Business Info - issue 145

BULLETIN businessinfomag.uk magazine 08 KEEP YOUR DISTANCE Shapes AI has developed a platform that uses existing CCTV cameras to monitor adherence to social distancing protocols in shopping centres, schools, public transport hubs, hospitals, warehouses, bars and offices. The Sociadex platform notifies on-site staff when social distancing levels fall below thresholds; provides managers with up-to- date and historical insights using heatmaps; generates an overall Social Distance Score (SDS) that can be displayed online and on-site; and, in the interests of privacy and GDPR-compliance, doesn’t incorporate any element of facial recognition. It can be deployed as a turnkey solution on top of existing CCTV infrastructure or be embedded in edge-capable cameras. https://www.shapes.ai/covid RAISED PROFILES Alugrip6 modular aluminium profiles and accessories from Antalis can be used to create a wide range of screens and shields for offices and retail, warehouse and leisure environments. The satin anodised extruded aluminium profiles can be used with a variety of rigid sheet materials, including acrylic, glass, PETG, foam PVC, polycarbonate and Antalis’ sustainable Xanita and Katz boards. Offering tool-free assembly and easy panel replacement, Alugrip6 profiles are ideal for high turnover signage and graphics, as well as screening and shielding. MORE BUYING OPTIONS AV solutions provider inurface Media is partnering with corporate trading company Active International so that customers can use existing goods, services and assets to help fund purchases of inurface digital signage solutions and Covid-secure products, such as traffic management systems, thermal cameras and smart hand sanitisers. Kieron Murphy, Media Director at Active, said: “During these times of continual change, the one constant that businesses face is the need to find commercial solutions that preserve cash flow and boost consumer demand.We are delighted to be working with inurface media to give our clients alternative ways to fund next-generation digital display signage to enhance their customers’ instore experience.” TOUCH-FREE DISPENSERS, PLEASE When it comes to keeping hands germ- free in public spaces, Europeans have a clear preference for touch-free dispensers, according to a new survey by Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP). More than nine out of 10 consumers (93%) said they prefer touch-free dispensers. There is also a clear preference for alcohol-based hand sanitiser (chosen by 75%) compared to alcohol-free options (25%). More than half (53%) expect to see wall- or stand-mounted hand hygiene stations throughout a space and not just at entrances/exits. rubbermaid.eu VIRUS RISK RATING Airthings, a provider of indoor air quality monitors, has added a Virus Risk Indicator to the Airthings Dashboard, an online platform providing access to real-time and historical sensor data. Available at no cost to all Airthings for Business customers, the new feature uses data from CO2, humidity and temperature sensors to calculate the risk of airborne virus spread in a room or indoor space. The Virus Risk Indicator assigns a risk rating of 1 to 10 based on four factors that can affect airborne virus spread – how long virus microdroplets can survive in the air; room occupancy; ventilation; and temperature and humidity. It also offers advice on how to reduce the risk, such as increasing ventilation or establishing occupancy limits in rooms. www.airthings.com The Covid-secure workplace Remote working WORKWHERE YOUWANT Three quarters (75%) of Britons say they are happier working from home, with 53% claiming that being able to choose where they work has had a positive impact on their mental health, reveals a new study of 2,000 mainly desk-based workers by Huawei. Nine out of 10 workers (88%) want to continue working from home part of the week, with 60% wanting to work remotely three days or more and 17% preferring to be out of the office for all five days. Workers with desk-based jobs typically work remotely from an average of three different places each week, with 27% working from five or more locations. Only 30% log on from the same place every day. Young people aged 18-24 are the most adventurous when it comes to working remotely, with 29% working from eight or more places each week. Baby boomers are more than twice as likely to work from the same place every day. The top 10 spots for remote working excluding the office/commute are: 1 Garden (37%) 2 Café (19%) 3 Friend’s house (18%) 4 Park (16%) 5 Balcony (12%) 6 Holiday destination/holiday home (10.4%) 7 Colleague’s house (10%) 8 Pub (10%) 9 Beach (8.2%) 10 Gym (6%) Workplace WHICH IS BEST – HOME OR OFFICE? Home working has won many converts during the pandemic, but the jury is still out on whether the home or office is best for productivity. In a survey carried out in October, UK- based office software experts SmartWay2 asked 189 workers where they were most productive: 19% said in the office; 36% said at home; and 45% said they were equally productive at home and in the office. Other studies have similar findings, including ones by workspace broker First Office Hub and technology and solutions provider Adaptavist. The breakdowns in those surveys are: more productive at home (31%/35% respectively); less productive at home (26%/18%); and equally productive at home and in the office (43%/47%). www.smartway2.com https://adaptavist.com/remotework