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Why business owners are worried about “switching off”

New research by outsourced communications provider Moneypenny has revealed that millennials are more likely to want time offline than other generational groups.

The amount of time spent with phone and email access is a particular problem for 25-34 year olds, 73 per cent of whom would like time switched off from their devices, compared with 53 per cent of 45-54 year olds, and 40 per cent for over 55s. The survey also revealed that millennials are more proactive than their older work colleagues in trying to spend time disconnected from work: 38 per cent of 25-34s compared with 21 per cent of 45-54s.

And yet in spite of the desire to disconnect there is a persisting worry over the consequences of switching off – a trend shown to be more prevalent in millennial business owners, of whom only 9 per cent were not worried about disconnecting. In the older age group (45-54), 40 per cent of business owners had no worries about time away from technology.

The reason business owners might choose to keep connected even when they’d prefer a break is because they’re concerned they’ll miss customers (22 per cent), that the admin will pile up (21 per cent) or that they’ll be held responsible for something going wrong when offline.

All valid concerns and yet business owners  frequently ignoring their mobiles, with 28 per cent ignoring calls from clients and 56 per cent ignoring calls from friends and family.

Joanna Swash, MD of Moneypenny, commented: “Fortunately there is a wealth of solutions available to ensure business keeps working during the holidays, from virtual PAs to automated answering systems, so there’s no reason to be taking calls from the sun lounger.”

If you have any energy queries relating to your home or business, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Source: Phamnews.co.uk – “MILLENNIALS MOST LIKELY TO SWITCH OFF”

Plumbing advice for business owners moving property

Is your business moving to a new property? If so, it’s important to check that the plumbing, pipes, taps and fittings on the new premises are in proper working order – to avoid time consuming inconvenience and the costs incurred there from.

WaterSafe, the UK national accreditation body for approved plumbers, has created an easy five-step guide to help property owners ensure that their plumbing is in top notch condition. The advice is based on the invaluable experience of the approved Watersafe plumbers who are often the first port of call when there is a problem, and aims to facilitate a smooth transition into a new property. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Find the internal stop tap (usually found where the water supply enters the premises) and make sure it’s working properly and you can turn it on and off easily, in case you need to in an emergency.
  • Check your boiler’s service history – how old it is and how regularly it’s been serviced. If there’s a cold water tank in the attic, make sure it’s clean and that it has a lid fitted.
  • Look out for leaky taps, toilets and radiators. Tell-tale signs to look out for are: loss of pressure, rust, water stains on the walls, floors or carpets, or mould on ceilings and walls.
  • Find out whether the property has lead water pipes – usually a dark matte grey pipe that turns shiny when scraped with a screwdriver. Drinking water that has passed through lead pipes can be harmful so you might want to replace them with copper or plastic ones.
  • Check if there’s a water metre, which could be in the ground outside the front of your house, or inside near the stop tap. If you have a water meter you’ll be charged for the amount of water you use rather than an estimated amount.

If you’d like further information or plumbing advice, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Sources: Watersafe.org.uk – “Moving home? Our plumbers’ top tips” and “New home? Check your plumbing”.

What business owners need to know about UK energy policy in the upcoming General Election

The election is drawing near and things are hotting up in the decision making department as business owners scrutinise party policies in an effort to cast a vote that will yield entrepreneurial advantage. Understanding what the General Election means for UK energy policy is of particular significance as it will have a long term impact on business overheads but with politicians not exactly known for their candour, negotiating the vague strategy of party politics can be frustrating if nothing else.

In an effort to help business owners better understand party manifestos and what they will mean for energy using companies, the Association for Decentralised Energy has offered a review of the most prominent party policies. The bad news is that Despite loud concerns over the past two years from businesses on their growing energy costs, there is nothing from any of the parties’ manifestos that shows the importance of improving industrial and business energy productivity or managing their costs is on their radar, which the Association for Decentralised Energy is calling a “missed opportunity for all the major parties.” That said; there are yet some points that might affect the voting choice of UK entrepreneurs:

  • Both Labour and the Liberal Democrat manifestos commit to energy efficiency as an infrastructure priority although there remains limited detail on the proposal.
  • The Conservative manifesto focuses on the cost of energy but the party’spromise to remove relatively low-cost onshore wind subsidies risks undermining this claim.
  • The Liberal Democrat manifesto reflects their experience gained in government and their aim to own the green energy file in comparison to the other main parties. As well as a poignant focus on energy, it is also the only manifesto to properly consider heat.
  • The Scottish National Party (SNP), although understandably focused on Scotland, has a very strong focus on encouraging renewable electricity investment, due to the Scottish wind and tidal resource.

It’s definitely worth doing further research into any of the aforementioned points if they have the potential to sway your vote.

And if you’re a small business owner, listen up! Of particular interest in the upcoming General Election is the ballot to be cast by Britain’s small business community, which has grown by two million firms since the last election in 2010. According to the StartUp Britain tracker, for the last three years record numbers of people have been setting up in business. In just two years, more than a million new companies have been registered with Companies House, and one in 10 domestic properties in the UK is now home to at least one business – as reported by ibtimes.co.uk.

The ultimate point is this: no matter how small or big your company, energy is an issue and it is important to consider what the people who plan to run the country might offer your business when it comes to entrepreneurial advancement – not only in relation to the overall goal of cutting costs but in terms of energy efficiency and ethical policy as well.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Sources: Theade.co.uk – “Better Energy Blog | What the General Election Means for UK Energy Policy” and Ibtimes.co.uk – “Election 2015: Cameron and Miliband can gain huge advantage by winning small business favour”