In this Issue Supporting your team Occupier Q&A Choosing a car Photo competition THE The latest news from our national business centre network ISSUE 8
Over 20 Locations Across The UK 1 Edinburgh Park [email protected] 2 Edinburgh Leith [email protected] 3 Glasgow [email protected] 4 Leeds Morley [email protected] 5 Leeds Thorpe Park [email protected] 6 Manchester Cheadle [email protected] 7 Warrington [email protected] 8 Nottingham [email protected] 9 Oldbury [email protected] 10 Birmingham [email protected] 11 Warwick [email protected] 12 Leamington [email protected] 13 Cheltenham [email protected] 14 Gloucester [email protected] 15 Oxford [email protected] 16 Aylesbury [email protected] 17 Welwyn [email protected] 18 Swindon [email protected] 19 Reading [email protected] 20 Portishead [email protected] 21 Weston-Super-Mare [email protected] 22 Farnborough [email protected] 23 Portsmouth [email protected] To book your space, please contact the local centre or visit www.pureoffices.co.uk/locations Serviced Offices Virtual Offices Meeting Rooms Sustainable Offices 16 13 2 3 1 22 14 12 4 5 8 6 7 9 10 15 20 23 18 19 11 17 21 Net Zero target All electricity from sustainable sources Solar at many locations with more to follow Low energy lighting at all locations Cycle storage and showers to support sustainable commutes EV chargers due at all locations by the end of 2022
Welcome to THE HUB Welcome to the latest edition of The Hub and it’s a busy one with plenty of news from around our UK centres and directly from our occupiers - the heart of the business. When I visit our centres around the UK I often notice some good photo opportunities. From The Blade’s commanding views across the Thames Valley to the rolling hills around Edinburgh and the coastal scenes in Portsmouth, there’s plenty worthy of a photo, and that’s just outside. Inside there are always social occasions, charity days or client events taking place. So, I’m delighted to announce the launch of our 2023 photography competition where we’re inviting you to share your pictures from in and around our UK centres. I’m really excited to see what you all come up with. So, get snapping and share those pics with us. More details inside. Also, in this edition we’ve got some ideas as to how you can help your team with the cost of living crisis. As the largest overall employer in the UK, the SME sector has a role to play in helping people navigate through, what will hopefully be a phase rather than the norm. We’ve gathered together a range of simple and cost effective ideas of how you can lend a hand or offer some subtle help through the medium of the business. The car market in particular has seen some of the biggest price climbs in recent years and so we’ve asked a vehicle sourcing specialist to give us some insight into the market for both company and personal vehicles. It’s a sector that is changing, but can global supply chains keep up with our thirst for new and does the infrastructure support a move to all electric? As well as details of the photography competition and our main features, we’ve also got our regular occupier and Pure Offices team spotlights. In this issue we hear from Maureen Mbondiah, Director at Dravens Healthcare, an occupier at Pure Offices Aylesbury and also get to meet Lesley Kelly, Centre Manager at Pure Offices in Leith. Enjoy the read and happy snapping! Nick Turner Managing Director – Pure Offices Refer a friend and receive £100 if they take an office with us. Email [email protected] for further information. *T’s & C’s apply Refer a friend
Meet the Team Meet The Team – Lesley Kelly, Centre Manager at Pure Offices in Leith, Edinburgh Lesley Kelly manages Pure Offices in the Leith area of Edinburgh. We caught up with Lesley to learn more about her role and what makes her tick. Hi Lesley! What were you doing before running Pure Offices in Leith? I worked in a solicitors office for about 18 years then at a couple of taxi companies for around 14 years. My role at the first taxi company was much more customer service focused than the legal one; I was looking after a lot of their big clients. I managed one of the satellite offices for the second taxi firm I worked for so when the job at Pure Offices came up I thought, ‘I can do that’ – with no real idea about what I was going to be doing! Once I’d read the description and spoken to Denise for my first phone