< Previous20 Business Link www.blmforum.net HEALTHCARE health is becoming increasingly common, as businesses recognise the link between employee well-being and overall productivity. The provision of mental health support, in particular, reflects a growing awareness of the impact of mental well-being on overall health and workplace performance. The government’s proposed fit note reforms, aimed at reintegrating those economically inactive due to long-term illness, underscore the national concern. It is acknowledged that the proposed changes may help, but it is also noted that challenges lie in insufficient occupational health professionals and specialists. The ability of the healthcare system to support these reforms is crucial, and the availability of qualified personnel will be a key factor in their success. The integration of these reforms with existing workplace health programs will also be essential. The growing strain on the NHS is significantly influencing the expectations of the UK workforce. Recent data reveals a substantial shift in employee desires, with a majority now looking to their employers to provide private healthcare benefits. A significant portion of UK workers now desire access to private healthcare through their workplace. This surge in demand highlights a growing reliance on employers to bridge the gaps created by NHS pressures. The demand is not limited to executive-level employees; it extends across all levels of the workforce, reflecting a broader societal concern about healthcare accessibility. Specifically, there is a strong preference for private dental insurance, reflecting widespread concerns about access to NHS dental services. The perceived lack of timely access to dental care is a significant concern for many employees, who view dental insurance as a valuable benefit. This reflects a growing understanding of the link between oral health and overall well-being. Furthermore, there is expressed interest in health and outpatient insurance, and the importance of mental health resources and employee assistance programs. The demand for hospitalisation insurance is also notable. This reflects a growing awareness of the importance of comprehensive healthcare coverage, encompassing both physical and mental well-being. The desire for mental health support, in particular, underscores the increasing recognition of mental health as a critical component of workplace health strategies. www.blmforum.net Business Link 21 HEALTHCARE These findings suggest a significant shift in employee expectations, driven by concerns over NHS accessibility. The data highlights a clear trend: employees are increasingly looking to their employers to provide comprehensive healthcare benefits. This necessitates that businesses adapt their benefits packages to remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent. Private healthcare, alongside mental health support, is becoming a priority for the UK workforce. This data reinforces the trend of businesses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and across the UK, supplementing the NHS with private healthcare options to support their employees’ health and well-being. While the NHS remains the cornerstone of UK healthcare, businesses are increasingly supplementing it to ensure their workforce’s well-being and maintain operational efficiency. This shift represents a pragmatic response to the current healthcare landscape, as businesses seek to safeguard their most valuable asset: their employees.22 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACTORY AUTOMATION Transformative impact A slew of issues impacting the manufacturing sector will start to force the industry’s hands. Factories need to automate now or they will be forgotten. www.blmforum.net Business Link 23 FACTORY AUTOMATION L abour shortages, rising labour costs and the advancement of AI are pushing manufacturing in new directions, primarily toward greater levels of automation. The UK seems to be picking up on this much slower than other countries, however. ASEAN countries have been fast adopters of automation but the UK has fallen behind, citing everything from expensive parts to a poor economy to Brexit, and even COVID. While it’s true all of these have a part to play in making it hard to afford new machinery, the UK’s reluctance to invest in its manufacturing sector goes back further than any of these events. Even back when the region’s manufacturing was in a strong place, the focus was more on maximising profit than it was on re- investing into facilities, and if a company does not use its funds to improve itself when times are good, then it’ll find it harder to improve itself when times are bad. Now, with the UK losing a lot of cheap foreign labour courtesy of Brexit, and with the minimum wage continuing to rise to what many call unsustainable levels, there isn’t much of an option left. Factories need to modernise or they will fall behind domestic as well as foreign competition. Robotics cover by far the most cutting edge and exciting areas of factory automation and have the added bonus of being widely versatile in the tasks they can accomplish. Robots can be used to move essentials around the factory, transport raw materials to the production line, or bring finished products to the packaging area. But they can also be deft enough to manage the actual assembly and packaging of products, some having the fine motor skills to perform tasks such as labelling, packaging and handling end products. The beauty of automation extends beyond the simple 24 Á24 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACTORY AUTOMATION actions robotic features can manage, bringing in sensors and software that fortify quality control measures. Embedded within the machinery itself, sensors can be vigilant for variables like temperature, swiftly adjusting parameters to maintain optimal conditions. Meanwhile, vision systems inspect products and instantly identify imperfections that might elude human detection. In-line monitoring and control are often highly automated, as sensors, actuators and control systems are integrated into the production line equipment. These programmable regulators take over making precise measurements in areas such as temperature. Not only are they able to spot inconsistencies but adjust machinery settings such as cooking or cooling temperatures based on real- time sensor data. This is known as ‘feedback control’, as these adjustments are made using feedback loops which detect deviations from predefined parameters, and autoregulate in response. Data is collected and analysed in real time or near real time, often using computerised systems, which makes this method another easy and ideal partner to automation. When automated systems detect issues or deviations based on a continuous stream of data, they can trigger alerts or notifications to production operators or control systems. Operators can then take appropriate action based on this information at a later convenient time. And human operators will remain necessary even as AI advances. The truth remains that most FMCG factories will need some level of human oversight. Partially manual processes are still common in the running of many factories for this reason. This balance allows the machine qualities of speed and data-informed consistency to be matched by human insight and adaptability, whether to adjust processes, or for the intuition certain quality checks require. Automation’s impact transcends the factory floor and products themselves, exerting a profound influence on product quality and traceability. Sensors can track materials as they move through the production line, allowing for a detailed record of each step of the process and reducing the risk of recalls. Even when an error or flaw slips