Banner Blog

In September 2021, London saw its busiest morning rush-hour since the first national lockdown of March 2020, and we continue to see a marked return to the workplace.  

On Monday 6th September a total of 831,000 passengers used the London Underground between the hours of 7am and 10am alone. This story was mirrored on the buses, with passenger numbers up 40% on the previous week, according to Transport for London. 

Although high in comparison to previous weeks and months, these figures actually represent around half of pre-pandemic figures, which paints an interesting picture on how the working population’s weekly schedule will look going forward. Last month, an average of more than 1.8 million journeys were made on the Tube every weekday - compared to 3.9m in July 2019, so it is clear that patterns have changed, perhaps permanently. With more of us using public transport to get to the office, time management is one of the key areas in making a smooth journey to work; However it’s not the only factor to take into account when switching to a Hybrid Working Solution, or making a full return to the office. 

Data security and encryption are even more important than ever within the workplace

In today’s society, data attacks on mobile devices and against networks and business databases are on the increase. Alongside this, the emergence of a working week often split between office and home further strengthens the need for caution when it comes to UK-GDPR rules and regulations. With the risk of huge fines and punishments in the case of a data breach, it is vital for businesses to ensure that their critical and sensitive information is properly protected. 

Banner is delighted to offer the full range of environmentally friendly Hey Girls period products 

Banner is delighted to offer the full range of environmentally friendly Hey Girls period products. With plastic free, vegan, Phythalate & BPA free and certified organic materials, Hey Girls also plays a large part in avoiding the issue of period poverty in the UK. They are an award-winning ‘buy one, donate one’ social enterprise, producing environmentally-friendly period products. A Scottish community interest company, Hey Girls was initially established in 2018 by Celia Hodson and her two daughters Kate and Bec as a kitchen table start up, after experiencing period poverty themselves.

Global healthcare experts and virologists agree - airborne, aerosol transmission of viruses poses a significant threat.

A person can become infected through direct contact with a person or object carrying the virus or by air. 

Part of the answer is that, whilst we are programmed to clean surfaces and wash our hands, we tend to overlook something that’s more influential in causing illness: the air we breathe!  

As a provider to Central Government and the Wider Public Sector via a number of Frameworks, Banner is delighted to offer a compliant supply route for a new certified, UK manufactured, face covering to both the public and private sectors. 

The Business Standards Institution (BSI) launched the new quality assured Kitemark^TM to help people instantly know whether they're buying a face covering that is effective or not.

With many face coverings available in the market and as masks become compulsory in more places, the new Kitemark^TM accreditation provides consumers with confidence and assurance that the products have been assessed and approved to a technical specification.

The UK manufactured face coverings are available to all Banner customers and are currently in stock in our Distribution Centres across the UK. 

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said: "This is a major step to ensure that this country can meet any increase in demand for face coverings by working with British firms to establish the capability, capacity and skills required to manufacture these items at scale..."

COVID-19 heavily impacts the way we work and requires many office workers to work from home.

With lockdowns now being relaxed in many countries, the future will probably require a more hybrid approach, transitioning between working from home and the office. The home office will in many ways, become an extension of the corporate office.

If you are looking to establish this new way of working as a longer term or more permanent practice in your organisation, make sure you tackle the following three topics as part of your strategy – safety, organisation and wellbeing:

The UK Government has announced that, in addition to public transport, shops and supermarkets, wearing a face covering in secondary schools communal areas will now be mandatory in England. 

Ensuring staff, customers and visitors comply with these regulations will be a focus for many companies and organisations in the UK.  But it can be confusing as to what to order for your workplace. 

Here's a simple guide to the different types of face coverings. 

Cleaning and hygiene have always been paramount in care homes, but both these issues have come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of us now know that elderly people, including care home residents, are at greater risk¹ from the worst effects of the virus than most of the population, and that care workers² are more likely to contract Covid-19 in their daily work.

For the protection of residents, staff and visitors in the era of Covid-19, these are the essential cleaning and hygiene measures that care home providers are taking:

Any return to work transition is challenging at the best of times.

Whether you’re returning after a prolonged period of remote working or from maternity leave, a process must be implemented to ensure that this transition is smooth and successful. Signage can help facilitate this. For example, if an employee is returning after a workplace injury, warning signs can assure them that everything is being done to promote optimal safety and prevention.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused us to rely on signage more than ever. The government's plan for a phased return to work following the recent social distancing measures is set to be one of the most difficult challenges to date.

At Banner, we believe that office signage will be crucial in facilitating a smooth and safe transition back to work.

Lockdowns have forced companies to close their offices and enable their employees to work from home where, and as much as possible.

We all have a role to play in preventing the infection from spreading when workplaces reopen. Without an available vaccine or effective treatment, well-organised risk management is key to creating ‘COVID-safe’ work environments. One thing is clear: the office after coronavirus will look very different in many ways and managers need to prepare for ‘the new normal’.