Ask the Expert

from Borough Business Kingston Upon Thames Chamber of Commerce June 2020

18

How can businesses help staff adapt to changes brought about by the COVID-19 crisis?

Lindsay Roadnight, Willow Tree Counselling

“The first thing employers can do is to recognise that change is inevitable. We live in unprecedented times and the coronavirus is forcing us to make adaptations to our working routines and lifestyles. Some of these adaptations will be temporary, others may be permanent. Getting our heads around this “new normal”, what it looks like and what it means in practical terms, is something we all need to do.

Looking after staff

“For many business professionals, this is a stressful time. Some are experiencing increased feelings of isolation and anxiety, especially those who have been furloughed or forced to work from home. That’s why employers must renew efforts to engage with all members of their workforce. This doesn’t just mean checking in with them to discuss progress on business projects. Employers should think about the nature of their staff. Are they a sociable bunch? Do they get on with one another? If so, employers could organise a social catch-up via Zoom or create a What’s App group so employees can post conversations and images of their life in lockdown. “Employers should also acknowledge that staff may be experiencing feelings of fatigue due to working from home. In the office or factory environment, they can catch up with colleagues over a cup of tea or get some exercise walking to the printer or the café over the road. Managers should make a mental note to encourage employees to take breaks regularly when working from home. “In this fast-changing world, employers need to be kind to their staff by keeping expectations reasonable, allowing autonomy in the role where possible, trusting that they’ll get the job done to a decent standard, and resisting the urge to micro-manage from afar. They should also be kind to themselves so they’re in the best frame of mind to help their staff. In a crisis, there’s a tendency for those at the helm of a business to work harder, not smarter. I’ve reduced my hours to stave off fatigue and it has been worthwhile, making me more alert and effective during the hours I do work.

It is good to talk

“I’m currently conducting my counselling sessions via Zoom, which is great, although this does reduce the effectiveness of nonverbal communication such as body language. Work levels have remained healthy but it’s important to remember that counselling doesn’t just benefit people in times of crisis. If something doesn’t feel right, even during the good times, it makes sense to talk to someone about it. “COVID-19 will bring lasting changes to the way we live our lives, with more remote working, automation of work processes and greater adoption of technology. Good communication between employer and employee has therefore never been more vital – both now and after the coronavirus has passed.”

Lindsay Roadnight runs Willow Tree Counselling. She works with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, offering short and long-term therapy, and accepts referrals from individuals as well as employers. Lindsay also runs workshops and offers business support for counsellors, particularly those in private practice. She is a co-founder of the local networking group, The Counsellors Community, a monthly meet-up in Kingston upon Thames for anyone who is a counsellor or studying to be a counsellor in the local area.

For more information visit www.willow-tree-counselling.co.uk

Support Your Business And Employees

Uncertainty and change affect us all differently. Get in touch to see how I can support you and your employees.

chamber events

ONLINE EVENTS

As an organisation that thrives on running face to face networking, when the lockdown began, we had to cancel a lot of our scheduled

Sam berry from No.97 conducting our online Gin Tasting.

Kingston Business EXPO - ONLINE

8th July 2020 The virtual expo for real businesses The Kingston Business Expo has become a regular and highly anticipated feature of the business calendar. Faced with the current pandemic we held out as long as possible in the hope that we would be able to run the event, however when it became clear that we couldn’t host a traditional expo we were enthused by the idea of making it work online. Forbes Low, CEO of Kingston Chamber said: “As many business events are being cancelled or for a short introduction, having tested it out with opportunity to engage at whatever level they events. In the beginning, our focus was on supporting businesses through the very difficult and challenging times faced by our membership and local business community, however as we all settled into a new work from home environment it became clear that the need to connect was greater than ever. Like most businesses, Kingston Chamber has therefore had to quickly adapt to a more virtual approach; finding new ways to offer support, workshops and networking opportunities using online technology.

What started as a very daunting task of organising and running online events, has quickly become the ‘new norm’ as they say and it has been so rewarding to see our membership adapt and get involved. We have tried and tested a variety of networking styles, offered informative seminars and Q&A sessions as well as run social evenings such as quiz nights and gin tastings. All while staying safely at home! Online events are certainly here to stay for the foreseeable future, certainly for large gatherings. It is likely that we will continue to run both online and face to face events in the future as this hybrid offering seems to have many benefits and advantages.

