Always Overestimate

If you’re running a new business it is always better to have room for error. New projects aren’t always as easy in practice as they sound in theory and projects that have unknown challenges and costs can easily see you go over-budget which, for a new business, could cause a lot of trouble.

Even if something costs a lot more than expected allowing the very upper estimate avoids worst case scenarios.

Save to be on the Safe Side

The worst thing about tough times is that they are often or not unpredictable. Whilst it is tempting to splurge you should always have something saved as a contingency plan. 

Once started, spending all of/more than what you earn is a difficult habit to shake. If you have rules in place, to deposit around 30% of your profit into your savings account, you’ll often have a contingency in place. But there is another side of the argument.

Frugal isn’t Always Best

Budgeting isn’t all about being thrifty and restrained. Budgeting is about finding ways to make improvements and what areas it might be worth investing in more. This is where the phrase “you have to spend money to make money” comes in. When done properly it can work out. 

If one project comes in under budget, for example, reallocate funding to other projects you think would benefit from a boost. As an owner it can be tempting to pay yourself a bare-bones salary to reinvest everything you earn, but you are an employee too, consider if your being too strict with your expenses. When you want to splash out though, consider the timing.

Know your Sale Cycle

Speaking of timing, it is important to recognise that your business could have busy and quiet periods over the year. Spotting the trends can shape your spending for the entire year and optimise what you spend and when.

Use your business’ downtime to plan for the next year’s sales boom, using your resources to get the right infrastructure in place. Also, keep some money in the bank just in case. You might get less income than you hoped during your downtime.

Analyse your Budget as a Team

Take advantage of the combined talents of your colleagues. Having a diverse team scrutinise your budget will inevitably give you solutions you’ve missed. If you share the responsibility you can hugely reduce the pressure on yourself and give you time to get back to the things you enjoy about running a business. 

If your entire business can see your budget you can receive valuable feedback as well as giving your colleagues an incentive to increase productivity and demonstrate your transparency as a business owner. Employees will be more mindful of the budget as they work and will actively help you meet your targets.

Check your Budget Regularly

Whilst it isn’t a bad idea to analyse your budget at set intervals, quarterly for example, it’s a mistake to think checking your budget can wait until then. Budgets are not static and require frequent scrutiny, especially for new businesses. 

It is extremely useful for new business owners to check their budgets as often as possible (weekly at the very least). It to better understand their own sales cycles which dictates your entire spending for the year.

Regular checks make it less likely to miss the smaller details often overlooked in a quarterly report. They give you the opportunity to be more thorough and see where else you can save, whether that be switching broadband providers to finding software to automate something you spend a lot of time doing manually.

Online Banking and Software are Your Friends

Relying on Excel is bound to get complicated as your business grows, why not use accounting software to do all the work for you? A mouse click will allow you to make dozens of comprehensive reports in seconds, the time it takes to research and implement the right software will be made up instantly.

Also, online banking support has grown exponentially in the last decade. Tools you have access to through your bank might be unrecognisable compared to the last time you checked. It’s in your bank’s best interest to help you so use their support systems as often as you need.

Look out for free services: Many banks and software companies offer free solutions to businesses. Suits Me offer businesses free services to enable them to be an inclusive company and to not financially exclude potential employees by turning them away due to not having a bank account.

Big changes to our daily routines also mean big changes to the way we spend our money. On the surface, it appears there is the potential to save a ton of cash by working from home. For example, you no longer have travel costs, extortionate take away coffees, or have to buy lunch out every time you forget to bring your own in! 

However, there are some hidden costs to working from home worth being aware of. Recent research has found that households in Britain will spend an extra £52 million this year on energy bills per week. It’s thought that, on average, we will use 25% more electricity and 17% more gas. Bearing this in mind, we’ve teamed us with the folks at MoneyFixers and created a list of the best ten money-saving tips which can be easily implemented into your new working life. 

1) Claim £6/week tax back on extra costs. Employers can pay you £6 extra tax-free a week for additional working from home costs. However, as firms are suffering financially from the coronavirus this could be an ambitious ask. Instead, you could claim tax relief on £6 a week- this would mean asking the amount to be deducted from your taxable income. To do this you will need to fill in an online or postal P87 form. 

2) Remember to turn down the heating. The recent heatwaves the UK has been having mean high heating bills are not currently a concern. However, many people may still be working from home in the winter and turning on the heating could see household bills skyrocket. Reducing the thermostat by just one degree could save you £80 a year and, with an extra layer on, you’d hardly notice the difference.  

