With over a quarter of the British workforce being furloughed, and more people than ever working from home, many people are wondering what life will look like when millions of people return to work.
In this article, we look at advice from the government, the health and safety executive and other trusted sources to answer six big questions on how the next few months will look, and what businesses can do right now to prepare.
Strong Investment in Food Manufacturing Drives Uplift in Local Jobs
Food Manufacturing hires in the East of England are up by more than two thirds in the first three months of 2017 compared to the final three months of 2016, the Cooper Lomaz Employment Indicator can reveal. It can also reveal that hires are up by a third compared to the same period in 201, which bucks the trend of the other core technical sectors, which are largely down Year on Year.
The availability of highly-skilled candidates within Food Manufacturing has been the biggest challenge within the sector, with 11% fewer candidates actively looking for work at the start of 2017 compared to the start of 2016. However, there has been a significant uplift compared to the end of 2016, which is a common trend across all technical sectors due to a lack of recruitment activity over the Christmas period.
Due to significant acquisitions, mergers and investment in the region we’ve seen that the amount of advertised jobs in the Food Manufacturing sector is up 28% over the same period last year, and 31% compared to the last three months of 2016.
Cooper Lomaz Commercial Director Simon Brown says “Currently despite the fact that we’re seeing a shortage of food manufacturing candidates, it is a great time for food manufacturers in the East of England. It’s turbulent at times with recent mergers and acquisitions, but many of the smaller firms have been able to expand.”
News in other sectors suggest that there is balance and buoyancy, despite hiring within the IT sector being down by 32% compared to the same period of last year. This is largely due to the severe shortage of candidates, which were also down 32% in this period.
Why Cooper Lomaz compiles the Employment Indicator:
Cooper Lomaz compiles the Employment Indicator at the end of each 3 month period to provide free valuable insight for businesses and candidates about how the employment market in East Anglia is performing.
Cooper Lomaz believes that this information is important to the regional economy and therefore should be freely available so that local businesses and candidates know what employability is like in their sectors.
Improved global demand continues to feed growth across most of the manufacturing supply chain, a new survey has revealed.
Published by the manufacturers’ organisation, EEF, and accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP, the EEF/BDO Manufacturing Outlook for the first quarter (Q1) of 2018 shows that demand from European and capital equipment markets, in particular, is helping UK manufacturers start this year in the same positive way they ended 2017.
Manufacturing activity stepped up a gear through 2017 providing industry with some decent momentum coming into this year, EEF Chief Economist Lee Hopley said.
“The importance of a buoyant global economy to export-focused manufacturing sectors is again reinforced,” she explained, “with growing overseas demand encouraging international manufacturers to ramp up their investment which in turn is spurring particularly strong activity in UK capital goods sectors.”
According to the survey, two-thirds of manufacturers see the EU as offering good prospects for growth, with the next best markets of Asia and North America seen as supportive by around a quarter of companies.
With output, orders, investment and recruitment all significantly above their long-run averages, EEF has upgraded its growth forecasts for manufacturing in 2018 from 1.4% to +2.0% (the EEF forecast for the overall UK economy this year is 1.5%).
EEF also notes that growth in world trade has been matched by a large improvement in the UK orders balance at the start of this year. Although export orders eased slightly (from +33% in 2017 Q4 to +29% in 2018 Q1), domestic order balances almost doubled (from +12% to +21%).
A word of warning was also issued: there are some sign in the survey that automotive and construction supply chains are seeing signs of weaker demand, which could see a greater sector variation in performance both this year and next.
