Do you know where your business will be in three or five years’ time? While we all dream of running a prospering business, which expands year-in-year-out, nobody has a crystal ball, and as the UK’s economy remains shaky and unpredictable, for many businesses, growth remains precarious and undetermined.

Given this volatile business environment, moving into flexible office space opposed to committing to a lengthy three or five-year contract can be a wise business move.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can play a bigger role in mental health and wellbeing in the workplace than you may realise.

SAD is a recognised mental health disorder which can cause depressive symptoms, and some people find that their mood and energy levels more affected by changes in the seasons than others.

Did you know that during our lifetime we spend, on average, a staggering 90,000 hours at work? Spending such a colossal amount of time in the office, it stands to reason that our working environment needs to be as inviting, comfortable, practical and as well-facilitated as possible, in order to boost creativity, wellbeing and productivity.

Multiple studies show that a well-designed office is paramount in improving staff morale, employee retention and productivity.

If you’re intent on ensuring your working environment is as productivity-enhancing as possible in 2018, take a look at the following five steps on how to make your office more productive.

The vibrant city of Leeds has long been a great place to live, study, work, shop and visit. With a rich history of successful business start-ups, including the iconic 133-year old Marks and Spencer brand, Leeds continues to be one of the most popular hubs for enterprise beyond the capital.

A significant contributor to the enduring popularity of Leeds among businesses, is its relative positioning to the rest of the country, as it is directly linked by road and rail to the largest cities both north and south.

There is much to look forward to in 2018 and beyond which will make the city of Leeds even more pulsating and attractive to businesses of all sizes and sectors.

Here’s nine exciting plans for Leeds that you need to know about.

What is a virtual office?

As a business leader, you may have come across the term virtual office before. Most virtual offices offer a ‘virtual’ business address along with a range of professional extras, which can include reception answering services, direct mail services, DDI memberships and more. Investing in a virtual office at a well-located, high quality business centre can also give you access to a range of other business growth services. For example, at Carrwood Park we have luxury co-working facilities, meeting rooms and serviced offices.

January is always a hectic month, especially in the business world. It’s so important to ensure that your employees are fully-engaged and feeling productive in order to get the new year off to a flying start. As we’ve mentioned before, happy employees are generally more productive, and it’s up to you as a business leader to ensure that your employees are happy at work.

Earlier this month, the UK’s top business women came together for the highly anticipated grand final of the Forward Ladies National Awards 2017. Now in its eighth year, the prestigious awards ceremony took place in our very own city, at the Royal Armouries in Leeds city centre.