Xero, the global small business platform, today announced a reimagined version of Xero Me, its employee self-service app which now comes with integrated Expenses technology. By integrating the award-winning* Xero Expenses technology right into Xero Me, employees of small businesses using Xero Payroll in Australia, New Zealand and the UK will now benefit from being able to submit expense claims in the same place they access payslips, submit timesheets and manage leave requests. The Xero Me app is evolving to become Xero’s central place for employees to manage critical people processes themselves, with more functionality being built into the experience…
Author: sme-admin
New research by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) shows that over a third of contractors (35%) have left self-employment since the changes to IR35, either moving into permanent employment, retiring, working overseas or simply not working. The research also found that of those who remain, more than a third again (34%) are now working through unregulated umbrella companies and another third (36%) are working through engagements deemed ‘inside IR35’. Working inside IR35 not only leaves contractors essentially in no-rights employment; it also has significant financial consequences: four out of five contractors (80%) working inside IR35 said…
Strong lending growth continues throughout 2021 with the target of £500m in committed loan offers for 2021 expected to be exceeded – driven by a positive mix of unprecedented demand from brokers, as well as encouraging early take-up of its new direct-to-customer offering – against a backdrop of increasing confidence among SMEs Introduction of new products and services in Allica’s lending portfolio, together with Allica’s entry into Scotland and the Healthcare market, further establishes its position as the breakthrough challenger bank for Britain’s established SMEs Significant early-stage traction from initial pilot of its unique branchless relationship manager network, with the pipeline of active loan applications more than doubling each month since launch Pace continues with the introduction of new propositions with Allica set to beta launch its innovative Business Rewards Account later this year Allica’s expanding SME proposition is gaining significant recognition across the industry. As well as 97% of commercial mortgage brokers rating Allica’s service positively in the Bank’s broker survey,…
A shift towards hybrid working, increased use of digital channels and the rise of new technologies means that businesses rely on the internet now more than ever. A reliable, high-quality connection is a non-negotiable for efficient operations across all industries, but it’s important to determine the right way to connect for your business. While many businesses opt for broadband, could an Ethernet leased line be a better choice? Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business communication service provider Crystaline, explains. An Ethernet leased line is a dedicated point-to-point connection between a business and its service provider. A business’ premises…
Anthony David Sladariu, SEO and Content Manager at Fasthosts, shares his five proven methods for small businesses looking to improve their SEO. As a busy small business owner, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) might seem like unnecessary extra work, particularly if you’re not familiar with where to start, let alone knowing how to apply best practice. But don’t let the jargon put you off — the concept of SEO is quite simple and it can be a powerful tool when it comes to getting free online traffic from organic search. When you undertake any search online, search engines like Google and…
Before March 2020, catching ‘fresher’s flu’ was a right of passage for university students. Fast forward 18 months and students around the world stayed indoors to keep illness at bay. However, the pandemic has taught the education sector an important lesson — the value of selecting the right communication tools. Here, Ginelle Bell, UK country manager at Cloud communications provider Ringover, explains more. According to UNESCO, more than 1.5 billion students around the world were forced out of their typical learning settings in 2020, with many participating in lessons online. Globally, education in the 21st century has never seen so much…
Late payments are a perennial issue for SMEs. This roadblock has reared its head again recently with the publication of a recent report stating, against the backdrop of Covid fallout, almost two thirds of small businesses (65%) believe that late payments are putting their businesses at risk. This is also the thinking behind new initiatives such as Good Business Pays, encouraging larger companies to fast track payments to smaller businesses, helping to level the playing field and reduce the pressures on smaller enterprises’ finances. As a result of these pressures, the research also found that businesses have been looking to…
Flexible childcare provider, Bubble, is offering start-ups the chance to enhance their employee benefits packages and increase appeal to top talent through free on-demand babysitting. It is offering 50 Greater London start-ups £1,000 of free childcare credits, which can be used on the app and exchanged for flexible childcare. The parent-led, trust and community based app, which has over 100,000 registered users, is championing one of the main demands of the current workforce. As hybrid working becomes the norm, it’s vital parents and carers have access to a contemporary childcare model to match. Research shows that working parents make up three in seven…
CRM is a core component of the operational toolkit – even SME adoption levels have now reached 79%, according to a recent survey from Workbooks. And yet, CRM success rates are still too low. For every business achieving phenomenal business transformation, another will have wasted resources and seen zero return. As a mature market, there are countless CRM solutions now available, many of which are loaded with fantastic features and functionality. So what makes the difference between CRM failure and CRM success? So CAs John Cheney, CEO of cloud-based CRM vendor Workbooks, explains, it isn’t the technology that delivers success –…
UK healthcare provider, Vita Health Group, has launched a unique course to help improve and equalise access to mental health support for workers across the UK. The Mental Health Advocacy course has been designed by a team of experienced clinicians for all types of workers across the UK, including small businesses, employees at SMEs, consultants and the self-employed. Delegates will learn to recognise and positively respond to the signs and symptoms of common mental health conditions, and effectively guide their colleagues and co-workers towards the right support. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of poor mental health amongst employees, the self-employed,…