By Damon Anderson, UK MD at Employment Hero It’s September. Summer is over and at dozens of large employers across the UK freshly-credentialed young people are in the first month of their “grad programmes”. It’s no surprise that so many of the brightest graduates head to these programmes. They offer structured development pathways, extensive resources, and access to a network of experienced professionals. But there is no reason SMEs should let larger organisations take all this excellent talent. Why grads can be tempted by an SME Large employers play on their size to construct graduate programmes. Their reputation means their…
Author: sme-admin
Successful branding can make or break a business. For consumer brands, it’s central to building an identity, increasing awareness and carving out a larger market share. So, why do so many B2B companies neglect their branding? Contrary to popular belief, branding plays just as important role in B2B marketing as it does in the B2C space, yet data from the 2022 CMO Survey found that B2B brands in the UK invest just 7% of revenues into marketing, while this figure was around 10% for consumer brands. Approached correctly, branding can be a powerful tool in B2B marketing, not only helping…
Unlocking Sales Success with Generative AI and Human Expertise In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of sales, staying ahead of the curve is not merely advantageous; it is imperative. Sales professionals are in a constant quest to boost productivity, foster stronger relationships, and close deals more effectively. Fortunately, a groundbreaking solution has emerged on the horizon—a convergence of Generative AI and human expertise. In this blog, we shall delve into the intricate dance between these two elements and how their synergy can pave the way for unparalleled sales success. Harnessing the Power of Generative AI Picture this: an AI assistant…
Author: Maurice Suter, Head Of Business Transformation at Stone, A Converge Company Fluctuations in IT budgets and spending have been difficult to forecast and predict in recent years. Analysts couldn’t have foreseen the rush for businesses to invest in enterprise technology as the pandemic took hold in early 2020. And once through the main period of the pandemic, spending reduced. Last year, according to Gartner, saw a contraction of 0.2% in IT spending, dropping to $4.38 trillion. This year, as high inflation continues to be a pressing issue for governments and businesses around the world, costs for hardware, software and…
Private medical insurance has become the most important perk that employees look for in their benefits package, new research has found. The findings from employee benefits technology company Zest sees a third (32%) of employees rank private medical insurance ahead of other well-known benefits such as increased pension contributions (30%), high street discounts (21%) and a company car (17%). Despite the demand for medical insurance to be offered through work, only 14% of employees said their company currently provides this as a benefit. In June, NHS waiting times rose to 7.5 million people in England for the first time, with nearly one…
Following the successful return of the Youth Races in 2023, the race team at the Brighton Half Marathon have announced that their popular Youth Races will again be returning in 2024, with entries opening on 15 September. The incredibly popular event will be making a welcome return next February with Rockinghorse Children’s Charity once again the official charity partner of the races. Located on Hove Prom and held on the main half marathon race day on Sunday, 25 February, the Brighton Half Marathon Youth Races are designed for junior runners aged 7-17. Open to all abilities, youth runners run a…
Inspirational speakers Taz Thornton and Louise Hunt Skelley PLY have been invited to give keynote talks at the Great British Expo taking place in Reading on Thursday 12th October. The two accomplished businesswomen are both experienced motivational speakers and share a belief in the power of being open about their own personal journeys to help other people overcome personal and professional obstacles they may face. Louise, who is a former British wheelchair tennis player and Paralympian and now runs her own business offering consulting and mentoring services, says she finds speaking at business events such as the Great British Expo particularly…
Author: Simon Palmer, Group Managing Director of the Trust Alliance Group There is a stigma around failure, both in the workplace and in our personal lives, which can often hold people back. However, despite the pain, failure can be incredibly useful and insightful as well. It can teach us more about ourselves and help us to identify hidden strengths. As a leader, showing those around you that recovery and career success are still achievable after even the most severe setback can be helpful. Experiencing trauma is normal. Recovery is achievable. The process from one to the other builds resilience and,…
When relocating, the initial focus for many is the job at hand, prioritising visa and immigration responsibilities. However, there are many other factors that can influence the success of a relocation, one of which is employees’ integration into new communities. If feeling socially isolated or misunderstood, relocated employees are more likely to lose motivation, perform poorly, or even want to reverse their relocation entirely. According to Localyze, when relocating talent, companies must ensure that their employees are supported socially and culturally, allowing them to adjust to their new environment and ‘click’ with norms that might be different from their own.…
Employee engagement, benefits and outsourced employment administration and payroll solution provider HIVE360 has boosted the suite of employee engagement tools for clients with the launch of an online portal. The new Engagement Hub, which links directly with the company’s customisable Engage rewards and benefits mobile app, delivers a 360-degree, real-time online platform to maximise worker engagement rates. With test user data already showing engagement rates well above 85%, the Engagement Hub’s data-led employee management technology provides employers with extensive, unique insights to support the creation and adjustment of tailored employee benefits, recognition, rewards and services based on their individual worker’s usage, Hub…