Member News

With a mind boggling array of tablets available we wanted to take a closer look at the range of tablets out there. Which one could be the best investment for you?

We see tablets everywhere. We’re asked to do surveys on them in the street, we see people catching up on yesterday’s TV on the bus and they’re even popping up in restaurants as a new way to order our food. Just the other day our director took his children to have their feet measured in a well known high street shoe brand, the sales assistant inserted a tablet into the measuring device to take the measurements and keep the kids occupied at the same time.

TechReport.com recently wrote that in the second quarter of 2015, the worldwide tablet market reduced by 7% from the same period in the previous year. From the first quarter of 2015 to the second quarter, the two top tablet makers, Apple and Samsung, saw a reduction in their gross share of the tablet market from 45% to 41%. Is this the beginning of the end for the tablet? Well no, probably not. During this time there was little new hardware. These numbers probably show people hanging onto their old tablets longer, not a decline in the use of tablets.

If you’re a business and thinking of going paperless, tablets are a great investment.

You must first decide whether your business would be best suited to a tablet that runs Android, Windows or iOS (Apple’s operating system). This is a decision that is highly individual to your business needs, but it is worth bearing in mind that Windows tablets are generally more powerful, and can run more like a laptop than either Android or Apple tablets. But for the pleasure of a laptop-like performance you can end up paying laptop prices. Apple have always sat at the higher end of the price scale but the millions of Apple fans across the world would say that you get what you pay for. You can pick up an Android tablet for less than £100 which has led to Google’s Android platform putting up a formidable fight against iPad’s monster market share. Once you’ve decided between the big three, there is a wide range of tablets out there that will suit your needs.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a great choice for Windows users. This tablet really is a laptop replacement and you can even buy a keyboard cover as an optional extra. If you’d prefer a tablet that can turn into a more traditional laptop, then the Dell XPS 12 could be the way to go. It’s hingeless keyboard dock is included in the price. Alternatively, the HP Pavilion x2 is a tablet that can turn into a netbook, with a removable keyboard.

For iOS users, Apple’s iPad Pro is a great choice for business use. It’s the biggest tablet Apple has made to date, specifically made with business use in mind. Again, you can purchase a keyboard cover and stylus to go with it. The keyboard cover and Apple Pencil stylus make the iPad better for business, especially for creative users. It also debuts Apple’s new split-screen multitasking which is great for business owners trying to tackle their to-do-lists.

If want your business to run on Android tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is a great iPad alternative. This tablet is very similar to Apple’s iPad Air 2 but also includes a microSD card reader, which makes it very easy to expand the capacity of your tablet. The Samsung Multimedia Dock accessory improves at-the-desk productivity and it’s defence-grade mobile data security from Samsung KNOX™ means you can keep corporate data secure.

If your business requires you to be out in the elements then you may well want to invest in one of the water resistant tablets. The Sony Xperia Z4 is a great choice if you’re after a more sleek design, but if you want something a bit more robust then the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active has a rubber shield around it. It’s a great choice for those who have to travel a lot on business – connect the keyboard dock and Sony Xperia Z4 is a versatile tool for writing emails and documents on the go.

But what about if you’re after a tablet to use at home? First consider which operating system you want to run on. It’s worth bearing in mind that whilst Android and Apple tablets are essentially large smartphones, Windows tablets actually have the same power as your laptop and can perform tasks as such. If you want something that does everything your laptop can do, but in tablet form, then Windows tablets are the way to go.

The iPad mini and the Nexus 7 both have relatively small screens (about 7″) but are light and easy to carry around. Perfect if you want to watch TV or films when you’re out and about. If you want a bigger screen then you could go for an iPad or Samsung Galaxy tablet (about 10″), but these are heavier and bigger if you want to put them in your bag to take out with you. The Windows Surface Pro 4 and the iPad Pro both have even bigger screens. You could also try the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact or the Nexus 9 if you want something in-between the two screen sizes (8 or 9″).

Make sure when you’re looking for a tablet that you know what you want to use it for. If you want to watch a lot of films on it, then a widescreen tablet could be better for you, whereas if you intend to use it for web browsing you may want a screen that’s more square in shape – this is called aspect ratio. Also, make sure you get a decent amount of pixel density (screen resolution) – how much you need, again, depends on what you want to do with your tablet. Whether you want to just browse the web (less pixel density is fine) or watch films (the more pixel density, the better).

