Member News

We are thrilled to be the featured charity at the Business Breakfast in Great Yarmouth on September 8th.

https://sandbox.norfolkchambers.co.uk/events/chamber-event/great-yarmouth-business…

Norwich Puppet Theatre seeks a trustee to take special interest in and responsibility for our corporate relations with the local business community. This persuasive and proactive person will be an enthusiastic networker and as a trustee give of their time and energy in anentirely voluntary capacity. They will work with the rest of the board oftrustees and the team to promote the successful implementation of our plans and efforts to persuade localbusinesses to take up the many opportunities wehave on offer to support us. “As reported in the press, the current climate and changes inlocal authority funding means Norwich Puppet Theatre is forced ​to appeal ​morewidely ​for support and this is in common withmany arts community organisations.We think that businesses, as well as the public, would like to help as part oftheir corporate social responsibility desire, if only they truly knew what isneeded to keep providing the events, activities and performances that we do.

“Perhaps you are one of the 25,000 folk each year who enjoy our work, or brought your family, or just know people who have. If you are the sort of person who understands what makesbusinesses tick when they are thinking about corporate charitable donations,who is motivated by the desire to make adifference, and is ready to help promote our cultural community, then have a look at the attached role specification andour website for further information.

https://puppettheatre.co.uk/about-us/news-1914574045

FOURchampions for key industry sectors across Suffolk and Norfolk are featured in a new campaign to promote the LEP’s Growing Business Fund grant scheme, which provides up to £500,000 investment to help SMEs invest and grow.

The four businesses will be featured on new leaflets and marketing materials to promote the fund, which has so far awarded over £15.6m to 300 businesses helping to unlock around £100m of private match funding and create over 2,200 new jobs.

The businesses were selected for their commitment to grow and create new employment opportunities across food production, creative design and advanced manufacturing industries.

And one company in Great Yarmouth is among the first to benefit from the LEP’s Oil and Gas Taskforce support, where the Growing Business Fund can be used to support companies during the global oil and gas downturn, to sustain jobs and look for new avenues for growth.

Family-owned engineering firm Hydramec Offshore has received a £200,000 grant which helped them move into new facilities and safeguard high-skilled jobs.

Karl Hawkins, General Manager of the family-owned Great Yarmouth offshore engineering firm Hydramec Offshore said: “We’ve seen tough times in the oil and gas sector but the Growing Business Fund has allowed us to buy new premises, doubling previous internal floor space. This vital investment will see increased productivity as we take more production in-house, ensuring that jobs are saved.”

In the Creative Digital sector, Cubiqdesign, a graphic, web and advertising design agency, based in Newmarket received a £41,000 grant which meant they could also move to a bigger office and expand their digital team.

Gemma Treby, Managing Director of Cubiqdesign said: “As demand for our services increased, we had outgrown our former premises and desperately needed to relocate to a bigger commercial property. We applied for the grant to help plug the funding shortfall and enable the expansion to take place. The application was straightforward and we’ve had tremendous support from the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers throughout.”

First established in 2004, Stokes Sauces based in Rendlesham, Suffolk, are now a well-recognised brand in shops, hotels and restaurants across the UK. They received a £65,000 GBF grant to buy machinery to produce sauce sachets, new cooking equipment and IT systems.

Commercial Director, Chris Reeve said: “The Growing Business Fund has helped us to increase our project range, moving into the sachet market and opening up more financial prospects for the business. This growth has led to us securing new contracts with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to supply selected condiments, such as red onion marmalade and BBQ sauces, on their flights.”

And in Ipswich, manufacturer Colour Marketing Services, a colour sampling business, used their £67,000 grant to buy new machinery and equipment and move into a larger facility on Farthing Road Industrial Estate.

Anne Harrison, Finance Director at Colour Marketing Services, said “We have ambitious growth plans for the future, which include expansion into overseas markets and increasing our product range. The funding allowed us to move to a new facility, which is a light, bright and a comfortable working environment for our employees.”

Chris Starkie, managing director of New Anglia LEP said: “These are the stars of the East, the companies and sectors that are powering our growth and driving the economy. It is great to be able to showcase their achievements in this way and invest in their exciting future plans. So far our Growing Business Fund has helped around 300 companies, we would like to help hundreds more to do the same.

The Oil and Gas Taskforce was set up by the LEP in 2015 to support those companies suffering from the global downturn in energy prices. It is supported by local authorities, EEEGR, local MPs and business groups.

