1. Chamberlink July Aug 1-30.qxp_Chamberlink 29/06/2021 11:53 Page 30
Business News Jane Gratton: Many firms have learned how to motivate staff from home
Remote working gains popularity – surveys indicate The popularity of remote, hybrid and agile working is on the rise, according to new surveys and reports released by British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and BDO. A BCC survey of more than 900 UK-based firms has revealed that more than two thirds, 66 per cent, of businesses are now offering remote working to employees. Data from the survey also shows that nearly three quarters of businesses, 72 per cent, expect to have at least one employee working remotely over the next year. A staggering 80 per cent of B2B services firms are able to offer working from home opportunities to staff, compared to 61 per cent of manufacturers and 54 per cent of B2C services firms. Locally, according to the latest BDO LLP Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 mid-sized firms, 20 per cent of Midlands companies intend to adapt their office space, with more than half (55 per cent) looking to introduce agile or hybrid working on a permanent basis.
BCC head of people policy, Jane Gratton, said that although businesses will benefit from remote working, barriers to virtual work life still remains. She said: “During the pandemic, many employers have learned how to manage and motivate people working from home. They’ve also experienced the advantages of an agile workforce, in terms of diversity, skills and productivity. “These results show that nearly three quarters of firms will now continue to benefit from a remote working option during ‘Nearly three quarters of firms will now the coming year. But it’s clear that some firms and individuals continue to benefit from a remote are facing barriers to remote working with many employers concerned about the impact on team morale and employee working option during the coming year’ wellbeing.” Tim Foster, partner at BDO LLP in the Midlands, added that A third admitted that they expect the majority of staff to work agile or hybrid working will take precedence in the Midlands, from home for at least two days a week once offices reopen. but will impact city centre firms which rely on footfall. More than a third of Midlands businesses (35 per He said: “It’s clear that agile, or hybrid working, will cent) plan to create permanent remote roles. take precedence in the regional workplace over the When asked what they considered barriers to coming months, as companies continue to respond and implementing remote working in their businesses, react to the valuable lessons of 2020. according to the BCC survey, 55 per cent of firms “Interestingly, remote working will be the biggest cited staff morale or mental health and well-being. driver in boosting economic recovery, according to Businesses also cited monitoring productivity (28 the survey, with 30 per cent of Midlands businesses per cent), poor internet connectivity (26 per cent) saying that the region will benefit from workers and issues with IT (24 per cent) as barriers to spending more money locally in towns, suburbs and implementing remote working. rural economies, rather than commuting into city There were further sectoral divides in the centres. Of course, this will impact the health of responses. Unsurprisingly, 53 per cent of some city centre businesses which rely on footfall, manufacturers required a physical presence to but we are starting to see places rethink the way operate equipment, while in B2C service firms they will attract people into our cities to enjoy the Agile working will take precedence the proportion was 35 per cent and B2B service in regional workplaces: Tim Foster cultural, hospitality and leisure offering.” businesses just 16 per cent.
Children’s hospital to benefit from funding A £1m donation to Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity from Children with Cancer UK, in partnership with Kwik-Fit, is set to bolster improved genetic testing. The donation has enabled the charity to purchase the NovaSeq 6000, a state-of-the-art DNA sequencing machine which has enabled the rapid expansion of cancer genetic testing at the West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory. Initial forecasts provided by NHS England and NHS Trusts across the West Midlands, Oxfordshire and parts of Southern England suggest that approximately 560 children and young people per year could benefit from large cancer panel genetic testing following the installation of the NovaSeq. 30 CHAMBERLINK July/August 2021
Home to one of the largest children’s cancer centres in the UK, Birmingham Children’s Hospital cares for more than 200 patients with cancer, leukaemia and brain tumours every year, from the West Midlands and beyond. Over the last decade large scale sequencing projects have identified pertinent DNA changes, which have enabled scientists to develop improved cancer treatments to target these variations. Sequencing all possible DNA changes in a single test gives scientists the best possible chance of detecting the genetic changes driving a child’s cancer, and knowing the genetic makeup of a child or young person’s cancer, or tumour, allows clinicians to offer a more tailored treatment.
Investment: The NovaSeq 6000
Chairman of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and its Charity, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, former medical director of the NHS in England, said: “The NovaSeq 6000 has dramatically enhanced our ability to identify diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for childhood and young people’s cancers, thereby enabling our expert scientists and doctors to quickly optimise and develop more-effective and less-toxic treatments for children and young people with cancer. “We’re thankful to Children with Cancer UK and all the employees at Kwik-Fit for enabling us to expand our cancer genetic testing capability in this way. It will make a difference to thousands of families.”
