Member Blog

There is no doubt there are innumerable benefits to drinking water, but did you know that your organisation can benefit from having a water dispenser at the office? Here are five advantages of having one:

It shows that your organisation supports sustainability

There are many ways to make your business more sustainable. By adding a water dispenser, you will be helping your employees lower their plastic usage, since they won’t have to buy bottled water. This is good for the environment, as there are many issues associated with high plastic usage.

It can save you money

In 2018, an estimated 141.4 million working days were lost in the UK due to injury or sickness. By providing your employees with fresh drinking water, there is a chance to decrease that number. Even a small margin would make a huge difference. A decrease could also translate to lower insurance costs.

Additionally, if you chose to get water dispensers from the right company, you may be able to have immense savings in your energy utility costs. For example, if you install a Cooler Sense water cooler, you would be able to keep your employees cool in the heat of the summer while using significantly less energy.

It can encourage employees to be more active

You don’t want your employees to be sitting at their desks all day. While there are many ways to encourage them to be more active, a water dispenser would easily serve the same purpose, since your employees would have to occasionally leave their desks to get some water and take a break.

It can help employees relax

Next to the water dispenser, your employees get to relax, have a drink, and chat. Small talk made away from the desk will help your employees take a mini-break from work pressures, allowing them to return to their desks feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Additionally, there are many negative effects of staring at screens for too long, so it may also be beneficial for their eyes to take a break from the glare of their computer screens.

Your dispenser as décor

What is the first thing your visitors see when they come into your office? Imagine how a sleek-looking water dispenser would add to your reception décor. Depending on what company you choose to provide your water dispenser, you may also have the choice to design your own custom dispenser for the office, complete with your company’s logo. Not only will this look great, but it will help give your office a professional feel for any visitors. Having a water dispenser in your office is beneficial for both your employees and your office as a whole. You will be able to save a little more at the end of the month effortlessly, promote more casual face-to-face engagements and get a new way to market yourself, all while ensuring that your employees get clean, uncontaminated water in line with the UK law on hydration and work.

Mobile manufacturers have been advertising “5G ready” mobile devices in recent months, so where does this leave 4G connectivity solutions? How has mobile technology evolved in recent months?

Understanding the G in 4G

The G refers to the “generation” of a mobile network. The first generation was the 1G network which started in the 1980’s in Japan. Subsequent generations have followed which are 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.  

Ten years on from the launch of 3G, in 2008 the ITU-R International Telecommunications Union-Radio communications sector set the requirements for the 4G standard. The peak speed requirement for 4G services was set at 100Mbps for mobile connectivity and up to 1Gbps for static deployments.  

This 4th generation network supports internet access for services such as HD mobile TV, HD video and video conferencing as well as gaming services, which all require high speed connectivity. This is the current standard which is openly available on most mobile devices throughout the UK. 

What is 5G?

5G is the next generation connectivity network for mobile devices. Several 5G ready mobile devices have recently launched. The 5G network is suited specifically to high density areas as the data signal can only travel across shorter distances. Therefore, 5G is currently only suited to cities and has been rolled out in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester and Cardiff. More cities will become 5G ready by the end of 2019 including Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. 5G intends to improve on the speeds of 4G LTE with download speeds of up to 20Mbps being promised.  

What’s the difference between 4G and 5G?

The 4G network is still the primary mobile network used in the UK. 4G and 5G are on different network frequencies, meaning if you wanted to connect to either a 4G or 5G network, your mobile device will have to have the correct chip for that frequency. 5G frequencies for the UK are 3.4 to 3.8 Ghz.  

Essentially 4G is the best network for people who don’t live in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester or Cardiff. 4G is still the best network for anyone that doesn’t have a 5G device or whom doesn’t live in the current 5G ready cities.  

Will 4G become irrelevant?

Not anytime soon! 4G and 5G will coexist alongside each other for a good while. Many devices will be using the 4G network for at least another decade especially IOT and smart home devices. Devices that need a lot of battery life will struggle on the current 5G network as it guzzles battery life. 5G is currently only suitable for people in the five cities mentioned that have a 4G enabled device.  

What does it mean for internet and broadband services?

