close
Get Started Today

Please fill out the form below and a member of our
team will be in touch with you soon.

    Tag: navigating the now and next

    A roundup of our Navigating the Now and Next event – Thursday 23 February

    Posted on by Katie Heaton

    The twenty-first in the series of PM+M’s ‘Navigating the Now and Next’ virtual panel events took place on Thursday 23 February, facilitating discussion between a panel of speakers on the current challenges faced by businesses and highlighting support, guidance, and best practice to navigate these going forward.

    Hosted by our very own Neil Welsh, with digital hosting managed by our friends at The Landmark in Burnley, we welcomed panellists:

    Dan Knowles (Digital & Ecosystem Builder)
    Katy Parkinson (Harrison Drury)
    Rae Brook (Community Foundation Lancashire)
    Marc Pugh (The Foodie Footballer)

    Following the opening introduction and welcome from Neil Welsh (PM+M), Dan Knowles (Digital & Ecosystem Builder) kicked off proceedings by discussing what an ecosystem was and how they are built. He explained digital ecosystems are about bringing people together who are working in tech to look at ways they can collaborate to drive innovation and promote growth.

    Dan went on to discuss Lancashire as a climate for a tech business to start, grow and flourish. He said he has found that since the pandemic there has been a levelling out of opportunities in tech but he is now seeing more spaces being created where start up businesses can meet with like-minded people, which is great. Dan highlighted some of the incredible support available across county and that there is access to huge amounts of knowledge.

    Focusing on the most important things needed to bring together a digital ecosystem, Dan stated having a community of tech people who have a real desire to collaborate and grow is absolutely key. He discussed that you also need spaces such as The Landmark and Society1 to be there and act as magnets for people to come together and share, he says this will drive the excitement forward in the region and encourage further growth.

    Katy Parkinson (Harrison Drury) was up next and discussed some of the main HR issues she is seeing at the moment. She has seen an increase in complaints around difficult behaviours from employees and how businesses can look to solve these issues, a continuing candidate driven market when it comes to recruitment and issues with retaining staff. Katy outlined that although there hasn’t been as many redundancies as they were maybe expecting, she thinks the planned increase in national minimum wage and other factors mean this could be something they are dealing with more over the coming months.

    Also touched on, was the ongoing issues around mental health and an increasing number of managers also struggling in this area. Katy explained that conversations are key, having conversations early and training leaders on how to deal with issues can go a long way.

    Next up, Rae Brook (Community Foundation Lancashire) outlined what Community Foundation Lancashire (CFL) is and the work they do. She explained they are part of a national network and in essence, are focused on local giving for local good and about building strong communities.

    Rae then shared the focus of CFL moving forward, explaining how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting many charities and small community groups, so they are focusing on looking at those groups that we cannot afford to lose and educating the funders who make the projects possible.

    Mental health was also mentioned by Rae and how they must work closely with the funders who support projects in this area to make sure those who need the help most are getting it. In terms of what is next for CFL, she explained it’s not always possible to predict, for example many would not have expected the challenges we have had over the last few years. However, one area of focus will be looking to educate funders to be more strategic about their charitable giving and the importance of this.

    Our final panellist, Marc Pugh (The Foodie Footballer) told the group about his background in professional football, his highs and lows, and how he came to be so interested in nutrition and the impact it can have on health.

    Marc discussed how nutrition is so relevant for the corporate world and not just in sport as it allows you to get the best out of teams and employees. Covering topics such as brain fog, sugar intake, processed foods, healthy fats and vegetarian diets, he explained the huge difference some of these things can make to a person’s health and performance both in and out of work.

    Marc finally touched on mental resilience and how he coped with his many footballing setbacks, he talked about how affirmations are important to him and how he finds it useful to put perspective on things to help with mental resilience. He emphasised that this can be particularly hard, especially with the younger generation and the use of social media.

    Neil brought the panel discussion to a close and thanked all for attending and The Landmark for hosting.

    If anyone would like to be introduced to members of the panel or audience, included in the invite for the next event or wish to speak to one of the PM+M team about our services, please get in touch with Neil Welsh via the button below.

    A ROUNDUP OF OUR ‘NAVIGATING THE NOW AND NEXT’ EVENT – THURSDAY 30 JUNE

    Posted on by Laura Boyd

    The sixteenth in the series of PM+M’s ‘Navigating the Now and Next’ virtual panel events took place on Thursday 30 June, facilitating discussion between a panel of speakers on the current challenges faced by businesses and highlighting support, guidance, and best practice to navigate these going forwards.

    Hosted by our very own Neil Welsh, with digital hosting managed by our friends at The Landmark in Burnley, we welcomed panellists:

    Gary Robinson (Blackburn Rovers Community Trust)
    Oli McCann (Napthens LLP)
    Simon Brierley (East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce)
    Lisa Sourbutts (CUBE HR)

    Following the opening introduction and welcome from Neil, Gary Robinson (Blackburn Rovers Community Trust) kicked off proceedings by discussing the important work the charity is currently undertaking within the local community, like hosting the recent Eid prayers on the pitch at Ewood Park which received very positive feedback.

    Gary went on to describe the ever-increasing importance of prioritising employee mental health and wellbeing in times of rising pressure and uncertainty, which has included the introduction of forums, wellbeing calls and the training of staff to increase awareness of the importance of mental health, as well as coping devices for those who may be struggling.

    Oli McCann (Napthens LLP) was up next and discussed the exponential growth of the Napthens team in the past ten years as well as some of the key takeaways from his experience with the firm. From the position of the employer, Oli highlights some of the more desirable qualities in a candidate, besides working hard and being committed, which include being true to yourself and having some front-of-house experience. Excellent interaction skills are key for those in the legal profession, and some would argue they are more valuable than technical skills.

