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For more information on Captain Fawcett, please visitwww.captainfawcett.com

Thanks to the support of our fantastic clients, Reflection PR is once again expanding and recruiting a Digital PR Executive.

Working with companies in the leisure, tourism, retail and food and drink sectors, our agency is looking for someone with a passion for writing and social media and can support our client accounts and develop our digital offering.

It’s an exciting time at Reflection PR as we recently moved into our new office at The Old Church on St. Matthews Road in Norwich and continue to grow our business.

More information about this role and how to apply ishere.

Closing date is 27th January – we look forward to heating from any interested candidates.

Are you recruiting for a new role at the moment? Are you having problems finding the right candidate? Maybe there’s a candidate shortage in that area. Perhaps you could consider employing someone from a different professional background.

Whether it’s insurance, retail or technology, understandably, you want candidates to bring the best possible expertise for your particular industry. You need them to help your organisation develop and become stronger in the marketplace.

But in some industries such as IT, we’re seeing significant skills shortages around the UK. There are times when employers and recruiters need to look beyond sector-specific experience and consider applicants who can transfer their skills to the vacancy.

The benefits include an employee bringing fresh ideas and perspectives, enabling the organisation to grow and develop in new ways.

But how can you identify a candidate with good transferrable skills and qualities that’ll fit the bill? Well, we’ve listed a few ‘signs’ to look out for to help you find the right person.

1. They’re good leaders

If you’re recruiting at management level, you’ll be looking for a candidate who has worked in leadership and management roles before. Such experience can be gained from a variety of jobs in different industries. For example, a store manager is likely to have managed customer-facing staff in a fast-paced environment, handled sensitive customer and staff issues, and possibly driven their team to hit targets. This sort of talent can be transferred to other roles where tenacity, focus and a goal-orientated personality is required.

2. They know how to manage projects

Unpack many project management roles and you’ll see that many of the skills can be applied to lots of jobs. Excellent budget management, strategy development, and monitoring and evaluation skills are invaluable to a whole range of roles. If you receive a CV that doesn’t exactly match your expectations, but there’s good project management experience on it, it may be worth exploring further.

3. They communicate clearly

An employee with excellent communication skills can build positive relationships quickly. And as businesses become ever more connected through digital channels, firms now need staff who can hold productive conversations on the phone, by email and by video. They also need to know how to listen. So, crystal-clear communication has become an essential ability for job applicants.

4. They are tech savvy

Following on from the above, knowledge of digital resources and other technology is very important. Regardless of level of seniority, your new employee should be able to transfer knowledge of various tools and software, which businesses now rely on.

5. They’re a keen (and quick) learner

Look at a candidate’s history to find out if they’ve ever experienced a steep learning curve or two. If so, even without the specific skills you’re looking for, they are more likely to be able to cope with taking on lots of new knowledge in a short space of time. And are eager to get their teeth into a job and hit the ground sprinting!

6. They have relevant personal qualities

Although a candidate may not have skills that exactly match your job description, they may still possess traits that are key to the role. Do they seem determined yet level-headed? Do they do a sport that demands a lot of concentration and motivation? Perhaps they enjoy independent travel in their free time, indicating a confident and curious personality.

7. They’re open to training

If you think an applicant needs a skills-boost, from the very first conversation with them, make sure you know whether they’re prepared to undertake training. With lots of passion and drive, a new recruit could really upgrade their knowledge for the job through carefully chosen learning and development.

Opening the door to job seekers with non-specific skills can bring fresh energy to your organisation, which in itself can help innovation and creativity. So, who may seem unsuitable on first glance, might actually grow into the perfect person for the job!

Holiday pay hit the news headlines last year following a significant decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal as to whether extra pay for working overtime should be included in holiday pay calculations.

In the combined case of Bear Scotland Ltd v Fulton & others, the EAT was asked to determine what constitutes ‘normal remuneration’ for holiday pay purposes, and more specifically, whether non-guaranteed overtime and other allowances have to be included in determining holiday pay. Now that the dust has settled, Nicola Butterworth, Associate Solicitor at Howes Percival LLP, explores the potential implications of this decision for businesses and considers what they should be doing now?

What is the issue with holiday pay?

The EAT’s decision, followed the earlier decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union including British Airways v Williams and Lock v British Gas, which clarified that during paid leave, workers are entitled to receive any remuneration that is intrinsically linked to the performance of the tasks that they are required to carry out under their contract of employment for which a monetary amount is provided. These cases established that holiday pay calculations should include certain additional payments, such as commission, provided that they constituted ‘normal remuneration’. The consequence of these decisions is that businesses could face claims from workers for failure to pay such amounts.

