The alarming spread of the coronavirus caused many offices across the UK to revisit how they operate, including a quickened transition to a more agile way of working. But as many return to a new normality, employers are left with the challenge of measuring and reviewing policies that help employees remain safe and engaged. Although, when it comes to employees denying the vaccine, employers may be faced with the tough decision to enforce stricter mandates for the greater safety and security of their business. Across the UK, businesses have been encrouaging their employees to receive a vaccine in protection against…
Author: sme-admin
Based in Liverpool and established in 2012, Spice Kitchen is a family-owned artisanal spice company run by mother and son team Sanjay and Shashi Aggarwal. Sanjay and Shashi are on a mission to share their love of food, spice and cooking with the world. The business was initially set up as a retirement project for Shashi, who ran a successful family shop with her husband until 2007. After 5 years of her retirement, she missed having a purpose and giving back. Sanjay says: “On Christmas Day in 2012, we were chatting over the dinner table, and Shashi said she…
Being an entrepreneur becomes a way of life, a way of thinking and learning put into practice. Small businesses make a massive contribution to the UK economy. According to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the UK had 5.5 million small businesses at the beginning of 2021 – making up a whopping 99.2% of all UK businesses. – an estimated £2.3 trillion. SMEs account for three-fifths of the employment – that’s 61% – and around half of the turnover in the UK private sector, an estimated £2.3 trillion. It is clear to see that entrepreneurs are vital to the…
For millions of us the world over, Christmas is not the relaxing time it once was. The demands of home and work can have a huge impact on our festive build up; whether it be dashing through crowds to pick up the most wanted gift of the year, packing the freezer ready for Christmas dinner, completing end of year reviews, or squashing a month’s worth of work into just a couple of weeks. Whatever it is, there’s no doubt that this time of year can be incredibly stressful for everyone. A study by the Institute of Leadership & Management found…
The government’s decision to scrap the eastern leg of HS2 certainly came as a shock to many, but in hindsight I believe we should have expected it all along. However, that doesn’t mean the impact of their decision hasn’t been widely felt. What’s frustrating is that once again, northern regions are being left behind with businesses, employees and the general public feeling as though their being left to fight for themselves. What happened to the promises of ‘levelling up’? Is it time we face the fact they were just empty promises formulated as part of a PR stunt to obtain…
A 19-year-old female entrepreneur who went from family kitchen to international baking fame! As a child, Morgan Lewis dreamed of being a West End star. But after numerous rejections from performing arts schools and sixth form colleges, she turned her attention to baking – a lifelong passion she’d initially learned from her family’s au pair. After launching her business at the height of the pandemic, Morgan now runs Bakeaholics, an internationally recognised bakery with tens of thousands of social media followers and multiple staff members. At just 19 years old, she is paving the way for other young businesspeople to follow…
A detailed report has exposed why women in the workplace across Britain and Europe have been so severely impacted by COVID-19. “Three Barriers to Women’s Progression: What organisations can do, 2nd edition”, is the most comprehensive paper of its kind, drawing upon 70 studies, to identify the underlying causes of gender inequality in business. The paper was produced by Sharon Peake, founder and CEO at Shape Talent, who led a number of experts in conducting detailed analysis of authoritative literature and research on gender diversity over several years. From the analysis, Shape Talent has identified the three underlying barriers preventing women from being represented…
Photography is rarely on the top of business expenditure, which is a great shame – because good photographs lead to sales. Sales lead to profit. Why? A good image evokes emotion and if your images make you stand out among your competitors, potential customers will put you at the top of their list when making calls or emailing about your product or service. This is especially important if your product or service is more ‘luxury’. In a world where everyone can take images on their smartphones or tablets, that doesn’t mean that an image will emanate a feeling of luxury.…
Gone are the old background noises of office chatter and printers whirring. Since remote working has become the norm, more homely sounds have come to the foreground. Although these sounds might add a personal, mildly endearing touch to your calls, it’s not always welcome. Here, Doug Mulvihill, UK marketing manager at Cloud phone system provider Ringover, explains how to use technology to keep things professional while working remotely. When working from home (WFH), it’s easy for the lines between personal and professional life to become blurred. Dogs barking, doorbells ringing and kettles boiling are sounds that have become commonplace when…
Allica strengthens its direct-to-customer offering with senior appointment to lead its network of Relationship Managers Allica Bank, the leading fintech SME challenger bank, announces the appointment of Emma Lane as Head of Client Relationship Management. This new role is responsible for the development and performance of its growing UK network of Business Relationship Managers and further accelerates the Bank’s focus on restoring relationship banking to SMEs. Emma joins from Allied Irish Bank (GB) where she led their team of relationship managers in the South East. Prior to this, Emma held a number of senior roles at Lloyds Banking Group. Allica…