Issue 12 Business Connected Suffolk Spring Edition by Business Connected

Suffolk Edition Issue 12 | Spring 2016 2016 Issue 11 January / February

Face to Face or Head in the Cloud? Juliet Price Managing Director of Park City discusses

Business Connected launch LinkedIn seminars in Ipswich PLUS...

Networking Events Directory of Business Events in your area

Suffolk Round-up Business news from around the County

Suffolk Job Board The Counties top vacant positions

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In this edition...

Spring 2016

Premier Partner Scheme

Suffolk Job Vacancies

06-07: Find out more details on

20-21: Premier Partners

the Business Connected Premier Partner Scheme and take a look at our current partners.

polkadotfrog bring us the latest job vacancies from around the county.

ABE 16

Suffolk Round Up

8-9: East Anglia’s most successful

18-19: We take a look at a

and largest business-to-business exhibition is just months away.

05: Editor’s Note

number of latest news stories from around the County.

Full details of how to get involved.

12-13: LinkedIn Seminars

HR Update

Business book Review

10: In this edition we look at the

26-27: We take a look at six

effects of alcohol and drug use in

top business books, they say

the workplace.

successful people read a book a week. Maybe one of these could be your next.

Suffolk Networking Events

H&S Update

16-17: Take a look at all the

28: Park City Consulting bring us

recommended networking events

the latest health and safety article

from Business Connected and

titled “How to have That Difficult

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

Conversation”

18-19: Suffolk Round-up

30: Top Tweets from last month

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Ipswich Town Football Club Portman Road Suffolkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Number One Venue

Meet At The Number One Venue! Are you planning an event, conference or meeting? If so, then why not hold it at ITFC? Ipswich Town Football Club is a unique venue, with excellent facilities and an award winning hospitality and catering team. The venue provides an inspirational backdrop for any meeting or occasion With easy access and on-site parking facilities, our venue is in a prime location for your next meeting, evening event or exhibition.

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Ipswich Town Football Club, Portman Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2DA Tel: (01473) 400594

Editor’s Note Welcome to the latest edition of Business Connected Suffolk. As we move into the

Get In Touch

spring we are often at a point in our business to reflect on the first quarter and take the opportunity to reset our goals in order to

Tel: 01702 513113

achieve what we want for the spring months and onto the rest of the year. We hope that

Email: info@businessconnected.co.uk Or Visit: www.businessconnected.co.uk

Business Connected provides you with some Richard Pond MANAGING DIRECTOR

of the resources and solutions you may need to make your business fly high this year.

To fit in with this natural evaluation time line we are moving our magazine from bi-monthly to quarterly. We believe that this will make our content more relevant to the important business diary dates that we all have and provide

fascinating insights to some of the more topical discussions happening within the business community. Business Connected Magazine is also proud to announce a third publication.

This covers east London complementing our Olympic Park networking event and we are very happy to welcome on board our Premier Partners that are joining us.

About us

publication may be reproduced in whole

Business Connected as a brand brings together businesses across a variety of

or in part in any way without prior written

mediums from face to face networking, social media, printed media in the form

permission of Business Connected Ltd.

of this our countywide magazine, and much more. Business Connected is proud

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions.

to be operating the county’s premier b2b magazine, networking events and online portal that focus on the business community of Suffolk. We bring local businesses together via the many platforms that we operate. Our magazine is distributed across the whole county in print and online. Our website, which receives over half a million hits a month is dedicated to up to

Printed in the UK by Printwize www.printwize.co.uk

date business news, a business directory and the number one place to find out what’s going on in Suffolk. You may have heard about the Business Connected Premier Partner scheme which helps businesses be seen not just in print but also online and through our fantastic social media offering. Full details on our events can be found on page 16 including details of our latest venue Business Connected @ The Olympic Park and full details of our Premier Partners can be found on pages 6 & 7 for more info on all things Business Connected please log on to www.businessconnected.co.uk or give us a call on 01702 513113.

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Premier Partner Scheme Are you happy with your current level of business? How often do you promise yourself that you’ll invest more in social media and/ or run regular email and print campaigns, but simply don’t have the time or expertise to do it? Our fantastic marketing offer could be the answer!

Designed to support companies which need to introduce cohesive and co-ordinated marketing strategies or wish to enhance existing marketing strategies, we provide an effective, structured marketing solution at an affordable price.

