International motivational speaker and author of Business Networking for Dummies Stefan Thomas is holding a number of one-day workshop where he’ll coach individuals on how to speak on a public stage and how to find clients who will pay for strong speakers. Stefan Thomas is an international keynote speaker and trainer and has spoken in front of audiences from two to 2500 people. He’s been a paid public speaker since 2010 and runs his business from Oxfordshire. “People with a message or expertise have no idea about how to start speaking in the public arena and I can help them…
Author: sme-admin
Despite the Davina effect, those suffering from the menopause have suffered two blows from the government. First the rejection of a trial for menopause leave in England and second not recognising the menopause as a “protected characteristic” for which a person shouldn’t be discriminated. Melanie Stancliffe, Partner in the Employment team at Cripps provides some insight into why that decision was made and what more is needed to support employees through the menopause Both decisions fly in the face of addressing staff shortages and keeping talent in work. The Women and Equalities Committee heard evidence of dismissal and resignations due to debilitating symptoms. There was…
Want to make the best of hybrid working in your business? Digital solutions specialist Caine Harrison shares his tips so your business can excel in the hybrid working world in this edition of Connected Thinking with Virgin Media O2 Business. It’s no secret – hybrid working has taken root in medium businesses across the country. In fact, in our research report ‘Medium businesses: Fuelling the UK’s economic engine’, we found that just 25% of employees’ time is now spent in the office, with the rest being spread across co-working spaces, public spaces such as cafes, and their own homes. Employee…
Protecting the interests of a business is a top priority for any entrepreneur or company. However, with the dynamic nature of the job market and increasing competition, retaining top talent and safeguarding your business can become challenging. This is where employee restrictions or restrictive covenants come into play. These agreements can effectively limit the potential damage a former employee can cause to a business. In this article, we’ll dive into the basics of employee restrictions and explore the steps to negotiate fair and enforceable agreements that can protect your business from unwanted risks. What is a restrictive covenant? A restrictive…
April is National Stress Awareness Month and it’s an important time to recognise the widespread impact of stress on our lives, especially at work. Whatever the source, it’s essential to acknowledge and address stress in order to mitigate its negative effects. In this article, Judith Quin, an award-winning vocal-confidence coach, who launched her business, Your Whole Voice, seven years ago comments on possible sources of employee stress and offers tips to employers on how to manage it. “We’re all much more aware of our stress levels nowadays. But stress is still a major problem for many of us. Statistics published…
With recent events at Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse rocking international finance systems, the experts at global supply chain risk management solution, Resilinc, are urging UK businesses to collaborate with suppliers to reduce uncertainty. This instability at major international banking institutions comes on the back of an already turbulent time for businesses. Resilinc’s EventWatchAI risk monitoring platform reported a 271% year-on-year increase between 2021 and 2022 in bankruptcies, plus a 46% increase in corporate restructuring and 77% increase in leadership changes during the same time period. In response Resilinc is outlining five strategies businesses can employ to mitigate financial risk across their…
Birmingham’s Colmore BID (Business Improvement District) has partnered with the Hollie Gazzard Trust to launch a new Supporter Organisation Scheme to educate staff on domestic abuse issues and help safeguard employees. Colmore BID, which is responsible for delivering projects, initiatives and services in Birmingham’s commercial and professional services quarter, is the first to partner with the charity to trial the national scheme. The programme provides not-for-profit organisations with safeguard training for staff members, a subscription to the UK’s largest safety app and 24/7 monitoring service, Hollie Guard Extra, at a discounted rate and monthly editions of the Hollie Gazette, a news,…
Senior solicitor Andrea Corr, in law firm Blandy & Blandy’s Employment Law team, summarises changes coming into effect from April 2023 that will affect both employers and employees. National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage From 1 April 2023, both the National Living Wage (those aged 23 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those aged 16 – 22) are to increase. The new hourly rates and increases are as follows:- Rate from April 2021 Rate from April 2022 Increase National Living Wage (NLW) for workers 23 and over £9.50 £10.42 9.7% 21-22 year old rate (NMW) £9.18 £10.18 10.9%…
We all know about the rise of TikTok in recent years and the proliferation of video content across social media platforms. It is now quick and easy for users to create and edit short videos on their mobile devices and upload them for all the world to see – or the few dozen followers they have. The introduction of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts is a reaction from Meta and Google to take advantage of this trend, and many of us have fallen victim to the endless scrolling through content of an evening when we really should be getting on…
A STUDY has revealed that despite widespread concern over costs to businesses and record-high utility bills, 95% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are overlooking obvious cost savings, with the most neglected being water bills. The independent survey of over 500 UK SMEs by National water retailer Wave, revealed that just 5% of respondents are cutting down on water usage to address rising overheads, despite 87% responding that water is a vital part of daily operations. With a backdrop of rising cost-of-living and soaring energy prices, water usage has slipped to the bottom of the pile when it comes to operational…