33 minute read
Cover Story: Jamie Hinton
AMPLIFYING. ACCELERATING. AMAZING.
Aged 16, Razor CEO and co-founder Jamie Hinton built his first car in the summer holidays. Today, his tech company is working with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) whose members include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and McLaren Automotive. Jill Theobald caught up with Jamie to talk about how passion and practice grew Razor from a back-bedroom firm to winning a place on the AMRC’s million-pound digital framework – and the Sheffield City Region’s ‘humble brilliance’ pre and post-COVID
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Amplifying. Accelerating. Amazing. My chat with Jamie Hinton CEO and cofounder of Razor is peppered with positive words and expressions – his energy for his business, people-first technology, the digital and manufacturing industries, his family, and the Sheffield City Region (SCR) at large (past, present and very much future) is seemingly limitless. But those are three particular words that crop up frequently.
We speak after Razor won a place on the AMRC’s millionpound digital framework to inspire innovation in British manufacturing. Selected as the front runner alongside two other digital consultancies, it means Razor can begin to forge the AMRC’s new digital vision.
Razor’s team of 27 work across tech sectors including user experience and design thinking data, analytics and machine learning, AI, web applications and software development and much more – and all at what Jamie and the company call the ‘bleeding edge’ of technology.
The ‘acceleration’ aspect is right there in their Razor Sprint, which is all about ‘faster solutions and maximum potential’ and designed to get organisations moving forward – because ‘today’s digital economy is all about speed’.
“One of the key things I have to emphasize – we do AI, automation and machine learning but we’re always about amplifying what people can do, not replacing them. It’s about taking away mundane things that are not the best thing for a human being to be doing for their mental health. They should be doing things that are forward-moving, so we’re supercharging what businesses can do. It’s almost like a bionic suit – we want to make you superhuman!”
There are other words that crop up in our chat, too – namely ‘passion’ and ‘practice’ – because the Razor team have certainly put in the time, dedication, and commitment.
“People who say that Razor is an overnight success – it’s been ten years in the making!” laughs Jamie. “It’s been a decade of hard work, graft and toil!”
But also “making cool things happen”, “having an amazing amount of fun” and creating “a place where people can’t wait to come to work.”
Oh, and building a legacy with the Razor Cause, which
is “all about tomorrow and a legacy for the city and region’s future.”
But first, let’s go back to the beginning.
“I’m Sheffield born and bred. I love this place. I was born in Jessop’s and my children were, too – but the newer version!
“As an undergraduate at University of Sheffield I studied Music Technology – in 1997 I was in the Young Jazz Musician Of The Year finals, I got to play with Ronnie Scott Band and Supertramp and had record deals making house and dance music! I was interviewed by (record label owner, broadcaster and nightclub manager) Tony Wilson at the finals – he was pretty cool and invited me to go and see the Chemical Brothers, it was bonkers!
“My parents were very keen for us to have a broad education, ‘doing what you love’, and music was important for creativity and expressing yourself.”
Jamie chose the alto sax (“I heard Baker Street on the Mars Bar advert and said I need to play THAT!”) and this early passion taught him a lifelong lesson.
“If it’s what you want to do you will really give it your all – that’s where I learned not giving up. There was one degree module which was about multi-media and programming and I loved it – I thought ‘This is it for me!’"
And then there was the car. “You’re 16 so what are you going to do in summer holidays – build a car! That’s the mindset I was brought up with – if you put your mind to it, you can achieve almost anything.
“There was lots of physical tech going on at the time, as well as digital technology, and I could just tell that creating something was what I wanted to do – learning to bring these different worlds together.”
Jamie’s focus came from then-partner, now-wife Katy – “she’s always been my grounding for my crazy schemes!” he laughs. After a few years of record deals, Katy spotted the post-grad course that would become Jamie’s next drive.
“She found this ‘Multimedia and the Internet’ MSc at Sheffield Hallam and it sounded amazing – I was ignited.”
Further ignition was to follow in his first job in 2005 when he joined Technophobia, then a big web agency in Sheffield, as a junior uploader. “You find that passion, and it’s ‘I’ve found my groove, I’ve found my purpose in life!’ I’d not had a ‘proper’ job before – I was interviewed for Ministry of Sound radio station for record of the week while pushing trollies outside Sainsbury's! – but hadn’t found my true cause. When I got to
Technophobia it was – ‘I am alive, this is my niche.’