• Exclusivity — We only work with one company of any type within the county. • Business Connected Magazine - A full page in every edition of our magazine. • Social Media - Yes, you may have a Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook account but how about a helping hand? We can set up and run your account, interact as a ‘raving fan’ or simply come and give regular training to all your staff. • Email Campaigns - Need to get the message out to the masses? We have a number of options which we can tailor to suit the needs of your business. • Premier Partner Power Hour - Dedicated to Business Connected Premier Partners monthly with expert advice and referral platform. • Networking Events - Many people know Business Connected from our county-wide events and we want you to be part of them. Fancy being a speaker or displaying your branding at all our events • Website - Our Business Connected website gets thousands of visits a day. Being a Premier Partner gives you branding on our site. • Account Manager - Probably the most important feature of the Partnership scheme, our account managers are working around the clock to find leads for our partners, from the many networking events that we attend and run. Our staff are introducing and passing referrals on a monthly basis.

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WHAT’S INCLUDED Exclusivity Full page magazine advert Full artwork and design Two tickets to all networking events and guest tickets Branding at all events Early delegate list to plan your networking Introductions to networkers from Business Connected staff Events for Premier Partners only Members-only log-in to the Business Connected website Web banner on Business Connected website LinkedIn training course for all your staff, on or offsite Promotion of your brand across all of our Social Media Platforms Inclusion on our monthly email newsletter Account Manager to run your campaign and pass you leads

Premier Partners

Premier Partners + Social

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

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Wednesday 15th Trinity Park, Ips

h June 2016 swich

Alcohol and Drug Use in the Workplace The use of drugs or alcohol by employees in the workplace can be a serious issue for your business. Whilst for most people the social use of alcohol and drugs does not have a negative impact on their personal or work life, research has shown that many employers have experienced problems in the workplace due to staff being under the influence of drugs (both legal and illegal) or alcohol. Any person who uses substances at work, or comes to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol will have their performance impaired and can put themselves and their colleagues’ safety at risk. This is not just a problem for construction workers, drivers and machine operators; it can affect an employee doing any job in any industry. Dependency on drink and/or drugs can also lead to mental health problems and increased absence from work. Research by DrugScope and Alcohol Concern revealed that 27% of employers say drug misuse is a problem at work and 60% have experienced problems due to staff drinking alcohol. What is your legal responsibility? You have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of your employees. You also have a duty under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, to assess the risks to the health and safety of your employees. If you knowingly allow an employee under the influence of alcohol or drug misuse to continue working and his or her behaviour places the employee or others at risk, you could be prosecuted. Your employees are also required to take reasonable care of themselves and others who could be affected by what they do at work. The Transport and Works Act 1992 makes it a criminal offence for certain workers to be unfit through drugs and/or drink while working on railways, tramways and other guided transport systems. The operators of the transport system would also be guilty of an offence unless they had shown all due diligence in trying to prevent such an offence being committed. The Road Traffic Act 1988 states that any person who, when driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road or other public place, is unfit to drive through drink or drugs shall be guilty of an offence. What should you do? It is important that you put in place a “Drug and Alcohol” policy in consultation with staff. The policy should form part of your overall Health & Safety policy and should: • Aim to protect and support those staff that are affected by alcohol and substance misuse and guarantee confidentiality.

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• Make it clear whether the use of drugs will be considered a criminal matter and at what times, if any, drinking alcohol on work premises is allowed. • Treat alcohol and drug misuse as a health, rather than disciplinary matter in the first instance. • Outline the situation regarding absence for treatment and rehabilitation. • Be clear and concise and leave no room for misunderstanding. Some employers, particularly those in safety-sensitive industries, are choosing to adopt alcohol and drug screening as part of both the recruitment process and as a routine part of the job. If you decide to do go down the screening you should make it clear in your Drug and Alcohol policy and check where you stand legally before going ahead with it. Workplace Culture Looking at the wider culture of your organisation may pinpoint areas that lead to drug and alcohol misuse at work. Socialising after work is often encouraged by employers, but where this revolves exclusively around alcohol it can lead to a culture or heavy drinking. Even alcohol drunk or drugs taken the previous evening can affect performance the following day if consumed in excess. Many people use alcohol or drugs to help deal with work related stress and employers should look at the general work environment to see if they can eliminate particular areas of stress if they are experiencing recurring issues of drink and drug misuse at work. Although it is an individual’s decision to control what they consume, their health and safety at work and that of their colleagues is ultimately the responsibility of their employer. Having a clear understanding of the affects of alcohol and drugs in the workplace and how to deal with related misuse issues is as important as any other part of your Health & Safety policy.

