< Previous40 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT The East Midlands is a vital logistics hub for the UK. With its central location and strong transportation network, solid road connections, access to ports, and East Midlands Airport, the UK’s second-largest cargo hub, it is also home to major automotive and aviation manufacturers, seeing the region’s industrial properties and warehouses hold a key role in distribution for local factories. As the pandemic continues to effect consumer habits, the local logistics property market is flourishing in the region, yet the wider logistics industry is facing numerous challenges. As Brexit and COVID-19 continue to cause complications, the driver shortage is one such well- reported problem, with Logistics UK noting in October that 96% of UK logistics businesses were pinpointing issues recruiting HGV drivers, and with the average age of HGV drivers growing, from a current average of 56, there is a clear need to encourage younger people into the sector, to provide incentives with steps already being taken to increase pay and introduce apprenticeship and upskilling schemes. With demand for collections and deliveries booming this will be crucial. To help attract new individuals into the workforce the government recently revealed free, flexible, intensive HGV Skills Bootcamps, alongside increasing driver testing throughput. There are also pressures on the local labour pool for warehousing operations, though, and it is therefore essential that warehouse and Solving sustainability and skills struggles The logistics and transport industry has myriad challenges to tackle, with the driver shortage and reducing emissions key amongst these. 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:51 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 41 LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT © stock.adobe.com/Ondra logistics operators look at how they can attract and retain talent. Indeed expanding skills shortages are being highlighted across the entire logistics industry. Then there is the requirement to improve the sustainability of the logistics industry, which is gaining more focus as the country looks to achieve its Net Zero ambitions. Solutions range from using electric modes of transport, low carbon fuels and technologies, and software solutions with emissions calculators, to constructing greener warehouses and distribution centres with electric vehicle (EV) charging points, as well as using renewable energy sources. Embarking on a modal shift is another option, with rail freight attractive as it is already considered the greenest mode of ground-freight transport. In a setback however for the region’s rail freight and transport logistics, the government’s Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), announced in November, removed the proposed eastern leg of HS2 (from the East Midlands to Leeds), putting a stop to an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of supply chains in the North and Midlands. The new line would have released extra capacity for rail freight services to assist in connecting industry in the north of England with the rest of the country, though electrification plans in the IRP have been welcomed for progressing decarbonisation. Moreover, use of sustainable vehicles will quickly become more important with an increase in HGV movements predicted and the government’s recent announcement that new, non-zero tailpipe emission HGVs over 26 tonnes will be phased out in 2040, with those under 26 tonnes to be phased out in 2035. EVs have been a central talking point when it comes to bolstering 42 Á 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:51 Page 242 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT the environmental credentials of logistics and transport, and innovation as well as falling battery costs are boosting opportunities for electric HGVs, while there are plans for an electric motorway with cables to power electric lorries through Lincolnshire, but it is not the only avenue for carbon reduction, with trucks fuelled by compressed natural gas for instance another solution. Additionally operators are changing business practices to improve the efficiency of their fleet operations and conducting training to encourage driver behaviours that lower fuel consumption and emissions. There is more to be done however across all transport modes and the entire supply chain. In November Logistics UK launched a route map to decarbonise the £127bn logistics industry, which it said needs to undergo vast transformation for the UK to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. David Wells, the business group’s Chief Executive, said: “Logistics businesses are determined to decarbonise their operations as quickly and as effectively as possible to support the UK’s environmental goals – and those decided on the international stage at COP26 – but the government must provide the policies and infrastructure to make Net Zero emissions by 2050 possible. In The Route to Net Zero: A Manifesto for Logistics, Logistics UK details the measures businesses need from government and other stakeholders to make this deadline a reality. Over the coming months and years, we expect to see vast transformation take place across the logistics industry, as the nature of road, sea, air and rail transport evolves to operate on Zero Carbon.” Advances in digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are offering further methods of making logistics more efficient and sustainable. They allow mistakes to be eliminated and complete visibility of a journey to be provided. Routes and transit methods can be assessed to improve efficiency and carbon emissions, while the Internet of Things (IoT) and its sensors can be used to monitor and collect data on speed, tyre pressure, driver behaviour, et al., which all impact fuel consumption and emissions. All this tech together creates chances for enhanced planning and control, opens up optimisation potential, and is key to setting emission targets by allowing accurate current emissions to be calculated. Real time transport visibility platforms are already becoming standard in the industry and many of these can also be utilised to collect data for sustainability calculations. Opportunities from digitalisation apply throughout a journey, including truck dispatch at a facility - with digitalised processes and intelligent time