3) Haggle with your internet provider- It has been reported by MoneySavingExpert that you can knock thousands of pounds off your broadband bills by calling up your provider and simply asking for a better deal. This doesn’t have to be a confrontational call- just find a better deal from another company and say you’re going to leave if they can’t at least match the price. 

4) Boil the kettle only when needed. Making cups of tea or coffee is a much-needed break in the day when working from home. However, every time you boil a full kettle it costs you 2.5p, so re-boiling the kettle three times in a day adds up to £27 across the whole year. Save some cash by making sure you only fill up the kettle with the amount of water you need. 

5) Enjoy natural light- Not only is natural light known for improving your mood, but it could save you money on your energy bills. With the early sunrises and late sunsets, have a second think about if it’s necessary to turn on the lights in your home. 

6) Air dry laundry- Take advantage of the warm weather by drying your clothes outside on the washing line. Tumble dryers take up significant amounts of energy and air drying is better for your clothes. 

7) Make sure you load up the washing machine- Although it can be tempting to turn the washing machine on when its half empty it’s important to wait until it’s full to let it run. This will save you money on both your energy and water bill. 

8) Use a microwave – It turns out the microwave is the most cost-efficient way to reheat your food! If you don’t have a microwave, make sure you use the right sized pan for the amount of food you cook. This will prevent you from wasting energy on heating more surface area than is needed.  

9) Make sure you’re turning the lights off- Considering 70% of workers had zero experience of working from home before coronavirus you may not be in the routine of turning off lights in empty rooms. This is an important habit to get into when spending so much time at home as it could add pounds to your annual energy bill. 

10) Unplug appliances which aren’t being used - Wasted electricity occurs when appliances are plugged in and aren’t being used. Checking around your home for this is a simple and easy way to make sure you’re not needlessly adding costs to your energy bill. 

All these tips were chosen because they are accessible and easy for most people to implement into their new homeworking routine. However, if debt is impacting your ability to save money whilst working from home then more serious solutions may be suitable. For example, the benefits of an IVA mean you could write off a significant amount of debt and you only pay what you can afford. Similarly, you could consolidate debt through a debt consolidation loan. Both options could allow you to turn your debts into one affordable monthly repayment. 

With many people waking up to the coldest day of the winter so far, workers across the country could be faced with the prospect of heading in to a freezing workplace. Indeed, office temperature is a critical issue for employers and employees alike. So what exactly are the legal issues surrounding an uncomfortably cold workplace?

The Basics

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations of 1992, state that ‘[d]uring working hours,the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable.’

This relates to a minimum workplace temperature 16°C, or 13°C if you are doing work that requires extreme physical effort. However, these figures are guidelines rather than legal limits and also do not take into account the nature of the workplace (i.e. different levels would apply for bakeries, cold stores and warehouses).

The regulations state: ‘The temperature in workrooms should provide reasonable comfort without the need for special clothing.’

‘Where such a temperature is impractical because of hot or cold processes, all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable.’

What if workplace temperature falls below these levels?

ACAS guidance is as follows: ‘If low temperatures make it unsafe for workers to carry out their roles then the employer should address this.

An employer should consider whether they can:

• relax their dress code to enable staff to wear warmer clothing
• allow extra breaks to make hot drinks
• bring in extra heating options such as portable heaters.’

Acas go on to say, ‘if a risk cannot be avoided or removed some workers may have to be sent home to protect their health, usually on full pay.’

Speaking during a recent cold-snap John McClean, GMB National Health and Safety Officer, reminded businesses what to do if temperatures dip below advised levels, and thermal comfort levels suffer significantly.

He said: “If the temperature drops below these levels the employer is obliged by law to bring in additional heaters to raise temperatures to the legal minimum requirements.

“Those exposed to risks of falls in slippery conditions may need to be redeployed to suitable alternative work if gritting cannot be done or if the ice cannot be removed.”

Measures to improve thermal comfort

If the cold weather really begins to bite, the HSE recommend the following measures to prevent thermal discomfort in a cold workplace:

• Reduce cold exposure by minimising processes that involve spending time in cold areas.
• Provide adequate heating, including extra heaters if required.
• Provide suitable protective equipment to deal with harsh temperatures.
• Reduce draughts.
• Introduce alternative working patterns such as flexible working to minimise employee exposure to a cold workplace.
• Provide enough breaks for workers to make hot drinks and/or spend time in heated areas.
• Provide appropriate insulating floor covering or protective footwear if employees are expected to stand for extended periods of time.