Navigating your business through the HR landscape

Talk to the experts Call us on 01206 752100 or visit us online at www.parkcity.co.uk Real people, real experts, real time Park City Consulting Limited Tel: 01206 752100 Fax: 01206 752400 Email: consulting@parkcity.co.uk 894 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9YQ

2 hour LinkedIn Seminar How to Increase Sales using LinkedIn! Would you like to win more business using LinkedIn or think you are not making the most of this powerful business tool? If the answer is yes to either of these then you need to come along to our LinkedIn seminar! Below you will ﬁnd upcoming dates of our seminars LinkedIn holds the largest professional network of businesses in the world! For just £39.00 and designed for total beginners through to everyday and advanced users on this seminar, Business Connected’s Managing Director, Richard Pond will show you: • Homepage, Timeline & Toolbars

• Relationship tab

• Profiles & Branding

• Inbox & Notifications

• Sharing an update & Publishing a post

• Company

• Downloading connections

• Groups

• Interacting with new connections

• Privacy settings

• Endorsements & Recommendations

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Upcoming Dates: Upcoming Seminars: Colchester—Tuesday 29th March 2016 Ipswich—Thursday 7th April 2016 Chelmsford—Friday 8th April 2016 Leigh-on-Sea—Tuesday 12th April 2016 Colchester—Friday 22nd April 2016 Stratford—Friday 29th April 2016 Chelmsford—Friday 6th May 2016 Ipswich—Tuesday10th May Leigh on Sea—Thursday 12th May Visit: www.businessconnected.co.uk/linkedin-seminar/ to book a place onto any of these fantastic seminars or give the Business Connected team a call on 01702 513113. “I would highly recommend Richard’s LinkedIn course. I learned exactly what I needed to and have a comprehensive manual now to refer to. The course has encouraged me to get LinkedIn and use it to its full potential.” – Lucy Cracknell, Consultant at Reward Health. “The LinkedIn training is well worth attending and Richard’s clear guidance in using LinkedIn to its full potential was a real eye opener and something I will gladly recommend.” – Anthony Payne, Business Development Manager at Monthind Clean.

www.businessconnected.co.uk

Social Media In today’s world, it isn’t enough just to have a website

purchase products and services, and people will take

for your business – your business now extends to social

the time to research online before making a purchase.

media marketing, like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

You need to have a social media presence that is

If your company still doesn’t have social media, now

engaging and helps reassure clients that your business

is the time to act and act fast. Customers more than

is reputable and can be trusted.

ever now are in tune with from whom and where they

We offer full social media management, which starts with a social media strategy. This creates the blueprint to deliver the service your brand deserves. Our services include: 11

Full social media strategy

All posts, mentions and interactions

Construction and design of your profiles

Guaranteed social growth

Professionally crafted posts

Full analytic reports

Research of your products, services and target market

Monthly strategy meetings with your Account Manager

WHAT’S INCLUDED

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Set up and brand new accounts Three posts per week Four posts per day Interact with hashtag hours on Twitter Reply to all interactions Grow followers by a minimum of 150 per month Set up and agree plan to increase following Run competitions if required Detailed blueprint of strategy Account Manager to look after your account Monthly detailed analytics

www.businessconnected.co.uk PRICE

www.businessconnected.co.uk

£200 p/m

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Business Connected Events Our Events Business Connected operates premium b2b networking events across the South East. We have a different event every week

The format at every event is as follows:

across a variety of quality venues. At each meeting we typically

7:30am open networking

attract between 70 and 100 delegates. Our current venues are

8:15am breakfast

below. There is no membership required just come along when

9:00am Speakers, and prize draws

you can.

9:15am Open networking

At all events we follow the same proven formula, we send delegate lists out in advance, have plenty of time to network, listen to one or two short but informative talks and have a great breakfast. We always make sure there is a real focus on networking. We have some great videos of our events and have a dedicated YouTube channel. So just search for Business Connected and have a look for yourself. All of our venues offer free parking and excellent networking facilities. We also have dedicated LinkedIn groups for each venue, which is just for delegates who have attended each group. This allows you to network before the event with the delegate list, on the day at the meeting and afterwards on LinkedIn. For more information or to book on to one of our events please have a look at www.businessconnected.co.uk/businessnetworking/ or give us a call today on 01702 513113.

Our Current Venues Business Connected

Business Connected

@Essex Cricket Club

@Southend Airport

@Ipswich Town FC

@Colchester United

@The Olympic Park

www.businessconnected.co.uk

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce Events Event: Is your business prepared? Time/Date: 8.30am – 10.30am, Tuesday 15 March Venue: Ufford Park, Woodbridge IP12 1QW Cost: Free to attend but booking is essential

Event: The Two Counties Business Exhibition Time/Date: 11am – 3pm, Wednesday 16 March Venue: Newmarket Racecourse CB8 0TF Cost: Free to attend

Event: Neptune Networking Breakfast Time/Date: 7.30am – 9.30am, Thursday 17 March Venue: Hotel Victoria, Lowestoft NR33 0BZ Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £22.50 Non Members £33

Event: Suffolk 100 Business Networking Lunch Time/Date: 11.15am – 2pm, Friday 18 March Venue: The Hangar, Kesgrave Hall IP5 2PU Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £29.50 Non Members: £43.50