4G isn’t going away. 4G will remain the most prominent data network for a long time. 4G will remain what people connect to in rural locations. The 4G network remains a quality network and it is being expanded upon and getting faster all the time.

What is Internet Failover?

In the IT industry, internet failover is a term typically used to describe a secondary standby internet solution which will kick into action as soon as the primary internet system fails. Internet failover is usually automatic.

Another term often used in a similar vein to internet failover is internet switchover. This is used to describe the switch from a primary to secondary internet connection. Switchover requires human interference, unlike failover.

  Why does your business need Internet Failover?

If keeping your business online is essential for it to run successfully, then internet failover is necessary for your business. Think about all the systems used in your organisation that require an internet connection; cloud computing systems, VPN’s, firewalls, video conferencing, research and communicating with your customers via email or VoiP.

Maybe you need to use a card machine such as iZettle or an EPOS system? Even printing requires an internet connection. An internet failover solution for your business will enable you to stay online and use all these services even when your primary internet connection fails. If your primary internet connection experiences downtime it could cost your business thousands of pounds. Not to mention the time spent apologising to customers and recovering afterwards.

How do you set up a successful failover system?

1. Choose the best primary method of connectivity for your business. This could be wireless, satellite or ADSL.
2. Choose the best secondary method of connectivity for your business. At FreeClix, we love using SimRush as an internet failover solution. It’s a superfast 4G LTE connection. Being non-cabled it’s the perfect failover option for businesses that use wired connections as their primary method of connectivity.
3. Synchronise the methods of connectivity to ensure the secondary internet connection fires when the primary internet connection fails. The exact configuration will depend on your connectivity solution, consult your internet service provider or networking consultant if in doubt.
4. Don’t forget to test! Make sure you test your internet failover solution is working properly before it goes live. You don’t want any problems with your failover if you need to use it!
5. Providing the test works, sit back and relax. Now you have a successfully set up an internet failover, grab a coffee and celebrate no more downtime.

Who can help me with internet failover?

FreeClix are passionate about keeping businesses connected and online. We have over twenty years’ experience providing internet failover consultancy services for businesses. Our wealth of expertise will ensure you receive the correct internet failover solution for your business, at the right price.

You mentioned 4G LTE failover – is that best?

It massively depends on your business, its location, your resources and your failover needs. If you are currently using a wired internet connection, then SimRush is an excellent 4G LTE failover option. However, if you are using SimRush or another 4G LTE connectivity product for your primary connection, an alternative failover solution might work better for your business. In summary, it depends on several factors which we are happy to discuss with you. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you need some advice.

How do I sort my internet failover once and for all?

We love talking about internet failover. We just love talking about connectivity full stop. So email, call 01603 703340 or use our contact form any time to speak to our friendly team about your internet failover needs.

Putting resources into ETFs ought to be modest. The ease of essentially following a market or list is the thing that makes latent contributing so alluring – expenses can eat into returns; aloof contributing can help evade that danger. When chasing a venture platform for purchasing ETFs it is thus particularly critical to know about charges. Speculation platforms present clients with a major exhibit of costs that can be difficult to comprehend. To make things significantly more muddled, various stages utilize various names to depict a similar kind of expense. Here we will direct you about probably the best ETF Platform in the UK.

AJ Bell you invest

AJ Bell doesn’t avoid telling forthcoming clients that it is a prize-winning platform – it’s in the organization’s slogan. It’s less clear precisely which grant it has won, however, there’s no questioning AJ Bell is a reputable item, particularly for new financial backers. One of the best ETF platforms in the UK Opening or moving an Isa is direct and AJ Bell offers helpful advisers for walking new financial investors through the cycle. The platform additionally has the records of the most valued finances to help financial investors pick from the wide scope of ETFs accessible.

Bestinvest

Bestinvest’s free aides offer financial traders thoughts for assets for their Isa. It merits being careful about the contrast among starting and progressing charges – Bestinvest appears to have concurrences with some asset directors which permits them to cut introductory expenses. Best UK-friendly eft platform It additionally pushes the utilization of effectively directed reserves instead of modest ETFs. The platform has broad statistical surveying and a group of organization news from Share cast. Maybe not the best stage for purchasing ETFs, but rather a suitable contribution for financial investors who usually exchange shares.