“It was the transactional stuff we were building for clients that really mattered to me because it transformed the way people worked. That combination of people and technology, and how it touches lives and changes things for the better, was incredible.”
But Jamie still had passion to spare in his spare time – and started working on the website of Rails of Sheffield model shop, which turned out to be the first-ever customer for what would become Razor.
“I went in, after my Dad introduced me to the owner who was a friend, and said: ‘Show me what you’ve got’. I was very confident while in my head thinking ‘holy shit!’” he laughs. “We shook on it, I walked out and got my Nokia N95 out and was on Amazon buying many books. They totally believed in me and I just spent 9-5 practicing, practicing, practicing at Technophobia and then, after having tea with Katy, I’d work on Rails of Sheffield until 10 pm, every day – absolute purposeful practice.
“They trusted me and I delivered – their business grew 40 per cent year on year, they let me automate everything. It was a great learning ground.”
Meanwhile at Technophobia Jamie worked up to head of development on major brands, including Coop Bank, Alfa Romeo, and Dyson.
“Technophobia was amazing and the culture there – I’ve said this before about Sheffield’s humble brilliance! These people, who are so amazing at what they do but they don’t shout about it. Incredibly talented people who could make magic happen and prove you don’t need to be in London, it’s happening here.
“It was pure practice, but really cool difficult stuff. I’m really proud of the heritage because the company (Razor, then known as Curly Web) started in my bedroom, and got big enough while still doing my day job.
“There was always this view that this is where my future is. I just needed a vessel. I wanted to take the essence of what I’d learned and make it hyperfocused; make amazing things happen, create a place where people can’t wait to come to work – people are the business and people make cool things happen.
“Steve Trotter was a senior project manager at Technophobia and he and I are such a good fit, he’s the yin to my yang. We co-founded (the full-time proper business) Curly Web, employed our first person and started at Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) in December 2013.”
But with a name change to Razor Jam – ‘Razor’ because cutting edge and ‘Jam’ because of the applied science.
“STP’s Tom Wolfenden – an amazing guy, so supportive – enabled us to grow and flex. We then moved into the Workstation before Speedwell Works, where we are now, which was a real ‘wow, we’ve arrived!’ moment.
“We grew and attracted staff through defining our purpose – what we’re going to do and what we’re not, and sticking to that. I’m glad I ignored early advice of ‘just take anything’. It didn’t sit right with me – if we are not bothered about the project and say yes, what are we saying no to? And we deliver on what we say we’ll do – there’s a huge level of integrity there, our reputation precedes us, and we care about the people we work with and that attracts like-minded people.
“Along that great journey, we got an NED, Julian Kynaston who is a fantastic marketeer – we love tech but we’re not very good articulating ourselves! He told us to drop the Jam part of the name, and helped us grow to where we are now.”
Which is winning that place on the AMRC digital framework – but this, too, was no overnight success story.
“Our AMRC journey started two and a half years ago if not longer. I was blown away by my first visit to Factory 2050 – everyone is so Sheffield City Region. AMRC is Rotherham and we shouldn’t forget that, we’re all in this together. It’s all Sheffield, Rotherham and
PHOTO: HARWORTH GROUP
THE AMRC FACILITY IN ROTHERHAM Doncaster and Barnsley – it’s all Sheffield City Region.
“That SCR feel – it’s a cultural fit, a friendliness, an openness, it’s ‘I’m bloody smart but I don’t shove it down your throat’. And that’s what I found at the AMRC – plus a car being made by a robot! The excitement was palpable, and everyone bounced off that.
“I met Rab (Scott – head of digital) and we struck off in a really good way and fostered a relationship with all of the senior people, the developers and engineers as well, that whole friendly engagement thing.
“When I first met Steve Foxley (AMRC executive director) I didn’t know who he was! That’s how he fits in so well with the AMRC and the humble brilliance. I was in the coffee area at Factory 2050 and we just started chatting – I was later told he’s the new CEO!
“Our values were really aligned – again, it’s about ‘bring us a problem and we’ll work it out’ not just ‘make us that thing!’
