Suffolk Edition Issue 13 | Summer 2016
Suffolk’s Premier Business Magazine This month featuring: Business networking events Local news Featured articles Business podcasts & much more!
Leading B2B Magazine
Business Networking
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In this edition...
Summer 2016
The National Living Wage
Business Podcasts
08: What will be the impact the new compulsory legislation has on UK’s businesses? How it affects more than 100,000 workers in our region alone.
20-21: This edition we have a look at five of the top podcasts available today.
Company Culture
Don’t be a Statistic
11: Top Suffolk recruitment company polkadotfrog look at why company culture is important to keep employees happy and motivated.
22: When it comes to Health & Safety in the workplace, we’re talking big business: the overall cost to UK employers of workplace injuries and illness is over £14 billion per year.
Does it have to be lonely at the top?
Social Media Review
18: NextGear Co-Founder Dave Pye discusses “How can you as a Business Leader receive the support you deserve”?
24: In today’s world, it isn’t enough to just have a website for your business. We ask ten simple questions to see if you’re on the right track.
05: Editor’s Note
06-07: Premier Partner Scheme
14: Newtorking Events
16-17: Suffolk Round-Up
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Editor’s Note A very warm welcome from the Business Connected team and welcome to our Suffolk
Get In Touch
summer edition. As this edition goes to print the EU referendum is one of the hottest talking points within the business community.
Tel: 01702 513113
Closer to home we are looking forward to the annual Anglia Business Exhibition which
Email: info@businessconnected.co.uk Or Visit: www.businessconnected.co.uk
always provides an excellent platform for Richard Pond MANAGING DIRECTOR
hundreds of local businesses to connect. In this edition, we are featuring fascinating
business articles including insights into regional health and safety statistics reflecting the reality of neglecting risk assessment and company policy.
Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ BusinessConnected
Most business owners are familiar with the financial benefits of a business coach but we explore the often, underestimated role of counsel and advisor that can be of equal importance to the success of a company, highlighting the how to give value to company culture.
Follow us on Twitter
We also welcome a review of the impact the National Living Wage has made
@Connected_Essex
both employers, employees and productivity in the workplace. Wishing you a successful summer.
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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
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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 14 including details of our latest venue Business Connected @ The Olympic Park and full details of our Premier Partners can be found on page 6. 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
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4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Full social media management Premier Partner Power Hour
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£800 per month
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The National Living Wage Back in the July 2015 Budget, one of the main talking points affecting UK businesses was the introduction of the new “National Living Wage”. Running alongside the existing “Minimum Wage”, the government states it is part of their plan to move to a “higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society”. Now that it is actually in force, affecting more than 100,000 workers in our region alone, what will be the impact the new compulsory legislation has on UK’s businesses?
half of those affected across all industries. There is likely to be little or no impact in service industries such as Insurance, Finance and Science & Technology where it is rare for those over the age of 25 to have been earning just the Minimum Wage.
A recap Over the last few years we have become very familiar with the National Minimum Wage introduced in 1999, most recently set at £6.50 per hour for those workers over 21, £5.13 for those aged 18 to 20 and £3.79 for under 18’s (separate levels are set for Apprentices). The new National Living Wage is, in effect, a premium on top of the existing National Minimum Wage for workers aged 25 and over. The new pay level will initially be set at £7.20 per hour, rising to around £9 per hour by 2020. In its simplest terms, it creates a 5th tier of National Minimum Wage. This new National Living Wage is of course not to be confused with the “Living Wage” which many businesses have subscribed to voluntarily over the last decade through the Living Wage Foundation and currently pay a minimum of £9.15 per hour in London and £7.85 per hour outside of London. Whilst that is voluntary, the new legislation is compulsory for all employers in the UK. What is the reaction to it? Last November, a survey by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) revealed that 93% of bosses agreed that the new wage was a good idea, with 88% believing it will lead to higher productivity. It also showed that 83% of the 1000 respondents believe it will make staff more loyal, 86% think it will boost staff morale and 82% said they thought customers were likely to return if they recognised the business paid the right rates of pay. It will be interesting to see the responses to the same questions this November, once the Living Wage has actually been in effect for six months or so. Effect on employees It is estimated that around 2.5 million workers will have received a direct boost to their pay, assuming their employers have been compliant of course. For those that were previously being paid the National Minimum Wage, this means they are receiving a pay rise of almost 11% - that’s about four times the national average! And then there’s the knock on effect to consider: how does the increase in minimum wage affect the pay differential between general roles and supervisory or management roles? It is likely that millions of employees further up the ladder will enjoy salary increases as an indirect benefit. Effect on businesses It is likely that smaller businesses with a high proportion of employees on minimum wage are the ones that will feel the financial and operational impact the most. These typically include employers in the Wholesale & Retail, Health & Social Work and Leisure & Hospitality sectors which in fact account for more than
