Member News

Norwich International Airport has become one of the first UK airports to sign the Autism Charter.

The Autism Charter is a document which has been produced in collaboration with people with autism and provides a framework for making venues autism friendly.

Working with Autism Anglia, a number of airport staff have completed an autism awareness training programme and are recognised as ‘Autism Champions’. The airport will continue to work closely with Autism Anglia to ensure all staff understand autism and how they can better support passengers and family members who have autism whilst using the airport.

Richard Pace, General Manager of Norwich International Airport said: “We are committed to making the airport experience an easier, speedier and less stressful one for all of our passengers. Autism Anglia has been a valuable source of guidance and information for the airport, delivering training sessions and resources to our staff. The introduction of the Autism Charter and on-going training programme for our staff is another step towards improving the passenger journey through the airport”

A number of resources will be made available at the airport going forward including leaflets and wristbands, with dedicated ‘Autism Champions’ available to offer support.

Jamie Price, Security Manager commented: “To further improve the airport experience, we are in the process of creating a ‘My Travel Card’ for passengers with autism to complete ahead of travel. This document will be available as a download from the airport’s website for completion prior to returning to the airport in advance of travel to ensure we are aware of their needs whilst travelling through the airport”

Anne Ebbage, Norfolk Autism Developments Advisor for Autism Anglia commented: “It was brilliant last year to be asked by Norwich International Airport to help them improve and promote their services for people with ‘hidden disabilities’. The Autism Charter and the Connect to Autism Project has been funded by the Department of Health and rolled out nationally by members of the Autism Alliance. As a member of the Alliance, Autism Anglia has been pleased to deliver this in the Eastern region. The project has aimed to build autism-friendly communities through raising greater awareness and understanding of autism. This will help people with autism and their families feel more welcome and accepted in the community. Autism-friendly environments give people with autism and their families the confidence to go out into their communities and to engage as equal citizens. This means that, often for the first time, they use facilities such as Norwich International Airport, visit shops, use leisure facilities, go to the cinema or theatre and much more.”

We are pleased that the airport has signed the Autism Charter and that we are able to support and assist them in their developments to make using the airport a more enjoyable experience for people with autism and their fellow travellers.”

More information about autism can be found on www.autism-anglia.org.uk and details of the Connect to Autism project and the Autism Charter can be found on: www.autism-alliance.org.uk

ENDS

TaxAssist Accountants, the UK’s largest network of small business tax and accountancy specialists, has added two experienced and qualified new staff members to its 40 strong team at the Norwich based Support Centre, further bolstering the support available to its franchisees.

Michael Whiteman joins as a Manager in the Technical Team, providing support, guidance, training and advice to franchisees on a wide range of accounts and tax matters. Michael has previously worked with Grant Thornton LLP on trust accounts and tax compliance and at KPMG in the Channel Islands Ltd as a Tax Consultant.

Fraser McKay joins as Communications Manager, working alongside the Business Development Team on all client facing communications. Fraser has more than 20 years’ experience in communications with a strong background and skill set in journalism as well as a wealth of experience in franchising. He is experienced in business-to-business and business-to-consumer PR and marketing in both the UK and overseas markets, and is highly experienced in both print and digital media. He is also qualified in NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) and CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) accredited.

Group Operations Director Phil Sullivan comments “We are all delighted that in Michael and Fraser we have found two high calibre individuals, who bring with them a wealth of talent and expertise. Their skills will further enhance the support we can offer to our network and we all warmly welcome them to the team.”

The TaxAssist Accountants Support Centre has won many awards over the years for the quality of its training and support it offers to its network of over 200 franchisees. These include Best Franchise and British Franchise Association awards, and a ‘5-star Franchisee Satisfaction Award’ for the last three years running, based on positive feedback from its franchisees.

Leathes Prior is delighted as the Norfolk County Football Association announces the recent deal that sees the firm sign up as their new official Player Registration Partner and Norfolk FA Veterans League sponsor.The firm will be supporting the annual registration process through which the Norfolk County FA register everyone that participates in the adult game and now also the youth game, totalling over 25,000 players, coaches and referees every summer.