Chris Starkie, continued: “A key aim of the Taskforce is to help companies diversify and understand the opportunities that other markets present. We are currently assisting a number of businesses, large and small, by providing subsidised accessed to specialist consultants as well as providing grant funding via our Growing Business Fund to sustain jobs and support new growth plans. Hydramec in Great Yarmouth is one of the first companies to receive that support and I am delighted that we have been able to help them in this way.”

To help businesses with their applications for the Growing Business Fund, the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers can provide free support and guidance.

To find out more about the Growing Business Fund and other programmes, go to newanglia.co.uk/business-support and contact the New Anglia Growth Hub on 0300 333 6536 or email growthhub@newanglia.co.uk

We did it, we are in…Swarm is so proud to announce that we have been selected to be part of the Future50 and joins the class of 2016.

The Future50 is designed to recognise Norfolk and Suffolk’s most innovative companies who are the region’s ‘ones to watch’ and are individuals and organisation that are creating jobs, growing at a faster rate than others and that have the drive and ambition needed to be leaders in their sector.

This recognition means so much for us as a company,but more importantly it gives recognition to the young Swarm apprentices who are out there helping businesses grow and demonstrating the same enterprising values and attitudes that are inherent in Future50 organisations.One day it will be these same Swarm apprentices who will be the leaders of tomorrows Future50 companies,driving innovation and propelling the local economy forward.”

We really look forward to working with the class of 2016 and the partners of the Future50 to help grow Swarm across the region and beyond.

Chris Perry- CEO ,Swarm Apprenticeships

What:Top 7 Agile Tips I learnt as a Product Manager & a mini summer social

When:Wednesday, August 3, 2016, 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Where:The King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH

RSVP:https://www.meetup.com/Norfolk-Developers-NorDev/events/232382796/

Top 7 Agile Tips I learnt as a Product Manager Benjamin Mitchell (@benjaminm)

Many people have experienced using Agile approaches within teams to deliver more working software, but what can be learnt from combing these approaches with Product Development? This talk will cover the top seven hard-earned tips I learnt from several years spent as a Senior Product Manger for BBC Worldwide. Ever wondered how you could influence the product you were building? How can you use Agile approaches to learn about what the right product to build is? How do you overcome defensiveness? How can you design experiments that challenge assumptions and encourage change? This talk will provide some answers, combining ideas from organisational learning, psychology and negotiation.

Benjamin Mitchell

Benjamin has over 20 years’ experience delivering online applications, in diverse sectors – including media (BBC.com), investment banking, insurance and software products. A highly-rated international speaker, he is passionate about helping software product development teams and leaders build the right products in the right ways. Benjamin is proud to be a Partner with Equal Experts. You can see a recent talk of his athttps://www.equalexperts.com/common-communication-failures-solve/

And then when we’re all done, we’d quite like to have a nice cold beer at the local pub, most likely to be Brew Dog near Tombland.

A high performance culture is a key indicator of a Best Employer and of an organisation which is more likely to remain agile through times of business challenges and change. Because organisations with a high performance culture are more likely to have inspired loyalty and to have created high levels of employee engagement, staff will be more motivated to go the extra mile. This can make a significant difference to how organisations are affected during any downturn. Workplaces with empowered employees and a collaborative approach are also more likely to be able to react and respond to change without losing momentum or vision.

What do we mean by a high performance culture? High performance cultures are generally inspired by leaders who have a passion for creating outstanding achievement from their teams. Employees are empowered to take on challenges and to deliver a high level of performance which differentiates the organisation and helps it to succeed.

How can a high performance culture be developed? Organisations with high performance cultures all tend to share the following four characteristics.

1. Clear leadership and vision Leaders are focussed on communicating a clear vision to all employees so that they can work together to achieve this common goal. Because staff feel fully informed, and understand what success looks like, they are more motivated to play a role in achieving it.

2. Empowered employees Employees can’t demonstrate high levels of performance if they are not given the chance to deliver on high level opportunities. Employees in a high performance culture will feel empowered and trusted to take on challenges and to be accountable for performance.

3.Support and development Organisations with a high performance culture also tend to have a strong focus on development. Leaders aim to empower employees by ensuring they have the resources, confidence and skills needed to meet any challenges.