“We basically put ourselves forward and said: ‘whatever we can do, we want to help’. A lot of people might expect ‘here’s a project, here’s loads of money’ – we weren’t like that, we looked at the greater cause and asked what can we do? We were always engaging with them and exploring connections. Sometimes you’ve got to give to get.”
Razor pitched for a project, which they didn’t get – but the ‘never give up’ lesson won out. “That’s okay! Some agencies gave up, but we kept going back – how else can we help, share knowledge?”
It meant Razor were ‘front of mind’ for a major aerospace project.
“Because the machine learning we do is about amplifying a task, or making decision-making faster, this project was a real sweet spot. They had made this prototype to help understand internal defects in a jet engine blade and engaged us to make it faster and production ready. A lot of digital companies would
not have been able to, but we immerse ourselves, we get under the skin, so we do these discovery processes.
“We worked in total collaboration with these guys to make this process work in under 15 minutes. We ended up making it work in under two, and they were part of the process – it’s always people first. It’s hardcore technology, but with a full-on human element. None of this technology means anything unless a human being interacts with it, takes it forward.
“The AMRC put a lot of faith in us and trusted us and we delivered, and actually smashed it out if the park. The team here, the passion was immense and we’re so proud of that project.”
And the AMRC digital framework aligns perfectly with Razor’s Cause.
“Our Cause won’t be achieved in my lifetime or my kids’, but it really resonates and gets people’s emotions going. It’s about making a future here, making manufacturing better, making digital something that we’re proud of. Making a digital product with the Sheffield and northern stamp. We’re proud of the brand on our cutlery, that’s what we need with the technology space.
“In this country we’re told to grow our GDP, productivity and output but how do we do that by engaging manufacturing with digital? Lots of manufacturers come to the AMRC to learn to generate far-reaching innovations, and ask how to balance the digital side and run their operations – manufacturers can gain a big advantage by ensuring the back office is automated and engaging with tech.
“The digital framework was public, anyone could submit to it; we put every single bit of effort into winning it and we did.
“The initiative is to transform all processes, to make it a blueprint of Sheffield City Region manufacturing and digital. It’s got that stamp of the region and that’s what we’re so excited about.”
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SCR ‘STOICISM AND SUCCESS’ DURING COVID-19
COVID-19 hasn’t stopped the acceleration for Razor – and it hasn’t dented the ‘humble brilliance’ of the Sheffield City Region spirit. Here Jamie shares his views on the pandemic, Razor, and the wider business community.
TECHNOLOGY “Change is inevitable – that’s part of our Razor Sprint. You have to embrace and be willing to change. What’s happened in retail – some say it’s the impact of COVID, but it’s not, it’s just accelerated the inevitable.
“In the last 10 years tech has accelerated at a great rate of knots – back then, usability was everything, but that’s now a given – there’s no place for ugly experiences. It’s not tech putting people out of the businesses, but it’s shifting to the realisation that tech has created more jobs and high-value jobs.”
RECRUITMENT “It’s times like these that people’s strengths emerge. We were able to hire because we found people who have the exact qualities we need, who are able to adapt and innovate in the face of change.
“We have this concept of ‘I can’t teach you why, I can teach you how though’. We score and grade and focus on the positives – what are they great at? What do they have that you can build on and amplify?
“We look for that spark. We spot and unlock potential in people where you can see that flame light up in their eyes. We’re growing a culture – we sprinkle some energizer and it accelerates. It’s that old business adage of: ‘hire great people and get out of their way’.”
WORKING LIFE “Our office space has always been about amazingly powerful laptops, workstations you can go anywhere with, free and collaborative spaces. We do a bit of remote working already, but COVID has pushed us to say ‘yes, this really does work’.
“However, it has also emphasised how important face-toface interaction is too – it has amplified the value. We don’t have to do it all the time, but when we do it’s very special. There will be more of this type of interaction (Zoom), but technology-wise all of what we build starts with people.”
SCR BUSINESS COMMUNITY “It’s that resolve, that SCR grit – ‘no worries, we’ll get on’! Out of an adversity – like COVID – comes amazing things, when the human is pushed to create. The region has innovated in different ways and we’ve all gone local and helped each other out, which has been brilliant seeing that empathy for each other.