Another good way to adapt to falling workplace temperatures is to be prepared. It is advisable that employers conduct a thorough risk assessment regarding the effects of extreme temperatures in their workplace.

Our research reveals...

When we surveyed 1,105 British office workers, we discovered over half (57%) believe they would be more productive working from home when cold snaps make a comeback. Despite this, only 6% of employers encourage staff to work remotely in the colder weather.

Half of the people we surveyed said complaints about office temperatures aren’t handled effectively by management. For example, simple provisions such as providing additonal heaters are not in place in 70% of offices. 

HSE guidelines state workplaces shouldn’t dip below 16°C, but when we asked workers their ideal office temperature, the resounding answer was 20°C. Our research shows employers need to do more than comply to the minimum standards if they want to improve the wellbeing of their staff.

Don’t get caught out

In 2010 Carlisle County Council handed a fine of £2000 plus costs to a retailer who failed to comply with an improvement notice that requested they improve inadequate heating in their workplace.

After receiving several complaints, an inspector visited the premises and recorded temperatures that were as low as 7.6 degrees. Upon subsequent visits temperatures of lower than 16 degrees were recorded on both occasions, in spite of an improvement notice issued under Section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This lead to the charges to which they pleaded guilty.

Don’t get caught out in your office; you can read more about thermal comfort in the workplace, and all the legal issues surrounding it, at the HSE’s Thermal Comfort Microsite.

Snow Joke: Advice from Office Genie's HR director Sarah Sutton

But what if you can't make it in to the office in the first place? HR Director at Genie, Sarah Sutton, explains the legal issues around working on a snow day:

"Employees have a responsibility to carry out their working day in the most practical fashion. If they are unable to travel safely into the office then the next most sensible option is generally a day working remotely.

"If this too is impractical, then employers should have an inclement weather policy in place to provide answers in this situation. 

"Suitable alternatives to work could be either paid or unpaid leave, or giving an employee the option to make up the time. Indeed, even if some time is missed due to a delayed train or a prolonged journey - the onus remains on the employee to make this time up - although I would expect an employer to use judgement and act reasonably in this situation.

"Employers priorities should be to ensure clarity, and most importantly safety, for their employees.

"Ultimately, employers are liable for the safety of their employees. If they do fail to protect them from hazardous conditions in the workplace, they are at risk of serious legal act."

Updated: 5th December 2017 (Original post: 30th November 2012)

The top four

Generally, we’d say there are four main types of office space available:

1. Serviced offices

2. Shared offices

3. Coworking spaces

4. Traditional offices

There are additional types of office property options related to these four categories, such as virtual offices, incubator, and accelerator spaces, but we will get into them at another time.

Serviced offices - AKA business centres

Serviced offices are based in purpose-built business centres and are generally the most professional of your office options. Providers include; Regus; Citibase; Avanta Offices and many more. 

They are all-inclusive which means broadband, utilities, and maintenance are all covered. You may also get offered access to meeting rooms and conference suites and reception services. 

However, it can be the most expensive of the options and there is a lack of control over the workspace, meaning you may not be able to paint and decorate. 

Ideal for: Start-up businesses; if you’re looking for a short-term contract; if you’re moving space; or if you’re taking on temporary staff.

Shared offices

Shared offices are Office Genie’s bread and butter as we were the first company to allow businesses to list and rent out empty desks completely free of charge! Shared offices are desks you can rent from another company in their office. 

They generally come all-inclusive, are usually cheaper and can sometimes be more flexible than serviced and traditional spaces. For example, a serviced workspace typically has a contract length of 3 months, whereas a shared office may have a contract length of just one month. 

Another great benefit is you can interact with a team of people from a different company. Although, these offices are usually lower spec than the serviced equivalent and there can, again, be a lack of workspace control. 

There can also be potential network security issues as you could be sharing a network with one or more companies. Moreover, contractual issues may arise, for example, the landlord may require the space without giving much notice. 

Ideal for: Freelancers; if you’re looking for a rolling month-to-month contract; if you’re looking for temporary space; and small businesses.  

Coworking spaces 

Co-working spaces fall between shared offices and serviced offices as it involves professional desk-renting in purpose-built hubs. These are typically popular amongst individuals looking for an all-inclusive office space and are also attractive to larger businesses too. 