interview I knew I really wanted the position. That was just over five years ago and I have to say it’s been the best decision ever. A centre manager’s role is super varied – is that one of your favourite things about it? Yes, I would say so. I came in today and I knew we had to deal with a leak in one of the ladies toilets, then I had a viewing before travelling to Glasgow to see the Hillington Park office. This was a day that all went to plan – other days you can make a plan for the day and it just goes completely awry! Our customers are also what makes the job so great. I know every centre manager probably says the same, but mine are the best! The most amazing bunch of people work here, and it’s so diverse in terms of what they do. We have telecoms surveying, letting agents, a chiropractor, sports masseuse, care companies, design agencies, charities… …you get a different perspective on every bit of life. I love seeing the companies grow within the centre. We’ve got one team who’ve been in Bonnington Bond for quite a few years and started in a small 2 person office. Last year saw them move into the penthouse office in Sugar Bond. It’s amazing watching occupiers go from strength to strength Do you learn a lot about how different businesses work? Yes, I’d probably do really well in a pub quiz right now! You pick up lots from everyone and start to understand how people tick. It’s the people part of it that I’d probably say I love the most because I’m very much a people person. How busy is the centre at the moment? We’ve been really busy since the pandemic. It goes without saying that there’s a lot of hybrid working here. I find that Mondays and Fridays are quiet in the centre and the rest of the week tends to be quite busy. I’m seeing more and more people desperate to get back to work in the office. Even though they don’t want to be here for a full week, they’re craving the social aspect of being in an office and chatting to people again. We’re seeing a change in people’s idea of what a working week should look like. There’s a noticeable uplift in everyone’s spirit because they know that they don’t have to be stuck in the office five days a week. We’ve got returning customers as well; people who gave up their offices when Covid hit but have come back because they need space and are tired of working at home. What events do you run at the centre? We try to run events on a monthly basis. This month one of our virtual clients who runs a HR company is going to be talking about equality in the workplace. Everyone can enjoy some coffee and cakes, and they can do a bit of networking afterwards. This type of event is really useful for our occupiers. Then we do The Bevvy!. Myself and my assistant Hazel take turns organising the events; you always know I’ve organised it when there’s drink involved! Events are a great way to get to know your clients. Everybody spends a lot of time in their office so it’s important to make the workplace experience as enjoyable as possible. It’s a shared space so you want everyone to get on with their neighbours. We’ve managed to create a really nice atmosphere in the building. How do you ‘sell’ your centre to prospective new customers? I talk to them about the social aspect and the people you meet within the building, as well as everything we can do for them. I find out about their company and tell them positive stories about similar occupiers to get them excited about their business. Running a startup can be quite scary, so just having that allinclusive monthly cost that we offer can make it much less so.
Have any of your customers collaborated with each other? We’ve got a couple of graphic designers who have done work for other startups, whether it’s helping them with their website or producing content for social media. The chiropractor has a lot of clients within the building – everyone is walking around the building a little bit taller, including me! It’s great. Work-life balance is so important: what do you like to do outside of work? So my latest thing – which was a surprise to most people – is camping. I went last year for the first time and loved it, but I’m usually more of a high heels and lipstick person which is why everyone who knows me is surprised when I tell them. I’m hoping to arrange another camping trip this year. I’m a fair weather camper though so I’ll have to wait for summer again!