“For us, it’s opened up more conversations locally and nationally, which we might not have had; we’re combining forces. For example with Nick Cotton, of the Eroica Britannia event, we’ve spotted an opportunity to work together. Opportunities are springing out and it has brought us all together. It’s the stoic side of our region, which I love.”
WIN FOUR MONTHS OF VOIP WITH CALLWISE !
Remote working has become commonplace for many of us over the past few months – but it hasn’t been without its issues. unLTD spoke to Peter Kelly from Callwise about their fantastic competition to give away four months of their unique Voice over IP (VoIP) system to 10 lucky winners.
“During these unusual times, one of the most common issues we’ve picked up on from businesses adjusting to life in lockdown was that their work phones were unable to come into lockdown with them, as they were fixed to the office location.
“This meant that team members couldn’t pick up the phone to customers from their usual desk phone or log in to their regular 0114 numbers – which can impact business massively.
“During this period, we’ve constantly helped businesses struggling to adjust to this new way of life – giving them the ability to work remotely with ease.
“We’ve launched this competition to raise awareness of how Voice over IP (VoIP) can benefit businesses working remotely. Moving over to a VoIP product, such as ours at Callwise, opens up plenty of opportunities for businesses trying to navigate the ‘new norm’ of working from home.
“For businesses, using VoIP means quicker reaction times if you do have to move your staff around or change office – such as in the current lockdown scenario. It ultimately allows your team to take their work phone numbers home with them to maintain all-important interaction with their contacts.
“VoIP comes in the form of an app – either on your mobile or as a desktop phone – which turns both needing someone in the office to answer inbound phone calls and maintaining a consistent work phone number into non-issues.
“Since lockdown began, we’ve also integrated Microsoft Teams into the phone system – allowing for companies to use it freely as a means of communication.
“We always want to look after our customers at Callwise, so we offer our product contract-free so as to give everyone a chance to try VoIP without feeling tied down for a longer length of time. We also don’t use tiered pricing, as this allows all of our customers to access each and every feature for one set price.
“What’s most important to us is that we’re a Sheffield company and we’re producing our own software – it’s a bespoke, homegrown system and ideal for local businesses!”
How to enter:
For your chance to win, email hello@callwise.com with your name, the name of your company and ‘unLTD’ in the subject line and you’ll be entered into the draw. 10 winners will be picked at random. Terms and conditions apply. Good luck! Deadline for entries is Monday 31st August 2020, at 12 noon. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be selected at random from all entries - UK entrants only. In the event of any dispute regarding the rules, conduct, results and all other matters relating to the competition, the decision of the judge(s) shall be final and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into.
Give us a call: 0330 122 8415 Or email us: hello@callwise.com callwise.com
unLTD
INTRODUCING… In a new unLTD feature, an established business leader turns the spotlight on an emerging entrepreneur they are mentoring or working with to discuss their work in a little more detail and explain why others should consider using their services. In this first article, MD of Universal Office Products Steve Manley introduces Harry Bliss, founder of Champion Health, who Steve believes is the ‘next big thing in Sheffield’ – and Harry shares the moment he and the team knew they’d built ‘something special’
Introducing… Steve Manley
I’m joint MD of Universal Office Products and was Sheffield Chamber of Commerce President 2018-19.
I took the Chamber President chains of office in 2018 on a mission to encourage young entrepreneurs. I became involved with non-profit organisation Young Enterprise as a student at Loxley College – I was the MD of our Young Enterprise company, an office supply firm and it’s how I got into what I’m doing now.
Just 10 months after pledging to support young entrepreneurs as Chamber President, I was thrilled to establish a national first with Sheffield College as we opened the Business and Enterprise Academy.
Through the Academy, I met hundreds of talented young people in our great city. However, Harry Bliss of Champion Health not only has an exceptional talent, but I truly believe he can make a significant contribution to people’s lives, both regionally and nationally.
In 2018 Harry lost a friend to suicide following an acute bout of workplace stress. Following this tragedy, Champion Health was galvanized to drive positive change, with services designed with this at the forefront.
They are already working with impressive blue-chip organisations and getting regular enquiries from well-known brands and I truly believe Harry and Champion Health will be the next big thing in Sheffield.
Tell the readers all about Champion Health
We are workplace health and wellbeing specialists, focusing on all areas of wellbeing from mental wellbeing to musculoskeletal health. Our focus is on prevention and early intervention. Workplace health traditionally focuses on how to get people back to work after an absence. Our focus is on preventing health conditions occurring – or getting there very early – to offer proactive support.