Barclays Smart Investor

Barclays’ excessively stripped-back Smart Investor stage shocked ordinary clients when it was dispatched in 2017. The change from the old Barclays Stockbroker item was not close to as smooth as it ought to have been. Be that as it may, the platform is currently going full speed ahead and is a decent choice for new financial investors searching for a modest, straightforward platform. Best UK-friendly eft platform, Expenses are simply 0.1 percent, with at least £4 per month. Financial investors with greater portfolios ought to know that the yearly expense isn’t tightened downwards and the month-to-month charges are covered at an astounding £125.

Fidelity

Fidelity’s valuing structure is deluding. For financial investors with little portfolios (up to £7,500), yearly charges are fixed at £45 – great worth in case you’re near the £7,500 mark, however awful worth on the off chance that you just have a little portfolio. Past £7,500 the platform gets a rate evaluating structure beginning at 0.35 percent – in this way if the estimation of your portfolio slants over the £7,500 mark, you’ll go from paying 0.006 percent each year to 0.35 percent each year rapidly. The best etf platform uk, the platform’s own scope of ETFs offers nice global openness. They are not particularly modest contrasted and the 200 different ETFs offered on its foundation, large numbers of them sold by iShares.

Hargreaves Lansdown

The go-to platform for DIY financial investors has a major cluster of ETFs that can be separated by store chief or area. Hargreaves is proclaimed for its usability and admittance to an enormous volume of data and speculation. Financial investors ought to be careful about Hargreaves’ convoluted snare of charges. Best UK-friendly Platform. A portion of the finances it offers inside its ‘best purchase’ records are very much valued as Hargreaves manages the hidden asset supplier. Assets that don’t go under its best purchase records are relatively costly. The actual platform isn’t particularly modest, contrasted and different suppliers. The progressing yearly expense is 0.45 percent of portfolios up to £250,000 and purchasing and selling costs are £11.95 per ETF.

IG

IG has a massive scope of ETFs to browse, covering different resource classes, including value, fixed pay, property, and products. To help explore the somewhat overpowering number of items accessible, IG has an early showing instrument that permits clients to channel by area, topography, or execution. Expenses are moderate and paid at a fixed rate instead of as a level of the portfolio, which makes the platform appropriate to financial investors with medium-sized portfolios. The platform offers its clients incredible admittance to information albeit this is introduced in a significantly complex manner.

Vanguard

The origin of uninvolved putting dispatched its UK speculation platform in 2017. Obviously, given the organization’s standards and plan of action, its costs are exceptionally serious. Progressing charges are simply 0.15 percent (and surprisingly at that point, the stage just energizes portfolios worth £250,000) and there are no managing charges. Financial investors are restricted to Vanguard’s own ETFs, however thinking about the scope of items and serious costs, that isn’t really an issue, particularly for the individuals who are glad to adopt a hands-off strategy to their paying.

We are often asked:

“Can I really get superfast 4G broadband even when I have no mobile phone signal?“

And the simple answer is: YES!

SimRush hardware is clever enough to pick up 4G LTE signals even in areas where your mobile phone can’t.

So how does it really work?

SimRush has a highly directional antenna neatly housed with the router in our externally mounted equipment.

This is no ordinary antenna. It’s so powerful that it can provide you up to 10 times the reception of a typical mobile phone!

Not only is the antenna extremely high gain, but the Ethernet cabling used to connect the outdoor equipment to the internal router means there is no signal loss to your WiFi.

Whatever speed SimRush can achieve outside, is fully available for distribution inside your property.

Who has SimRush helped?

Two teachers from rural Norfolk got in touch with an urgent requirement. Poor internet meant they couldn’t teach effectively from home and were desperate for help. Their property was in a very remote location with weak 4G reception.

Could SimRush help them? You already know the answer!

Using the SimRush Long Range Outdoor Unit, they were able to go from speeds of 0.5 Mbps to a massive 35Mbps!

The professional install service we provide ensured that the equipment was installed to within one degree of accuracy, using the specialist hardware to maximum effect.

The huge improvement in broadband service made their working from home life a whole lot easier.

Read the full case study here.

Can SimRush help you?