past detection, the trace established by data during production can remain linked so that faulty batches may be easily identified and pulled back from sale if necessary. The ultimate reality is that the world is becoming more digital and faster paced. Supermarkets and stores demand immediate allocation of consumer goods, and many countries are managing it just fine thanks to automated factories. If the region doesn’t meet the challenge, then it’s quite possible foreign investors will come and bring their own methods – forcing UK manufacturers out the market entirely. www.blmforum.net Business Link 25 OFFICE SOLUTIONS Green Spaces Nature promotes peace and tranquillity, which may seem like a bad recipe for business productivity but the science suggests otherwise. First of all, green spaces need not necessarily be right where someone works. They can be in hallways, waiting areas, and employee break zones. Improving relaxation in these areas directly correlates to more focus when someone is back at their desk. Heightened efficiency Designing office spaces can feel as much an art form as it is a science. Here are some top tips, backed up by reasoning, as to what big businesses are considering in their offices when it comes to both retaining staff and boosting productivity. 26 Á26 Business Link www.blmforum.net OFFICE SOLUTIONS Beyond that, natural spaces allow for people to reduce stress – a killer of work productivity. Going outside would be even better but not every workplace can afford an outside area, let alone the distractions of the outside world. Green spaces in an office work as a good substitute. What’s more, they also look good to visitors and have been shown to increase the value of rented office space! Ergonomic Design Most people are aware of ergonomics in the sense of making furniture and objects more comfortable to use, but what many forget is that comfort isn’t the main focus of ergonomics. It’s efficiency. A chair designed to support a person’s body and spine not only helps prevent problems later in their life but keeps them from slouching at work. Our posture can relate directly to our focus and our ability to stay awake and alert. Similarly, keyboards can do damage to wrists and cause cramping of fingers which, even if it doesn’t injure someone, will lead to spelling mistakes and www.blmforum.net Business Link 27 OFFICE SOLUTIONS frequent breaks as someone stretches their hand and fingers. The fatigue can build up over a day leaving the last hour of a workday as the least productive. Extreme examples of ergonomics can get very expensive, such as a Herman Miller chair which sells for up to and over £1,500 each, but there are also many more affordable options available for chairs, desks, keyboards, workstations and more. Quiet Areas Quiet areas sound a little dystopian when one looks at Amazon’s famous “Contemplation Zones” which are essentially a locked cubicle the size of a portable toilet workers are expected to hide within. They don’t have to be implemented with all the zeal of a union-busting monolith, however. A certain degree of peace and quiet is obviously very good for productivity as it means no one is talking, but workers can be put off if this is a hard rule forced on them like the office is a library. Social elements are important for health and teamwork. Designating specific zones as being for private work has borne fruit for some companies, however. This means employees can take their laptop to an area where there is to be no noise and distractions, which is perfect for when some people want to knuckle down and get to work but others are being chatty. It’s also great in noisy workspaces like sales offices, where most employees are expected to be loud when working. Flexible Workspaces Not to be mistaken with working from home, this refers to workplaces with a more “open plan” design. One where employees aren’t chained to a single desk but are encouraged to wander and work where they feel most effective. If their work neighbours are loud on a given day, moving to another desk can help them focus, or if a team is flagging, having a room they can retreat to in order to have a team meeting and plan their day out can help boost morale. The point of a flexible workspace is to provide as many options as possible. It’s a combination of all other factors, and perfect for boosting employee satisfaction as well as productivity. It’s also great for retaining key talent, as nothing drains someone’s will to continue working at a company than being stuck at one desk for ten years. 28 Business Link www.blmforum.net FAMILY BUSINESS I n a world increasingly dominated by faceless corporations and algorithmic efficiency, a comforting warmth persists. It emanates from the corner bakery, the independent bookshop, the generations-old engineering firm – the family business. These enterprises, woven from shared history and familial bonds, offer something profoundly different, something that resonates on a deeper, more human level. They are the keepers of tradition, the guardians of personal service, and the silent architects of community. Unlike their corporate counterparts, family businesses are rarely driven solely by quarterly profit margins. The pursuit of legacy, the desire to uphold a reputation built over decades, and the commitment to future generations often supersede immediate financial gains. This long-term perspective allows for a patient, considered approach to business, fostering stability and a sense of enduring quality. For example, consider Staal Smokehouse in Long Riston, East Yorkshire. They specialise in smoked fish The human touch of family business Amidst corporate dominance, family businesses thrive on human connection, ethical values, and a dedication to their communities in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. www.blmforum.net Business Link 29 FAMILY BUSINESS and meats, using traditional techniques passed down through generations. The family’s deep knowledge of local produce, from the type of wood used in the smoking process to the subtle variations in fish caught in the North Sea, creates products with a unique authenticity that distinguishes them from mass-produced goods. This dedication to their craft preserves a local culinary heritage, a tangible link to the past that resonates with customers seeking genuine quality. Personal service, often lacking in the impersonal churn of large corporations, is a hallmark of family businesses. They remember your name, your preferences, and your story. This investment in customer relationships creates a sense of belonging and fosters loyalty. In a world where online transactions often feel detached, the personal interaction offered by these businesses becomes a valuable commodity, building trust and lasting connections. J.E. James Cycles, a family-owned bicycle retailer with locations across Yorkshire, is a good example. They’ve served local cyclists for generations, offering expert advice and building long-term relationships. Staff possess detailed product knowledge, from the latest cycling technology to the best routes in the Yorkshire Dales, and go out of their way to find the right solutions for their customers. This personalised approach extends beyond sales, encompassing after-care and community events, demonstrating a genuine commitment to their customers’ well-being. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have a rich history of family businesses, each contributing to the unique character of their local communities. The region’s support for local producers and independent enterprises is evident in the bustling farmers’ markets, the thriving independent shops, and the vibrant local food scene. Ethical business practices are often central to family-owned companies. 30 ÁNext >