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(Source: The Resolution Foundation) One of the biggest issues that employers need to face up to is looking in detail at their staff composition and ensuring that they are compliant with the new legislation as there is no doubt that the authorities will come down hard on anyone found to be non-compliant. As well as taking into account age and contracted hours worked, employers need to ensure that other elements don’t take a worker under their statutory pay level, such as overtime and salary sacrifice. Many employers have concerns about the effect on their businesses – increasing the annual wage bill by tens of thousands of pounds for some. Others say they may have to decrease the size of their workforce to compensate for the increase in salaries. There is speculation that in some industries, such as hospitality, leisure and catering, there will be a drive to recruit younger workers as the Living Wage does not currently apply to those under 25, leaving more mature employees on the sidelines (age discriminatory issues aside). Not everyone is quite so cynical: some have in fact introduced the £7.20 per hour minimum across their workforce for those aged 18 or over. Undoubtedly we will see many businesses increase their prices or service charges to mitigate against higher operating costs. The introduction of the National Living Wage is obviously good news for those employees who will see their pay increased and it is hoped there will be a positive impact on employee performance and reduced absenteeism as workers feel better financially rewarded for their efforts. It will undoubtedly continue to be a headache for employers for some time and it will be interesting to see the impact on employment levels and costs of services over the coming months and years.
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
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.
In an average year we make over 350 permanent placements
85% of our business comes from client/candidate
On average, 87% of candidates, once placed by us, remain in their
and referrals
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Our team of talented frogs have the skills, experience and passion to deliver a professional, personal and quality service to clients and candidates alike. member of our clients’ team. We treat each candidate as an individual and get to know them on both a
help me with my job search. I was very impressed with the informal chat very useful, helped me to understand
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Why company culture is so important
Ending the gender pay gap
In today’s competitive job market employees and job seekers have come to expect much more from their employers than just a generous salary package. Whilst this is good news for businesses, if they are to attract and retain the best talent they need to understand what employees want and A report released earlier this year by the UN’s International They are also providing a wide programme of support for need most to remain happy and productive. Labour Organisation (ILO) claimed that more than half a century working women including; 30 hours of free childcare,
after the United States passed the Equal Pay Act, and 45 years accessibility to flexible working and revised careers advice for after similar legislation in the UK, women across the world earn girls. and can therefore be more selecMost top performers will know their own worth and school potential 77% of the amount paid to men, a figure that has improved by tive3%about where theyItwork. Most will seek an environment where they are able says to reach only in the past 20 years. also predicted that the income of Jane Harris, Director at polkadotfrog “Beingtheir one offull the female workers across the world will lag behind men’s for another Directors in an all women-led business I am proud of what potential. 70 years if the gender pay gap continues to reduce at the polkadotfrog has achieved in the 11 years we have been in Somepainfully of the slow key rate. qualities employees will desire in their working environment present business. The new measures thatare: have been introduced to close the gender pay gap can only be good news for As well as the gender pay gap, ILO claim that women face a productivity and driving business forward. Women are a 1. Autonomy ‘motherhood pay gap’ whereby women with children can expect valuable part of the workplace and enabling women to work to earn lessMost when they return to work than childless women, with flexible hours or use more in affordable childcare willwhere allow more employees welcome some autonomy and responsibility their positions the difference increasing for every child they have. women back in to work and help ease the ever widening skills they are able to self-motivate and make their own decisions. Whilst this trust can gap. Ensuring women can reach their full potential in the abused, talent will thrive under the ownership ofsense.” their own With these sometimes figures in mind, be David Camerontop set out his ambition to workplace makes good business ‘end the gender pay gap within a generation’. New figures work and will be more productive. released this year show that FTSE 100 companies have met This is backed up by the Secretary of State for Education, and targets for 25% of board members to be women. There are also Minister for Women and Equalities, Nicky Morgan who said now more women-led businesses than ever, with a record “…supporting women to fulfil their potential could increase the 2. Growth and Challenges number of women in work but the Prime Minister says there is size of our economy by 35%”. is human to wantinto learn andisgrow therefore top candidates will always be more to do.ItThe legal livingnature wage introduced July’s budget hoped the pay with primarily women being inadvancement. lower It remains to be seen whether these changes will inspire to close looking forgap, opportunities for career Candidates will not stay in positions paid jobs. The government has also announced that every women to compete for the very best jobs and see their hard with where feel they cannot progress. Offering a training structure and timelines will help in company more they than 250 employees will have to publish the work pay off whilst at the same time growing the economy. difference average pay ofpotential their male and female between gainingthe loyalty from employees. employees.
