< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MEET THE EXPERTS E xpertise is something that is difficult to quantify. Do we call someone an expert for the length of time they have worked in an industry, or for the success stories they have from it? Or better yet, is an expert little more than an individual with a collection of qualifications and letters after their name? The answer is never quite simple. In a sense, an expert could be said to be a combination of all three, but at the same time every single person is – or ought to be – an expert in their own craft. Someone who runs a packaging company is bound to be an expert in packaging, the same for food manufacturing or recruitment agencies. The challenge is in finding someone who is both an expert in their chosen field and who can also become an expert in yours as well. There are many people who are experts in a given craft – be it machinery, hygiene, training, or factory optimisation – but for the best service possible to be achieved, they need also to be an expert in your company. This is where so many people find issue with experts; they hire someone who prescribes themselves expert, and they may well be, but find the advice given to be either incompatible with their company or not tailored to it. That’s to be expected of course, as an expert demand Expertise on Finding the right expert can be difficult, but the key is looking for someone who can understand your business almost as well as you can, and who can apply that knowledge to their field of expertise. © stock.adobe.com/Seventyfourwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link MEET THE EXPERTS hired from outside the company isn’t going to know your firm as well as you do, but that doesn’t change the fact that they must be used. Speaking to an expert in person and having them show their expertise is one of the only true and proper ways to get a handle on how good an expert is. The best will listen as much as they talk, because while they are undoubtedly more informed than you on matters of their chosen craft, they will understand that you are more informed than they on matters of your own business. Finding the right solution to any problem will be a matter of combining their expertise with the limitations, opportunities and various other factors surrounding any given business, and what will work for one client certainly won’t be a catch-all solution for any other. An expert that does not ask questions and take the time to get to know you, your problems and your business, may still be an expert, but they are perhaps not the right expert for you. It can be tempting, with all that in mind, to stick with who you have and what you know. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t. However, with the economy in such a difficult position and companies vying to stand out both to prospective staff as well as customers, doing things as they’ve always been done could well be a disastrous move. Dependence on one supplier can quickly threaten production when this supplier is unable to operate, as has been seen over the past few years with all the disruption around the world. Making the decision to seek out someone new can be seen as risky, but it’s also an opportunity to quantify how valuable an existing supplier has been to you. As everyone knows, loyalty often doesn’t pay, and shopping around for car insurance is necessary to get a good deal. It is very much the same when it comes to expert advice. Company Profile: First aid training from experts active in their field. This is LIVES Education. Our training is unmatched in quality and enhanced with real-world context and genuine care for our community. Our educators are motivated by making Lincolnshire a safer place to live and providing you with the knowledge to potentially save a life. Product Profile: When minutes matter it pays to know how to respond to a medical emergency swiftly and effectively. At LIVES Education we train you to do exactly that. Whether that be how to deliver effective CPR or how to deal with someone choking – you will leave a LIVES First Aid course feeling confident and ready to put your skills into action. Our Emergency First Aid at Work course only takes a day to complete and is fully accredited. We always find it hard to put a price on potentially saving a life – because life is truly priceless. Website: training.lives.org.uk Email: training@lives.org.uk Tel: 01507 525 999 FIRST AID TRAINING Company Profile: Since 1983, Frontier Software has been in the business of providing secure, reliable, compliant, and user- friendly Payroll/HR software and outsourced payroll services. With a wide range of fully integrated software modules, experienced staff, and offices in your region, we can deliver the right Payroll and/or HR solution for your organisation. Product Profile: Frontier Software offers a cloud based, modular solution to streamline and support Payroll and HR processes. Proven software delivers an integrated, functionally rich, and configurable approach to managing the entire employee lifecycle. In addition, outsourced payroll services deliver all the accessibility, flexibility, and control of running payroll in-house, without the headache of maintaining infrastructure and allocating resources. Frontier Software solutions ensure your employees are paid on time and in line with legislation, whilst saving you time and money. With 24/7 access to real time data and a choice of deployment methods, rest assured there’s a solution for your specific requirements. www.frontiersoftware.com 01276 456902 | sales@frontiersoftware.com HR AND PAYROLL SOFTWARE/SERVICES © stock.adobe.com/ntinai East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MEET THE EXPERTS What are the biggest divorce worries you hear from your clients that own a business? Most of my clients say, “I have spent years building up my business and I don’t want it all destroyed by this divorce.” When all is going well, there is no problem. One spouse (or civil partner) will set to work developing a business. Sometimes their other half works in that business. The idea is to provide for a growing family, provide the better things in life, and even provide for retirement. But sometimes the couple realise they want different things out of life. The partner for whom the business was their project might think, “I don’t want to throw away everything I have sweated What is “disclosure”? Part of disclosure is valuing all your assets. We all know that a surveyor can do a valuation report, to tell you what your house is worth. Businesses can be valued too. Accountants, sales agents and commercial surveyors can all be called on to do a (joint) expert’s report. You and your “ex” would instruct those experts jointly. You won’t have an expert each, arguing that they are right until you are all blue in the face. People that settle before full disclosure