The Sainsbury Centre is delighted to announce the acquisition of a significant group of works by Elizabeth Frink made possible in accordance with the wishes of the artist’s late son, Lin Jammet. This acquisition follows the highly celebrated exhibition, Elisabeth Frink: Humans and Other Animals, held at the Centre in 2018. The works consist of 29 sculptures and drawings, by one of the most important British sculptors of the twentieth century. They will be displayed at the Sainsbury Centre art museum and its Sculpture Park at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK. This acquisition was initiated in collaboration with the artist’s son, Lin Jammet, who sadly died in 2017. However, it was his wish that a group of his mother’s works should remain after the exhibition and become part of the permanent holdings in the region of the Suffolk-born artist’s birth. The acquisition includes powerful examples of work from all periods of Frink’s artistic practice. Frink was known for depicting the relationship between humans and animals and this was a theme she returned to throughout her life. Whilst offering exciting contemporary possibilities both metaphorically and directly, she was conscious of the fact that animals appear in art from the very earliest times and that their relationship with humans is interdependent. Frink rose to prominence while still a student at Chelsea College of Art in 1952, when she had her first major gallery exhibition and won a prize in an international competition for the Monument to the Unknown Political Prisoner. She created a series of expressionist bird sculptures which, for her, evoked ‘strong feelings of panic, tension, aggression and predatoriness’. Frink was associated with the Geometry of Fear group of British sculptors and created one of the most succinct responses to the Second World War and to the climate of fear generated by the encroaching Cold War. In the 1950s, her falling and spinning men, and associated drawings, echo images of early cosmonauts such as Yuri Gagarin, the first human in outer space. Frink’s most famous and unique theme is a series of heads, the Goggle Heads (1967-69) and Tribute Heads (1970s-80s), which explore the contradictory forces of masculinity and vulnerability. The acquisition includes examples of both series. Like other great twentieth century artists including Bacon and Picasso, Frink explores the binary attributes of human behaviour, representing man as both aggressor and brutalised victim. This theme is also illustrated in the representation of the warrior figure (Soldier 1963). The Mirage Birds, (Mirage I and Mirage II, 1969) illustrate her work in large scale bronze and take up residency in the Sainsbury Centre’s 350-acre Sculpture Park at the University of East Anglia. They represent a more playful and abstracted form of depiction set against the watery backdrop of a Norfolk Broad. Frink was one of the twentieth century’s great draughtsmen with the ability to convey sculptural form on paper. The acquisition of 9 drawings and 4 prints includes her Green Man series, which was made when Frink knew that she was likely to die whilst only in her 60s. Frink found solace in the popular medieval symbol of rebirth and new life, resulting in works as fresh and invigorating as anything she had ever produced. Sainsbury Centre Head of Collections and curator of Elizabeth Frink: Humans and Other Animals, Calvin Winner says: “We are delighted that a significant body of work is held in a public collection in the region of Frink’s birth. The Sainsbury Centre is perhaps best known for its holdings of sculpture from ancient times to the present day. Frink’s work will now be seen alongside some of the greatest sculpture ever made. This a is fitting tribute to one of the most important British sculptors of the twentieth century.”
The Norfolk Mead have refreshed their popular takeaway Afternoon Tea menu for June.
The summer-inspired menu now includes a strawberry and ruby chocolate pot, lemon drizzle cake with lemon curd, alongside owner Anna’s famous chocolate brownie with salted caramel banoffee topping. The full cream team also includes fresh sandwiches which have been refreshed to include smoked ham with Dijon mayonnaise, mature cheddar and chutney, and egg mayonnaise with mustard cress. For savoury fans, there is a sausage and apple roll, and of course, the amazing plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and fruit jam. James Holliday, Owner of the Norfolk Mead commented: “It has been really fun working through ideas to refresh our Afternoon Tea menu for June – inspired by summer flavours of strawberry and lemon, we are so pleased with the new menu. A cream tea is a real treat – very celebratory, and our customers are enjoying laying everything out at home to enjoy in the garden whilst the weather has been so gorgeous. “Now the lockdown measures have been eased to allow larger groups to meet, we’ve heard from customers who are planning to meet friends and family outside who they haven’t seen for several months, with the cream tea something everyone can enjoy to make the occasion really special and memorable. As we offer cream tea delivery, it’s also a great option for people who can’t get out and about yet so we’ve had orders from people who want to treat their neighbours or elderly relatives. We’re so grateful to the local community for supporting our business during this time, and have heard of lots of people trying us for the first time which is fantastic.” Priced at £15 per head, delivery is £3 within 18 miles of Coltishall (NR12 7DN), and the team will consider further deliveries – although this may be subject to an additional delivery charge. Afternoon tea can also be collected directly from the Hotel in line with the most recent social distancing and Covid-secure guidelines. The Takeaway Afternoon Tea Delivery and collection is available every weekend throughout June. Order Norfolk cream tea delivery here, or email info@norfolkmead.co.uk
Green Duck on Western Way in Bury St Edmunds has taken cyber security company Labsec under their wing, expanding their IT offering for businesses into the realm of network, application and data security.
