CONNECTING BUSINESSES ACROSS THE UK
Anna
www.paramountmedia.co.uk
JUL / AUG 2023 Issue 13
01925 637891
South West
paul.hogg@phfp.co.uk
Generation invest : Gen Z and millenials more likely to invest than older counterparts
Tech for good - How the metaverse is being used to stop discrimination in the workplace
How can businesses build supply chain resilience?
How to create a learning and development strategy
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Issue 13 Paramount Media
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Welcome
Contents
Page 5 Charity says children 'not active enough' to to be happy and healthy in response to rising childhood obesity and diabetes Page 6 How to create a learning and development strategy Page 8 More misery for landlords as bailiffs stop work Page 11 Tech for good - How the metaverse is being used to stop discrimination in the workplace Page 13 £15 minimum wage for care workers would boost englands economy by £7.7 billion Page 14 How can businesses build supply chain resilience? Page 16 How in-car technology is transforming the commuting experience
Page 17 New TUC poll - 2 in 3 young women have experienced sexual harrasment, bullying or verbal abuse at work Page 18 Generation invest : Gen Z and millenials more likely to invest than older counterparts Page 21 Do added powers put pharmacies at breaking point? Page 23 Bluewater describes new evidence about how 'forever chemicals' threaten female fertility as 'terrifying' Page 24 4 Low cost ways to improve customer care Page 28 Seasonal marketing - How to use celebration days to market your small business Page 29 5 Reality TV stars : An unlikely source of top business inspiration Page 31 The relationship between graphic design and social media
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Credit to source: The Youth Sport Trust
Charity says children 'not active enough' to be happy and healthy in response to rising childhood obesity and diabetes
Business
Following new analysis from the NHS showing the numbers of youngsters having treatment for conditions usually seen in middle-aged adults has soared in the last decade, children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust has responded to the news that more children now have high blood pressure, knee problems and Type 2 Diabetes. Alison Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: "Whilst exercise alone is not the silver bullet solution to this crisis, it is compounded by the fact that our children are simply not active enough to remain happy and healthy. There is a compelling evidence base for more play and sport in children’s lives. Unhappy, unhealthy children don’t learn effectively. If children don’t learn, they don’t achieve their potential in life and we don’t have a society fit for the future. "60 minutes of vigorous activity a day is the Chief Medical Officers’ minimum guidance. Our new research shows that many parents underestimate this amount by 50%. That’s why this National School Sports Week we are urging parents and schools to make the #PledgeToPlay."
Credit to source : Dominic Fitch, Head of Creative Change at Impact International
How to Create a Learning and Development Strategy
Having a good learning and development strategy is key for growing your employees. Here, we provide support on how to create a good strategy, considering aspects such as having individual personal development plans for employees, encouraging development in people’s knowledge and the benefits this has on a company overall. What is a learning and development strategy? Employees need to be valued and feel that their organisation is investing in them and their careers. A workforce's capabilities, skills and competenciescan all be outlined and developed in a well thought out learning and development strategy. By following the strategy, it will ensure a competent and successful organisation that operates efficiently. The development of employees will go hand in hand with a successful company, and it is important to understand the value of a strong learning and development strategy and how to create and implement this within the business. A learning and development strategy can take different forms and must be suited to the goals of both the employee and the organisation. Why is a learning and development strategy important? The practice of developing employees and managers, utilising and implementing things like leadership transformation programmes, can have numerous benefits for an individual and an organisation. You are not only introducing and teaching new skills, but also building on ones that are already in place by way of continuous improvement. Creating the learning and development strategy Now that we understand what a learning and development strategy is, as well as its importance, it is time to start looking at creating and implementing it within the business. As a business landscape constantly evolves and changes, it’s important to have a strategy that moves with this and can be tailored to the ever-changing requirements of the organisation. So what does an effective learning and development strategy need? Identify gaps in knowledge In order to gain information on the best methods and topics of training for your team you will need to understand any gaps in knowledge. Managers and leaders could perform a skills gap analysis so that the strategy can be focused on areas that need the most work. This will also help with the engagement of employees in the strategy – the more focused and personalised the programme is, the more employees find it useful, rather than it just being a box-ticking exercise. 70% of employees say they haven't even mastered the skills they need for their jobs today, so identifying where they feel these gaps lie could be key to improving the workforce. Identify what you want to achieve To make a strategy successful you need to have in mind what it is you ultimately want to achieve. By focusing on the goals and the outcome, this will help create a strategy that is purposeful as well as engaging to participants, and beneficial for the company. The goals must be clearly identified, and importantly, should be achievable. Filtering training opportunities to create value within the business is essential, and it should be measurable in terms of having an actual impact within the organisation. Don’t overcomplicate it It is important that you know what you want to achieve from the strategy once you’ve received any feedback from your skills gap analysis. That way you don’t overcomplicate it and try to do too much. Prioritise – identify anything that needs immediate or prolonged attention and address it first. Anything critical to the business is paramount and although you would like to work and improve a lot of processes and grow a lot of individuals, taking on too much could be detrimental. You also need to ask how much will the training cost in relation to any potential increase in revenue? Are customers and clients, and business as a whole going to benefit from each aspect of the learning and development strategy? Delivery With everything considered, it is time to deliver and implement the learning strategy to the business. Make sure to communicate the process throughout the business – take on feedback and don’t be scared to tweak the strategy in order to get the best results. Start with a small group initially to get a feel for how well it is received and the response to it. It is important to track employees progress and ensure the employee feels engaged. You are investing in their development, so be sure to make sure they are aware of this, and that they feel it is of use to them and their career. With the right attitude and organisation, a learning and development strategy will become part of the business culture and will be something that staff and leaders just automatically do – and importantly they will want to do it, rather than feel they have to.
