6 minute read
Business News
UPDATE ON LABOUR MARKET FROM LEADING WORCESTER RECRUITMENT AGENCY
ON YOUR MARKS, SET, GO – DRPG APPOINTED OFFICIAL PROVIDER FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES
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Many will have seen the recent newspaper headlines regarding the shortage of labour in the UK with pubs and restaurants forced to close their doors as they don’t have the staff. This challenge is not unique to the hospitality sector IT, Engineering, professional services right through to blue collar roles within manufacturing and production are all suffering from the same issue. After many months of an artificially suppressed economy, demand vastly outweighs supply. For sectors that have often relied on migrant labour, such as care, agriculture, manufacturing and hospitality, there is unfortunately no quick fix. Earlier this year the government announced an expansion of its Seasonal Workers Pilot to 30,000 in an attempt to support the horticultural sector, but given the annual demand is estimated at 70-80,000 this will still not be enough. In other sectors, such as IT and Engineering, the existing skills shortage has been made more acute by the huge surge in demand for talent as we emerge from the pandemic. It is here that in the face of this adversity that an opportunity may lie for some businesses. Many of Hewett Recruitment’s clients are looking at Apprenticeships and the recruitment of graduates to solve not just their immediate recruitment needs, but also to tackle the succession planning challenges of the future. When it comes to recruiting at the moment, the key is to not just dust off the old job spec of what you think you might need…but look at your whole business and see where the skills gaps really are and how you can fill these gaps in a different way.
www.hewett-recruitment.co.uk
DRPG, a global creative communications group based in the West Midlands, has been appointed as the Official Promotional Event Services Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. DRPG has been appointed to support on promotional events in the run up to the Games. The company has already worked together with Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee on the design and launch of the mascot, Perry and on a sports festival to celebrate one year to go until the Games begin. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports across 14 competition venues from 28 July until 8 August 2022. It is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion. Dale Parmenter, CEO of DRPG said: “As an organisation with a heritage in Hartlebury, we are proud to be part of the West Midlands, but our global presence means the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic fit with our ethos; both a celebration of our diverse, local community and the bringing together of people and countries from all over the world. “Through our own sustainability goals and values, as well as our sustainable event planning promise and CSR Charter review, we wholeheartedly support the missions of Birmingham 2022, including their pledge to deliver carbon-neutral Games.” Matt Eagles, Head of Communications at Birmingham 2022, said: “It is great to have DRPG on board as our Official Promotional Event Services Provider. They are well known for their impressive, highly creative events that not only wow people, but create a lasting impact.
www.drpgroup.com
GOVERNMENT BACKS EVENT INDUSTRY WITH INSURANCE SUPPORT
The government has announced a long-awaited partnership with the insurance industry to support the events sector which has been so badly hit by the pandemic. The government has agreed to act as reinsurer, or financial backer, to enable insurance companies to once again provide cancellation cover for events that are at risk of disruption due to Covid-19. Without this support many events would face huge financial risk. The details of the scheme are still being finalised but it will run from September 2021 until September 2022. Duncan Sutcliffe, MD of Sutcliffe & Co Insurance Brokers, who insure events across the UK and internationally, commented: “This is fantastic news for the events industry who have had a tough time over the last 18 months. Being able to purchase cancellation cover for Coronavirus will be a real lifeline and we have had excited clients contacting us as soon as the news was announced. The finer details of what the insurance covers are yet to be revealed but this is really encouraging.” The events industry employs over 700,000 people and is worth more than £70 billion annually. The £750 million pledged by The Treasury is estimated to create a 900% return in economic activity across the sector including live music, festivals, sporting events, conferences and exhibitions and the vast array of trades that support them.
www.sutcliffeinsurance.co.uk
OGL COMPUTER’S PROFIT4 CHOSEN TO DRIVE EXPANSION
ULTRASONIC INNOVATION TO END WATER DAMAGE WOES
Kidderminster-based OGL Computer have helped a business achieve record sales figures thanks to Profit4, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution When it encountered the limitations of its legacy IT and accountancy software in managing its wholesale operations, OGL Computer was appointed as IT software partner following a rigorous search for a future-proof, full-scalable, flexible ERP system allowing automation, with low start-up and running costs The ERP system affords businesses the necessary tool to increase visibility, gain control and drive the business to the next level. Profit4 has seen TBS Oxford transform its daily operations, achieving unprecedented time and cost savings, during its busiest periods. With Profit4 in place, the business was able to achieve its peak period to date, when it turned over 20% against its target. Once the system is deployed to its full potential, order processing times will be further reduced. Gary Reynolds, Software Director at OGL Computer, said: “Companies of all sizes that are struggling with limited systems and manual processes can benefit from the right ERP system. Companies we work with find that the subscription model means the ongoing costs are small and the software pays for itself because of the hidden costs of inefficiency that it removes.”
www.ogl.co.uk
With water damage proving to be one of the most frequently reported insurance claims, REHAU has unveiled a pioneering smart water control system using the latest in ultrasound technology – RE.GUARD. Most drip-based leaks usually going unnoticed and burst pipes lead to severe damage, so REHAU’s RE.GUARD smart control water system assesses flow rates in real-time via integrated software. It is installed after the water meter to measure overall consumption and detect leaks by shutting off the supply, mitigating damage. Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, said: “Not only is water damage an expensive problem to face, it can also result in mould formation, harming building and occupant health. With smart technology now embedded into daily life, we knew a better solution to this issue existed. “It really is an exciting new gadget which we believe can help installers and contractors win the faith of their customers by providing a cost-effective safety net.”
