Inefficient talent acquisition strategies are hindering business growth according to a new Talent Acquisition report by SmartRecruiters, a leading provider of enterprise hiring software. The survey of 500 companies across the UK, North America and Australia reveals that 60% of business leaders are concerned they’ve hired the wrong person despite increased costs and time being spent on talent acquisition. In fact, 45% of business leaders report spending more than half their working hours on talent acquisition tasks, diverting crucial resources away from core business operations. This inefficiency is not only driving up costs but also impacting brand reputation, profitability, and overall…

Supply chains frequently consist of and depend on contracts between parties in different countries and/or who operate at different stages of the production process. The ability to perform these contracts is therefore exposed to a wide range of legal, political, and geographical risks. Accordingly, it is important for parties to consider whether their contracts offer adequate protection. Mikhail Vishnyakov, Partner, and Gin Kynigos, Junior Associate at Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP outline the key contractual mechanisms that may be available. Termination rights Express termination rights Contracts can specify the grounds on which they may be terminated. Care should be taken in…

Almost all employees would report malpractice in the workplace, with only 6% saying that they would never, according to new research from Safecall, an independent whistleblowing hotline service and a Law Debenture company.  But while the vast majority of the workforce have good intentions, only 67% are confident they would know how to report malpractice, and only 53% believe they would remain anonymous. Concerningly 38% believe that if they were to report malpractice, there would be consequences at work. Whilst it’s positive that the majority would report wrongdoing, the research reveals that many workers are not necessarily reporting to the…

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of LGBTQ+ professionals are more likely to pursue job opportunities with organisations that have been assessed for LGBTQ+ sensitivity and inclusion, as are 55% of allies, according to a new study by LGBT Great. The study also reveals that 63% of LGBTQ+ talent feel more comfortable applying when hiring panels include visibly LGBTQ+ individuals and are trained in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). LGBT Great, a global diversity and inclusion organisation with members including Aon, Legal & General, St. James’s Place Wealth Management, Citi, Schroders, Fidelity and Calisen, today launches its global report, Redefining the Future: LGBTQ+ Talent…

As energy prices continue to rise, many businesses and households are searching for ways to reduce their electricity bills without sacrificing the magic of festive lighting. In the UK, lighting is a significant component of business energy consumption. As of 2013, lighting accounted for approximately 18% of the UK’s total electricity usage. Commercial lighting is responsible for roughly 70% of this consumption. By 2022, spending on electricity had increased by 36% compared to the previous year, reflecting rising energy costs and consumption patterns and the trend is even more marked during the holidays as businesses increase their use of decorative…

Jenny Herbison, Interim CEO of Exclaimer, looks at how SMEs can improve one-to-one communication in global markets. In a global marketplace shaped by digital transformation, businesses seeking to grow must master the art of effective communication. At its core, this is about more than just words—it’s about fostering trust, consistency, and authenticity in every interaction. With ineffective communication costing UK businesses billions annually, companies looking to expand into international markets, must carefully consider not only what they communicate but also how they present their brand. From brand identity to one-to-one conversations, clear and culturally attuned communication is fundamental to building…

The British Business Bank has announced an increase to its ENABLE Funding commitment to Simply Asset Finance (“Simply”), one of the UK’s largest and fastest growing independent asset finance providers. This increased facility will allow Simply to provide more than £175m of finance to smaller businesses across the UK. In line with the ENABLE Funding programme’s objectives, a portion of the funding provided to Simply has also been refinanced through private securitisations, as part of a wider transaction which will provide around £0.7bn of funding to businesses across the UK. Simply is an independent non-bank lender and equipment finance company,…

Pipedrive, the easy and effective sales CRM, today unveiled its State of AI in Sales Report, examining the adoption and usage of artificial intelligence (AI) tools among sales teams. The report delves into the key challenges and opportunities for enhancing productivity in sales, highlighting the growing impact of AI on core sales functions, finding that one of the main challenges for a business is pre-sales communication. Pipedrive’s report reveals that the majority of businesses (60%) face difficulties with all aspects of lead management, from keeping the leads pipeline filled to qualifying and nurturing leads. To address this, 27% of current AI…