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More misery for landlords as bailiffs stop work
Credit to source: LegalforLandlords
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For the landlord with the problematic tenant, the County Court sanctioned appointment of a bailiff has long been a sign that the nightmare may soon be over. But in a move that’s surprised many, HM Courts and Tribunals Service has halted the work of bailiffs on safety grounds. An incident is under investigation, and it’s believed that the situation won’t change until all bailiffs have bespoke, personal protective equipment. While no landlord wants to see a bailiff injured in the course of their work, the move is a bitter blow for many landlords who have already been struggling for months to regain control of their properties via clogged and dysfunctional legal means. LegalforLandlords Professional Services Team, which specialises in helping landlords with legal and tenancy matters, has been recording the scale of the problem, which appears to be particularly acute in the capital. Courts affected include Central London, Croydon, Brentford and Wandsworth. Sim Sekhon, LegalforLandlords MD, believes there may well be others. “These are the cases we know about because our clients are directly affected. We can’t overstate the misery this is causing.” # Sekhon went on to explain that they’re aware of: • 80 cases awaiting bailiff appointments – the majority in London. • 4 cases where existing bailiff appointments have been cancelled. • Cancellations at short notice, with the court expecting the landlord to inform the tenant. There is no indication currently of when the bailiff service will be operating again or when new appointments will be confirmed. If the courts are aware of the distress their move is causing landlords, there’s little sign that they are hurrying to alleviate it. We asked Sekhon what alternatives were available to landlords. “The only option is to apply to the High Court,” he said. “But doing so is a lot more costly and there are no guarantees that the judge will appoint a High Court Enforcement Officer. It’s a terrible situation. It’s causing real problems and we have no idea how long it may persist. Once again, landlords’ needs are being ignored.”
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How the Metaverse is being used to stop discrimination in the workplace
Tech for Good
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As concerns surrounding new technology – like Generative AI – are becoming increasingly discussed, such as the ability it has to usurp jobs and spread misinformation, other forms of technology are striving to make a positive impact in the workplace. New research from Rethinkly – a visualisation platform helping businesses resolve communication challenges in the workplace – found that a staggering 36% of ethnic minorities say they have no voice in their workplace. To combat this, Rethinkly has created a virtual reality space where employees can re-enact real life situations using neutral avatars, eliminating any bias or discrimination that may hinder their ability to communicate their true feelings. The issues large majorities of black and Asian workers regularly face at work are well documented. For example, a study produced last year showed that over 70% of employees from a black background reported feeling overlooked for opportunities owing to their identity and 66% from Asian backgrounds. Furthermore, a third of employees from this same cohort said they have been treated less favourably, received hostile or derogatory comments at work for this same reason. Today's informative findings from Rethinkly uncover that this is now having very real impacts on the attitudes of ethnic minority employees at work with just under a third (28%) saying they harbour all workplace tension rather than voicing concerns because they find conflict too difficult. Consequently, an alarming 36% of marginalised workers feel that they have no voice in the workplace, compared to just 25% of people from white backgrounds. The use of visualisation can help ethnic minorities depict their struggles and the challenges they face to managers and peers and give them the autonomy to address how they should be treated and supported, all while being anonymous. Used by the NHS and IBM, Rethinkly’s software removes all real-world references to create a safe space that is designed to inspire autonomy of expression. Co-founders - Andrew Jackson and David Tinker – discuss why miscommunication exists in so many offices and further outline how virtual reality tools can be used to promote better communication in difficult conversations. Understanding this, Rethinkly creates a virtual world which staff can anonymously enter using neutral avatars to communicate and express feelings and thoughts about an area at work that they are finding challenging. By empowering the individual to have freedom of expression when discussing a certain scenario, the software allows any employee to display their true feelings to their manager, co-worker or HR employer. Andrew Jackson, co-founder of Rethinkly, comments on the need and benefit for organisations to improve their team communication: “If we think of the teams and groups we work in, why do some perform better than others? Well, it turns out that people being able to express themselves, say what they think, call out bad stuff, and feel connected to their colleagues are the things that really make a difference. For most, employee voice means sending out an annual survey and then trying to work out what to do with the results. Ambitious organisations are using tools like Rethinkly to discover what their talent really thinks and feels only then do you have real power through more comprehensive data to make positive changes. “Most challenges at work stem from a lack of or just bad communication. Communication challenges are directly aligned with morale, productivity, and commitment which have real business impact. Effective communication and building a strong culture based on healthy engagement are often talked about but surprisingly difficult to achieve. But when organisations start to embed and grow critical communication skills and adopt them as a competitive advantage, they can start to see a significant shift in their trajectory. ”
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Credit to source : Rethinkly
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Key stats: 36% of ethnic minoritiessay they have no voice in the workplace 38% say that the inability to communicate within the workplace has had the largest impact on productivity 35% say they are unable to fulfil any kind of public delivery – presentations, client meetings, etc – without acute anxiety 28% harbour all workplace tension and find confrontation too difficult 27% say they encounter challenges with their speech when attempting to confront difficult issues within the workplace
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New research published today (Thursday) by the TUC provides a local breakdown of the financial benefit to the care workforce, and the wider economic benefits, of raising wages to a fair minimum of £15 per hour across the social care sector. Investing in the workforce to end the social care crisis The social care workforce accounts for £52 billion of England’s economy (GVA). There are 1,790,000 posts in social care, but around 165,000 of these are vacant. The vacancy rate increased to a record10.7% in 2021/22. The shortage of care workers has led to a surge in the number of people waiting for social care assessments, and millions of hours of commissioned home care going unprovided. Low pay and job insecurity are the main cause of the recruitment and retention crisis: ·Nine out of ten care workers earn less than £15 per hour and many care workers are paid less than the real living wage (£10.90). ·Almost a quarter (24%) of workers in the sector are employed on zero-hours contracts. The TUC’s research finds that a £15 minimum wage across the social care sector would mean: ·An annual full-time wage of at least £29,250 for care workers. ·Pay rises for 541,700 care workers across England. ·Pay boost for high numbers of women workers (who make up 79% of care workers) and BME workers (who make up 31% of care workers), helping to reduce gender and race pay gaps. The union body is calling for the cost to be met by the Treasury, rather than local authorities that remain cash-strapped following cuts since 2010 to the overall funding they receive from central government. The net cost would be substantially lower than the £5.9 billion upfront requirement