    Next up, Lisa Sourbutts (Cube HR) shared some extremely valuable insights of her experience of recruitment and retention during the so-called ‘great resignation’. Lisa explained how employee engagement and culture are the main areas that need attention to improve staff retention. Businesses should offer some level of personal focus when it comes to supporting their staff to avoid alienating individuals, as not all team members will have the same issues and needs. By adopting a better company culture, staff are encouraged to speak more freely of their issues, letting employers draft up a plan of action, before it’s too late.

    Steering the conversation back to recruitment, Lisa advised it was much better to be proactive and have a succession plan in place, than run the risk of having to react every time a team member hands in their notice. Lisa also suggested that businesses may benefit from being quicker at making decisions during the interview process, or at least keeping the candidate informed of realistic timelines.  Gathering feedback from successful candidates on their experience during the recruitment process can also be useful in providing key insights into improving your methods.

    Our final panellist, Simon Brierley (East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce) added further valuable insights into the topic of culture and retention by sharing one of the most challenging moments he has experienced in a previous role. In a time where 2BR (a previous business Simon worked with as a radio presenter) was getting ready to merge elsewhere, rather than rushing to leave the business to find new jobs, Simon found that staff members stayed for the final few months and were working hard to outperform any of the previous achievements made by the business. The experience goes to show that a great company culture will be reflected by a great team.

    Neil brought the panel discussion to a close and opened the floor to the audience, with additional comments and thoughts from Ceri Dixon (PM+M), Andy Platt (Simply Corporate), Azeem Khan (Gemini GRP) and Claire Rhodes (The Landmark), before thanking Claire for hosting the event.

    If anyone would like to be introduced to members of the panel or audience, included in the invite for next month’s event or wish to speak to one of the PM+M team about our services, please get in touch with Neil Welsh via the button below.

     

    A ROUNDUP OF OUR ‘NAVIGATING THE NOW AND NEXT’ EVENT – THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY

    Posted on by Laura Boyd

    The thirteenth in the series of PM+M’s ‘Navigating the Now and Next’ virtual panel events took place on Thursday 24 February, facilitating discussion between a panel of speakers on the ongoing challenges presented to businesses and taking a positive and forward-looking view on how to overcome them.

    Hosted by our very own Neil Welsh, with digital hosting managed by our friends at The Landmark in Burnley, we welcomed panellists:

    Dave Walker – Managing Director, +24 Marketing

    James Robbins – Partner, Harrison Drury Solicitors

    Amin Kamaluddin – Growth Consultant, SK Growth

    Dave Scholes – Director, Six Connections

    Following the opening introduction and welcome from Neil, Dave Walker highlighted some of the challenges he was facing within his business, +24 Marketing (a digital agency), including rising costs and recruitment, something which other business owners may find relatable.

    Dave then looked at a more positive change impacting business: the considerable and rising importance of digital transformation. He explained how his company helped a customer move from inputting orders manually to an online portal – saving thousands of hours. Dave went on to highlight how digital transformation can improve processes, reduce costs, and create more agile working. This also tied into the principles of process improvement and how research and development can play its part.

    Next up, Neil introduced James Robbins (Harrison Drury) who explained that although businesses received some breathing space during the pandemic through government support schemes, he predicts that concerns over insolvency are likely to increase over the next few years. James advised businesses that may find themselves in this position to obtain legal advice as early as possible to achieve the best outcomes. Transparency, honesty and a degree of vulnerability would better serve a business – the key message was to reach out for support. This was endorsed by attending guest Andy Platt of Simply Corporate.

    James also discussed the hospitality sector, explaining that although the relaxation of Covid restrictions is helping towards recovery, there are still major issues concerning staff retention and the impact of rising inflation. He viewed low-cost and higher-end offerings as being perhaps better positioned than those who inhabit the middle ground. Finding a differentiator perhaps being the key to survival and success.

    To finish up, James offered a forecast for 2022 regarding property tenancy, suggesting that we may be on the path to a return of normalcy with lease forfeits and landlords now be able to pursue rent arrears – a welcome change for property owners.

    Amin Kamaluddin of SK Growth, our next speaker, gave some insights into the world of SK Growth, explaining how they help businesses with:

    • Scaling up
    • Looking to grow, but have run into some barriers and need advice
    • Getting sale-ready

    Amin spoke about the importance of strategy in businesses – namely how implementing a strategy can be harder than creating one. He discussed the McKinsey’s 7-S model which focusses on strategy, structure, systems, shared values, skills, style, and staff – all of which should ideally be balanced for an organisation to perform well. The idea that culture tops strategy and the importance of this for recruitment and retention was also endorsed by guest and employment lawyer Emma Saunders (Napthens).

    Our final panellist, Dave Scholes (Six Connections), offered his agreement to Amin’s points by emphasising the importance of a company culture that prioritises employee mental health and wellbeing. Dave explained that a business which aims to genuinely understand the professional and personal parts of an individual can vastly improve a person’s wellbeing.

    Neil brought the panel discussion to a close and opened the floor to the audience, with additional comments and thoughts from Ceri Dixon (PM+M), Andy Platt (Simply Corporate), Roger Phillips (PM+M) and Andi Lewis (Six Connections) before thanking the panel and Claire Rhodes (The Landmark) for hosting the event.

    If anyone would like to be introduced to members of the panel or audience, included in the invite for next month’s event or wish to speak to one of the PM+M team about our services, please get in touch with Neil Welsh via the button below.