Event: Free business networking event Time/Date: 5.30pm – 7.30pm, Wednesday 23 March Venue: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket CB8 0TF Cost: Free to attend but booking is essential

Event: Neptune Business Networking Breakfast Time/Date: 7.30am – 9.30am, Thursday 7 April Venue: Waveney House Hotel, Beccles NR34 9PL Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £22.50 Non Members: £33

Event: Methods of Payment including Letters of Credit Course Time/Date: 9am – 4.30pm, Thursday 7 April Venue: Suffolk Chamber Conference Room, Ipswich IP2 8SQ Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £240 Non Members: £300

Event: Business Leaders’ Breakfast: No More A14 Delays in Suffolk Time/Date: 7.30am – 9am, Friday 8 April Venue: The Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1LU Cost: Free to attend but booking is essential

Event: Suffolk Chamber April Networking Lunch Time/Date: 11.30am – 2pm, Tuesday 19 April Venue: Seckford Hall Hotel, Woodbridge IP13 6NU Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £29.50 Non Members: £43.50

Event: FREE Auto-enrolment made easy Breakfast Time/Date: 7.30am – 9am, Tuesday 26 April Venue: Novotel Ipswich Centre, Ipswich IP1 1UP Cost: Free to attend but booking is essential

Event: Suffolk Business Women, Lowestoft Time/Date: 1.45pm – 3.15pm, Thursday 28 April Venue: Hotel Victoria, Lowestoft NR33 0BZ Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £15 Non Members: £25 Event: Bury St Edmunds First Friday Breakfast Networking Meeting Time/Date: 7.30am – 9am, Friday 6 May Venue: Greene King, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QT Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £17.40 Non Members: £27.50

Event: Suffolk Business Women Elevenses - Ipswich Time/Date: 10.30am – 12pm, Wednesday 11 May Venue: Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, Ipswich IP5 2PU Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £15 Non Members: £25

Event: Neptune Business Networking Breakfast Time/Date: 7.30am – 9.30am, Thursday 12 May Venue: Lowestoft Venue TBC Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £22.50 Non Members: £33

Event: Suffolk Chamber May Networking Lunch Time/Date: 11.30am – 2pm, Tuesday 17 May Venue: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket CB8 0TF Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £29.50 Non Members: £43.50

Event: Mix@6 Time/Date: 5pm – 7pm, Thursday 26 May Venue: Ivy House County Hotel, Lowestoft NR33 8HY Cost: Free to attend but booking is essential

Event: Suffolk Business Women Networking Lunch Time/Date: 11.30am – 2pm, Friday 15 April Venue: Hintlesham Hall Hotel, Ipswich IP8 3NS Cost: Suffolk Chamber Members (Including EEP and Affiliated Chambers) £25 Non Members: £35

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Suffolk Round up Thurston-based Smart Garden Offices makes 10th anniversary with board appointments A Suffolk firm which is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of garden offices has marked its 10th anniversary with the appointment of two long-serving employees as directors. Smart Garden Offices, based at Thurston, near Bury St Edmunds, was launched by managing director Charlie Dalton in February 2006 from a dimly-lit workshop with a table saw. A decade on, the business employs more than 40 people and operates from a 2.5 acre factory site to which it moved last year and which features the latest CAD/CAM precision production technology. Mr Dalton has now invited two loyal employees to become members of the board with Debi Knott becoming operations director and Tony Graves taking on the role of production director. Mr Dalton said: “Through hard work and luck we’ve built the business to become 40-strong with a powerhouse factory, an award-winning team and with some simply magnificent buildings in our range. I’m so intensely proud. Tony’s fortitude, tolerance and sheer skill has enabled me to turn my vision into reality and, through intense professionalism in every single field, Debi has steered the company and brought a maturity to our operations.”

Ipswich-based UK Power Networks retains place in Sunday Times Top 25 Best Big Companies to Work For list UK Power Networks, which delivers electricity across the East of England, London and the South East, has been named for the second year running in the Sunday Times Top 25 Best Big Companies to Work For listing. The Ipswich-based company is in 25th place, with the rankings being based on detailed employee surveys covering a comprehensive range of work issues, including senior management, pay and benefits, development opportunities and the working environment. Chris Degg, director of HR at UK Power Networks, said: “We are delighted that our colleagues have once again rated us among some of Britain’s best big companies to work for, based on the results of a confidential survey. “When staff feel positive about their job and their employer, they are much more likely to go out of their way to provide a better customer experience. We will carefully study the survey results to understand what our employees are telling us, how we can respond positively to their feedback and continually improve our business.” For more from around the county and to find the sources to all of these and many more Suffolk news stories please visit www.businessconnected.co.uk Business news stories are updated every day.

