editorIAM – Page 18 – London Office Buzz

Childcare Guide for Working Parents

Posted on March 26, 2013

While forming a family is an exciting prospect, many parents find it very challenging too, especially when it comes to combining work and family responsibilities in a balanced way. Fortunately, working parents can benefit from a series of governmental initiatives and schemes that can help them achieve this balance and find suitable childcare arrangements so that they can successfully manage their working and family lives.

Childcare legislation in the United Kingdom

The main set of normatives that set the legal provisions for childcare in the UK are compiled under the Children Act of 1989. In this Act, the government outlined the required standards that any organisation providing childcare should meet by law. The main objective of the regulations laid out in the 1989 Act is to provide a safe learning environment for children and to foster their development through childcare arrangements. The Act also authorises Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children Services and Skills) to inspect childcare facilities and ensure that staff working with children are adequately skilled.

The Act was modified in July 2006 in order to enhance the childcare provision for working parents and to provide a comprehensive information service to help parents make the best choices for their situation. Some of the current legislation does not apply to private childcare arrangements, such as those that involve nannies, babysitters, or au pairs. Continue reading “Childcare Guide for Working Parents” →

Focus On: Wimbledon Village Business Centre

Posted on March 11, 2013

To the south west of London, approximately 7 miles from the city centre, is the affluent suburb of Wimbledon, famous for its common- a large recreational park, and the English tennis championships which are held at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club every June. Attractive to residents as well as businesses, companies and organisations for its green spaces, community feel and close proximity and ease of access to central London, Wimbledon is a popular location for offices and work spaces.

The area closest to the common is known as Wimbledon Village and is built on the site of the original medieval settlement; the High Street at the centre comprises local shops and delicatessens, small designer boutiques and gastro pubs. Wimbledon Town is more modern and developed, built around the Broadway and the station which has been part of the rail network since 1838. A highlight of the town is the Centre Court Shopping Complex which was built to incorporate the original Town Hall based on designs by architect Sir George Grenfell Baines.

Wimbledon Village Business Centre, formerly known as Thornton House, is a large residential property, renovated to create spacious office units boasting their own grounds and maintaining some original character features which create a peaceful and conducive working environment. The centre offers a range of suites available in different sizes depending on requirements. Amenities include the use of a large free car park. What’s more, the exclusive shops, bars and restaurants of desirable Wimbledon Village are within just a few minutes walking distance. Set on Thornton Hill, the building offers scenic view of Wimbledon College, the village, Wimbledon town and beyond to Central London. Continue reading “Focus On: Wimbledon Village Business Centre” →

A Closer Look at the Marble Arch Business Centre

Posted on March 6, 2013

London’s Marble Arch is located in the very heart of the city; at the north-western corner of world famous Hyde Park, with the city’s premier shopping area, Oxford Street on one side and the trendy, stylish Notting Hill area on the other. Marble Arch is the perfect location for businesses looking for a for a place to base themselves where all the action of London is on the doorstep; business centres in Marble Arch benefit from a highly prized and prestigious address and all the advantages that come with it.

Bryanston Street Business Centre is an outstanding and noteworthy building in its own right, standing tall and distinct with windows on all sides, offering superb 360 degree views of London, particularly from the offices on the 18th floor. Offices of varying sizes are available on leases ranging from 3 months to 5 years and are fully serviced, managed and staffed with office furniture and amenities including exclusive climate control for each space. The first floor boasts conferencing and meeting rooms including break out spaces and all within two minutes walk from Marble Arch tube station (Central line). Continue reading “A Closer Look at the Marble Arch Business Centre” →

Your Rights as an Employee: Office Occupational Health and Safety

Posted on February 26, 2013

There are many factors that can influence job satisfaction and productivity levels in the office. Although elements like economic retribution, good working relationships with colleagues, and autonomy are all very important, health and safety considerations cannot be taken out of the equation. The importance of health and safety in the workplace should not be underestimated, as the well-being of both employers and staff depends on it.

