Interview with Jonny Ross at Jonny Ross Consultancy

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

Jonny Ross Consultancy offers website development and SEO services, specialising in digital and social media marketing and organic search in both B2B and B2C sectors. Jonny also offers training workshops in these areas and regularly presents at conferences and events.

Often on the road or working with clients on their premises, Jonny didn’t need a full-time service or managed office base. He is one of our virtual office clients, and makes regular use of the Carrwood Park communal areas, meeting rooms, and post management services.

“For me, Carrwood Park has offered some amazing networking opportunities. Jonny Ross Consultancy has been established for 18 months now, but I have seen huge growth during this period and have always been busy.

When I first joined Carrwood Park, a large proportion of my new business came from contacts I made here at Carrwood Park or at one of their networking events. Oliver is brilliant at putting people together. He can see opportunities for working together and always passes business and contacts on.

 “The price is extremely competitive, the service is amazing, and the cleanliness and tidiness of the overall environment are brilliant.”

Carrwood Park has great meeting rooms and different sizes depending on your requirements. And your clients will always get a great reception here. From a tech point of view, all the audio-visual and IT equipment is top-notch and very reliable. I often go in and plug my laptop into their projector to present to clients, and have never had any problems. Another thing I like about the team here is that they always try and keep up with the latest industry best practice.

I would certainly recommend Carrwood Park to others. The price is extremely competitive, the service is amazing, and the cleanliness and tidiness of the overall environment are brilliant. The location is also great for me. As I travel to clients a lot, I don’t want to be paying for car parking in the city centre. Carrwood Park suits me perfectly in this respect, and is right next to the M1 for regional and national travel.

I really did my research when I was looking for a base for my business, and from my findings, I would say that if you don’t need the city centre, then Carrwood Park is the best option in and around Leeds.”

Jonny Ross, Managing Director, Jonny Ross Consultancy

Interview with Gareth Bullen, director of Inspire Academy

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

Gareth Bullen is the director of Inspire Academy, which is part of Northern Gas Network. NGN has 2400 staff and delivers gas to 2.7 million homes in the north east, northern Cumbria and a large part of Yorkshire.

As well as distributing gas, NGS are also responsible for sorting out gas escapes and installing pipes.

Although Gareth is based just down the road at Thorpe Park, Leeds, he likes to go off-site when holding training sessions and meetings as he believes they are more productive.

So when invited to look round Carrwood Park two years ago, Gareth didn’t hesitate and was so impressed, he hasn’t looked back since, regularly hosting meetings for between five and 120 people.

“They really understand what I need as a business and are both reactive as well as proactive.”

“Carrwood Park is a wonderful environment and a perfect location for bringing staff together.

Not only are the facilities great, but all the offices and meeting rooms are beautifully spacious, light and airy.

The staff are superb – nothing is too much trouble. They really understand our needs, and you never have to ask for anything twice. Holding meetings at Carrwood Park really is stress-free – the meeting rooms are always set out correctly and we have use of the latest technology. As for the catering, this is always superb.

Another reason I enjoy hosting meetings at Carrwood Park, is the fact it is a very flexible venue. Sometimes I run very early morning sessions while at other times, the sessions can run late into the night. But the team are always so accommodating and there is never an issue if meetings overrun.

Because of the relationship I have with Carrwood Park, I consider myself in partnership with them. They really understand what I need as a business and are both reactive as well as proactive.

We have also enjoyed the lovely green space that makes up part of Carrwood Park by hosting staff BBQs – Carrwood Park really is a great environment.

I would recommend Carrwood Park to anybody – not only is it excellent value for money, but it is also a first-rate facility. Far better than using a hotel.”

 

Guest Blog: Appamondo – Starting up a business in the cloud.

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

 Starting up or running a business in the cloud at WorkWell provides you with options to collaborate, communicate and grow, which will help you to compete for business on a UK-wide basis.

As a technology service provider, Appamondo help choose the right applications to set your business up in the cloud. We take responsibility for deployment, training and education, and then providing ongoing support to you and your team. In this way, you can combine a bricks and mortar presence with remote tools that mean you are ‘always on’.

We always get asked why people should change to the cloud…

Here are five tips and reasons to work this way.

