The Barking Enterprise Centres (BEC) has a long history of supporting small businesses locally by providing affordable accommodation, mentoring, and training.

COVID-19 has not stopped us and over the last six months. The BEC is proud of the work it delivered through lockdown, delivering over 300 hours of business support and supporting over 600 businesses to access grant funding. Nearly £27 million was paid in grants to Barking and Dagenham-based businesses.

Did you know that we also gave payment breaks to all our tenants which put £120k back in the pocket of our businesses who call the BEC home!

The BEC remains committed to supporting this ongoing COVID world. We don’t consider businesses to be ‘Post-COVID19,’ we are all still very much working our way through it. 

We are delighted to announce that our Directors have agreed with us that we need to guarantee a rent freeze until the summer of 2021. We hope this shows our commitment to helping businesses survive and thrive in these very strange times. 

If you are looking for accommodation for your business then do get in touch 0208 227 3030 or reception@barkingenterprisecentre.co.uk where Gemma will be glad to help.

If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted, it’s the importance of coworking spaces for employees of all kinds. Over the years, research has been carried out into the best ways of helping employees to thrive at work, and the best results were associated with coworking spaces, which came out far ahead of traditional offices in terms of worker satisfaction and productivity.

So, what are coworking spaces? And what makes them so effective when it comes to helping workers to thrive?

Coworking Spaces – A Definition

A coworking space is defined as a membership-based workspace in which groups of remote workers, freelancers, and independent professionals come together in a communal, shared setting.

What Sets Coworking Spaces Apart From Traditional Office Environments?

People using coworking spaces, above all else, view their work as important and meaningful. Freelancers and independent professionals choose projects that they care about, and when they come to a coworking space they can bring their whole selves to the spaces. Since these spaces are made up of people working on a wide variety of ventures and for different organizations, there is no internal politics or direct competition. This means there’s no need to adopt a different persona in order to fit in with the group.

Not only that, but it is the norm in coworking spaces to help other members and for each person to offer their own unique skillsets to assist other members of the community with their projects. Coworking environments operate on the values of collaboration, sustainability, and community which lends an air of social integration to space. As a result, those operating in coworking environments feel part of a community, and a valued part at that.

The Community Difference

Connecting with other people is a key reason why workers choose to work in communal spaces instead of renting their own office or working from home. All coworking spaces come with a unique vibe that meets the members’ needs. Members of these spaces may join as an individual but they become part of a larger community.

Members are able to choose their level of interaction with others. They can enjoy discussions with others in social spaces or tuck themselves away to focus on a project in a secluded space without interruptions. Yet, even those members who rarely seek community contact still have a strong sense of community identity since they have the potential to interact whenever they need or want to.

Adopting Coworking as a Company Strategy

More traditional companies these days are beginning to recognise the benefits of the coworking movement when it comes to helping their businesses survive. Coworking spaces are now being seen as alternative places where people can work, especially when flexible working is a requirement. Coworking spaces are also invaluable to companies that have implemented remote working, for example as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexibility and control are becoming more important than ever in the workplace, and this can be more easily achieved in a coworking space than in a classic office environment, so it comes as little surprise that their use has expanded exponentially in recent times. It’s likely that the reach of these environments will only expand further in the years to come.

Coworking spaces have grown enormously in popularity over the past few years and they are rapidly becoming the norm. There is an increasing demand for this way of working, and with so many uses for these shared spaces and so many different businesses and individuals that use them, it’s easy to see why they are becoming so widespread.

Here, we take a look at four common uses of coworking spaces and why these shared environments represent the best option for each one.

Freelancing

Freelancers don’t work for an individual company. Rather, they work solely for themselves. Therefore, a shared working space can represent the ideal solution. Often, freelancers find it difficult to work in their own homes. They may lack the necessary lighting, furniture, or equipment to work efficiently, or they may find it too distracting with family members, pets, and other noises. Coffee shops and cafes are an option, but they too are usually distracting, crowded, and loud. Therefore, a coworking space can be the answer to the problem. With a more traditional office-style environment, freelancers can get their work done without any annoyances.

