A recent survey of business owners at small to medium-sized enterprises has highlighted that employee wellbeing will be their top area for investment in 2025, outranking product and technology development. The study, conducted by Skipton Business Finance asked almost 1,000 business owners and key decision-makers questions concerning business optimism and priorities over the next 12 months. Business owners ranked employee wellbeing as the top area for investment this year (27%), followed by product development (20%), technology innovation (16%) and the recruitment of top talent (12%). The study shows that the general outlook towards managing a business in 2025 is optimistic, with 75%…
Author: sme-admin
Leading UK technology consultancy highlights why empathy and business-led solutions are creating success beyond their cookie-cutter, bloated approach counterparts. As heightened inflation and economic uncertainty around the UK persists, the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) have reduced growth predictions for consultancies. Originally forecasted at 11%, the MCA now predicts a 6.4% in 2025 and a small increase of 8.7% in 2026, suggesting trends including AI and digital transformation may take the backseat in business priorities. “It’s easy to focus on efficiency and overlook the importance of human connection, but in today’s whirlwind of business hustle, prioritising empathy can add to your customer service…
“The challenges to SME businesses seem to be increasing day by day”, commented Geoff Yates, Commercial Director of Espace Global Freight. “Whether the increasing costs of employment, the difficulty of trading internationally or the green agenda, UK businesses of all sizes are fighting a battle and those in the SME sector seem to be up against it the most.” Espace Global Freight, themselves a Midlands based SME, are a freight forwarder moving goods to every corner of the world for an array of clients from senior F1 teams to start ups. “We’ve been trading 25 years this year and we’ve…
UK’s £82bn wealth creators face ‘unfair’ mortgage rejection The UK’s self-employed workforce is sitting on nearly £82bn of disposable income – but despite their growing wealth, four in five entrepreneurs have struggled to get a mortgage. They face being locked out of the mainstream mortgage market, despite accumulating a combined wealth nest egg of £81.5billion, currently enough to fund the average first time buyer deposit 1.6million times over. Many say being unable to prove a steady, monthly income has limited their chances of getting a home loan, according to new analysis by specialist property lender Together, with 87% of workers…
The UK is facing a fresh economic challenge as official figures released this morning show inflation rising to its highest level in 10 months, reaching 3% in January. Contributing factors include soaring plane fares, food prices, and significant hikes in private school fees, all adding pressure to households already grappling with the cost of living. Leading industry experts have offered their insights into what this means for both consumers and businesses. Rob Morgan, Chief Investment Analyst at Charles Stanley said “It’s unwelcome news for households struggling from the upswing in the cost of living in recent years, although the resilient…
The 2024 Forrester Customer Experience [CX] Index paints a concerning picture of the current state of CX, with performance continuing to drop for the third consecutive year. This is particularly evident in key areas such as effectiveness, ease, and, notably, emotion. As customer experience becomes a key competitive differentiator for brands, the question emerges: why are so many failing to truly connect with their customers on an emotional level? The emotional gap in CX In the Forrester report, one of the most troubling insights is the decline in the emotional aspect of CX. This is the component that influences customer…
The Swinton Estate has launched Nourish – a new corporate partnership programme that delivers a platform for positive environmental investment on its 20,000-acre estate in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. The scheme is aimed at business owners wanting to understand and reduce their carbon footprint, improve biodiversity and achieve their sustainability goals. Nourish partners can invest in the Estate’s Carbon Plus credits, BNG units from their habitat bank, Environmental Investment schemes and local community projects. Membership benefits include enrolment at the Climate Action Academy and nature-based welfare schemes designed for the benefit of the workforce. As Nourish is based…
Kiwa, one of the country’s leading product safety certification providers, has further extended its electrical safety certification service with the addition of two new significant IECEE CB scheme test standards. The company now offers manufacturers access to product safety certification support for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment under the IEC 62368-1 standard, as well as IEC 61010-1, covering electrical equipment for measurement and control, and instruments within a laboratory. The two new product categories add to Kiwa’s well-established expertise in the electromagnetic capability (EMC), radio and product safety testing area, and will deliver an enhanced capability to support manufacturers’ ambitions to access global…
When you’ve just started up your small business, it can be easy to think you won’t need insurance. After all, you’re only a small business – what’s the worst that can happen? But, many business owners think they don’t need insurance and get caught out when they least expect it. In fact, 44% of business owners in the UK have no commercial insurance, and 47% of these say that their business is “too small” to take out a policy. But, as an SME, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction to protect your hard work. A new guide from the business insurance experts at…
University admissions have declined for the third consecutive year as rising costs leave young people searching for alternatives. While students may worry about career prospects without a traditional degree, new research from Cambridge Advance Online suggests a more positive outlook for future leaders: 47.4% of managers, directors and senior officials in the UK do not have a degree, equivalent or higher qualification which demonstrates the opportunity to succeed through non-traditional routes. Over half (53.6%) of current job listings that specify educational requirements do not mandate any type of degree, highlighting more flexible career entry points. To uncover these insights, Cambridge Advance Online analysed a…