The Norfolk FA Veterans League will also be supported by Leathes Prior. The league was formed in 2010 and has enjoyed a highly successful first four seasons. It is currently the only league centrally run by the association and is going from strength to strength. As of the 2015-16 season, the league operates with over 20 teams competing across three divisions. The partnership aims to align and strengthen both brands and also to support and develop grassroots football, impacting on even more individuals in the years to come.

Partner at Leathes Prior Dan Chapman said”I’m sure that this partnership with theCounty’s Football Association will have a positive impact on our firm and,whilst many people tend to focus on the top end of the professional game, theamount of grass roots work that the Norfolk FA do really is incredible.””As well as providing Leathes Prior with great exposure Norfolk-wide,there is a strong synergy with the work our sports business Full Contactundertakes – where we pride ourselves on our expertise in identifyingnon-league talent and taking them to the pro game. Let’s hope a hidden gem outthere in Norfolk will be next!”.

Shaun Turner, Chief Executive of Norfolk County FA said:”We are delightedto join forces with Leathes Prior, we have had a great working relationshipwith them over a number of years and for them to now become one of the CountyFA’s Official Partners is fantastic news. They are a leading Law Firm offering awide ranging services.”We are looking forward to working together in the coming months todevelop Norfolk Football even further and bring increased opportunity tothousands of players as well as the hundreds of coaches, officials andvolunteers involved in our beautiful game each weekend.”

NEW – Virtual Training Academy launches in Norfolk.

Imagine being able to study for a top class management qualification without moving from your desk or even your armchair! That possibility is now a reality as TIPS for Good Management (TIPS) launch their new Virtual Training Academy, thought to be the first in Norfolk. The flexibility of this learning is unrivalled. You can register anywhere in the world straight from a PC, tablet or laptop and interact with a live presenter, ask questions and get as involved as you want to.

Recordings are available after each session and can be personalised to meet the learning needs of a whole company or an individual. There is an extensive catalogue of subjects available from Time Management to Team Building. Additionally the prestigious Chartered Management Institute (CMI) qualifications can be studied via the Virtual Academy as well. Director Julian Hammond points out: “Never before has management training been so accessible. I wish this service had been available to me as an aspiring manager. There’s no need for lengthy journeys to a venue or complicated registrations, no need to sit next to strangers and feel that dread of having to say something in front of a group of people. It would have accelerated my learning immensely and in turn my management career would have developed more quickly”

The Virtual Academy is one part of a truly blended learning approach which includes e-learning support, live classroom delivery or 1 to 1 coaching sessions through a ‘Virtual Walk In Centre’.

This provides the most flexible, accessible and cost effective management and leadership development available anywhere in the world today. TIPS have already delivered sessions to learners in the Middle East, North America, Canada and Europe receiving some excellent feedback.

For more information on the courses we run please see our website or contact us on 01362 699392 emma@tipsfgm.co.uk

The Norfolk Economic Intelligence Reportbrings together key business, economic and labour market intelligence to provide a regular insight into the current state of the Norfolk economy.

The report is produced on a quarterly basis by the Economic Development Team and reflects economic activity in the county from the previous financial quarter.

See the full report here

How the Best Employers survey can help organisations to attract and retain talent

The culture of your workplace has a significant impact on your ability to attract and retain talented people, a key element to achieving business growth. It affects your employer brand and influences people’s perception of coming to work for you. It’s also crucial for staff retention, as employees will look to escape a toxic culture.

Furthermore, a good understanding of your culture will enable you to hire with cultural fit in mind, helping you to find those who will thrive in your organisation and prevent costly recruitment mistakes.

The Best Employers Eastern Region survey provides employers with a free, effective way to understand more about their organisation’s culture. It also identifies any potential development opportunities for creating a workplace which is attractive to both current employees and to up-and-coming talent. Here’s just some of the valuable insights you can expect to receive.

Clarity of vision

Are your employees aware of the aims and objectives of your organisation? A recent report found that only 42% of employees knew their organisation’s vision, mission and cultural values. If employees are working without any real understanding of these elements, it is likely people will be pulling in different directions and not working together towards a collective vision.

