Recruitment key for unlocking growth for Midlands businesses
Midlands businesses plan to hire more people to support growth in 2022, according to new research from accountancy firm, BDO.
More than a quarter of medium-sized businesses intend to increase the size of their workforce over the next 12 months, with 18% planning to pay staff more in order to attract and retain talent.
The bi-monthly Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 medium-sized businesses revealed that Midlands companies remain optimistic about recovery post-pandemic, with 38% of businesses expecting to return to pre-COVID-19 revenues within the next 12 months – growth ambitions will be supported by new hires, together with an increase in prices of products and services (35%).
However, a shortage of workers and the rising costs of employment could hamper recovery in 2022. When asked about skills shortages, nearly a third (32%) of businesses in the region stated that finding enough people with the right skill-set was one of their biggest concerns, with a particular challenge around the number of available apprentices.
Two years on from Brexit, 34% of businesses are also concerned about a shortage of overseas workers. This is leading to an increased focus on hiring domestic employees, with nearly a quarter (23%) relying on a greater percentage of UK-based workers this year.
Tim Foster, partner at BDO based in the Midlands, said: “The recruitment challenges facing Midlands businesses are well documented and the war on talent is very real. The task of finding the right people to fill a growing number of vacancies transcends sectors, levels and specialisms.
“However, despite the rising cost of employment, and an impending increase in National Insurance contributions, regional companies are remaining faithful to the importance of investing in people to achieve growth.
“While it’s extremely encouraging to see such optimism within the Midlands business community, both in terms of the speed at which they expect revenues to return to pre-COVID levels and the confidence they have in the rewards of new hires, there is clearly a real job to be done in encouraging more young people to consider the value of apprenticeships, particularly those from a low socio-economic background who may not consider this route a viable option for them.
“The Government’s commitment to apprenticeships through its announcement most recently in the 2021 Autumn Budget, where funding for apprenticeships and the National Skills Fund (NSF) was increased, will undoubtedly help to bridge this gap.”
The Rethinking the Economy survey also found that in 2022 Midlands businesses will look at a variety of different ways to overcome the problem of staff shortages, with 23% admitting that they’ve been able to hire from a more diverse pool of candidates as a result of the rise in remote working.
What’s more, 23% of regional companies intend to introduce a number of new perks in 2022, such as increasing salaries and new joiner bonuses, in order to attract and retain staff.
Foster added: “The pandemic, combined with factors such as rising inflation and Brexit, have forced many Midlands businesses to think outside of the box when it comes to addressing staff shortages and shoring up their workforce.
“The reality is that these factors will remain front and centre for businesses throughout 2022 and it’s vital for companies to continue to rethink recruitment and retention strategies to stay in line with an evolving landscape.”
New city centre home for Community Action Derby
Community Action Derby, which has been at the forefront of co-ordinating the volunteer effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, has expanded its operation with a move to the iconic Shot Tower building in the heart of the city centre.
The charity, which provides support and guidance for voluntary and community groups across the city, has moved from its existing home on Charnwood Street to the Shot Tower on Albert Street, which has been part of the Connect Derby managed workspace scheme since 2015.
As the Volunteer Centre for Derby city, the organisation also offers a brokerage service for potential volunteers and organisations and supports all those organisations that engage with volunteers.
During the first lockdown in March 2020, the team at Community Action Derby joined forces with Derby City Council and other statutory organisations, local community organisations and volunteers, to create the Derby COVID Community Response Hub in order to help the most vulnerable people in the city.
Community Action’s Charnwood Street office became the ‘de facto’ headquarters for the COVID Community Response Hub, co-ordinating the support effort, matching up potential volunteers with people in need and co-ordinating food donations for the city’s food banks.
The charity had been planning to move across the road to one of its vacant buildings, but the increase in demand for its services, and social distancing requirements, meant that was no longer a feasible option.
Shot Tower joined the Connect Derby portfolio of manged workspaces in 2015, following a complete £1m refurbishment to transform it into a virtual business hub to encourage people from disadvantaged communities to set up their own business and support not-for-profit groups, start-ups, graduates, and other people considering self-employment.