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East Anglia law firm Prettys expands six practice teams The firm says it has seen a 23% increase in new instructions across its commercial and private teams since the start of the financial year, compared to the same period in the previous financial year, with particular activity in the construction, property investment and financial sectors across the region. Chief executive Ian Carr said: “I am delighted to be able to expand six of our practice teams and grow our offices in Ipswich and Chelmsford. I am very positive about further growth this year and continuing to deliver a high quality service to all our clients.” The teams benefiting from expansion are: corporate and commercial, family law, estates, personal injury, residential property, and employment in both the Ipswich and Chelmsford offices. The employment team in Ipswich is growing with the addition of Sarah Furniss and Sheilah Cummins in response to the increased range of employment services that Prettys now offers including support with tax, pensions and immigration issues. In Chelmsford, Miz Choudhury will be providing additional expertise to the corporate services team, who will be assisting businesses on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions. The firm has also welcomed Raunuk Wahiwala to the residential property team, and Natalie Smith will complement the services offered from the estates team. The final addition to the Chelmsford office is Sophie Harriman who has joined the family law team to help deliver a bespoke service to clients depending on their individual needs. Finally, the personal injury team in Ipswich has welcomed Jade Boyle who will add her knowledge and experience as a litigation executive in the insurance department.

Thousands of jobs set for county as final East Anglia ONE investment confirmed Thousands of jobs are coming to Suffolk after renewable energy bosses made a final investment decision for what will become one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms. The county’s economy is set to benefit from millions of pounds of investment after final funding was secured for East Anglia ONE off the coast of Lowestoft. The town will be the long-term operational base for the 102-turbine array, which will generate enough energy to power most of the households across Suffolk and Norfolk. Work on the construction phase – expected to create 3,000 jobs – is expected to start at the beginning of next year, after Scottish Power announced it was progressing with a £2.5billion investment to build the wind farm in the North Sea. The development will generate 714 megawatts about 26 miles off the coast – enough to power 500,000 homes – exceeding the output of the London Array, previously considered the largest wind farm of its kind. Announcing the firm’s final investment in the project, developer ScottishPower Renewables said at least 50% of the  total budget would be spent in the UK. Project director Charlie Jordan said: “East Anglia ONE will deliver substantial environmental benefits for the UK, it will stimulate considerable UK investment, and it will support thousands of jobs.” ScottishPower Renewables is leading the way with its approach of actively working towards a target of at least 50% UK  supply chain content over the lifetime of the East Anglia ONE project. “We have already worked with a wide range of companies across East Anglia and we look forward to working with many more.”

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Where it all began

Lucy and Jane wanted to put their knowledge and experience into building a recruitment agency based on transparency, trust and from the crowd.

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Ending the gender pay gap A report released earlier this year by the UN’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) claimed that more than half a century after the United States passed the Equal Pay Act, and 45 years after similar legislation in the UK, women across the world earn 77% of the amount paid to men, a figure that has improved by only 3% in the past 20 years. It also predicted that the income of female workers across the world will lag behind men’s for another 70 years if the gender pay gap continues to reduce at the present painfully slow rate. As well as the gender pay gap, ILO claim that women face a ‘motherhood pay gap’ whereby women with children can expect to earn less when they return to work than childless women, with the difference increasing for every child they have. With these figures in mind, David Cameron set out his ambition to ‘end the gender pay gap within a generation’. New figures released this year show that FTSE 100 companies have met targets for 25% of board members to be women. There are also now more women-led businesses than ever, with a record number of women in work but the Prime Minister says there is more to do. The legal living wage introduced in July’s budget is hoped to close the pay gap, with primarily women being in lower paid jobs. The government has also announced that every company with more than 250 employees will have to publish the difference between the average pay of their male and female employees.

They are also providing a wide programme of support for working women including; 30 hours of free childcare, accessibility to flexible working and revised careers advice for school girls. Jane Harris, Director at polkadotfrog says “Being one of the Directors in an all women-led business I am proud of what polkadotfrog has achieved in the 11 years we have been in business. The new measures that have been introduced to close the gender pay gap can only be good news for productivity and driving business forward. Women are a valuable part of the workplace and enabling women to work flexible hours or use more affordable childcare will allow more women back in to work and help ease the ever widening skills gap. Ensuring women can reach their full potential in the workplace makes good business sense.” This is backed up by the Secretary of State for Education, and Minister for Women and Equalities, Nicky Morgan who said “…supporting women to fulfil their potential could increase the size of our economy by 35%”. It remains to be seen whether these changes will inspire women to compete for the very best jobs and see their hard work pay off whilst at the same time growing the economy.

