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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Planning
Article
12 hospitality trends you should pay attention to
Businesses that rest on their laurels seldom prosper, and perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the fast-moving hospitality sector.
Digital Readiness
Article
A skills plan that works just as well for older staff as it does for younger
With the age of retirement set to hit 66 by 2020, it’s vital that companies ensure a skills plan is in place that's as appropriate to people in their sixties as it is to those aged 16.
Digital Commerce
Leadership & Strategy
Video
Plans, processes and people – the three Ps of successful delivery
John Lucas is COO at Tharsus, a robotics firm in Northumberland. He told Be the Business about the three Ps of delivery: plans, processes and people.
Vision & Values
Sales & Growth
Article
The Climbing Hangar is getting professional fast to meet a market need
Having initially set up The Climbing Hangar to fund a lifestyle, Ged Macdomhnaill sensed the time was right to grow the business and is assembling a team to take the leisure brand national.
Expanding & Exporting
Sales & Growth
Article
The businesses selling into unusual export countries
Libya, Jordan, Senegal and the Philippines – all unusual export countries British SMEs are doing business with. Be the Business looked at how each of these companies selected the right trading nations and what was crucial in de-risking the process.
Expanding & Exporting
Planning
Article
Ethical values providing a financial fillip for Cornish surf brand
While not something that is traditionally implemented to boost the bottom line, ethical values have helped Finisterre stand apart from competition and boost sales.
Ambition
Leadership & Strategy
Article
The highs and lows of thriving as a business in a pandemic
Tonic Health founder Sunna van Kampen looks back on the coronavirus outbreak period and explains what he's learnt from a 1000 per cent demand increase.
Leadership Behaviours
Leadership & Strategy
Article
The honest leaders not afraid to admit they don’t know it all
While it may be tempting to lead from the front on all matters, honest leaders are those who recognise employees are often better at their role than they are – as two SME owners explained.
Leadership Behaviours
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Meet two holiday parks leading progressive change in the tourism sector
Two award-winning holiday parks are putting the environment at the heart of their company vision and are delivering unforgettable customer experiences.
Communicate vision and values
People & Team
Article
Meet the businesses that pool employee evaluation
Regularly evaluating the performance of your staff can help a business better meet individual and collective targets. We talk to two companies developing new employee evaluation techniques to engage with staff about their tasks and expectations.
Performance management
Planning
Article
Coronavirus: Controlling fixed costs
It’s always good to control your fixed costs but, during the coronavirus outbreak, it could make all the difference to the survival of your business.
People & Team
Video
How one of Britain’s leading hoteliers builds his teams
Tom Ross shares his experience as a leading hotelier at the helm of brands including The Pig Hotel Group and Hotel du Vin, focusing on why people are key.
Talent development
Digital Readiness
Article
The most effective digital tools for growing businesses
The best business tools increase productivity and focus. Digital tools link teams, improve collaboration and act as personal organisers. We spoke to business owners about what’s worked for them.
Digital Commerce
Video
Small changes make a big difference
Tiny tweaks in a business can turn out to be game-changers. See how many small changes you can spot in this video and watch how they can really add up.
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Weighing up quick business wins with longer-burn strategies
It may be tempting to launch into a series of grand plans designed to catapult your company to the next level, but ignoring quick business wins could mean you struggle with momentum.
Leadership Behaviours
Planning
Article
Setting targets as a family business – it’s about aligning expectations
Running a family business gives you the chance to think about long-term performance. But it's important to make sure the goals of different family members are aligned when setting targets.
Target Setting
People & Team
Video
Making the employee appraisal process about personal development targets
Rather than making the appraisal process about how staff are performing by measuring them against metrics and targets, SC Group is prioritising personal development.
Talent development
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Ceviche: A restaurant that goes so much further than food and drink
Ceviche founder Martin Morales has created a brand that brings together all the elements of Peruvian culture he throught the UK was missing out on.
Communicate vision and values
Planning
Article
Your coronavirus cash conservation checklist
With so much uncertainty around how long the impact of coronavirus will last, cash conservation will decide how your business gets through the outbreak.
People & Team
Article
Implement a flat management structure
Shadow Robot’s managing director Rich Walker was so determined to develop his nascent managerial skills that he joined a business growth development course.
Talent development
Sales & Growth
Article
Focus on what makes you truly unique as a business
When brother and sister team Harry and Leah Lobek decided they couldn’t put off starting a business any longer, the two knew the concept needed to stand out in a crowded market. The end result, London Shell Co., definitely hits the mark there.
Marketing & Sales
People & Team
Article
SMEs need to develop career paths or risk losing staff
Small businesses have to establish viable career paths to retain staff. Three business leaders share the steps they’ve taken.
Talent development
People & Team
Article
Boost the company culture with a lunch time activity
Lunch breaks can help boost team energy levels and integrate new team members quickly into the company culture, believes Shai Aharony, a business leader with lots of employee engagement experience.
Motivation
Leadership & Strategy
Article
Struggling SMEs brush up on survival skills
A look at SMEs which are struggling to survive following a decline in revenue and a drop in customer demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
Leadership Behaviours