TOTAL SAVINGS IN L A ST 12 MON HT S TOTAL SAVINGS SINCE INSTA L LAT OI N Our Progress to Net Zero As you will have read and seen around our centres, we are committed to becoming a Net Zero business (and well before the UK target of 2050). We have already taken a number of steps to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and we’re raring to do more. Location Carbon Savings Since Installation Carbon Savings Last 12 Months Cheltenham 86.2 CO2 Tonnes 5.7 CO2 Tonnes Weston 67.2 CO2 Tonnes 5.5 CO2 Tonnes Oldbury 78.4 CO2 Tonnes 8.2 CO2 Tonnes Swindon 89.3 CO2 Tonnes 5.4 CO2 Tonnes Warwick 97.3 CO2 Tonnes 6.8 CO2 Tonnes Leamington Spa 93.8 CO2 Tonnes 7.7 CO2 Tonnes Welwyn Garden City 77.7 CO2 Tonnes 5.4 CO2 Tonnes Nottingham 98.6 CO2 Tonnes 7.6 CO2 Tonnes Oxford 161.2 CO2 Tonnes 12 CO2 Tonnes Gloucester 381.8 CO2 Tonnes 24.5 CO2 Tonnes Aylesbury 117.7 CO2 Tonnes 10.7 CO2 Tonnes Portishead 551 CO2 Tonnes 34.5 CO2 Tonnes Pure News Obviously, a big part of this project is monitoring our progress and so we were really pleased to have received these latest calculations on the carbon savings from our solar panels on the roofs of many of our centres. We have already saved a whopping 1900 tonnes of CO2 with 134 tonnes in the last 12 months alone. Phase 2 of the programme is well underway and we hope to have solar at the majority of our centres by the summer.
What’s the prize? - The winner will receive a framed and mounted print of their photo and pizzas for their team - Runners up will receive either a sweat treat or fruit hamper for their office Competition Get snap happy Terms and conditions Pictures need to be originals taken by you. By entering, you permit Pure Offices to use the picture in our marketing materials, campaigns and across our digital and social media. Judging will take place on 11th April 2023 and the judges decision will be final. Winners and runners up will be notified by email within 7 days of the decision. There are no alternative prizes Calling all budding photographers, it’s competition time and that means it’s your chance to shine! If you’re a bit handy with a camera or you just happen to have snapped an amazing sunrise or funny photo at one of our UK business centres, you could be in with a chance of winning our 2023 photography competition. We’re looking for the best shots taken in and around our offices and so we’re calling on you all to pick up your phones and cameras and get snapping. There are no categories or anything stuffy like that, we just want to capture life at Pure Offices. Whether that’s office life, wildlife, outdoor life or social life, we want you to share your pics with us. Everyone’s welcome, you can enter as many times as you like and there are prizes too. Oh and of course, there’ll be a feature in a future edition of The Hub showing all the winners and runners up and perhaps a few random snaps - there’s always one! So what are you waiting for? Take your phone on your next walk or coffee break and see what you can snap. What you need to do to enter Take a picture that you think is truly standout Email it to [email protected] before Friday 7th April along with which Pure centre you are based at. !
Choosing a car that you’re going to love and enjoy driving for years to come is an exciting process, but it can also be a confusing one! With so many options on the market, it can feel overwhelming. The automotive industry is constantly evolving, and you never know what new and exciting options might be available since the last time you looked. Vehicle brokers Chris and Lyndsay Pink, owners of Pinksauce Leasing, help would be buyers – both corporate and personal – navigate the sourcing process and here they share some of their key advice. Sourcing your new Feature car How do you choose the perfect car for you? Think of it like an inverted triangle. Start at the bottom with the size and style of the car that best fits your lifestyle and circumstances. You’re unlikely to be comparing a hot hatch and a pick-up truck but you might be torn between a spacious hatchback, a stylish estate and a rugged SUV. So, think carefully about your needs and you’ll soon find that the options narrow down.
