Stephen Smith: Petrol prices going through the roof? Welcome to the virtual alternative

-

The recent snows have once again hit the headlines, causing travel chaos which has resulted in serious disruption to many businesses. Yet as getting to work has proved an increasingly forlorn struggle for many employees, it has been easy to lose sight of the fact that there has been another current high profile issue having considerable impact on commercial stability – and which can be tackled in an exactly similar way.

The bad news is that UK petrol prices have just hit a record high – and the signs are they set to increase even further. One thing is for sure: this is likely to have a serious impact on the cashflow of countless SMEs across the UK, as they find themselves hit by a rapid increase in the cost of staff travelling to and from meetings – with colleagues, partners and customers alike.

The much better news however is that there are readily available solutions to significantly lessen the impact of fuel increases. Cloud-based collaboration technologies that are simple to use and affordable allow your staff to remotely access the corporate network or work with fellow staff and third parties via online meetings – securely and in real time,.

By adopting this approach, employees can be more productive – whether working in the office or remotely – by cutting out unnecessary travel time. And the resulting cut in operational costs delivers a win/win result for the business overall. Now how often can you truly say that?

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Stephen Smith at Manager

Stephen Smith, Manager of Systems Engineering, Citrix

Stephen Smith, manager, systems engineering, EMEA, joined Citrix Online in 2004 and works closely with regional sales managers, account executives and client services in driving new business and client retention. Through a thorough understanding of client needs, this enables development of a strong value proposition and demonstrable RoI. He has a wealth of experience and joined Citrix Online from the NHS, where he was responsible for network design, implementation, support and maintenance. Prior to this, his early career includes senior network consultant at NCT Networks subsidiary, Artera Group Inc., and pre-sales consultant for TCP/IP network and server configuration.">

Stephen Smith, manager, systems engineering, EMEA, joined Citrix Online in 2004 and works closely with regional sales managers, account executives and client services in driving new business and client retention.

Through a thorough understanding of client needs, this enables development of a strong value proposition and demonstrable RoI. He has a wealth of experience and joined Citrix Online from the NHS, where he was responsible for network design, implementation, support and maintenance. Prior to this, his early career includes senior network consultant at NCT Networks subsidiary, Artera Group Inc., and pre-sales consultant for TCP/IP network and server configuration.

Latest news

Curtis Holmes: Payroll is the driver for employee engagement

Payroll has long been treated as a back-office necessity: essential, but not something that shapes culture or drives engagement. This no longer stands.

Labour market yet to show major AI impact on jobs, govt adviser says

A government economic adviser has challenged predictions of widespread AI-driven unemployment, arguing labour market data has yet to show disruption.

Young workers ‘pressured into signing NDAs after workplace injuries’

Workers say injuries are being hidden behind confidentiality agreements while financial pressures leave many afraid to challenge unsafe conditions.

CIPD recognises 30 HR leaders driving change across UK workplaces

The CIPD has unveiled its HR30 list for 2026, recognising senior people leaders whose work has delivered measurable impact across organisations and workforces.
- Advertisement -

Brits dream of being their own boss, but still cling to the monthly pay cheque, survey reveals

Britons say they like the idea of self-employment, but most still value the security and stability of traditional jobs.

AI Coaching Won’t Replace Managers. It Will Expose Coaching Debt.

As AI coaching expands, employers may gain a clearer view of where manager support is falling short.

Must read

Peter Linas: How recruiters can engage millennials and post-millennials

What are the reasons why millennials and post-millennials are seemingly the most challenging to recruit? Peter Linas argues that, despite the common stereotype that people this age would be easier to reach through their use of tech, this could be simultaneously part of the problem.

Lauren Riley: Social media recruitment – How to build your employer brand online

It goes without saying that when it comes to...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you