4. Recognition and reward To maintain the culture of high performance, employers look for innovative ways to recognise and reward employees for excellent work, helping to ensure that they feel valued for their efforts.

How can the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative can help? Before considering any cultural changes, it is important to have a clear understanding of your current culture. The Best Employers Eastern Region employee survey is a free tool which provides detailed feedback on how staff perceive their organisation’s current culture, their understanding of the company vision and values, and of how supported, empowered and engaged they feel. The survey results come with expert guidance on any potential areas for improvement and all participants are invited to attend a series of workshops designed to help put these into practice. These events bring the region’s best employers together to share innovative ideas and positive strategies for achieving business success by putting people at the heart of an organisation.

Are you a graduate looking for a great way to start your career? Here’s our top five tips on finding a good graduate recruitment programme.

1. Do your research

Graduate programmes with big named companies are often the first to come up on internet searches, but it is worth spending time looking further as an increasing number of small and medium sized companies are also offering similar positions. These schemes can be just as valuable and working in a smaller environment can provide the chance to gain more experience and responsibility.

2. Keep your options open

Some graduate training programmes don’t specify the nature of the degree required because many of the skills learnt at university are transferable. Looking at graduate training jobs, and the career progression opportunities they provide, can help you to narrow down areas of interest or show you a different route to your career goals which you may not have considered before.

3. Clear development plans

A good graduate programme should clearly set out the progression opportunities provided, including any permanent job opportunities available at the end of the programme. Many will also provide the opportunity to study for further professional qualifications and include the chance to work on a variety of different projects and areas of the business.

4.Long term support

Even if you have plenty of work experience from part time roles and course placements, it’s not unusual to feel a little daunted by the prospect of going from being a full time student to a full time employee. A good graduate training programme should be structured to help build confidence in the workplace. Look for roles which highlight the support you will be given throughout, whether its regular meetings or being appointed a dedicated mentor.

5. Cultural fit

People want to work where they feel happy, supported, rewarded and motivated. Look at any potential organisation’s website and social media to try and find out more about its culture and values. There’s also a growing number of online forums where current and previous employees post about what an organisation is really like to work for.

Join us at Pure

Here at Pure we are also currently looking for a driven university leaver to join our own recruitment consultantgraduate training programme. There’s still time to apply, with applications closing on 30 July. For more information about what it’s like to work with us, read our recentblog postby Ellie Steinfeldt, who originally joined us via our graduate programme.

We currently have the following vacancies to join our busy team in Norwich.

Sales & Customer Service

We are seeking a confident, hard-working, self-motivated team player to be responsible for sales and support of our email marketing service Smart Messenger. No industry experience necessary, full training provided.View Job Description

Sales Admin Apprentice

We are a small, passionate team based in Taverham looking for a hard-working, self-motivated team player who is ready to learn more about the business world.View Job Description

Apprentice Website Developer / Programmer

The role will be primarily web development & programming. You will learn to use a large variety of tools to develop websites and applications that require a keen, enquiring and logical, mind to succeed.View Job Description

There is now no doubt that achieving a management qualification is the closest thing to a sure fire way of being highly successful in business.

Here are some statistics from recent research which summarises what achieving a management qualification will do for you:

Over 85% of managers agreed their management and leadership qualification improved their performance and by transferring their new skills to the work place, almost all have seen a vast improvement in their teams’ performance too.

78% of employers agreed that qualifications provide quality assurance for customers and that the benefits outweighed the time, money and effort invested in obtaining them.

More than 80% of managers say that taking a management qualification has resulted in increased professional recognition, with most stating that employers prefer qualified managers when recruiting.

This was confirmed by a further 53% advising that their qualification had helped them in gaining a promotion.

EACH YEAR OVER 30,000 PEOPLE STUDY A CHARTERED MANAGEMENT QUALIFICATION, AND HERE’S WHY… Valued by employers – CMI qualifications are designed in consultation with employers to meet today’s demands Progressive – progress through Award, Certificate and Diploma and qualification levels 2-8 Range – over 110 qualifications at every management level, providing development suitable to all managers Supported – resources designed specifically for your qualification to ensure you have the correct support Free membership – for the duration of your study you will have access to all key membership services WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION WITH THE CMI? Investing in a professional qualification takes time and dedication but the results are worth the effort:

You’ll be more marketable – a qualification speaks volumes to prospective employers, giving you the advantage when looking for your next career move.

