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Following many years of housing prices soaring and competition steadily increasing, real estate growth has finally started to slow, likely caused by the cost of living crisis and mortgage rates that are continuing to climb. Year on year, real estate prices have seen rapid growth with The Land Registry saying they rose by 12.8% in May. So what’s the best move? Property investor, Korosh Farazad, explains whether now is a good time to invest or not.
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Santiago Schmitt first started working on the idea for a business that would make his mum’s weekly online grocery shop easier when he was just fourteen years old. Although the concept was far from developed then, at the age of eighteen he launched his product - a browser extension called FoodLama.
FoodLama makes online grocery shopping with dietary preferences, allergies, and intolerances easier – all while sitting on top of grocery sites. By automatically showing users the products that fit their requirements as they scroll, and by making personalised recommendations on the go, FoodLama aims to bring ultra-personalisation to grocery shopping.
Here, Santiago reveals how his personal experience helped his startup become a success.
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It’s fair to say that the past few years have not been kind for procurement and supply chains. From geopolitical challenges and Brexit to a global pandemic and rising costs, businesses have had to cope with several unique issues within the supply chain.
Once-in-a-generation black swan events have become a constant barrier of disruption, putting greater pressure on the role of Chief Procurement Officers (CPO) to ensure continuity and instill greater resilience.
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Employee turnover has become a major concern for HR professionals and business leaders, and it is impacting how they are able to strategically plan to meet business objectives. One recent study found that 38% of workers plan to switch jobs in the next 6 to 12 months. This could cost UK businesses up to £17 billion. The Great Resignation affects all businesses, but the costs are especially high for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
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Employees want flexibility but the four-day working week isn’t necessarily the answer, as senior recruitment expert Huw Martin warns it is not a bandwagon suitable for all businesses. The pandemic created a sea of change in terms of where and how we work and workers are rightly calling for more flexibility, a better work-life balance, and more choice in deciding when, where, and how best to do their jobs. So is the four-day week the natural next step as we move towards a fully flexible workforce? Or are organisations forgoing flexibility and nurturing workplace culture to capitalise on the buzzword of the moment?
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What does the future of business look like? It’s an age-old question that is constantly on the lips of senior management, thought leaders, and CEOs. Today's leaders have a responsibility to empower the entrepreneurs of tomorrow – this, more than anything else, will be fundamental to the growth of Britain’s economy.
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Against the current economic backdrop, and with a potential recession looming, business owners with significant wealth tied up in their companies are looking to de-risk their positions. Some are weighing up ways to crystallise part of the value they have created by selling a portion of their shareholding to a private equity sponsor. These kinds of private capital-backed ‘cash-out’ deals are becoming more common these days.
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The professional status quo has been well and truly disrupted. In particular, the pandemic gave the global working population a chance to re-evaluate their values. Whether greater autonomy, a complete change in direction, or more flexibility, many realised what they want from a career. We are seeing the result of this mindset shift via the so-called Great Resignation, and employers have felt the brunt.
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Ping-pong tables, bucket-list experiences, bottomless sweets dispensers… employee work perks these days are many and varied. But do work perks actually work? Just as some say that the truly happy person never posts on social media, I contend that the truly satisfied employee doesn’t need work perks. At least, not as we commonly understand them.
