Employees Assistance Programs: the failed experiment

Is there a better way to tackle the mental health crisis in the workplace? asks Jamie Humphrey, CEO & co-founder of ReechUs Wellbeing Before writing this article, I asked 10 close friends, all with over a decade of corporate experience,...

Sleep in short supply in Suffolk

Less than a fifth of full-time workers in Suffolk are getting enough sleep, research from a local mental health charity has revealed. Just 16.9% of 7,317 full-time workers surveyed in the county said they are getting a healthy amount of...

Fact: An engaged workforce boosts business success

There is a clear quantifiable relationship between employee engagement and successful business metrics, according to a new study. The study “Employee Engagement: An Economic Value Study” conducted research with over 300 ​​organisations across the UK, the EU, the US and Australia,...

Free training for night-time economy staff

Free online Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training is available to venues, security staff and taxi operators in Ipswich. T he training, backed by Ipswich Borough Council, is supported through Safer Streets 4 funding from the Home Office. The initiative follows a...

93% of East of England SMEs have ‘concerning’ skills gaps in project management

More than nine in ten small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the East of England are identified as having “concerning” skills shortages in project management, putting at risk the delivery of future projects in the region. More than nine in ten small-to-medium...

Companies asked to take part in skilled volunteering schemes

Skills-based volunteering has the potential to revolutionise corporate social responsibility and provide significant advantages to businesses, employees, and charities, says a new report from Lloyds Bank Foundation. The independent foundation has been fostering links between volunteers from its funder Lloyds...

Suffolk Mind launches online training hub for business

A new e-learning platform has been officially launched by Suffolk Mind to help make mental health training more accessible for businesses. The E-Toolkit was unveiled to guests at a special business breakfast at the Uniserve Group HQ in Felixstowe this...

Are you interested in learning new skills, boosting profits and improving business performance, resilience and long-term growth?

Make plans now for 2024 and beyond. Kickstart your personal and business development by joining the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Help to Grow: Management course with Norwich Business School. Led by UEA academics, the course equips your business...

Business leaders face peak ‘emotional overdraft’ this month

Resilience drops to its lowest level on ‘Red Friday’, says leadership coach and author Andy Brown. Business owners and leaders face their toughest month in January with a maxed- out “emotional overdraft”. On top of the post-Christmas financial strain we...

AI and the importance of humanness in hiring

AI is advancing rapidly, automating tasks and freeing workers from administrative burdens in recruitment. But it is also essential to recognise that certain aspects of the profession require human intervention, says Caroline Gleeson, CEO at Occupop. As AI grows, more...

Skills gap ‘getting worse or not improving’

52% of project managers in East of England think the skills gap is either getting worse or staying the same in their sector. These are the findings of a recent poll by the Association for Project Management (APM), involving over...

Suffolk charity announces return of business summit on men’s mental health

MANUP? has organised 'ROI on mental health' for local employers this summer. The event, for Suffolk business leaders, is being held on Friday 7 June 2024 between 2pm to 5pm, at King’s Street Cinema in Ipswich Corn Exchange. Hosted by BBC...

Apprenticeships Norfolk hits £1m milestone in levy transfer success

An apprentice butcher has described an innovative levy transfer scheme in Norfolk as a ‘life changer’. Harvey Boyer was unemployed and struggling with his mental health before Apprenticeships Norfolk scheme helped him into training and work at Hethersett Butchers near...

Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability & Environmental Management now available

Local environment charities PECT and Change Agents UK have teamed up to deliver a new sustainability programme, Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability & Environmental Management, designed to help individuals find rewarding jobs in the emerging green economy.   The course also assists...

Starting a business in 2024 on a shoestring budget

The cost-of-living crisis has made it harder than ever for startups to get a foothold. Business expert Venture Smarter offers some tips on making your dream company work. Thinking about starting the new year with a new business? Well, with...

Networking leads to creative partnership

Cambridge-based digital marketing agency, Sookio, and Bedfordshire video production agency, Clearhead, have formed a strategic partnership to support their clients with digital content strategy and campaigns. The partnership will allow the firms to offer an enhanced service to their clients...

Psychological safety: the secret ingredient of high-performing teams

Business owners who build and lead high-performing teams are rewarded with greater productivity, higher customer satisfaction and improved staff engagement. So, what behaviours promote team performance, and how can they be encouraged? Martin Oakley, of The Alternative Board (TAB)...

City training expanded with skills courses

A range of short courses is now on offer at a new training centre in Norwich. Work-based learning provider JTL Group has partnered with sister company Develop Training, experts in compliance, technical and safety, to run the courses. The Norwich facility...

Are you interested in learning new skills, boosting profits and improving business performance, resilience and long-term growth?

Make plans now for 2024 and beyond. Kickstart your personal and business development by joining the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Help to Grow: Management course with Norwich Business School. Led by UEA academics, the course equips your business...

Five ways to motivate remote workers (top tip: time-tracking software ISN’T the answer!)

Home working is now part of our jobs culture. In fact, 16% of UK employees reported solely working from home between September 2020 and January 2023. However, many misconceptions remain, including concerns that employees are less productive outside the office. However,...

Innovate to Elevate: funds offered for local business innovation

Four Babergh and Mid Suffolk businesses were the first to receive an innovation boost through a unique Innovate to Elevate accelerator programme led by the University of Essex in partnership with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils. Digital services agency...

Employers shouldn’t forget about professional development in a hybrid world

How do you help your team thrive in today’s virtual workspace? Stephanie Wallis, Head of Sales at Jarrold Training, investigates. The world has changed a lot since 2020. Annual sales of loungewear (otherwise known as jogging bottoms) have increased by 80%;...

Suffolk creative industries encouraged to go for growth

Ambitious Suffolk-based creative industry companies are urged to sign up to a new free-of-charge investment readiness programme organised by Creative East. The Creative East programme was launched at the beginning of the year to help develop high-growth potential in the...

People first for law firm

Regional law firm Howes Percival has achieved Investors in People accreditation for another three years. The prestigious global benchmark for people management was originally founded in 1991 as a government project to make work better. Investors in People assesses how...

Adrian Flux lands two gongs as best UK employer

A Norfolk insurance broker enjoying its 50th birthday has even more cause for celebration after being named one of the best companies to work for in the UK. Adrian Flux picked up the Best Flexible Working Policy and Best Culture...

Create Growth Programme boost for region’s creative industries

A new investment programme worth £1.275 million has been launched to boost growth in the creative industries across the East. Creative East: Create Growth Programme is an investment readiness and business support programme fully funded by the Department for Digital,...

East Anglia needs overseas workers to fight the skills shortage

Daliah Sklar, of DRSI, believes the time is right to break down the ‘bureaucracy of borders’. It’s well-known there is a national skills shortage, and East Anglia is no different. Vacancies are at record levels and the region is struggling...

Builder launches staff training scheme

East Anglia housebuilder Hopkins Homes has opened a new Academy to optimise staff training. S hane Vineyard, Head of Quality Assurance & Training, explains, "The Hopkins Homes Academy works closely with our Human Resource programmes to promote and support a dynamic...

What does a real leader look like?

A new podcast series revealing the truth behind successful leadership has been launched by Cambridge consultancy Rise Above. Founder Sean Moore finds out what it really takes to be a leader in ‘Leading Conversations’, beginning with a discussion with Simon...

Why the value of apprenticeships should not be overlooked

The war on talent has never been more pronounced, with access to labour one of the biggest concerns for businesses in the region over the next 12 months. Set against a backdrop of labour shortages and a widening skills gap,...