to bring pay up to £15 per hour for all care workers. This is because the Treasury would benefit from higher tax returns and reduced in-work benefits payments, and from the economic impacts of the additional consumer spending. Regional and local impacts The TUC research calculated which regions and local authorities would gain the biggest economic boosts relative to population size. The top three regions in ranking order, along with their annual economic boost: 1.East Midlands – £803 million 2.North East – £422 million 3.North West – £1,111 million The top 10 local authorities, along with their annual economic boost: 1.Sefton – £47 million 2.Nottingham – £53 million 3.Leicester – £58 million 4.Torbay – £22 million 5.Liverpool – £74 million 6.Hartlepool – £14 million 7.Stoke on Trent – £39 million 8.Blackpool – £21 million 9.Bedford – £27 million 10.Newcastle upon Tyne – £43 million See the notes for data on all English regions and all care-providing local authorities. Upgrading care work and care services Alongside a £15 minimum wage in social care, the TUC is calling for ministers to take the following action to improve care work and the quality and reliability of care services: ·Establish a sector Fair Pay Agreement to negotiate minimum standards of employment in social care covering all social care workers. ·Ensure good employment conditions for care workers, including proper sick pay and ending zero-hours contracts. ·Develop a new National Social Care Forum to coordinate the delivery and development of services and agree a new workforce strategy. ·Launch a long-term, sustainable investment plan to fund high-quality social care employment and services. ·Reduce the role of private sector providers and move towards insourcing of care services. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Most families need social care services at some point. And we all want to know our loved ones will receive a high standard of care. But that’s only possible if social care jobs are paid well enough to attract and retain the right people. “We’re calling for a £15 per hour minimum wage across the adult social care sector. This will reduce staff turnover and help fill the thousands of vacancies in care services. “There’s another upside. Our research shows that raising social care wages to £15 per hour will have wider economic benefits where care workers live and work. When they spend their higher wages, local businesses will get a boost. And that will support job creation and higher wages for other workers too.”
·NEW LOCAL AUTHORITY DATA shows the economic impact of a £15 minimum wage for care workers in every community ·Northern and Midlands towns with higher levels of income deprivation would benefit most ·£15 minimum wage for care work would help end the recruitment and retention crisis and raise standards of care, says TUC
Credit to source: TUC
£15 minimum wage for care workers would boost England’s economy by £7.7 billion
Credit to Source: Pater Campbell of Snowshock
How can Businesses
Life is a journey that starts and ends with family
The supply chain affects every industry to some degree, from the movement of products and labour to finding the right tools for the job. And making sure that you can provide your customers with the best experience is key for the running of any business. Customer satisfaction can cause loyalty for your business, making it an important factor to consider. To maintain this, you need to adapt to changes and challenges which you will face, including problems with the supply chain. Here, we will explore what the supply chain is, what issues it can face, and how businesses are managing to navigate these issues successfully. What is supply chain resilience? Supply chain resilience is a company’s ability to navigate any complications that the supply chain has, ensuring that their customers aren’t negatively affected by delays or lost products and services due to external factors. What issues can the supply chain face? Issues that the supply chain can encounter include: Bad weather One cause of issues for the supply chain is bad weather. Whether this is an issue with rough seas as good as being transporter or an issue with stock becoming unusable due to bad weather conditions affecting their storage, making sure your products are safe from the weather is key for keeping supply demand up. With the increase of climate change resulting in rapidly-changing weather, it is important for companies to consider this within their business plans. Bad weather can result in lost cargo and spoiled goods, resulting in businesses needing to not only replace the stock but also to fix the issues caused by the bad weather. This could include resealing a storage unit to be weatherproof, which can be a costly expense and it can cause delays or temporary shutdowns for businesses. Inflation As with each part of life, the hiking prices fuel, materials, and more is negatively impacting the supply chain. Businesses are finding it pricier than ever to afford their imports, port charges, and deliveries. The rising price in materials and delivery charges means that it costs more than ever to provide your customers with their products and so businesses are needing to rise their prices too. The cost-of-living crisis also means that less people are buying unnecessarily, with 65% of people not buying non-essentials anymore, making it harder to find business than previously. Worker strikes The cost-of-living crisis has also put a strain on many workers, resulting in further worker strikes across the supply chain. This includes employees of delivery services such as the Royal Mail who saw multiple strike days due to a disagreement over pay and conditions. This has an impact on the supply chain as customers must wait longer to receive their goods. Other workers’ strikes might also impact this including HGV drivers and factory workers. Due to the rising cost of living, people are experiencing further hardships and it is down to companies to increase pay alongside this to keep not only their employees happy but also their customers. How are businesses combatting this? Companies such as ParkourSC have found ways to combat their own supply chain issues using technology. Advancements in technology, including the Industrial Internet of Things, means that businesses can track products better, ensuring in this case that blood samples don’t spoil during their transportation. By having clear visibility of the supply chain, this company can help reduce their sample loss. Having a clear tracking system for your products can ensure that you are aware of each asset of your business at any time and if issues were to occur, you would be able to track when, where, and how – informing your planning for future supply chain solutions. Peter Campbell, business owner at Snowshock, experts in slushie syrups, explains: “Preparing your business against supply chain issues can ensure that your company can continue providing the best products and services even during a crisis. “Whether you are creating alternative delivery options in the event of a strike or ensuring your stock storage is checked regularly for leaks, planning emergency response plans for each part of your supply chain can ensure the best results for your business. “While you may not be able to control the issue, being able to respond quickly and effectively can help save your business money, time, and energy. Ultimately, the supply and demand of your products must keep the customer happy and reducing the likelihood of delays, and resolving any issues quickly, is always the best practice.” Other companies are working to increase supply chain resilience by finding the cheapest methods of manufacturing, this includes nearshoring in which a company can transport their initial product closer to their target audience and personalise it in the local area, making meeting demand easier and the cost cheaper. Further supply chain resilience measures include buying in bulk to create large stock inventories on products you know will sell, limiting your need to reorder during busy trading times in which prices and time delays might increase. There are many numbers of ways your business can build supply chain resilience. First, you must understand where your business is likely to find the most problems – whether this is financial problems due to rising costs or long transportation times. To resolve this, you might consider moving production closer to home or to the target base or cut costs elsewhere in the business to offset the rising prices. But no matter your chosen solution, ensuring your customers are happy even during supply crisis is the aim.
