UK

Implications of Ending an Office Lease Early in the UK

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man on phone negotiating office lease

In the realm of business, office leases are pivotal agreements that establish a stable ground for companies to operate, grow and thrive. They secure a physical location where business activities take place, where clients are received, and where employees interact and collaborate. However, like many other business decisions, leasing an office in the UK comes with its fair share of obligations and potential challenges. One such challenge, and perhaps among the most significant, is the possibility of having to prematurely end the lease early an office lease.

It’s an issue that often goes unconsidered amidst the excitement of setting up shop, yet the consequences of breaking an office lease can be both legally complex and financially taxing. For many businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, understanding these implications is a critical part of risk management and future planning. Thus, the goal of this post is to provide a comprehensive overview of what breaking an office lease entails within the context of the UK’s legal framework, and the impacts it can have on your business.

In this article, we’ll delve deep into the legal and business consequences of prematurely ending an office lease, from potential financial penalties and breach of contract to the indirect impacts on your business’s reputation and operational continuity. We’ll also explore the various ways to mitigate these potential issues, should your business find itself in the unenviable position of having to terminate a commercial lease early or prematurely. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what’s at stake, arming you with the knowledge you need to navigate office leases more confidently and effectively.

Continue reading “Implications of Ending an Office Lease Early in the UK” →

Most Desired Employee Perks for UK Office Workers (2022 Poll)

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cartoon of woman sitting at a desk smiling at her computerWe asked 450 working Britons to rank a list of ten commonly offered workplace factors and employee perks to determine post-pandemic working preferences. This poll made sure to limit selected respondents to office workers, a group whose previously stringent 9-to-5 schedules and daily working rituals were heavily impacted by COVID-19. The ultimate goal of this poll is to provide businesses across the UK with a general indication of the workplace factors and employee perks most valued after the seismic disruptions of the pandemic. Continue reading “Most Desired Employee Perks for UK Office Workers (2022 Poll)” →

55% of UK Office Workers Favour Hybrid Working, Will the Office Ever Be the Same?

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woman working at a desk with flowers and laptop on itIn May 2022, we conducted a poll of 450 office workers across the UK to determine their true working preferences. This poll was designed to inform us on a number of concepts related to the post-pandemic UK working landscape, with hybrid and various other working models receiving particular attention.

The most obvious and glaring takeaway from our poll was that more than half of respondents believe hybrid to be their ideal working arrangement. Prior to conducting this poll, we ensured that respondents were limited to individuals who had worked in an office environment prior to the pandemic, a group that we believe to be the most indicative of changing sentiments around in-person, remote, and hybrid working models. We posed many questions to these respondents regarding their pre-pandemic and post-pandemic working situations, as well as the ways in which their working preferences changed since the start of 2020. Results from related questions were seen to be in line with the 55% majority that indicated their preference for hybrid working arrangements for workers returning to the office.

To summarise relevant findings, this poll illustrated that (rounded to the nearest whole number):

  • 55% of UK office workers see the hybrid model as their ideal working arrangement
  • 20% of respondents indicated a preference for full-time remote work, highlighting that a sizeable number of UK office workers have no desire to return to their former office spaces
  • On the other hand, 15% of workers polled believe that it’s ideal to return to the office full-time. A number which, despite being lower than the desire for full-time remote work, clearly illustrates support for more traditional working models
  • The clear minority (10%) of those polled preferred to return to work in a part-time capacity. Of those who desired part-time work, there was a slight preference for purely remote (56%) when compared to purely in-person (44%) schedules

Continue reading “55% of UK Office Workers Favour Hybrid Working, Will the Office Ever Be the Same?” →

London Underground workers seek bonus payments during the 2012 Olympic Games

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According to reports London Underground workers, including drivers, ticketing staff, engineers and station staff have requested bonus payments to work during the London 2012 Olympic Games, in addition to normal pay. Tube workers were offered a five hundred pound bonus for working during the games, however this has been turned down. RMT boss, Bob Crow, was in discussion with Peter Hendy, head of Transport for London, when the breakdown in talks occurred.