Travelling Remote Workers

Remote workers are on the rise. These individuals may work for a broad spectrum of industries from online coaching or teaching to digital marketing and virtual help. These people work remotely so they can move around and travel whenever and wherever they want. These workers can GREATLY benefit from using coworking spaces since they can still move around between locations and enjoy the advantages of a traditional office environment in any city they arrive in.

Start-Up Businesses

Setting up a business is never easy. There are lots of expenses which build up, while, at the same time, there is still little money coming in. It’s for this reason that start-ups often turn to coworking spaces. Renting an entire office is rarely cost-effective when you’re running a brand-new, small operation – a coworking space is, therefore, more affordable and practical. Also, there is no commitment necessary when using coworking environments. There is no need to sign a long lease and commit to ongoing rent each month. Companies with financial limitations like start-ups prefer this, and they can also benefit from networking opportunities that can help their fledgling business.

Students

It isn’t just working professionals who can enjoy the benefits of coworking spaces. Students may also find them helpful, especially if they are finding it hard to study due to distractions in their home environment. In a coworking space, they can be more productive as there are fewer disruptions. Also, for students who are collaborating with others on a project, renting coworking spaces together can give them the room that they need to work effectively together on shared tasks.

BEC’s Coworking Spaces

Barking Enterprise Centres (BEC) can offer an excellent coworking environment that suits the needs of all the above groups of workers and more. With a host of facilities ranging from hot desks and small offices up to large spaces for three or more people, BEC also offers a wealth of complimentary services including comfortable furniture, office security, free refreshments, Wi-Fi, and free mentorship and training as well as regular office cleaning and mail and package handling. With all of this in mind, it’s easy to see why so many people are taking advantage of the possibilities. For inquiries and reservations, contact us here.

One thing that the COVID-19 crisis has thrown into sharp relief is the importance of socialising at work. As more workers have been told to avoid their offices and to stay at home to work, it has become increasingly clear that workers need some kind of social interaction in order to stay motivated and to get on effectively with the tasks in hand. With this in mind, it’s now becoming obvious that socialising has a more important role to play in the workplace than many of us imagined.

The Socialising Problem

With the increase in the number of employees now working remotely, the issue of socialising has slowly risen to the fore. Something that many workers take for granted is the sense of community they get from coming into the office each day. When that is taken away from them, they start to recognise just how much they rely on talking to others and sharing information on a daily basis.

Remote working simply cannot offer the same kind of interpersonal experience. There’s no one to chat with at the coffee machine or the water cooler, and there’s no in-person meetings where ideas can be shared. Working from home can be surprisingly lonely. It’s no wonder, then, that workers are looking for alternative ways to communicate with each other, to forge connections and to share ideas that don’t involve physically getting together in person – something which has proven to be impossible in the current pandemic climate.

Socialising Online – The Go-To Option

Workers have increasingly been obliged during the COVID-19 crisis to socialise online, and this has its own pros and cons. While the advantage is that workers can still communicate with each other, there is a lack of interpersonal connection and of the intimacy that can be achieved by sharing a physical space. Online connections also lack the authenticity of a face-to-face encounter. It’s all-too-easy to misunderstand the tone of a message or to read too much into a comment that has been made. It’s also very easy to accidentally offend someone or to give the wrong impression. With no visual context, it can be virtually impossible to determine the meaning of certain statements, and thoughtfulness and understanding can go out of the window.

Yet, there are many benefits too. Socialising online helps remote workers avoid the loneliness that comes with being away from the physical workspace. It opens up avenues of communication and allows for the sharing of ideas and expression of opinions with a broad spectrum of other people. The key, though, is knowing how to use those social platforms safely and effectively.

The Importance of Effectively Using Online Social Spaces

Knowing how to use social spaces online effectively is paramount to maximising the potential that they can offer, both in a personal and business sense. Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest are just some of the platforms that can be harnessed to connect with others and share things over the internet. Yet, it’s also vital to know how to control access to your information and how to remain safe in this world of potential cybercrime.

To find out more about how you can harness the potential of social networks to your advantage, the BEC Digital Upskill Programme offers a Socialising Online webinar to help.

