The workplace can be very stressful at times and, while some stress can be avoided with proper task delegation, communication and resource allocation, another less obvious factor is negatively impacting many workers’ mental wellbeing – gut health. With corporate wellness high on the agenda for many organisations, now is the time for employers to prioritise their teams’ gut health as part of their overall approach to employee mental wellbeing. However, with limited understanding amongst employers on the intrinsic connection between the gut, the brain and workplace wellness and performance, it is no surprise that so few are taking their…
Author: sme-admin
A new study on skills in the workplace has revealed a list of the most important skills that workers expect a manager to possess, with leadership right at the top of what they want. Around half (51% of men and 45% of women) of the 2,048 working-age adults polled by Censuswide, on behalf of enterprise LMS provider Digits, thought leadership skills were the most essential. Verbal communication and teamwork skills ranked joint second for over a third (35%) of people, closely followed by empathy and problem-solving skills (30% and 29% respectively). Surprisingly, written communication skills came last on the list…
The sustained performance of family businesses can be attributed to several characteristics and next-generation leadership skills unique to their business models. A Global Family Business Report from KPMG Private Enterprise and the STEP Project Global Consortium highlights how emotional attachment to one’s organisation and the ability of next-gens to take risks and experience life outside the family business are critical elements of future business success. ‘The regenerative power of family businesses’ brings together insights from 2,439 CEOs and other leaders from top family businesses across 70 countries and territories, illustrating the common factors that make up the formula for family business…
Harrods, the world-famous luxury department store, has solved one of its biggest headaches by diverting tonnes of its used paper hand towels from general waste. Having already reduced Harrod’s waste by replacing its paper hand towel product with a more absorbent alternative, Banner, the full-service business supplies company, identified Kimberly-Clark Professional’s RightCycle service as a circular solution for paper towel sustainability. The service seamlessly recycles all existing hand towel waste. The used paper towels are regularly collected, compressed and processed into new paper products. Critically, Banner was able to set up this service at no additional cost to Harrods while…
Global demand for eSIMs is skyrocketing — in 2021, there were 1.2 billion eSIM-enabled devices, and this figure is expected to rise to 3.4 billion by 2025. In recent years the world of work has changed at a rapid pace and businesses face the challenge of determining which new technology is right for them. Here Hamish White, CEO of eSIM as a Service provider Mobilise, explains how eSIMs can help manage employees and provide business opportunities. For decades, SIM cards with a programmable IC chip called a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) have been used to store authentication parameters, including…
When it comes to attracting top talent, branding is about more than just the company’s colour scheme and the logo: it’s about reflecting the things that make a workplace special, proving to candidates that the business is reliable and straightforward, and making the candidate feel valued. In a competitive, continually developing jobs landscape, this makes sense. Businesses are looking to differentiate themselves in any way they can – especially as demand for skilled candidates continues to outstrip supply. Bullhorn’s annual Global Recruitment Insights & Data (GRID) report found that improving employer branding and recruitment marketing is a top priority for…
The Drinking Water Inspectorate, Ofwat and the Environment Agency have launched ‘StreamLine’ – a new joint service to improve advice and slash response times for water innovators. The new collaborative service, will function as a one stop shop, making it easier for business and innovators to obtain informal regulatory advice and help them navigate regulations and get the advice they need when developing new goods and services. Innovation is vital to tacking the challenges, such as climate change, to secure reliable water services, safe drinking water and a healthy water environment. Before StreamLine, water innovators would need to contact each…
Earth Day has come and gone, and with it came promises of sustainability from businesses of all sizes. However, many of those promises fell on uncertain ears. According to a recent study from the British Chamber of Commerce, only one in ten small businesses report carbon emissions, and 30 percent of those businesses cite cost as the largest barrier to implementation. As energy prices and global temperatures soar, sustainability has never been more important – but as a small business owner, where should you begin? While ‘sustainability’ encompasses a wide range of activities, business could focus on reducing their…
Virgin Media O2 Business has today announced that it has appointed commercial specialist Catherine Amran as Director of its SMB (Small & Medium Business) division – as part of its commitment to offering reliable, flexible and secure connectivity to support growth for the UK’s 5.5 million SMBs. Amran brings with her more than 15 years of experience across commercial, strategic delivery, M&A and consultancy, with a rich career history that includes roles at HSBC and Worldpay, where she led the UK SMB division. Reporting directly into Jo Bertram, Managing Director at Virgin Media O2 Business, Amran will now be responsible…
Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox OBE, is to appear at the inaugural MS Brain Health Awards later this month – The international awards, being held virtually on Thursday May 26, will acknowledge and showcase the work of organisations and healthcare professionals who work towards better research, care and understanding of multiple sclerosis, especially in maximizing brain health throughout life to improve outcomes for those living with MS. The event has been organized and created by Oxford Health Policy Forum which is a community interest company set up six years ago to bring together medical, academic and policy experts to drive change in…