Motivation levels

The more motivated your employees are, the more likely they are to go the extra mile. However, it’s important to recognise what motivates people as individuals, rather than trying to second guess what would work for everyone. A culture and engagement survey can help employers gain the insights needed to assess this.

Organisational learning

New generations entering the workforce have created a shift in employee needs and motivations. Is your organisation successfully maintaining a culture which remains attractive to an evolving workforce? Are there any long-held misconceptions which need addressing? For example, is there a culture of long hours because people believe those who arrive early and stay late are seen to be the hardest workers?

Employee engagement

The importance of gaining an insight into your current levels of employee engagement, and identifying any areas of improvement, should never be underestimated. Evidence shows that businesses with an engaged workforce have 40 per cent less staff turnover. Engaged employees will also be stronger advocates and help protect against the reputational risks associated with poor service levels or product quality.

Communication

Is there an open and honest communication culture? Do senior managers trust employees and share information at the earliest opportunity? Providing transparent information and giving employees a voice are two key enablers of employee engagement. Effective internal communications are also essential in keeping staff engaged in the organisation’s developments.

Leadership style

Is your senior leadership team fostering a positive work environment or a negative one? A successful workplace culture needs to have a clear commitment from the top and should be led by example. Employers also need to make sure that managers are effectively equipped to provide ongoing performance management which will help each employee to thrive.

Team work

Does your organisation have a culture where people respect and support each other? In today’s multigenerational workforce it is becoming increasingly important to ensure each generational group respects each other’s unique talents. A successful culture will be based on employees sharing their knowledge across age groups and a sense of teamwork which spans the generations.

Innovation

Innovation is essential if you want to stay ahead of the curve in your industry. Do your employees believe they are able to contribute ideas? They could provide creative solutions for new ways of working which will improve customer satisfaction and increase income.

Learning and development

Do employees have a clear understanding of their career and progression path? Offering development opportunities is an important element of employee engagement. It motivates existing employees and helps employers to create an effective progression pipeline. It also promotes the organisation as a place where new recruits will be supported to reach their full potential.

Employee well being

Happy, healthy staff are more engaged and productive and employers benefit from reduced absenteeism. How do your employees view their work-life balance? Are any employee wellbeing programmes working effectively? A healthy culture relies on helping employees to strike the delicate balance between work and home life so they can effectively manage their careers, stay healthy and continue to feel engaged.

ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT!

This short course by Bigfork is for people who have never set up an Adwords campaign before or who want a refresher. Most Adwords campaigns are not set up properly, which can cost your business time and money.

You will learn the basics required toset up and run an Adwords campaign effectively, includingsetting up an Adwords account, keyword research and management, linking to Google Analytics, how to write successful ads and more.

Where?Henderson Business Centre,51 Ivy Road, Norwich, NR5 8BF

How much? Only £99 + VAT

Contact 01603 513080 for any questions.

Bookhere

Aston Shaw has managed to retain the highly sought-after status of ‘Platinum Approved ACCA Employer’ for a further 6 years – the highest award possible.

Aston Shaw invests sizeable sums of money into the development and training of staff. The firm covers all training fees, as well as providing all the necessary resources staff in training might need. Furthermore, staff are given study days to ensure they have sufficient time to focus on their qualification alongside their day to day work.

The ACCA Approved Employer programme recognises employers’ high standards of staff training, accountancy resources and development for their ACCA members and trainees. In order to become an ACCA approved employer, a company must:

• Provide formal recognition that it is committed to providing learning and development opportunities to its finance staff.
• Provide an accessible global standard which enables organisations to compare their learning and development support against a global benchmark.
• Provide fast-track specific ACCA business processes.

Being an ACCA Approved Employer carries many benefits – it helps attract talented individuals to our firm and showcases our level of commitment to our existing members of staff.

We’re extremely proud to continue to hold this title – it is of great importance to us that we maintain this status, and so we will strive to continue to meet the requirements.

WellOPEN in Norwichmay just have the answer for you.

How about suggesting to your work colleaguesthat they come anddo a spot of informal networking followed by watching Euro 2016 England v Wales game at OPEN Norwich.

Networking from 12.30pm followed by watching hopefully a good game of football ona 7m HD screen.

Licensed bar & street food available too.