VACANCIES Operations Coordinator Junior Import Clerk Location: Felixstowe Felixstowe, £18,000- £20,000 Salary: Competitive Salary negotiable dependant on experience A varied and challenging role has arisen working at the A new opportunity has become available with our client, a very Felixstowe base of our client, a global logistics company. well established logistics company based in Felixstowe. Our client is A sound background in shipping and transport is looking for an exceptional and talented Transport Operator with a preferred to join this busy team who offer an end to end proven background within the freight industry with the emphasis on service to their clients. previous trailer operating experience. Service Administrator Location: Ipswich Outskirts Technician Salary: Competitive, depending on experience Stowmarket, £25,000 A busy and varied role to respond planned and ad-hoc mainteMy client is seeking a highlytoprofessional, experienced nance/service callsVehicle from customers. Youtowill have strong organiand qualified Technician join their prestigious sation skills and ainlogical, methodical approach to your work and dealerships Stowmarket. the ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining a high level of customer service.

Case Investigator Probate Researcher Receptionist Location: Ipswich Ipswich, £17,000 Salary: £20,000 + BONUS A wonderful opportunity for a highly efficient Receptionist Our client a leading UK professional Probate Research company have to join a very well established and growing company a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual looking to develop based in Ipswich. The successful candidate will be their career in Probate Research. Our client are looking for a talented, customer focussed, professional and friendly with strong self-motivated and driven candidate to join their expanding workorganisation skills. force. We are looking for a confident and enthusiastic individual with previous negotiating and sales experience to join this busy team. Personal TaxTeam Executive Project Admin Support Location: Bury St Edmunds Ipswich, £19,000 Salary: £DOE This is an exciting new role to work within a fantastic Our client specialising in a full range of legal services for both individenvironment being the first port of call for clients and uals and businesses. Based in a thriving setting in Ipswich town centre visitors to this amazing creative agency based in the requires a Personal Tax Executive. centre of Ipswich.

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BBX is a complimentary currency that works in addition to core revenue, enabling businesses to sell what they haven't been able to in a less competitive marketplace About 60 per cent of businesses experience ‘Spare Capacity’ on a regular basis in the form of vacant hotel rooms, empty restaurant tables, unsold advertising space, unfilled appointment times, slow moving or surplus stock… costing UK business owners billions of pounds a year. Carole at Contempo PR said: “By unlocking Spare Capacity in our business we have saved thousands of pounds. Spare Capacity for our company Contempo PR came in the form of under-utilised staff and therefore the ability to take on an extra PR client every other month." BBX is an international company who work with businesses that find themselves with Spare Capacity that they would like to turn into additional revenue without discounting or eroding their core business. By adopting the BBX

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payment facility the business can sell their Spare Capacity to other businesses within the BBX community in exchange for BBX pounds. Accounting for this in a business is simple as one BBX pound is accounted for in the same way as one pound sterling and can be used in any of the 12 countries that the BBX community is established. Carole at Contempo PR has found utilising the BBX facility very simple: “Once I established I could handle another customer I contact my local account manager at BBX who promotes me within the community and sends me an additional client. By using BBX to sell our Spare Capacity we have seen an increase in sales, saved on costs, and improved our bottom line profitability. We spend our BBX pounds on such things as printing, design, roller banners,

business cards, accounting services, business advice, restaurant meals and hotel stays to name but a few! But also as business owners, we can use our BBX pounds on personal purchases too, which adds value to the income from our business. With such a large and varied database of clients using this service, it is a fantastic way to save on your cash flow and at the same time afford the extras within your business. There is such a wide variety of businesses now using BBX within the UK.”

To find out how your business can be involved in creating efficiency go to www.bbxuk.com or call 0333 400 2014.

At the end of last year in my first article for Business Connected, I offered some considered advice concerning the value to business leaders as individuals in appointing a business coach to help their Dave Pye businesses grow. You may recall that in the sporting world we looked at how appointing a coach had transformed the success of a number of famous sports people including Rory McIlroy, Greg Rutherford and Jessica Ennis-Hill. My conclusion was very much, ‘if it is good for them, it is good for you’. People reading this magazine are true business leaders across this fine county of Essex and, in many cases, across the UK. I want the very best for all of our business leaders and future entrepreneurs and having a navigator along the way is a vital element to both individual and corporate success.

business coach will hold the CEO or business leader accountable. The NED will focus on the Board.

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Non-Executive Directors: Does “Appointing One Apply to My Business?

2. He or she will ensure that the financial information is accurate and that financial controls are robust and defensible. They will often approve business plans and annual budgets. 3. An NED will participate in the analysis of the performance of the business. He or she will provide a ‘third eye’ for Shareholders, family members, fellow Board members, investors or owners. An NED will want to ensure the business is operating as effectively, efficiently and economically as possible. 4. The NED will ensure the business and the Board operates in line with accepted good practice in terms of Corporate Governance. This applies whether your business is less than 5 people or has 200 employees.

