< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY improving your own workplace to give staff a breakroom they’ll enjoy spending time in. How expensive, really, is a decent sofa, some music and some drinks? How expensive compared to the cost of advertising a vacancy in a newspaper or online, collecting CVs, going through them, calling interviewees, arranging interviews, finding the right candidate, training them up. The list continues. The costs of all of that can reach into the thousands, and even more if it’s a constant problem or an upper management position. Giving staff a relaxing place to let loose in the office and chat during their lunch hour (or even giving them an additional 30 minute break during the day) is far cheaper. It will also factor into their heads when they consider new offers or think about their work, and it becomes an expectation. Staff will look and expect this in other jobs, and shy away from offers that don’t include it. If your office has every member of staff sitting down at their desk to eat for instance, ask yourself how happy they really are. A simple place to eat communally and chat could immediately perk up moods, and costs nothing more than a table and some chairs. This can also work to improve teamwork by encouraging staff to spend time together rather than to leave and go do their shopping or other jobs. The whole point of a break is to reduce stress after all, and a business owner really does need their staff to come back from their lunch break feeling less stressed. If staff go out to do household chores or the shopping, this won’t reduce stress, and they’ll come back to work cranky and distracted – making them worse performers at their job. If breaks don’t feel like breaks, but simply an hour-long period to do other work, then attention spans will be impacted. That’s why so many businesses now do more to try and get staff actively relaxing (like work gym, yoga or other classes). They understand that the point of a one-hour break in the middle of the working day is to give staff time to decompress so they can work hard in the second half of the day. The word “entitlement” is something of a dirty one in the media and among many business leaders, but why should it be if a savvy business leader can use it to their advantage? If employees feel entitled about something you give, and that others do not, then it only makes them more loyal to your company. This can only be a good thing, despite what people like Alan Sugar might claim. Businesses nowadays are having to adapt, and having to offer more, and people care more about the experience and their free time than they have before. In a way, people are less motivated by money specifically because house prices are too high and the cost of living is too expensive. When achieving your dreams with money feels impossible to many, it makes sense the focus will turn to trying to enjoy the present. Ignore it and call it entitled at your own risk – but staff have the power, and there are plenty of jobs out there. If they truly become disillusioned, they will leave. The balance of power has shifted, and it is not in the hands of employers. © stock.adobe.com/ JackFFEATURES Petrochemical Spotlight Freight, Storage & Movement Materials & Components Finance Legal Services REGULARS Commercial Property Motoring Corporate Hospitality Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in March 2024 - Deadline 21st February Visit us at www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inboxGreater Lincolnshire & Rutland Manufacturing Conference 2024 Friday 8 March The Lawn, Lincoln Join a day of insightful discussions and workshops tailored for manufacturing businesses in Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland at this manufacturing conference. Hosted in the picturesque setting of The Lawn area in Lincoln, the event promises a dynamic exploration of manufacturing trends and opportunities. For more information visit www.businesslincolnshire.com/events/event- details/?id=4419&navigatedFromSearch=true East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk digital marketing, yet probably the most powerful to make immediate improvements to the return on investment of any website. This workshop shows delegates a range of practical techniques and case studies demonstrating how to convert website visitors into sales or enquiries, so that you can turbo-charge your website into a business-generating machine! For more information visit www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/ convert-more-website-visitors-into-sales- leads-2/ Lincolnshire Construction and Property Network Tuesday 20 February Mosaic, Lincoln From sole traders to large housing associations, construction and property firms come together to talk business at the Lincolnshire Chamber’s Construction Network. Meet up to 60 construction- related businesses in one room. As the saying goes, ‘Time is Money’. Attending the Construction Network for two hours every month is one of the most productive ways that you can keep up to date with project news and new business and tendering opportunities amongst Payroll, HR and Employment Update 2024 Thursday 8 February Online Whether you have just one employee or a large workforce, you do payroll in house or use a payroll bureau, have a HR team or not, Streets Chartered Accountants’ annual update aims to keep you informed of the issues, regulations and changes affecting payroll management, HR and compliance. Streets will also look at the broader HR matters that may concern employers now and in the year ahead, along with the potential impact of changes to and the introduction of new employment legislation. For more information visit www.streetsweb.co.uk/about/events/payroll -hr-and-employment-update-2024/ Convert more Website Visitors into Sales & Leads Wednesday 14 February East Midlands Chamber, Chesterfield Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is one of the most under-utilised elements of events contractors and suppliers. For more information visit www.lincs- chamber.co.uk/events/lincolnshire- construction-and-property-network- february/ Managing and Improving your Energy Use Wednesday 21 February Online Are you a