Is your workplace looking sorry for itself? Have you been weighing up the pros and cons of hiring a cleaning contractor? Read on to find out why a cleaning contract is exactly what your workplace needs.

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Happiness and morale

Numerous studies over time have proved that humans are happier when they are working – or living – in a cleaner, tidier environment. Even some of the ancient feng shui principles are based on the idea that clutter slows you down, physically and mentally. A good cleaning contract can therefore keep morale and efficiency at an all-time high.

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As a species, we sadly judge books by their covers, which means we judge offices, shops, factories and restaurants by their levels of cleanliness. How clean – or how dirty – your workplace is will have a direct impact on the way stakeholders, such as the public, customers and clients, see your business. There is also no hiding from their views, with opinions happily shared on Yelp, Facebook and so on. A dirty or messy public-facing workplace can easily become public knowledge in no time.

Health, safety and hygiene

A seriously good reason to hire a cleaning contractor is to improve the health, safety and hygiene in your office. Sick days lost through viruses, slips or falls can all be prevented when you have cleaner work surfaces, floors and desks. Cleaners can also help to reduce dust and clutter in the office, which can fast become a fire risk.

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A cleaning contractor is more likely to get the job done to a higher standard than cleaners you employ in house, as they have their reputation to protect. This ultimately means the health, safety and hygiene of your work premises will improve overnight. Dirt can also harbour in places we don’t always reach, especially in carpeted stores or offices in which shoes are worn inside. This is why it is important to appoint contractors for both ad-hoc jobs and regular ones; for example, those looking for commercial carpet cleaning in Cheltenham should consider a reputable firm such as https://www.clean-able.co.uk/.

The benefits of appointing a cleaning contractor are varied and vast. From improving the hygiene, health and safety of your workforce to improving your image and the moral of staff, isn’t it time you signed a new cleaning contract?

With effect from 01 April 2018, several changes have been made to the General Medical Services (GMS).

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According to NHS England, the new agreement is part of the body’s longterm investment in GP services. In the current financial year there will be a 3.4% uplift in financial investment, amounting to just over £256 million. This will rise to over £12 billion a year by 2020/21.

The changes affect several areas:

1. Financial

• There is 1% uplift in pay (amounting to over £102 million), and a 3% uplift in expenses.
  • The amount per practice allocated by the Global Sum Formula will increase from £85.35 to £87.92 per weighted patient.
  • The value of a Quality and Outcomes Framework point will rise by 4.1% (from £171.20 to £179.26).
  • Practices now have the ability to advertise fixed-term for GP locum jobs to provide temporary cover for absent staff. The maximum weekly payment for workers filling locum jobs has also increased to £1,751.52 a week. This is positive news for providers of locum staff, such as http://www.thegplocumagency.co.uk/.

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2. Contractual

• There is a new requirement for GP practices to use the NHS e-Referral System for all new referrals to external consultants from October 2018.
  • There is a new target for GP practices to have at least 10% of their patients registered for online services; practices that fail to meet this target will be required to work with NHS England to better promote online services.
  • The National Quality Requirements are set to be replaced in October 2018 with new Key Performance Indicators.
  • NHS-commissioned practices will no longer be able to advertise GP services which are provided by private providers, if practices are supposed to be providing such services on the NHS.

  3. Patient-related

• GPs now have the ability to remove a patient from the violent patients register, if a patient has been flagged as violent in error.
  • GPs will be able to share relevant patient data with social care providers, provided that certain safeguards are met.

  While the BMA describes the changes as ‘minimal’, the General Practitioners Committee has informed that it is working to introduce ‘major’ changes in the 2019 financial year, including a ‘wholesale review’ of the Quality and Outcomes Framework, options for revitalising the partnership model and new staff initiatives.

A redesigned Google Gmail interface will reportedly be released over the coming weeks. What are the main changes that users can expect, and what does all this mean for your business?

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What’s changing?

