< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY O ften when we think of corporate hospitality our minds drift to those events organised for clients, to thank them, build and strengthen relationships with them. Though these occasions are certainly important for businesses and their success, just as vital are corporate hospitality events for employees, who can frequently be left feeling underappreciated. It is critical to take care of employees, to ensure they enjoy where they work, maintain a positive relationship with them, and corporate hospitality is one way to do this. After all, a happy workforce usually means happy customers. While providing events and entertainment for staff can simply seem like an extra expense, they present a wealth of opportunities and benefits - especially when done right - and are only more important now where increased remote working can see significant disconnect, isolation arise and employee engagement lost. Such benefits include the chance to improve a company’s culture, its internal image and morale through recognising, thanking and rewarding employees for their hard work and contribution to the business’s success, and bringing them together to make them feel a part of a team, whether that be via a party, awards ceremony, or other event. Employee-focused events are prime for team building; fun, social occasions that connect employees and departments who might not have much chance to interact and get to know each other in the workplace or because they work remotely. These events allow them to enjoy themselves and win tasks together. They also offer an opportunity to collaborate with new people, perhaps with fresh ideas and skillsets. The bonds formed translate back to the office, strengthening communication, building cohesive relationships, trust and respect, helping people work with one another more efficiently. By doing these events in an informal environment too, barriers can be broken down and leaders and employees can connect, bridging a gap that often exists in the workplace. Activities like escape rooms are a good option, in which employees will solve puzzles and riddles together, engaging them, enhancing cooperation as well as strategic thinking. Team building events can also help identify potential leaders, showing staff If you are not organising corporate hospitality events for employees, you are missing out on numerous benefits - from improving communication to building loyalty. Celebrating 52 Á 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:39 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link CORPORATE HOSPITALITY © stock.adobe.com/Tyler Olson 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:39 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY the interpersonal qualities of staff. Events for employees also provide time to free staff from workplaces and virtual fatigue, to promote wellbeing - something only increasing in importance in today’s world. An event centred on wellness, encouraging staff to focus on their mental health, offering a boost of physical exercise, unique activities, and time for team building will be highly appreciated - plus the better a business’s workplace wellbeing, the less employee absences. Events could range from yoga to sessions on mindful meditation and stress management, to more casual fun activities that will invigorate employees and give them a moment to relax. In addition, just as corporate hospitality is a sound way to build loyalty amongst clients, the same can be said for staff. At a time when employee retention has become more vital than ever, and people are less likely to stay with a company for years, it is essential to show a business is a good place to work that values its staff, and keep connections strong to keep the best team. Inviting staff to corporate events makes them feel more involved and appreciated and positively influences employer-employee relationships. A company known for its well-planned internal events can also be a draw for new candidates. Furthermore, organising corporate hospitality events outside of the workplace, even the most forward thinking and impeccably designed ones, is a great way to encourage creativity, and establish an atmosphere for new ideas and inspiration. Travelling to a new location presents a chance to stimulate the mind and help people think outside of the box. However, remember to choose a location that suits all team members. In choosing what sort of event to plan for employees, it is important to consider your goals, what you expect to achieve as a result of the event. Are you simply looking to offer some respite after a tough year, boost morale, reward staff, celebrate a milestone, or organise fun team building that doesn’t lead to the classic eye roll from hesitant participants? From parties to game nights to awards ceremonies, charity events, barbecues, outdoor adventures, treasure hunts, and inflatable courses, there are a wide variety of events to throw for employees and activities to choose from. Whatever you select it should reflect your objectives, brand, and be delivered in an engaging way that doesn’t end up being forced fun. One might be concerned over cost, and indeed company events are often the first thing cut when looking to save money, but by setting a budget success can be secured. Events can be as intimate or magnificent as you desire. © stock.adobe.com/stockphotokae 50-52.