OneWorldExpress
“Infrastructure shapes our lives”, as the Government states in the first sentence of its National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016-2021.
Of course, the Government is correct in this assertion. After all, without national transport links, energy systems or digital networks, UK businesses would not be able to function. And this fact has certainly been highlighted time and time again throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the previous 18 months, the pandemic has caused major disruption to British businesses. Multiple national lockdowns essentially prevented employees from going into their place of work, causing companies’ operations to slow dramatically, or cease altogether. Meanwhile clients and customers were unable to visit sites for meetings or to purchase materials. While goods could still be delivered to clients, business practices remained strained.
And whilst the UK is, for the most part, now reopened, with working from home or social distancing no longer mandatory, businesses have not bounced back to normal. Indeed, recent research from One World Express revealed that 50% of UK businesses are still unable to run at full operational capacity.
This is certainly troubling and could hinder organisations’ future business plans. However, we at One Wold Express believe the key to nurturing their recovery lies within the UK’s infrastructure investment.
Adapting existing strategies
Of course, when the Government first developed its National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016-2021, it is unlikely that they foresaw the onset of a global pandemic. Nevertheless, it is vital that they adapt their existing and future plans to meet the present needs of businesses.
Investments in digital networks – most notably, broadband – will be vital to the longevity of most businesses. After all, during the pandemic, the majority were forced to conduct their business virtually, making them wholly dependent on internet networks. Many organisations will have likely taken this for granted, however, 5% of UK premises still do not have access to broadband, according to a parliamentary report.
Accordingly, many will hope to see the Government making a firm commitment to address this issue, complete with deadlines, targets, and clear investment figures. Doing so will be vital in aiding the recovery and growth of businesses, as it will undoubtedly enhance communication strategies, and operational efficiency.
Likewise, greater importance should be placed on transport links. After all, a business cannot operate with an inefficient supply chain – as the events of the previous month have proven. As such, the Government must do what it can to increase investment in better rail, road, and air links, so that organisations are able to ship their goods nationally (and internationally) to continue trading, even throughout challenging periods.
Sector involvement
As is the case with any Government decisions, sector experts should be consulted prior to finalising infrastructure investment plans. This because only business leaders will truly understand the infrastructural needs of their organisations. So, consulting such stake holders will be critical in ensuring new investment efforts are as effective and cost-efficient as possible.
Thus, it would be beneficial for the Government to launch a consultation to collect information from businesses to understand how they can best support businesses. At One World Express, for example, we regularly share our thoughts on the state of businesses, and how they can improve operations to enhance growth; we would gladly share our thoughts with wider audiences, with the hope of it driving positive sector chance.
There will be no quick fix to improving the UK’s infrastructure strategy. It will take time, planning and listening to stakeholders to understand the needs of real businesses. However, provided that the Government adopts this approach, businesses should be able to successfully recover, post-pandemic.
