By Roy Lauder, Director and Co-Founder, Harrison James Partnership Growth has been a bit elusive recently and with inflation rising, the Bank of England is trying to squeeze demand out of the market with interest rate rises. Hopefully we are near the peak of these. At times like this businesses come under pressure. A temptation is to batten down the hatches blame the government and try to wait it out. However this is an opportunity to get ahead of your competition especially if they are hiding. Here are four areas with key considerations for you to take on board that…

It was revealed this year that almost every UK company that took part in the world’s biggest four-day week trial, organised by ‘4 Day Week Global’[i] has decided to continue with the reduced working hours model, with 92% of the 61 participating companies confirming the policy is a permanent change[ii]. While this shift towards a better work-life balance is promising, Adrian Lewis, Co-founder and Global Lead at Activ People HR advises caution to firms looking to follow suit and ensure they have the right systems in place to make this a success. Adrian says, “The four-day working week is something many employees…

In a time of economic uncertainty, how can medium-sized businesses drive productivity and do more with the tools they already have? Virgin Media O2 Business expert Simon Pollard shares 4 simple steps to unlock the full potential of your tech. Untap the potential of your tech in 4 simple steps In today’s economic landscape, productivity is king. As medium businesses juggle their bottom lines and a rapidly advancing technological landscape, finding ways to unlock efficiencies and do more with what you already have is crucial. Technology is the key to making that difference. In fact, 48% of medium business leaders…

For many years, small businesses and the local high street have been considered the lifeblood of our communities, with a long history of providing a ‘friendly face’ and exceptional service that satisfies repeat customers and contributes value to the economy in turn. From the high street newsagents that welcome regulars with their choice papers ready on the counter, to the local plumbers known for their reliability and no-nonsense advice, small businesses are often characterised by the care, quality and bespoke service they can provide. And it was really encouraging to see the ‘shop local’ movement inspire many consumers to reaffirm…

As the workforce landscape evolves, companies must adapt to the expectations of the newest generation of workplace professionals, Gen Z. Gen Z brings a fresh set of values and needs to the workplace; therefore, to remain competitive in attracting and retaining this digitally native and socially aware generation, businesses must alter their office spaces to meet the needs and preferences of the Gen Z workforce. Studio Alliance, a European alliance of workplace experts, has provided a list of 5 office space design trends that will help encourage Gen Z into the office. Smart Technology Integration: Gen Z is tech-savvy and appreciates an office equipped with…

Author: Hannah Pettit, Associate at Ashfords LLP In our digital era, globalisation is an inevitable phenomenon. This is due to the internet playing an increasingly crucial role in our daily lives, enabling easy access to global content and services from across the world. As a result, expanding internationally has become a vital aspect of many businesses’ growth strategies, allowing them to capitalise on larger global markets. Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a significant transformation in our work patterns. The adoption of remote working during this period has proven that physical location no longer hinders recruitment. Businesses are now…

Marketing Agency Protean Inbound reveals the art of creating exceptional customer success stories that can transform your B2B marketing efforts. From identifying the right customers to interview, to formulating thought-provoking questions that yield detailed and impactful responses, they cover all the essential steps. By the end of this piece, you will be equipped with the knowledge needed to craft compelling customer success stories that not only close deals but also foster business growth: Customer success stories, also known as user application stories, are invaluable assets in any marketer’s arsenal. They serve as powerful social proof that your product or service…

By Jyoti Guptara, story strategist, speaker and bestselling author of Business Storytelling from Hype to Hack In 2012, the IT industry was changing drastically from operation centric (‘helping run your business’) to business centric (‘creating your business value’). Fujitsu, the Japanese company, knew they had to articulate their envisioned future or risk being left behind. They assigned Yoshikuni Takashige for creating a vision document, but in 2013 the initial ‘Fujitsu Technology and Service Vision’ met with a cold response. Realizing the language was too technical for many business leaders, Takashige’s team replaced jargon with concrete images and, crucially, framed their vision…

