors, office fit outs, car showroom refurbishments, healthcare interiors and educational interiors. Since 1997, the company has been helping businesses to refurbish their premises to ensure the best use of space and productivity – priding themselves on being an approachable and innovative interior fit out specialist. For more information visit www.apss.co.uk

East Midlands-based patent attorney and trade mark attorney firm, Adamson Jones IP Ltd, has welcomed four new team members in the last twelve months. Natasha Walker (neé Hybner) joined the business in November as Associate and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and specialises in brand protection, trade mark registration and enforcement of trade mark rights. Natasha brings additional expertise to the Trade Marks team with her experience in actioning social media infringement takedowns and brand enforcement across third-party selling websites such as Amazon, eBay & Etsy. Natasha is also involved in the Amazon Brand Registry enrolment program. Having been actively involved in the start-up of the Derby Junior Lawyers Division of the Derby & District Law Society in 2017, Natasha became active President in 2018, a role that she still holds to date. James Tagg is training at the firm to become a Chartered Patent Attorney, having joined the patent profession in 2016 as an Associate Patent Examiner at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) in Newport and qualifying as an Examiner in early 2020. James’ knowledge and experience of the UKIPO provides valuable insight into the inner workings of the UK patent application process and he assists the Patents team in all aspects of UK and European patent drafting, searching and prosecution. The addition of Sedella Hearson and Jade-Akina Charlton to the IP Support team has seen an increase in capacity as well as experience. Sedella brings a huge amount of knowledge to the Formalities team as a qualified IP Administrator holding both the CIPA and CITMA qualifications. Sedella began her IP career with Boots where she coordinated their patent work before moving onto Saint-Gobain where she worked with both patents and trade marks. Jade is providing administrative support to clients and the team whilst training in all areas of IP formalities. Simon Cooper, Managing Director of Adamson Jones IP, said: “We hope to continue attracting the very best talent in the IP profession to the East Midlands. We believe in teamwork and by expanding the capabilities of each area of the business – patents, trade marks and IP support – we can meet the varied needs of clients at the highest standards.”

It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Kevin McGrath, managing partner at Smith Partnership. Before committing to giving my predictions, I thought I ought to check out what I said in a similar piece this time last year. It didn’t inspire confidence. “The optimist in me would hope that by the spring society will return to some form of normality but the realist accepts the summer is more likely.” With the pandemic showing no signs of abating and being fuelled by the new Omicron variant of Covid I’m not going to be so confident this year. Thankfully, in other ways my predictions proved more reliable – the hugely successful vaccination programme, the gradual opening up of society and the return of economic confidence were all very welcome in 2021. For me and all of my colleagues at Smith Partnership, 2022 will be a year to build on the lessons we have learnt in the last two years. We will continue to find new, innovative ways to meet the needs and expectations of our clients through rapidly evolving technology and continue to embrace flexible working for our staff so they continue to benefit from being able to find the right balance between home and office working. The irresistible optimist in me still believes that things will get better next year and when they do, we will be able to shift focus to the really important issues affecting not just business but all of society. Inclusivity and the environment will be issues none of us can ignore in 2022.

The LLEP has unveiled its strategy for responding to the twin challenges of Covid-19 and EU transition while delivering a decade of economic growth. The Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Growth Strategy 2021-30 sets out how local strengths, innovation and skills will be harnessed to create a productive, inclusive and sustainable economy for the future. It describes, in broad terms, the LLEP’s ambitions for its area and how they will inform decision-making over future funding bids and allocation of resources. The strategy is supported by four pillars:

• Productivity. The LLEP aims to increase the region’s existing output and productivity as it continues to develop a leading science and technology-led economy.
• Innovation. The LLEP will work closely with Leicester and Leicestershire’s three universities and local businesses to build upon the region’s existing strengths in R&D to become a global leader in innovation while simultaneously transferring knowledge to SMEs.
• Inclusivity. The LLEP will create a resilient and adaptive workforce in which all residents have access to skills and career progression while being paid at least the living wage.
• Sustainability. The LLEP will become a leader in zero carbon, with principles of sustainability built into everything it does.

The Economic Growth Strategy 2021-30 was launched at a virtual breakfast introduced by Kevin Harris, Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors. He was joined by Dr Glenn Athey, Principal Consultant at Cambridge Econometrics, which supported the LLEP to create the strategy and who provided guests with an overview of the insight behind the setting of priorities. Kevin Harris said: “Leicester and Leicestershire has transformed over the past decade into an innovative, technology-led and knowledge economy. These new and evolving strengths, coupled with existing advantages, will shape the future of the region. “There currently exist external economic and policy uncertainties, but the LLEP is clear that we need to deliver economic participation and prosperity for all residents, to improve people’s health and ensure a carbon neutral future. “Our new Economic Growth Strategy sets out our direction of travel through to 2030 and is based on economic analysis, research, strategies and action plans, and, of course, the aspirations and concerns of our partners and stakeholders.” The Economic Growth Strategy 2021-30 is used to summarise the LLEP’s broad ambitions for Leicester and Leicestershire and will be used as a framework for seeking and allocating funding, as well as making decisions on what to prioritise over the coming years. The next stage for the LLEP is to work with partners to develop delivery plans and secure resources. This will commence in 2022.