has been considered, can live to regret it when they later find out that they could have done better. Is being argumentative in The Family Court a good strategy? There is a legal duty to negotiate. So why not collaborate from the very start? Why not engage a Collaborative Lawyer and ask your spouse to do that too? It is amazing how much progress two lawyers and two clients can make, around the same table, over a series of relatively civil / business-like meetings. Will my spouse automatically get half of my business? The Family Court is extremely flexible. So if your ex thinks they will get half of the business, they are mistaken. In long relationships The Family Court will often ask “why shouldn’t we decide the family’s assets equally?” However; it would be rare if the business was the only family asset, as there are likely to also be pensions, cars and the family home. And the total value of all the assets can be divided differently across these assets. It's important to know that a judge can Q&A If you own a business & are divorcing, read on… by: David Winnett, Partner & Collaborative Family Lawyer, Hopkins Solicitors David Winnett, Partner & Collaborative Family Lawyer, Hopkins Solicitors over, for all these years.” But their spouse might think “I am vulnerable. My earning capacity is limited. I need to get enough out of this family business, to make me and the children comfortable.” Is there a way to make it look like I don’t own any of the business? Don’t be evasive and try to hide things. If during the disclosure process your spouse thinks that you are hiding things, increased legal action may follow. Courts can set aside, transfers of assets designed to make it look like you own nothing. Let us be clear – more legal action means more costs, more stress, and more time without your energy focused on the business. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link MEET THE EXPERTS still depart from a 50/50 split. The judge can say “party A has greater needs, poorer health, more parenting duties and a lower earning capacity than party B, so party A should have more of the capital.” And it’s not uncommon for spouses to have signed up to a “nuptial agreement” at or after the time of their marriage. So a divorce judge could say “I am going to, more or less, keep to the terms of the nuptial agreement and not vary the outcome too much.” What happens with my future business profits? You may be relieved to know they What is the best tip you can give business owners about to go through a divorce? In the business world, you are probably very good at making decisions analytically, based on the costs verses the benefits of a particular step. In your own divorce, emotions can creep in; people sometimes end up arguing, because they want to lash out. Don’t choose a lawyer who seems keen to help you lash out and be angry. Choose a lawyer who understands the importance of remaining “business like”, all through the heightened emotions that a divorce can bring you. WE’RE HERE TO help For more information on either collaborative law or divorce law, please contact David Winnett in our Nottingham office on 0115 9068 078 or email him directly at dwinnett@hopkins-solicitors.co.uk aren’t automatically shared. But these are some things that could happen: 1.They could affect how the capital overall is divided – e.g. if you are forecast to make great future profits your “ex” may get a greater share of capital. 2.If child maintenance is to be paid, that could be paid out of future profits. 3.If your current cash flow is poor, but your future is predicted to be bright, you could offer to give your “ex” a set percentage of the future profits, because you have less capital to share now. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk HEALTH AND SAFETY assets Irreplaceablewww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link HEALTH AND SAFETY B efore, health and safety for many was a concern of a legal nature, to avoid claims, but now it’s becoming increasingly important to keep staff working and healthy because it can be close to impossible to find new ones to replace them if anything goes wrong. Slips, trips, and falls commonly occur due to factors like wet surfaces, uneven floors, or obstructions in walkways. Manual handling and lifting activities can lead to musculoskeletal injuries if proper training and techniques are not provided. Accidents involving machinery and equipment can result from inadequate training, misuse, or equipment malfunctions, leading to severe injuries such as crushes or amputations. Falling objects pose a risk in environments where items are stored at heights or during construction work. Ergonomic factors, such as poorly designed workstations or repetitive tasks, can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. These are commonly identified within sedentary environments such as offices. Furthermore, these are silent but dangerous issues that can develop over time, costing more in time off work and medical costs than most other workplace disputes. Contrastingly, those in retail or healthcare are most at risk from workplace violence as staff are targeted by dissatisfied customers. For workshop or warehouse-based industries, the deadliness of the hazards increases. Electrical hazards, including mishandling of equipment or exposure to live circuits, can cause electrical shocks or burns. Fire and explosion risks arise from insufficient maintenance, flammable materials, or inadequate fire safety measures. Chemical hazards present dangers when workers are exposed to toxic substances without appropriate safety measures or protective equipment. Studies on all the above have identified a chronic lack of training and awareness of safety protocols as being a primary factor in workplace accidents. Furthermore, training awareness is Health and safety has become more than ticking a box, it is now a much-needed asset to preserve skilled staff in a recruitment environment that makes hiring new ones increasingly difficult. 