If you’ve ever doubted whether 4G broadband could be the answer to your internet woes because of poor signal – stop doubting!

SimRush can establish reliable connections over 20 miles, even in the most remote areas.

Get in touch and see what SimRush can do for you today.

We met 11 years ago in London and came together over our love for dogs, both pet and working. Chris was already working as dog handler with his two general purpose dogs Rebel and trainee pup Titan for a parks unit in London and Ruth was a dedicated pet dog owner. The relationship developed and in 2014 we decided to reform Alpha Canine Specialists which was a company Chris formed and had been a director of in the mid to late 1990’s. Although Ruth had not previously worked within the industry, she quickly fitted in and developed as a drug detection dog handler and along with Chris achieved her level 3 NASDU qualification in 2015 with Labrador Stanley and Chris with Labrador sisters Nell and Mabel. In 2016 the company moved into the specialist role of explosive detection when Chris qualified with his first EDD Riley and Ruth followed suit in 2018 with her Labrador Flo.

The company has quickly developed into a small but bespoke specialist canine security organisation maintaining the company’s principles of Quality over Quantity.

We both have established a reputation within the industry which has led us to work at some of the country’s best known events and stadia. The strong foundation that we have laid down over the past years has been aided by the close relationship we have and the understanding both as business partners and a husband and wife team. The roles and responsibilities have been clearly defined which removes any misunderstandings when running the company together and the success of Alpha Canine draws on the greatest of understanding and ambition to succeed in a large and at times flooded sector of the security industry. The daily running and operational requirements are at times stressful and difficult but are easily overcome and managed because of the strong and self motivated unit that we have achieved.

The Passion for our four legged partners has only increased since we first met as has the number of dogs we personally own and continues to drive us on to greater things in the future.

Yes, I have an affinity to film. This is not the next version of Gerard Butler’s 300 or a modern version of the original.

In February, there were over 2million pieces of stolen data released on the Dark Web. It comes from all over the globe, as Cyber Crime is not bound by borders. The fact that we are connected to the internet for the majority of the time, means we are connected to people worldwide all of the time.

Whether it is connected to friends in America on Facebook, or emails with family in Australia, we are connected. In Business we work with people from all over the world, having meetings are strange times, to fit in with everyone. We are emailing and passing content, asking people to click on links and book meetings or register for a webinar. As businesses, we store lots of data on our customers, whether personal or business-related.

In February, there were 3 data breaches in the UK worthy of note. Npower had to take its Mobile App offline because hackers had gained access and been gathering data from its users. The App is currently still offline without a date for it to go back online. Oxford University confirmed a breach of its systems in the Division of Structural Biology. The level of this breach is also unknown at this point. One where we do know the scale is Foxtons Estate Agents. They are a bigger Estate Agent, but they are not a huge global power like some of the others we speak about.

Foxtons breach happened in October, with very few people knowing about it. They did not report the breach to the ICO, which will lead to bigger problems down the line, and Foxtons didn’t know until January. In February, 16,000 card details, addresses, and correspondence were found on the Dark Web, and still Foxtons have not told their customers. The hackers are reporting that this only about 1% of the stolen data they have, meaning this could be just the start of what is to come.

This is very much the approach of SMEs in regards to their customer and business data. What does it mean for Foxtons? The likely hood is that the ICO will investigate and fine them for the breach, and also for not complying with UK Law on the reporting of such a breach. Foxtons Customers will be entitled to compensation and legal firms are shouting about this and actively encouraging people to get in touch to start proceedings. That’s the physical monetary cost to their business. But what about the negative publicity, the damage to reputation, The people that won’t sell their property with them, or want to give them details to pay rent? This will affect them deep into the future. We have seen this before with other businesses, such as Travelex, who fell into administration after their cyber attack. Now the Pandemic has played a part, but Paying such a huge ransom, and still taking 2 and half weeks to become operational was the starting point, and money paid out for nothing.

There are ways to protect your business and your personal data. Having the correct tools in place, with the right support is a start. making sure you have a backup set up is also helpful. Thinking that using a cloud service such as 365 or Dropbox, is a backup is wrong. Those tools are syncing with your devices at all times they are connected to the internet. So a compromised or deleted file on a device is the same in your cloud setup within nanoseconds. 365 will say there is a backup you can roll back to, but do you know how to get there?