This webinar will be delivered by Make It Click and Google.org, and will be facilitated by the BEC using guided learning.

Book your place today and begin to see the benefits for yourself.

As more workers have been forced into a remote working situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have come to realise that engagement can be a challenge. With workers no longer coming into the office every morning, finding motivation is proving to be more difficult than imagined.

As workers are faced with another day of working from their dining table or, even worse, from a laptop on their knee on the sofa, it can be difficult to get the real feel of being at work, particularly when other distractions crop up - the dog needing a walk, or toddlers demanding attention. It’s easy to see how it’s all-too-common to suffer from a lack of engagement with the work at hand

What Can Be Learned From The Pandemic About Engagement?

The term “employee engagement” is already well-known among business owners and leaders. Yet, what can the current pandemic crisis help us to learn that will still be valuable long-term?

Perhaps the most important aspect of employee engagement that has been seen during the coronavirus pandemic is the need for the maintenance of open and regular communication channels. This is especially invaluable among those who are working remotely and who need more effective and valuable interactions not only with managers but also with colleagues. Video calls, WhatsApp groups, telephone conversations, and desktop messenger apps are all now regularly being harnessed to facilitate effective communication and online face-to-face forums are now being embraced by companies everywhere in an attempt to engage with staff.

Organisation Culture and Remote Working

The culture of an organisation does not need to change because workers aren’t physically in the same room. Many social and cultural activities that form a key element of a business don’t need to come to an end but simply adapt to the new working environment. Rewarding and recognising colleagues and staff members publicly for their good work can still be done, just via video call or messenger apps instead. Virtual teams can be rewarded just as easily as physical ones when companies embrace the possibilities that technology provides.

Winning Employee Engagement

The strongest work teams are founded on trust, loyalty, and working together. Therefore, keeping teams intact and incentivised is key. It is companies that work the hardest to keep staff satisfied and secure in their jobs that will be able to reap all the benefits of a loyal staffing team. For this reason, employees need to be convinced that they are valuable to the company and that they aren’t just another number. For this reason, leadership teams need to address the worries that employees have about their emotional and physical well-being as well as about their future employment and financial stability. Leaders must be transparent and open with their plans, and this means regular empathic communication.

COVID-19 has presented a host of challenges to workplaces and business leaders everywhere, and many of the lessons about employee engagement that have been learned during this crisis must be retained and acted upon in the future. Leadership is already a valuable commodity, but strong leaders will be especially essential as we move forward. Those leaders who focus on effectively engaging their employees will be the ones whose companies stand out from the crowd and manage to attract and retain the top talent.

On 15th October, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham will be holding an Online Business Forum about Employee Engagement. The forum will also be looking at what training is available for businesses’ staff that they can access from local providers. Join the discussion here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-business-forum-employee-engagement-tickets-121524660531

The global pandemic has caused a host of problems for businesses all over the world, but it has also presented some exciting new opportunities too. Depending on which sector you are operating in, you may find that there are interesting possibilities to enable you to launch a new business. If you are wondering how to go about starting up a company under the new normal, here is some helpful advice.

Think local

The coronavirus crisis presents an opportunity for you to turn local, casual customers into loyal, lifelong ones. Everyone has been spending a lot more time within their own neighbourhoods and communities, and this has led to many people recognising the importance of local businesses. This is, therefore, a great time to start up a business that is centralised in your community. Make sure that people in your business’s local area are aware that you are open and trading. Implement a “buy local” advertising campaign or consider contributing to other organisations within your own community which are working together to make a difference. If you contribute meaningfully, your community is sure to return the favour.

Give your website an overhaul

More people than ever have been shopping online during the lockdown, and the high street figures suggest that this will not change with many retailers closing physical stores to concentrate on their online business. This means you do not need to be a giant in the e-commerce sector to benefit from the online shopping upsurge, Platforms like Shopify allow businesses to rapidly set up online to sell their services and products, so setting up an e-commerce website to sell online should be a top priority now. Even companies that are not suitable for selling online can still design their website to attract a wider audience, so take this opportunity to create content that reflects the changing needs of its audience and to make sure that your website has been fully optimized for SEO.