slot management, truck congestion and waiting times can be reduced and significant CO2 savings made as a result. There are many challenges ahead for logistics and transport, but with innovation and the right government support the industry will be able to meet skyrocketing demand, talent shortages, and sustainability targets. Whether enough support can be provided however is yet to be seen. © stock.adobe.com/scharfsinn86 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:51 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 43 EMPLOYMENT LAW As the connective tissue between employers and employees, employment law is never static. This relationship is constantly evolving as the wants and needs of workers evolve, bosses must therefore remain vigilant of the changes taking place in terms of legislation, but also of the issues impacting the lives of their staff. One of the big changes on the horizon is the forthcoming Employment Bill. The intention is to make provisions about the rights of workers on issues such as negotiating pay and joining trade unions and employee associations. Moreover, it will make provisions about the employment rights of members of the armed forces and about employee representatives on company boards. There’s also an issue of semantics, with the bill intending to amend the definition of ‘worker’ to provide “a single employment status for workers and employees for the purpose of employment rights and employer responsibilities in the workplace.” Inspired by the bill – which, as of writing, is still being read in the House of Commons – companies can use the opportunity to be more accommodating when it comes to employee benefits. Not only will this make a company a more attractive prospect for new employees but will boost staff retention and help make public policy fit for modern times. At a time when employees are letting flexible hours and homework act as their compass for new careers, this approach can prove incredibly valuable. Parents make up the majority of the nation’s workforce, but the system currently favours workers without children. Fit for purpose Whether it’s bosses mandating that their staff be double jabbed, the right to request flexible working, or calls for extending statutory sick leave, businesses have many employment law issues to contend with as we continue to transition out of the pandemic. 44 Á © stock.adobe.com/utah51 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:52 Page 144 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk EMPLOYMENT LAW Data from the Office for National Statistics based on Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey found that, since 2000, fathers have consistently had a higher employment rate than men without dependent children. During this period, the rate of mothers in employment has overtaken the employment rates of women without dependent children. Almost 28.5 per cent of mothers with a child aged fourteen years and under said they had reduced their working hours because of childcare reasons. The proportion of parents who faced an obstacle fulfilling responsibilities decreased as the age of the child increased; from 34.9 per cent of parents whose youngest child was aged between zero and four years to 20.4 per cent of parents with a child aged eleven to fourteen years. Now, with the Employment Bill in Parliament, there are calls for extending statuary sick leave. In a recent survey undertaken by Mumsnet in partnership with Labour MP Harriet Harman, more than 1,000 parents across the UK were asked how they managed when their primary school aged children were ill before the pandemic. Eighty-eight per cent of parents reported having taken time off work to care for a sick primary school aged child. Of these, thirty-nine per cent have taken holiday/annual leave; twenty-nine per cent have taken paid leave with twenty-nine percent having taken unpaid leave; ten per cent have reduced hours or dropped work; seven per cent have taken sick leave, and two per cent have left their job. It will come as no surprise to learn that parents largely supported provision to be able to better manage their children’s sick days without losing pay or holiday time. When asked if they would support extending statutory sick pay to cover a parent when a child of primary school or nursery age is sick, only six per cent opposed it. “Public policy is completely out of date,” says Harriet Harman MP. “Mothers are working now and not at home to look after a sick child. You can’t leave a young child on their own when they’re sick. But there’s no right to take time off, let alone sick pay. Of course, this hits hardest at those on lower paid jobs. The forthcoming Employment Bill is our chance to insist that we put this right.” Ensuring that employment law is fit for purpose and reflects the reality of modern life is never-ending. The pandemic led to a spike in the number of people working from home and, whether due to the flexible furlough scheme or because of other measures put into place by employers, many staff experienced their first taste of flexible working. In many cases, these provisions have become permanent and now people are seeking homeworking and flexible working when looking for and starting a new job. Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that while the pandemic has driven an increase in remote working, forty-six per cent of UK employees still do not have access to any form of flexible working in their current role. That same research found that those without flexible working are around twice as likely to be dissatisfied in their job compared to those who do. The association found that flexible working provided clear benefits to both employers and employees from improved wellbeing and work-life balance to greater productivity. Flexible working was especially useful for parents who are able to take their children to and from school or nursery whilst also still being able to get their work done. Against this backdrop, CIPD is calling on organisations and government to make the right to request flexible working a day-one right. “Flexible working practices in the UK aren’t fair,” the association said. “Those in lower paid, more manual occupations often don’t have access to the same flexible working opportunities as those in higher paid, managerial professions.” At present, UK law states that employees can only request to work flexibly after twenty-six weeks of