3. Feedback Feedback is far more important to candidates than some employers might think. Monthly VACANCIES sit-down meetings will offer employees the constructive criticism they desire and help them to remain motivated and engaged. Without feedback some employees can become Junior Import Clerk Receptionist less£18,000motivated and committed to the business.Ipswich, £17,000 Felixstowe, £20,000 A varied and challenging role has arisen working at the Felixstowe base of our client, a global logistics company. A sound 4. Transparency background in shipping and transport is preferred to join this busy team offeroften an end than to endnot Top candidates willwho more service to their clients.
A wonderful opportunity for a highly efficient Receptionist to join a very well established and growing company based in Ipswich. The successful candidate will be customer professional and friendly with strong each jobfocussed, as another step along the ladder to organisation skills.
view their end career goal. Therefore employers who are transparent about how their business and/or teams are performing will allow candidates to feel like they are making informed decisions about their own careers. Technician Project Team Admin Support Stowmarket, £25,000
Ipswich, £19,000
client is seeking a highly professional, experienced Thisshould is an exciting new role to work within a fantastic AnMy employer’s key goal when reviewing company culture be to ensure structures are in and qualified Vehicle Technician to join their prestigious environment being the first port of call for clients and place to keep employees happy and motivated as this will undoubtedly productivity for dealerships in Stowmarket. visitors to this amazingimprove creative agency based in the centre of Ipswich. the business.
www.polkadotfrog.co.uk
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! 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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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.
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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
Business Connected
Business Connected
Business Connected
@Essex Cricket Club
@Southend Airport
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@Colchester United
@The Olympic Park
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Suffolk Round up New look for Sailmakers Shopping Centre in Ipswich is proving a success Footfall at the busy centre in the first quarter of the year is up by 8% on last year with over 1.3million shoppers visiting Sailmakers over three months. March has continued the trend with over half a million visitors to the Centre, more than 40,000 up on the 2015 numbers and a 9% increase, while February was up by more than 8% to 424,625. That follows a successful January when again the number of shoppers topped 400,000 – an increase of 5% on 2015. And April has seen more dramatic rises with weekly numbers averaging well above 100,000 and between 7% and 15% higher than last year. It’s a continuing success story for the former Tower Ramparts Centre which was the subject of a major £4million refurbishment and relaunch as Sailmakers last year, a name chosen to celebrate the town’s seafaring heritage. It comes on the back of a very strong showing in December when shopper numbers were again up by 5% to 638,727. Centre manager Mike Sorhaindo said: “The trend here is certainly very positive and footfall figures continue to rise despite the fact that one of our top retailers, QUIZ, was closed for five weeks for a major refit. “We have seen some major arrivals here in the past 12 months and the recent opening of bb’s coffee and muffins has given us a new food offer too. We have seen a number of new additions with jeweller Pandora and Blue Inc both opening here and there is plenty of interest in the remaining vacant units. “It is very encouraging as the UK pattern remains sluggish and here at Sailmakers we have been bucking this trend over the past 18 months. It is a vindication of the investment that has been made in Sailmakers Shopping Centre and we now have a rich mix of big high street names and local independents.” The successful December took Sailmakers over the five million mark for the year for the second successive year after the three previous years had seen falling numbers.