District Light Railway workers have been offered a deal worth £2,500 for working overtime during the London 2012 Olympic Games. RMT has stated that tube workers should be offered a similar deal for working during this period. Tube drivers have already been allocated an extra £1,200 for working during the Games. A large number of London Overground staff are also due to receive a £600 bonus.

Transport for London expects increased passenger volume during the London 2012 Olympic Games and commuters are advised to allow extra time for journeys during this period. London office workers are urged to find alternative routes into work and businesses, particularly in the East London and Stratford area where the Olympic Village is situated, have been advised to offer employees flexible work hours or the option to work from home.

Further Reading on Transportation in London

London Rail Link
Watford Station
London Transport Olympic Games
Survival Guide to Working in London During the Olympics
Business Parking in London

UK office staff lean towards remote working

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According to a recent survey carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), UK workers believe that by 2020 it will be an absolute norm to work remotely – from home, the cafe, the park or anywhere else – rather than from the cramped and soulless office.

More than 1,150 were asked to predict their career situation and workplace conditions for the year 2020. The majority of respondents admitted being worn down by the increased workload due to the recent recession, causing them to desire for better flexible working arrangements (reported by 47 per cent of respondents). Nearly half (42 per cent) admitted desiring for an improved work/life balance.

Interestingly, only the younger group of respondents (61 per cent of 16-25 year olds) believed they would still be working in an office environment by 2020.
There have been reports that office workers might not need to wait until 2020 for more flexible working arrangements, as many CEOs are already looking to invest in technologies allowing remote operations.

Office Share – The Pros and Cons

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Sharing an office with another person can be difficult. Having a colleague in close quarters with you when you are trying to work can be advantageous or completely unbearable.

It can be beneficial to have another person in your office. They can be someone to brain storm with and discuss ideas and solutions to your work problems or simply just someone to talk to. This can make your day more interesting and motivating. However, sharing your office can cause a lot of problems too, particularly if your job requires quiet and is fast paced and stressful. If you are used to working in your way, having another person in your space can be distracting and even aggravating.

Having an office-mate can be a positive experience. It can be someone to bounce ideas off of and help you to develop those ideas before presentation to your boss. However, it is important to try and allow each other to have personal space, even if it is a small office.

The arrangement of the furniture in the room can either make or break a shared-office relationship. If you can, it can often be good to have some kind of partition in the room, clearly marking your space. If not, just make sure that your desks are far enough apart that you are not bumping into one another every time you move. Also make sure that office equipment that has to be shared, such as printers, fax machines and copiers, are in a position that you can both reach with ease without getting into each other’s way.

Besides the problems that the logistics of the office space itself can cause there are also personality and work-style clashes. Some people like to listen to music while working, and if this is the case it is best to use headphones. Not everyone wants to hear your music and it can be distracting for some. Headphones may help to solve this argument before it even occurs. It can also be a good idea to “stagger” lunchtime as this can provide you with some peace and quiet if you take lunch at different times. This can then allow you to get critical things that require focus done. Continue reading “Office Share – The Pros and Cons” →

Good Working Relationships

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Updated November 26, 2012

Unless you work from home or spend most of your working day visiting clients, the truth is that relationships with work colleagues are an essential –and sometimes conflictive- part of our working lives. Some people actually spend more time with their colleagues than with their families, so it is easy to understand how necessary it is to make sure that work relationships flow smoothly instead of being a source of conflict.

The importance of good working relationships

Over the past few decades, team work and the ability to maintain positive relationships with other members of staff have become valuable skills that virtually every employer expects. There are several reasons why good working relationships are a must in today’s fast-paced corporate world.

In the first place, positive relationships with work colleagues contribute to create an agreeable atmosphere in the workplace. Perhaps only those who have problematic relationships with their colleagues know how oppressive an office can be when you do not get along with the people around you. In fact, psychologists believe that having problems with work colleagues is one of the biggest causes of stress and that its importance is often underestimated.