Sometimes though, if you are like me, do you look at a few of the ‘famous’ business magazines, articles, downloads and newspaper columns and think, ‘yes, that all makes sense, but I am running a niche business with less than 20 people’. Or, ‘well, that’s fine for a world leading tech company, but it doesn’t really apply to my business’?

When I set up Oscar Delano our focus was very much on providing both NED advisory services and also Executive Business Coaching. Six months into our success we have sharpened our focus. From 2016 Oscar Delano will focus on NED advisory services for the Essex business community in addition to a specialist focus on recruitment and tech firms as that is my business background.

My focus this week is on one example where, as business leaders, you may feel you have a question and be grateful for some clarity.

We would love to chat to you if this article has sparked any thoughts about how to make your business more robust, more professional and more like a ‘big and proper’ business. If you are thinking of an event to come in your business you may recall that last month we looked at how to prepare your business for sale. If you are seriously considering growing your business and want to consider an NED please give one of us a call.

‘Should my business have a Non-Executive Director (NED)?’ ‘Am I not too small for such an investment?’ Any one of us running a successful business knows the world in which we operate is becoming more challenging and more unpredictable. Of course, that is not necessarily a bad thing! Often running our business is enormous fun and we rise to face the challenges because that’s why we set up in the first place. We may even have a coach or navigator to help challenge us as individuals as we focus on getting the best out of our respective businesses. However, what about the business itself? Have you ever considered appointing someone from outside to help with the pressures which emerge around every corner? If you have a Board (or even just a few people who meet regularly to discuss the operations of the business), who sits on it to challenge your thinking with a completely outside perspective? Your role as a business leader is to lead your people and your Board through the challenges your organisation faces. Would it not help if you could spend maybe a few hours a month with someone who will support the business?

The other service which Oscar Delano and its Associates provided was Executive Business Coaching. Our exciting news for 2016 is that from this month, we have grown and launched a new company, NextGear which is featured elsewhere in this magazine. NextGear focuses on business evolution. It provides people and products in the gap that exists between the franchised business coaching firms and the expertise provided by independent advisors. We are in for an exciting year ahead. We hope that your business continues to challenge you in the months ahead and that you will never think that you are alone from a corporate business point of view or as an individual leader. Have a terrific month or so ahead. No Queen or Adele in this article I’m afraid, but the show goes on for us at Oscar Delano as we cement our place in the world of NED guidance and advice. Rumour has it that 2016 will be a great year for business in Essex. Let’s make it count.

That is one of the key reasons for having an NED working with you. Your business is under more scrutiny than ever. Key aspects of risk, governance, policies, changing customer behaviour – these are just some of the day to day challenges our businesses face whether we run a multi-site 100+ person organisation or a more local, specialist provider to our Essex community. Businesses need good NEDs to work with them.

Oscar Delano & Associates

So, what does a good NED look like?

Tel: 01245 407465

1. An NED is independent. They will offer an external view of the operation and will advise on strategy and implementation. They will also hold the Board accountable for what they are doing. An aligned

Email: dave@oscardelano.com

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Business Enterprise & Innovation Centre, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ

Mob: 07855 444636 Web: www.oscardelano.com

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Business Book review Title: Awaken the Giant Within Author: Anthony Robbins First Published: 1990 Wake up and take control of your life! From the bestselling author of Inner Strength, Unlimited Power, and MONEY Master the Game, Anthony Robbins, a world leader in the science of peak performance, shows you his most effective strategies and techniques for mastering your emotions, your body, your relationships, your finances, and your life. Anthony has changed the lives of millions across the world with his seminars and workshops. The acknowledged expert in the psychology of change, Anthony Robbins provides a step-by-step program teaching the fundamental lessons of self-mastery that will enable you to discover your true purpose, take control of your life, and harness the forces that shape your destiny.

Title: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Author: Stephen R. Covey First Published: 1989 Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has been a top-seller for the simple reason that it ignores trends and pop psychology for proven principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity. Celebrating its fifteenth year of helping people solve personal and professional problems, this special anniversary edition includes a new foreword and afterword written by Covey exploring the question of whether the 7 Habits are still relevant and answering some of the most common questions he has received over the past 15 years. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity - principles that give us the security to adapt to change, and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

Title: The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America Author: Warren Buffett First Published: 1998 The definitive work concerning Warren Buffett and intelligent investment philosophy, this is a collection of Buffett’s letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway written over the past few decades that together furnish an enormously valuable informal education. The letters distill in plain words all the basic principles of sound business practices. They are arranged and introduced by a leading apostle of the “value” school and noted author, Lawrence Cunningham. Here in one place are the priceless pearls of business and investment wisdom, woven into a delightful narrative on the major topics concerning both managers and investors. These timeless lessons are ever-more important in the current environment.