Antivirus is getting more advanced, and they are starting to add extra features, and to become Endpoint Protection. But there is an old saying ‘you buy cheap, you buy twice.’ but in terms of your data, the cost can be much higher. Having real enterprise tools will allow you to protect your data and your business.

We have helped SME’s, including Estate Agents, protect their data, become more productive and profitable, whilst taking the IT pain points away. We work with these businesses as part of their team, working on Strategic Business Outcomes, not just keeping the lights on.

Take a look and think, What would it mean to you if you couldn’t access your data for days? Or your IT not working for a week or more? Would you be able to bounce back?

If you would like to discuss this more, get in touch or come along to one of IT Surgeries.

One of the most important partnerships your business will ever make is with your IT support company.

Just think how reliant you and your team are on technology. When everything works as it should, it’s great.

But when you’re constantly tackling big problems and small frustrations, it’s exhausting. And it impacts everything.

Coronavirus taught businesses just how important their IT partner can be. We’ve been inundated with new enquiries over the last year.

So we have written this guide. It’s not about us; it’s about all IT support companies and how to choose the right one for you. Inside, you’ll find out:

1. Why you want a partner that thinks strategically.
2. The reasons business owners and managers like you switch IT support providers
3. How to protect the most important asset your business owns
4. And why you should be highly sceptical of all IT support businesses (yes, including us)

DOWNLOAD NOW

When The World Paused is a blog which began life on 29 March 2020 to capture reflections on the first lockdown. Over the subsequent few months, 76 people added their voices and it culminated in a book which has now raised more than £550 for NHS charities.

We thought the story of Covid-19 and life in lockdown was coming to an end last summer. But really, there was a lot more to come.  And so, the blog has relaunched to bring together reflections on life during Covid-19 – and what the pandemic has taught us about living.

There are still spaces available for contributors – if you would like to take part, please send us a message via the contact form. We’d love to hear from you as we capture our reflections on this moment in history.

Here’s the first post from this series of When The World Paused reflections:

Monday, 29 March, 2021: Michelle Gant, Norfolk

And they thought it was all over.

Exactly one year ago today, I started a journal to capture the reflections of people when the world paused. Lockdown had just begun in the UK as the novel coronavirus wound its devastating way across the world. I was, like so many others, frightened, uncertain, anxious, and trying to find sense and meaning in the most incredulous period I had ever known.

Writing, I thought, would help. Not only would it allow me to capture the reflections of this moment – which felt imbued with future historical significance – it would also enable me to process my thoughts and feelings in words. It turned out this wouldn’t be a secret diary though as 75 other amazing people joined me in sharing their innermost musings.

The journal closed in June and I turned it into a book to raise funds for NHS charities. It felt like a neat ending; I like things to be ordered. I like too to be able to find the good in any situation, and it certainly felt like through the journal, and subsequent book, that had been achieved.

But it turned out that it wasn’t ‘the end’, and as the Chief Medical Officer had said, it was merely the end of the first phase.

There was more to come.

It was September when the alarm started to buzz. Cases rising. Cases? People.  Mutterings of second waves. I am, by nature, a woman who drinks from a half-filled glass (of wine, often) and so I tried not to be too concerned. Things will work out, I told myself. It will be all right. We’ll be back together by Christmas.

But then things got worse and in November we had our second lockdown. Albeit with the schools still open – thank goodness our children didn’t have to give up their newly found classroom freedom. When we came out of it, my part of the world was in tier two which meant restrictions were a little looser than in other parts of the country. It was ok. I could still see my loved ones. Even if it wasn’t close up.

And then something magical happened.

Question: What is Margaret Keenan famous for?

This was a query I posed in our virtual Christmas Day quiz. And the answer is quite magnificently – she is the very first person in the UK to receive the coronavirus vaccination. On Tuesday 8th December 2020, I cried as I watched the images of this 90 year old lady receive a shot in the arm, a significant victory in the battle against the virus. It was actually happening. Thank you scientists. Thank you NHS.

But what’s the saying? The night is always darkest just before the dawn. Because then things got bad. Really bad.