Coworking spaces are often cheaper than a serviced property, but more expensive than shared. They also give you a chance to work alongside like-minded people also renting a desk.

Ideal for: Freelancers; people no longer wanting to work from home; one-man start-ups; and small or large businesses.

Traditional offices - AKA leased or unfurnished offices

Typically the cheapest of office space options, as well as the most popular, traditional offices offer long-term security (in terms of contract) and give you complete control over your workspace – (so get creative with your choice of wall colour!).

However, with this comes administration, long-term commitments, furniture, and utility costs (amongst others). You will also need to manage the office and maintain it, which can cost time and money.

Ideal for: Established businesses; large companies; or if you’re looking for a long-term contract.

We hope this post helps you understand the key differences between the various types of office rental options available on the UK market in 2019. Why not take a look at what Office Genie has to offer in terms of office space options?

Much like the Genie team, we have an eclectic mix. With everything from The Muppets' merrymaking to hardtek from Silyfirst, you can be sure we haven't gone for the obvious choices. We hope you enjoy 2017's festive playlist!

It Feels Like Christmas - The Muppets

Pete: "Quite simply the best song from the best Christmas movie. Put it on come December 1st and repeat relentlessly for the next 25 days. You won't regret it."

O Holy Night - Glen Campbell

Chris D: “Glen Campbell sadly died this year aged 81, so it seems appropriate to remember him with one of his greatest performances - his version of the carol 'O, Holy Night'. I always bring this one out at Christmas and, regardless of religious affiliation, it’s great fun to belt it out in the car and pretend you can sing like Glen…”

Scary Xmas - Silyfirst

Luke: “A modern take on a yuletide classic. This song is a reminder that Christmas doesn't have to be all about getting fat and playing Cluedo, it's also a time for letting your hair down after a long year and having some fun. Plus it's nice and obscure.”

Where Are You Christmas? - Cindy Lou Who

Lilli: “It's somewhat of a tradition in our family to put 'The Grinch' on every Christmas Eve. Consequently, I know all of the words to this and I don't even mind: it's a great little song. Plus, Cindy Lou's tree and hair are #Christmasgoals."

Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton

Imogen: "Dolly Parton is one of the most talented artists to have ever lived, and 'Hard Candy Christmas' doesn't disappoint. It has everything a good Christmas song needs: festive bitterness, seasonal regret and a twinkling ray of hope."

All I Want For Christmas Is You - My Chemical Romance

Ellie: "This song is great as it is a bit different and it's a nice twist on the classic 'Christmas music' - let's spice up our Christmas playlists with a bit of rock!"

Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow - Frank Zappa

Lisa: “Why? Because it's really funny, the man was a genius and I bet he hated Christmas. Here's a last-minute Christmas gift for your least-favourite family member.”

Christmas Was Better In The 80s - The Futureheads

Andre: "I'm old enough to remember Christmas in the 80s and my rose-tinted memory suggests that Christmas was really better back then: More snow, more gifts and 2 weeks of holiday. Plus it's a very catchy song and the Futureheads are/were from beautiful Sunderland."

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

Diana: "My favourite is 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree'. I fell in love with this song from the first time I heard it - it is very merry - I just want to sing and dance when I listen to it."

Christmas in Hollis - RUN-DMC

Chris S: "I think the only 'cool' Christmas song? I remember growing up and watching 'Die Hard' and also the 'Jackass' Christmas specials and they always brought me back to this classic."

2 Become 1 - Spice Girls

Jessie: "Because what would Christmas (or life) be without the Spice Girls."

Merry Christmas from the team at Office Genie!

This phenomenon isn’t limited to the capital either, the decision to register for a virtual office is becoming an increasingly popular one in cities and towns alike. We contacted two such providers, The Brew in Shoreditch and The Business Terrace in Maidstone, to discover what it is that’s driving the rise of the virtual office.

The Brew, Shoreditch

Since launching their virtual office space earlier this year, The Brew have witnessed an 150% increase in virtual enquiries. Started in 2011 by entrepreneur Andrew Clough, The Brew’s aim was to offer affordable business service options for start-ups and small businesses - which recently has seen the addition of virtual office space.