When you’re purchasing a tablet, make sure you understand what you need it for and what you need it to do. This will be a major factor, whether you’re buying for business or pleasure.

Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister was the main man in British rock band Motorhead, a group he formed after being fired from Hawkwind in 1975. He sadly died on the 28th December 2015, at the age of 70, after a very brief fight with cancer.

Although well known and popular, Motorhead never hit the real big time, in the UK at least. Right up to the point Lemmy died they were still only playing theatres, as opposed to arenas or stadiums. In fact they were regulars at the LCR in Norwich which has a capacity of only about 2000, but as business owners I think there is a lot we can learn from his example.

Motorhead followed the strict pattern of album, tour, album, tour… releasing an album every few years and following it up with a multidate national and international tour. What does this tell us? It tells us that when you have a formula that works, stick to it. You could argue that Motorhead didn’t sustain the growth they probably deserved, but they were doing enough to keep doing what they wanted to do.

Lemmy never gave up. He stuck to his guns and did what he wanted to do, the way he wanted to do it. He was good at it. Even when his lifestyle started to affect his health, he kept going. I’m not suggesting it’s always a good idea to keep going no matter what, but you have to admire Lemmy’s single minded determination. In the end it was cancer that got Lemmy, not his lifestyle.

As Allan Kelly taught me a long time ago, it’s important to fail fast and fail cheap. Lemmy understood this too. In 2011 Motorhead headlined the Bloodstock festival and part way through the show Lemmy cut the set short, played Ace of Spades and left the stage. For whatever reason, the band weren’t playing their best (the official reason was the band had come down with a virus). Lemmy realised this and called an end to it.

I’ve been a heavy metal fan ever since I discovered the Final Countdown by Europe and Poison by Alice Cooper. For me Motorhead were mostly there in the background. I saw them just once in Manchester on the Inferno tour (supported by Sepultura). They’ve got a lot of great songs, but my favorite was always Born to Raise Hell from the Bastards album.

Lemmy famously said “Born to Lose, Live to Win.” As business owners we love to win and it so often feels like we’re going to lose, but if Lemmy is anything to go by, it’s the drive to keep going that’s important.

Written by Paul Grenyer

Following a successful 2015 which saw Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants open four new regional offices in London, Manchester, Leeds and Dublin, we are now pleased to announce the strategic appointment of Richard Lawless as Unit Director within the company.

Richard is a senior consultant with over 18 years’ experience and a specialist in contaminated land, remediation and environmental due diligence. Richard will be responsible for leading the Delta-Simons Geoenvironmental Operations team in Manchester, Leeds and Durham, providing contaminated land, geotechnical and environmental due diligence services and support to a growing client base.

Damian Robinson, Executive Director, says “We are delighted with Richard’s appointment to the expanding team as he brings further skills to the company, affording me the opportunity to focus on growing our Environmental Planning team. He is a real asset and I personally look forward to working with him again, having previously worked together on a variety of projects.”

For more information on our employees, see Our People page.

Permastore is expanding its horizons, creating new jobs in East Anglia and increasing the GDP for the United Kingdom! Permastore has invested £1.5m in an epoxy production line to expand its tank and silo manufacturing facility. This is building upon its existing world leading vitreous enamel production line and the significant investment will benefit local families by increasing employment in Suffolk and the surrounding areas. Honoured guest, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston, conducted the official opening of the production facility on the 30 November 2015, joined by MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Dr Dan Poulter, and many of our esteemed Distributors from around the globe.

“Permastore is the largest manufacturing company headquartered in Suffolk and therefore has a key role to play within the region. With the additional capacity that this new epoxy production facility will provide, as well as the addition of the new PERMADOME® Roof and Cover range, orders are forecast to increase by 30% on last year’s figures. This new production facility will also secure additional jobs in Suffolk and supports Permastore’s long-term growth strategy which is firmly on track to continue, in turn contributing to the local economy and creating further jobs in the area” commented Brian Quarendon, Chief Executive Officer of Permastore.

Permastore is at the forefront of the containment industry with continuous research and development and prides itself on its excellent reputation in the municipal, industrial and agricultural market sectors. As a measure of the substantial success of one of its new product ranges, PERMADOME®, Permastore has supplied the world’s widest diameter Glass-Fused-to-Steel External Beam Roof for a potable water project in the Far East, as well as securing orders for some of the largest diameter Geodesic Dome Roofs for a potable water project in the Americas.