employment, with a limit of one request per twelve months. To try and change this, the association launched its ‘Flex from 1st’ campaign in February 2021 (when the UK was a month into its third national lockdown). In short, the campaign is encouraging employers to support flexible working for all and the right for employees to request flexible working from the first day of employment. In September of that year, the government published a consultation on making the right to flexible working a day one right for all employees. Although the rise in interest in flexible working can largely be attributed to the pandemic, it isn’t itself a COVID issue. Yet there are many coronavirus concerns when it comes to employment law, especially where vaccination is concerned. At the time of writing, the 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:52 Page 2www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 45 EMPLOYMENT LAW only employees that are legally required to have both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination are those working in care homes. Yet companies in every sector are keen to keep their staff safe and avoid any disruptions and downtime caused by potential outbreaks. From that perspective, bosses may be keen to motivate staff to get vaccinated. There have already been cases of bosses taking provisions to get staff jabbed (although, to date, more than 49 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine). This includes new terms in any new employment contract or contract renewal stipulating that the employee agrees to be vaccinated with the advised two jabs as a condition of their employment. However, employers in sectors outside of care homes risk tribunal claims if they make vaccinations mandatory amongst their workforce. There are several legal grounds that staff could resist mandatory vaccinations including human rights and indirect discrimination. Bosses therefore need to be careful in how they approach staff with this issue. Employment law provides a framework to foster and support communication between employers and their staff. Perhaps more than any other time in recent decades, both bosses and staff have been pressured by a seismic shift in attitudes, wants and needs. The forthcoming Employment Bill should help to address these issues, but it won’t be a cure-all or a silver bullet. Businesses can themselves be vehicles for change in this regard. As can be seen in almost every other area of business – where one goes, others will follow. © stock.adobe.com/mojo_cp 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:52 Page 346 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk NEW YEAR, NEW SUPPLIER Loyalty is its own reward, or so the saying goes, but 2021 has been a difficult year due to COVID-19 and lockdown, and as we start 2022 in another lockdown the question has to be asked – should we hold to our old suppliers for loyalty’s sake? It’s not always an easy thing to assess. Straight back after the holidays, most businesses already have a hundred and one things to get onto in the new year and looking at all your suppliers may seem an extra task unworthy the effort. That is flawed logic, however. We all know that we should shop around for car insurance each and every year, and that we should never let it tick over to an auto- renewal as we will lose money. The same goes for phone contracts, broadband and other household bills, so why is it that so many businesses are content to do the opposite? For the most part, it’s all about stability. The years past have been choppy to say the least and it’s easy to see why businesses might appreciate a less complicated relationship with suppliers. For many, there are also good relations with suppliers to consider, perhaps friendships or times where their directors have wined and dined you. Keep in mind that this is intentional, however. We all do it – you may as well! Key customers are worth taking the time to ingratiate yourself with, and it’s ultimately nothing more than a means of insuring loyalty. You should never feel beholden or indebted to a supplier because their service has already been repaid with your money. That is how business works. With 2022 set to be as turbulent a year as 2021, at least at first glance, big questions need to be asked as to how your suppliers handled the last lockdown. Was it smooth sailing? Were they available to help with any problems? If yes, then that’s a good sign they’ll be just as capable through this one, but if there were problems, glaring or otherwise, then it might be time to ask if those problems will repeat this year. There may be suppliers better able to meet your demands, perhaps even at a more cost- effective rate or to a higher quality. It’s no secret that companies will fight harder to win your business early on, leading to a honeymoon period where you hold all the power, and they will be loathe to upset you. Are such methods exploitative or damaging to the economy? Not at all. In fact, the opposite may well be true. While remaining loyal to the same suppliers time after time will help their bottom line, new businesses enter the market all the time and some of them may have the potential to be large players in the future. Denying them the New year, new supplier With so much to do in the new year it can feel daunting to look at suppliers, and easier to just go with what you know, but that attitude could lead businesses into trouble. 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:54 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 47 NEW YEAR, NEW SUPPLIER opportunity to sell their services to you solely because it is “easier” to stick with old suppliers could do both them, and yourself, a disservice. Instead, we should all be more attentive to suppliers, and the first few months of the year are the best time to take a look at this. Ask your staff who deal directly with the suppliers what their experiences have been, how helpful the suppliers have been and whether there were any issues. It can sometimes be a surprise to discover just how difficult things have been; or that staff have had numerous problems with suppliers but have simply dealt with it on their own and not felt the need to inform management. To them, it may feel like it is their job to work around the issues, when in reality this could be taking valuable employee time away from more profitable work. It may well be that a business already has the