Our intuitive online health assessment provides each employee with a personalised health report driven through algorithms. We then produce fully anonymised and confidential company health reports, from which businesses can make data-driven decisions.
This has been built by a mission-led team of world leading academics, GPs and technology professionals. As CEO and founder, I’m still the least qualified member of the team!
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I wanted to found Champion Health to deliver cost-effective and time-efficient workplace health solutions.
A true inspiration in my life is my mother, Ros, who has run Rosalind Watchorn Solicitors in Sheffield for over 26 years
She set up the company while pregnant with me and worked incredibly hard to build jobs and prosperity in South Yorkshire. She is also a Champion Health director and provides me with a lot of brutally honest mentorship – as you’d expect a mum to do!
Share with us the company’s key milestone achievements to date
• M ore than 400 organisations signed up to our platform • Dir ect feedback from at least four companies that we have saved an employee’s life • Partnered more than 35 leading UK organisations Helped thousands with mental wellbeing during COVID-19. Setting up UniHeads side venture – a student mental health platform.
What support have you had from the Sheffield City Region?
An incredible amount – from the Twinklhive through to the likes of Steve, we’ve been very fortunate in the expertise we’ve benefited from. I would love to be able to put back what I’ve been fortunate in receiving. We’re working with more than 35 companies in the city region so hopefully we’re repaying by optimising their employee wellbeing.
What sort of reaction have you had to Champion Health’s services?
Just after lockdown, we decided to make our Online Mental Health Training platform free. Although we’ve sacrificed revenue, it was the easiest decision I’ve made as CEO. Since then, we’ve signed up more
than 400 organisations and helped thousands of people. My inbox is inundated with organisations thanking us, and even asking if they can pay us! Our team feel very fortunate to be here for people when they need it most.
Have you had to adapt Champion Health during COVID-19 and for the ‘new normal’ and if so how?
Pre COVID-19 we were operating in a very similar way – we have a remote workforce and allow our team to work the hours they choose. Low and behold, we get the best outcomes from them.
The only difference has been organisations’ approach to mental wellbeing and making a core part of our business free. Many companies have been talking about mental wellbeing for a long time without necessarily acting upon it. If there’s one positive factor from COVID-19, it’s that many have realised their people are the most important aspect of their company, and action is being taken.
Proudest moment of your career so far?
The second organisation we worked with fed-back that we had saved an employee’s life – I broke down in tears.
It took over 12 months to build the platform, after going through more than 10,000 research papers, and I naturally experienced imposter syndrome and self-doubt, as almost every entrepreneur I’ve spoken to has. But that was the moment we knew we had built something special.
Where do you want Champion Health to be in 5 years?
My dream is to be the marketleading organisation for proactive workplace health solutions in the UK and globally. A specific target the team have is to reach 1 million users within the next five years. There is a lot of hard work to go, but I’m extremely fortunate to be surrounded with such an excellent team. This is just the start...
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Plan.Grow.Do.’s mission is to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions, during these difficult times more than ever. Here the expert trainers behind Plan.Grow.Do. – Steve Knapp of The Sales Mindset Coach and Rob Taylor of 0114 Marketing – share how their sales skills training could help ... and with an exclusive discount for unLTD readers, too!
At Plan.Grow.Do. towers we believe smaller businesses need help to achieve their ambitions at this most critical time.
Sales skills and sales planning in general will be such an important skill to develop as we start to return to the workplace and look to reignite our business endeavours.
We recognise that smaller businesses just do not have the sales skills they need, the time to dedicate to develop the skills or access to the key resources that make it possible for them to up their sales game that’s necessary in a modern selling world.
The modern selling world has changed
It has accelerated and migrated to digital platforms with buyers now hiding behind laptops, tablets and computers.
Actually, 57 per cent of a buyer’s decision is made before a seller is invited to ‘meet’ them – only when they are invited to meet them are they then expected to turn the switch and use those sales skills.
This means if they are not able to blend modern digital sales skills with traditional face-to-face sales skills, they are sadly more likely to fail as the industry moves forward.
This has nothing to do with the quality of a product or a service – but everything to do with the fact that there is no sales plan or sales skills to execute it.