A new variant, easier to catch. Spreading with speed across the country, particularly in the East of England.  That’s my area. Gulp. Tightened restrictions, and then on 4th January, another lockdown was announced.

Oh my.

We’ve been here before. It’s ok. We’ve got this.

We have.

Only, this time, it’s winter. The days are dark and cold. The news is scary, the numbers of people affected higher. The novelty of lockdown activities of baking, and crafts, of appreciating the time to do and try new things has long since worn off.

This lockdown felt like wading through thick, murky fog.

It was the fear. As acutely demonstrated by a covid test for my poorly and distressed daughter Thea at the start of the year, and the suggestion from medical staff that she had caught the dreaded virus. “But we haven’t been anywhere,” I bemoaned, plaintively. The kindly lady on the phone just murmured in agreement: it didn’t matter, this strain could reach you however careful you were. Thank goodness, she was negative (and eating ice-cream again within hours).

It was the sadness. Those numbers. As I type, over 126,000 people in this country have died with Covid-19. The pain of those left behind is unfathomable. May they find comfort.

It was the missing. This past week we marked one year since the first lockdown with a national day of reflection. I realised it’s well over a year since I’ve hugged my parents or my sisters or my friends.

It was the weariness. It’s just so exhausting, trying to keep hopeful and positive when waves of bad news and negativity keep washing up onto your shore. I hit a low point around February half term when I just felt so tired and defeated with trying to offer Thea anything but my dodgy arts and crafts by way of entertainment. Which brings me onto…..

It was the guilt. The constant nagging feeling that I wasn’t doing enough, worrying about the impact of all of this on poor little Thea. When she said to me: “I don’t like the video calls. I just want to huggle people,” I felt so proud of her eloquent self-awareness, and terrible that her little arms ached so for those she loves.

But.

Whilst there has been so much awfulness in the last year, there has been so much good stuff too. And a pandemic has taught me so many things about living.

Firstly, life is happening. Right now. And even when it’s not shaped the way you’d hope, it’s there for the living. Grab on to it, and carpe the diem out of it. That was why for my birthday earlier this month I had an amazing virtual party – I found myself saying “next year, I’ll have a party.” “Next year,” doesn’t exist. But now, right here, does. So squeeze every drop of pleasure out of it that you possibly can.

And life isn’t certain. In any way shape or form. So just go with it. Accept it as it is in all its mixed up, confused glory and who knows what nuggets of gold you might find down amongst the dirt.

Fears are there to be overcome. Over the last year, the most frightening one I’ve known, I’ve come to realise that what scares us should never defeat us. I’m not fearless, I still have things that frighten me, but I know that I can deal with anything. It’s why this year I’ve started trying to do one thing out of my comfort zone every day.

You don’t need to sit beside people to feel close to them. The two-metre rule has not prevented me from feeling connected to more people than ever before: we’re all in this thing together. There has been so much virtual looking out for each other that has brought us closer.

That we are capable of so much more than we can ever conceive. Like my husband Bobby, who has been an absolute home-schooling hero, devoting himself every lockdown weekday to our daughter’s education with tender attention and care.

And the things that I always thought mattered, the material stuff, bears little value to that which is really important in my world.

Today marks a further easing of the restrictions. Six people can now meet up outside together. And hopefully this is another step on the road towards a resumption – of a fashion – of our former lives.

So, one more time, we’re going to capture what happened when the world paused, and look ahead as we share our thoughts on what a pandemic taught us about living…..

Dr Kevin Stannard, MA PhD., Director of Innovation and Learning at the GDST

• Gender affects the way that students experience education
• Girls face pressures to conform to gender stereotypes – pressures which are stronger in the presence of boys
• Girls need and deserve space in which to develop their full potential, and to make informed and unconstrained choices about interests, subjects and careers
• In girls-only schools their needs and preferences can be fully accommodated within a dedicated learning environment
• Successful girls’ schools are those in which a dedication to girls’ education is reflected in their physical design, curriculum and co-curriculum offer, teaching and learning approaches, and in their whole-school culture
• Today’s girls’ schools serve to subvert, rather than support, gender stereotypes and a priori assumptions, by offering an education designed for and dedicated to the development and empowerment of successful, confident and adventurous girls.