What is ‘normal remuneration’?

The EAT confirmed that holiday pay must correspond to normal remuneration, which is that which is normally received by a worker.

Can overtime pay constitute ‘normal remuneration’ for holiday purposes?

Yes. It has been established for some time that guaranteed overtime pay must be taken into account when calculating holiday pay. In the case of Bear Scotland, the EAT distinguished ‘non-guaranteed overtime’ (overtime that the employer does not guarantee to provide, but which an employee, if requested, is obliged to perform) from guaranteed overtime and voluntary overtime. The EAT confirmed that pay for ‘non-guaranteed overtime’ should also be included in the calculation of holiday pay in certain circumstances, but only for 4 weeks’ of a full-time worker’s total 5.6 weeks’ holiday pay entitlement each year (pro-rated for part-time workers). Unfortunately, no guidance was provided by the EAT as to the mechanism that businesses should use to calculate holiday pay to include non-guaranteed overtime pay. The EAT did not specifically deal with overtime that is entirely voluntary, but it is anticipated that, in time, case-law will determine that voluntary overtime that forms part of a worker’s normal remuneration should also be included in holiday pay.

What are the implications of this decision for businesses?

The main impact for businesses is the potential risk of their workers raising claims for underpayment of holiday pay. While the EAT and new legislation (introduced earlier this month) has limited the scope for workers to recover underpayment of holiday pay by way of an unlawful deductions from wages claim, the requirement for business to include non-guaranteed overtime pay in holiday pay could mean an increase in their overall wage bill. For those businesses that traditionally use overtime to manage fluctuations in demand for their goods and services, this decision could have significant financial implications.

What should businesses be doing now?

Businesses should consider the impact of this decision and assess the potential liabilities that they face. Dependent on the holiday pay arrangements they currently have in place, businesses may decide to take action now to prevent claims for historic underpayment of holiday pay and to ensure that they are properly protected going forward. Subject to any future legal developments, the EAT decision is clear that businesses are legally obliged to ensure that all guaranteed overtime pay and, in certain circumstances, non-guaranteed overtime pay should be included in holiday pay calculations.

Howes Percival LLP is sponsoring and hosting the March 2015 Norfolk Chamber of Commerce HR Forum, which will focus on the impact of recent case-law decisions on the calculation of holiday and provide strategic advice for HR professionals tasked with handling this difficult issue, as well as guiding them through the new right to shared parental leave and the implementation of this regime in practice.

The New Year signifies an opportune time to reflect on the previous 12 months and plan ahead for the upcoming year (and beyond). With January drawing to a close, it’s time to pin down the right resolution for you in 2015. Leathes Prior Solicitors has come up with some suggestions we can help you with, to provide a little extra support when the initial enthusiasm for the New Year begins to wane. Our resolutions aim to cover various aspects of life; compiled to highlight important considerations which may not necessarily spring to mind, but are capable of having a significant positive impact on you personally, your business and on those around you:-

1.Location, location, location: Although the post-festive period has a reputation of being a time to scrimp and save; talks of an improving housing market, the recent changes to stamp duty land tax rates and the introduction of help-to-buy schemes mean that now is a good time, whether you’re making a move or you’re a first-time buyer, to take advantage and start planning.

2.Move on up: Make this year the year you take action and utilise one of the many options out there for business start-ups and expansion. You may choose to operate as a sole trader, partnership, limited company or franchise; each one has its unique benefits and tax implications – but just make sure you fully consider which option will best suit your circumstances.

3.The bottom line: Pursue your debtors! Now is the time to recover monies owed to you to improve the chances of getting paid before the end of the financial year. Not only will this improve cash flow in the typically slower months, but it will also result in a more impressive End of Year Profit and Loss Statement.

4.Peace of mind: Although it is never a particularly cheerful topic to begin the year with, having an up-to-date will is fundamental to achieving absolute certainty for those who are left behind. You should consider writing a will if you do not currently have one, or updating your existing will if your circumstances have since changed.

5.Failing to plan is planning to fail: Writing a will is only one part of estate planning; there are a wide range of options available to ensure assets pass tax efficiently. There may be other considerations such as preparing a Lasting Power of Attorney or putting in place an Advance Directive (Living Will) where early organisation would prevent future complications.

6.Review and renew: If you are responsible for a business, you should consider reviewing your standard terms and conditions of trade if you feel you have lost money in recent months due to gaps in your current wording. Having terms tailored to your business will ensure water-tight transactions and help prevent uncertainty and further unnecessary financial loss in the future.