With Grief Awareness Week taking place this week, Dr. Caroline Taylor, Senior Clinical Lead at Onebright and an expert in prolonged grief disorder, highlights the impact of miscarriage on fathers’ mental health and how to support them in the workplace—an issue that is rarely discussed. The loss of a child, whether it be through termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, or even sudden infant death syndrome, is tragic. The grief that pursues can feel overwhelming for parents and impact their mental and physical health.  Whilst there has been much research on the impact on mothers, there is very little research about…

Almost three-quarters of UK workers would leave their job if the atmosphere wasn’t right, according to a new survey* from music licensing company PPL PRS.  Further analysis by the brand** shows that the most in-demand jobs in the UK are in the warehouse and manufacturing industries, with ‘warehouse jobs’ searched 36,000 times every month, followed by ‘data jobs’ (25k) and ‘retail jobs’ (21k). The preferred type of job in the UK is ‘remote jobs’, with 59,000 monthly searches.  Analysis of search data by PPL PRS has revealed the top 10 most in-demand jobs ahead of the ‘Great Resignation’, finding the industries most likely to…

Small firms have a strong appetite for international trade despite rising costs, new customs and product safety requirements and potential changes from the US election, according to new research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).  FSB’s Ready to Dispatch report, published this week, calls on the Government to commit to trade export support policy that fits small businesses, as well as streamlining export support access, as small firms await the Trade Strategy and Small Business Command Paper, scheduled to be published in Spring 2025. Nine in ten small firms believe exporting is important to the overall economy and growth in the…

New research by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr shows that two-thirds of UK jobs with a predominantly female workforce have gender pay gaps in favour of men. Ciphr’s gender pay gap study, based on the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), found that most (70%) female-dominated occupations, with workforces of over 50,000 employees, have a gender pay gap. Just 3% of occupational roles held by a greater proportion of women than men (60% or more vs 40% or less) have no gender pay gaps, while a quarter (27%) have pay gaps that favour women. Some of the…

New research has identified that nearly two thirds of people in the UK (63%) are likely to spend more money in pub venues that they consider to be fun places, according to a new study of UK consumers. As the hospitality industry continues to battle against cost-of-living pressures and increased operating costs, the survey points to the fun factor being a major customer pull and spending prompt. The survey was commissioned by Saturn Visual Solutions, a digital signage consultancy, and carried out by OnePoll with 2,000 UK-based, adult full-time and part-time workers. They were asked if they would they be likely…

Birmingham Metropolitan College is delighted to announce a series of free, online workshops tailored for non-profits and small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands. These workshops aim to provide practical tools and strategies to help organisations succeed in today’s digital landscape. Social Media for Social Good: Strategies to Grow Your Mission: Online: 5th December 2024 – SMEs and Non-profits across the West Midlands are invited to an exclusive event led by SEO Social. This FREE event is designed to equip organisations with tools and strategies to harness social media for growth, fundraising, and community engagement. Register here; Website & SEO Essentials: Online:…

With searches for “work burnout” increasing by 47.38%, businesses must design workplaces that are tailored to employees’ needs and accommodate evolving team dynamics and project demands.  Flexible spaces help to achieve this, creating a positive environment that encourages collaboration, integration and innovation, which is beneficial for the success of a business.   Studio Alliance office design experts have provided five practical tips to encourage this within the workplace.  1. Adaptable spaces   Adaptable spaces are beneficial for ensuring rapid communication and allowing for a seamless exchange of ideas.  Moveable walls, modular furniture, writable surfaces and interactive technology are at the heart of this, enabling teams to work together, collaborate and make decisions easier.  2. Transparency   For the…

British Glass has accused the Government of shattering the UK glass sector after a controversial new packaging tax was passed by Parliament. Under the new packaging extended producer (pEPR) scheme, which shifts the cost of collection and sorting from local authorities to producers, heavier containers like glass will incur higher levies, meaning products in glass bottles and jars could be set have an additional cost in excess of 10p whereas products in plastic or metal containers will only have a marginal cost.  Glass fees for beverage packaging will be around 49 times higher than other, less-recyclable materials, leaving brands with…