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Survey highlights the popularity of remote working
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.
A third admitted that they expect the majority of staff to work from home for at least two days a week once offices reopen.
More than a third of Midlands businesses (35 per cent) plan to create permanent remote roles.
When asked what they considered barriers to implementing remote working in their businesses, according to the BCC survey, 55 per cent of firms cited staff morale or mental health and well-being. Businesses also cited monitoring productivity (28 per cent), poor internet connectivity (26 per cent) and issues with IT (24 per cent) as barriers to implementing remote working.
There were further sectoral divides in the responses. Unsurprisingly, 53 per cent of manufacturers required a physical presence to operate equipment, while in B2C service firms the proportion was 35 per cent and B2B service businesses just 16 per cent. 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 the coming year. But it’s clear that some firms and individuals are facing barriers to remote working with many employers concerned about the impact on team morale and employee wellbeing.” Tim Foster, partner at BDO LLP in the Midlands, added that agile or hybrid working will take precedence in the Midlands, but will impact city centre firms which rely on footfall. He said: “It’s clear that agile, or hybrid working, will take precedence in the regional workplace over the coming months, as companies continue to respond and react to the valuable lessons of 2020. “Interestingly, remote working will be the biggest driver in boosting economic recovery, according to the survey, with 30 per cent of Midlands businesses saying that the region will benefit from workers spending more money locally in towns, suburbs and rural economies, rather than commuting into city centres. Of course, this will impact the health of some city centre businesses which rely on footfall, but we are starting to see places rethink the way Agile working will take precedence they will attract people into our cities to enjoy the in regional workplaces: Tim Foster cultural, hospitality and leisure offering.”
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.
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.
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.”
Working to improve transport
Tackling the decarbonisation of transport with University of Birmingham research and regional business support
At the University of Birmingham, we are challenging the transport sector’s existing technologies, processes and practices, changing how transport is designed, delivered and used for future generations. Our research ranges from vehicles, fuel and recycling to how we design and construct our cities and their transport routes.
An outline of the work being conducted at the University of Birmingham, and how our projects and researchers are supporting local engagement to help the UK achieve reductions in its carbon emissions goals, is evident in our work to date.
The University of Birmingham was recently listed in the top 10 per cent of universities for its impact on local growth and regeneration, and top of the Russell Group in England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework.
Our cities and roads
How we design and construct our cities, and manage and maintain infrastructure, enables us to adapt to our ever-changing lifestyles. By monitoring our infrastructure above and below the ground using both remote sensing technologies and embedded or attached sensors, we are able to reduce operational costs in transport and civil engineering.
Sensor technologies will allow us to map what lies beneath our feet and detect a variety of hidden infrastructure including mineshafts, sinkholes, pipes and tunnels. This will revolutionise how construction takes place; we are currently unable to pinpoint sources of problems such as the bursting of underground pipes, which is why roadworks can be so extensive and disruptive.
By showing the exact location of problems underground, our research will reduce disruption on the nation’s roads and will reduce emissions.
Supporting regional business: About ARLI
Our Alternative Raw Materials with Low impact ERDF project supports businesses in developing cost-effective products and processes that provide energy-efficiency gains in the use of raw and waste materials.
The project identifies waste streams, or other materials that could be transformed into higher value goods for construction and other manufacturing industry applications to address acute raw material deficiencies, which are crippling industrial supply chains.
Construction
Innovative uses for waste materials in construction is a large part of ARLI’s research collaborations, as waste management remains an issue within the industry. The reinforcement of soil and concrete has become an important area of investigations. There are potential applications for the use of waste glass reinforced plastic, carpet waste, crumbed rubber and other nonconstruction wastes in both geotechnical and construction applications.
We have also looked at the geotechnical and construction applications for crushed eggshells. We are currently undertaking soil/structure analysis for a new rapid mini-piling system for temporary structures that should be recoverable and reusable.
September 2020: HydroFLEX becomes the first hydrogen train to run on the UK mainline railway
About AMTECCA
AMTECAA (Advanced Manufacturing Technologies to Create, Activate & Automate), an ERDF-funded project, can support companies looking to apply advanced manufacturing technologies across a wide range of manufacturing sectors including automotive, aerospace, oiland gas and electronic.
Working with key industrial organisations MTC, Lasea, Laserlines, HMK, Mazak and Keyence a range of business support has been developed to provide physical equipment demonstrators and deliver workshops to local manufacturing businesses.
UK manufacturing is experiencing the biggest shake up to the sector in decades. Having access to support and advice from the University of Birmingham to navigate throughout is vital for business survival.
Digi-Rail – transforming our railways
The use and need for digital-systems in the railway is growing to help make smarter, costeffective and sustainable decisions. Digi-Rail is an ERDF-funded project; it brings together researchers and businesses that have collaborated on projects with a focus on: traffic management; sensors; big data management; safety equipment, track development and application of wireless networks; station information systems; and future railway operations and control.
Data and transport
Passenger behaviour impacts demand, usage and mobility in the transport sector. The use of big data can help unlock the trends and create a path for new ideas and developments. Digi-Rail have worked with a business to create and implement a semantic text processing architecture using a basic machine-learning model. This prototype is able to classify text pulled from the internet and social media platforms for product specific feedback. In return, this data can help businesses make smarter and sustainable decisions to consider new ideas for products and services with new trends and demands in mind.
Cleaner, greener trains
We are working to integrate hydrogen and battery power to the country’s rolling stock to transition the railway sector to cleaner fuel.
HydroFLEX is the first-ever hydrogen-powered train to run on the UK mainline. Unlike diesel trains, hydrogen-powered trains do not emit harmful gases. Instead, they use hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, water and heat. The team are now developing the first prototype production version of HydroFLEX.
The ground-breaking technology behind the trains will also be available by 2023 to retrofit current in-service trains to hydrogen, helping decarbonise the rail network and make rail journeys greener and more efficient.
The project aims to roll UK-produced hydrogen trains out onto the rail network in the near future, further exploit the hydrogen technology, and develop the supply chain to support the technology.
‘BRAVE View’ Example of BRaVE – the Birmingham Railway Virtual Environment, an easy-to-use railway simulation software developed by The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) at the University of Birmingham
Our vehicles
The reduction of fuel consumption is currently the number one priority in engine and vehicle development. We are working closely with UK industry in engine architecture and advanced engine technologies, helping to design the engines and fuels for the future.
Fuel
The Government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by at least 80 per cent against 1990 levels by 2050 cannot be achieved without transitioning all segments of the transport system to cleaner fuels. The country also plans to remove all diesel-only vehicles by 2040.
We are driving both the technology and thinking required to solve some of the challenges facing the UK as it seeks to develop sustainable solutions for energy and transportation. From sustainable production and hydrogen storage to commercial utilisation, as well as the efficient provision of electricity and heat from fuel cells, our researchers are making a full hydrogen economy a reality. From the vehicles we use to the spaces we occupy, we are working to reduce the transport sector’s emissions both in the region and beyond. We will continue to drive these changes so that people can live healthier, happier lives.
Talk to the Business team today: W: www.birmingham.ac.uk/partners T: 0121 414 4002 E: businessteam@contacts.bham.ac.uk To find out more about the University of Birmingham’s research, visit: Birmingham.ac.uk/engineering
