Hushed hybrid is a workplace phenomenon sweeping the nation, involving some of the UK’s biggest companies such as Barclays, Tesco and Dell Technologies. However, HR managers warn hushed hybrid encourages insubordination and could lead to isolation if team members are not treated equally. Here, Kristian Torode, director and co-founder of specialist IT services provider Crystaline, explains how investing in suitable telecommunications systems can help your business avoid the trend’s consequences. Though the pandemic saw a shift towards remote working, companies across the UK have announced return to office (RTO) orders in recent months. Rebelling against these mandates, managers are hushing…
Author: sme-admin
A post-mastectomy lingerie brand in the Midlands, an independent dog store in Leeds, a Super Car and motorsports events company in the Northeast, and a sustainable sportswear brand in Northern Ireland are among 14 businesses announced as Start Up Loans’ 2024 Ambassadors. The annual Start Up Loans Ambassadors programme, now in its ninth year, celebrates inspiring UK business owners who have launched an enterprise using funding from the government-backed scheme. The Ambassadors have been selected as they demonstrate the resilience, creativity, and determination required to make a smaller business successful, and to provide inspiration for entrepreneurs across the UK. This…
There is a misconception that high performance and ultimately, the ability to succeed as an entrepreneur, is somehow an innate ability and successful business leaders are merely born that way. In reality, however, there is no ideal personality archetype that ensures success, but there are certain characteristics that define the way many high achievers approach business. An appetite for risk Launching a new business venture is an inherently risky process, requiring you to essentially put your money where your mouth is. There are countless successful entrepreneurs and business leaders that have had careers marked by multiple failures, and starting a…
Lack of focus when behind the wheel can prove catastrophic, yet drivers continue to be distracted, make mistakes and put themselves and other road users at risk. A new survey from Venson Automotive Solutions found that drivers admit to making a wide range of careless habits daily, including hogging the middle lane, running red lights and speeding. Key findings: 71% go against the Highway Code[i] to use their headlights to signal to other drivers 54% confessed to regular sudden braking 48% admit to speeding 46% hog the middle lane on motorways 44% drive too slowly 37% admit to being distracted…
Debanking is emerging as a genuine worry for many growing businesses – so banks need to step up In the last year, a new word has crept into the UK business and political lexicon: de-banking. Although it has quietly been an increasingly worrisome issue, de-banking only really came to prominence in the UK in 2023 in the wake of a mini-scandal that involved a well known politician. In addition to costing the chief executive of one of the UK’s leading bank their job, it also brought to attention how some banks are withdrawing or refusing banking services Wrong kind of…
By Andy Baillie, VP, UK and Ireland at Master Data Management (MDM) specialists, Semarchy The introduction of GDPR in May 2018 has ensured better protection and use of data. However, six years on, compliance remains a significant hurdle for many companies, exacerbated by the complex, yet exciting, integration of AI. The consequences of non-compliance are severe, as demonstrated by massive fines imposed on tech giants like Google, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta (formerly Facebook) for breaches of data protection laws. However, large tech corporations aren’t the only ones at risk; any business could face penalties for non-compliance with data privacy…
As we all know, every business is part of a constantly evolving technological landscape that can be difficult to navigate. Decision-makers face a myriad of choices to stay competitive and innovative. One of the most important things an engineering team does is challenge their clients’ assumptions. Experts at Codiance – the people-centric enterprise system builders – ask critical questions and guide their partners towards strategic and impactful decisions and solutions. As part of this, they have five fundamental questions that help ensure their customers make the best decisions for their organisations. Adam Arkley, Director of Technology, at Codiance discusses why it’s important to be asking these questions and how others can benefit from asking them: “At Codiance, we challenge assumptions to drive innovation and growth.…
Drawing from years of experience working with B2B brands across the UK and Europe, Robert Hughes, founder and managing director of Reech, highlights why a powerful brand can be a game-changer for B2B companies. Many overlook the importance of branding in B2B – but that’s a mistake worth avoiding. After years of working with B2B brands, I’ve seen firsthand how a powerful brand can make or break a B2B company. So, let’s dive into why your brand matters more than you might think. Stand out or get left behind In today’s cutthroat B2B landscape, blending in is a death sentence. A…
There is still a huge amount of stigma, prejudice and discrimination against individuals who come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other genders in the workplace. For most individuals, it is an incredibly uncomfortable and emotional experience, and for some, it can be traumatic. Employees that feel supported and happy at work are much more likely to be productive, perform well, and want to progress their career with your organisation. Whilst unhappy employees and those who don’t feel supported or cared for in the workplace are much more likely to be absent from work, suffer from mental health problems,…
Employee wellness programmes are a central component of your benefits package when trying to attract talent, but how many employees actually use them? Studies suggest that very few do. Research by RAND1 reveals that only 20-40% of employees with access to employee wellness programmes actually take advantage of what they offer. So what steps can HR teams implement to change this? David Rice, an HR expert at People Managing People, shares some actionable steps HR teams can take to fix their wellness programmes. “A lot of companies introduce wellness programmes and associated technologies with the best intentions, but they often miss the…