46 Á East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk HEALTH AND SAFETY directly proportional to the severity of any accident that may occur. Employers should prioritize addressing these hazards through safety measures, training programs, and fostering a culture of awareness and adherence to safety protocols. Whilst this might seem like a long list of hazards, the good news is that the list remains consistent regardless of industry. This means that a broad approach can be taken to tackling safety concerns in the workplace. To prevent workplace accidents, it is essential to implement several measures. One crucial step is to establish a strong safety culture that prioritizes awareness and accountability among employees. This can be achieved by fostering open communication, encouraging the reporting of hazards or near-miss incidents, and recognizing and rewarding safe behaviours. An online form could be circulated to employees for the reporting of concerns. Online forms ensure that the information reaches the correct individuals, and the data could be anonymised to encourage honesty. Regular safety training is also vital to educate employees about workplace hazards, safety protocols, and proper equipment usage. Ongoing risk assessments should be conducted to identify potential dangers and take appropriate measures to mitigate them. Whilst generic risk assessments are useful for identifying common pitfalls, for industries which require the use of specialist equipment or professional skills, risk assessments must be tailored to consider these cases. Maintaining a clean and organized workspace, providing, and enforcing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and promoting ergonomic practices should be standard according to experts. Office-based businesses may consider open offices, rising desks, and hotdesking to encourage employees to keep moving, thus mitigating the risk of ergonomic injury. Furthermore, regular breaks (including eye breaks, where computer users look away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes) and task rotation should be encouraged to prevent tiredness and headaches, which can further contribute to accidents. Regular equipment maintenance and inspections are essential to minimize the risk of malfunctions. It is also crucial to develop and communicate emergency response plans, conduct drills, and provide first aid training to ensure preparedness. Lastly, promoting mental health and well-being through support systems and initiatives can help prevent accidents caused by distractions or emotional distress. By implementing these measures, workplaces can create a safer environment and protect the well- being of their employees. One must remember that ensuring workplace safety is a continuous www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link HEALTH AND SAFETY endeavour that demands consistent monitoring, assessment, and enhancement. It is important to regularly review and revise safety policies, actively engage employees in safety-related decision-making processes, and stay abreast of the latest industry standards and regulations. Regular assessment helps to identify the early stages of, and thus prevent, major hazards. Furthermore, considering any unique needs of particular employees helps create a safe environment for all. The provision of a safe and healthy workplace has been shown to boost employee morale and increase productivity. Businesses that operate on a remote basis should consider conducting remote safety training, wherein an assessor can review home workspaces. This will reduce the likelihood of accidents happening in the home and will provide employees with an opportunity to ask for additional resources, such as keyboard risers. At- home risk assessments could then be completed by employees. © stock.adobe.com/LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk CORPORATE HOSPITALITY AI promises to change a lot of things, but the very fact it wants to replace face-to-face meetings may, in fact, cause more of them to happen. F ace to face could be seeing something of a resurgence as a result of AI, which seems ironic at first glance. How can a technology that promises to make us have to do things less result in an increase in people wanting to meet to do business? The answer, as always, comes from the unscrupulous and downright criminal elements, who are always some of the first to pick up on a way to make easy money by scamming people. AI has been used to target the elderly, the less educated, and more recently even politicians and business leaders. As the technology becomes more advanced, driven by investors who are engaging in an arms race with no concern for how the weapon will be used, criminals are getting access to more realistic AI voices and more realistic AI faces. In a time when we’ve gotten used to doing a lot of business online, people may soon be wondering if the person they’re talking to is real at all. This could see a return to more face-to- face meetings as a result, driven by a need to verify the integrity of a person you’re planning to do business with, and to make sure there’s a human asset on the other end of a suspiciously good telephone or zoom call. It’s unlikely, then, that the humble business conference or networking event will go the way of the dinosaurs, as there always needs to be someone a decision maker can talk to and trust as real. In fact, as more and more companies embrace AI, taking a more proactive approach to meeting in person The conferencing revolution The conferencing revolution www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link CORPORATE HOSPITALITY could well become a competitive advantage. It goes without saying that as dependency on AI increases, skills will drop in those areas. It’s also become a very noticed and maligned thing that a lot of younger people entering the workforce struggle when it comes to social skills, be it from having to spend a long part of their developmental process indoors due to COVID, a reliance on social media, or a combination of that and many other things. So, if new recruits are lacking in social skills and never see the need to improve in it because AI fills the gap, then who can be trusted to attend events? This is a torch that may need to be passed on and taught, despite how it shouldn’t be the responsibility of business to teach young people how to act at such events. Instead of seeing the need as a burden, businesses who embrace it as an opportunity to turn malleable employees into social powerhouses could reap rewards when others fail to do so, relying on AI and email correspondence to secure business. While the days of walking into a random business, offering a firm handshake and securing a deal may be long gone, networking meetings, expos and exhibitions remain popular, so purpose-training staff to stand at those and engage with customers could reap unexpected dividends. That’s not to say AI should be demonised or avoided. While the old adage of “its not the gun but the user” may sound quaint, the laws on how AI will be used are young and inexperienced and will almost certainly change in the coming years. How AI is used, how it’s allowed to be used, and perhaps there will even be laws against allowing AI to make outbound calls, be it via telephone or over the internet. We just don’t know yet how the laws will change, and the fact this is an election year is unlikely to give us clarity anytime soon. Either way, AI is here and it is here to stay, so failing to take advantage of it would be reckless. However, placing all your eggs in one basket and giving up on corporate hospitality in favour of AI, when that might become illegal in a year or two’s time, would be even more reckless. © stock.adobe.com/DavidNext >