Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a vital security step that protects your accounts by requiring both a password and a second verification method, such as a one-time code, security question, or physical key. While 2FA keeps hackers out, it can sometimes lock you out of your own accounts if you lose access to that second step — for example, if you change phones or numbers, delete an authenticator app, or misplace a security key. The experts at TelephoneSystems.Cloud explain why this happens and share practical steps on how to avoid getting locked out and what to do if it happens, so…
Author: sme-admin
Debates around electric vans usually stall at charging infrastructure. This article deliberately removes that variable Assume every combustion-engine van in the UK is replaced overnight with an electric one, and assume charging capacity is effectively unlimited. Under those conditions, does the UK economy continue to function as it does today, or do fundamental differences in energy density, refuelling time and operational flexibility begin to matter? This is not a definitive economic assessment. Rather, it is a practical exploration of how electric vans align with the real demands placed on commercial vehicles. While the benefits of going electric are often discussed…
Sonia Ouarti is a neuroscience‑trained performance coach and former senior leader at Amazon Web Services. She now works with founders and leadership teams, and her message is simple: burnout isn’t a personal weakness, it’s a biological state that affects how founders think, decide and lead. In this article, she explains why founder burnout has become a systemic risk for the startup world, and why investors should treat it as a performance and governance issue, not a wellbeing concern. The UK’s startup economy is expanding rapidly. Tens of thousands of new businesses are being created each quarter, capital continues to flow…
Employee behaviours inside organisations are most likely to trigger a data breach, with small habits scaling into a larger systemic risk. The human factor in cybercrime is often underestimated, but could be costing organisations millions of pounds worth of damage in data leaks, meaning companies cannot afford to overlook the digital habits of their workforce. Cybersecurity experts FLR Spectron have identified the key ways in which employees may be putting their organisation at risk of cybercrime. 5 everyday employee habits that lead to data breaches Below are five ways that employees may be undermining the cybersecurity of their organisation: Password reuse across…
For some, it’s an outdated tactic that belongs in the spam folder. For others, it’s still one of the most reliable ways to start high-value commercial conversations. The B2B lead generation agency, Sopro, has revealed the latest cold outreach statistics across email, calling, LinkedIn, and social selling, offering a clear, data-led view of what cold outreach looks like in 2026. View the full statistics here. Top 10 cold outreach statistics for 2026: The average response rate for cold emails is 5.1%, with most campaigns falling between 1% and 5%. For teams running cold outreach at scale, this figure sets a realistic baseline…
Representatives from the University of Salford were presented with a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education by Their Majesties The King and Queen on Tuesday 24 February 2026. Awarded at St James’s Palace, the Prize recognises the University’s pioneering research driving innovation in sustainable building design and tackling fuel poverty. Chair of Council, Lord Keith Bradley, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nic Beech, Director of Energy House Laboratories, Professor Will Swan, and Professor Richard Fitton attended the ceremony at the Palace along with other members of the award-winning team, before a Prize-winners’ reception and dinner at Guildhall in London. The prestigious award recognises the…
2026 has already proved to be a challenging time for small business owners, with a turbulent political backdrop and ongoing economic uncertainty forcing organisations to be flexible and reactive. This can make it difficult to look to the future, particularly when it comes to workforce planning. However, preparing for the months and years ahead is vital, ensuring there is a solid pipeline of talented people to take the business forward. This is particularly true when it comes to retirement which, when handled badly, can leave businesses with a talent gap and potentially irreplaceable loss of critical knowledge. In this article,…
Flexible work arrangements – such as remote work and flexible hours – are now part of everyday life in many SMEs. For employees, flexibility often means better focus, greater autonomy, and improved work–life balance. For employers, it supports attractiveness and retention. But flexibility also changes how work actually gets done. While discussions often focus on individual productivity, less attention is paid to how flexible work reshapes everyday communication and collaboration. In SMEs – where coordination is informal and work is tightly interconnected – this matters. A recent Swedish study based on focus group discussions with SME employees across sectors reveals…
Chris Eastwood, CEO and co-founder at Penfold, a leading digital workplace pension provider, outlines how businesses may be sabotaging their talent retention with poor pension strategies and insufficient support UK employers invest enormous time and effort trying to improve staff retention, battling skills shortages, rising costs and shifting workforce expectations. Yet many leaders are overlooking one of the simplest and most powerful tools they already pay for: their workplace pension. While wellbeing apps, flexible working policies and culture initiatives can deliver short-term gains, nine in ten employees say their workplace pension influences whether they stay with their employer or move to a new role. When employees think…
Career expert shares five ways women can build a thriving career in tech . The tech sector is evolving fast, and while demand for skilled talent continues to grow, many people still struggle to understand which roles offer long‑term career potential. For women in particular, the path can feel even less clear. Despite making up only 20% of tech roles in the UK1, women face additional barriers to entry. Research shows that 63% of women report feeling less confident when job seeking, particularly when facing complex or automated hiring processes, which can influence how and where they apply2. Claudia Cohen, career expert and Director of La Fosse Academy, reveals which tech roles…