ICE - Internal Combustion Engine Running costs Noise Environment The classic and reliable internal combustion engine (ICE) has been powering cars for over a century and continues to be popular today despite Government plans to phase them out. More cylinders, more noise, more pollution and more money to run these days. BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle Running costs Noise Environment This environmentally-friendly engine is powered solely by electricity, making it a clean and green alternative to the ICE. BEVs are whisper-quiet and produce zero emissions, making them a popular choice for those wanting to reduce their carbon footprint. HEV - Hybrid Electric Vehicle Running costs Noise Environment The HEV is the ultimate all-rounder of car engines! It combines the best of both worlds, with an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. The electric motor provides the power for short trips and low-speed driving, while the ICE takes over for longer journeys. PHEV - Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Running costs Noise Environment Like the HEV, this engine combines an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. However, the PHEV has a larger battery that can be charged by an electrical outlet allowing for extended electric-only driving. The PHEV is offers the benefits of an electric car but with the backup of a petrol engine for longer trips. MHEV - Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle Running costs Noise Environment The mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) is the cheeky relative of hybrid engines. It has a smaller battery and electric motor, providing a boost of power during acceleration. However, the primary power source for this engine is still the internal combustion engine. What about engines, fuel and rising costs of energy? Now that you know your style, get ready for an adventure into the thrilling world of automotive engine acronyms! You’re going to need to know your ICE from your HEV now more than ever. Which power option you choose will depend greatly on the kind of mileage you do and your access to infrastructure. Towns and Cities are currently better set up to support plug in options, but the infrastructure is expanding, gradually. However, the scenes around Christmas 2022 with EV queues for hours at service stations prove that it is not up to muster just yet and it’s still easier and faster to splash and dash with fossil fuels. You may also not be able to charge at home, limiting your ability to go fully electric. But don’t worry. If you want something a bit greener but can’t go the whole hog, there are options:
Budget - the middle of your selection triangle When it comes to car buying, if you’re not purchasing outright with cash, there are plenty of finance options. It’s important to consider what you can afford in terms of deposit, monthly payment and a potential final payment. Factors such as the length of the agreement, type of agreement, mileage, and the amount of deposit or final payment will play a big role in determining which vehicles you can consider. If you don’t see yourself owning the car, then go down the lease route. If you’d like the option to purchase at the end, consider a Personal Contract Plan (PCP) which includes a final purchase payment. Most lease options work on a monthly payment basis and the deposit is equal to a fixed number of payments e.g. 6 months deposit and 23 monthly payments or 9 months deposit and 35 monthly payments. You may find some oddball options sitting in the same monthly budget price as it’s all to do with the value of the vehicle at the end of that agreement. So don’t be surprised to find a top spec Ford sat in the same bracket as an entry level BMW. Features and add ons - where the fun happens! You’ve got your style and power sorted, now you get to choose from the amazing range of extras like top-notch infotainment, helpful driving assist features, comfort options, stylish aesthetics, and critical safety features. Most options cost money and some cost a lot, so a flexible wish list can lead to even better deals! Look for special editions or ‘packs’ which can offer lots of extras without having to go up the model range. You may also want to look sideways as sibling brands may offer more gadgets for less money – for example VW’s sister brands include Skoda, Cupra and Seat which give you VW chassis and parts but at a lower price point. So seat belts on…go find your dream car… oh and don’t forget the colour! Quickfire 10 Questions 1. Are the problems in the car supply chain resolving themselves? Absolutely! The car supply chain is making great strides towards resolution. We are seeing a remarkable increase in production levels, as well as a steady decline in the number of disruptions and delays. 2. Prices have jumped in the last few years. Can we expect to see a return to the deals and offers of pre-2020? Possibly! The market did need realigning, but with the economy bouncing back, there’s a good chance that we’ll see more deals and offers as businesses compete for customers. 3. Is the Tesla price drop a marketing ploy or a deal too good to miss? I could write a whole article on this alone. The only customers who benefited were cash buyers and that’s a very small number. So you’d have to say marketing ploy. 4. Is the infrastructure there to support the move to electric? It’s sketchy. The move to electric vehicles is putting a strain on the current infrastructure. It’s going to take huge government investment plus commitment from private individuals and businesses, to achieve full coverage. 5. Which EV is the total package (price, drive, style etc.)? The Cupra Born and BMW iX are both impressive vehicles that offer a combination of price, drive, and style that’s hard to beat. 6. What are the top 3 company cars (tax/BIK, environment)? Telsa, Kia, Hyundai, Volvo and BMW offer great options with 2% BIK. My top 3 other picks would be: BMW 330e, Skoda Superb iV Plug-in hybrid, Kia e-Niro 7. Best car you’ve ever owned? With my own money – Volvo V90. Always wanted a big Volvo and I wasn’t disappointed. As a car dealer with a new car every month, the VW Golf R Estate and the Honda S2000 are two cars that standout. I shed a tear when Honda announced S2000 production was stopping. Awesome drivers’ car. 8. What’s your dream car? I live near the Rolls Royce factory at Goodwood so I see my dream cars most weeks. Hard choice between the Dawn and Spectre though. 9. Best deal on the market right now? It changes almost daily but there was a Peugeot 2008 GT offer in January that had so many orders in one day they changed it overnight to manage order levels! 10. Poacher turned gamekeeper, what’s your one piece of negotiating advice when buying a car? There’s so much choice in the market and you’re busy people. Use a trusted vehicle broker! Visit www.pinksauceleasing.co.uk for more information.