Gaining the advantage over competitors

If you are setting up a business under the new normal, you need to harness your advantages over your competitors. You can do this by making your enterprise stand out through being an active element in the local community, by making customers feel safe, by delivering impressive customer service and by facilitating the ease with which they can purchase your products or services. The rise of Etsy based businesses has captured this market with many creative businesses using the platform to make bespoke and personalised gifts, which have rapidly increased in popularity as lockdown emoted so many missed opportunities with those people held dearest.

Improving efficiency

The pandemic has led to businesses having to go online and adapt. If you are launching a new business, you can start from a better footing. Focus on seamlessly integrating more remote working options into your business model and implement online procedures for purchasing, booking appointments, and arranging meetings from the start. 

Capitalising on fresh ideas

Many existing businesses have had to adapt to the challenges COVID-19 has thrown up, but if you are launching a business in the new normal, you can create your company around the changing needs of its customers. Consider the new problems people are facing, their new needs and wants, and determine how you can create a business that solves those problems and meets those needs. There are many new and exciting opportunities out there if you are creative and open-minded. 

There is no getting away from it, we have tried! The COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos for business owners all over the world. While some diversified and continued, and others reopened several months ago. Some depending on the business chose or were forced to others to wait longer to start trading once more.

If your business is ready to start welcoming customers once more, you need to come up with plans to ensure your doors (metaphorically speaking) stay open consistently and effectively. This, inevitably, means navigating challenges and rethinking the ways in which your business operates. Here are six key strategies that might help.

1.Defining Your Vision

If you are thinking about restarting operations, it is feasible that your business model may look very different to how it did before. The products and services you offer may now be limited, or you may have needed to completely restructure your business. You need to reassess your operation with your customers and the economic climate at the present time in mind. This may mean drawing up a new business plan which you can rely on to give you guidance when planning for reopening.

2.Communicate Openly with your team

Even if you do not yet have a definite date when you are going to reopen your business, it is still important to communicate frequently and openly with your tea. If you have furloughed staff or sadly been forced to make redundancies you need to speak with them and let them know what you’re able to do for them, if anything, in terms of hours, pay and positions. You should also be prepared to discover some employees may not be returning for various reasons. You may need to act rapidly to fill vacancies so be ready. 

3. Remember Social Distancing

Depending on the type of business you are running, a key challenge could come in the form of social distancing. You need to design your business practice with these measures firmly in mind. By making some changes you can provide assurance to both staff and customers that you are taking all practical measures to keep them safe. Consider allowing staff to continue working from home, implement restructuring and barriers, come up with a sanitation plan and think about whether staff need to wear PPE.

4.Check in with your suppliers

Even if your business is ready for reopening, your suppliers might not yet be operating at full capacity and so waiting times for deliveries could be an issue. Work out the sizes, dates, and items for each order you are going to need while you ramp up your operations once more and contact each supplier to confirm they can still fill your orders. Do not overlook new items you may need like hand sanitiser and PPE. You may have to find new suppliers to supply these for you but ensure you look for the best price. 

5.Build up publicity

Although it is important to keep your costs down currently, you still need to retain some publicity and marketing budget. Creating more awareness about your reopening may be vital to your success, however, to achieve this you will need resources and time, so come up with a plan now so your customers are aware of your reopening timeline. If you have changed your working times, then make sure customers know that you have changed your opening times to facilitate your staff not travelling during peak times etc. We can all play our part in keeping the number of cases of COVID-19 under control. 

6. Stay Flexible and Pro-active 

The times today are unprecedented, and that means you are bound to face some unforeseen challenges and difficulties as your business reopens. This means that staying flexible is paramount. You need to be ready to adapt and adjust as challenges arise and situations change. Approach reopening with this firmly in mind and you will have the best chance of negotiating the changing business landscape during this crisis successfully. Remember proactive is always better than reactive!