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www.bluetrust.co.uk
Steve Lomax Mortgages & Financial Services
Poll of more than 1,000 women finds 3 in 5 women say they have experienced harassment at work – rising to almost 2 in 3 women aged 25 to 34 *Most victims don’t report it for fear of not being believed, or damaging their working relationships and career prospects *Polling published as TUC warns Tory Lords are trying to sabotage “essential” new laws to prevent harassment at work
It's hard to imagine driving through life without technology. Once upon a time, motorists had to use paper maps to get from A to B, and the only source of entertainment was the local radio station or cassette player. And no, this wasn’t what life was like centuries ago – although sometimes it feels like it. This was just the 1990s! Sam Sheehan, motoring expert at cinch, the leading online car marketplace, said: “We should all show a bit of gratitude for modern in-car technology. It’s made the commuting experience much more convenient and enjoyable and continues to do so with each invention and upgrade. “It’s not just the latest Audi A3 vehicles and fanciest, most expensive Mercedes cars either. Much of this technology is becoming a standard feature in all vehicles.” In-car technology comes in very handy, considering just how much time we spend in our vehicles. In fact, UK cars drive an average of 20 miles per day, which equates to 7,400 miles per year. That’s [GB1] roughly the same as driving from London to Zambia! Here, cinch explores how in-car technology is transforming the commuting experience. Safety While drivers shouldn’t rely on technology to keep them safe (nothing can replace skill, experience, and common sense!), these handy tools canprovidea safety net andadditionalpeace of mind. For example, a lane detection warning system can enhance your safety when driving down a busy motorway. The sensors signal when you start to drift out of your own lane and alert youin the event ofan unintended lanechange. This is a handy alert if you are tired or you lose concentration momentarily.[GB2] Safety-boosting technology also includes blind spot monitoring, automatic headlights, autobrakes and rear cross-traffic warnings. Recent data shows there are around 126,247 road accidents across the UK each year, and while some incidents areunavoidable,the use of new safety features undoubtedly contributes to safer roads. Such features can be invaluable in all driving scenarios, but most importantly those that occur in bad weather, late at night, or long-haul journeys. Entertainment Drivers must be always alert while behind the wheel – but being entertained doesn’t always mean being distracted.[GB3] In fact, having no means of entertainment while driving canactually havethe opposite effect, especially for drivers who are stuck on long trips alone. Spending significant time alone doing such a repetitive action can encourage feelings of distraction, boredom, depression and fatigue. This can increase the chances of an accident or collision. Fortunately, there are various in-car devices and systems that can offer just enough leisure to keep drivers engaged throughout their journey. Streaming audio technology mean motorists can receive the very best sound quality and seamless playback, making listening to music and podcasts that much more enjoyable. By connecting your phone to your car, you can also make use of various apps while you drive.[GB4] It's illegal to be on your phone while driving, but the introduction of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay allowes you to send messages, make notes, reminders and control your phone using voice commands, using hands-free Bluetooth. The rise in technology has led to journeys being significantly more entertaining, not just for the driver but for passengers too. Comfort Driving can be tiring and uncomfortable, which is where comfort-boosting technology becomes critical for safety and pleasure. Vehicle manufacturers have long been designing and implementing technology to help motorists feel more comfortable. These include:[GB5] Cruise control– This system can relieve foot-fatigue by allowing drivers to take their foot off the accelerator, with cruise control letting you set a specific speed that the car thenmaintains. Climate control–Set and forget. This clever system automaticallymonitorsthe temperature inside the vehicle. Once you select the temperature you want, climate control will use the air-con, fan and heater to reach this temperature andmaintainit. Heated seats– There's nothing worse than sitting in a freezing-cold car and waiting (for what feels like an age!) for the cabin to heat up. Fortunately, heated seats warm up much more quickly than the rest of the car, so you can get cosy while you wait. They also offer relief from stiffness during long drives. The daily commute is no longer the chore it once was There’s always something we’d rather be doing instead of driving, but technologyismaking daily commutes a lot more convenient, comfortable and congenial. The travelling part of reaching a destination is unavoidable, whether that be the office, supermarket, children’s school, or hotel. Now, we can actually look forward to these journeys, or – if that’s too much of a stretch – at least tolerate them much better than those pre-tech days. We’ve come a long, long way from popping in a cassette tape and reaching for the A-Z Road Atlas kept in the glove compartment. This is an incredibly exciting time to be a driver, and we can’t wait to see the technology that will exist another 30 years from now. Although entertainment has rapidly improved, manufacturers have been mindful not to make them distracting for the driver.
