Why productivity matters
Productive companies get more out of what they’ve got, enabling them to increase their profits, pay higher wages and invest in their future. More productive businesses mean a more prosperous country. Discover why productivity matters below.
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People & Team
Article
How businesses in the hospitality market are thinking differently
Two different hospitality firms explain why a sense of community helps stand out and how bringing luxury services to people's doors makes the difference.
Talent development
Digital Readiness
Video
How digitally simulating your business can transform productivity
Andrew Peters tells us that using digitalisation tools to simulate your business can create step changes in productivity by helping you to see whether your processes are aligned with your value streams.
Digital Commerce
People & Team
Article
What happens when you think you’ve hired the wrong person?
If you discover you have hired the wrong person should you cut ties or take time to mould them into the worker you need?
Talent development
People & Team
Article
It pays to talk about underperformance
When underperformance has been identified then the best approach is to discuss with employees why they are struggling shares Sarah Penn, Chief Executive of Outstanding Branding.
Performance management
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Customer feedback keeps Polhawn Fort ahead of trends
Sarah Turpitt, General Manager of the Polhawn Fort stays ahead of the trends by listening to customer feedback and collaborating with local producers.
Leadership Behaviours
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Continuous improvement: Why it’s important to not just change for change’s sake
While it may be tempting to fully embrace the continuous improvement mantra, Be the Business found out why change for change's sake can sometimes be damaging and detrimental to progress.
Leadership Behaviours
Leadership & Strategy
Article
The different interpretations of vision and values in business
They're discussed a lot in terms of their importance in setting a successful strategy, but interpretations of vision and values are often unique to each company and leader. Be the Business digs a little deeper.
Vision & Values
People & Team
Article
Ashley Challinor: Finding the right role for me
After stints as cabin crew and running chalets in the French Alps, Ashley Challinor joined The Headland Hotel two years ago and set about finding the right role for her skill set.
Listen to employees
Digital Readiness
Article
Delighting consumers with an innovative customer service strategy
From providing a direct link to the CEO to incentivising feedback, innovative customer service approaches are worth taking the time to devise and execute – as Be the Business found out.
Digital Commerce
Sales & Growth
Article
One size doesn’t fit all: Trunki’s method for identifying export markets
Most companies wait until they’ve conquered the domestic market before targeting export markets. But Trunki had to think quickly when requests grew.
Identify target markets
Digital Readiness
Article
Coronavirus: Protect your business from cyber attack during the outbreak
Evidence is emerging that cyber attack criminals are seeking to exploit coronavirus. However, there are a number of clever tools at the disposal of SMEs.
Sales & Growth
Article
Marketing on a shoestring – the creative ways to get your company’s name out there
From flash mobs to listing on Groupon, discover how four innovative SMEs embraced marketing on a shoestring to great success and carved out new ways of acquiring customers.
Marketing & Sales
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Look to philanthropy for your company’s values
If you run a business and don't yet have a set of company values, the area of philanthropy can offer extremely rich pickings suggests Rachel Clacher.
Vision & Values
Digital Readiness
Video
Embracing “productivity to survive” helped one firm compete with multinationals
Wanting to free up more time so the business can target winning more work, Spencer Fereday talks Be the Business through his efforts to become more productive and compete with multinationals in a very challenging sector.
Digital Commerce
Sales & Growth
Article
Countries in focus: How the Irish economy took a hit but came out the other side fighting fit
It’s weathered crippling recessions and struggled with an uncompetitive currency, but now the Irish economy is booming and producing highly-productive small and medium-sized businesses.
Expanding & Exporting
Digital Readiness
Article
Why a CRM system isn’t just for making sales
Often thought of as a corporate luxury, a CRM system is a tool facilitating sound communication between a business – both large and small – and its customers.
Digital Commerce
People & Team
Article
Making the right decisions about bringing staff back to work
Bringing staff back to work from furlough or remote working is something no business has done before. Knowing how staff feel about things will be vital.
Leadership & Strategy
Article
A shared approach to a charitable initiative can bring a team together
When Nick Gold, MD of motivational and after-dinner speakers agency Speakers Corner (speakerscorner.co.uk) wanted to introduce a charitable initiative into the workplace he considered two approaches.
Vision & Values
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Management behaviour: Work amongst staff or hide away?
As one of the most visible manifestations of management behaviour, the location a leader chooses to place themselves within an office environment can have a big impact on politics and productivity.
Leadership Behaviours
Digital Readiness
Article
Let Google train your team in Google Analytics
While most SMEs agree that Google Analytics is a vitally important data tool founder of marketing agency Digital Clarity, Reggie James says that more than half of all companies are not very clear on how they should be using it.
Digital Commerce
Digital Readiness
Article
How building business partnerships with universities and research bodies can pay off
Universities are edifices of industry expertise. Building business partnerships with these institutions can create commercial opportunities and help small companies kickstart innovation.
Collaborative tools & analytics
Digital Readiness
Article
It’s The Small Things: Graze CEO Anthony Fletcher
From humble beginnings to 500 staff, Graze is an amazing British business story. CEO Anthony Fletcher talks about the small decisions being made each day.
Develop the use of business data
Sales & Growth
Article
Honing the company offering using customer feedback
While there have never been more ways for comments – be it positive or negative – to be given on products or services, customer feedback can be a powerful tool, if used wisely.
Marketing & Sales
People & Team
Article
It’s The Small Things: Snaffling Pig CEO Nick Coleman
They have a lofty goal – be bigger than Walkers and loved as Lego. However, Nick Coleman and Snaffling Pig are getting there one small improvement at a time.
Motivation