With UK small businesses targeted with 65,000 attempted cyber attacks each day and the average cost of a data breach clear up standing at £25,700, according to insurance firm Hiscox[1], it has never been more essential to have robust security measures in place especially as workforces enter into a more remote way of working.
The incorporation of Labsec into Green Duck’s operations enables the IT collective to provide invaluable cyber security consultancy including strategy and planning to protect against and identify risks of data breach, incident response planning for effective action, and cyber security awareness training for employees.
The acquisition of Labsec comes just over two years after Green Duck joined forces with website and app development company Source Code Studio, seeing the Bury St Edmunds based business continue to expand and grow.
A relaunch of the newly branded Source Code Studio and introduction of expanded website design and app development services is also coming imminenly.
“We never want to stand still,” explained Green Duck CEO Rod Jackson. “We’re ambitious. This means we strive to continually learn, develop and innovate in order to offer exceptional products and services to our customers.
“By joining forces with Labsec and Source Code Studio, Green Duck can operate as an IT collective, which means clients benefit from a single point of contact for all their IT infrastructure, support, software and security needs. Gone are the days of a business owner or IT manager acting as a go-between for multiple providers – now you have access to experts all in one place.”
To discover more about Green Duck and new additions Labsec and Source Code Studio, visit greenduck.co.uk or call 01284 700015.
We take a look at one of the many ways you can assist the implementation of social distancing measures in an office environment, by using zonal flooring.
Open plan offices may struggle to find adequate ways to keep employees distanced when returning to work, following the adjustments to current coronavirus rules. Zonal flooring is one effective way to keep continuity with a new spatial design, and clearly divide large open plan spaces into concise, targeted areas.
On 12 May, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention, or “furlough” Scheme was to be extended, providing additional support for wages until October.
In that announcement, he said that the scheme under current rules would be extended until the end of July, but thereafter there would be a winding down of the scheme, with employers required to contribute and part-time working being a possibility.
On 29 May the Chancellor added a little more meat to the bones of this announcement, and also changed it slightly in response to pressure from business groups.
The headline points are as follows:
the last day for employers to put staff onto the furlough scheme is 10 June 2020 if they haven’t furloughed that particular staff member for at least three weeks previously – please be mindful of this if you are rotating staff or still unclear of whether you will need staff moving forwards. This is because the scheme is closed to new entrants from 30 June, and the individual will need to have been furloughed for at least three weeks prior to this at some stage
the flexibility to the furlough scheme has been brought forward, to commence from 1 July 2020 – from this point staff will be able to work part-time and be furloughed part-time, and businesses will decide how to effect this in practice. This is likely to be of real benefit to businesses who are trying to operate again but either don’t have a need for a full cohort of staff or cannot have everyone in for safety reasons
the furlough scheme will close on 31 October 2020.
From 1 August 2020, the furlough scheme’s support begins to be wound down:
in August, businesses will take over the responsibility of paying employer’s national insurance contributions and pension contributions and will no longer be able to reclaim them through the scheme
in September, the reimbursement will drop to 70% of salary (to a cap of £2,190 per month). In order to be eligible for the grant, businesses must top up to at least 80% of salary
in October, the reimbursement will drop to 60% of salary (to a cap of £1,875 per month). In order to be eligible for the grant, businesses must top up to at least 80% of salary.
We are still awaiting the updates to the Treasury Direction and the Employer’s Guidance which are expected by 12 June.
Further advice and free webinar
For an in-depth look at the extension to the scheme, the rules that will apply and how things have changed following the release of that guidance, please JOIN US for a FREE webinar on Monday 15 June at 2pm where we will be considering the changes to the scheme. For further information and to book your place, please click here.