Aside from a sleek new look, the main change is introducing easier access to other Gmail apps, such as the calendar. New features will also be rolled out, such as an email snooze option that removes a message from your inbox until a pre-selected time. There’s also an interesting ‘smart reply’ feature that suggests a response to a message by scanning your emails. Anyone who has used the mobile app will be used to these features.

A further feature that has been widely reported is the dramatic-sounding ‘self-destruct’ option! This essentially allows the user to set a time at which an email is deleted. Other changes of note include a confidentiality mode that restricts what the recipient can do with your message, such as print, forward the email, or copy and paste the contents. The revamp will also reportedly include a feature that allows the sender of an email to request that the recipient confirms their identity before they can access the message.

What does this mean for you?

First and foremost, it means that if you’re a Gmail user, you can shortly expect to see some changes to the interface. These aim to make your experience more streamlined and efficient, as well as boosting security. However, on a broader note, the fact that Google is implementing changes also highlights the importance of continual evolution of your online presence, security features and web strategy. Whatever the size of your business and its geographical reach, it’s worth seeking out national or local help, such as Lincolnshire web design agency, https://perspectivedesign.co.uk/, to find out if your website is as good as can be, or whether some changes could improve your visitors’ experience.

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When you regularly access a particular website or application, it can be hard to adjust to a new layout. However, the consensus seems to be that the changes to Gmail make tangible improvements to the interface. If your website has had the same look and features for a number of years, maybe it’s time to follow in the footsteps of Google and look into whether a revamp is in order.

If you’ve ever wondered what block management entails, it’s a bit like managing a business. Looking after a block of flats or apartments takes specific knowledge and experience and is often best left to a property management company to deal with.

Leaseholders will have a strong interest in the management of their building, how it is being handled and who is doing the handling. A property that’s badly managed can have a long-term effect on how people live and enjoy their homes and even future value.

Landlords are normally responsible for the general overseeing of a property, but landlords can vary. It might be a solitary person, a local authority or a management company. It’s normally the landlord who is responsible for the overall management of the building. This could be an individual person, a company or a local authority. It is more common for an individual landlord to hire a management company to look after the property on their behalf as it’s often too big a job for one inexperienced person. For a professional Block Management Company in Gloucestershire, visit http://www.completepropertygroup.co.uk/property-block-and-estate-management/

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Why hire a block management company?

A group of more than one properties requires dedication, time and a professional approach that is much better served by a specialist company. A property management specialist will be knowledgeable in tenant and landlord law, health and safety laws, accounting and building construction.

The managing company take their direction from the landlord and not the leaseholders, but a professional agent will always be mindful of the tenants needs and issues. The job can involve anything from making sure all is in good working order, like the lifts to dealing with gardens and accounting. They play an essential role in the experience of both leaseholder and landlord. The leaseholders pay service charges to cover the costs accrued by the management company in maintaining and servicing the building. That is why it’s important to have an experienced and highly professional agent.

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What you should look for in a block management agent:

• Highly Knowledgeable
• Have a wealth of experience in understanding leases and tenant/landlord legislation
• Be able to guide leaseholders in their obligations and their rights
• Always be committed to best practice and high standards of customer care
• Always comply with industry codes of practice
• Have an accessible and independent complaints process
• Be open and transparent
• Be able to supply extensive accounting options including service charge collection, expenditure and budgeting
• Make good decisions in how service charge money is used

A more spacious home tends to be a more enjoyable home, and the Government intends to introduce legislation to monitor the minimum amount of space in private lettings in an attempt to reduce overcrowding. There are now new regulations governing HMOs, or houses of multiple occupation. In an HMO, there may be at least three tenants who are not part of the same household but may share facilities such as a kitchen or a bathroom.

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Minimum bedroom sizes

Part of this new legislation covers the minimum sizes of rooms where tenants sleep. A room where two adults sleep will have to be at least 10.22 square metres. A room in which one adult sleeps will have to be at least 6.51 square metres in size, and a room for a child under the age of 10 will have to be at least 4.64 square metres in size.