In 2018, the building was taken on by one expanding business, but was vacated due to the pandemic.
With the Derby City Council-owned building vacant, it made sense to bring Community Action’s services to a more central location, which provides additional space, increases visibility, and raises the profile of the organisation.
Commenting on the move, Kim Harper, CEO of Community Action Derby, said: “Moving to the Shot Tower will bring a variety of opportunities for Community Action and our Hub partners.
“The building will provide a welcoming open space that will allow us to provide all of our services from a central and accessible environment. The Volunteer Centre and café will be available for anyone to drop in and relax and we are very much looking forward to moving in and continuing our work.”
Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development at Derby City Council, added: “Our communities and the voluntary sector have been at the forefront of Derby’s COVID emergency response, and I strongly believe that building even stronger relationships and partnerships within our city and our communities is crucial to our successful recovery and future resilience.
“The Emergency Community Response HUB was created in March 2020 to support the infrastructure of our city’s VCSE sector and community response, bringing together staff and partners, and crucially Community Action Derby, into one vibrant team.
“I’m delighted that this arrangement is to continue, and in fact strengthen, as the new Community HUB moves into the Shot Tower in the city centre. This move reflects their success, safeguards this new way of working, and provides the perfect platform to continue to build stronger and safer communities.
“I am extremely thankful to Community Action Derby and all our VCSE and partners for the continued efforts; it’s clear that we are truly ‘better together,’ and long may this continue!”
Ann Bhatti, head of Connect Derby, added: “Shot Tower is a fantastic building in a great location, and it is great to see Derby City Council property services and Connect Derby working together to provide them with the space they need be able to carry out their services at time where help is needed by many.
“We are pleased to see Shot Tower continuing to be used for the purposes it was originally intended and we look forward to supporting the Community Action Derby team as they continue to grow and support the people of Derby.”
New consulting partner for PwC Midlands
Professional services firm PwC has appointed Will Stevns as its consulting leader in the Midlands taking over from Nick Atkin, who now leads the firm’s industrial manufacturing, automotive and services practice.
Will brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, having led on large scale transformation projects working with clients across the UK and globally spanning a wide range of industries, and in particular in financial services.
Will’s appointment coincides with the acquisition of Olivehorse, which was completed on 12 February. Olivehorse will bring in a further 60 members of staff with vital insight and knowledge in the fields of supply chain management consulting.
Welcoming the appointment, Matthew Hammond, PwC’s Midlands region leader, said: “I’m delighted that Will will be leading our consulting business in the Midlands. I would also like to thank Nick Atkin for his dedication, enthusiasm and expertise over the last three years and the successful period of growth he has led.
“Will’s appointment reflects our Midlands commitment and sector focus on technology enabled transformation, particularly in financial services. The pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities and we need leaders to negotiate the uncertain landscape and capitalise on new opportunities. Will’s experience of managing digital change, transformation and integration programmes will help grow our consulting business further.
“Will’s appointment coincides with the acquisition of Olivehorse Consulting. The acquisition will strengthen Olivehorse’s already outstanding and FT Gold medal ranked supply chain expertise. Demand for this expertise has increased rapidly during the pandemic and will continue to be a key area of need for our clients going forward.”
On his appointment, Will Stevns said: “I’m excited to be appointed to the role of consulting partner at PwC for the Midlands, and delighted that Olivehorse are joining the firm. By combining our capabilities, people, networks and credentials, we are reflecting, in very real terms, our ambition to invest and grow quickly in this market.
“The challenges facing the UK and global economies require innovative and technology enabled solutions, combined with deep industry insight. Olivehorse joining PwC is another fantastic example of our commitment to continue to make such market leading capabilities available to our clients.”
Fred Affuko, co-founder and Managing Director of Olivehorse, said: “We at Olivehorse are delighted to be joining the PwC family and see this as the next step in our journey. We are confident that through joining with PwC, we will be able to bring huge additional value to our clients and enhance the amazing offering PwC already has, through the addition of our talented people.”