The Company has been established since 1959 and Permastore opened its custom built manufacturing facility based in Eye, Suffolk in 1977. It employs over 230 staff, exporting more than 75% of its product globally, and is one of the few manufacturers still based in Suffolk. Permastore operates through a

highly skilled extensive International Distributor Network with over 130 Distributors marketing, selling, installing and maintaining the PERMASTORE® product in over five continents. Permastore can proudly claim to have over 300,000 structures installed in over 110 countries.

Permastore is also extremely proud of its dedicated workforce, many of whom are long serving employees and have made Permastore what it is today.

Permastore is expanding its horizons, creating new jobs in East Anglia and increasing the GDP for the United Kingdom! Permastore has invested £1.5m in an epoxy production line to expand its tank and silo manufacturing facility. This is building upon its existing world leading vitreous enamel production line and the significant investment will benefit local families by increasing employment in Suffolk and the surrounding areas. Honoured guest, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston, conducted the official opening of the production facility on the 30 November 2015, joined by MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Dr Dan Poulter, and many of our esteemed Distributors from around the globe.

“Permastore is the largest manufacturing company headquartered in Suffolk and therefore has a key role to play within the region. With the additional capacity that this new epoxy production facility will provide, as well as the addition of the new PERMADOME® Roof and Cover range, orders are forecast to increase by 30% on last year’s figures. This new production facility will also secure additional jobs in Suffolk and supports Permastore’s long-term growth strategy which is firmly on track to continue, in turn contributing to the local economy and creating further jobs in the area” commented Brian Quarendon, Chief Executive Officer of Permastore.

Permastore is at the forefront of the containment industry with continuous research and development and prides itself on its excellent reputation in the municipal, industrial and agricultural market sectors. As a measure of the substantial success of one of its new product ranges, PERMADOME®, Permastore has supplied the world’s widest diameter Glass-Fused-to-Steel External Beam Roof for a potable water project in the Far East, as well as securing orders for some of the largest diameter Geodesic Dome Roofs for a potable water project in the Americas.

The Company has been established since 1959 and Permastore opened its custom built manufacturing facility based in Eye, Suffolk in 1977. It employs over 230 staff, exporting more than 75% of its product globally, and is one of the few manufacturers still based in Suffolk. Permastore operates through a

highly skilled extensive International Distributor Network with over 130 Distributors marketing, selling, installing and maintaining the PERMASTORE® product in over five continents. Permastore can proudly claim to have over 300,000 structures installed in over 110 countries.

Permastore is also extremely proud of its dedicated workforce, many of whom are long serving employees and have made Permastore what it is today.

We hope you have enjoyed a wonderful christmas and are looking forward to the new year. 2015 was a great year for BBA Digital Media and we look forward to developing new and existing relationships into 2016. We are continuing to increase our network of digital screens and audience numbers through out the year, with further installations of screens in exciting new locations. We will also be integrating bluetooth technologies into our screens, enabling us to send your advertising message directly to our audiences mobile phones.

Digital Advertising is the fastest growing advertising medium, with Digital-Out-Of-Home coming under that bracket. Be at the forefront of the new marketing and advertising market, and ensure Digital Signage is part of your 2016 advertising budget. With our domination screen reaching 350,000+ people a week, with limitless video and imagery options, we are confident we offer excellent value for money.

Dynamic & trend LED medium – the fastest growing advertising medium, give your customers the quality they expect

Only Ads: No skip, close, or block of content – unlike other advertising, our ads can’t be skipped over, ensuring views of your ad, viewed your way, always

Our Instant content change – with unrivalled flexibility, our reactive advertising delivers promotions and offers in an instant

Honest 24 hour advertising – reach existing and new customers anytime, out of the home. Our screens roll all day and night, opening your ad up to any and all viewers

Advertising costs from .01p per person per view – exceptionally cost effective, modern advertising

We are currently running some superb New Year promotions, so for more details on the benefits we can offer you and the possibilities Digital-Out-Of Home advertising could offer your business, call or email for a 15 minute meeting.

Best wishes for the new year

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Stephen Bett, will soon have to decide whether to increase or freeze the policing element of Council Tax – and he wants to know what you think.

The Commissioner is launching a public consultation throughout January on whether the police precept should rise by 2pc (an average of £4 per year) or be frozen.

Stephen said: “The announcement from the Government around police funding was welcome but that does not mean Norfolk Constabulary is out of the woods; far from it.

“The Government has said that police funding will be protected – but that’s on the assumption that PCC’s increase the policing element of the Council Tax by 2% each year.