polkadotfrog Complete Star Shine Stroll for ARHC The polkadotfrog team successfully completed the Star Shine Stroll for Arthur Rank Hospice recently. polkadotfrog were a sponsor of the Star Shine Stroll in Cambridge for the sixth consecutive year, the event took place on Saturday 14th May, to raise funds for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity (ARHC). The stroll is a sponsored walk into the night, starting and finishing at Shelford Rugby Club. Yet again there was a great atmosphere and there were more walkers than ever taking part this year. The streets of Cambridge were awash with Star Shine Stroll t-shirts, feather boas, cow girl hats and tutus – all creating quite a stir. The team were able to complete the walk in 2 hours 6 minutes. Well done to all the walkers that took part. We are already looking forward to the walk again next year! To see how you can support ARHC please visits their website.- www.starshinestroll.co.uk
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Suffolk-based St Peter’s Brewery launches new range of craft beers, and its first cider Included in the new range is a 7%alcohol by volume (abv) Black IPA and the company’s first ever cider, with the smaller bottle also being used to showcase some of the brewery’s existing beers. Steve Groves, head brewer, described St Peter’s Black IPA as “the Rioja of Black IPAs”. It is heavily hopped, as with a traditional IPA, but with darker malts delivering a sweetness to balance the high levels of bitterness, hints of raisins, sultanas, sloes and damsons in the taste and dark chocolate and vanilla notes in the aroma. St Peter’s Cider (4.6%abv) is described as “refreshing, dry and crisp”. Steve Magnall, chief executive at St Peter’s, said: “There is a growing interest in real cider and we felt the time was right for us to bring something completely new to the market.” St Peter’s Brewery is based at St Peter South Elmham, near Bungay. The brewery, built in 1996, is housed in a range of traditional former agricultural buildings close to the historic to St Peter’s Hall and draws water from its own deep bore-hole.
110 jobs saved at Thetford-based HMC Health & Beauty is rescued from out of administration A total of 110 jobs have been saved at a Thetford-based personal care products business following its sale by administrators. Julian Pitts and Bob Maxwell of business rescue and recovery firm Begbies Traynor were appointed joint administrators of HMC Health & Beauty earlier this month. They have now completed the sale of the business under a “pre-pack” deal to a new company, Prestige Personal Care, whose directors are unconnected with HMC but have a number of other businesses in the cosmetics and toiletries sector. Mr Pitts said that, in 2013, HMC lost a major customer after it was acquired by a competitor and trading losses were sustained while efforts were made to replace the lost turnover. However, despite cash injections by shareholders, these losses – compounded by constraints on the company’s banking facilities, creditor pressure and, more recently, a significant bad debt – ultimately resulted in a severe cash flow issue. “Begbies Traynor was able to undertake an accelerated marketing exercise prior to the administration which resulted in a pre-pack sale to an unconnected third party,” said Mr Pitts. “It is very good news that HMC Health & Beauty has been acquired as a going concern by a purchaser with a strong track record in the sector. Not only does it mean that the business will continue to trade, safeguarding the livelihoods of the staff, but it also puts it on a more secure footing for the future.”
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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Does It Have To Be Lonely “ At The Top?
Dave Pye
There is a wonderful scene in ‘The Godfather’ where Robert Duval, who plays Tom Hagen, the consiglieri to Godfather Marlon Brando, smiles at his colleagues as if to say, “don’t worry, I have his back”. In other words, ‘I am looking after him. I will make sure he is supported’.
•
“
How can you as a Business Leader receive the support you deserve?
They have excellent communication skills. A good consiglieri will be able to understand what you are saying and thinking and how to apply that in today’s ever changing and demanding environment. They will be able to consider a number of ways to move forward; they will be able to review a number of different issues from a number of different perspectives, capture them and distil them into a simple, easy to understand next steps guide. They will also challenge you as a client. A top class consiglieri will hold you to account and help you best navigate your journey.
