UK business spending on products related to their office space increased 36% in September, following summer months, says findings from Pleo, Europe’s leading spend management platform, in a just-launched first-edition of its European Quarterly Spending Report. The new insight gives the clearest indication yet that businesses and workers are getting back to pre-COVID normality concerning office attendance and are committed to a long-term change, moving away from the working-from-home culture that many businesses have struggled to overcome. The report collated spending data from over 30,000 companies across 16 European markets – including the UK, France, Germany and Spain – giving invaluable insight into…
Author: sme-admin
SimpliFi is a new online portal designed to help small businesses across the region access information on funding that they need to launch and grow. It contains free guides to help with securing capital, pitching for investment, writing business strategy and more. SimpliFi will be launched at an online event on Thursday 30th November, and you can register here. Businesses of any stage and size across Greater Manchester can access information to help in finding finance they need with the launch of SimpliFi from The Growth Company. SimpliFi has been created to help business owners understand the finance options available…
UK businesses have been warned to look out for ten red flags when engaging with a digital marketing consultancy, such as guaranteed results, lack of transparency, a focus on vanity metrics and more. Despite current economic challenges, the first half of 2023 has showcased a surge in entrepreneurship, with 101 new businesses springing to life every hour across the United Kingdom, according to a recent study. This surge in business creation, combined with the Government’s recent commitment of £1 billion to support said new businesses, bodes well for the UK’s economic growth in the coming years. With this rise in…
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has disclosed the details of his Autumn Statement, delineating the government’s fiscal policies and expenditures for the upcoming year. An additional £500 million has been allocated to support the advancement of the next generation of supercomputers in the UK, building upon successful initiatives such as the one in Bristol. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt outlined 110 measures aimed at fostering economic growth and addressing regional disparities in a cautiously optimistic Autumn Statement. He emphasized that these proposals would stimulate investment, reduce debt, but underscored that there is more work to be done. Among the measures is a focus on…
Rob Cottrill, technology director at ANS, discusses how SMEs can start adopting AI to maximise results and explores why it’s so important to embrace smart technology responsibly. Artificial Intelligence (AI) was once a luxury exclusive to corporate giants. But thanks to the introduction of accessible programmes like Open AI’s ChatGPT, AI is now within reach for businesses of all sizes. However, although AI offers remarkable advantages, without rules and being used responsibly, it’s not without risks. Defining responsible AI adoption While most small businesses are keen to embrace AI, the rush to do so can lead to gaps in safe…
In this article, authored by Sam Pardy from The HR Department, we explore the unique advantages small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) possess when it comes to recruitment. It sheds light on how SMEs can leverage their distinct qualities to attract top talent and compete effectively with larger corporations. Responsibility, opportunity, community Job interviews are a two-way process. While you are certainly interviewing candidates, they will also be sussing out whether they would like to work for you. It’s all about finding the right fit for both employer and prospective employee. When they may also be being interviewed by bigger companies,…
UKEF and K-Sure have secured support worth £367 million for South Korean manufacturer SeAH Steel Holding’s construction of a wind tech factory near Redcar, in the Tees Valley. In a groundbreaking collaboration, UK Export Finance (UKEF) and South Korea’s export credit agency, Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure), have played a pivotal role in securing financing from Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC UK for the construction of the world’s largest wind monopile manufacturing facility by SeAH Wind UK. UKEF and K-Sure have secured support worth £367 million for South Korean manufacturer SeAH Steel Holding’s construction of a wind tech factory near…
Amazon UK’s retailers will save time with automated accounting solutions delivered by innovative cloud accounting software provider FreeAgent, an online accounting provider, has revealed a new integration with Amazon’s Selling Partner Appstore. This integration aims to streamline the financial administrative tasks associated with selling on the platform, ultimately saving retailers time and money. Transactions will be automatically imported into FreeAgent with no limit on the quantity of data processed. The software will accurately record the sales income and expenditure generated through selling on Amazon, reducing the manual admin required for businesses that sell on UK Amazon Marketplace. The announcement represents…
In the realm of Artificial Intelligence, where ethical considerations are increasingly pivotal, Aaron McClendon, Head of AI at Aimpoint Digital, stands at the forefront of navigating the complex landscape. As the world witnesses the unprecedented expansion of AI, McClendon’s expertise and insights bring a nuanced perspective to the ethical challenges emerging in its development and deployment across diverse industries. AI’s evolution has ushered in a myriad of ethical concerns, from bias and privacy to transparency and accountability. Recognizing the non-uniform nature of these challenges across industries, McClendon underscores the need for tailored ethical guidelines. With healthcare, retail, logistics, and other…
Careology and Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, have extended their partnership to provide people undergoing cancer treatment access to advanced digital cancer care technology at 12 Nuffield Health hospitals across the UK. During a successful pilot of Careology’s digital cancer care platform at Nuffield Health Derby Hospital, which ran from February to October last year, over half of the patients who were provided with the Careology digital cancer care platform (through an app) each month logged their symptoms in response to medication (such as chemotherapy), vital signs and engaged with their clinical nurses about their wellbeing from their…