IN THIS ISSUE 04 Agenda Email myths debunked by new research 10 Innovations The month’s best new products and services 13 App Update New apps for business and leisure 14 Cover Story Be more organised with Brother 16 The Smart Offce How technology is giving employees control over working conditions 18 Training Workplace training for the twenty- first century 21 Telecoms How to fix the UK’s communications infrastructure 24 On Test Tayla Ansell tries out a selection of ergonomic accessories 26 Desking Making a stand with Aerodesk 28 Survey Complete our printing survey for your chance to win an Alexa Show 31 MFPs Sharp completes refresh of A3 MFP line-up 33 Broadband Vodafone launches speed guarantee 34 Audio-visual Our selection of new products from ISE 2018 36 Pens Why pens make perfect gifts 38 Stationery Collins Debden gets trendy with new diary/notebook designs 42 Month in numbers The world of work in numbers Editor: James Goulding 0780 308 7228 ·
[email protected] Advertising Director: EthanWhite 01732 759725 ·
[email protected] Publishing Director: Neil Trim 01732 759725 ·
[email protected] Group Sales Manager: Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552116 ·
[email protected] Social Media Manager: John Peters 07711 204011 ·
[email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 ·
[email protected] Editorial Assistant: Tayla Ansell 01732 759725 ·
[email protected] Advertising Executive: James Trim 01732 759725 ·
[email protected] Business Info is a controlled circulation magazine. Applications for free copies will be considered upon receipt of a completed and signed reader info card or online form. Business Info is available on subscription @ £40 p.a. to UK companies or residents and @ £75 p.a. for non-UK subscribers. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. No part of Business Info magazine can be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. © Copyright 2018 Kingswood Media Ltd. ISSN 1464-8814 Design: Sandtiger Media – www.sandtiger.co.uk FOR THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS VISIT: WWW.BUSINESSINFOMAG.UK “ ” The UK has just emerged from a deep freeze. The so called ‘Beast from the East’ brought bitterly cold temperatures and snow, disrupting everyone’s routine, businesses included. With early office closures and poor travel conditions preventing staff from getting to work, productivity is sure to have taken a hit over the last few weeks. But possibly not by as much as once would have been the case. Thanks to cloud technology, many employees will have been able to work from the comfort of their own homes, somewhat mitigating the disruption. The blurring of work and home has already resulted in more relaxing, welcoming workplaces that incorporate elements of domestic design, such as soft seating, attractive colours, accent lighting and indoor plants. The trend towards intelligent offices has the potential to take this to an altogether higher level. On page 16, we look at how smart technology is giving employees greater control over factors such as heat and light levels, enabling them to create their ideal working environment. Innovative technology is also giving employees a more active role in on-the-job training. On page 18, we discover how businesses are turning to virtual reality and augmented reality to give staff a far more engaging and immersive training experience than a lecture or textbook ever could. Integrating smart technologies into the workplace and giving workers a greater sense of control could lead to big gains in employee engagement and productivity – and make the office a place worth battling through the snow to get to. James Goulding , Editor ,
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