Business News Articles

Company car use ‘set to grow’
Businesses could soon return to providing employees with company cars due to fears of litigation and concerns over the image staff portray in their own vehicles, an HR firm has claimed. Many firms have switched away from such schemes, preferring instead to offer “cash for cars”, where they give employees an allowance to use their own vehicles for work purposes. ... more

Official franchise workshops held in London and Birmingham
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IBM top choice for SMEs
IBM is the top choice for SMEs for computing systems, servers, desktops, laptops and management software, a survey by analyst house Yankee Group has revealed. SMEs revealed that they valued IBM's innovation, competitive pricing, Express products and user-friendly Web site.... more

Privacy fears over mobile work
Mobile workers are being put off doing business on the move because of other people sneaking a look at their screens, according to a study. The poll of train commuters found that 70% were deterred from working on a laptop because of others spying on private work, while 16% said fellow passengers regularly looked at their screen. ... more

FSB launches new financial helpline for small businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has set up a new financial freephone number to offer advice and guidance and answer any financial enquiries from SMEs. The new service has been added to the FSB's current raft of benefits available to members, including its existing 24-hour legal helpline. "During these difficult times it is important for business owners to have sound advice so they c... more

UK officially in recession
The UK has officially moved into a recession after two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. Figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that economic output fell by 0.5% between July and September, which was at the worst end of most analysts’ expectations. Many had expected the economy to shrink by around 0.1%. ... more

Leeds offices ‘offer best value’
Offices in Leeds offer the best value for money in Europe, according to research by commercial property consultancy Cushman and Wakefield. The city is ranked top in terms of value for money and third for availability of office space and moved up from 30th position to 28th in the list of ‘best European cities to locate a business’. ... more

Supermarkets drop petrol price to under £1 a litre
Supermarket giants Asda and Morrisons have reduced the price of unleaded fuel to 99.9p a litre, the first time since December that the fuel has cost under £1. At its peak price this summer a litre of petrol retailed at more than 120p. The drop in price reflects the falling cost of oil, which now stands at $80 a barrel from a summer high of $147, and a battle between the supermarkets to attr... more

Total fleet outsourcing for SMEs
Fleet Operations has launched a new service specifically for small and medium enterprises that operate between five and 200 vehicles. Fleet Complete is available from around £10 a month per car and ensures that all aspects of running a fleet are taken care of for your business. The scheme covers cost control and invoice accuracy, vehicle life cycle monitoring and management, policy provisio... more

Top business speakers at the Environmental Agency conference
The Environment Agency annual conference takes place on the 24 and 25th of November at the QEII Conference centre, London. The conference will examine ways to protect the environment while maintaining economic stability and features top speakers from the world of business and politics. Those speaking include Richard Gillies, Director of Plan A and Marks and Spencer, Martin Broughton, Chairma... more