Investing in sales skills
Investing in sales skills is something smaller business owners just don’t do.
They learn on the job, maybe read a book or two and pick up bad habits that make them inefficient and ineffective when it comes to selling.
Moving forward, the key is to create a sales plan and develop the skills that put their customer and their buying journey right at the centre of any sales activity.
The results will be the attracting of more clients they want to do business with, and they will achieve greater sales success.
Plan.Grow.Do. is a modern sales training methodology that is available online and a training programme that is designed to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions.
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BROOK CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS General Manager Dom Brook tells unLTD about the recent successes their businesses consultancy has had with Sheffield Hallam University’s ScaleUp 360 programme
Who are Brook Corporate Developments?
BCD are a business improvement consultancy based from The Business Village in Barnsley. Since its incorporation in 2008, BCD have helped support in excess of 1000 businesses across the UK with a specific emphasis on Sheffield City Region. We do this by providing specialist, experienced consultants which businesses may not have within their operation to help develop, improve grow and succeed.
What is ScaleUp 360?
ScaleUp 360 is a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme providing tailored support to entrepreneurs and start-ups with the ambition and potential to scale up their business. The ScaleUp 360 programme is delivered by an expert partnership led by Sheffield Hallam University, with The Business Village @BarnsleyBIC, Doncaster Chamber of Commerce and East Midlands Chamber of Commerce. All support is fully funded and includes 1-2-1 specialist business advice, mentor support, workshops and access to investment opportunities. Within this, BCD will be lead delivers for Lot A, providing DOM BROOK
support in Strategy, Leadership, HR, And Health And Safety with BCD’s partners Irwin Mitchell LLP delivering legal support.
What does winning ScaleUp 360 mean to BCD?
We are extremely proud, honoured and delighted to have been chosen by Sheffield Hallam University to deliver Lot A. We have an excellent partnership with Irwin Mitchell LLP to ensure we deliver a quality service with maximum results. Providing support to growing and ambitious businesses is at the heart forward to being instrumental in the growth and development of the next generation of Sheffield City Region.
How do businesses access ScaleUp 360 Support?
Business can contact any member of the BCD team or log onto the ScaleUp 360 website and express their interest. One of the ScaleUp360 business advisors will then be in touch to discuss support packages. www.scaleup360.co.uk/Register
How else can BCD help?
Brook Corporate Development operates a multi-disciplinary approach, addressing issues affecting businesses, helping clients meet challenges and respond to opportunities.
We provide services in the following areas:
• Business Strategy • ISO Implementation • L ean Implementation • Leadership and
Management • H uman Resource • H ealth and Safety • Sales and Marketing • I nternational Trade • I T/Software Solutions
We also help with minimising project costs by helping clients secure funding and access the support they need. This is from schemes such as Sheffield City Region Skills Bank, Manufacturing Growth Programme, West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and of BCD and we are looking
Enterprising Barnsley.
My favourite thing about working for BCD…
Since joining BCD in September 2019, it’s been great joining the family business to be involved in the next stage of its growth. It’s always been an ambition of mine to join BCD to implement new ideas and look at new growth avenues. Seeing the potential of the business and designing the future of the Brook brand has to be my favourite thing. And also working alongside my dad, of course!
The three words that best describe my business are…
Focused, innovative and transforming.
E: enquiries@brookconsult.co.uk T: 01226 240435 W: www.brookconsult.co.uk
MANAGING YOURSELF , OTHERS AND YOUR BUSINESS
Sheffield City Region Skills Bank recognises the challenges businesses are facing as a result of COVID-19 and has launched new strands of the programme to help. In this first of a series of blogs for unLTD, the Skills Bank team share the newest support offers
In these times of great uncertainty and change, many businesses are still getting used to new ways of working, communicating with staff, and ensuring colleagues are managing with the new stresses and challenges.
Sheffield City Region’s Skills Bank has recognised the challenges businesses are facing and in May launched two new strands of the programme.
In this first blog, we’ll take a look at one of these new strands, a suite of online training programmes for businesses who want to access training to support them through the challenges of COVID-19. We will also take a look at how Skills Bank’s team of expert advisors can help businesses access the right support.
