Business bouncing back “Professional firms have pivoted


to deliver their services in a different way, to ensure their survival, and in some cases, have thrived.” Nicola and her team have also


run a series of initiatives to help staff across the district cope with the effects of remote working on mental and physical health over the long months of enforced lockdown. “We delivered Wellbeing


Fortnight, focused around physical and mental health needs, which was incredibly popular. People were dialling in for an hour’s yoga, mindfulness, reflection, meditation. We have also had online gym classes with PureGym. “We then introduced networking


every other Thursday evening for a couple of hours. It’s a big Zoom call, you get separated into ‘rooms’ with lots of mingling, and most people turn up with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in hand. “At FleetMilne we have learnt


that people working from home work incredibly hard. It has been a gratefully received learning curve around trust over the last year. I regularly have 7/8pm meetings, and a day off, what does that mean anymore? “At FleetMilne I have encouraged


proper rest when people are ‘on holiday’ saying ‘when you get your downtime, please use it, get some


Transformed: Summer in the Square plans proposed by Colmore BID


sun on your face, get some sleep; you are more valuable when you are refreshed and not burnt out.’” She warned that the new phenomenon of Zoom calls had its drawbacks. “We have used it for our board meetings at the BID but I do still prefer meetings in person; it’s impossible to look directly into someone’s eyes on Zoom.


‘Every company will be guided by its own internal culture. It will just be the latest version of life’


“I have clients that I want to go


to see, I want to chew the cud, be natural with somebody, nurture


personal relationships.” Nicola said the hospitality sector


– which comprises eight per cent of the Colmore BID’s levy payers compared to 92 per cent for professional services – had been harder hit by the pandemic but was well positioned to bounce back. “A lot of people in hospitality have


been furloughed. We have had businesses close, we have had new businesses coming in... bars and restaurants have their time and place.” Meanwhile, companies across the


district are gearing up for a long- awaited return to a greater degree of normality post-lockdown. “Every company will be guided by its own internal culture. It will just be the latest version of life. “My team will come back five


days a week but there will be a more


Business News


meaningful flexible-working policy. “There has got to be a level of


trust with your team to say it is OK to work from home just to get the job done. However, if somebody wants to only work remotely, that is unlikely to work for us with our immersive team culture.” With its members paying levy


fees based on 1.5 per cent of their rateable values capped at a maximum of £25,000, around £1.2 million is generated in annual income by the Colmore BID, enabling the organisation to provide security teams and other support. “We have maintained our


security teams out on the streets throughout the pandemic. They liaise with the police and are the eyes of the district, on the ground with the street community, the homeless and rough sleepers.” Nicola is now looking forward to


the end of lockdown and “Summer in the Square” in support of the city’s leisure and hospitality industry, when Victoria Square will be transformed into a new space with socially-distanced seating for 120 people, a bandstand for live music, four beach huts and an array of entertainment. “I think the hospitality industry is


going to be inundated. People are desperate to get out, there will be an enormous demand.”


May 2021 CHAMBERLINK 21


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