News

By Oliver Ward The migrant crisis which has dominated the European press this week has brought to light some exceptional examples of human generosity and kindness. From the individuals who brought food and blankets to those in Budapest, to countless numbers who have volunteered their spare beds to those in need. It has demonstrated that despite the European political scene, when its needed, individuals are always forthcoming to help other individuals in need. Which makes it all the more distressing...

By Steve Winder, regional vice president for Epicor Software, UK and Ireland Whilst George Osbourne’s recent productivity plan focuses on boosting growth and productivity in the UK, the skills gap is an issue that needs tackling with urgency. Despite the increasing number of third-level graduates, the specific range of expertise required to fill medium skilled jobs is severely lacking. For example, car giant Bentley recently struggled to fill 160 positions due to a lack of skilled staff. There is a...

By David Vine, UK SMB MD, Concur In July it was announced that The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills is set to formalise its support for SMEs and appoint a Small Business Commissioner. The announcement was met with some scepticism, as currently there are scant details about who the individual assuming this role will be, their remit and what powers they will be granted. There are concerns from some quarters that the new commissioner could end up in the...

By Jack Peat, TLE Editor If you ever find yourself hankering for a public execution, take a trip to a fancy wine bar in The City and have a go at defending the industrial action taken by London Underground workers over the Night Tube. It is, as I found out to my peril on Friday evening, the very definition of how to lose friends and alienate people. Not that I’m unfamiliar with the premise. Red wine has on many occasions...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent Lancaster-based hosting and web design agency, Nublue, have this month received the Living Wage Accreditation, demonstrating that they pay all of their staff above the country’s Living Wage.  The company have joined just a handful of local Living Wage businesses, and are among just a handful of technology companies in the North West to have received the accreditation. Championing the Living Wage and its benefits for both employees and their overall business model, Michael Ashworth,...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  We are making a rather heavy dent in the digital age now and there seems to be no sign of this progression slowing. Recently, we've been caught in a whirlwind of smart watches, fitness trackers, mobile payments, super drones and robots.  These new and slightly disconcerting branches of technology are not purely restricted to our personal lives though. Turns out there is a plethora of technological advancements for the workplace too. Technology today has a...

By Jonathan O'Brien, CEO of Red Sheet 1. Decide exactly what you need beforehand It sounds obvious, but knowing what you want to get out of a negotiation before you start is imperative. Sometimes it is very clear, sometimes there could be several possible but acceptable outcomes. Without a clear end goal, we risk putting ourselves in a ‘decide on the spot’ situation, finding we have been talked into things in the heat of the moment. 2. Do your homework...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  A new survey has revealed almost a third of British workers receive nothing from their bosses when they retire. The study of 2,000 retirees found 31 per cent of people were not given a leaving gift, with a leaving card as good as it gets for a further seven per cent. The average retirement gift was calculated to be just £2.17 for every year of work. Gift vouchers and flowers are the most common retirement gifts – while...

By Nick Joelson, Marketing Manager at Liberis Every small business owner knows it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to keep yourself afloat and ahead of the competition. According to recent research by Simply Business, there has been a 110% increase in the number of independent retailers launched in the last five years, suggesting it’s a great time for retailers to do business. However, research from The British Independent Retailers Association states there are more than 220,000 independent...