1. Avoid capital expenditure on computers, servers, software licenses and installation or maintenance costs.

Build a business with low-cost, subscription-based applications to reduce budget spend on software. Similarly, budget can be reduced by operating on a ‘bring your own device’ basis. Avoid buying devices and hardware you don’t need (servers, desktop PCs, etc)

2. Collaborate & communicate wherever you are.

Use business software that can be accessed remotely, such as Google Apps for Business™ for email, calendar, office package and storage. This will allow you to access your work from any location, making flexible working complication-free. Make use of online storage and collaboration tools to interact regularly and remotely with colleagues and customers.

Use video calling to increase frequency of face-to-face time, which in turn can help save money and time spent of commuting.

3. Automate administrative processes.

Automation means less time on admin, more time to grow the business!Use applications which integrate and streamline processes to bring efficiency to your workflow.

Mission-critical tasks like accounting can be automated using Xero, thus improving cash flow.

4. Go paperless.

Cut your costs and wastage by adopting sustainable practices like going paperless. Online storage tools allow creation, storage, sharing and collaboration in the cloud, removing the need for multiple copies and paper revisions.

Make sure applications match your business needs – there is a paperless solution for most processes.

5. Buy your technology as a service – lowest cost to operate

Technology can be purchased on a subscription basis without capital costs. Beware! Support from setup through to ongoing support is relatively non-existent (important if you are migrating data!)

Look for a technology provider who can meet all your business requirements – deployment (including migration of existing data), education in the form of training and ongoing support on a per-user (not company basis) should be mandatory for you!

Don’t just stop at these tips. If you want to ask more questions, contact the Appamondo team on 0843 224 9088 or social@appamondo.com. We are happy to help!

Michael Smith

Appamondo

WorkWell runs a professional office space that works around your business. We produce the highest quality space with complete monthly flexibility so that you can have a fluid workflow with minimal hassle. We are happy to work with Appomondo. They have a great service that will benefit a wide range of companies looking for easier management tools.

    

How technology is changing how we work

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

Technology and workplace evolution

Once upon a time not too long ago anyone who had their own home office, or even merely a desk, was an author, professor or company director. With the advent of the internet, email and mobile technology, dynamic working is now attainable to the masses. Fusing working from home with going into the office.

Hybrid working

A study carried out by the Confederation of British Industry showed that teleworking rose from 14% in 2006 to 46% in 2008. This figure has continued to rise and according to data from the Trade Union Centre (TUC), approximately four million people in the UK now work from home permanently, with millions more occasionally working from home.

With the obvious advantages of telecommuting, namely avoiding commutes to work and increased productivity, more and more employers are opting to give their workforce the homeworking option.

British Telecom was one of the homeworking pioneers. As far back as 1986, British Telecom began a telework scheme. Today 15,000 of the company’s 92,000 employees work from home. At HSBC, 15,000 out of 35,000 members of staff also have the option of working remotely. The company argues homeworkers save on average, £6,000 a year, take fewer sick days and are 20% more productive.

The shift toward remote and hybrid working has also contributed to the rise of co-working spaces, where independent professionals, freelancers, and employees working remotely can benefit from a structured yet flexible office environment. This change is not just altering traditional work patterns—it’s redefining our understanding of workplace efficiency.

Technology’s role in the workplace

Just as technology has revolutionised remote work, it has also reshaped how we operate within an office environment. Technology is encroaching into most areas of our lives, including how we run meetings. Thankfully, these technological advances are improving the dynamics of how business meetings and conferences work, making them ever more efficient and effective.

Technology has streamlined workplace communication, ensuring that interactions are permanently recorded via email and collaboration platforms rather than relying on word-of-mouth exchanges. This shift has improved accessibility, efficiency, and the ability to communicate seamlessly across teams and time zones.

The benefits of technology for the workplace

How technology breaks down workplace barriers

Whether it is routing calls effectively, having access to internal systems or being able to monitor productivity amongst employees, it is all made possible with the use of cloud-based technologies.

Increased collaboration

Cloud computing enables companies to deploy communication tools, apps, and shared databases, making collaboration effortless. Businesses can now integrate new tools while phasing out outdated systems more seamlessly than ever before. What once took months to implement can now be introduced in weeks or even days, significantly boosting efficiency and agility.

Small businesses gaining a competitive edge

Whilst using cloud-based systems was once a privilege for larger organisations with bigger budgets, now smaller companies with smaller budgets have access to these technologies. This gives smaller businesses a competitive edge against larger competitors, by being able to access the same technology-assisted tools.