You can earn more – research proves that those with a qualification will earn more through their career

You’ll perform better – a qualification will not only sharpen your existing skills, it will equip you with a range of ones.

Want to know more? Why not call us at TIPS for Good Management

Tel: 01362 699392

email:julian@tipsfgm.co.uk

or enquire via our website:https://www.tipsfgm.co.uk/featured-qualifications/

The life cycle of an employee through their time at your company can be broken into three distinct stages: stage 1 – their recruitment and the creation of their contract of employment; stage 2 – either their promotion and progression in your company, the rapid expansion of your company itself, or hopefully both of these at the same time; and stage 3 – the parting of the ways – termination of that contract either by you or the employee. At Steeles, we always hope to advise employers on ways they can reduce potential risks to their business in advance of these three stages, but all two often find employers coming to us once the next stage is already upon them, and those risks have become all too painful realities..

The importance of properly drafting contracts of employment for new senior staff cannot be stressed enough. Employers can often be tempted to use standard term contracts when recruiting senior employees but putting the best possible groundwork in early on can avoid issues occurring in the future.

There are of course terms which, by law, employers are obliged to include in an employee’s contract of employment. However, we often find that employers miss the opportunity to include additional clauses within contracts of employment which not only suit a senior employee and their employer’s needs better, but provide far more protection for the company. Consideration at these early stages of the future pitfalls – confidential information and trade secrets that your company has strived to develop; bonus schemes that make payments compulsory whether the company believes it fiscally sensible to pay bonuses or not; and restrictions on employee’s future competitions – all so often fail to be properly thought through.

For example, Payment in Lieu of Notice (PILON) clauses are not mandatory but in the case of senior employees, it can be a crucial part of their contract further down the line if you need to remove them from the company in a hurry. In the absence of a PILON clause, your company would be in breach of contract if it terminated the employee’s employment and paid the employee in lieu. This has important consequences – the company would arguably not be able to rely on any of the terms of the contract after termination, including restrictive covenants. In contrast, improperly executed PILON clauses can lead to employees successfully claiming continued employment following case law developments in recent years.

An employee’s contract should always suit the needs of the business and this is particularly important for employers during rapid business expansion. In this situation it is not uncommon for an employer to require an employee to enter into a new contract of employment following their promotion to a more senior position or to more accurately reflect the changing needs of the company. Any such contract will generally include beneficial changes to terms (for example, an increase in pay), but may also contain new restrictions to reflect the additional requirements of the role within a much larger business. This is especially true where the employee joined the organisation at a junior level.

It is vital for employers to understand how to effectively alter and enforce a contract of employment to reduce risks to the company at all stages of the employee life-cycle. ­­­­­Departing senior employees are likely to have acquired, and be able to take advantage of, confidential information, company strategy, customer and client details or other information about their employer’s business, after the termination of their employment. If they attempt to use the information for the benefit of another employer, or in order to set up their own business it can be seriously damaging for the former employer’s business. At Steeles Law, we believe these risks can be effectively reduced by a proactive approach to HR early on and throughout an employee’s career.

Employment law experts from Steeles Law will be providing further detail and guidance on the senior employee life cycle at the forthcoming HR Forum on 6 September 2016. We will offer practical advice on providing a proactive HR approach to managing senior employees, from recruitment to exit.

We’re pleased to announce that Brett Manning, Assistant Client Manager at Aston Shaw has been shortlisted for the Practice Excellence Awards in the category: Trainee of the year.The Practice Excellence Awardsseek to recognise and celebrate the very best within the accountancy profession. Only firms and individuals that perform at a level of excellence are shortlisted.

In order to be considered for this particular award, entrants must be able to demonstrate their commitment and dedication towards learning, as well as showing a real passion and drive for success within their job roles. Entrants were also required to detail tangible contributions they have made to the firm and its clients.

Lee Stratton, Director and also Brett’s Manager, provided the following words to help support Brett’s submission:

“Brett has been a fantastic member of the team since day one. At the stage he is at in his career it is very difficult to balance studying for an ACCA qualification alongside work and we have been thoroughly impressed with how he has coped – exceeding in both aspects. I am more than confident that Brett would be suitable for this award as he deserves recognition for what he has achieved so early on in his career, especially balancing his studies with a demanding client facing role.”

We hope you will join us in congratulating Brett on this fine achievement. Due to the fierce competition involved, this is truly an outstanding accomplishment. We wish Brett the best of luck for ceremony; all of us at the firm can’t think of anyone more deserving of the award.