Changes are coming

This legislation is expected to pass into law during the early part of 2018. The Department of Communities and Local Government said that the rise in demand for HMOs had given some unscrupulous landlords the opportunity to provide sub-standard housing that leads to overcrowding, undesirable tenant behaviour and a general lack of standards for health and safety.

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The Government also plans further measures to get tougher on landlords who are not considered to be serving the needs of their tenants properly. For more on what may happen to landlords that councils believe are exploiting tenants, see this report from The Guardian.

Renting out property seems to keep generating more rules to make it more complicated for landlords. However, one tool that has emerged to make things simpler is property inventory software. If you are interested in finding out more about the possibilities of property inventory software, it’s time to take a look at what an expert in the field, such as https://inventorybase.co.uk/, has to offer.

Many landlords manage their properties properly, so they will have little to fear from these new regulations. However, for those who think it is fine to crowd vulnerable people into tiny spaces with inadequate facilities, a reckoning may be coming. The effects of poor housing also spread to neighbours and those living nearby, and no one should have to endure the effects of sub-standard accommodation.

You might have heard that you should be doing a fire risk assessment, but what is this and why is it so important? Basically, the reason this assessment is so important is its designed to lower the risk of a fire breaking out inside a building. With some very high-profile fires recently, this is more imperative than ever. It doesn’t just look at the structural safety of a building but examines its contents as well. It also takes into account the building’s layout and how it is used.

All businesses and public structures, whether they are bars, churches, shops or office blocks must have a fire risk assessment carried out if they are used for non-domestic purposes.

The legislation involved stipulates not only that an assessment must be completed but also states who can complete one, who is responsible in the event of a fire, procedures for evacuation and how this information is supplied to employees or members of the public. Failure to comply can lead to large fines and even imprisonment.

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It is not a task that can be done lightly, as the law states the assessment must be both suitable and sufficient. Not all properties are the same, so a suitable assessment must be tailored to the exact requirements of each individual building. An assessment also needs to be amended and updated whenever any changes occur in the use or layout of the building.

A risk assessment can be completed by anyone who is deemed competent, but unless you have specialist knowledge, it’s wise to call in the professionals. For a thorough fire risk assessment Gloucester, visit http://keloscape.co.uk/fire-risk-assessment/

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An inexperienced person could miss potential hazards, leaving risks not being properly assessed. This could prove devastating and even fatal in the event a fire does break out on the property. That is why it is imperative that a full and professional assessment is carried out from the beginning. It’s important to use only certified and trusted risk assessors for the legal requirement of having a risk assessment.

There are some specific rules with regards to your assessment:

It must be regularly reviewed, with the ideal scenario being once every 12 months following the first assessment. Every five years, a new assessment must be carried out. This needs to take place sooner if the fabric of the property has changed, the purpose has changed, or the occupants have changed. Such changes can have a big impact on fire safety planning, so a review must be completed in these instances.

Many business owners measure their website’s success by the number of customers it results in. However, you’re not going to attracting fresh digital footfall if you’re not creating fresh leads online regularly. However, it’s a vicious circle as many business owners don’t invest time, money and effort into their websites because they feel it’s not working for them. The mistake is to assume that people are just not searching for your service or product online.  This cannot be the case though, as people use their smartphones every single day to browse and shop online. Here are some things business owners should be doing regularly:

Fresh Content

By posting regular, fresh content to your site, you’re effectively telling Google to take notice because you clearly care about your customers. The result is that bots will look to your website more often to ensure users can always access recent content in search engines. You don’t even need to produce elegantly written essays – fresh content could be new product descriptions, photographs, videos or updates to pages.

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Using Social Media

Social media users will be looking for the most recent information uploaded by your business. If the last thing you posted was six months ago, it suggests two things. First, that you’re not interested in communicating with them and second, you might not even be in business anymore. Either way, you’ll lose their interest. Social media posts can be simple, quick status updates, photos or local information. It doesn’t take long but keeps engagement levels high.