For specific advice for your business, please get in touch with our specialist Employment Law team through this website or by calling 0330 404 0778.
The planned changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme have been confirmed by the Chancellor and set out in a factsheet. Further guidance on flexible furloughing and how employers should calculate claims is expected from HMRC on 12 June.
Flexible furloughing Employers will be given the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back part time from 1 July 2020, but will be responsible for paying the employees’ wages for the hours/days worked. Employers will be able to continue to claim under the scheme for the balance of an employee’s normal hours and will be required to confirm the usual hours an employee would be expected to work in a claim period and the actual hours worked. Scheme closes to new employees from end of June From July onwards, claims can only be made by employers already using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in respect of previously furloughed employees. The scheme will close to new entrants on 30 June, which means that the final date by which an employer can furlough an employee for the first time will be 10 June, in order to have met the three week minimum period of furlough. However, employers will have until 31 July to make any claims in respect of wages for June. Employer contributions The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is to be slowly tapered from August 2020, resulting in employers being required to gradually increase their contributions towards furlough pay. The tapering will take effect as follows: June and July: The Government will pay 80% of wages, up to a cap of £2,500, plus employer National Insurance and pension contributions. Employers are not required to pay anything. August: The Government will pay 80% of wages, up to a cap of £2,500. Employers will pay employer National Insurance and pension contributions. September: The Government will pay 70% of wages, up to a cap of £2,187.50. Employers will pay 10% of wages to make up 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500, plus employer National Insurance and pension contributions. October: The Government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875. Employers will pay 20% of wages to make up 80% total, up to a cap of £2,500, employer National Insurance and pension contributions. We await the further details from HMRC on 12 June. Speak to the specialist Employment Law team at Hatch Brenner Solicitors for Employment law advice via 01603 660 811, or find out more in our Employment Law for Employees and Employment Law for Employers web pages.
We’re hosting a charity quiz night on Friday 24 October at the New Bury Community Centre in Bury St Edmunds.
You can enter a team of up to 6 people and it costs £30 per team. There will also be a raffle on the night.
The event will raise money for Just George, which is a special name fund at the Children’s Cancer Group (CCLG) raising money for research into rhabdomyosarcoma in memory of George.
Doors will open at 7pm, with the quiz starting at 7:30pm.
To take part in the fun, simply email fundraising@gascoynes.co.uk.
TaxAssist is championing a Buy Local campaign to help business communities thrive by encouraging consumers and local businesses to come together and support each other.
The Buy Local message has never been more important, with businesses needing all the help and support they can get post coronavirus lockdown. TaxAssist Accountants is keen to champion their cause and its network of accountants are pushing out the message nationwide across their shop windows, websites and social media channels.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of small businesses including retailers, barbers, restaurants and cafes have temporarily closed and these businesses in particular will need support to help to keep the local economy thriving once they are given the green light to re-open from 15th June for non-essential shops.
There have though, been many examples of innovation from the small business sector, which has embraced technology and ingenuity to adapt to the conditions imposed by the pandemic and TaxAssist has created a dedicated Buy Local hub on its client site to highlight many positive stories.
Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “I am really impressed with how businesses have shown tremendous energy and innovation in adapting how they operate during these difficult times and we must all do what we can to help them. This is because the local business owners you are spending your money with will, in turn, put that money back into the local community by using local suppliers and employing people which all helps to keep the local economy thriving. The Buy Local message is key and one which TaxAssist Accountants is proud to spearhead.”
During the pandemic, TaxAssist Accountants is holding Virtual Discovery Days and has continued to receive a steady stream of enquiries about its franchise opportunity as people evaluate their future career and lifestyle choices.
“I think that lockdown has really forced people to rethink what they want from their life and what’s important to them,” states Karl. “Certainly, from people we have spoken to recently who are interested in joining TaxAssist, we have heard that they want to cut out their commute and fulfil a wish to take on a more rewarding role, by working with local businesses and integrating more closely in their communities.