“There are, of course, still major financial pressures on the force as they carry the burden of past funding cuts, and the demands on our police continue to increase and crucially, to change.

“There is an unprecedented surge in demand in areas such as rape, serious sexual offences and child sexual exploitation as people feel more confident to come forward. Cybercrime is another area of serious growth for the constabulary – and an expensive one.

“Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) says Norfolk Constabulary is doing an outstanding job in managing its efficiencies, but there is much more to do.

“Before I make any decisions on whether to raise the precept I want to hear people’s views. I will be consulting throughout January and would urge people to have their say.”

Each year, the PCC is responsible for setting the policing element of the Council Tax and is responsible for consulting with the public for their views.

Take the survey now. The consultation begins on 4 January and runs until 29 January.

You will be able to have your say via theonline survey on the Norfolk PCC website, by requesting a hard copy of the survey (telephone 01953 424455 or email opccn@norfolk.pnn.police.uk) or by taking part in one of a number ofopportunities to have your say in person, including:

Wednesday 13 January – Public Budget Consultation Meeting: 6.30pm,The Council Chamber,Norfolk County Council,County Hall,Martineau Lane,Norwich,NR1 2SF

Monday 18 January – Public Budget Consultation Meeting: 12 noon,The Assembly Room,Town Hall,Saturday Market Place,Kings Lynn,PE30 5DQ

Workplaces across Norfolk are getting on their starting blocks ready to compete in the 2016 New Year Workplace Challenge which starts today – Monday 4 January 2016.

Last year over 1000 people from 70 businesses were signed up to take part in the New Year challenge logging 25,000 hours of physical activity. This year Active Norfolk wants even more people to get involved, and as an easy way of introducing more physical activity into your life are suggesting workers ‘revolutionise their lunch break’.

Across England workers take on average 5.31 sick days per year. NHS research has shown that those who are physically active are 20% less likely to take a sick day and are 27% more likely to return to work quicker if they do.

Time is often cited as a barrier to participation in sport with many workers spending 8 – 9 hours at work in sedentary positions. With this in mind businesses are being asked to encourage their employees to get active on their lunch break and save one sick day per employee per year. Just adding a brisk 30 minute walk to the middle of each working day would get most people up to the recommended level of 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

The annual eight week Workplace Challenge is a great way for people to motivate themselves and their colleagues in the New Year, enjoy some office banter and improve energy and stress levels.

Joanne Doleman from the Institute of Food Research who had 20 people taking part in the Workplace Challenge in 2015 said: “I got involved as I had had a period of six months off work due to illness and had done no sport or physical activity during that time. The Workplace Challenge was a great way to get me back into it. Getting my work colleagues involved really motivated me to keep going and even now our team is always supporting and encouraging each other to get active. Plus getting people from across the organisation involved brought teams together with some friendly competition between departments.”

Katie Tierney, Fit4Work Project Officer for Active Norfolk said “By signing up to the Workplace Challenge website for free, people can log their levels of sport, physical activity and active travel online over the eight weeks. Every activity allocates points to the person and their workplace. This is a really great way for anyone wanting to get more active to enjoy participating and be rewarded for their efforts by being entered into a weekly prize draw.”

Throughout the eight weeks there are some amazing prizes up for grabs thanks to our sponsors. These include a free years Gym Membership at Nuffield Health, Sportspark and North Norfolk leisure centres, a commuter bike from Pedal Revolution plus spa days, restaurant and shopping vouchers, and much more.

For more information and to sign up go to www.activenorfolk.org/challenge

ENDS

For more information contact:

Katie Tierney – Fit4Work Project Officer – 01603 731569 or

Rachel Cubitt – Marketing Communications Officer – 01603 732332

Kickstart (Norfolk) is now the largest and only sustainable wheels to Work scheme in the country, having started back in 1996 with a couple of bikes we now have a fleet of over 300 Honda vision 50cc mopeds and 110cc scooters. Recognising transport as being a major contributor to employment issues in rural communities we can supply a fully insured and maintained moped from only £4.29 per day. All the individual needs is a provisional licence, a one day training course (CBT) and suitable motorcycle clothing, the cost of training can usually be covered by a third party funder if required.

As a registered charity & non-profit organisation we have assisted over 5000 individuals with transport to either start work, maintain current employment, attend education or improve their quality of life if in foster care. Having built strong relationships with local Job Centres and work programme providers Kickstart is often the difference between an individual starting work and remaining an unemployment statistic.