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:39 Page 3FEATURES Corporate Finance Relocation & Inward Investment Online Training Energy & Environmental Management Security REGULARS Commercial Property Motoring Corporate Hospitality and Events Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in May 2022 - Deadline 20th April 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 inbox 53.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:40 Page 1OUT OF OFFICE Metal recycler offers employability support to young adults with learning disabilities Local metal recycler EMR Lincoln, based on Beevor Street, has partnered with Linkage, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities. Based in Lincolnshire, the charity offers high quality specialist education, care, employment and support services to people with learning disabilities. Their aim is to help the young people they support reach their full potential and do this by offering a number of services. From adult and employability skills, to sensory outreach and a children and families service, they have programmes to help young people as they grow and develop. Through a donation offered by EMR Lincoln, Linkage will offer employability support sessions to young people between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. This programme helps individuals with CV writing as well as offering interview support skills. Craig Wood, business development manager at EMR Lincoln, said: “Young people with learning disabilities are often excluded from the workforce due to a lack of support along the recruitment process. This is where Linkage play a vital role, supporting young people in the transition into independent living.” Introduction of new Community Foundation injects over £23,000 into local charities Hinckley & Rugby Building Society has launched a new Community Foundation, giving local charities the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £5,000. Working in partnership with the Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation, the Society’s new fund has been launched as a result of a successful financial year in 2021, presenting the Society with a greater opportunity than ever before to invest its profits back into the community. Hinckley & Rugby Building Society’s Chief Executive, Colin Fyfe, said: “We’re very pleased to be introducing our Community Foundation because it enables us to provide an unprecedented level of support to charities in the local communities in which the business sits.” The charities which have been successful in receiving funding this year are: Leicestershire-based Feed the Need Coalville, Helping Hands Community Trust and Hospice Hope, and Warwickshire-based charities Nuneaton Men and Women in Sheds, Volunteer Friends and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. The total amount received by the charities is £23,450. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk North West Leicestershire District Council secures Investors in People silver Investors in People (IIP) has awarded North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) with the We invest in people, silver accreditation. Silver is a fantastic achievement and something only 15% of the organisations IIP assess achieve. It means that the right principles are in place but more than that, it means people and leaders are making active efforts to make sure that there’s real consistency and everyone in the organisation is feeling the effects! NWLDC was first accredited with Investors in People status in 2019. Since then it has focussed on improving communication with staff, increasing learning and development opportunities and providing advice and opportunity around positive health and wellbeing. The council has moved into hybrid working, with the majority of non-front line staff able to work flexibly, whilst maintaining customer standards and achieving its priorities – all against the backdrop of the C`OVID19 pandemic. 54-55.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:41 Page 1 Hundreds take part in workplace active travel challenge Workplaces in Leicester & Leicestershire have been competing to see who can get the most staff to leave their cars at home – with a total of 82 employers and 550 participants taking up the challenge. The Let’s Go – Betterpoints Workplace Challenge has invited anyone who travels to work to walk, run, wheel, ride or use public transport to help their team climb the leaderboard. So far, the 550 participants have together clocked up more than 52,000 miles and almost 33,000 trips, with walking, cycling and taking the bus proving the most popular ways to get around without a car. It’s estimated that these active and sustainable journeys could have saved up to 11.8 tonnes of CO2 emissions and burned an estimated 3.7 million calories. Workers taking part in the challenge have the chance to get rewarded for their efforts, with participants going into a prize draw to win prizes including an electric bike from Rutland Cycling, a FitBit, and £400 worth of outdoor gear. OUT OF OFFICE www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Comic Relief Jail Break at Hinckley & Rugby Building Society doubles expected fundraising target Hinckley & Rugby Building Society staff have raised an impressive £2,868 for Comic Relief by taking part in various activities in aid of the charity, including a ‘Jail Break’ challenge for the Society’s Chief Executive. Chief Executive, Colin Fyfe, took part in a virtual Jail Break challenge which involved him being ‘locked up’ for 24 hours and a bail placed on his release. The bail for the challenge had to be raised after Colin quickly reached the initial fundraising target. The challenge ultimately contributed well over £2,000 towards the final total, more than double the original