Now, you may think that the Godfather film is not a great example for modern day business leaders like those • They will be able to offer expertise in running a business. who read this magazine and are involved in the Business A strong coach consiglieri will have run his or her own Connected family. Is it too violent? Is it too difficult a subject business. They will know what it is like to have cash matter? Or does that award winning film from back in 1972 issues; to have the bank breathing down your neck; to show us that all those who lead need someone to confide in, have experience the tension between investment and bounce ideas and thoughts off and question their motives? current financial needs. They should be able to offer I am convinced that no-one reading this magazine is like practical expertise based on their own experience not Don Corleone (at least I hope not). However, many of us guidance they have read in a book or a magazine. share the fact that we lead companies where the buck stops • They are in the business of coaching because they love with us. It is our business. If the buck stops with you, who what they do. Their experience has shown them that supports you to help the buck to stop? Are you feeling that what they do adds value and support to those they serve. it is tough at the top? • They act in a professional manner. A consiglieri coach If you are I have good news. That is the right feeling! Fed up Itwith being stuck working is, at all times, confidential. They have YOUR back. They in your is and it should be. It is your ambition, your desire, yourbusiness and not finding do not share any of their other clients’ issues. Their feelings, your heart and soul which is invested insufficient the ideas,time to work on it? devotion is to make sure you are okay and your business the people, the plans and the relationships to make your Is your business not growing as That you are supported and feel like you is evolving. business work. Most days are fantastic. Some are tougher quickly as you’d like it are to? the most important person in the world. They have and then some, well, some can be very tough indeed. good emotional intelligence and, in my opinion, are nice Are yyou ou clear on your business We believe all leaders deserve support. We believe end-‐game and do you people have a to have around. Their code of conduct should be deserve your own Consiglieri. A consiglieri is a counsellor, exemplary. viable road map to get there? an advisor, an assistant or mentor who ‘has your back’. talk to us at NextGear about coaching, If you would like to Someone who provides the intelligent support and guidance Talk to us at NextGear Partners learn ow onumber ur unique over products nd services please callto us onhthe theapage. Wecan would that, whatever size of company you are responsible help for, you you evolve your business faster and more efficiently. be delighted to talk to you or connect you with one of need and can benefit from. A fresh our and partners. flexible approach t o b usiness c oaching We will never make you an offer you can’t So, what in our opinion, makes a good Consiglieri? refuse. We will help you cut through the noise of running your business and see the Workshops big picture as you continue the • They have great listening skills. Good support coaches wonderful journey of being a first class Essex business leader. events: will recognise that listening is more important than Check out our up and coming summer
Is it time to shift your business into its next gear?
talking. Your support should recognise that it is•allJune about 30th, Chelmsford -‐ Building a business plan for impact. July 28th, Chelmsford – How to shift your business into its next gear. you and not them. They will listen to your every•word Dave Co-Founder NextGear For and more information or Pye, to book, visit www.nextgearpartners.com/events and emotion. Their job is to listen to their clients help them to realise their potential in all aspects of the business of running the business.
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Tel: 01245 790799 www.NextGearPartners.com info@NextGearPartners.com
Is it time to shift your business into its next gear?
Fed up with being stuck working in your business and not finding sufficient time to work on it? Is your business not growing as quickly as you’d like it to? Are you clear on your business end-‐game and do you have a viable road map to get there?
Talk to us at NextGear Partners to learn how our unique products and services can help you evolve your business faster and more efficiently.
A fresh and flexible approach to business coaching
Workshops
Check out our up and coming summer events:
• June 30th, Chelmsford -‐ Building a business plan for impact. • July 28th, Chelmsford – How to shift your business into its next gear. For more information or to book, visit www.nextgearpartners.com/events
Tel: 01245 790799 www.NextGearPartners.com info@NextGearPartners.com
Business Podcasts For the last few editions we have been bringing you a review of some of our favourite business books. A lot of business people simply don’t have time to read a book a week / month. With this in mind this edition we have turned our attention to the world of Podcasts. A Podcast is a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. Here are some of our favourites:
The Tim Ferriss Show Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author, best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which has been translated into 40+ languages. Newsweek calls him “the world’s best human guinea pig,” and The New York Times calls him “a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk.” In this show, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, chess, pro sports, etc.), digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and tricks that listeners can use.