So, why not join us at our next event? Go to our website for the most up to date diary of events and even watch some of those you may have missed.

www.kingstonchamber.co.uk/event-type/

postponed, Kingston Chamber are determined to keep the virtual doors open for business. This Expo will be a little different, varied and an opportunity for businesses to engage and learn, from start ups to established”

The online platform gives attendees an feel comfortable, from simply watching a presentation online to engaging with others via the chat and Q&A or initiating a one to

one meeting with other attendees. The speed networking sessions are always popular at an expo and we have found a great way to recreate this online too. Participants will be able to meet multiple attendees on a face to face video

networking-events/

our sample group we had great feedback:

“Online speed networking is fun! You don’t know who is going to pop into the box on your screen. The countdown clock makes you very aware of Forbes Low with RBK Leaders; Caroline Kerr and Ian Thomas for a Business Q&A

sticking to your one-minute pitch. Be ready for a new face when the time is up!” Nicolle Anderson from BusinessClan

There will also be a virtual expo area for people to discover local businesses, they can interact with the virtual stands by watching videos, accessing brochures or chatting to exhibitors directly about their services.

One big advantage of the online format means that attendees do not have to miss out on sessions if they overlap. All the sessions are instantly available to watch on demand after they finish so people can catch up on the full programme at their leisure.

We are grateful to Kingston Council for continuing to support this event, they have generously sponsored every Kingston Expo for the last 8 years and we are so pleased they continue to value this event as an important part of the business support progarmme we offer.

We would also like to thank our other sponsor WPA Healthcare and exhibitors who will be joining us online on the day and without who we could not provide such a valuable event to support our local business community.

The Kingston Expo takes place on Wednesday 8th July from 9.30am, where we will be joined for the opening session by Sir Ed Davey MP.

The programme will include:

Digital Skills Stage

Covering eCommerce and online sales, SEO and Social Networks

Starting Up or Going Freelance

Found yourself redundant due to COVID19? Maybe this is the time to start a new business or become a freelancer and find that work/life balance.

Speed Networking

Just like traditional speed networking, you will be randomly matched with other attendees where you can exchange business details and briefly outline what you do or what type of business you are looking for. Two sessions will run during the event.

Economic Outlook

The COVID-19 pandemic could do permanent damage to the global economy, dashing hopes for a quick recovery and encouraging governments to ‘onshore’ manufacturing in critical sectors. a return to the pre-COVID economic flightpath seems unlikely, the degree of economic and financial ‘scarring’ is difficult to estimate at this stage.

Mental Health at Work

Looking after your-self and your colleagues at work. How has the recent pandemic affected our working life and relationships, what to look out for and how we can support each other.

Marketing Strategy

B2B Marketing After COVID-19: What Changes and What Doesn’t?

There will also be a series of roundtable discussion:

1: Women in Business during and after COVID

Many of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are hitting women disproportionately hard. With limited time and resources (such as childcare) female business owners could be hit harder by the economic effects of COVID-19. How do we ensure businesses run by women so that, in future, we’ll see even more businesses run by women.

2: What has changed for education in Kingston?

The COVID-19 crisis may have taught us how education might need to change to be able to better prepare our young learners for what the future might hold. What is meant by digital poverty in education? How has the pandemic changed for education providers, not just in the short term, but for the future?

3: The cultural and creative arts: what is their value to the Kingston community

The arts and creative sector can contribute to community cohesion, reduce social exclusion and isolation. How does the sector contribute so much to the health of the Kingston community? Is it still undervalued and what will be the consequences of post COVID on the cultural and creative arts in Kingston?

4: The new role of HR and what is HR doing now

HR is playing a significant role in the current climate. How has this COVID period changed the role of HR, the perception of the role and how can it be used as source of positive change for business growth and the employees’ wellbeing?

FREE to attend, register online at www.accelevents.com/e/KingstonBusinessExpo/

the big interview NHS sterilisation company opens

its largest facility at Aviva Investors’ Barwell Business Park

STERIS Instrument Management Services (IMS) is opening its largest UK facility at Aviva Investors’ Barwell Business Park under one of the biggest occupancy agreements in South West London this year.

STERIS is a global innovator of Medical Devices and Infection Control solutions. STERIS IMS has more than 20 sites across the UK alone, from Glasgow to Salisbury and most of the major towns and cities in between, including several in London.