By Jonny Clark, Managing Director, ITPEnergised Whilst environmental and energy consultancies may be more commonplace nowadays, ten years ago when industry veteran Jonny Clark set up ITPEnergised with a vision of creating a relationship-focused renewable energy consultancy, the landscape was very different. Having worked in environmental and energy consultancy for more than a quarter of a century, prior to founding ITPEnergised, Jonny was board director for a major environmental & energy consultancy having overseen billions of pounds of projects across wind, solar and biomass globally, as well as mining, waste, transmission and distribution projects. In this article, Jonny looks back…

Paralympic gold medallist Chris Hunt Skelley MBE has returned to the UK from a five-week training tour of Japan as he continues his preparation for the European Championships and IBSA World Games later this month (August 18 to 27 2023).  This intense training has also helped the gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 to prepare for qualification to compete in the next Paralympics in Paris next year.  Chris said: “The camp was about building up to the Championships and World Games, to take it up to the next level and making sure we were in the best possible shape we can be.”…

Broadly put, an HR Business Partner (HRBP) works to deliver the organisation’s strategy through people actions. HR Business Partnering is best thought of as an overall approach, focused on delivering value and helping the business achieve its strategy, rather than a specific job description or a list of responsibilities. Or, in the words of one HR Director CRF spoke to as part of recent research into the future of HR Business Partnering, HRBPs work to ‘change and drive businesses forward.’ The original Business Partner model can be traced back to Dave Ulrich’s seminal book, Human Resource Champions, published in 1997.…

Holiday makers across the UK may be disappointed this year, as ice cream producers have reported having to reduce the variety of flavours they offer in the face of rising ingredient and production costs. And this is just one of many examples of small businesses having to make difficult decisions to keep afloat. As an experienced General Counsel supporting a variety of businesses, Katie Sandys-Renton, Lawyer at The Legal Director, provides comment on how business leaders can ensure the cost-of-living crisis doesn’t impact creativity in their business. She has seen just how this cost-of-living crisis is hitting SMEs and so…

Alan Davison, Personal Finance Distribution Director at Together, advises on getting a mortgage when there is a credit blip on your record. The current financial landscape, dogged by high living costs and inflationary pressures, has made it increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder due to more people having a less than perfect credit score. With the FCA reporting the number of adults who missed bills or loan payments in at least three of the last six months has risen by 1.4mn to 5.6mn1, the proportion of those with blips on their record is on the up – with predictions this…

For remote and hybrid workers, finding a coffee shop that is easily accessible to your usual workplace, home office, or commuting route can be extremely beneficial. It ensures that you can conveniently transition to and from workstations without losing valuable work time. Choosing a coffee shop in proximity to your closest or most convenient tube station provides just that! To help London’s hybrid workers and coffee lovers, the team at Craft Docs have explored London’s Zone 1 tube station to find the most convenient small chain and independent coffee shops to work from. The data covers all 68 tube stations…

Law firm Tozers provides advice to SME businesses in London and across the country, when they relocate their businesses as well as their families and homes to the beautiful West Country. Here three of the law partners give perspectives from a property, corporate and employment standpoint offering practical advice on how to go about such a wholesale relocation of both business and home, avoid the pitfalls, navigate the hazards, and how to make it a success and a dream come true. Staycations remain the preferred type of holiday for many, with a recent survey revealing that 72% of Brits are…

Relocation experts believe that ‘work from the beach’ narratives undermine both the opportunities and complexities of employee mobility From Airbnb to Zopa, more and more businesses are leading the way in allowing employees to work from abroad throughout the year. This is a positive step forward for a more inclusive, borderless approach to work. However, many of the conversations around these benefits focus on swapping your home office for the beach. According to Localyze, an online global mobility platform that removes borders to talent and opportunities, relocating for work holds much more opportunity — and complexity — that goes far…