#AskGaryVee Show The #AskGaryVee show, answers questions about marketing, social media, and entrepreneurship. Gary Vaynerchuk builds businesses. Fresh out of college he took his family wine business and grew it from a $3M to a $60M business in just five years. Now he runs VaynerMedia, one of the world’s hottest digital agencies. Along the way he became a prolific angel investor and venture capitalist, investing in companies like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Uber, and Birchbox before eventually co-founding VaynerRSE, a $25M investment fund. The #AskGaryVee Show is on YouTube and is great, but you can’t really watch it while you’re at the gym, driving to work or walking the dog. So now, the #AskGaryVee Show is now a podcast.
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www.businessconnected.co.uk
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Since 2005 a group at Stanford University has been podcasting talks from some of the most successful people in business and technology. The speaker generally gives an overview of their experiences as an entrepreneur along with advice for anyone looking to start a business. On this podcast you’ll hear from such thought leaders as former AOL CEO Steve Case, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, sustainability architect & coauthor of Cradle to Cradle William McDonough, Former CEO of HP Carly Fiorina, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and people from Google, Yahoo, and dozens of other companies you’re probably familiar with.
The Fluid Business Podcast
Peter Day’s World of Business
Recorded weekly in Chelmsford, Essex, and hosted by marketing manager David Sargant, Fluid’s aim is to help empower you, the business owner, to develop and grow your business the right way.
Insights into the business world with Peter Day - featuring content from BBC Radio 4’s In Business programme, and also Global Business from the BBC World Service.
www.businessconnected.co.uk
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Don’t Be A Statistic – Health & Safety in our Region When it comes to Health & Safety in the workplace, we’re talking big business: the overall cost to UK employers of workplace injuries and illness is over £14 billion per year. That’s a lot of slips and trips! Whilst statistically, larger organisations are likely to have a greater number of incidences of injury or ill health at work, smaller organisations are less likely to have the correct health & safety controls and policies in place, and are therefore putting themselves at a disproportionately high risk of having to deal with the consequences of something going wrong. In the East of England alone there were nearly 2300 injuries to workers last year, according to data from the Health & Safety Executive. Let’s take a look at some of the statistics for our region in more detail. The cost of workplace illness in the East of England in 2013 was a staggering £676million, and the cost of workplace injury was a still an eye watering £416million. These figures just take into account new cases of illness or injury and don’t include those that have carried over from the previous year. Unsurprisingly, if you break down the number of workplace injuries by industry sector, we find that a large percentage of these occur in the construction industry, with 158 reported injuries last year. The service sector accounted for the second most number of injuries at 137, although this sector does cover a broad spectrum of occupation types. Manufacturing accounted for 104 injuries, 70 in Energy, Recycling & Waste, 57 in Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing and just 4 in Mining & Quarrying. When we think of accidents at work, we most likely think of falling off ladders, or a slip or trip on a factory floor. Indeed these are the two most common kind of incidents reported in our region, with falls from height and slips and trips accounting for 134 causes of injuries each last year. But there are a whole host of other reported accidents, usually caused by poor health & safety management, and often avoidable. These include contact with machinery, lifting and handling, struck by a vehicle or moving object and physical assault, all of which recorded incidences of between 70 and 110 last year. Less common, but nevertheless extremely serious, accidents include contact with electricity (14), exposure to explosion (7), exposure to harmful substances (14), drowning or asphyxiation (2) and exposure to fire (18).
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Whilst thankfully most accidents at work tend to be minor and cause no long term injury, last year there were 11 fatalities as a result of workplace injury, working out at 0.4 fatalities for every 100,000 workers. Although this is a slight increase on the previous year (9 fatalities) it is significantly less than the 5 year average of 15 per year, so we can hope that we are seeing a downward trend as we strive to make our working environments safer. Again, these figures are specific to the East of England. As well as injuries in the workplace, illnesses caused in the line of work are also an extremely serious issue with approximately 110,000 new or ongoing cases of self reported illness caused or made worse by work in our region alone last year. Asbestos related illness, respiratory issues, hand arm vibration, noise-induced hearing loss, work related skin disease and musculoskeletal disorders are some of the debilitating illness that workers may suffer. But, in addition to these, you may be surprised to learn that stress accounts for a large proportion of work-related illnesses. Last year there were 40,000 cases of self-reported stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by work in the East of England. It has been found that stress is more prevalent in public service industries, such as education, health and social care with the key triggers cited as workload pressures, including tight deadlines and too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support. The statistics may make uncomfortable reading and experts agree that more thought should be given to the provision of awareness and training, particularly to small and medium sized businesses to help reduce their incidences of workplace accident and illnesses. Keeping up to date with new regulations will not only help reduce the risk of prosecution for non-compliance, but also help ensure best practice. Whilst it’s essential to make an investment in your Health & Safety Management, it’s better to have the correct systems and policies in place now, rather than risk the safety and well being of your employees and the financial burden it may bring if you haven’t got it right. And of course, a safe and healthy workforce mean better productivity and better results for your business in the long run so don’t let your employees become a health & safety statistic.