Credit to source: Cinch
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Three in five (58%) women – and almost two-thirds (62%) of women aged between 25 and 34 – say they have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work, according to a new TUC poll published today (Friday). The TUC poll found that most of these cases were not isolated incidents with more than three in five (57%) women saying they’ve experienced three or more incidents of bullying at work. And two in five (43%) women have experienced at least three incidents of sexual harassment. Worker Protection Bill The poll is published as the TUC is warning that some Conservative MPs and Lords are trying to sabotage new laws to protect workers from sexual harassment and assault at work. The Worker Protection Bill, a private member’s bill put forward by Wera Hobhouse MP with ministers’ support, would introduce a new preventative duty on employers to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace. The bill would also protect workers from harassment and abuse by third parties like customers or clients. The TUC says that these are two big gaps in the current workplace protections for women. But the TUC says government backbenchers are trying to “delay and derail” the bill, so it does not pass within the parliamentary time available. Third party harassment Protecting working women from sexual harassment by third parties – such as a customer, client, patient, or member of the public – is crucial as the TUC poll found that in two out of five (39%) of the most recent incidents, the perpetrator of the sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse was a third party rather than another member of staff. Younger women are particularly at risk of this kind of harassment. Half of women (52%) aged 18 to 34 say they have experienced harassment from a third party at work. Most often (71%) incidents of sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse happen at work in work premises, but they also happen over phone or text messages (12%), and online, by email, on social media or on a virtual meeting (8%). Reporting sexual harassment and assault The poll found that less than one in three (30%) of women who say they experienced sexual harassment at work told their employer about what was happening – and only two in five (44%) of those being bullied and half (50%) experiencing verbal abuse report it. Of those who didn’t report it, some felt they would not be believed or taken seriously (39%), while others thought reporting it would impact negatively on their relationships at work (37%) or on their career prospects (25%). TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Every woman should be safe from sexual harassment. But every day we hear stories about the extent of sexual harassment in our workplaces. “And we know many women in public-facing jobs – like retail workers and GP receptionists – suffer regular abuse from customers and patients. “Sexual harassment and bullying have no place in modern workplaces. “Ministers promised to bring in long overdue new laws to prevent workplace sexual harassment and tackle abuse from third parties like customers and clients. “But they are now backsliding under pressure from their own backbenchers who are trying to delay and derail these vital new protections. “It will be a disgrace if the government allows this bill to fall. “Ministers must urgently ensure this bill passes in full – or they will let down working women right across the country.”
New TUC poll: 2 in 3 young women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work
How In-Car Technology Is Transforming the Commuting Experience
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Rank
Reason For Investing
Percentage of Brits
1
To boost my retirement fund
31%
2
To generate additional income
30%
=3
To keep up with inflation / cost of living
23%
So I can have an emergency pot
Type of Investment
Stocks and Shares ISAs
22%
General investment account
14%
3
Property
11%
4
Cryptocurrency
9%
5
Bonds and fixed-income securities
8%
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Generation Invest : Gen Z and Millenials more likely to invest than older counterparts
A new generation of Brits are trying their hand at investing as over half of (52%) millennials and Gen-Z (18-34-year-olds) take a stab at getting a return on their cash – more than any other age group, according to new research from Forbes Advisor[1]. The study analysed Brits’ investment[2]habits, revealing fewer than four in 10 (38%) of those aged 55-and-over invest despite being the wealthiest age group in the UK, and being nine times better off than the 30-34 age group[3]. The data reveals a shift away from the archetypal investor, suggesting investing isn’t the preserve of older, wealthier individuals with many years' experience of financial markets. While many assume that investing requires large sums of cash, new data reveals that a quarter (25%) of Brits with an annual salary of less than £20k hold some type of investment, although this is still a lower rate than the general population (44%). Looking at the reasons why Brits invest, priorities differ between age groups. For the wider population, future-proofing their finances is a priority, especially amid the cost-of-living crisis. Almost a quarter (23%) of Brits state that they invest to keep up with the exorbitant cost of living. Additionally, among the top three reasons given, consumers are investing to boost their retirement fund (31%) and generate additional income (30%). More than a quarter (27%) of 18–34-year-olds list generating additional income as their top reason, followed by keeping up with the cost of living (21%), and because they enjoy it (20%). When it comes to how the public are investing, 22% are funnelling cash into stocks and shares ISAs, making it the most popular investment type in the UK. However, cryptocurrency proved popular with the younger generation, with 17% of 18-34-year-olds holding the virtual currency, almost twice the national average of 9%. According to the data, many UK residents are also investing with smaller pots of money, rather than tens of thousands, as a quarter (28%) of individuals own a portfolio worth less than £2,500. Andrew Michael, investment expert at Forbes Advisor says: “Nowadays, the technology contained in smartphones and trading apps offers private investors the levels of investment capability that were once the privileged domain of City dealing rooms. “Being more tech savvy than any other generation possibly explains why younger investors are to the fore in our data and have turned to investing in greater numbers compared with older age-groups. “Whether young or old, the need to future-proof one’s finances by boosting returns from market-based investments has become a priority for many, especially against the backdrop of a drawn-out cost-of-living crisis and stubbornly high inflation. “It’s perhaps unsurprising, therefore, to see that Brits, even with relatively small amounts - as backed up by our findings - are looking to invest in the hope of achieving gains over the longer term.” Forbes Advisor hosts useful investment guides on a range of topics, providing ideas and information on how to access the investment market, and which strategies and tactics can be deployed in pursuit of investment returns.
Credit to source : Forbes
Vehicle Leasing Specialists www.v4b.co.uk 0800 096 6488
Credit to source: Gophr
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Data crunched by online pharmacy delivery partner Gophr, paints a concerning picture for the pharmacy sector in England, the latest crisis to hit high street retail. Gophr’s ‘Prescription For Pressure’ initiative, reveals a challenging time for the industry and is supported by separate analysis by the BBC* showing that the number of pharmacies in England is at its lowest since 2010. In addition, new powers** being introduced for pharmacists to prescribe common prescription drugs and perform routine tests create an even greater workload for already overstretched pharmacists. Gophr’s data exercise reveals that: Each pharmacy in England serves an average of 6,078 people. In 2022 pharmacists dispensed 1.043 billion prescriptions, 26.3 million more than 2021. A single pharmacy in England dispensed 248 prescriptions a day on average in 2022. Based on the most up-to-date statistics from the ONS, NHS England and Statista, Gophr’s calculations show that pharmacists have around 116 seconds to dispense a prescription, which is less time than the 180 seconds*** it takes to make a Quarter Pounder at McDonald’s. The numbers collected and analysed by Gophr, delivery partner for online pharmacies such as Numark, point to the growth of ‘pharmacy deserts’, a term that refers to a growing number of people in an urban area trying to access a diminishing pool of pharmacies. The South East and London are the biggest urban ‘pharmacy deserts’, with 5,882 and 5,195 people potentially accessing each pharmacy according to the latest regional data. Other significant ‘pharmacy deserts’ are the West Midlands and North West, with 4,619 and 4,227 people per pharmacy. Gophr’s data crunching indicates that this could just be the beginning of pharmacy struggles. More closures are planned over the next year than in the past three years combined, including the 436 planned closures as big-name pharmacy chains Boots and Lloyds restructure. Demand for pharmacy services is also being driven by an ageing population. Across England and Wales, people aged 65 and over now account for nearly 20% (18.6%) of the population.**** Kurtis Dodge, Senior Commercial and Digital Proposition Manager at Numark commented: “There’s no denying that the pharmacy sector is facing significant challenges, but also that demand for pharmacy services is ever increasing. “Delivery services can offer pharmacies the opportunity to branch out to those customers who may fall into one of the ‘pharmacy deserts’. It has the potential to relieve some of the pressures from pharmacists with structured delivery routines for regular repeat prescription patients.” Graham Smith, Strategic Account Director at Gophr, stated, “We know from our experience in the sector that changing working hours and pharmacy closures are causing considerable strain - both on pharmacists and patients. But it was only after digging into the numbers, and speaking to our clients, that the true challenge became clear. “The fact that pharmacists are serving more customers at a speed that is not sustainable is concerning. So the sector is right to be thinking differently about how it serves patients.”