If there is one thing that the world of business and enterprise is going to take forward it’s the new normal of living with Covid-19 and the possibilities and potential of remote working. Suddenly, jobs that employers said could never be done outside the office have now made the transition to the home. This is a trend that is almost certainly set to continue whilst the reality of further lockdowns and the new normal of living with Covid-19 exists. Employers and employees alike realise that more flexible working patterns are the key to a more successful future and a more motivated workforce. Coworking spaces give remote workers the opportunity to work locally at an affordable price, and this is something that is especially attractive to new start-ups who need to keep their overheads low. There are five key reasons why coworking spaces are going to be so important in the weeks and months to come. 

1.A Community Hub

In the midst of the current COVID-19 world, there will almost certainly be a drive to launch more new start-ups to give the economy a much-needed boost. Yet, those start-ups are going to need strong local connections and social networks to gain a footing in the damaged marketplace. Community strength will be a vital component in helping entrepreneurs to reconnect, to build up new networks, and to support each other and coworking spaces can help with this, as a community hub that will help start-ups to spring up and thrive in the wave of the crisis.

2.Greater Flexibility

Coworking spaces can give new start-ups the flexibility that they need in the early days of their operation. There are many types of membership plans to choose from, so there is no need to be tied into a long lease which may not be appropriate.

3.Affordability – the case for Barking

Traditional office spaces are expensive, especially in the city. However, coworking spaces in outer London such as ours; are considerably more affordable which makes them the perfect option for a new start-up with a limited budget and a need to keep costs low. The case for outer London is being made no more travel to Zone 1 meetings as the world has gone online and therefore the cheaper membership works for most start-ups.

4.Excellent Amenities

Start-ups often lack the money to invest in the essentials to keep their operation running smoothly. Coworking spaces can plug this gap thanks to the impressive amenities that they provide. Included in the cost is a suitable workspace with unlimited access, reliable high-speed wi-fi, conference rooms, fridges, printing access, and much more. Tea and coffee on tap so need to frequent your favourite coffee shop and let’s be honest saving you at least £10 per day. When starting a new business, the focus should be on getting it up and running successfully rather than on running an office, and this is another reason why coworking spaces are such a good choice for new start-ups, allowing you to keep the focus on running and developing the business without worrying about the budget.

5.Dealing with isolation fatigue

COVID-19 and the social distancing messages it has necessitated have caused a host of issues, but perhaps one of the most overlooked is likely to be mental health issues. For those who are starting up a new business on their own, the idea of doing it at home and subjecting themselves to further isolation may feel impossible. Coworking spaces can, once again, come to the rescue, offering suitable spaces for sole traders to begin their new enterprise surrounded by other entrepreneurs in a socially distanced way who are all sharing an effective community space and bringing a social element into what can be a lonely career path. 

Hot desking in the new normal

It’s easy to see why coworking spaces were popular before March 2020 and there is definitely a case that they will return to being the best option as more people seize the opportunity that remote working and flexibility have to offer. Joining a coworking space offers those starting up a new business to keep their costs low, build a network efficiently and become more productive in what is likely to be a challenging business environment.

We at the BEC have taken seriously our duty to ensure that social distancing remains in place we have dedicated another room to hot-desking, meaning we can ensure that guests who hot desk with us do not have their safety compromised. In fact, all of our buildings are marked out with sanitizer stations on every floor. We are not working in a post-Covid-19 world, we are embracing the changes it has forced us to make and recognise they are here for some time.

The new normal of coping in an uncertain COVID-19 climate could still be just the right time to start up a business. There will be a strong demand for companies to launch to buoy up the floundering economy, while the population, tired of being restricted for so long, will be willing to stretch their spending power. However, if you are ready to start up your enterprise, the question you may need to answer is whether to use a coworking space as your base. 

Communal workspaces have popped up nationwide, and have proven to be popular, especially amongst entrepreneurs who want to reduce their overheads while benefiting from a fully-furnished, well-equipped office space that gives them the flexibility that they need in the early days of their business operation. 

While you may once have considered working from home, having to socially distance or self-isolate for so long during this pandemic may have made that idea less appealing than it used to be. Plus, strong networking links will be more important than ever before if businesses are to get off the ground in the challenging economy that is sure to present itself once the crisis is on its way out.