One of the big challenges that many businesses have been facing is the mental and physical wellbeing of staff. We are living through unprecedented and troubling times and so it is more important than ever that companies play close attention to their staff’s wellbeing.
Courses such as Introduction to Mindfulness at Work, Managing Yourself Through Difficult Times, and Mental Health Awareness – Working in Lockdown are designed for managers and employees who need to know the best way of managing their own mental health, and offering support to others.
During the recent Mental Health Week, research found 44 per cent of people feel more concerned about their mental health than usual, with further research finding that 83 per cent of people felt lockdown had made their pre-existing mental health conditions worse.
More than ever, it is vital that managers, employers and directors check in with staff and colleagues and ensure they are coping. The specially designed courses offered by Skills Bank will guide you and others through the challenges and issues.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues and social distancing remains in place, the ability to manage individuals and teams remotely has become even more critical, with a need to keep staff engaged and informed, while accepting that traditional methods like faceto-face are no longer possible.
Managing Staff Remotely brings together the best of traditional management techniques adapted specifically for remote working. The course is designed to enable and equip people with the skills to be more effective leaders when managing teams and individuals without face-toface interactions.
The other side is the ‘difficult’ conversations with staff that managers need to have from time to time. That’s why Managing Difficult Conversations with Staff Remotely is an essential training course for employers, HR directors and managers, allowing them to approach difficult situations more effectively and with increased confidence.
There are several more courses available and our second blog will look at growing the business and connecting with customers in new ways.
For further help, The Growth Hub’s team of skills and business advisors are working around the clock to help businesses navigate through this crisis – whether that’s with accessing training or understanding which government grant or scheme is the most relevant to their business.
Visit our dedicated COVID-19 webpage for information on what support is available to your business, how to get help applying for government schemes, and what the latest announcements on topics such as furloughing staff means to you.
www.skillsbankscr.co.uk
HELPING THE EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OF MILITARY FAMILIES DURING COVID-19 Sheffield Mind isn’t the only charity to be affected by COVID-19 but has been able to maintain and even increase its support to military families during lockdown. Keeping Families In Mind Coordinator Samantha Mulholland tells unLTD how they adapted
Sheffield Mind’s Keeping Families in Mind service, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant fund trust, provides counselling and peer support groups to military families in South Yorkshire.
The local mental health charity offers therapies to parents, siblings, partners and other family members over the age of 18, who have been affected by their relative serving in the armed forces. They also provide peer support groups for military families throughout South Yorkshire. The groups give people the opportunity to meet and create relationships with others who may be experiencing similar life experiences and even learn a new skill.
However, due to lockdown Sheffield Mind had to halt face-to-face therapy and postpone peer support groups. Despite that, the Keeping Families in Mind team were able to offer alternative support and increase their offer of mental health support. Therapists were able to quickly convert to offering therapy via telephone and Zoom and their peer support groups online to the group’s Facebook page.
Additionally, we were able to expand our offer of support with additional funding from the Armed Forces covenant. We are now able to support families of veterans as well as families of currently serving personnel with counselling via telephone and Zoom and will convert back to face-to-face therapies when appropriate. This funding also extended the service for an additional two years.
Despite this great expansion, we found some families were unable to focus on themselves during therapy as they were being impacted by COVID-19 and the impact it has had on veterans themselves. In response to this, Sheffield Mind has secured additional funding to provide online counselling for the next five months to veterans to help them cope with the mental health impacts. This will allow veterans to receive support during COVID-19 and, in turn, support families.
Keeping Families in Mind has provided mental health support to military families for the last two years and has seen an increased need for this support for families and veterans, especially during COVID-19. Our trained counsellors are able to respond quickly, to offer support and a safe space to talk things through, so that family life isn’t even more disrupted.
Sheffield Mind has over 40 years’ experience of delivering support services to people in the city with mental health issues. Amongst the other services provided by the charity are weekly peer support groups, a support and recovery service providing practical and emotional support to people in their homes, an extensive training programme, information, advice and support.
If you are an Armed Forces family member or veteran living in South Yorkshire and would like counselling or if you have any questions please contact Samantha on 0114 258 4489 or therapy@ sheffieldmind.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can visit Keeping Families in Mind’s social media: www.facebook. com/keepingfamiliesinmind or www.twitter.com/ KFiMSheffMind
