December marks the start of advent. For many this a period of joy. However, it also tends to be an incredibly busy, stressful, and worrying time with financial concerns, time pressures, and workload issues proving problematic. So how can employers best support their workforce in the run up to Christmas and over the Christmas break? Dr Julia Lyons, Senior Counselling Psychologist at Onebright looks at when stress and worry become a problem and how this might impact individuals in the workplace. When does stress and worry become a problem? We all have our own worries and moments of stress-induced pressure. It is a…
Author: sme-admin
Empathy is viewed as an important leadership trait and yet only 51 per cent of U.K employees believe their senior leaders are empathetic. Plus, when leaders do express empathy, just 52 per cent say it’s accompanied by meaningful action and support. These are the findings from O.C. Tanner’s 2024 Global Culture Report which gathered data and insights from more than 42,000 employees, leaders, HR practitioners, and executives from 27 countries worldwide including 4,818 from the U.K. “Progressive organisations often champion the importance of leaders being empathetic, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others” says Robert Ordever, European MD…
In this article, director-led performance marketing agency outbloom will explore the reasons why TikTok is an essential platform for businesses and provide you with nine actionable tips to effectively promote your brand, engage with users, and harness the power of TikTok marketing to beat the competition in 2024. TikTok’s rapid growth and immense popularity make it a powerful platform for reaching and engaging with younger audiences. It has a massive user base, with over one billion monthly active users, TikTok offers access to a broad demographic, including Gen Z and millennials. For businesses that sell products, there is live streaming…
SMEs have faced a host of hurdles in 2023, which has pushed the pursuit of ESG initiatives down the priority list. According to KPMG, CEOs feel that pressing economic matters are the biggest barriers to delivering an ESG strategy in the next three years. However, with some light on the horizon as we head into the new year, Ryan Sorby, Regional Head at Growth Lending ,suggests business leaders should revisit their ESG strategy or implement one. Research shows that 90% of global investors consider ESG in their investment approach and 85% of chief investment officers surveyed by McKinsey say that it’s an important…
Business leaders have had no shortage of challenges to contend with in recent years. From adapting to a global pandemic to macro-economic pressures, keeping businesses operational has been no mean feat. But there is one global threat that, despite constantly making the headlines, small to medium businesses are continually unprepared for: cyber attacks. Earlier this year, KNP Logistics Group made headlines when it was forced to close after an attack by the Akira ransomware group, and they are not alone. In a recent report from global insurer Hiscox, over one fifth of businesses that suffered a cyber incident in the…
In the modern workplace, prioritising employee wellbeing and productivity has become key for employers. This is increasingly important when working with a smaller team. Investing in the comfort and health of your team leads to better performance, increased happiness and heightened job satisfaction. If you are an employer it is worth considering the immediate impact that optimising your air management can have. Often overlooked, improvements in air conditioning, ventilation, and air quality are some of the most effective ways to elevate the overall mood and morale within your workplace. It is important to note that business owners are legally obligated…
Clicks and relevant metrics have long served as a benchmark for advertisers to assess the efficacy of digital ad campaigns. Digital advertising has undergone significant transformation since the creation of the first banner ad campaign in 1994, which boasted an impressive click-through rate ranging from 40% to 50%[2], however around 85% of internet users no longer engage with banner ads by clicking on them[3]. As such, data and programmatic expert Crimtan is considering whether advertisers should still be relying on metrics such as clicks, or are there alternative, more accurate measurements? The focus should not be on clicks as not all users…
One million people could be ‘going private’ with their healthcare by 2025, according to analysis from leading independent consultancy Broadstone. Looking at quarterly Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) data1, Broadstone found that insured admissions for Q3 2022 to Q2 2023 – 590,000 as per the latest data available – increased by 11% compared to the previous year. If that rate of increase continues, insured admissions could reach around 670,000 in 2024 and over 745,000 in 2025. The number of people funding their own care has plateaued of late at around 70,000 every quarter but still remains around 20,000 per quarter…
Chasing invoices can be a tricky task, leaving tradespeople unsure of the best way to approach it without risking customer relations. In order to help businesspeople protect their work and finances as much as possible, the insurance experts at Toolbox by Admiral have revealed six of the easiest ways to both prevent and chase unpaid invoices. Many tradespeople are self-employed or run their own business, meaning that they’re responsible for sorting out the finances. Whether tradespeople have an accountant or not, making sure all of their customers pay on time is a task they’ll have to undertake to maintain a healthy cash…
Despite having up to 10 months notice to file their Self Assessment tax return, nearly half (46%) of owners are holding off filing until 2-3 months before the 31st January 2024 deadline. In fact, a quarter (25%) of the millions of small business owners across the country will file in the last month. While a quarter (25%) of small businesses are staying on top of their taxes and filing their return within the first month, one in five (22%) say they have previously missed the deadline resulting in considerable fines. New Intuit QuickBooks research reveals that for the majority (59%), the lead up…