For example, video conferencing—once an expensive, enterprise-level tool—is now available to businesses of all sizes. This has made remote meetings, international collaboration, and virtual networking as accessible to startups as they are to multinational corporations.

What are your thoughts about the homeworking revolution? Are you, like HSBC and British Telecom, in favour of giving employees the flexibility of virtual offices? Or are you more on Yahoo’s wavelength, who’s CEO recently banned remote working as part of a new “era of collaboration?”  

Derek Baker, Claritas Solutions, Recommends Carrwood Park

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

Claritas_Testimonial

 We interviewed one of our longstanding customers, Derek Baker, to get an insight into the service we provide here at WorkWell:

With “quality coffee on-tap, polite staff and a quiet working environment,” Derek Baker, Technical Director at Claritas Solutions, describes Carrwood Park’s Brookfield offices as “superb.”

Claritas Solutions, an independent IT services and solutions company for all industry sectors, recently moved into WorkWell’s Brookfield Court. Being on the outskirts of Leeds and easily accessible to motorway links, the offices are ideally located for Claritas Solutions’ business needs.

Derek Baker is thoroughly impressed with this modern and managed office space. 

“All the staff have a positive, friendly approach. The office was designed impeccably to meet our business’s requirements, and the customer service has been superb,” said Mr Baker.

Other great features of the Brookfield Offices described by Claritas Solutions’ technical director include the working space always being clean and well-maintained and, of course, access to, not just coffee on tap, but quality coffee on tap!

“I would recommend WorkWell’s serviced offices in Leeds and Harrogate to any company looking for office space. They really are first class.”

Making your offices ‘eggtastic’

WorkWell on July 16, 2024

Crafting an ‘eggtastic’ working environment at Easter

…I can hear the egg puns coming.

The evenings are light, the daffodils are out in abundance and there’s a warm, spring-like feel to the air. There are also rows upon rows of Easter eggs in the shops. Yes we can’t deny Easter has arrived.

Some employees may have booked holidays off work over Easter to spend time with their families. Others might be continuing work as normal after enjoying the long Easter weekend. Whether you choose to celebrate the Easter holiday or not, your employees will gratefully receive some festive celebration.

I have already seen the mini egg cakes emerge and have been involuntarily entered into one of Carrwood Parks largest companies ‘decorate an egg’ competition.

So how can we create a cheerful, festal and of course practical working environment during Easter week?

Put some spring flowers in the office

It has been said before and we’ll say it again, flowers can influence mood, creativity and empathy in the workplace. Arranging flowers can improve workplace productivity. Not only can looking at fresh flowers help wake employees up and promote creative thinking but they can also encourage innovation.

Apart from the productivity-enhancing assets of fresh flowers being present, arranging bunches of spring flowers will craft a pleasant Eastertime environment. Positing colourful bunches of traditional spring-time flowers, such as daffodils, poppies and primroses around the office will help lift staff morale and get them in the mood for Easter.

Give employees an Easter egg

It’s not just children who should be given an Easter egg at school. On the contrary, chocolate-loving grown-ups enjoy an Easter egg or two as well! Show your staff your appreciation and craft an Easter environment at work by handing out Easter eggs!

Set the air conditioning in the office at 19c

One of those boring things that is something very important! This time of the year can be pretty erratic weather wise. The sky can be blue and cloudless and the office doused in sunshine one minute followed by rain and a considerable drop in temperature the next. Generally speaking offices can get pretty stuffy at this time of the year. A sticky, hot working environment is not conducive to productivity!

To help maintain a good combination of festive yet productive workforce at Easter it is important that the temperature is set accordingly.

Quality office space such as those offered at Carrwood Park and Brookfield Court business centres Leeds will have air conditioning. Setting the air conditioning at 19c is typically the optimum temperature at this time of year.

Make sure email signatures are on

One I always forget. With the long Easter weekend looming and many members of staff taking holidays it is important to remind employees to ensure their email ‘out of the office’ signatures are on. This will ensure clients, colleagues and potential customers will know members of staff are away on annual leave and when they will be back.

Easter is a particularly colourful and vibrant time of the year. Making the effort to ensure your working environment acknowledges and celebrates this jubilant time of year will help maintain staff morale. Not neglecting some of the practical requirements when we leave for the festive break will ensure your company will be prepared for business as usual following the Easter weekend holiday.

Ae you balancing work and home life with kids this Easter? Carrwoods blog on keeping the kids entertained this Easter.