news in brief SPRING 2021
Demand for City offices grows as Lockdown eases
A
n office space provider has seen a significant increase in demand as businesses look to return to London with more flexible office arrangements. The rapid growth of small businesses has seen WorkPad receive record numbers of enquiries for working spaces within its 35 buildings in prime London locations. WorkPad reports that there are a number of reasons for this increase in demand: growing SMEs looking for impressive, central London offices, larger businesses downsizing as they adopt a hybrid approach and SMEs seeking
Workpad: private, unbranded spaces are popular, especially if offering London locations
increased flexibility in their contracts. Unlike many shared offices, private unbranded spaces provide no distractions and tenants can enjoy privacy. This, coupled with the demand for attractive spaces in prime locations in which SMEs can claim a presence in London, has seen the business fill two properties to full capacity in the past month alone.
“WorkPad itself is an SME, so we know the importance of the perfect space in which to grow a business, said CEO, Edward Griffin. “We also understand the specific needs of small businesses, whether they’re in their earliest days, a few years old and making major strides in their field, or an established, small, but mighty business.”
Furloughed women shun tech jobs Men are more than twice as likely as women to embark on a new career in the tech industry if they can’t return to their existing jobs when furlough ends. In fact, one recent survey of furloughed workers has suggested that the technology sector faces significant obstacles in attracting female talent. It found that 39 per cent of 6
SME magazine
women admitted no interest in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths - compared with 26 per cent of men. Otherwise, the overall picture for UK tech is positive. The technology industry was the most popular destination for furloughed workers looking for a career change. Even before the pandemic, Tech
Nation estimated that the digital tech industry was growing six times faster than any other. The significant expansion of the digital economy over the past 12 months has only accelerated this trend. However, as IT consultants NTT DATA UK’s research reveals, interest in moving into the industry is not consistent among all groups. www.smeweb.com