Download the full publication

For some time, we’ve been hearing about the decline of physical retail, spurred on by the digital age and our growing preference for the online marketplace. In the 10 years between January 2010 and January 2020, for example, the UK lost over 50,000 shops.

Despite that, physical retailers still hold much of the market share. And there remains plenty of opportunity for physical retailers to set themselves up for renewed success. One such opportunity lies in the very thing that’s blamed for their decline – digital technology.

It’s almost impossible for online shopping to replicate the most experiential elements of buying something in-person. For this reason, physical retailers should play to their strengths while also exploring how digital technology can give customers the best of both worlds in-store.

Take Amazon as a case in point. Its Amazon Fresh brand has launched its first till-less grocery store in London, which sees shoppers simply scan their phone on entry and receive a bill automatically on departure – without a need to scan products individually. This ‘effort-free’ mode of shopping, however, relies extensively on technology and connectivity, with hundreds of cameras and sensors working seamlessly.

Other retailers have focused on transforming their fitting rooms through the use of augmented and virtual reality. Imagine being in a fitting room, putting on a jacket you like the look of and being able to change the colour or size in the blink of an eye. That makes life easier for the customers, but it also saves time, allowing more people to make use of the changing room and thus generating more sales.

Technology can also be used to encourage passers-by to step inside through interactive window displays, as Ted Baker has shown to great effect.

Perhaps most importantly, retailers can use digital tech to better understand consumer behaviour. By harnessing data, they can make informed decisions such as what merchandise to prioritise and how to lay out the store to encourage sales or make them more profitable. Stock levels can even be tracked, helping keep unneeded stock to a minimum and saving money on warehouse space.

These are just a few of the opportunities presented by digital technology for the high street. And while the cost of some of these technologies may be prohibitive for now, that will change as the tech becomes more ubiquitous – meaning it won’t just be major retailers who can reap the rewards.

However, data hungry technologies need connectivity they can rely on – without that, any positive customer benefits could easily be undone by a glitchy experience. They need the best possible digital foundation which is why CityFibre is soon to be building a new full fibre network in Norwich.

Designed for the digital age, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic technology to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection – a pristine open highway with no bumps in sight. This gives users consistently faster speeds, near limitless bandwidth and connectivity you can depend on.

Most importantly for retailers, full fibre underpins 5G connectivity, which will be crucial to their ability to adopt cutting-edge technology and encourage shoppers to flock to the high street. Think of it as a high-capacity public wifi, connecting consumers with digital tech in shops, restaurants and on the streets themselves, and creating an experience that just can’t be matched in an online-only world.

So whether it’s friction-free shopping, interactive displays or smart fitting rooms, full fibre and 5G helps to power all of these advances. Now, who’s for some retail therapy?  

For more information about CityFibre’s Gigabit City Programme visit www.cityfibre.com

As employees, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work, with more and more of us doing that from home. And organisations are having to rapidly change the way they supply goods and services, digitising these to minimise contact between people. Of course, this only works if the technology does, and for that companies need to be able to rapidly recruit IT workers with niche skills. On top of this our region already has bustling tech communities, all of which means there are a lot of opportunities available to candidates with IT skills. But this can make things difficult for the businesses who want to hire them.

The move to work-from-anywhere

Before the pandemic, 76% of businesses were offering some form of remote working to their employees. Now over 96% of businesses plan to offer this, with 43% saying that full-time remote working will be possible over the next 12 months (source: the UK Tech Cluster Group’s 2021 Digital Skills Audit). So what does this mean for the IT recruitment market? Well, for one thing it’s changing the types of IT roles available. We’re currently seeing demand for:

• all types of roles in the software development lifecycle
• tech support/helpdesk facilities to help with the move to working from home
• developers to help organisations make the most of selling online
• data analysis and business intelligence roles, as companies look to improve management information, reporting and visualisation.

The challenges of recruiting IT professionals

There’s high demand for candidates

People working in tech roles have always been in high demand. And the pandemic has just increased this as more staff work from home and businesses move more services online. This means that candidates have lots of options – so they need a good reason to leave a secure role. Companies need to offer attractive packages and job security for applicants, something which can be tough in a time of economic uncertainly.