Do added powers put pharmacies at breaking point?
Business Issue 12 Paramount Media
Genuine quality in every fit out
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Bluewater describes new evidence about how 'forever chemicals' threaten female fertility as ‘terrifying’; urges more action from governments and businesses as the planet prepares for Earth Day 2023
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Credit to source: Bluewater
Bluewater, the global Swedish water purification and beverage solutions provider for consumers, HORECA, and public dispensing, describes new evidence of how 'forever chemicals' are linked to female infertility as terrifying. The company called on governments, businesses, and public society to invest in solutions to rid the planet of PFAS and related chemicals. "It is simply terrifying to live in a world where nearly everyone has chemicals like PFAS stored in their bodies and learn that women with high levels of the 'forever chemicals' in their blood have a 40 per cent lower chance of becoming pregnant within 12 months of trying for a baby," said Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Bluewater. He urged businesses, governments, and citizens around the world to invest in harnessing human ingenuity to ensure a better future for coming generations. On Saturday 22 April 2023, most everyone who cares about the environment around the world celebrates Earth Day, which has been held annually since 1970 following the terrible Santa Barbara, California oil spill in 1969, and aimed at encouraging people to protest for environmental reform. "Despite rising public concern, the world in 2023 faces multiple environmental threats, from ocean and land pollution to degradation of our life-essential drinking water by plastic and chemical contamination," said Rittri, a Swedish environmental entrepreneur. Rittri noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that PFAS chemicals that have been used in consumer products and linked to cancer, liver damage, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease, is in the blood of 97 per cent of Americans. Although banned by many countries from consumer products like nonstick cookware and waterproof coatings in the early 2000s, PFAS chemicals persist in the environment, including drinking water. The Washington-based Environmental Working Group, which monitors toxic chemicals, has estimated that 2,000 US communities have levels of PFAS in their drinking water that were above limits set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ensuring people have safe access to drinking water demands investment by business. Rittri notes that Bluewater water purification appliances have been verified in independent testing to efficiently remove PFAS 'forever chemicals' from tap water, providing some measure of peace of mind to consumers by removing up to 99.99 per cent of health-threatening microplastics and chemicals such as toxic PFAS from tap water. Bluewater's tests were carried out the company's laboratory at the Swedish Institute of Technology (KTH) and verified by the independent worldwide bio-analytical testing group Eurofins. Fear of what is in tap water has driven millions of people worldwide to bottled water, yet that is no guarantee they are drinking water free of chemicals. A study published in the journalWater Researchand led by Johns Hopkins University researchers, detected PFAS substances in 39 out of more than 100 bottled waters tested. And in 2022, a French study showed that 78 per cent of French bottled mineral water tested in the study in a report published by environmental group Agir pour l’environment contained microplastics, which have been found by other studies to contain or to have been coated by PFAS chemicals. "For anyone who cares about their health and wellbeing, these findings are frankly horrifying because we do not know enough about threats posed by chemicals in plastic," said Bengt Rittri. He said the scale of the issue was underlined by statistics indicating that 50 per cent of people in France alone consume bottled water every day, with annual sales topping 8.8 billion liters in 2019. "I've spent the past 40 years of my life working as an entrepreneur bringing technologies to market that help the health and wellbeing of people, from indoor air purifiers to water purifiers. So I'm acutely aware there is no silver bullet to tackle the expanding climate emergency and chemical contamination of the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe, yet I remain optimistic that we can harness our ingenuity to tackle the issues if we act faster as individuals, businesses and government’s with in investing in the future of the planet," said Mr. Rittri.