LEXUS GS
PROUD PREMIER PARTNERS OF BUSINESSS CONNECTED
Lexus Cambridge, Ipswich and Newcastle
0800 114 3320
www.jardinemotors.co.uk/lexus
GS 300h prices start from £28,995. Model shown is GS 300h Executive Edition £33,495, including option metallic paint at £610. *For Business Users only. Initial rental and VAT applies. Available on new sales of GS 300h Executive Edition. Ordered and proposed for finance between 1 April 2016 and 30 June 2016, registered and financed by 30 September 2016 through Lexus Financial Services on Lexus Connect Contract Hire. Advertised rental based on a 2 year non-maintained contract, 8,000 miles per annum. Initial rental £1,798.76 + VAT. Excess mileage charges apply. Other finance offers available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. Participating Lexus Centres. Lexus Centres are independent of Lexus Financial Services. Terms and conditions apply. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s only. Lexus Financial Services is a trading name of Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC. Registered Office: Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, KT18 5UZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
The MPG figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results. They are provided for comparability purposes, and may not reflect actual driving experience. GS 300h Executive Edition fuel consumption and CO2 figures: urban 61.4 mpg (4.6 l/100km), extra-urban 65.7 mpg (4.3 l/100km), combined 64.2 mpg (4.4 l/100km), 104g/km CO2 (17% BIK)
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AURIS HYBRID BUSINESS EDITION
AVENSIS TOURING SPORTS BUSINESS EDITION
£169
£185
per month*
(Business users only)
£1,014
15% BIK
Reversing camera
initial rental + VAT
82g/km CO2
Multimedia system with satellite navigation and DAB radio
per month*
(Business users only)
£1,110
22% BIK
Reversing camera
initial rental + VAT
110g/km CO2
Rain sensing wipers Multimedia system with satellite navigation
Proud Premium Partner Of Business Connected LANCASTER TOYOTA Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Rayleigh and Romford Tel: 0800 114 3334 lancaster.toyota.co.uk
/lancastertoyota /lancaster-toyota-and-lexus
Models shown are 2015 Auris Hybrid Business Edition 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto £21,895. 2015 Avensis Touring Sports Business Edition 5 door 1.6 D-4D Manual £21,795. Price excludes metallic paint at £495 ex VAT. *Business users only. Initial rental and VAT applies. Available on new sales of models shown when ordered and proposed for finance between 1st April and 30th June 2016 registered and financed by 30th September 2016 through Toyota Financial Services on Toyota Contract Hire. Advertised rentals are based on 2 year non maintained contracts at 8,000 miles per annum over 2 years with an initial rental of £1,014+VAT for 2015 Auris Hybrid Business Edition 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto and £1,110+VAT for 2015 Avensis Touring Sports Business Edition 5 door 1.6 D-4D Manual. Metallic or pearlescent paint are not included. Excess mileage charges apply. Other finance offers are available but cannot be used in conjunction with this offer. At participating Toyota Centres. Toyota Centres are independent of Toyota Financial Services. Terms and conditions apply. Indemnities may be required. Finance subject to status to over 18s only. Toyota Financial Services (UK) PLC. Registered Office: Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, KT18 5UZ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 5 year/100,000 mile manufacturer warranty subject to terms and conditions.
2015 Auris Hybrid Business Edition 5 door 1.8 VVT-i Auto. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 80.7 (3.5), Extra Urban 80.7 (3.5), Combined 78.5 (3.6). CO2 Emissions 82g/km. 2015 Avensis Touring Sports Business Edition 5 door 1.6 D-4D Manual. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km): Urban 55.4 (5.1), Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8), Combined 67.3 (4.2). CO2 Emissions 110g/km. All mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU regulated laboratory test results. These are provided to allow comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect your actual driving experience.
