The chancellor could use the Budget to help both startups and investors February 26, 2020 Ahead of any Budget, there is always great speculation on what may be announced. This year, the focus thus far has been on when a Budget would happen and who will deliver it. But with the new chancellor Rishi Sunak confirming that it will go ahead on 11 March, all attention has turned to the [...]
DEBATE:Has the #MeToo movement had a meaningful positive impact on women in the workplace? February 26, 2020 Has the #MeToo movement had a meaningful positive impact on women in the workplace? Sheila Flavell CBE, chief operating officer at FDM Group, says YES. The #MeToo movement has elevated a wider debate about the way women are treated within businesses and industries on a global scale. This week’s conviction of Harvey Weinstein not only [...]
Having a mare? Don’t despair — we all know how that feels February 25, 2020 At the beginning of your career, you’re most likely focused on making yourself desirable and hireable. You have run the gauntlet of rounds of recruitment and been outstanding and keen in your shiny new role. It is all going so well — and then, out of the blue, you hit a bad day. Even if [...]
Like a boss: Cherie Blair on helping women start their own business February 24, 2020 We tend to associate entrepreneurship with opportunistic founders operating out of bustling Silicon Valley hubs — or perhaps more specifically the five American tech giants whose combined market value, it was reported recently, has increased by $1.3 trillion in the past year. In fact, entrepreneurship exists wherever you are. The sharing economy is producing millions [...]
Why your gloomy office is holding you back: the case for better workplace design February 24, 2020 Whatever industry you’re in, most companies will tell you that their biggest cost is talent. That’s why the prediction that stress-related illnesses will be the main cause of sickness in 2020, accounting for 44 per cent of all work-related absences, should be a big concern. One source of this stress is technology, which has altered [...]
The importance of being positive: How to build a resilient business mindset February 21, 2020 From my experience, entrepreneurs are an optimistic bunch by nature. They see opportunity; they grasp it. Yet the not-so-simple journey from startup to growth requires relentless hard work and unshakable commitment. Of course, there will be high fives and heady moments of rapture in the bar. But the reality is that before we get to [...]
Vegans must have their own shelf in the office fridge, says new guidance February 19, 2020 Vegans deserve their own shelf in the office fridge, according to new guidelines issued to businesses. Fridge space is a precious commodity in the workplace, but it could be about to get more crowded after the Vegan Society shares its new advice with firms. Vegan menus should be made available at work events while employers [...]
UK firm tells staff to go meat-free to expense meals February 18, 2020 Employees of one property firm have decided that meat is firmly off the menu when it comes to expenses. For the 30 or so staff at Igloo Regeneration, they must now go vegetarian in order to expense not just lunches and dinners, but corporate entertaining and workshop catering too. Workers voted for the change after [...]
Keep an eye on data: a chat with Duco’s founder about the future of fintech in Britain February 17, 2020 When asked to narrate their journeys from startup to scaleup, entrepreneurs tend to fall into two camps. There are those for whom the travails of growth are a badge of honour: no 20-hour day, unconquerable challenge or unfulfilled investment pledge has been forgotten. Others display an insouciance, as though turning a light-bulb moment into a [...]
Employee appreciation: Showing your office some love is not just for Valentine’s Day February 14, 2020 Love is in the air, everywhere you look around. From office DJs to doughnut days, workplaces today are increasingly turning to kooky perks to show employees love and appreciation. But like any good date, employee appreciation should be carefully thought out. It requires a proper strategy, and consistency. No one-off show of love will make [...]