7.The ‘A team’: Providing your business is eligible, you might wish to consider introducing a share option scheme to recruit, incentivise or retain key staff. There are a number of flexible tax-advantaged share schemes available, such as EMI (Enterprise Management Incentives) which offer employees the opportunity to earn shares in the business if they, for example, attain a specified length of service or hit performance-related targets.

8.Spring clean: When at the helm of your business, it can be easy to forget (or simply not have the time) to review current contracts, policies and other agreements. It is important to check your business is compliant with the current legislative requirements. To help with this, we offer a FREE legal audit of your business to review such documents and systems and provide a report detailing your level of compliance at no cost.

If you want to take on board any of these resolutions or simply learn more about the topics dealt with above, please get in touch with our team of experienced solicitors on 01603 610911 or email info@leathesprior.co.uk.

Note: The content of this article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be taken in any specific circumstance.

MigSolv, the specialist data centre consultancy, welcomed a class of A-level computing students from City Academy Norwich, the specialist digital technology and English school to see its state-of-the-art data centre on Barnard Road, Norwich.

Commenting on the visit, Alex Rabbetts, CEO MigSolv said: “I was thrilled to host a visit from one of the area’s top-performing technology schools and hoped the experience was invaluable to the students. As well as providing a fascinating tour of The Gatehouse students also got the opportunity to understand the relevance of the data centre, which plays a pivotal role in our digital lives.”

“Everything we do on our tablets, smartphones, wearable tech, laptops or anything in the Cloud goes through a data centre and back to a device. It was an intriguing session, a glimpse of the digital future, that I hope inspired many of them to think about exploring careers in IT or technology,” continued Rabbetts.

Jez Thompson, leader of learning at City Academy Norwich added: “We have always embraced innovation while being transformational with education at Norwich City Academy. The Gatehouse has a rich history in Norwich and the opportunity for our students to see its change into one of the country’s leading purpose-built facilities was one we couldn’t turn down. “Our computing curriculum has always embraced the constant change in industry and strives to marry technology advancements with the underlying academic principles of Computing Science”

A copy of Digital Fortress, a techno-thriller novel written by American author Dan Brown was presented to students.

The Gatehouse occupies 6,000m2 in 3.64 hectares of campus and provides affordable and reliable data centre space for regional and national businesses. Businesses, local, national and international can choose from a range of services that will help them do better business, expand globally and make them safer and more secure.

Previously, the site belonged to Aviva plc, the Norwich insurance group. The Gatehouse has won environmental accolades for its design: the EU Green Light and EU Code of Conduct awards.

City Academy Norwich is a secondary school in Norwich, England. It opened in September 2009, replacing Earlham High School. It is located near the University of East Anglia in Norwich. The Academy, an 11-16 school, is a local partnership, led by City College Norwich and working with University of East Anglia, Norfolk County Council and Norwich School. The academy specialises in Digital Technology and English.

MigSolv was founded in 2002 as Migration Solutions and became Europe’s leading specialist data centre consultancy, providing advice based on real life experience in all aspects of data centre design, operation and, as the name suggests, migration. In 2011 the company acquired its own data centre, branded the operation as MigSolv, and now operates a colocation facility offering very high quality, low cost and totally flexible data centre space to clients seeking exceptional service from the people who wrote the majority of data centre operation best practice in use today. For more information about MigSolv please visit www.migsolv.com

We’ve had the great pleasure of working with local company KSG on their Sequin Art products for a number of years now and 2014 saw our busiest time yet in preparation for Winter half term and Christmas, both key periods for craft-toy sales.

KSG and JMS both wanted a ‘step up’ for the 2014 campaign and so we aimed high, bringing to life the ‘Sparkling World of Sequin Art’ with 3D animation. From a living room setting 3 girls and a mum are transported to a magical world where the Sequin Art creations come to life and interact with their makers!

Written and Directed by Luke Witcomb, the commercial consisted of a two day shoot with living room and green screen sets – both of which were built and filmed in JMS’ TV studio. In post Motion Graphics Artist Hugh South set to work bringing to life sequinned dolphins, leopards, butterflies, dinosaurs and even Paddington Bear, with what must be at least a million sparkles! Despite the complexity the post-production had to be completed in well under 3 weeks as the German retailers needed their version (a 20 seconds cut down) broadcast asap. Working a bit in reverse JMS produced the cut down first, with German end-frame and soundtrack, delivered in HD to Super RTL in Germany ready for airing.

