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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Future planning
Article
Seconding employees from other businesses to drive innovative thinking
Seconding employees offers a fresh perspective and boosts personal development. It’s a win-win-win opportunity, so why are secondments so rare?
Innovation
Leadership
Article
Brand values – a bit of necessary navel gazing
Despite not initially being a fan of brand values, Rotageek CEO Chris McCullough was converted to their value and ended up with a functional document to lead future growth.
Vision and values
Digitisation
Article
Good customer service interactions can be PR gold
Whilst it should be approached with a degree of trepidation, perhaps – lest social media misinterpret your good intentions – it is sometimes the case that positive PR can come from a personalised response to a customer's query.
Business operations technology
Leadership
Article
Challenge the old ways of doing things
When James Calder set up Distinct Recruitment, he remembered the old ways – when bosses typically sat in their own office when he was a young employee – and it was something he wasn't keen to repeat.
Management behaviours
Commercial excellence
Article
An inspiring export strategy built on trial and error
It’s a brand now synonymous with British design and craft, but an ambitious export strategy was what really put Brompton on the map.
Expanding and exporting
Employee engagement
Article
Cutting half its staff provided a renewed focus for LifeSkills
It takes a brave leader to make half their employees redundant and slash turnover, but that’s exactly what LifeSkills boss Spencer Fearn has done.
Motivation
Operational efficiency
Article
Cancelling scheduled meetings boosts productivity and creativity
SME leaders are ditching scheduled meetings to boost productivity and creativity. We spoke to two business owners about the benefits and their advice.
Labour agility
Leadership
Article
Let go of the reins and let the team flourish
Karen McLellan needed to take less of a hands-on role as her firm expanded following a merger, but that meant doing something with her team that she'd never been very good at.
Management behaviours
Digitisation
Article
Successful business process outsourcing comes down to asking the right questions
Whilst it can be tempting go all in on business process outsourcing to keep internal costs down, decision makers need to think about where knowledge gaps exist and how the situation might change as a company expands.
Business operations technology
Operational efficiency
Article
The 25 year-old MD who’s not afraid to ruffle some feathers
When taking the reins at a family business the tendency may be to abide by the status quo. Chloe Watmore has torn up the rule book and breathed new life into a stagnated enterprise.
Labour agility
Employee engagement
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
Leadership
Article
Implementing a business philanthropic strategy is easier than you might think
A philanthropic strategy need not be either financially onerous nor simply a big corporate privilege, as Be the Business found out when we spoke to three companies which have successfully implemented one.
Vision and values
Future planning
Video
A quirky idea to drive up off-season demand in Cornwall
November and February are not traditionally busy times for hospitality businesses in Cornwall. However, an innovative approach taken by The Olde House has been successful in improving off-season demand for the forward-thinking family business.
Innovation
Employee engagement
Article
Staff motivation: Lessons learned from failed workplace perks
Perks and rewards are a popular way to boost motivation – but it takes time to get right. We spoke to business owners about motivating staff.
Motivation
Operational efficiency
Article
How businesses in the hospitality market are thinking differently
Two very different businesses in the highly competitive hospitality market explain why a sense of community can help to stand out from the crowd and how bringing luxury services to your front door makes all the difference.
Shop floor management
Leadership
Article
Three business leaders explain how they make tough business decisions
Whether it's firing someone or working out who to promote, many leaders struggle when it comes to making tough business decisions. Be the Business found out seeking advice and simply biting the bullet helps.
Management behaviours
Commercial excellence
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 and sales
Commercial excellence
Article
How multiple product lines can be a more successful approach
While it may be tempting to focus on a few product offerings to really nail the proposition and offering, Be the Business spoke to five businesses not afraid to go big with their product lines to test and learn from customer feedback.
Expanding and exporting
Leadership
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 and values
Commercial excellence
Article
Think local for success with unusual export countries
Red tape, complex regulations and confusion over which authority to approach regarding which issue can make exporting to any country, especially those in the developing world, difficult, time consuming and expensive.
Expanding and exporting
Future planning
Article
Executive education is a powerful tool for leaders
Business leaders have to keep learning. Working with peers and the management team is important, but executive education also plays a crucial role.
Ambition
Commercial excellence
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 and exporting
Digitisation
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.
Business operations technology
Operational efficiency
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.
Continuous improvement