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Title: The Five Temptations of a CEO Author: Patrick Lencioni First Published: 1998 When published over a decade ago The Five Temptations of a CEO was like no other business book that came before. Highly sought–after management consultant Patrick Lencioni deftly told the tale of a young CEO who, facing his first annual board review, knows he is failing, but doesn’t know why. Refreshingly original and utterly compelling, this razor–sharp novelette plus self–assessment (written to be read in one sitting) serves as a timeless and potent reminder that success as a leader can come down to practicing a few simple behaviours that are painfully difficult for each of us to master. Any executive can learn how to recognize the mistakes that leaders can make and how to avoid them.

Title: The Lean Startup Author: Eric Ries First Published: 2011 Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one man band to a multi national organisation. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business. The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it relies on “validated learning,” rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting to vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want. It enables a company to shift directions with agility, altering plans inch by inch, minute by minute.

Title: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Author: Marshall Goldsmith First Published: 2007 America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder. The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle--and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference. These are small “transactional flaws” performed by one person against another (as simple as not saying thank you enough), which lead to negative perceptions that can hold any executive back. Using Goldsmith’s straightforward, jargon-free advice, it’s amazingly easy behaviour to change. Executives who hire Goldsmith for one-on-one coaching pay $250,000 for the privilege. With this book, his help is available for 1/10,000th of the price.

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How to Have That Difficult Conversation Despite the UK economy enjoying a more buoyant economy over the last few years as we have clawed our way out of a global recession, it is the harsh reality of everyday business life that there are still times when we require a significant tightening of the purse strings and have to resort to making staff members redundant. Market fluctuations, closing a factory or simply advances in technology can all lead to a need to reduce the size of the workforce. It is likely that most companies will have had to face the task of having that difficult conversation with its employees at some point in its recent history, and just as likely that they will have to again at some point in the future. In just the last 12 months alone, over 950,000 people have been made redundant in the UK. From an employer’s position there is no doubt that making those tough decisions can keep you awake at night. And whilst it’s a business decision that comes from the top of the organisation, it is more often than not up to the HR department to direct the process and deliver the bad news. At such a devastating time for employees, employers need to ensure they are managing the consultation process to minimise the risks to their business as well as ensuring that employees are treated fairly. Is it a genuine redundancy? A redundancy is a dismissal and, like any other dismissal, it can be fair or unfair. For a redundancy dismissal to be fair there has to be a genuine redundancy situation and a fair procedure has to be followed. A genuine redundancy occurs when the job an individual was recruited to do no longer exists, or an employer intends to cease work in a particular location or there is a need to reduce the headcount. The specific circumstances of the situation dictate which specific procedure has to be followed. For fewer than 20 employees, the obligation is to consult with the employees individually. Where 20 or more employees are to be affected within a 90 day period, a collective consultation must take place, with an elected employee representative. The length of the consultation process depends on the expected number of redundancies. Failure to undertake the correct consultation process and to notify the Secretary of State can lead to criminal prosecution. Indeed a number of directors have been in the headlines in recent years for breaches of these requirements. Getting it right Once you’ve got the legal responsibilities sorted, it’s then time to look at the more “touchy feely” aspects of dealing with redundancy. What is the best way to go about it without destroying your employee’s confidence and at the same time trying to minimise the impact on your company’s brand? It of course depends on the individual circumstances of the employer and employee, but a few simple guidelines can set you off on the right foot.

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Do • Ensure that you follow the correct redundancy procedure and be consistent in your approach. • Communicate well with your employees – not just to let them know the formal arrangements of the process, but to reduce anxieties and reduce the negative impact on the business. • Consider your selection criteria very carefully, ideally with data/ statistics to back up your decision. Using objective, and not subjective, criteria to stand up to scrutiny in a tribunal should it come to it. • Offer opportunities (where they exist) to retrain into another area of the business. It may not be the solution for everyone, but it comes across as a sign of good will. • Offer outplacement support to those who are on the move. An external provider can offer practical support and career guidance to help the transition go more smoothly. Don’t • Use redundancy as an excuse just for getting rid of an employee you are not fond of. It is the job role that is to be made redundant, not an individual. • Rush into the redundancy process without considering other options such as retraining or changing working patterns. • Treat your people as disposable assets – it may leave a sour taste in their mouth. • Be in a hurry to save money and make people redundant before completing the full consultation process – it could cost you more in the long run. Although some redundant employees will inevitably challenge your decision, feeling they have nothing to lose, dealing with your staff honestly and professionally does a lot for good will. Commit to giving them a good reference, help them find potential new positions, give them time for working on their CVs, job searching and interviews if they are still in your employment and put in a good word for them here and there if you can. Redundancy can be a long and difficult process for employers, but at Park City we can take the burden away from you. From the start of the consultation process, right through to outplacement services we are experts at handling such situations in a professional, yet sensitive way, helping your business to protect its employer brand at such a crucial time.

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