Changing the Homepage

Even small changes on your homepage can have a big impact for customers. A simple change of graphics can refresh a tired page without needing to change any navigation. You could add some new photos or new banners, but it reaps many rewards. For help with updating your site, contact a Website Design Company Gloucester like https://www.net9design.com/

Update those Old Contact Forms

You’d be amazed at how many businesses don’t make their contact information clear and easy to find. If it takes longer than a couple of seconds to find these details, your website needs some work. This is a top reason for customers leaving a site within seconds of landing there. Online users have little patience and won’t stick around to hunt down information that should be clearly displayed on every page.

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Providing Little Central Content

You need to make it clear immediately what you do, what you offer and why customers should choose you to solve their problem. This is the central core content of your website, yet if your website doesn’t tick those boxes, it’s failing badly. The lack of this core content has a big influence on how well your site ranks in searches, so it’s essential to get it right.

For some people networking comes naturally, while others dread and fear it. Luckily, there are tips that anyone can put into practice to become a networking pro and make the most of all those professional functions and gatherings that you are required to attend and host.

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A Powerful Tool

While many people think they need to be aggressively working the room, it is better to play the long game and cultivate relationships over time. Anyone you build a genuine bond with will be helpful in recommending you and your services to others. Think of yourself as a farmer who is starting to grow a crop of useful contacts.

Being clear about your outcomes is also helpful. Prepare for networking events by getting your pitch ready. This is where you tell others who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less.

Dress appropriately, and take a few moments to note how other guests are interacting with each other. Take your cues on the best way to approach people from what other successful guests are doing.

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Pay Attention

Pay others the compliment of really listening to what they have to say. Being really interested in others and asking good questions can make you memorable. Even if you are really shy, you can be a good listener. For tips on being a good networker when you are an introvert, see this report from The Guardian.

It may be a good idea to make notes about interesting people you meet – then you can add them to a database and use this as a way of maintaining contact. At some point you may need to host an event yourself. If you want to host a distinguished networking event abroad, a venue like the Ermanno Palace in Monaco could really impress people. To find out more about Ermanno Palace, it would be a good idea to contact an agency such as https://edgeglobalevents.com/f1-hospitality/monaco/7th-floor-ermanno-palace/, which can give you any advice and help that you need.

Approach networking with a positive attitude. Look at it as a way to talk to others and learn from them while expanding your own horizons. You never know what doors may be opened by being polite and prepared and listening with an open mind to what others have to say. It might even be enjoyable.

If you are planning an event, whether you are a corporate or charity event organiser, you must ensure that you have adequate insurance.

Insurance may be needed to cover many different scenarios, including event cancellation, issues involving the venue, such as any potential damage, as well as the health and safety of both spectators and participants.

Different insurance types

Cancellation of the event may arise as a result of unforeseen circumstances, such as extreme weather conditions, in which case insurance that covers event cancellation will be invaluable. Event organisers should note, however, that different policies will cover different weather scenarios so you should carefully compare different policies according to your needs. For example, if you are organising an event in the UK, the most common weather cancellation event covered will be heavy rain.

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It is essential to ensure that you also have public liability insurance, which will cover you in case anyone attending the event is injured. This insurance will also be necessary to cover any damage that may be caused to the venue itself or to any of its contents due to any negligence on your part. Public liability insurance is often a requirement of the venue before they will allow you to hold the event.

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Employers’ liability insurance is also an essential. This will cover you if any employees or volunteers that you have asked to help you with the event make a claim for compensation; for example, due to injury.

For further advice relating specifically to organising charity events, the government provides some useful information at Gov.uk.

Don’t forget that you will need insurance for fundraising events, with many venues requiring a minimum level of cover before letting out spaces to you.

Medical cover

Whilst public liability insurance is increasingly compulsory for event organisers, event medical cover should also be added to your list, as any event with a large crowd should consider having on-site medical provision. This could involve anything from one paramedic to an on-site hospital. Event organisers can find a lot of information on this type of insurance at  event medical cover through outdoormedicalsolutions.co.uk.

When taking out any type of insurance policy it is important to read the small print, and to double-check exactly what you are covered for, and any potentially important exclusions.