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Despite rising public concern, the world in 2023 faces multiple environmental threats, from ocean and land pollution to degradation of our life-essential drinking water by plastic and chemical contamination
Customer Care
Rising customer expectations are just one thing customer care leaders must contend with as they navigate a tricky time across the industry. Increasing costs and staff shortages, as well as shortcomings in some automated services, make customer care as challenging as ever -yet it remains integral to the customer journey. Enhancing customer care is crucial even when facing budget constraints. Nonetheless, businesses can still improve customer care while being mindful of their budget. Focusing on this, Blair Strachan of customer service outsourcing specialists Kura, says: “Outsourcing customer services can be a way of improving the customer care experience, while also considering costs. “Moving your customer service team to a customer manager BPO can save money within your business, on salaries, as well as office space and equipment. It’s not uncommon for an outsourcer to have onshore or offshore locations which specialise in certain types of services. Each supplier has its own set of USPs, which is why choosing the right partner can really help improve the service. “It can even allow to you redistribute your own reason to focus on other areas. “At Kura we look to see what solution is going to deliver the best result. We have a track record of delivering against our commitments, but we recognise that you always need to look to improve service through process or technology enhancements. “At times we include our software business Inisoft who can offer products such as an omnichannel solution. They can also automate the easy stuff so we can focus on the tough stuff which is a win-win for our partners.” Personalisation and Continuous Improvement Within customer care, staff members are going to be interacting with customers and members of the public throughout the day, and are often the first, or even only, point of contact a person has with an organisation. The importance of providing a good standard of customer care rings true; brands need customers to finish their customer care interaction feeling satisfied, with their issues resolved and having had a good all-round experience. In competitive, challenging markets like the ones we experience today, customer care is of high importance. The best personalised experiences see customers made part of the dialogue and interaction, with the agent referring to the customer by name, personally talking about their issues, rather than a generic customer service interaction. Personalisation is so expected of companies now, it is essential the approach is adopted for a brand to survive in crowded markets. Yet personalisation, for all its importance, need not be something that requires a great deal of financial outlay. Training and communicating to agents to ensure they refer to the customer by name, show a genuine interest in the interaction, and deliver a personalised response that helps the customer, rather than a template stock response, will go a long way to improving the customer care experience. Timely Responses and Clear Communication Channels Of course, customers do not want to wait around for a response from a brand – particularly if they are experiencing an issue or problem with one of their products or services. Timely responses are crucial, and just as important is the ability to be contacted on multiple platforms. Having an omnichannel customer care program may be important, but it could be seen as a costly option – businesses may not have the capacity for existing staff to also take over other channels, and employing new customer service agents can be expensive. While making the most of the availability of automation can be one way of having a presence across channels, contact centre outsourcing could be a cost-effective way of doing so. Empower Employees By empowering your employees, you are giving them the authority to make decisions and solve customer queries independently without awaiting authorisation from higher up within the business. This approach in customer care eliminates many unnecessary delays and is something that can be implemented with minimal cost, which can have a big impact. Monitoring of the employees, with regular check-ins and catch-ups, alongside training can help with empowering staff and making them feel comfortable to take important decisions. Initial delegation of tasks can be a good starting point, with regular engagement from managers leading to the end goal of an empowered employee, making decisions, streamlining the process, and providing an excellent customer care experience for the customer and the brand. Listen to Customer Feedback One way to improve is to listen to the thoughts of your customers. Feedback on your service can highlight areas for improvement; some of which you may not have realised needed work on to bring up to a higher standard. With the ethos of continuous improvement, brands can learn from customers, and see what they would like to see as part of their customer care programme. Consider online feedback forms, follow up surveys, and use online reviews to your advantage, and to improve the experience your customer care provides. Not only do customers feel you care about their thoughts and input, but the suggestions may also be small tweaks that require minimal effort and cost to implement.
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When it comes to marketing your small business, it is important to find innovative and creative ways to get your products and services out there. And tailoring both your products and content tocalendared events could help you get a furtheroutreach. In fact, using these moments to aid your social media, marketing, and advertising strategies can help youtap into the emotionsof your consumer base and increase the interaction you have with your customers. Here, we will explore how you can start implementing a seasonal strategy and how, using the holidays to help market your small business, can be an advantage. Researching One way to start your seasonal marketing process is through research. Researching competition can help you come up with strategies that work. Seeing what businesses similar to yours are doing during the seasonal times of year can give you an indication of where you can start. By implementing similar strategies, and improving them, you can gain a competitive advantage on other businesses. You can also research your previous tactics, what works and what doesn’t. This might even be looking at your current strategy and focusing on how this can be effectively adapted to the holidays. For example, if your social media gets a lot of interaction but email marketing doesn’t seem to be as effective, then putting the time and effort into making seasonal social media content, rather than emails, could be more beneficial for your small business – especially if you only have a small budget to work with. Season-specific deals When it comes to the holidays, it is more important than ever to be handing out discount codes and set deals. In fact,84% of customersare expecting a discount code or deal from businesses during their seasonal outreach. Failing to offer this - especially if your competitors are approaching the seasons with these discounts - could see you losing business to others. These deals can entice customers to your business and potentially get them to buy a product they originally wouldn’t have considered. Customise If you are a bricks-and-mortar small business, then one of your best marketing strategies can be the layout and displays within your shop. When the seasons are coming around, it can be best to give your business a rejuvenating face-lift. Consider using a reliablecard supplierwho can produce seasonal stock and provide a point of sale for the store. Customising your products can also be effective, offering your customers limited editions of their favourite products. This could be by changing the product itself, such as replacing the scent for a more seasonal smell, such as chocolate for Easter, or changing your packaging to have a holiday theme. Seasonal advertisements As a small business, you might not have the revenue or funds to keep advertisements live throughout the year. You can use the seasons as a time to trial and error your advertising outreach. If you are unsure whether it would work for you, or bring in the customers needed to keep the strategy going, then you can use the seasons as a time to test this. As the number ofpeople clicking on adsare likely to drop during the summer months, it might be best to approach the Christmas to easter holidays seasons for your advertising attempts. This means that during the summer months, you can focus your finance elsewhere, such as into community events or trade fairs – if your small business suits this sort of approach. Get them exploring your website and socials Another way to get your customers more invested in your products, and give them an overview of your business, is to make your contentinteractive. Things such as Easter egg hunts across your website and social media channels don’t only promote a good-feel holiday approach - they also encourage your customers to take a look around your products and services to find the eggs. This is a great way for your customers to get to know your business better and explore new products all while anticipating winning a discount or deal from their Easter egg hunt. Whether you are looking to increase the awareness of your business, or introduce your customers to some limited-edition products, adjusting your business to the seasons could help you build your consumer base and keep a competitive advantage.