We’re excited to welcome Swift Temps to our Birmingham Oldbury centre. The rapidly growing recruitment firm has nine existing offices across the Midlands and North West and they’ve chosen Pure Offices as the home for their Birmingham and Black Country operations. The addition of the new Birmingham office facilitates the company’s continued growth as they seek to support workers with finding temporary and permanent employment positions. Founded in 2016 by Redditch born entrepreneur Damian Lee, the company has expanded and now has offices in Redditch, Telford, Coventry, Manchester, St Helens, Preston, Deeside, Wakefield and Birmingham. Damian comments; “We’re delighted to open our new and improved Birmingham office at Pure Office Oldbury. We’ve been based in Birmingham for a number of years now and our Birmingham office has gone from strength to strength, helping businesses across the region to scale up their workforce as and when they need to. We’ve seen huge potential in the Birmingham area during 2022 as the regional economy continues to bounce back from the pandemic. With the addition of international events such as the Commonwealth Games and continued investment across the wider West Midlands area, we know that Birmingham is destined to be the key area for the continued growth of our business.” We like to work and play! Here’s a small selection of snaps from events that have been taking place around the UK including Blue Monday, Valentine’s day, pizzas to celebrate client anniversaries and some truly yummy looking cake sales. Occupier News Damian and his Birmingham team Events across our centres Swift Temps expands to Birmingham Oldbury
It’s fair to say that we’re all feeling the pinch at the moment. Even those for whom we may assume that life is comfortable, there’s no getting away from the fact that costs are rising, squeezing household budgets everywhere. Here are some ideas in terms of what employers can do to support their teams Be there It may sound simple, but one of the most important things you can do is be open and available for colleagues to come to you. Helping someone could be as easy as having a chat and subtly letting them know you’re ready to support if needed. But employees may also want to come to you looking for answers to specific requests or questions. They may be considering a second job/additional income stream and want to know if there are any rules or tax implications around that. They may have specific issues with travel costs, requiring a flexible working request, or it may be that they need help covering their expenses in advance to help manage their cashflow. Food based get togethers Another way of encouraging the team into the office and back together, whilst also helping them save a bit of cash, could be to create some focus around a shared meal. Whilst you could hang it on some training or a staff update, it doesn’t have to be formal and could just be a social. However, making sure your team have one hot meal on that day, be it a breakfast, lunch or dinner, could make a difference. We heard of a primary school running ‘Teaching on Toast’ as part of their CPD, so why not dress it up as something other than a free meal! Helping your team with the cost of living Feature
Hardship fund A few big businesses have gone public with the fact that they have a hardship fund for staff – a clever way of subtly letting their team know of its existence. Whether it’s a grant or a loan – some staff may prefer the idea of a loan – setting aside some funds to help staff with emergencies or just until the end of the month can provide peace of mind. Vouchers, discounts, benefits Are you and your HR team aware of the various government support schemes available, should a member of staff come seeking help? Does your business offer things like childcare vouchers or cycle to work schemes? From social tariffs, which offer long term discounted mobile and broadband contracts, to helping families cut the cost of the commute and childcare – being aware of and being able to signpost staff to these means you can offer a range of tailored support, at little or no cost to the business. Perhaps it’s also the right time to review your overall benefits package to ensure its reflective of the current need. Asking staff for their thoughts also helps open that conversation and could identify anyone with a concern or current issue. Signpost Not every business can provide direct financial support to their staff or even afford some of the ideas put forward here. Afterall, businesses are under similar cost pressures. If you don’t feel that you can provide tangible support to your staff, then at least remain open to trying to offer assistance, even if that is signposting to debt counselling or organisations like Citizens Advice. You may be the first person your team members turn to and so being able to offer an ear and some helpful advice could be just as beneficial as anything else.