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Is your company’s social media in the right hands? Social media done right is a major asset to your business. Social media done wrong can be a major waste of time. Having used social media in business for over a decade, we see it as an integral part of our sales and marketing plan but only if done in the right way.
Answer these 10 questions to see if you’re on the right track:
1 2 3
Why? – It’s a really simple question but probably the most important. If you are only using social media because you
“think you should” then you need to rethink. Really look in to
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asked all the time. Establish a policy early and make sure all
positioning in your market then your potential followers and
staff follow and sign up to these policies, it will save a lot of
connections won’t. This a very common mistake in business
we encounter is that sometimes social media is forced on an individual or individuals within an organisation who are
headaches in the future.
8
5
marketing campaign without a plan so why would you ignore one for a social media campaign?
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don’t, this could be a big disadvantage from the start. Most
or want to outsource parts of your social media. In your
your budget from the start you won’t have any nasty shocks
Facebook than on LinkedIn. An insolvency practitioner who
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marketing, this includes social media. You may need training
YouTube you may need a professional to help. If you know
who mainly sells b2c is going to have a far better return on
Have we got the right skill set? – If you haven’t or your staff
What is our budget? – A budget is critical in all forms of
Twitter ads. If it’s video content you are promoting through
4 then this should have been answered. A hairdresser
much more success on LinkedIn rather than Facebook.
point. Influencers are very important especially when starting
plan you may have decided to use Facebook, LinkedIn or
What platform? – If you have a good strategy as per question
is looking for referrals from accountants is going to have
influencers within your industry you have a good starting
influencer but one step at a time.
won’t engage well with your connections and followers. Do we have a strategy? – You wouldn’t set a sales and
Who are the influencers? – If you know who are the major
out on a social media journey. Eventually you want to be the
the wrong person or persons for the job. Unengaged people
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Who owns the rights to individual’s LinkedIn profiles. Are the company? These are just two of the questions we get
What do we do? – If you are not 100% clear of your
Whose responsibility is it? – Another common problem
of your company it’s essential to have a social media policy. the comments and posts the opinions of the individuals or
the reasons why you should before you invest any more time.
and one that gets magnified on social media.
Do we have a social media policy? – Whatever the size
on the way.
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How are we going to execute our plan? – There are many tools you can use to help execute your plan. This should
have been covered when creating a strategy but don’t worry
business owners have to wear a few hats when running a
it’s not too late. Hootsuite, Tweet Deck, Klout and many more
small business. Get yourself on a course before you start.
can help you.
So you have answered the questions above, now you’re ready to get cracking. Don’t forget in your plan to make sure you have a way of measuring ROI, some people say you can’t measure return on investment on social media. These people simply just don’t know how to measure it. 85% of British businesses wouldn’t be using social media for business if there wasn’t a return but it’s your job to measure. Make sure you engage, it’s called social media so be social! Don’t just post sales messages - remember you are looking to build yourself up as an influencer. If you’re struggling with answering any of the above questions then please do get in contact as we can help. You may just need a few hours training or have decided that you simply don’t have time to give your campaigns the time and respect that’s needed. Business Connected offers a full social media management programme starting at just £25 per week. We also have a great team that can come to you for some bespoke training. Give us a call today on 01702 513113 or have a look at our social media page on our website www.businessconnected.co.uk.
We don’t just sell printers We’re here to help make your business stronger
We believe that by enabling organisations to become more efficient and save money, we help them achieve their goals and become stronger. We’ve been achieving this for over 15 years and in that time we’ve helped over 4000 local businesses save time and money. Join us at the stunning Kesgrave Hall Hotel on the 20th October and nd out how we can help make your business stronger. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the team, experience the very latest in office copiers and printers and nd out how they can beneet your business. Location: The Hangar Kesgrave Hall Hotel Ipswich, IP5 2PU Date: Thursday 20th October, 2016
Oh, and lunch is on us...
Time: Pop by anytime, 10am - 4pm See our website for presentation/seminar times. Lunch is served at 12:00.
www.dcs-copiers.co.uk
To book your place or to nd out more, call us on 01473 273350 or visit our website at www.dcs-copiers.co.uk
www.businessconnected.co.uk
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