Justina Cruickshank, Commercial Director at The Brew, explains, “The Brew launched its virtual services earlier this year in response to demand from people who visited our website looking for co-working membership.” They have found that freelancers and start-ups (pre-incorporation in particular) are searching for cost-effective ways to have a professional presence. 

She points out, “[i]t’s increasingly expensive to take on office space, and co-working can also be out of budget when you’re just starting up. We’ve found plugging that gap when money is tight has been helpful for our virtual office members”. 

At The Brew Eagle House, virtual offices start at £15 per month. They offer a wide variety of services that can be included at additional cost, such as: PA support; meeting room access; and business seminars. 

Justina explains the types of customers taking up virtual office space were not as they expected: “[w]hen we started providing virtual office services, we thought we’d get mainly UK customers. However, it’s been around half-an-half. Our members fall into two camps: the first being local freelancers and start-ups that are based within walking distance and require a professional address that helps them to look credible. They don’t want to provide their home address, for obvious security reasons, and they also want to look like they are established.

“The second camp are foreign customers and they are usually more established businesses. They are looking for a UK address as they are usually just launching their UK sales/marketing. They tend to have a good budget, but they don’t have anyone based in the UK yet – they are starting out here, having developed a successful business abroad and looking for the virtual office to be their launchpad into developing a UK business.”

In terms of the benefits on offer, Justina says it depends on what stage of business a company is at: “For example, a freelancer might need to protect their home address from being posted publicly”. Such users can also have access to some co-working hours, offering a change of scene from their home office.

Two of the biggest advantages are the call-answering and mail-handling services. Justina explains, “[a]nswering the phone can be really difficult in a small team if you have lots of calls coming in, so being able to outsource them – using us as an overflow whenever you’re busy - is easy, cost-effective, it stops you missing all-important calls and helps to keep stress down”. When it comes to mail, they have a variety of options: “you can come and collect it, you can have it forwarded to your home or you can get it scanned and emailed to you”. 

She continues, “[w]e provide really flexible options for businesses – and as entrepreneurs ourselves, we know the pain points where freelancers and start-ups need help most.”  

The Business Terrace, Maidstone

The Business Terrace, a creation of the Economic Development team of Maidstone Borough Council, has been home to three of Kent's "Top 30 under 30" entrepreneurs, two successful Dragon's Den contestants, and over 40 other businesses. After listening to local needs, they introduced virtual office services in May this year. 

Sean Henry, Economic Development Business Centre Coordinator at Maidstone Borough Council, explains: “We introduced it after demand was expressed towards the end of last year. With minimal advertising, we have had our 15th sign up this week, an average of 3 sign ups a month with no sign of it slowing down.”

The Business Terrace’s virtual office space starts at £29 per month and includes flexible contracts, mail handling and forwarding, and access to free business advice, networking events and workshops. Currently, those using the service are based in the UK. Sean points out, “as our business centre is based in a County Town rather than the capital city, it is likely to remain that way.”

The Business Terrace has a constant waiting list, but when office space is at a premium, Sean explains that a virtual alternative “gives businesses the opportunity to have an address they can put on their cards, website and google which gives their own customers and clients the confidence that they are in a reputable location”. He continues, “[i]t can also save a lot on overheads when many businesses do not need to be permanently based in an office.”

In regard to what virtual office space means for the future of the office as we know it, Sean thinks we’re a while away from a purely virtual world: “The agile option will always be mostly for consultants and individual entrepreneurs but there is a mind-set that once you have staff, you often want an office. I think for the virtual, agile future to really take hold it will take a change in the mind of the employers to trust their staff to work anywhere.”

It seems that rather than making a physical space redundant, virtual offices are (for now) an innovative, additional use of office space. Increasingly, we work in an online, virtual world and owners of commercial property are trying to reflect and utilise this fact.

We decided plug availability, seating availability, the level of noise, the price of the coffee, and the speed of the broadband are key indicators of how suitable a place is for working comfortably and efficiently.

After visiting a number of spots across the city, we discovered some cafés are better for your pocket, some are better for when you need a plug socket, and some lend themselves really well to quiet work. We had a couple of great all-rounders and some we just didn't want to miss off.

The majority are independent establishments and to find out why this is the case, we spoke to a championer of independent businesses in Cambridge. Steve Linford, of Independent Cambridge, described the benefits that come with working in a local café, he pointed out: "Cambridge has a thriving community of [independent cafés] running great little businesses so you have a choice. When you choose indie you can be sure that the money you spend stays in the local economy, providing a livelihood for Cambridge families."

