Business and Economics

Workers in the UK working via employment agencies are not getting a fair deal, says the Resolution Foundation. The problem is growing as the number of agency staff has increased rapidly in recent years. The Think-Tank found that agency workers are disproportionately drawn from ethnic minorities and are concentrated in low-paid industries and lower-skilled jobs. There are now 865,000 agency staff in the UK, which has risen 200,000 since 2011. Over the last 18 months, 14% of agency workers were also...

When you think of all the equipment and money that goes into in-house payroll and HR—between hiring employees, payroll software, and technical equipment—is it really beneficial to your business? The responsibilities and extra expenses can become overwhelming, and you may not want to hire the extra employees. Because of this, more and more small business owners are turning to virtual Human Resources and payroll outsourcing. So you ask yourself, what are the benefits? It will save you money. There is...

Looking into the consequences of a cashless society online cartridge retailer, Cartridge Save have been speaking to people in the UK to find out how they would feel if we became cashless. The study, part of their research into how people in the UK have adapted to new technologies,looked at what technologies people have adopted in the UK and if they are ready to move into the future. They found that many people are happy to adapt to contactless technology, however...

We don’t need to rehash the general importance of mobile. The overwhelming majority of brands are now acutely aware of the very real need to ensure their digital experiences cater to customers on desktops, tablets and mobiles alike. Of course, not everyone executes mobile particularly well and there’s a notable amount of room for improvement on even some of the biggest brand web offerings. But we’re seeing things getting gradually better for users regardless of device. We’ve seen a lot...

Warning of shopper fatigue looks to have materialised this year as the Black Friday rush flops on the high street. Fences were erected outside many shops to avoid the chaos that broke out over the past few years, but they stood empty at the start of trading as most shoppers decide to stay at home to bag the best deals. Online spending on Black Friday is expected to reach £1 billion, up 16 per cent on last year, while it...

We are in an era of massive step change. In our politics, in our health and life expectancy, in our working habits, in our living arrangements, in our climate, in our communications, in our security, in the way we do business, in everything. Almost. It is clear there is one area where there is no change: our ability to respond to it effectively when it comes to the Autumn Statement. Yet again we get tinkering dressed up as major policy...

The UK is $1.5 trillion poorer since voting to leave the European Union, according to a Credit Suisse study. Since the referendum in June the pound has weakened 16 per cent against the dollar, with plenty more misery to come according to recent reports. Brexit Secretary David Davis recently met with the European Parliament's chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt to start proceedings, although it is understood he faced stern opposition. After senior German politician Manfred Weber met Davis in Strasbourg on Tuesday he...

Vaccinations in the Workplace: Can They Save Your Business Money? Every kind of business in every sector relies on its employees to either offer customers and clients a reliable service and/or generate revenues. But, these valuable employees, especially those in high-risk occupations, are all vulnerable to illnesses which take them out of the workplace. There are strong moral and social arguments that place responsibility on employers to protect personnel from common illnesses like flu, or any international diseases such as...

Following the recent confirmation of the expansion to Heathrow Airport, and subsequently Zac Goldsmith’s resignation, it is unsurprising that rising property taxes were the topic of conversation as Nick Clegg and Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney recently met with Richmond High Street business owners. Whilst businesses in Richmond upon Thames face a staggering £70m increase in business rates over the next 5 years, Heathrow Airport, the issue at the centre of the current by-election, in comparison received a tax cut...