The company supports NHS Trusts across the country with Medical Device Decontamination services, and the manufacture and repair of Medical Devices.

As hospitals came under pressure from COVID-19, STERIS IMS supported its NHS customers with donations of PPE, including surgical gowns and sterilization packaging materials that some customers used to make protective face masks.

The new centre at units 1 to 4 Barwell Business Park in Chessington - 41,000 sq ft in area - will be dedicated to the decontamination and sterilization of NHS Medical Devices, including surgical instruments and endoscopes. It is expected to be fully operational by February 2021 with UK company, Merit Health Ltd, leading the major fit-out. STERIS IMS will process 15 million medical instruments a year at Barwell, a significant increase on the 9 million per annum at its current largest facility in Sheffield.

Sterilization services for Kingston Hospital - a newly-awarded contract – will be based at Barwell, and an existing customer at Epsom Hospital will be relocated there. The new site will also provide opportunities for flexibility and expansion.

STERIS IMS Project Manager, Mark Brown, said: “The move to Barwell Business Park is a significant development for us and a significant commitment. There is a huge element of planning underway for the facility. We will relocate the existing service from Epsom Hospital as the hospital site undergoes redevelopment and accommodate the new business from Kingston Hospital - both are 15-year, long-term contracts. We will also be able to create additional capacity in the London region alongside our already numerous sites which include the Royal London, Homerton, Northwick Park in Harrow and the Princess Royal in Orpington.

“STERIS IMS serves many customers from its existing facilities in London, and the wider region. We are very keen to create additional capacity to provide contingency support to the NHS and our own business as well as develop new business opportunities. This will be our biggest facility in the UK.”

STERIS IMS will take its employees to Barwell and seek to hire more as they attract new business, with the expectation that up to 170 employees will be based at the site, from technicians to back-office roles.

“It is very important that we retain our existing staff,” Mark said. “They are highly trained and skilled and they have a huge range of expertise, so retaining them is key. We invest a lot in training, it can take

12-18 months to fully train a technician and staff are a key resource. We invest a lot in our people.”

“There is a huge emphasis on the value we give our people,” added Marketing Director Kat Holt. “CSR is really important. We offer an accredited healthcare scheme, mental health initiatives, free access to GPs for employees and their families, free fruit, training and education initiatives. We invest a huge amount into apprenticeships too.”

STERIS delivers healthcare science, customer service, team leader and management apprenticeships to its employees. With a gym and café on-site, Barwell Business Park provided local facilities to attract and retain staff but its geographical position was crucial.

Mark said: “It is a key location for customers and staff, as well as for the huge opportunities in central London and the wider London region. Our customers require a short reprocessing turnaround time for their Medical Devices and it’s much easier to achieve this if you are close to your customers and, critically, it is easier to retain and transfer staff to the new facility. Barwell is close to major airports and we regularly have visitors from the US, including the senior management team, and Barwell is a good location to showcase STERIS equipment, products and services for our national and international customers. It is an aspirational business park where the buildings are of a good standard with nice open areas around them.”

Aviva Investors is a longstanding stakeholder and investor in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. They own the Bentall Centre and Davis Road Industrial Estate as well as Barwell Business Park. The Steris IMS letting, secured through Altus Group and acquiring agent CBRE Industrial, is the largest at Barwell in the last decade.

Colin Lawrence-Waterhouse, Asset Manager, Real Estate, at Aviva Investors, who runs Barwell Business Park, said:“Whilst Steris IMS’s new facility is great news for Barwell, its impact on the health service both within the borough and across the region will no doubt be much more significant.

Barwell offers a different type of industrial product in the South West London market, which attracts high quality occupiers who want a business park environment rather than a traditional industrial estate. The letting to Steris IMS is testament to the park, its location and the important role it plays as a key employment area within the borough. It highlights the strength of demand in the area for high quality industrial stock and supports our investment strategy of focusing on prime real estate assets in core locations.”

Steris IMS is one of five businesses to take up an occupancy at Barwell Business Park this year with others including Opcare, an innovator in prosthetics, orthotics, posture and mobility devices along with temperature and humidity technology leaders, Stulz and BMW repair specialist, Motorrad Servicing and Repair (MSR). Wheelchair and mobility scooter specialist, Wheelfreedom, has also taken up a lease at Barwell in recent weeks. Kingston borough councillors welcomed the influx of new businesses to the area’s leading employment space.