October 2013 – London Office Buzz

Has the Royal Baby boosted the Economy?

Posted on October 29, 2013

Despite predictions of doom, prophecies of gloom, and the never-ending austerity anachronisms bandied about by the British media, the British economy has edged into recovery. This recovery has leading financial pundits grasping for explanations, including the possibility Royal Baby George is somehow responsible for pushing macro-economic pounds around the United Kingdom.

The mystical source of rising GDP in the Northern Hemisphere’s seventh largest economy, is rumoured to be due to a chunk of benevolent circumstances, which fall outside technocratic economic models. Think-tanks have been out-thunk by the birth of a magical boy baby, whose Midas-touch upon arrival, blessed the London Stock Exchange with trading certainty. In the month leading up to the Royal birth the FTSE index rose by 59 points – equalling the highest net-rise for the market in 2013. This can’t be coincidence.

Alongside one of the biggest baby booms seen in England since the birth of the previous Royal singleton, Prince William, in 1982, more than an explosion in the coffers of Mothercare has led to the economic recovery Britain is experiencing. The spirited flame containing Olympic Gold, lingering from the incredible successes of the 2012 London Olympics, must have been passed to new Prince George – if the price of gold is anything to go by. Commodity traders cleaned up on July 22nd, 2013, as the COMEX indice shot up to 1315 from a slump of 1200 at the month’s start. Pop those champagne corks now – there’s a new Royal baby in town! Continue reading “Has the Royal Baby boosted the Economy?” →

The 4 Office Personality Types – The Climber

Posted on October 18, 2013

Continued from the Four Office Personality Types: The Nice Guy/Girl

All we can say is may the various gods help you if you ever have to deal with this one (and chances are you will, as The Climber inhabits nearly every office). This office personality type can be scary and intimidating, and chances are that it’s not just your perception. The Climber gets noticed, whether he / she wants it or not. They probably don’t care anyway. On your first day at work, they were the ones who were probably too busy to greet you, and well, we hate being the bearer of bad news, but The Climber was most likely busy analysing whether your position was a threat to them in any way, and if it was, they were already plotting how to turn the tables in their favour.

Needless to say, The Climber is not particularly happy to work with other co-workers, unless working together gives him or her the opportunity to gather valuable information that can be used to go up higher and faster. There is yet another reason why The Climber is not precisely what you would call a collaborative member of staff: they just do not have the patience to put up with others. For The Climber, work is all about setting and reaching goals that will take them to the top. This means that Climber-type personalities are massively driven and ambitious, and they really push themselves hard. The vast majority of staff can simply not keep up with their pace, so less ambitious co-workers are perceived as a hassle by The Climber.

One thing you need to know is that you must brace yourself when dealing with The Climber. Often, he or she will make sarcastic or blunt comments, and you only really have two options: either ignore them, or sink into depression. The Climber is the natural enemy of The Nice Guy / Girl, and after reading about both personality types we are sure that you can easily see why. Continue reading “The 4 Office Personality Types – The Climber” →

Overview of London’s Commercial Property Market – 3rd Quarter 2013

Posted on October 4, 2013

According to the latest research data, during the third quarter of 2013 the commercial property market in the British capital continued to show signs of growth. These signs began to be evident earlier in the year, and in line with the forecasts, the market has continued to stabilise between the months of July and September.

Across all sectors take up figures have been on the rise, but particularly in the retail and office markets. With nearly 3 million square feet being taken up during this quarter, the availability of Grade A commercial space in London has recently hit a ten-year low. Following a period of generalised slowdown in economic activity caused by the recession, it finally seems that the commercial property market is on its definitive way to recovery. The positive signs are particularly striking when compared to the same period during 2012, as in the year to date take up figures for commercial property in London are 42 per cent higher than last year.

Despite the positive outlook, investors and occupiers remain cautious, and this has been reflected in the value of prime rents, which remain stable across the commercial property market in the capital. Other market indicators that are worth mentioning include the increased vacancy rates and supply indexes in the West End. This, along with low occupier demand and a very low volume of projects under construction, suggest that there is a clear preference for properties in The City and Docklands areas.

Key trends in the London office property market

During the third quarter of 2013, approximately 75 per cent of all the properties taken up were classified as office space were based in The City. The properties in this area of London continue to be favoured by firms who are looking to upgrade their office accommodation, despite the high cost of prime rents when compared to other parts of the capital. Continue reading →