Of course, coworking spaces are not for everyone, so let us look at some of the reasons that you might want to bear in mind. 

Pandemic Concerns

Good coworking space operators are up and running with all the measures in place to keep guests safe and well, visit the building and check out the public area protocols and the plans of the space before signing an agreement.

Weigh up the Benefits

Coworking spaces give you the resources you need to kickstart your new business while also giving you the social and networking elements that are so valuable to sole traders and small business owners. Working at home is often distracting and daunting, but using a coworking space can help you to feel part of a community while also adding more legitimacy to your new company and giving you the amenities you require to get established in your industry.

Will your business thrive on flexibility?

With a coworking space, portability and flexibility are key. If your work needs lots of equipment or storage, a private office may be a better option for you. However, if your work is mostly done on your laptop, you will be a good fit for a communal workspace. Every coworking space is different, with a range of options to meet your needs. Whether you only need a simple cubicle to set up your laptop and access to a meeting room where you can meet with clients, or whether you need a more conventional private office, there’s sure to be a communal workspace to suit your budget and your requirements. 

What Is Your Vibe?

The key is to find a good fit for your own outlook. All coworking spaces have their own culture and vibe. You need to make sure you have found a good fit for you. Are you looking for something basic and simple where you can focus on the task in hand and be as productive as possible? Or are you looking for a social experience with a communal break room, an upbeat atmosphere, and a thriving community spirit? Then make sure you have chosen a space that works for you.

Coworking in an uncertain Covid-19 world

Although we are all living in troubled times at the moment, it’s a good opportunity to look forward to how you can exploit your full entrepreneurial potential whilst understanding the landscape of the aftermath of the first wave and preparing for the threat of a second. By planning and deciding whether you would benefit from using a coworking space, you will be ready to hit the ground running.

If there’s one thing that we know for certain it’s that COVID-19 has changed the traditional office beyond all recognition. Now that organisations are considering all of the possibilities when it comes to their teams returning to work, it’s time to look for ways to prepare the classic office environment for this new normal.

Here are just a few of the strategies that are now being put into practice.

Remote Working

Back in May, Twitter and Facebook made an announcement that most of their employees would now be eligible to work from home without needing to come into a physical office. While remote working isn’t a new idea, the decision made by these social media giants has served to highlight the speed at which corporate concepts about remote working have changed. Many companies have already decided to permit their workers to work from home until the end of the year and this not only reduces the risk of disease transmission in the workplace but also helps employees to enjoy better work/life balance. By saving time on commuting and spending more time with loved ones, it’s no wonder that studies have shown that over 80% of workers feel less stressed when they’re allowed to work remotely.

A Rotating Schedule

The traditional office traditionally places as many workers as possible into the smallest of spaces and this isn’t safe during the pandemic. A lot of companies have now introduced a rotating schedule allowing some employees into the office one day and others the next, with remote working in between.

Cloud Communication Strategies

COVID-19 has seen the rise of cloud communication technology, with the Zoom meeting becoming a universal phenomenon. Now that more companies are adopting remote and flexible working policies as a way of keeping employees safe, these communication systems are becoming even more widespread and integrated into the function of the office. This means that workers at home and in the office can all collaborate on projects with no risk to health.

Reconfigured Spaces

Even when offices are reopening fully, they don’t look the same in the new normal. Office configurations are changing for employee safety and social distancing. Desks are now more spaced out, cubicles are making a comeback and there is more limited access to break rooms and bathrooms. Lifts now have reduced access and even PPE is being worn in some spaces. Hallways have been made one-way systems, meeting rooms are being closed off, temperature checks are being introduced and hand sanitiser dispensers can be seen at strategic points. All of these strategies are being put in place to ensure worker safety and compliance with COVID-19-safe practices. 

Preparing Your Office

If you’re running a business and need to ensure your workspace is safe for your employees, these are just some of the strategies that you can adopt to keep your workers protected from the virus. By implementing a few simple measures and harnessing the power of cloud communication along with remote working, teams can remain safe at all times while still ensuring your business remains profitable.

If you are looking to downsize don’t forget to talk to us here at the BEC.