Final budget proposals to be put before Council Cabinet
Derby City Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) will take a step closer to being approved next week, with the Council’s Cabinet reviewing final budget proposals ahead of Full Council approval at the end of the month (Monday 28 February).
The revised proposals consider comments from the public, local businesses and politicians during a four-week consultation period.
Despite considerable budget pressures that remain as the city continues to emerge from the impacts of COVID-19, the MTFP sits alongside a revised Council Plan, that paints an ambitious and overall positive picture for the coming financial years. The report proposes a net revenue budget of almost £260m for 2022/23.
Priorities for the future will be focused around four partnership themes:
- Green Derby – Making a positive impact on our environment
- Vibrant Derby – A reimagined City Centre with culture at its heart
- Growth Derby – Creating a modern smart city with jobs and skills for the future
- Resilient Derby – Working with communities to reduce poverty and inequalities
The ‘bard’, your brand and the power of media love this Valentine’s Day: Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and the PR and Communications Ambassador for the IoD in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, helps you stand out.
Shall I compare thee to a competitor?
Thou art more skilful and competitive:
Rough reviews may shake them, yes they may,
And their Google profiles hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of Facebook shines,
And often are Twitter’s old reflections binned;
And every share and reshare sometime declines,
By sod’s law or the zeitgeist’s changing course untrimmed;
But thy eternal spotlight shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of your prospect’s mind;
Nor shall your pipeline slow or start to fade,
When in eternal lines in the press thou grow’st:
So long as buyers buy and they can see,
Your profile rise, and this gives leads to thee.
And they say a degree in Philosophy and English Literature sets you up for nothing! Seriously though, this Valentine’s Day, I want you to start to think about how you can stand out. There is just so much NOISE out there, how are you going to woo your ideal customer or even…their most trusted mate who can set you up? “Who is this mate?” I hear you cry. Well, picture the old-school dating scene, you have your eye on someone, you kind of know them, they kind of know you. You want to get on their radar. You want to show them what makes you tick. You want to show them what they’re missing. And, as luck would have it, you have a mutual friend…. “My mate Tess wants to go out with you” – you know the drill! Now, forget about my fumbled approach to dating back in the ‘90s and just think for a minute about how this works in business. You see, I’ve never suggested that PR is the be all and end all when it comes to marketing. In my own business, I have lots of different marketing ‘pillars’ and they include direct mail, e-newsletters, blogs, free guides, lead magnets, webinars, social media (3 different platforms), advertising, events and speaking. However, what PR does give me (and my clients) is an unfair advantage. Why? Because MOST people don’t use it or…if they DO use it, they play at it, they dip their toe, they flirt with it, then get frustrated when they don’t get to date the media right away! It’s like they spot the person they want to date but they never ask them out or they just whisper it and hope someone takes notice. The thing is, when you combine PR with all of the other good marketing stuff, you really will be noticed and crucially, you will be noticed for the right reasons! Imagine the wider marketing approach to getting that date with your ideal customer. Maybe you’ve bought flowers, some chocolates and a card. How about some heart balloons? Now…assuming you have actually sent them to someone that should be a good match for you (your IDEAL customer) you are at least in with a shot. So what if we could tip the scales in your favour? What if we could position you so that your date had ALREADY heard about you and thought you were AWESOME? What if they’d been hearing about you for a few months now and were actually waiting for you to call? What if they just needed you to simply ask for the business (a date to be clear!)? Enter, stage left, the unfair advantage – the media You see, this is the trusted friend. This is the person nudging, suggesting that you two would be great together! This is the person who is bigging you up without you blowing your own trumpet! They have the instruments, you just need to give them a tune to play! As luck would have it, I can help you here, keep an eye out for my “PRkive” launching in Spring, it is designed to help make you BETTER at media dating and even setting you up together. Big love, Greg x A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo returns
The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo is back for 2022, providing everything you require for a great day of networking and business generation.
A well targeted, free to attend event aimed at the Construction, Property, Business, Investment, Finance, Professional Services and related B2B markets, for which Business Link is a proud partner, the expo will take place on Wednesday 27 April 2022 at The Bentley Hotel, Lincoln.
Take this opportunity to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road.
Opening at 9am, as the exhibition closes (circa 2pm), it will roll directly into an informal network lunch – tickets are just £25 plus vat and can be ordered and paid for directly online.
To attend the event, register for free here.
To generate opportunities by exhibiting at the event, click here.
Purchase tickets to the networking lunch here.
Nottingham CRO bolsters team with appointment of senior molecular biologist
Nottingham-based contract research organisation (CRO) Cellomatics Biosciences has expanded its team with the appointment of senior molecular biologist, Dr Lara De Tomasi, in response to recent growth and the continued increase in demand for its bespoke preclinical and early discovery phase expertise.
A specialist in genetics and molecular biology, Lara joins Cellomatics from the University of Sheffield where she was a research associate in the Mirna Mustapha Lab, working on the genetics and molecular heterogeneity of spiral ganglion neurons.
Prior to this, Lara spent three years at the Imagine Institute of Genetic Diseases in Paris, where she obtained her PhD, researching novel genes in the pathogenesis of congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract.
Based at BioCity Nottingham, Cellomatics is a specialist preclinical CRO with expertise in five main therapeutic areas: oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation and respiratory.
As senior molecular biologist at Cellomatics, Lara will head up client projects with strong genetics and molecular biology components.
Of her appointment, Lara says: “Cellomatics’ preclinical work across various therapeutics areas using diverse technologies greatly appeals to me, and I am excited to have the opportunity to both participate in and lead client projects within Cellomatics’ collaborative working environment.
“With my interest in biomedical research and specialist focus on disease modelling, Cellomatics feels like the perfect fit, and I am looking forward to applying my expertise to help deliver quality results for the company’s growing network of clients.”
Shailendra Singh, CEO of Cellomatics, says: “We are delighted to welcome Lara to the Cellomatics team. Her robust background in genetics and molecular biology, and strong experience in disease modelling, both in vitro and in vivo, will enhance and add value to the client experience.
“We are seeing growing demand for our expert support with the development of bespoke bioassays, and Lara’s appointment will help further support this growth as we continue on our upward trajectory.”
Derbyshire’s visitor economy receives £500,000 boost from community renewal fund
Derbyshire’s official destination management organisation has secured £500,000 to boost jobs, encourage growth and support the recovery of visitor economy businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire following a successful bid to the Government’s Community Renewal Fund.
Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, working in partnership with East Midlands Chamber, the University of Derby, The Food and Drink Forum and Nottingham Business Venture, has been awarded a share of an overall project totalling £1.47 million that will run until 30 June 2022.
Investment in low carbon solutions, business growth, employment, training and digital skills are amongst the key aims of the project, which is set to create jobs and breathe new life into local communities as part of the Government’s commitment to levelling-up the nation and achieving net zero carbon emissions.
Financial support for businesses will include growth vouchers and start-up grants of up to £2,000, plus flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 to help businesses access green solutions, adopt digital technology and receive specialist training.
Activity for the project will be delivered under five key strands, known as ‘Accelerators’, with Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire delivering the support for visitor economy businesses.
The five ‘Accelerators’ in the project are as follows:
• Race to Zero Carbon Accelerator to encourage investment in net zero business practices and to offer financial support for ‘clean growth’ such as the implementation of carbon reduction plans.
• Digital Transformation Accelerator to help businesses implement e-commerce solutions and become online bookable. This will also include collaborative pilots for the cultural and heritage sector to access technology solutions, develop town-based festivals and drive market town footfall.
• Start Up to Scale Up Accelerator to deliver mentoring to help start-ups launch a business idea and grants of up to £2,000 to launch a new business or product.
• The Kickstart Accelerator to deliver training and mentoring support to improve job retention, as well as a wage subsidy to convert a Kickstart or Graduate placement into a new sustained job.
• The Financial Accelerator to offer flexible grant funding of up to £8,000 to help businesses fund digital adoption, carbon reduction solutions and specialist training. Growth vouchers of up to £2,000 will be available for consultancy advice to support business growth and a wage subsidy will be available to support Kickstart or Graduate job retention.
The project also includes feasibility studies into the development of two apps, including a visitor app that would provide real-time data on visitor behaviour, and a transport planning app that would align bus and rail routes to popular destinations in the area.
Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re delighted that our Community Renewal Fund bid has been successful, creating a host of new opportunities to drive the post-Covid recovery and long-term growth of visitor economy businesses in the Peak District and Derbyshire
“As highlighted in our Tourism Recovery Plan, our ambition is to become a leading destination in sustainable tourism and this, alongside our ongoing commitment to boosting jobs, skills and growth, clearly aligns with the Government’s aims for the Community Renewal Fund.
“We look forward to working alongside our partners and hope this project will pave the way for future funding to ensure visitor economy businesses can not only survive, but thrive, as we embark on the road to recovery.”
Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive and Community Renewal Fund lead at East Midlands Chamber, said: “The East Midlands Accelerator project will look at what the needs are locally and seek to address them with targeted, bespoke support that brings together key stakeholders across the region – with each strand connected by the golden thread of acceleration.
“We strongly believe these schemes, which will enhance the existing support out there, will have a transformative impact for so many businesses and individuals in the Peak District and Derbyshire.
“This area is a hive of entrepreneurship and we’re looking forward to assisting people to get great ideas off the ground and then scaling them up, while for more established businesses we can help them navigate their net zero and digital transformation journeys.
“We’re also excited about building on our success in the Kickstart Scheme, having been the UK’s largest and most successful gateway organisation in supporting businesses to create more than 1,800 placements in our region.”
New construction skills hub launches in Leicester
A new training hub to help people build a career in the construction industry has launched in Leicester.
The Construction Skills Hub is located in former site offices at the heart of the Ashton Green regeneration project in the north of Leicester.
Supported by £518,000 of funding from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the new hub will provide training and employment opportunities for people in Leicester and Leicestershire who are looking to work in the construction industry.
The project is being led by Leicester City Council – which is contributing £300,000 of capital funding – and aims to offer training in construction skills to more than 400 people over two years, with a goal of securing sustained employment for at least half of those taking part.
Delivery partner Futures, which specialises in employability for 18 to 25-year-olds, is also contributing £107,000 to the project. The training programme will be delivered by local companies Construct Training and Keith Cook Training.
The project will work closely with construction partners at the Ashton Green development site, where hundreds of new homes are being built, and at the new prison under construction at Glen Parva. It will also help support the delivery of new homes at Waterside and the city council’s plans for major investment in new council houses.
Cllr Danny Myers, assistant city mayor for jobs and skills, said: “We already have a proven track record of working with local employers, helping hundreds of people into jobs or apprenticeships through the work of our Leicester Employment Hub.
“Now, thanks to generous support from the CITB, we can offer onsite training and opportunities for people looking to move into the construction industry. This will be located at the heart of major construction and development projects, offering people hands-on experience and specially tailored training from professionals.
“With a huge amount of major transformative construction projects potentially happening in Leicester over the next few years – including the transformation of our railway station, a major multi-million-pound revamp of Leicester’s hospitals, the planned expansion of the King Power Stadium and an ambitious programme of new house building across the city – it’s vital that local people have an opportunity to train up and benefit from this new investment.
“By equipping local people with the right skills and qualifications for future employment, we will continue to encourage further investment into the city and help our local economy to grow.”
CITB’s strategy and policy director, Steve Radley, said: “It is great news that the Leicester hub is open for business. Onsite experience hubs like this one, go a long way to help close the skills gap we are seeing in the industry right now.
“The Leicester hub will give people invaluable practical construction experience and the site-ready qualifications local employers need. This really will provide a one-stop recruitment solution for construction employers.”
The Leicester Employment Hub has already supported over 40 people into work and training in the construction industry, but this is the first time it will have its own one stop shop for advice and training.
Simon Pipkin, of Leicestershire-based RJH Building Construction Ltd, said: “This scheme has been incredibly beneficial to RJH.