Secondly, an agreeable working atmosphere can help increase productivity. A 2009 study showed that productivity levels could be enhanced by up to 10 per cent when the relationships between staff members were free of strains. It has been shown that companies where staff gets along have lower levels of absenteeism and lower turnover. Therefore, it is not surprising that employers look for team members who know how to relate to others positively. Continue reading “Good Working Relationships” →

A quick guide to work and pay entitlements as an employee in the UK

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Updated 7th June 2013

Although the legislation that is concerned with employee pay entitlements in the UK is reviewed regularly, as an employee it is important to have up-to-date knowledge of what the current regulations and to be aware of your rights at work. In this article you will find an overview of the key aspects related to pay entitlements and other basic rights.

Employee pay entitlements

The current legislation has set a minimum wage system that all employers must abide by. Minimum wage legislation was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1998 by means of the National Minimum Wage Act. As of October 2012, the national minimum wage for workers in the UK is as follows:

-employees who are aged 21 and over are entitled to a rate of £6.19 per hour

-employees aged between 18 and 20 must be paid at least £4.98 per hour

-employees under 18 years old must be paid a minimum rate of £3.68 per hour

The above rates do not apply to apprentices, who must receive at least £2.65 per hour during their first year of apprenticeship. After the first year, apprentices are entitled to the standard minimum wage rate that applies to their age group.

The next minimum wage rate review is due on October 2013. It must be noted that the law also applies to home workers and agency or temporary workers, and that the rates are not influenced by whether an employee is hired on a full-time or part-time basis.

Sick pay

The law also stipulates that workers who are unable to work due to illness are entitled to statutory sick pay. The current rates are set at £85.85 per week, and the daily statutory sick pay rate is calculated on a pro-rata basis. The first three days that an employee is off work due to illness do not count towards sick pay, and there is a maximum amount of time during which an employee can receive sick pay, which is currently set at 28 weeks per year.

As of 6th April 2013, the legal statutory sick pay will rise to £86.70 per week.

Holiday pay entitlement

The current employment law also outlines employees’ entitlements in terms of holiday pay. Almost every worker is entitled to take paid holidays, except for self-employed workers and those who have not yet reached school leaving age. Workers are entitled to enjoy at least 5.6 weeks of paid holiday time every year, irrespective of their age. Holiday entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time employees, and the entitlement starts from your first day at work. It must be noted that holiday entitlements do not necessarily include bank holidays.

The rates for statutory sick pay are the same as the normal rates that you receive for each day of work, unless your contract specifies that holidays are paid at a higher rate. Also, employees are not normally allowed to carry over unused holiday days from one year to the next, unless their contract says otherwise. Employees must also be paid any outstanding holiday pay that is due when they leave they job, as part of their final pay check.

Break time entitlements

According to the Working Time Regulations, workers are entitled to a certain amount of breaks and rest periods. The entitlement varies depending on the employee’s age and on how long their shift is. Certain jobs are excluded from these regulations, such as emergency services, the police and armed forces, offshore and mobile workers, those employed in security or surveillance duties, and shift workers. Employees who are exempt from these entitlements must be compensated with an equivalent rest period.

Workers whose shift lasts 6 hours are entitled to an uninterrupted 20-minute break that must be taken during the shift, but not at the start or at the end of the working day. Workers who are under 18 must have a 30-minute break for every 4.5 hours of work. There must be an 11-hour rest period between working days for adult workers and a 12-hour rest for those under 18. Adult workers are also entitled to have a weekly rest period of 24 hours (48 hours for young workers).

The rules regarding maximum working hours mandate that no worker should work more than 48 hours per week, unless they voluntarily opt out of this limit in writing. Workers who are under 18 have a limit of 40 hours per week. The rules do not apply to certain professions (see the exceptions to break time entitlements).

Maternity pay

Female employees are entitled to be paid 90 per cent of their average weekly wages during the first six weeks of maternity leave. During the following thirty-three weeks, employees must receive £135.35 per week, unless their average weekly salary is lower than this amount. As of April 2013, this rate will increase by 1 per cent, and will continue to do so until 2016.

For further information on employment rights please go to Directgov

Further information on Employee Rights, Maternity Rights, Workplace Disputes, Equal Opportunities and
Office Relocation: Employee Rights.