He added, "Indies use freshly ground coffee, carefully roasted at just the right temperature so the flavour is the best it can be. And it will taste even better knowing that each cup helps keep the city vibrant and just a little bit different."

Our list is as follows: Espresso Library; Stir; CB2; Hot Numbers; Fitzbillies; Second Cup; Urban Larder; Trockel, Ulmann and Freunde; Caffè Nero on Market Street; and Relevant Records. Please see the infographic below to find out more.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License. If you plan to use this infographic, please link to this page as the source of the infographic as way of attribution.

In our survey of 1,456 working people, it was revealed a significant number of offices are not enabling staff to work effectively. They lack areas that aid lone-working (67%), do not provide private spaces (54%) or areas for quiet work (58%). British workplaces also fail to promote collaborative work (45%) and do not have spaces that encourage staff to relax (74%). 

In terms of wellbeing and productivity, chill-out areas, quiet areas, and private spaces topped the list for everyone. Introverts in particular believe quiet areas and private spaces would be a welcome introduction. Almost a third (30%) of respondents identifying as introverts think a quiet area would benefit their wellbeing, compared to 22% of extroverts. Taking productivity into account, introverts believe private work stations would provide a boost: nearly a quarter of introverts (24%) think this, compared to 17% of extroverts.

More than two thirds (67%) of UK offices are open plan - which goes some of the way to explaining why many workplaces lack these more intimitate areas. When respondents were asked if they think their workplace allows them to carry out their work comfortably, 20% stated it does not. Of that number, a worrying 70% claimed it impacts their desire to come to work.

In terms of which office employees would most like to work in, Google's London HQ came out top. Google garnered 51% of votes making it the sure favourite. In second place came Apple (), followed by Facebook (). When Google's London campus has everything from swimming pools to running tracks, roof-top gardens to games areas, it's easy to see why people would be happy to spend their working hours in such a space.

We asked Robert Hicks, Group HR Director at global employee engagement company Reward Gateway, to provide his insight: 

“An engaged employee knows the company’s purpose, mission and objectives. In turn, they make better decisions for the company, are more productive and innovate more. Studies have shown that workplace satisfaction correlates highly with engagement; the most engaged employees rate their workplace in the 90th percentile.

“The workplace can change and impact productivity, happiness and engagement, both positively and negatively. Changes that alter an employee’s existing behaviours and habits can be incredibly disruptive. Therefore, you need to cater for a variety of behaviours and habits, from introverts to extroverts, as well as consider how to guide employees through any changes you intend to make.”

For an alternative office-space take on the matter, Gareth Jones, of Kit Out My Office, gave us his opinion: 

“I believe there is nothing more important to a business than employee happiness. An unhappy workforce could cause hurt feelings, performance issues and ultimately high stress levels. No business wants any of these, as it could ultimately damage their bottom line. Office workers will often spend a large amount of time sat at a desk or in meeting rooms, so it is important that these spaces are designed in a way that the employees like.

“I am not just talking about making a room look prettier, I’m also talking about improving the functionality to cater for everyone’s needs. For example, if you have staff members that want quiet spaces to make phone calls, why not designate a room or perhaps divide a room by creating multiple snugs for people to take their calls privately, without other people listening in.

“In addition to the above, there’s also a strong argument for having breakaway areas for people to have discussions with colleagues. Don’t think of traditional meeting rooms, think of spaces of relaxation by incorporating sofas or armchairs. They are excellent places for relieving stress or making a meeting feel less formal."

In the hope of increasing your staff’s satisfaction and retention levels, here are the top five questions UK professionals are nervous to ask and how you can address them to make your workforce feel more comfortable.

“Can I have a promotion?”

Many successfully growing businesses recognise that development opportunities are the key to staff retention. But simply divvying out more responsibilities and training opportunities isn’t enough. To avoid the frustrating dynamic of making staff feel undervalued despite their newly found duties, promotions are a must.

However, 34.6% of UK professionals are scared to ask “can I have a promotion?”, with many afraid of appearing too ambitious. To ensure your workforce is comfortable enough to broach this topic, you must endeavour to maintain an open dialogue with workers about their progress.

A simple way to do this is by scheduling in a regular one-to-one to see what they have on their plates, how they are handling their workload, and their general merriment. Not only will employees become more comfortable talking about awkward topics like promotions, you will be able to easily recognise if your employees rightly deserve a promotion, too.

