NEWS AND VIEWS

THE MONTH THAT WAS

Brother UK adopts hybrid working after HQ redesign

Brother UK has adopted a hybrid working model and made a significant investment to redesign its Greater Manchester HQ, which supports collaborative working and social interaction.

The transition will see about 90 employees work from the office three days a week, providing them with the flexibility of home working. New break-out spaces and meeting rooms have been built at the firm’s head office as part of the redesign, which also includes new technology infrastructure to enable hot desking.

The move comes as research by Brother UK signals a wider shift to hybrid among businesses, with IT decision-makers expecting only 51% of the workforce to be in the office full time, on average, over the next six months. “The pandemic ripped up the working rulebook and we want to establish a new organisational design that continues to stay relevant,” said Phil Jones MBE, MD at Brother UK.

“Homeworking has undoubtedly provided our employees with greater flexibility in their personal lives, but the last 18 months has also underlined the office’s value for providing purpose and social cohesion. We want to find a balance that works for our people and our business.

“Hybrid working needs to be far more than just a change to working contracts – we want coming to the office to be about human interaction and experiencing the energy of being around your colleagues. This has been the focal point in redesigning our office spaces and it felt great to reopen after months of planning.

“The building has breathed back to life, with a healthy buzz of collaboration and synchronous working happening before our eyes. Now it’s time to listen and learn from how our colleagues adapt to help us ensure that hybrid working is a success for us.”

The company was recently accredited with Investors in People’s ‘We Invest in Wellbeing’ Gold Award in recognition of its efforts to support the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of its staff.

VOW appoints new channel sales director

VOW Wholesale has appointed Andrea Eli as UK channel sales director. Andrea previously owned a successful business supplies reseller for 12 years before selling to the EVO group in 2018.

“I’m excited that Andrea is joining the business,” said Adrian Butler, VOW Wholesale’s managing director. “Having somebody on the VOW senior team that has owned a successful reseller business for many years is invaluable in our industry.

“Andrea already has great relationships with some of the UK dealers, forged over many years of networking at industry events. As a result, she has a unique perspective on the challenges that we face together as a sector and sees the many opportunities before us.”

Andrea added:“I am looking forward to joining the team at VOW Wholesale as channels sales director. I will be looking to build on the work that Kath Briggs has achieved during her time in the role, working with resellers and our suppliers to capture opportunities at this exciting time as we come out of what has been a very difficult period for all.”

Adrian also thanked Kath for her commitment and support over the past six years within VOW. “I wish her the very best in her new role within the EO Group,” he said.

Stationery Supplies selected for Small Business Saturday countdown

Stationery Supplies, based in Marple and Wilmslow in Cheshire, has been chosen as one of 100 small businesses across the UK to mark the countdown to this year’s Small Business Saturday.

Stationery Supplies, an independent stationery, greeting card and gift shop, was selected to be part of the campaign’s Small Biz 100 line-up which showcases inspiring, independent businesses from across the country.

Now in its ninth year in the UK, Small Business Saturday celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support businesses in their communities. This year it is calling on the nation to share a ‘big thank you’ with small firms to recognise their vital role throughout the pandemic.

Stationery Supplies was highlighted on social media as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday. “I’m well chuffed to have been chosen - and to celebrate our #SmallBiz100 day, and to thank our customers for their support during the pandemic, we’ll have chocolates and a lucky dip of free gifts for all customers spending over £5 in both our shops,” said Sarah Laker, owner of Stationery Supplies. “Gifts have been generously donated by some of our suppliers, including Premier Stationery and Dandelion Cards.”

Small Business Saturday takes place on December 4. Last year’s event was a record-breaking success, with an estimated £1.1 billion spent with small businesses on the day itself. This year, ahead of the UN Climate Summit COP26 in Glasgow, the SmallBiz100 features small firms with a passion for sustainability, in order to demonstrate the important part small businesses play in tackling climate change and helping the UK to achieve net zero.

Integra supports members in quarter four with reduced fees

Integra Business Solutions has announced that all membership fees will once again be reduced by 50% from October to December to financially support members during the last quarter of 2021. “The team has worked incredibly hard to maintain a healthy financial position whilst also continuing to fully support members,” said Aidan McDonough, Integra’s CEO. “It is still an incredibly challenging time for dealers, and the industry as a whole, so the focus for us is to ensure we help our members get through this volatile period.” This announcement follows the confirmation of free catalogues for members in 2022. Integra’s office products catalogue features leading brands, together with the best value Initiative range and additional suppliers to support diversification opportunities. Members can visit www.integra-business.co.uk or contact the team on 01633 653000 to order. Integra’s creative team is also on hand for corporate rebrands, website redesigns and bespoke campaigns as members start to look at refreshing and reinvigorating their businesses for 2022.