We then moved straight onto production of 6 sponsorship bumpers for Sequin Art’s sponsorship of CITV’s ‘Share A Story’ programme over Half Term. Bumpers complete and delivered (along with Compliance and Hardings Tests) we then moved onto finishing the production of the UK 30 seconds TV commercial in time for broadcast on several channels including ITV and Nickelodeon. And finally we were back doing a second retailer-tagged version for Germany and a pre-roll for Germany’s Disney Digital.

You can view the commercial in the video below or catch it on CITV throughout January!

We’ll leave Stephen Ducker of KSG to have the final word on what has been a busy, sparkling, fun-filled time at JMS.

“We are absolutely delighted with the results of both TV commercials and the six sponsorship bumpers. You have really pulled out all the stops for us this time… they look great… I am so pleased in fact I am dead chuffed with them.”

As 2024 draws to a close, we at Taylor Investigations are taking a moment to reflect on what has been an incredible year of challenges, triumphs, and growth. From solving intricate cases to building stronger relationships with our clients, this year has seen us push boundaries and continue our commitment to delivering exceptional investigative services.

Unravelling Complex Cases

This year brought a diverse array of cases to our doorstep. From fraud and workplace theft to personal matters, family trees and identifying biological family members and tracing investigations, our team worked tirelessly to uncover the truth.

Embracing Technology

2024 saw an ever-increasing role of technology in our operations. We adopted new tools and software allowing us to stay ahead. We also invested in enhancing our cybersecurity measures by working with a new IT provider, ensuring client data and case information remain safe and secure.

Training and Development

Staying ahead in this industry means constant learning. This year, our investigators undertook various training and attended conferences, exchanging knowledge with other leading experts in the field. We also welcome 2 new members to the team in Ben and Steve. We believe that a well-trained investigator is an effective one so training is always key for our team.

 Community Engagement

This year, we also took steps to give back to the community. Our team partnered with local initiatives such as Norwich BID and their ALERT system and Charlotte took park in the Legal Walk raising money for NCLS and Citizens Advice. We are also continuing our partnership with Norfolk Community Law Service, where we provide free process serving and person tracing for their clients. This initiative allows us to support vulnerable individuals and ensure they have access to the justice and services they need. Since we began in June 2023, we have carried out 7 process serves and 18 traces with a value of £1,845 for the NCLS.

Leadership Recognition

In April 2024, Charlotte, was re-elected to the Governing Council of the Association of British Investigators. Charlotte also led the planning for the first-ever Professional Investigators Conference, which was a huge success and set a new standard for industry collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Planning is well underway for the Professional Investigators Conference 2024

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we head into 2025, we remain committed to being the trusted, professional, and thorough investigative firm our clients have come to rely on. We are also thrilled to announce that a new team member, Debbie, will be joining us in January 2025 as an Investigator and Process Server. Debbie brings extensive experience in forensics and crime scene investigation, and she holds the Level 3 Private Investigator award. We are confident she will be a fantastic addition to our growing team.

We would like to thank all our clients, partners, and supporters for being part of our journey this year. Your confidence in Taylor Investigations drives us to be the best at what we do.

Happy New Year, and we look forward to working with you in 2025!

Finding
the right Fire & Gas safety solutions made easier through exciting
agreement with Proeon and
Det-Tronics.

Proeon Systems Ltd, the
Norfolk based specialist systems integrator for critical installations and
applications has broadened its offering in the complex and highly regulated
Fire and Gas protection sector.

With over 20 years of
providing control and safety packages to various safety critical industries,
such as Oil & Gas, Nuclear, and more recently Renewables including Hydrogen,
Proeon has always been at the forefront of offering tightly integrated solutions
to their clients, compliance to regulations is no joke. 

With the recent introduction of Gas safety
standards, in which Proeon’s team were heavily involved in the development of,
operators of processes and plant are discovering that they need to their
standard Fire systems to include for explosive and toxic Gas detection, as
appropriate.

As part of Proeon’s comprehensive offering
of safety systems, they have signed an agreement with the Det-Tronics, a
leading US based manufacturer of flame detectors, toxic and flammable gas
detectors and safety controllers.

 The Det-Tronic portfolio has
been synonymous with the traditional Oil & Gas industry across the globe,
protecting assets from offshore platforms to large, complex chemical plants.

Proeon has seen a growth in
sectors where the Det-Tronics product is ideally suited for ease of use,
availability and longevity, and their reputation is recognised.

 This recognition between
Det-Tronic and Proeon formalises a long-standing supplier vendor relationship
and highlights the commitment to product knowledge and training that Proeon has
made to support the Det-Tronics line of products.

“As a provider of the Det-Tronics
portfolio of products, we’re really excited that Proeon can offer a
comprehensive package to clients that covers, not just control of their assets,
but the protection of the plant and processes too, in a complete system giving
our clients more choice and flexibility.” –  Said   Dr Dorian Hindmarsh,
Commercial Director Proeon Systems.