target. Colin said: “The Comic Relief fundraiser is something that we at Hinckley & Rugby look forward to each year. Once again, Society staff have shown their enthusiasm for the charity and showed their support by getting involved, organising and participating in various activities. We’re delighted with the total amount raised and are sure it will be a huge help to the many projects Comic Relief supports.” Plans to drive Newark town centre vibrancy to be submitted to government Plans to drive town centre regeneration and create an improved identity for Newark through an enhanced programme of events, activities and improvements to the public realm have been approved to be submitted to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Newark and Sherwood District Council’s Policy and Finance Committee approved the submission of the outline business case for the ‘Cultural Heart of Newark’ project, one of nine priority projects as part of Newark’s Towns Fund Deal, in advance of the drawdown of funds and developing a full business case. In total, an allocation of £500,000 will be secured for 2022/23. The next steps in the project, subject to the drawdown of funds, include establishing a Cultural Heart of Newark Project Delivery Board, led by Newark Town Council, expanding the current programme of town centre events and the recruitment of two new positions: Towns Centre Events Officer and Programme Development Officer. The Delivery Board will have a primary task of developing the Full Business Case during 2022. © stock.adobe.com/ALEXSTUDIO © stock.adobe.com/ ramonespelt 54-55.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:41 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk poorly supported by infrastructure. Adopt too late and you will miss first-mover advantage and lose out to your competition. This workshop will provide methods necessary for you to evaluate the best time to adopt technologies and risk mitigation strategies to ensure a sustainable transition. You will be guided through the generation of a technology adoption planning activity that will ensure that you have a viable plan for appropriate technology selection and roll-out within your enterprise. For more information visit https://www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/ developing-a-digital-adoption-strategy-1/ Creating Your Best Supply Chain in Challenging Times Wednesday 27 April Online Right now, supply chains are particularly volatile for most businesses as a result of ongoing uncertainty in national and global markets. This session will help you get a thorough understanding of your current supply chain and identify where you can take action to improve its performance and deliver sustainable financial results for your business. For more information visit https://bizgateway.org.uk/events/creating- your-best-supply-chain-in-challenging- times/ Enterprising Women Networking Social Wednesday 27 April Everards Meadows, Leicestershire Join the Enterprising Women co-chairs Jean Mountain and Eileen Richards MBE Zero Carbon - Zero Waste: The Journey to Circularity Friday 8 April University of Derby, Derby At this workshop, you will identify what Circular Economy means for business, your level of circularity and how SMEs are benefiting from it. This will be a practical and interactive workshop. For more information visit https://www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events /zero-carbon-zero-waste-the-journey-to- circularity/ Rum and Spice, Get Crucial Exporting Advice! Monday 25 April Online Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre (LORIC) and Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce join forces to talk about the support that they can give businesses considering importing and exporting. With a focus on the Caribbean, there will be case studies, practical expert advice from international trade advisers, and a short talk. For more information visit https://www.lincs- chamber.co.uk/events/exporting- caribbean/ Developing a Digital Adoption Strategy Tuesday 26 April Online Adopting new technology is fraught with risk. Adopt too soon and you may struggle with an immature technology, events DL for this relaxed networking event in the 70-acre setting of Everards Meadows. Discover how Everards brew their beers and enjoy a look behind the scenes. Once you’ve seen the whole brewing process, there will be some sampling at the end of the tour. For more information visit https://www.emc- dnl.co.uk/connecting-you/networking- and-social-events/enterprising-women- events/?VariantID=5161 Recruiting in a Competitive Climate Thursday 28 April King Power Stadium, Leicester This morning of employment law and HR training will consider how to attract and retain top talent in the current competitive employment market. Breakfast pastries and snacks will be provided, and there will be opportunities for networking. For more information visit https://www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/business-focused-workshops/hr- forum6/hr-forum7/?VariantID=5177 © stock.adobe.com/ Yuttana Studio 56-57.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:42 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Supporting Accessibility for Deaf People in the Workplace Tuesday 3 May East Midlands Chamber, Chesterfield This event is held in partnership with the National Deaf Children’s Society to support their campaign to get deaf young people into work – and into jobs that inspire them. The event is a training session designed for employers and aims to deliver on the following learning objectives: identify obligations to deaf people as an employer; name the support available to deaf people in employment; describe what cost effective reasonable adjustments can be made; name practical The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo Wednesday 27 April The Bentley Hotel, Lincoln With everything you require for a great day of networking and business generation, attend The Property & Business Investment Lincolnshire Expo to establish new contacts. 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 open at 9am. As the exhibition closes it will roll directly into an informal network lunch – tickets are just £25 plus vat and can be ordered and paid for directly online. For more information visit https://businessshowsgroup.co.uk/lincoln/ Introduction to Sustainability in Construction Tuesday 26 April NTU City Campus, Nottingham This course is for anyone in the construction sector interested in policies, regulations, and assessment strategies and the impact they are having on construction technology, the efficient use of resources, and the promotion of health and wellbeing. The course addresses themes including sustainable development, the effect of climate change on buildings and people, water, sewage management, and sustainable drainage, the circular economy, and managing energy demand, renewal energy, and energy storage. You’ll also learn about systemic strategies for reducing the environmental impacts of buildings. For more information visit https://www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/events/introduction- to-sustainability-in-construction/ steps employers can take to support deaf people in their employment setting; use a range of tactics for communicating with deaf people; describe basic deaf culture; explain what you can do if communication breaks down. For more information visit https://www.emc-dnl.co.uk/connecting- you/business-focused-workshops/hr- forum6/hr-forum7/?VariantID=5164 56-57.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:42 Page 2Here’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 58 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Overgrown office After over two years living with the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees are finally heading back into the office. However, for some, this return has been met with a few surprises. In one such instance an employee was shocked to discover her simple desk plant had grown exponentially, curving up almost to the ceiling! Taking to Reddit to get advice on what to do with the huge dieffenbachia, alongside practical suggestions, one responder offered an option Frazer can fully get behind, saying: “Leave him absolutely as is, maybe you fashion him an arm out of pipe cleaners so he can properly lounge against the divider. You get him a name badge. This plant is your co-worker now.” More unwelcome surprises have included long expired and rotten food, such as one worker’s apple that looked more like a pinecone leaking with fluid, a colony of ants, and a beehive with gallons of honey. Ludicrous business expenses From travel between meetings to food and drink with clients, businesses will pay for employee work expenses. However a competition has revealed some seriously scandalous expense requests submitted over the years. TravelPerk heard of how one person purchased a new loaded Chevrolet Corvette and put this down as a company expense. Meanwhile a boss got away with booking luxury flights, pretending he was going to client meetings, despite not having a single meeting booked in. Taking back-to-back first-class flights for two weeks, costing over £8,000, they expensed it all to the company. Furthermore, an employee working on an important client pitch, wanting to make a good first impression, booked in some dental work and a teeth whitening appointment worth £1,200 and was able to get away with expensing the cost. On the other side of the coin, an employee spent £3,000 on gambling in Las Vegas with a client, but after asking if he could write it off as a business expense, was given a firm no. adobe.stock.com/ Светлана Соколова Happy April Fools’ Day The start of April means April Fools’ Day, a time when brands flock to social media to launch their latest product innovations, which are, of course, totally, completely, legitimate. Aldi has launched its low-cost airline, AldiAir, this year, while Walkers is creating a giant bread-sized crisp designed for use in sandwiches, Wall’s Pastry has launched sausage roll cereal, smoothies, and scotch egg custard, and a soundproof cabinet for crying at work has been unveiled by Furniture@Work. Dyson meanwhile had to confirm that its recently announced wearable air purifier with noise-cancelling headphones built in was (despite being strange and compared to the masks worn by Hannibal Lecter and Bane) not in fact a joke. adobe.stock.com/StockPhotoAstur adobe.stock.com/ janews094 58.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:42 Page 1LINCOLN PROPERTY & BUSINESS INVESTMENT EXPO Well targeted, professional events aimed at the Construction, Property, Business, Investment, Finance, Professional Services and related B2B markets. The events have everything you require for a great day of networking and business generation. Face2face route2market – the opportunity to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road. For further Information contact tina@businessshowsgroup.co.uk Register now businessshowsgroup.co.uk 27th April 2022 The Bentley Hotel Newark Road South Hykeham Lincoln LN6 9NH Exhibition & Network - Property & Construction related industries - FREE TO ATTEND 59.qxp_Layout 1 05/04/2022 11:44 Page 1Next >