Dravens Healthcare was established from humble beginnings at the kitchen table of Director Maureen Mbondiah, in the West Midlands in 2016. Today, Dravens is in “it’s best position yet”. We caught up with Maureen to find out more about the company and what prompted them to choose Pure Offices in Aylesbury as their base. Hi Maureen! Please tell us a bit about your business... After working for 15 years in the healthcare sector as a nurse practitioner in the NHS and Private Sector, l established the business to provide a quality professional service for the elderly in the community, commonly known as home care or domiciliary care. We have since expanded to provide supported living for mental health clients and a live in care provision for those that need a live in carer. We work with the Local Authority and also local hospitals who provide us with new referrals. When did you start working in the care sector? I started caring at the age of 17 soon after the sudden passing of my mother who in my opinion died due to poor care and an incorrect diagnosis. I became suddenly connected to the care industry, as l felt like l could do more for those in need of care. I trained as a nurse and qualified at age 21 which l was very proud of. I worked for 15 years in the industry before l decided to take up the challenge of running my own business. What inspired you to start Dravens Healthcare? My inspiration was to be able to influence policy and decision making in the care industry. I was driven by quality care over quantity of care. My model is centred around treating each individual as just that. One of the first things my company did was to eliminate 15-minute care calls – in my opinion no amount of quality can be given to anyone in such a short period of time. What are your business’ core principles? - Quality Care - Professional Care - Individualised Care - Respect each individual and provide choices at all times - Care to Care Why did you choose Pure Offices in Aylesbury as your base, and what do you like most about it? Pure Offices is central to Buckinghamshire and is easy for our staff to access during their work in the community. Apart from this it’s a good professional look for our brand with all the services any company would need to stand out. Not to mention that it caters for the disabled to access the building easily. Do you have any tips for attracting and retaining employees? Yes... look after the staff that look after the clients. We appreciate staff through employee of the month gifts. We also have good support systems and this year we’ll be holding an Awards and Recognition Night for all the clients, carers and companies we have worked with over the years. We recently introduced staff birthdays off for all our staff. What’s next for Dravens Healthcare? Dravens is in its best position yet since its establishment. We’ve started welcoming new staff to join our team through the sponsorship visa for healthcare. We aim to expand by opening two more branches in the UK this year. We’ve already established a franchise model and interested individuals and companies are going through applications to join the brand. We’re also proud to be currently rated as a GOOD provider and are working towards Outstanding with the Care Quality Commission. How do you achieve a work-life balance? The company has a good management team who are responsive and accountable to the day-to-day running of the business. Dravens Healthcare has created systems that allow handover takeover, allowing staff to get a good work-life balance. Occupier Q&A
Would you like to join the Pure community? 5 easy steps and you are in... MAKE AN ENQUIRY Talk to one of our team at your preferred location - discuss prices, inclusive services, terms and arrange your viewing. VIEW Have a tour of the centre to check out the facilities, meet the team and choose your new office. COMPLETE CLIENT QUESTIONNAIRE Simple document giving us all of the information we need to create your agreement and invoice - choose your move-in date at this point. PAY & SIGN Our contracts are short, transparent and simple to read. As soon as you have signed and paid - we can hand over the keys. MOVING DAY! Congratulations on securing your new office space and becoming a part of one of the best business communities in the country!