Banner Blog

As virtual communication becomes increasingly important for businesses around the world, the quality and reliability of conferencing devices is more essential than ever.

EPOS have created the EXPAND line of premium audio and video solutions to specifically address the needs of decentralised teams, often working across locations and time zones.

For the 69%* of office workers who use a headset, speakerphone, personal webcam or video bar for conference calls, seamless collaboration is vital. EPOS know that 59%* of workers use an audio solution every single day, so they created this line to be the best quality and reliability out there. Because 37%* of everyday collaborators spend more than half their time away from their desk, the EXPAND Line is designed and crafted for flexibility, ease-of-use, and perfect connectivity with all devices.

Epson has developed a comprehensive range of reliable scanners with technologies that significantly cut the steps required to capture, store, and share documents.

From cost-effective entry level A4 devices, right through to A3 high-volume options with scanning capability of up to 90 pages per minute, Epson Document Scanners cover most everyday scanning requirements, allowing customers to gain more productivity and efficiency in their digitisation processes.

We are pleased to announce we are working with Circular Computing^TM

A new technology brand that believes I.T. shouldn’t cost the earth by focusing on creating a more ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible way to buy enterprise grade I.T. They produce leading brand remanufactured laptops. Their BSI Kitemark™ certified process remanufactures laptops to ‘equal or better than new’ with up to 40% cost savings compared to the latest models and an RMA of less than 3%.

With Plastic Free July now over, Julie Hadley, CSR and Social Value Manager at Banner, shares the wins, challenges, and reflections that occurred in her household throughout the month of cutting down on plastic waste.

You might expect, given my role, that I’d be a paragon of virtue, but like everyone else I’m time poor and with two teens in the house, I sometimes feel I’m on a hiding to nothing when it comes to the amount of plastic passing through here! It’s harder than you think to go plastic free and requires a real behaviour change, but with my two girls now on board, I’m quite pleased with the result.

The trigger was guilt, especially with the knowledge that lots of plastics are ‘wish-cycled’ – you pop it in the recycling and hope your local authority deals with it! Often though, the plastic we put for recycling goes for incineration, so the only way to deal with it was to cut down what I brought into the house.

Given that I’m the one doing most of the shopping, the buck stops with me…

Plastic free July was a good opportunity to tackle my mixed waste recycling output.  Our general waste is pretty minimal (around half to a third of a tall wheelie bin per fortnight) as I employ the following strategies:

• A compost bin in my garden for all fruit and veg peelings and cores
• Little cooked food waste as I plan food with portions and either freeze or leave any left-overs for lunch next day
• Salad drawer soup/stock to use up end of life veg and salad
• Cardboard and paper are recycled separately
• Plastics, cans and bottles are mixed separated from other waste and put in to mixed recycling
• Batteries and electricals I pop to one side for a visit to the local recycling centre
• Soft films and bags are recycled at my supermarket

With the above as my start point, I had a look at the mixed recycling bin contents and I’m sad to admit that our mixed recycling was 2 bins a fortnight, this included all glass, plastic and cans, of which I’d say plastic made up half.

A single day of home working each week could save the average person £5.73 per day, between £22.92 and £28.65 each month, or a whopping £297.96 per year, when factoring in average commuting costs, a morning coffee, and lunch. But many organisations still haven’t had the chance to fully optimise a hybrid working model.

The data, which is listed below, shows the potential for hybrid working to take some of the sting out of the cost-of-living crisis. As businesses in every sector struggle to fill positions, hybrid working has become a HR must-have.

When we had to work from home, it was the social aspect of the office that we missed most. Now that many of us are back in the office, at least part time, what are we missing? 

Some of us welcomed homeworking with open arms, others missed the office, but both sides will probably agree; the office doesn’t provide the same comfort as your own home.

Introducing you to Phil Pitt, our next Healthcare Team member

Phil is the Key Account Manager for London and the South East, and has been working for the Banner NHS Division for 10 years. With a passion for music and father to 3 kids, Phil is a happy member of the team who is always loving life.

Video fatigue is occurring more and more frequently in remote working. 

In March 2020, when we were sent to work from home, large amounts of employees experienced increased video fatigue. Many realised that collaborating on video was not the same as it was in the office.  

Harrods, the world-famous luxury department store, has solved one of its biggest headaches by diverting tonnes of its used paper hand towels from general waste.

Having already reduced Harrods' waste by replacing its paper hand towel product with a more absorbent alternative, Banner identified Kimberly-Clark Professional’s RightCycle service as a circular solution for paper towel sustainability.

The sun is shining, the air is warm... are you finding it harder to focus on work?

It's a familiar story for many of us when temperatures start to rise, and one that can take its toll on workplace efficiency.

Studies have found that productivity drops during warm weather by around 20%, with projects taking 13% longer to complete and employees becoming 45% more distracted.

We've put together 6 smarter working practices to help you work better throughout summer.