Everything changed for Manchester businesses in 2020. Unequivocally and permanently.
Since the arrival of the pandemic, the local corporate landscape has found itself in an unrecognisable, uncertain and frustratingly fluid state, with companies scrambling to find new ways to cope with ever-changing regulations.
Even as a vaccine is administered across the region, there’s a growing sense of acceptance that it will still be some time before things are ‘normal’ again.
COVID has forced businesses to change the way they think, behave and operate for the foreseeable future – and one firm is doing its bit to help Manchester companies comfortably navigate the choppy waters ahead.
REVIV – the global preventative health company with a HQ in St Ann’s Square – has today launched HELIIX: An innovative, game-changing piece of management software designed to put business owners back in the driving seat.
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A product unlike anything else on the market, HELIIX is being called the ‘most robust and effective’ COVID business tool – functioning as an essential support system to keep firms afloat in 2021.
Risk profiling, robust tracking and case management, sick pay forecasting, vaccine tracking, and user isolation alerts are all embedded within the system – with every feature packaged into a single app that can be downloaded by staff and updated in real-time.
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Aside from offering benefits to employers, staff can also enjoy peace of mind with HELIIX in that their health is being taken seriously.
REVIV owner Sarah Lomas, whose rags-to-riches success story was featured on BBC TV series Manctopia, has previously expressed her concerns for the wellbeing of local businesses – and HELIIX aims to change the trajectory; minimising the number of firms going bump due to factors formerly out of their control.
Sarah stated: “REVIV had already shifted into technology investments and as COVID-19 hit I saw the opportunity to accelerate our corporate preventative health software HELIIX.
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“I’m a great believer in fixing a problem that exists in the world today.
“I’m proud that we have a software system that can not only manage COVID in the workplace but it can track vaccination rollouts in the working community as well as having the potential to reduce risk and litigation.”
REVIV has also launched not-for-profit PCR and antibody testing for just £89 – one of the lowest prices currently available on the market.
Wellbeing is the business’ bread and butter, and with HELIIX, REVIV is hoping to get more staff back into workplaces safely – boosting the local economy as a result.
Non-Executive Board Director Max Johnson stated: “All employers need a COVID-19 management software to make their companies run smoothly and safely.
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“We think HELIIX is just the software to enable them to do that.”
Professional functionality of HELIIX is charged at £1.40 per user a month, with subscriptions free to cancel at any time.
WeWork is closing its enormous office in Spinningfields, with tenants told to move out
Daisy Jackson
Co-working giant WeWork has announced the shock closure of its flagship space in Manchester, an enormous unit in the heart of Spinningfields.
Those who rent desks or offices within the space have been served notice to move out by the end of the month.
It’s understood that WeWork’s three remaining locations in Manchester are unaffected.
The US-based workspace company first moved into the 60,000sq ft unit at No.1 Spinningfields in 2017, offering flexible solutions to businesses of varying sizes.
But in the last few years it’s faced major financial difficulties, with WeWork eventually filing for bankruptcy in the States.
It was previously valued at $47 billion before its bankruptcy overseas.
On the closure of its huge Manchester office, a WeWork spokesperson said: “As part of WeWork’s efforts to achieve a sustainable capital structure and profitable business to serve our members for the long term, we have made the decision to stop operating at No1 Spinningfields in Manchester.
“We look forward to continuing to provide our members with flexible space solutions across our other locations in the city and the rest of the UK, which remains a key market for us.”
An email sent to tenants said: “After carefully evaluating our offerings in Manchester, we have made the decision to stop operating at WeWork No 1 Spinningfields… the move out will occur by 31 May 2024.
“We understand this may cause disruption to your business and are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Have you been affected by WeWork’s Manchester closure? Email [email protected] who can help with central, flexible office spaces.
Business
Premier League agrees new spending cap after ‘majority of clubs’ vote in favour
Danny Jones
The Premier League has reached an agreement in principle on a new spending cap for all teams as the English top flight looks to replace the current Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Set to be installed from the 2025/26 season onwards once fully ratified, revised spending limits will placed on teams in the first division, the number for which will be calculated in relation to a multiple of the money earned in prize money and TV rights by the lowest-earning club in the Premier League.
If approved at the AGM (annual general meeting) this June, the new model will replace the existing PSR system under which multiple clubs have broken FFP and been charged with other breaches over recent years, with Everton and Nottingham Forest having already been deducted points this season.
Although 16 of the 20 Premier League clubs reportedly agreed to the newly proposed regulations, four clubs were not in favour, with Manchester City, Man United and Aston Villa all said to have voted against the decision, while Chelsea chose to abstain.
The new max-spending model is being referred to as ‘anchoring’ or ‘tethering’, which will take into account total amounts spent on buying players, weekly wages, agents’ fees and more.
If successful following a final vote in June and brought through the season after next, the aim is to curb the increasing financial gap between the top and bottom of the table by preventing things like big sponsorships which may otherwise see clubs assert massive spending power during transfer windows.
According to the Independent, cost controls will now “limit club expenditure on salaries, signing and fees to 85 per cent of total revenue” for those not competing in European competitions.
This comes after Premier League teams previously the latest UEFA rules that will see those playing in the likes of the Champions, Europa and Conference League only allowed to spend 70% of that revenue, given the added financial uplift from qualifying for these tournaments.
While 16 yeas were enough to see the initial vote move forward, it will only require 14 out of 20 clubs to agree to the rule change in June for the motion to be fully passed.
A Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) spokesperson said: “We will obviously wait to see further details of these specific proposals, but we have always been clear that we would oppose any measure that would place a ‘hard’ cap on player wages.
“There is an established process in place to ensure that proposals like this, which would directly impact our members, have to be properly consulted on.”