“Can I have a pay rise?”

Like promotions, money talks are still considered a taboo subject by many. And while employees might discuss their earnings amongst each other, it’s still an awkward talking point between worker and employer, with 63.6% fearing to ask the dreaded question: can I have a pay rise?

But if anything this should be the other way around, with employees feeling able to talk to their employer about their salary: a fundamental aspect of their role.

To make sure your employees feel comfortable approaching this subject, schedule in annual pay reviews. This ensures any issues with salary can be addressed in good time, to avoid staff looking for better pay checks elsewhere.

“Can I work more flexible hours?”

Recent research suggests that a massive 87% of the UK’s full-time workforce either currently work flexibly or would like to do so.  But some employers are failing to embrace the flexible working revolution, refusing to budge from the traditional nine-to-five work day. As a result, it is unsurprising that 32.7% of UK workers are afraid to ask their employers if they can work more flexible hours.

But flexible working has a range of significant benefits for both you and your staff, with work/life balance and productivity leading the way. So, do not underestimate the lure of this seemingly frivolous workplace perk.

Since working nine to five is no longer a way to make a living, ensure that you are open to reasonable requests around flexitime and familiarise yourself with the process of making a statutory application. You are likely to increase your staff satisfaction and retention levels as a result.

“Can you help me with a task?”

Over a quarter (27.6%) of employees are too embarrassed to ask more senior members of staff for help as they do not want to raise suspicion about their ability to perform or waste your time. But this can do more harm than good for both parties.

Embracing an open-door policy where employees are able to ask you anything, no matter how obvious or awkward the questions may seem, is the key to avoiding potential issues with employees’ workloads, stress levels and business deadlines.

Plus, if one worker feels like they cannot ask you something, it is likely others feel the same. Therefore, keep an open door to sidestep a potentially uncomfortable working environment for all.

“Can I take some time off?”

Some businesses are taking the plunge to offer their staff unlimited holiday entitlement. And yet, while these companies trust their employees to manage their workload and structure their time efficiently, 26.4% of UK professionals are still afraid to ask their employers for time off work.

Be prepared to listen to your employees’ holiday requests and bear in mind that there is likely to be an important reason behind it - especially if a day’s leave comes out of a capped allowance.

That is not to say you should always ask the reason for leave before you grant the holiday though. Trust that your hardworking employees are taking all the holidays they are entitled to and for the right reasons, and you’ll find that your staff will be able to talk to and confide in you more easily.

About the author

Laura Slingo is Digital Copywriter for the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library.

We asked 1,500 British workers about their daily commute: the knock-on effects of a happy commute; and what the ingredients are to produce such a thing. According to a significant portion of the public, a good morning commute can positively impact mental wellbeing (57%), productivity (51%), perceptions of work/life balance (43%), engagement (39%) and the interactions you share with your colleagues (38%).

The happiest commuters walk or cycle to work but if you travel by train, car, or bus (or plane or boat?), don’t fear. Our respondents informed us of a variety of occurrences that take place on every kind of commute that help them to feel happier - and in turn boost their wellbeing and productivity. In no particular order, here are some recommended remedies to dissipate any commuting woes:

• Coffee, glorious coffee

• Smiles from strangers
• Random acts of kindness
• Watching out for wildlife
• Petting/fawning over (tame) cats and dogs passing by

• Calls with friends and family
• Bacons sandwiches (or other enjoyable snacks)
• Sunrises/sunsets
• Further picturesque scenes (N.B. sun optional)

• Discovering new music
• The first cigarette (one for the smokers) 
• Fresh air (...)
• Arguably, the most important one of all: me time

We spoke to Adi Reed, Head of Engagement at performance specialists AvinityAlive, to get her insight on the impact of the commute. She points out that “the real effect depends entirely on the employee” and that even a nightmare commute can be turned into a positive: “[a] stressful commute spikes adrenaline and could actually be of benefit to an employee about to do a pitch”.

When it comes to long commutes on public transport, she recommends people take time for themselves. This can be in the form of answering personal emails, reading, or even preparing for the working day if they see fit. She continues, “I think we can all agree that any commute that does not allow an employee some reflection time will impact their productivity at the start of the day as they take time to settle and adjust”.

Whether it’s reflecting on the environment around you or your day ahead, take some ‘me time’ on your commute and you’ll thank yourself for it.