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Seasonal Marketing: How to Use Celebration Days to Market Your Small Business
From influencer lifestyles to business empires, reality TV can certainly open doors and set contestants on the road to success. Love them or hate them, there is a lot we can learn from social media influencers and their approaches to building an engaged audience. We pick out five of the best in the business and explain how they can provide an unlikely source of business inspiration. Christine Quinn The landscape of property sales is changing which can be attributed to reality TV shows such as Selling Sunset and Million Dollar Listing. Christine Quinn is one of Selling Sunset’s breakout stars who has amassed a small fortune selling LA real estate – not to mention 4.1 million Instagram followers. Quinn is emblematic of the rise of the ‘Estate Agent Influencer’, an expert in selling aspirational lifestyle content and a genuine ‘disruptor’ in estate agency solutions. According to Google Trends, property search via social channels was up 400% from January with 40 new influencers registered per week as an “estate agent” on TikTok and Instagram. Through building their own personal brands, influencers are skilled in the art of storytelling, which translates well to selling property. Every influencer has a unique tale to tell, just like every home. They’re also experts at creating stop-the-scroll content that grabs the attention of prospective targets. Estate Agents can use consistent styling, branding and high-quality images to showcase and attract more clients. Tom Skinner The man of the moment, Tom Skinner can be found everywhere from ITV’s Cheltenham racing coverage to weighing in on the world of politics. Tom originally found fame on BBC’sThe Apprentice, where he impressed with sparkling sales repartee and Essex-boy charm. Since leaving the show, Tom has tasted success with his own pillow, bedding and recruitment businesses as well as becoming a burgeoning TV personality. Skinner’s success lies in the creation of his own brand, using language that mirrors his audiences by adopting colloquialisms and local cultural references. Business people can learn from this by building authenticity with their customer base. 83% of consumers want compassion and authenticity from businesses. Collect data to really understand who you’re targeting and talk to your audience directly. Draw them in so they listen, engage and act. Kim Kardashian One of the defining media personalities of the 21stcentury, Kim Kardashian rose to fame on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and exemplifies ‘the age of the influencer.’ As of 2022, she was estimated to be worth $1.8 billion, and the star has experienced success with fashion boutique chain, Dash as well as ventures in beauty and underwear. Be it with lavish interior design or eye-catching wardrobe choices, Kim understands aesthetics and knows that visual content is king. Her content has a style and theme that is relevant to her audience and fits with their aspirations. Embrace this sentiment by doing some research to find out more about what your target customer demographics are interested in and what they aspire to. Experiment with visual styles to see what drives the most engagement. Molly-Mae Hague Love Island has spawned many millionaires over the years, catapulting its contestants to endorsement deals and superstardom. Perhaps its most famous exponent is Molly-Mae Hague who is worth a reported £6 million along with boxer boyfriend, Tommy Fury. Since leaving reality TV, Molly-Mae has carved out a successful career in fashion, bagging a £500,000 deal with Pretty Little Thing upon leaving the villa in 2019 before entering a creative director role at the retailer in 2021. Molly-Mae demonstrates the value of consistency with frequent updates about her lifestyle choices. Influencers earn credibility as an expert by talking about specific topics with confidence. But, how can you build similar consistency for your business? Aim to share a minimum of three posts per week and have a plan for what the content should be. Try a winning mix of images and video, market analysis and regional top tips. Mark Wright As one of the first TV shows of its kind to fly in the UK, The Only Way is Essex launched the career of local lad, Mark Wright, one of the show’s original cast members. Since then, Mark has enjoyed success with business ventures in fashion, grooming and with his property firm, Chigwell Properties. Again, Wright’s sprawling personal profile has translated well to the business world. Aspiring estate agents can do the same by looking to build their own personal profile in their market patch, meaning they don’t have to rely on the business brand alone. For personal profile-building to be a success, agents should make sure their social media audience is right. Put yourself in the shoes of new followers – would they quickly understand who you are, what your expertise is and the value you bring? Asking these questions can help you direct your business towards success.
Credit to source: UK Greetings
Credit to source : iamproperty
5 Reality TV Stars: An Unlikely Source of Top Business Inspiration
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Over4.9 billion peopleare using social media, which is over half of the world’s population. For businesses, an effective social media presence is a must. But what makes a social media presence effective? Visual imagery is the foundation of any decent social media presence and has an important relationship with social media content and marketing strategy. With that in mind, what are thespecific benefitsof using graphic design in your social media strategy? Attention Span Recent studies show that most people’s attention span has gone down toaround 8-seconds, with scientists recording that thehuman brain can process images in 13 milliseconds. To take advantage of this, it’s advisable to use vibrant, eye-catching visuals wherever possible on social media. In-fact, the statistics support this, showing thatposts with visuals achieve 180% more engagement. Visual communication is an effective way to articulate your brand message, and audience’s will judge you very quickly by your ‘tone’, both in text and imagery. This is why using visuals wherever relevant is important. Brand Recognition Think of a popular brand you know well, for example, Nike, or McDonalds. What is the first thing you think of? It may be the product (such as trainers, or a burger), but for lots of people, the colours and logo will stick with you, and you will remember those visual details. Your logo and brand colours may be thefirst impressiona customer has of your brand, so importantly, they need to be memorable. Professionalism Sophisticated graphic design that accompanies text portrays your company as established in its sector. Aconsistent colour scheme(for memorability),professionally captured images(most iPhone cameras suffice),repeated font usage(font families for variation) are just some ways you can ensure your company comes across as professional. If your audience knows what to expect from your posts, you can build up a long-term relationship and returning business. On the other hand, it’s worth ensuring your graphic design efforts aren’t harming your business –mismatched textthat’s hard to read,displeasing colour palettesandspelling mistakesare easy ways to portray a negative message about your business, so you’ll want to avoid that. Shareability and Engagement Visual images increase shareability and engagement. There is a demand forinteractive content– which is displayed in the increasing use of visual apps like TikTok and Instagram. Visual imagery, including video, is more likely to receive likes, comments, shares and even followers. Humorous content such as ‘memes’ and ‘reactions’ are commonly reshared, so consider this as part of your social strategy (of course, while remaining relevant). Persuasion Visuals may encourage your audience toread moreon your pages and website. This is beneficial if you’re informing them about news in your sector, or how to use a product you offer. Information doesn’t need to be boring; it can be vivid in text through visual graphics, articulating in a way most people can understand. In Summary Graphic design and social media posting goes hand-in-hand. Clearly, if you’re looking to improve your social media post performance, making it visual is the way to go.
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The Relationship Between Graphic Design and Social Media
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Blog
Rozz Cottrell Digital Marketing Executive
Issue 12 Paramount Media
Drylining Glass Reinforced Gypsum Suspended Ceilings