Sarah Carter, Head of Account Management at Onebright shares why effective mental health training is no longer a nice-to-have—but a vital part of any business strategy to foster happier, healthier, and more productive teams. Most businesses now provide some form of mental health training for employees. But do you know what should be included in this training to ensure it is effective and impactful? With an estimated £42 – £45 billion being lost each year due to presenteeism, sickness absence and staff turnover from poor mental health, mental health training can play a crucial role in the wider success, happiness and…
Author: sme-admin
The voluntary period for identity verification (IDV) is open for business. More than 6 million individuals will need to comply in the 12 months after IDV becomes a legal requirement later this year. This phased approach reduces the burden on companies. Last week, (8 April 2025) saw the launch of a new service that allows individuals to verify their identity directly with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login. People can also verify their identity through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). The introduction of identity verification is one of the key changes to UK company law under the Economic Crime…
Olivia Benson of Pure IT Refurbished looks at how smart investments in refurbished technology can empower growing businesses with reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable IT solutions. Businesses that are focused on growth and plan to enhance their productivity have to make smart choices in terms of investing in the right technologies. Although brand-new devices might appear as the best option, their higher prices pose a huge strain on the budget, mainly for small enterprises as well as startups. Refurbished IT devices like laptops and desktops are the most logical alternatives that deliver outstanding performance without putting financial strain. These devices undergo…
Time and attendance solutions provider Clocking Systems Ltd. has revealed new research, showcasing things that rank as the top annoyances of those in management or leadership positions. After collecting and collating relevant data, Clocking Systems found the following to be bosses’ top frustrations and annoyances about their employees in the workplace. Lack of Communication One of the real bug bears across all managers was a lack of communication from staff, whether it was not replying to e-mails, running late and not letting them know, or not communicating when something isn’t going well. It’s been cited that this is one of the…
Stef Fielding, tax director at Sapphire Contracting and Accounting, shares his insights on the impact of HMRC’s crackdown on R&D claims on small businesses and his advice to businesses looking to make a claim. Over the last three years, we have seen HMRC adopt a draconian line when it comes to assessing R&D claims. HMRC has moved to challenge a whole range of R&D claims that it might not have previously. Research & Development (R&D) tax relief was originally introduced to support companies that work on innovative projects in science and technology. However, an analysis of R&D claims for the…
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the United Kingdom are incurring annual losses amounting to £3.4billion due to inadequate cybersecurity measures., according to a new report from Vodafone Business. The report Securing Success: The Role of Cybersecurity in SME Growth, also found that the average cost of a cyber-attack for a small business is £3,398 with the figure rising to £5,001 for those with 50 or more employees. Download the full report here: www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/press-release/cyberhackers-costing-uk-smes-3billion-per-year The findings highlight the necessity for businesses to safeguard against rising cyber threats, which result in financial losses each year due to data breaches, system downtime, and…
Starting this month, the Competition and Marketing Authority (CMA) gains new powers to fine businesses for misleading greenwashing claims, which Cambridge Advance Online says will make ESG risk management more critical than ever. As of April 6th, environmental claims that breach consumer law and fail to meet the CMA’s Green Claims Code could result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover, or £300,000, whichever is higher. “Greenwashing” has surged as a breakout Google trend (>5,000% increase) over the past five years, driven by growing consumer awareness of misleading corporate sustainability claims. This is supported by a rise in the number…
SME Today talks to Gloria Kolb, a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment and a trailblazer in the women’s health space. As the founder of Elitone, an innovative and non-invasive device to treat the problem of incontinence in women, Gloria is on a mission to break taboos, challenge biases in healthcare, and ensure women have access to safe and effective solutions for their quality of life and general wellbeing. What is your business? Elidah, maker of Elitone, is a US company that has developed a non-invasive, wearable pelvic floor treatment that is safe, trusted and effective for women who suffer from bladder leaks. We are on a mission to…
Hampered by NGOs and bureaucratic and anti-competitive interests, Europe must look to examples in the Middle East for effective sustainability policy. Europe is stagnating when it comes to plastic environmental policies. Rather than encouraging sustainable technologies, the EU is muddled about new technologies – continuing to live in the past with environmentally-damaging old-fashioned plastic. It is by now obvious that their policies of “reduce, re-use, recycle” are inadequate. By contrast, the Middle East has encouraged sustainable technologies by making oxo-biodegradable plastic compulsory for a wide range of consumer products, after carrying out extensive due-diligence. In Yemen d2w is specifically mandated. Europe…
SMEs are braced for yet another wave of legal and financial pressures as the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill is set to introduce significant changes to employer obligations later this year. For many companies still contending with tough economic conditions, this latest legislation could be the ‘final blow’ to already struggling businesses, says employment law expert Jonathan Winston at Winston Solicitors. The Employment Rights Bill, designed to enhance worker protections, introduces stricter regulations on flexible working, sick pay, redundancy rights and contractual obligations. While the intent is to strengthen employee rights, many business owners fear the added financial and administrative burden will…