We surveyed 1,500 people working in the UK and discovered the happiest commute is on foot. A huge majority of people that walk to work (88%) state they are either ‘happy’ or ‘very happy’ with their commute. The highlights included the fact it’s economical (28%) and eco-friendly (28%) - but the best aspects are considered the time to think walking offers (54%), and the ‘free’ exercise (46%).

Cycling to work was the second most enjoyable form of commute: more than three quarters (76%) of cyclists said they are ‘happy’ or ‘very happy’ with their commuting style. Again, two of the main draws to this form of travel is the economical (42%) and eco-friendly nature (38%) of it.

When we asked if employers offer any schemes to help improve the commute, 66% of respondents said they did not. Of those individuals, a significant (83%) would make use of at least one provision.

Commuting provisions: what employees want

Respondents wanted a variety of schemes in place, believing they could improve their commute and consequently workplace happiness.

• Paid-for travel expenses (50%)
• Car shares (31%)
• Reimbursed discount cards for public transport (26%)
• A cycle-to-work scheme (25%)
• Safe bike storage (12%)

Improving mental wellbeing and work/life balance

We also discovered more than half (54%) of employees believe a bad morning commute affects their mental wellbeing; and 42% think it has a negative impact on perceived work/life balance. It’s clear that when considering workplace happiness, the commute should not be forgotten but seen as a key factor by employees and employers alike.

Peter Ames, Head of Strategy at Office Genie, has the following advice: "It can be easy to overlook the simplest of staff needs; especially for smaller companies, who may not have a dedicated HR department. But this research shows how thinking outside of the office walls can make a big difference to happiness. Travel schemes can actually be very cheap and easy to implement, and once in place can boost staff wellness and, as a consequence, productivity.

"A flexible approach to working hours can also go a long way. Missing a train or being stuck in a traffic jam is much more bearable if you’re not worrying about being late for a strict nine o’clock start. We often forget about the impact our commute has on our working lives and when employers can soften commuting woes and improve workplace happiness and wellbeing while doing so, they should."

The most awkward topic is viewed as religion, with 42% of respondents placing it at the top spot. Sex and salaries came joint second (41%) meaning employees feel as uncomfortable discussing salaries as they do sex. The third most cringe-worthy topic in the workplace is politics (35%).

If given the chance to ban such topics, nearly half (47%) of Britain’s workforce would accept the offer. So while the majority are not in favour of censorship in the workplace, many are not opposed to the idea. Even seemingly harmless subjects such as eating habits and upbringing came under fire. However the most popular choices to ban are the big three red-flag topics: religion (19%), sex (18%), and politics (15%) – and salaries isn’t far behind (11%).

Recent revelations of wage inequality at the BBC have no doubt sparked gender pay gap unease so it’s unsurprising employees feel uncomfortable discussing salaries in the workplace. When one in eight people have fallen out with a colleague after a heated political debate, politics proves to be a similarly divisive subject.

Conversations involving sexuality (23%), race (20%), and mental or physical illness (20%) were also marked out as particularly awkward. However it must be noted that for 10% of Britain’s workforce, no conversation is off the cards.

Peter Ames, our Head of Strategy, has the following advice: “When it comes to conversations in the workplace, it’s often a case of realising what you maybe shouldn’t discuss rather than what you cannot discuss. Under The Human Rights Act, we’re all entitled to freedom of expression and this naturally encompasses a broad range of topics. It’s important to respect people’s boundaries however and consider your professional image. Of course, hate speech and that of a discriminatory kind is never acceptable.

“It’s very rare that an employer will have an outright ban on a topic, but depending on the type of work, there may be security clearance issues or nondisclosure clauses. So it’s always worth checking your contract for such restrictions.

“It’s also important to be clear that some conversations, despite being potentially awkward, should definitely be up for discussion. Talking about salaries, health and other potentially ‘awkward’ issues with an employer can help progression, wellbeing, and equality.”

Relevant legislation:

The are two key acts related to workplace censorship and freedom of speech: the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act.

The Human Rights Act: This act lists the fundamental rights to which people in the UK are entitled. It covers rights such as: freedom of thought, belief and religion (Article 9); freedom of expression (Article 10); and protection from discrimination (Article 14).

The Equality Act: Seeking to protect people from discrimination in the workplace and beyond, this act replaced and consolidated previous laws involving various forms of discrimination. It covers the ways in which it is unlawful to treat a person, based on characteristics such as age, race, or gender, and so on.