“We’re
delighted to take this exciting next step in our partnership with Proeon
Systems.  Their proven expertise in Fire
and Gas safety, along with deep experience in systems integration, makes them
an ideal solutions partner.  Proeon’s
agile and forward-thinking team perfectly complements Det-Tronics’ world-class
portfolio of systems and instruments.  As
the energy industry continues to evolve, this collaboration presents a powerful
opportunity to deliver innovative and reliable safety solutions to our
customers.”  –  Ben Crane, Regional Sales Manager for
Det-Tronics.

Proeon will be promoting the
range of Det-Tronics hardware, that fits neatly within its broad offering of
OEMs in control and automation, communications, SCADA, and safety, alongside
those it already has agreements with.

 If you would like to know more
about Proeon or the Det-Tronics Fire and Gas detection solutions on offer
through Proeon, please contact Sales@proeon.co.uk and a
Proeon representative will be happy to support you.  **ENDS**

NOTES TO
EDITORS:

Proeon is a specialist is a specialist systems integrator
supplying control and safety solutions for complex and critical
applications.  Providing complete turnkey
systems, a combination of hardware, software, control and functional safety
engineering coupled with service and support to our clients.

With 70+ skilled and talented staff, who operate
internationally providing bespoke solutions for complex and critical
applications.  Based in Norwich, Proeon
operate across the global energy sector, ensuring development of robust and
sustainable solutions to meet their client’s specific requirements operating
within challenging and hostile environments. 
In 2022Proeon was acquired by RSK Group, becoming part of a family of
200+ environmental, engineering and technical services businesses. 

For Media
Enquiries or more information – please contact:         Mrs
Lesley Swift, Marketing Co-ordinator – Lesleys@proeon.co.uk   Proeon
Systems Limited:  T: +44(0)1953 859110   www.proeon.co.uk   Sales@proeon.co.uk

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Is your business involved in imports and
exports, or do you collaborate with international stakeholders or clients? Find
out more about how your business and colleagues could benefit from the range of
languages and support on offer from the 

The UEA evening language programme is open to
members of the public, UEA students and staff. are now on offer too – a recent enhancement
to this successful programme which has been running for over 30 years. Sessions
are delivered by language specialist tutors, many of whom are native speakers
and come from all around the world.

The programme currently offers Spanish,
French, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, German, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese,
Russian and British Sign Language.

It is true that English is used a lot within the business world.
However, many people speak “Globish”, a simplified version of English which
means some important nuances may be lost in the process. Making the time and the effort
to learn a foreign language (even just some basic phrases) also sends a very
positive message, as it implies that you want to understand better and are not
intending to view everything from your own standpoint. Last (but not least),
learning a language is fun, and can be a great team building exercise.

The UEA Language Programme can also help you
to avoid cultural faux pas by helping you understand the business culture of
the country you are dealing with. Erin Meyer* gives a very striking
example: “Presenting to Londoners or New Yorkers? Get to the point and stick
to it. Presenting to Belgians, Spaniards, or Germans? Spend more time setting
the parameters and explaining the background before jumping to your
conclusion.” The impact of cultural differences on interactions and
processes can make a real difference.

 *(Erin Meyer, Affiliate Professor of Organisational
Behaviour at INSEAD)

For the standard evening programme, classes
take place in-person, on the UEA campus, usually from 6:15pm to 8:15pm. Terms
are 10-weeks long and run three times a year (beginning in January, April and
October).

Bespoke training can also be offered
specifically for businesses, tailored to your specific needs and requirements.
The Language Programme team would be very happy to chat to you about devising a
training package for your business.

The aim is to make language learning an
enjoyable and rewarding experience. All four communicative skills are tackled
(speaking, listening, reading and writing), but for businesses classes can
focus more particularly on certain skills depending on your specific
needs.  There is a maximum class size of 15 people, creating a nice
learning community where people feel comfortable to give it a try in a safe
space.  

Registration is now open for evening classes
starting in January.
Registrations close on Wed 1
January.

Learning a language is a gateway to a
different culture. Some students are driven by short-term objectives, such as a
holiday, or longer-term ones, such as communicating with a partner’s family in
their own language. But the benefits can also be professional – beyond the
ability to communicate in the language itself, taking a class can increase
students’ confidence in speaking, ability to improvise and adapt to new
situations, teamwork and problem-solving skills. It also grows people’s mindset
and cultural intelligence.

Contact the UEA Language team to discuss your
requirements: