Business

UnitedCity launches free ‘Back to Work’ helpline to get workplaces COVID-secure

The campaign group has announced the new support system as workplaces prepare to reopen.

The Manc The Manc - 24th March 2021

Manchester’s group of local business leaders UnitedCity has launched a free ‘Back to Work Helpline’ to support those not reasonably able to work effectively from home.

The campaign organisation has announced the new support system as workplaces prepare to reopen – providing additional support for employer and employees alike.

The helpline has been set up in conjunction with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) – who will provide bespoke planning sessions, free online surgeries and guidance sessions surrounding business travel.

UnitedCity was originally launched in November in an attempt to drive footfall back to Manchester city centre – a campaign endorsed by Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

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A joint venture from Gary Neville, Chris Oglesby (Bruntwood), Lisa Morton (Roland Dransfield PR), Will Lewis (OBI) and Frank McKenna (Downtown in Business), UnitedCity has positioned itself at the forefront of conversations surrounding lockdown restrictions in Manchester – with the group previously installing billboards as part of a mission to change government-imposed tier rules.

The organisation’s latest move involved the launch of a dedicated helpline provided by BrightSafe (the health & safety arm of Manchester-based HR software and employment law advice firm BrightHR) – giving UnitedCity members exclusive access to their own safety advisers.

Members will also enjoy BrightHR’s free online vaccine tracker – VaccTrak Lite by BrightHR – allowing them to educate staff on vaccine benefits and return to work safely.

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Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR, said: “We all know of individuals with wellbeing or technical challenges at home, and the Back to Work helpline, provided by BrightSafe, will support employers in responding to these challenges.

“We are delighted to be working with UnitedCity to provide an essential service to their members that will ensure businesses in Manchester return back to their offices and workplaces in the safest way possible, and ultimately help this fantastic city recover from the pandemic stronger and better for all.”

A spokesperson for UnitedCity said: “BrightSafe and BrightHR’s work will be absolutely pivotal in helping us to get Manchester back on its feet, and we’re very grateful to the team for providing this brilliant platform in support of UnitedCity.

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“The pandemic has changed working life as we know it and adapting to ‘the new normal’ will be a particular struggle for businesses which have adhered to the working from home guidance since last March. We have no doubt this tool, as well as VaccTrack, will be of the utmost importance to our business community as we look to collectively achieve a safe recovery.”

Kate Brown, Director of Corporate Affairs at Transport for Greater Manchester, added: “Over the coming months we will be working hard to support people, businesses and employers as they start to travel again in line with the government’s roadmap to recovery and ensure they are able to do so safely and sustainably.”

The freephone numbers – 08007830321 / 08448920253 will be operational Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.

Featured image: UnitedCity

Business

New stations appear across Manchester for city’s rentable ‘Burnham bike’ scheme

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

The roll-out of Greater Manchester’s Bee Bike cycle hire scheme has stepped up a gear, with new docking stations appearing across the city centre.

The scheme, nicknamed the ‘Burnham bikes’ as a nod to London’s ‘Boris bikes’, initially launched in Salford and along the Oxford Road corridor.

Several new yellow stations have appeared around Manchester now, with plenty more on the way.

The next phase of the roll-out of the Bee Bikes has seen stations installed around St Peter’s Square and Manchester Central.

‘Burnham Bike’ cycle hire stations near St Peter’s Square. Credit: The Manc Group

By the time the scheme is complete, bike numbers will increase to 1,500, which will include 300 e-bikes.

It’s all part of the vision for a Bee Network – a joined-up, integrated public transport network across the region.

And it’s certainly off to a more successful start than Mobike, which famously withdrew from Manchester due to high levels of vandalism and theft.

The Bee Bikes are funded by TgGM and operated by Beryl, which runs similar schemes in London, Watford and Bournemouth.

Richard Nickson, programme director, Cycling and Walking at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “The cycle hire scheme has really taken off in Greater Manchester since it was first introduced, and we are seeing significant numbers of riders and distances travelled by on the bikes- which is fantastic, particularly as we are still in the early days of the scheme’s roll out.

“The next phase of the roll-out has now started in Manchester city centre, with new stations installed at key locations including Manchester Central Library, Manchester Central Convention Centre and
St Peter’s Square.

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“More stations are due to be installed in Manchester city centre over the coming weeks, before the scheme continues to expand its footprint to new locations in Salford and Trafford.

“Once complete the scheme will see bike numbers increase to 1,500 – including 300 e-bikes – and over 150 new stations in operation.”

To see all the new stations as they appear and find the nearest one to you, you can download the Bee Network Cycle Hire app.

Featured image: TfGM

Business

New record high number of jobs being advertised in the UK for 2022

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The UK has recorded a new record high number of jobs currently being advertised at 1.85 million, according to the latest data.

After its’s been observed by recruiters that active job postings have been steadily rising since mid-June, now, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)’s latest Labour Market Tracker, in the week of 25-31 July, the number of open job vacancies across the UK has hit a new record high for 2022 at 1.85 million.

The number of active job adverts averaged out between 180,000 and 200,000 per week during late June and July, but in the last week of July, there were 182,000 new postings.

This is still 22% below this year’s highest figure of 234,000 – which was recorded in March.

Roles in the arts, such as actors, entertainers, presenters, dancers, and choreographers, were found to be the most in-demand according to the latest datas, with a high number of vacancies also calling for driving instructors, sewing machinists, water and sewage plant operatives, and street cleaners.

Fitness instructors, beauticians and related occupations, and construction workers were also found to be in high demand.

Vacancies for probation officers, health and social care workers, secondary school teachers, paramedics, and more all fell in recent weeks however, according to the report.

There were 1.85 million job adverts in the UK on the last week of July / Credit: Jose Losada (via Unsplash)

The REC said that the rising number of active postings overall likely reflects job adverts being left open for longer, with employers across the country struggling to attract candidates for their vacancies, and as a result, despite these worker shortages, rising inflation, and energy costs, there is no sign that the jobs market is starting to shrink.

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“This new data shows the continued strength of the jobs market, despite any wider economic uncertainty,” explained Kate Shoesmith – Deputy Chief Executive of REC.

“The number of job adverts being posted each week is stable.

“It’s a great time to be looking for work as a jobseeker, as employers are having to think more about the pay, benefits, conditions and development opportunities they offer both new starters and current staff as they compete for talent.”

She did admit, however, that there is a “danger” that with costs soaring, employers will have to “reprioritise”, as there is still no viable support package for businesses to meet these rising costs.

Driving instructors, dancers, choreographers, and other roles in the arts were some of the most in-demand in 2022 / Credit: Flickr | Pxhere

Ms Shoesmith continued: “We know that employers’ confidence in the broader economy has started to drop, so the government must play its role, both in supporting people and businesses through the current crisis, and also by working with industry to create a sustainable labour market.

“We need a long-term workforce strategy that encompasses skills, immigration and makes childcare and local transport part of the infrastructure of our labour market.”

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When it comes to the most amount of vacancies by location, the local area with the highest increase in job adverts was Newry, Mourne, and Down in Northern Ireland (+8.3%), followed by Haringey and Islington (+7.1%), and Chorley and West Lancashire (+7.0%).

At the other end of the scale, five out of the bottom 10 local areas for growth in active job postings were in Scotland.

Greater Manchester was not named in either the top or bottom 10 local areas.

Featured Image – RawPixel

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