The Practice Excellence Awards Ceremony will take place in central London on Thursday 20th October.

I actively avoid posting about politics on social media. To me it’s a personal thing. I’ve also been avoiding posting about the European Referendum. I have a view, in fact I’ve already voted, but it’s personal.

There are a lot of businesses who are encouraging their employees to vote one way or the other, notably BMW and JCB. I’ve considered the referendum form a Naked Element point of view and, as things stand, I cannot see clearly how either outcome would affect us. Our current clients are continuing to invest in the software we’re writing for them and don’t appear to be putting off any decisions until after the referendum. New enquiries are still flowing in at the same rate.

We have a client for whom we recently finished a web application. They asked us to bill them for the hosting every month. Following the first invoice they asked if they could be billed for the next twelve months instead. We use Digital Ocean for hosting and they charge in dollars. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, we’d calculate the cost of the hosting for the most recent month, multiply it by twelve and just absorb any, likely minor, fluctuations in the exchange rate.

One of the most frequently reported likely consequences of leaving the European Union is a significant drop in the value of sterling compared to other currencies, such as the dollar. This could significantly increase the cost of Digital Ocean hosting to Naked Element. Is it enough to worry me about the possibility of exit or to ask Naked Element employees and associates to vote in? No, of course not. If we do leave and the exchange rate does drop, it’s just something our business, like many others, will have to deal with. The worst case scenario is that we have to find ourselves a UK provider or one who charges a reasonable rate in GBP.

So far this is the only potential effect of the referendum I am aware of for Naked Element. I am sure time will tell, but Naked Element appears otherwise immune. Once we explained the situation, our client was happy to wait until after the referendum for their twelve month hosting invoice.

In the meantime I’m looking forward with interest to this week’s result and to see how the country votes and the immediate and long term effects of the decision.

If there was any concern that Brexit would have a negative impact on foreign investment in the UK, the doubts were somewhat quashed this week when ARM Holdings announced a takeover by Japanese tech giant, Softbank, in a deal worth a staggering £24bn.

ARM Holdings is Britain’s biggest and most successful tech firm. Founded by entrepreneur, Hermann Hauser in 1990, the company made its mark with the vintage Acorn Archimedes and BBC micro:bit.

Today, the ARM microchip powers practically every digital device imaginable, including computers, iPhones and Samsung’s range of mobile products. Last year, the company sold 15 million microchips – more than its US rival Intel has sold in its 48-year history.

The ARM microchip is seen as the next-generation for microprocessor architecture, and whilst Britons have a right to be proud, we can’t help but feel it’s a shame the company is being sold to overseas investors.

We’re also curious how the likes of Apple and Google feel knowing their industry “allies” have handed over the new-generation microchip to a Japanese firm.

The sell-out also raises questions about the impact such a massive acquisition will have on the British economy. New PM, Theresa May has already voiced her determination to put an end to foreign takeovers that do not favour national interest.

However, on this occasion the UK government has been quick to respond with a positive message. “This is good news for British workers, it’s good news for the British economy,” a spokesman said. Given Softbank has already stated its intention to double the 3000-strong workforce of ARM Holding, we can’t argue with this.

Furthermore, in Softbank, the British tech giant is being adopted by a faithful parent. In recent years, the Japanese firm has already acquired Vodafone and Sprint together with a French robotics company, Aldebaran. Founder of Softbank, Masayoshi Son has said that ARM Holdings is one of the pillars of the company’s growth strategy.

The ARM microchip is used in numerous household items such as smartphones and tablets, computers, TV’s, Smart home technology, Smart cars and wearable tech. The microchip also powers smart cities and drones. It seems the Japanese tech giant has acquired ARM with a view to progressing the next-generation of “The Internet of Things” (IoT).

IoT is the proposed idea that by interconnecting digital devices our lives become much easier and more convenient. Possible scenarios include fridges that add food to the shopping list on your mobile phone when you are almost out, and kettles that tell you it’s time for cuppa.

We are experiencing a rapid development in mobile technology and in the very near future we will practically be able to manage our lives from our smartphones. To many people this may be a scary proposition, but it is almost guaranteed that most will embrace the convenience IoT technology offers. And a certain Japanese-owned British company will be central to making our future lives possible.

Words:Lauren Yaxley