Since potential hazards are everywhere, it is important to be familiar with and understand what regulations are in place in order to protect your health and well-being at work, as well as which are your rights as an employee in terms of health and safety. This article provides an overview of the most important aspects of the current health and safety legislation, with the objective of helping you understand better your rights in the office.

Continue reading “Your Rights as an Employee: Office Occupational Health and Safety” →

A Guide to London’s Mayfair

Posted on February 18, 2013

The neighbourhood of Mayfair is one of London’s most prestigious addresses. Embassies, five-star hotels, exclusive boutiques, and some of the capital’s most expensive real estate can all be found here. Over the years, the area has been home to some notable residents, like Alexander Graham Bell, Jimmy Hendrix, Oscar Wilde, and even Queen Elizabeth. If you are interested in finding out more about this area of London, this article provides a good introduction to the history of Mayfair and a guide to some of its most iconic landmarks.

Continue reading “A Guide to London’s Mayfair” →

Time for a Cuppa – Office Tea Parties for Charity

Posted on February 15, 2013

Here at London Office Space, we just can’t get enough tea and when we were researching for our tea infographic we came across this excellent initiative: Time for a Cuppa. There was just enough time to showcase what it’s all about with it being only a few weeks away.

We caught up with Amy Cudmore from Dementia UK to ask her some questions about Time for a Cuppa and what companies and office workers could do to help raise funds for this very important cause.

Continue reading “Time for a Cuppa – Office Tea Parties for Charity” →

Discover London’s Hidden Interiors with our February Prize

Posted on February 1, 2013

If you are like us and love London but feel there’s simply not enough hours in the day to absorb all the things this wonderful city offers, why not enter our February competition? A fantastic book called London Hidden Interiors can be yours if you happen to be our lucky winner.

London Hidden Interiors by Philip Davies reveals 180 of London’s best conserved and least known interiors in 1500 stunning photographs. Considered to be one of the most extraordinary collections of contemporary photographs of London’s historic interiors ever published, this hardcover book is our February competition prize we are happy to send your way.

All we ask you to do is follow us @officeinlondon on Twitter and retweet one of our tweets where we mention this competition. It’s easy, and for those interested in finding out more here’s a list of terms and conditions. Good luck! Continue reading “Discover London’s Hidden Interiors with our February Prize” →

How do Pensions Work?

Posted on January 30, 2013

A pension is a tax free way to save for your retirement. There are a number of ways to save for a pension and various types of pension schemes available including state pensions, workplace pensions and personal pensions. The pension plan you choose will depend on a number of factors including your age, salary, financial situation and the company you work for.

Pensions and Retirement

Department for Work and Pensions

The Pensions Advisory Service

Online Pension Planner

How much is a State Pension?

The current maximum amount of basic state pension you can claim is £107.45 weekly (as of October 2012) and the maximum state pension amount increases annually.

Once you reach state pension age you will be able to claim the basic state pension, however you must have paid National Insurance (NI) contributions or have been credited with NI contributions during your working life. Continue reading “How do Pensions Work?” →

Lizzie from Texas: I loved London!

Posted on January 21, 2013

Back in November when we published our Time for a Cuppa infographic, we got in touch with two lovely ladies – Pippa and Jules – otherwise known as the Darjeeling Darlings, who are based in San Antonio, Texas, and absolutely adore good quality tea.

Reading their reviews of Tea Rooms across Virginia, Florida, Texas and California, we couldn’t help but notice one additional participant of those little afternoon tea parties – someone we here in the UK are rather familiar with, who they refer to as Lizzie.

Among other things, we wrote in our email:

“We absolutely loved your Lizzie, she has a great taste and seems to really love tea. Just out of interest, has she actually been over here in the UK? If not, why don’t you post her over, and we will take a photo of her in front of the Buckingham Palace? Just an idea!”

It took a while to pack (all those dresses, hats, handbags and jewellery!) but guess who arrived at our LondonOfficeSpace.com office earlier this month?

Her Majesty the Queen! Continue reading “Lizzie from Texas: I loved London!” →