“TaxAssist Accountants is a people-based business, operating from shops and offices, but our strength is that by fully adopting market leading software, the network has proven itself to be remarkably resilient, able to continue to offer a first class service to over 77,000 clients remotely. The timely advice, guidance and support our accountants have been able to offer during the COVID-19 pandemic has been very well received and will make a real impact on the survival and recovery of independent businesses across the UK.”
If you are interested in joining TaxAssist Accountants, we are holding monthly Virtual Discovery Days where you can spend a day with the team and find out more about the business opportunity and support on offer. Click here for more information.
There aren’t many silver linings to be found in the midst of a pandemic, but the way local businesses were able to rally round for their communities is one of them. Many consumers, who’d never shopped with their local suppliers before, turned to those businesses for supplies and services when big brands couldn’t reach them. For the community, they became a lifeline, and for the businesses themselves, it meant boosted sales and visibility.
So, as the UK begins to ease lockdown and some kind of normal life resumes, the local businesses who found new customers want to keep hold of them. But with the national and global players in all sorts of different industries gearing up to win back their customers, what can they do? Your farm shop might not have the marketing budget of Sainsbury’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay at the forefront of your new customers’ minds. Instead, you need to find the right tools, create good content and reach those people directly.
Email marketing is an affordable solution for businesses who want to stay in touch, build brand loyalty and entice buyers back. It doesn’t cost a lot to use a professional email marketing platform like Smart Messenger. So, you don’t need to blow your budget, you just need to get the right messages to the right people. Find out how much email marketing costs.
Here are some suggestions of content to include when you are using email marketing to build connections with new customers.
1. Storytelling.
All businesses have stories and the ones from the past three months are particularly interesting. How did you serve your community during the lockdown, what did you do to reach customers who desperately needed your help and what response did you get from the people where you live and work? Tell those stories and thank the community for turning to you and buying local. It’ll engage their hearts and minds as they read your email.
2. Showcase
Remind your customers of all the reasons why your product or service is the best choice. It might be the way you make it, a bespoke element, a genius solution or a sustainable supply chain. Identify the things that make your most loyal customers come back time and again, then tell the new ones what they can expect from you.
3. Promote Local
Champion the ‘buy local’ cause for yours and other businesses. Remind your new customers that you were there for them when they needed you and will be again. Share the local suppliers you work with to produce your goods or service, then shine a light on those companies you buy from. Show customers that buying from a local supplier means the money goes back into the local economy, which benefits everyone.
4. Offers and loyalty plans
Got something to give? Send it through email marketing. Smart Messenger customer Panther Breweryserved their community during the lockdown and sent a ‘thank you’ voucher to new customers. The result? A fantastic email open-rate and more sales.
“As email marketing newcomers, we wanted to choose a service where we could rely on support throughout. Our Account Manager advised us on how best to structure our first campaign and what to offer our clients. The results were brilliant – we achieved a 68% open rate and a 42% click through rate! We’re absolutely delighted with the service.”
Martin James, Owner & Head Brewer at Panther Brewery
5. Highlight change
Your business practice might have changed due to the new rules, or perhaps you’ve diversified your product range to meet a new need. Whatever changes you’ve made, tell your customers. Our client Office Water Supplies became incredibly busy after diversifying into sanitation supplies early on in the pandemic. They came to us, we created a managed campaign for them, and now their customers know their business has expanded. It was easy for them; despite the fact they were snowed under with demand.
“We learnt of Smart Messenger and their services via Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and the member training sessions. Further to the outbreak of Covid-19, we felt it was imperative we reached out to our network to keep them updated with new products and services that had become available. In addition, we wanted to reassure existing customers that we could continue to serve their requirements. The feedback has been excellent, really clear decisive designs with minor alterations never being an issue and instant customer response. We look forward to continue working with the team at Smart Messenger moving forward.”
Paul Mitchell, Business Partner at Office Water Supplies
These are just a few of the ways that you can engage with your new customers and encourage them to keep using your local business. If you’d like to know more, get in touch with our friendly Smart Messenger team on 01603 858250.