“The construction skills hub team has an understanding of our business needs and can fulfil those needs by sending us appropriate applicants that fit with us.
“We’ve given a start to five local people from the construction skills hub so far. Three of those have since joined our company long-term, through on-the-job training or an apprenticeship, and we expect to have openings for more in 2022.”
Two-thirds of UK CEOs to step-up investment and M&A in 2022, but headwinds remain
Most UK corporates are expecting to accelerate investment and undertake mergers and acquisitions (M&A) this year, according to the findings of the inaugural EY 2022 CEO Outlook Survey.
The survey revealed that UK CEOs are responding to the immediate challenges thrown up by the pandemic, whilst taking bold decisions to build long-term value. It found that appetite for M&A by UK CEOs remains strong, with two-thirds of respondents (66%) expecting to transact in the next 12 months, compared to 59% globally and 57% of executives surveyed last year. The UK remains the second most attractive inbound destination for deals globally, behind the US, particularly in sectors it has global strengths, including financial services, fintech and high-end consumer and industrials.
The CEO Survey also revealed that UK companies are anticipating a significant amount of private equity (PE) activity, with 45% of UK CEOs expecting strong competition from PE buyers in the deal market, compared with 21% globally.
Dan Salt leads the Midlands-based M&A team, he says: “For many companies, M&A remains a fundamental part of how they act on and deliver on their strategic growth plans. From rationalising their portfolio, to digital transformations and improving their ESG profiles, companies are using deals to reshape their business at pace. Given the intense level of deal activity we’ve seen in the last two years, many companies will be integrating recently acquired assets, but UK CEOs are still signalling that they remain strategically poised to buy assets that support their growth ambitions.”
Focus on ESG creating CEO tension with some investors
UK CEO responses indicate that environmental, social and governance (ESG) is now an integral part of corporate strategy, which cuts across every aspect of decision-making. UK CEOs are giving this topic even sharper attention than their global peers, with 98% of UK CEOs expecting ESG to be an important value driver, compared with 83% globally. Its strategic importance means 7% of UK CEOs have walked away from a deal because they have ESG concerns.
However, investors don’t always share this understanding, 70% of UK respondents admit they have encountered resistance from investors and shareholders about their sustainability transition strategy, of which 42% say their shareholders want them to wait for competitors to act first – in direct contrast with CEO’s strategies to lead their markets.
Dan Salt continued: “We’re seeing this tension develop now, with some company stakeholders pushing for companies to move faster, whilst others are calling for a stronger focus on immediate returns. CEOs will need to address this friction and increase stakeholder engagement around ESG topics, constantly updating their narrative to ensure that they can fully articulate the benefits of their strategy and respond to any concerns quickly.”
Reshaping to protect and grow
UK CEOs identified the pandemic as a significant catalyst for corporate transformation – over 90% of UK respondents said that COVID-19 had affected their sector and over a third expected this change to be fundamental.
However, alongside this imperative for change, CEOs are also handling many other strategic challenges, including energy prices, supply chain disruption, and material and labour costs and shortages which became major problems for companies in a matter of months in 2021. Almost every UK CEO in the survey reported an increase in costs and the need to adjust their supply chain in response to disruption and geopolitical challenges. As a result, over 88% of companies are altering their supply chains or geographical profile – with over a third of UK CEOs accelerating cross-border investment.
The survey also indicated that over 50% of UK CEOs will be directing capital investment towards their organisation’s growth engines or entirely new ideas in the next five years, demonstrating willingness to make bold moves in the face of change and to look towards a longer horizon. Digital transformation also remains a key priority with over 50% of UK CEOs using technology as their main strategic driver to improve margins, either through automation or technologies that increase customer engagement to develop new data-driven products and services.
Dan Salt added: “CEOs are taking action to mitigate against short-term pressures, whilst also acting to reshape their businesses, build resilience, and create a more stable platform for growth. The last two years have been a period of intense change. Businesses need to review the profile of their business and its wider ecosystem to position themselves successfully for the future.”