Companies need specialist skills

There are well over 100 disciplines in IT and technology, and every role is different. As we’ve seen during the pandemic, the need for IT skills and experience can quickly change as well. So, while organisations need candidates with specific specialist skills, they also want them to be multi-skilled. This can make finding the right people tough.

Geographical requirements are changing

With so many of us working remotely, the need to recruit local people is becoming less important. Businesses can start to recruit nationally, and even internationally, for candidates with the right skills. But what happens if and when our working lives begin to go back to normal? Will you need someone who can go to your office a few days a week? In that case recruiting locally and training people in specific areas could be a better long-term investment. At the moment, on average companies advertise 59% of roles within the local region, 29% do this across the UK, and 12% internationally (source: UK Tech Cluster Group’s 2021 Digital Skills Audit).  

How Pure can help

As we return to some sort of normality in 2021, we’re working to make sure we can give all our clients the best recruitment process possible. Here are our tips for recruiting the cream of the IT crop (all stats are taken from the UK Tech Cluster Group’s 2021 Digital Skills Audit).

How to attract (and keep) the best candidates

1. Offer flexible working

More than three out of five people in employment say that flexible working is one of the top five benefits of working for their current employer (obviously pay still comes out on top). So offering this to your tech recruits is important. But don’t forget to think about the future. If you’re going to want people to be based at your offices once life starts returning to normal post-pandemic, you should let them know – it might be a dealbreaker.

2. Think about how you recruit

Have a look at your candidate recruitment experience. Because if you get this wrong, it can affect whether the right people apply for your positions – in these days of social media, Google reviews and Glassdoor, candidates have a voice too. Branding, and how you present yourself to applicants (whether you employ them or not) is critical when it comes to successfully hiring new employees.

3. Offer a full package

IT and technology candidates don’t just want jobs – they want career paths. So, when you’re thinking about recruiting for a new position don’t just create a job description. Think about what your ideal candidate will want from the position in future, their aspirations, training development and progression, salary, working life, and so on. You need to consider the full package – because that’s what will make your organisation stand out from the crowd.

4. Think about hiring interim or temporary workers

Hiring temporary technology workers can be an easy way to meet changing consumer demands, particularly for businesses in food manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and online consumer products. If you’re not completely sure what your business is going to look like in a year’s time – more or less home workers, increased online selling or going back to more face-to-face business, etc. – then shorter-term and flexible solutions could be the answer. You can use temporary and interim workers in technology roles to manage changes in online demand and make sure your people are set up for home working. Then, further down the track, once you have more of an idea of what your tech needs are going to be in the coming months and years, you can look to take on permanent staff with specific skills.

How we can help

If all of this is making recruiting skilled tech people sound a bit daunting, don’t worry – we can take the stress out of it for you. Some of the ways we can do this include:

• creating a shortlist: our consultants can put together a list of people with the right experience and qualifications, so you don’t have to go through every application.
• getting to know your business: we build relationships with all our clients so we can work together to understand your recruitment challenges, and how to help you if the market changes. Our consultants are available to you for support and advice, and ready to point you in the direction of other services that could help your recruitment approach.
• caring about our candidates: our candidates are just as important to us as our clients. We get to know them to understand their skills and make sure we offer them the right positions. And we counsel and support them through the whole recruitment process to check they’re confident about the decision to move.
• having skilled and committed staff: we train our consultants on the best ways to work with our candidates and clients. We bring in experts to give them external training on specialist areas. So they can interpret skills and build rapport by understanding disciplines – all vital when it comes to matching the right person to the right role.

Recruiting the recruiters

We’ve recently added two new members to our team who specialise in technology recruiting. Stephen’s going to help us develop our focus on interim workers in technology, digital and marketing. He’s an experienced tech recruiter who knows our region well, and really shares our values on delivery and service. Stephen will be based in Norwich. 

We’d also like to introduce you to Henry, who’ll be focusing on technology and digital recruitment in Norfolk. He brings experience from the technology, marketing and digital sectors, and has previously worked closely with clients to help develop their recruitment strategies.

We’re looking forward to working with them both to see what we can achieve together as the market improves in 2021.

Need some help?

If you’d like to find out how we could help you and your organisation with technology recruitment (or anything else), please feel free to get in touch.