best suppliers it can have, that nothing is discovered and that the suppliers have been both attentive and capable. Discovering such is not a waste of time or effort, however. Efficiency in any aspect of business can only be attained if manufacturing lines are quantified, if employee retention is monitored, and if sales teams work to targets. In business, everything should be quantified and measured at all times. How else will managers know what can be improved? Don’t take the attitude that the same does not apply to suppliers. They are a key part of your business focus, and their performance must be measured. If they’re not good enough, it may well be time to look for new service providers. © stock.adobe.com/Krakenimages.com 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:54 Page 248 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY The concept of online conferencing has become popular in the past two years and the practice has been used to overcome the difficulties imposed by lockdown and travel restrictions. Video calling and conferencing have become the new standard ways to communicate and interact with others in times of need and online platforms have actually turned out to be a big resource for businesses that want to preserve their normal functioning and networking activities. Online conferencing has proved to have some potential and perks, the biggest one being the ability to overcome any physical and geographical barrier. Moving your conference online means anyone can attend, from anywhere in the world and from the comfort of their homes, without any travel or logistical constraints. People who would normally have issues travelling will be able to attend, which means there could potentially be a bigger turn out and a wider spread of participants. Another perk is the cost and time effectiveness of online conferencing, for both attendees and all organising parties. If your conference is online, your costs will be limited to the actual content of the event; there will be no need to plan any activities or refreshment, you won’t need to cover any travelling or accommodation costs for attendees and guest speakers, and there will be no need to book a venue. Similarly, attendees, being able to join the event from home, will not need to pay for anything other than the admission fee. If people can attend from wherever they want, they can also attend whenever they want. Moving everything online means people can log in and out as they please, deciding what activities and talks to prioritise and being able to manage their attendance in a way that does not affect their daily activities. This time-effective potential of online conferencing can be further enhanced by the presence of on demand content: this will allow attendees to listen to speakers in their own time and it will make sure the conference content and messages will be more likely to reach the audience successfully. Overall, all these elements guarantee a successful conference; people will be more motivated to take part in an event knowing they can access it whenever they want, from wherever they want, and it might also result in higher degrees of interaction, engagement and interest. However, online conferencing also comes with a series of challenges that might be difficult to control and, sometimes, even to resolve. If having everything online represents an incredible resource and gives the Taking your conference online With COVID-19 making another comeback this winter and governments recommending people to limit social gatherings and interactions, there is a chance businesses will need to turn to online conferences and events once again. 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:56 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 49 CORPORATE HOSPITALITY © stock.adobe.com/insta_photos event a much higher level of accessibility and flexibility, it also means that attendance is solely dependent on internet connection. Unfortunately, it cannot be assumed everyone owns or has access to the same high-quality technological resources; this means not everyone will be able to access the event in the same way, which can be frustrating and off-putting. Additionally, if conferences and corporate events are difficult to put together during regular times when one is allowed to meet in person and discuss options, they will be ten times harder to manage if people are not able to meet face-to-face with all parties involved. Which brings us the biggest con of all: the lack of face-to-face interaction. Despite being more time effective, meeting online lacks that interpersonal quality in-person communications have. Body language and facial expressions make up for most of our successful interactions with others, being able to read non-verbal cues allows us to better understand people and their intentions and helps us avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications. Even if in a post-pandemic world it has become the ordinary, video calling does not provide us with the same quality of interactions in-person communication does; we can’t read any cues, we are in a constant fear of the connection cutting off, we worry about how we look on camera and how we behave, we tend get distracted by other attendees on screen; all resulting in low quality communication and adding to the stress of interacting with others. This provides people with anxiety and causes what it is now known as Zoom fatigue. Video conferencing represents an incredible resource for businesses that still want to maintain their networking value during difficult times like the ones we’re living. It allows to keep in touch with people and gives the possibility to expand one’s reach globally. However, there are some challenges that come with moving a conference online that make planning in some ways more complicated, as businesses are required to think about difficulties they wouldn’t normally have to deal with, so it is important to keep all elements in mind. Turning to online conferencing in the last couple of years has been a necessity that has, in a way, turned into a resource; we have been able to explore the dos and don’ts of online conferencing and now, with this experience behind us, businesses can utilise this service at its full potential and make sure their conferences reach people in the most successful way possible. 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 10/01/2022 08:56 Page 2Next >