small-medium business owner in Lincolnshire or Rutland who © stock.adobe.com/peshkova © stock.adobe.com/ andovwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2024 Monday 5 - Friday 16 February Various locations The sixth annual Leicestershire Innovation Festival will take place at venues across the city and county from 5 to 16 February 2024. Last year’s festival was the biggest to date, attracting 1,200 registrations across the course of the festival fortnight. For more information visit https://bizgateway.org.uk/innovation/leicester shire-innovation-festival-2024/ Decarbonising Culture & Optimising Engagement Tuesday 27 February Online Most conversations around sustainability and Net Zero focus on decarbonisation of operational activities. But without the full engagement of your staff and wider stakeholders it is much harder to deliver your policies and create truly successful outcomes. This webinar will help you understand how to fully align your staff and suppliers, discussing: recognising your current culture; creating cultural change; rescripting pushbacks; the importance of alignment; managing climate anxiety and denial. For more information visit https://bizgateway.org.uk/events/decarbonising-culture-optimising- engagement/ © stock.adobe.com/TensorSpark wants to save money and reduce your environmental impact by managing your energy use more efficiently? If so, join this free one-hour webinar. In this webinar, you will learn: how to measure and track your energy performance; how to identify and prioritise energy-saving opportunities; how to conduct on-site energy audits. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and skills that can help you improve your bottom line and your green credentials. For more information visit www.businesslincolnshire.com/events/event- details/?id=4352&navigatedFromSearch=true Northamptonshire Business Bitesize: Sips, Bites and Business Insights Thursday 7 March The Roade House, Northampton Experience the perfect blend of networking and industry wisdom at this evening event, featuring bite sized insights and refreshments to fuel your business. The first in a series of events across the region for small business owners and self employed people to strengthen their networks, meet clients and suppliers, and hear essential updates and insights from key business support organisations. For more information visit www.semlepgrowthhub.com/ northamptonshire- business-bitesize-sips-bites-and-business-insights/ Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks. And finally The world of Frazer 54 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk New year, new tech The beginning of a new year always brings great excitement for Frazer. Not only is it a fresh start, but CES takes place every January — chocked full of weird and wonderful businesses and gadgets. Frazer has taken on the testing task of exploring the convention, so you don’t have to! Amongst the bizarre items this year was your new assistant, Samsung’s revitalised Ballie, a bowling ball-sized companion that can project movies and video calls onto walls, talk to smart appliances, keep an eye on pets and more. Meanwhile, to help you speed up your commute, Skwheels were on show, a pair of motorised ski shoes that race into the office at 50mph (what could go wrong?). Finally, Capsix Robotics’ AI masseuse was on display — a massage bed featuring a robotic arm to help you relax after a long day, just what Frazer needs! Humourbragging your way to a new job Now we are settling into a new year, many will be on the hunt for a new job, sending out myriad CVs and taking part in a plethora of interviews. But how does one stand out amongst other candidates? Well, new research that has come across Frazer’s desk may be able to help! According to Imperial College Business School, ’humourbragging’ could be the route to acing your application or interview. Allowing you to promote your achievements and strengths with humour or wit, without appearing arrogant, researchers tested the technique in multiple studies. In one, interest in an applicant was significantly raised with the use of humourbragging in the intro section of their resume, including the line: “I have a proven track record of turning caffeine input into productivity output. The more coffee you can provide, the more output I will produce.” While this is just one example, all studies saw consistent support for the positive consequences of humourbragging. © stock.adobe.com/ Amolyus© stock.adobe.com/ fizkes © stock.adobe.com/ ChayTee Office avoiders For many businesses it can be a struggle to get hybrid employees into the office, with the most obvious reasons behind this ranging from not wanting to waste time on the commute, to the cost of travel and poor standard of the workplace. But as one tries to tackle these issues, new research shows it’s time to look in the mirror! A new survey of 1,262 UK workers indicates that a significant number of employees are avoiding the workplace simply because their manager is there. Indeed 30% say they would head into their workplace more if their boss wasn’t present. So, investing in fancy, bright, plant-filled, flexible offices in easily accessible locations is all well and good, but if you are a boss who is disliked, it may well make no difference to hybrid staff popping in. The first port of call may instead be mending relationships.Armstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301.Nottingham, Mansfield, Sutton & Kirkby 0115 906 8963 enquiries@hopkins-solicitors.co.uk Legal Support for YOU and YOUR BUSINESS Running your business is time consuming When legal matters arise, finding answers to your questions can add stress to an already busy day. We take the time to understand your needs and your business goals, so we can give you quick strategic advice on how you can resolve your matter. > Employment & HR Support > Commercial Property > Disputes > Agreements & Contracts > Debt Collection > Succession Planning & Wills More than just Legal Experts, we’re problem solvers www.hopkins-solicitors.co.uk We can help Enquire Today HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Top rated commercial property law firm in NottinghamshireNext >