More informationhere

Today (Wednesday 1 June) marks the start of Volunteers’ Week, an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution made by the millions of UK volunteers who spend time supporting individuals, communities and the environment we live in.

One of the key aims of the week is to inspire more people to get involved. To help play our part we want to encourage more local organisations to consider introducing employee volunteering schemes. This is because there are also significant business benefits to be achieved, which go well beyond the obvious ‘feel-good’ factor. Here are five ways in which introducing employee volunteering opportunities, and providing paid time off to participate, can actually improve your bottom line.

Increased employee engagement

Providing the chance for your employees to give back to the community boosts employee engagement, and engaged employees are happier and more productive. It helps to create a rewarding and positive place to work and recent statistics from the not-for-profit organisation Employee Volunteering showed that 76 per cent of volunteers said that it had a positive influence on how they felt about their employer.

Stronger team work

Volunteering together helps people to build stronger relationships with their colleagues, which in turn boosts business performance. The survey by Employee Volunteering also showed that 97 per cent of volunteers believed participation had helped to develop a stronger team. We’ve also seen this first hand when a team of our ownemployees volunteered to help decorate the CHESS homeless shelterin Chelmsford. One of the key things they all said about the experience was how much fun they had all had working together.

Enhanced employee brand

Providing employee volunteering opportunities, and highlighting your organisation as a socially responsible business, will help to attract and retain up-and-coming talent. Research shows that the latest generations entering the workforce care more about company ethics and the opportunity to give back to their communities than ever before. Providing philanthropic opportunities is becoming a key factor in successfully attracting this socially conscious generation. A recent survey by Deloitte also showed that those aged 21 -35, who frequently participated in workplace volunteer activities, were nearly twice as likely to be very satisfied with the progression of their career.

Additional T&D opportunities

Volunteering opportunities can also help employees to develop new skills which they can bring back to the workplace. For example, managing a volunteering project is a great opportunity for employees to develop communication, leadership and project planning skills as well as improving confidence overall.

Improved CSR

Employee volunteering is also a great way for organisations to enhance their profile. Being seen as an organisation which invests in its local community will help to attract and retain customers and can help open doors to developing relationships with key stakeholders. It can also play a significant part in helping organisations to win prestigious awards. For example, when it comes to judging the Employer of the Year entries for the forthcomingEastern Daily Press Business Awards, one of the key things we will be looking for are organisations which have empowered their teams to make a difference for a charity or their local community.

Find out if your employees would be interested in volunteering opportunities

Still not sure if your employees would be interested in carrying out volunteer work? An employee engagement survey is an excellent way to explore staff opinions on new challenges, opportunities and community spirited activities. There’s still time to register for ourfree employee engagement surveywhich we provide to businesses in East Anglia as part of our Best Employers Eastern Region initiative. The confidential employee survey, which would normally cost in the region of £2,000, is available to local organisations of all sizes and sectors. All participating organisations will also automatically be entered into a series of awards to celebrate the region’s Best Employers.

The Norfolk Economic Intelligence Reportbrings together key business, economic and labour market intelligence to provide a regular insight into the current state of the Norfolk economy.

The report is produced on a quarterly basis by the Economic Development Team and reflects economic activity in the county from the previous financial quarter.

The current document covers January to March 2016.

JMS Group was recently approached by Premium World to produce a commercial for their football-themed board game, Super 11. We have a lot of experience in producing children’s TV commercials (Sequin Art, Rubie’s Fancy Dress, Rollers to name a few) so we came easily recommended by Guerillascope.

The game itself is a fun mixture of tactics, skill and luck. We were tasked to create a concept that would portray the quality of the product in an edgy, stylish manner, which would appeal to kids and adults alike. The client chose our concept ‘In The Zone’ as it subverts the viewers expectations – instead of the players emerging onto a football pitch they enter into a domestic setting, bringing the energy of a real-life match into a home environment.

The changing room set and tunnel were both built entirely in our studio. A combination of quick cuts, macro shots and an emphasised use of sound effects make for an ‘Edgar Wright’ (Spaced, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) inspired intro to build the tension.

These commercials air on Friday 27th May on Discovery History, Cartoon Network, Disney XD and KIX.