Unemployment in the East Midlands has increased for the first time since the strictest Covid-19 restrictions were rolled back, new figures show. The region’s unemployment rate rose from 4.1% for the three-month period between July and September to 4.2% between August and October, according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest labour market report. This rate had previously decreased between May to June, while it has now fallen into line with the national average having been lower every month since April. Across the UK, the number of job vacancies in the three months to November soared to more than 1.2 million, another record and 419,000 more than the pre-pandemic period of January to March 2020. East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “While the jobs market has been in a much better place than many people may have expected – and the East Midlands unemployment rate is far below the 5.9% peak we saw in the three months to December 2020 – we should be slightly concerned about it going in the wrong direction. “This reflects the ongoing difficulties many businesses have faced in hiring people with the right skills. In the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2021, two-thirds (64%) of East Midlands businesses attempted to recruit – but four in five (80%) of those faced problems in filling those vacancies. “This meant that while a net 17% of our region’s organisations grew headcount in the previous three months, there was a slowdown compared to the previous quarter when a net 25% of businesses did so. “Despite some predictions that the end of the furlough scheme in September would release workers back into the labour market, the latest ONS figures suggest this just isn’t the case and our issues are far more deep-rooted. “We have skills gaps across the board that urgently need to be addressed. Many of these are longstanding but as Brexit and Covid have driven a more deep-seated decline in labour supply, they have come to the fore more prominently. “The concern here is that an inability to address the skills gap and bolster productivity will dampen the economic recovery, which is now in a very delicate situation as UK output has stagnated – rising only 0.1% in the month ending October – and inflation rising fiercely to put a squeeze on finances. “The reintroduction of Covid-19 restrictions to combat the Omicron variant could cause a further drag on confidence as many businesses may hold back from investing in recruitment while uncertainty reigns. “So while the labour market data may not show the most alarming trend, it’s another warning light for the Government about the serious damage that could be caused to the economy if we continue this stop-start approach – particularly without the necessary financial support for businesses.”

Two of Lincoln’s largest property specialists, Brown & Co and JH Walter LLP, recently joined forces in a deal handled for JH Walter by Sills & Betteridge’s Lead Corporate Partner, Martin Walsh. The combined business which provides property, business, planning and energy services to corporate and private clients, will continue to operate from both JH Walter’s Lincoln city centre location and Brown & Co’s existing offices on Doddington Road Lincoln, and its other offices throughout East Anglia and the East Midlands. The new trading name of the Lincoln operation is Brown & Co JH Walter. John Elliot, Managing Partner of JH Walter, explained the firm’s decision to bring Martin on board to deal with the sale: “Having been approached by a number of interested parties with a view to merging our long-standing chartered surveying and property sales business, we needed an experienced senior corporate lawyer to assist us in the process. “We had no previous experience of combining with another business. Fortunately for us, the law firm Sills & Betteridge, with whom we have worked for a number of years, had such a lawyer, in Martin Walsh. “Throughout the whole process his experience shone through. He guided us through our preliminary discussions with various interested parties before we reached a conditional agreement with Brown &Co to combine our respective businesses. “During the process to give effect to the combination, Martin’s advice was commercial, practical, clear and concise. In addition, he worked calmly and tirelessly in making sure each issue was properly considered, negotiated and settled to meet the agreed deadline for completion of the combination of the business of JH Walter LLP with that of Brown & Co. “I know I speak for all of the partners in JH Walter in saying we have no hesitation in recommending Martin Walsh and the law firm Sills and Betteridge to anyone considering selling or buying a business as Martin made the process so much more manageable, leading to a successful outcome for all involved.” Martin Walsh added: “JHW have been a very long-standing client of the firm. I was delighted to be able to help JHW and its partners successfully transition their business to that of Brown &Co resulting in a larger complimentary client base and so increased business opportunities for the combined firm. I very much look forward to seeing the business continuing to thrive.”

Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency, considers the pros and cons of collaboration. Now more than ever, businesses are embarking on collaborations, whether it be through strategic partnerships, joint ventures, projects, or simply to help one another out. The past eighteen months in business has shown us that whilst some industries have thrived, others have fallen, and a compromise to what could potentially be a fatal end to what may have once been a lucrative business could well be – collaboration. One of my favourite African Proverbs, reads: “If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This is certainly true of many aspects in life, in particular post pandemic as we gradually pick up the pieces as the world reopens. Considering a collaborative approach to business is most definitely worth your time, even if at very least you focus on building a network of like-minded individuals and surround yourself with them regularly, through perhaps a peer group, networking, or indeed your in-house dream team. This will open up new possibilities and opportunities you may well not have thought of yourself and this in itself is a collaborative approach to business. Opening yourself up to new perspectives and the ideas of others is an innovative way to run business and how many successful industry leaders manage their strategies. Plus, as we all know, networking can offer so many collaborative opportunities aside from the generation of business itself, so whether you choose to network online or in the room, this is a must. So, here I list an example of pros and cons to the concept of ‘collaboration’… Pros

1. New business can potentially be generated at a quicker speed.
2. The opportunity of the sharing of knowledge and training.
3. A strengthened brand identity and raise of your business/personal profile.
4. An increase/improvement in your team, providing you with a stronger infrastructure.
5. Access to more useful resources.
6. Increased support of your operations.
7. Access to new and useful suppliers who in turn may save you money.
8. An opportunity to make a difference in the world.
9. New friendships formed and you may also enjoy it!

Cons

1. It may all go wrong, but you won’t know until you try – right?

Why not create your own pros and cons list if you are considering a collaborative approach with your business? Fiona Duncan-Steer, RSViP – www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk  www.fionaduncansteer.com