2015 has been our busiest year ever peaking at 285 bikes in use at any one time and still hovering around 274 bikes in use entering the winter months, although motorcycling tends to be seasonal because our clients need transport for work they use their bikes all tear round.

Our focus has been on the end user appealing directly to those that may need transport to start work or are in danger of losing a job due to transport issues. Being a member of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce it’s time to expand our marketing to potential employers, there must be a number of rural business within Norfolk that struggle with recruitment and staff retention due to their location and lack of public transport to the area.

Do you have issues with staff absenteeism because their lift has let them down, Struggle to fill shifts because there is no public transport coinciding with the shift times, do you hire candidates because of where they live rather than because they are the best person for the job? Perhaps Kickstart can assist you & your employees. If you are interested in finding out more or have any questions please visit our websitewww.kickstartmopeds.org.ukor ring/email 01362 699923,barry.lynes@kickstartmopeds.org.uk

In a bid to change a life this Christmas, Signs Express has donated enough money to fund a child’s whole support experience with Nelson’s Journey, including a two day therapeutic residential weekend and 1 to 1 support.

Nelson’s Journey, a charity dedicated to supporting bereaved children and young people throughout Norfolk, was founded in 1997 in the county. Since its establishment, the charity has helped thousands of children between the age of 0 and 17 who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. This year alone, the team at Nelson’s Journey has helped over 600 children across Norfolk deal with their grief.

Signs Express, a franchised network of signs & graphics businesses situated across the UK and Ireland, is headquartered in Norwich and is a long-term supporter Nelson’s Journey. This year, the company’s HQ decided to donate its Christmas card money – topped up with a little extra – to a good cause. The £522 that the team donated is enough to fund a full assessment into a child’s bereavement needs, attendance on a therapeutic residential weekend and ongoing one-to-one follow up work.

Craig Brown, Managing Director of the Signs Express group, highlighted his pride in supporting such an important local charity, “Everyone has been affected at one point or another by bereavement, but it must be unimaginably difficult for children and teenagers. The work that Nelson’s Journey does, gives these young people a solid support structure and ensures that they never feel alone, which is crucial to their well-being. We are proud to support Nelson’s Journey and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.”

Signs Express HQ has been supporting Nelson’s Journey for four years and have so far raised just over £6,000 for the cause. With the ambition to continue supporting the organisation for years to come, Signs Express and Nelson’s Journey have formed a close relationship and a passion for supporting local children and teens to manage their grief effectively. Any money donated to the cause is gratefully received and goes a long way to helping those in need.

Gena Moore, Corporate Funding and Marketing Officer told us why the support was so important, “We were so surprised and thrilled to receive such an amazing contribution from Signs Express at such a difficult time of year. This year, 470 children and young people in Norfolk will be experiencing their first Christmas after the death of a parent. The support given to us by Signs Express really will help to change the life of one of these bereaved children, helping them move forward positively with their lives. It’s thanks to this amazing local business support that helps us keep up with the growing demands on our service.”

If you wish to donate to this fabulous cause, there are plenty of ways to do so, take a look here for inspiration: https://www.nelsonsjourney.org.uk/donate.aspx

Or if you need some new signage take a look here: www.signsexpress.co.uk

City College Norwich has celebrated the success of its first 8 trainees to complete the 8-week BBC Make It Digital traineeship. The young people were presented with certificates by BBC Look East presenter Susie Fowler-Watt at an event held at MINT in The Forum.

The new traineeship has been developed by the BBC, in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions, in recognition of the vital part that digital skills play in a huge range of job roles across all business sectors and organisations.

The trainees spent 4 weeks at college getting to grips with topics such as how to use social media platforms effectively, producing multimedia content for web sites, search engine optimisation, branding, budgeting, marketing and project management.

They then undertook a 3-week work placement with an employer which gave the trainees the opportunity to put their skills into practice and gain valuable experience.

The traineeship concluded with a final week in college, where the trainees completed a team challenge, involving a live digital broadcast, bringing together the skills they had developed during the preceding 7 weeks.

Each trainee is moving on with a digital portfolio of their work and – as guests heard at the celebration event – greater self-confidence and a clear focus on securing a job or an Apprenticeship place as their next step.

One of the Make It Digital trainees is 22 year old Sam Kerr from Norwich, who found out about the traineeship through the job centre. She completed the placement element of the traineeship with Apprenticeships Norfolk, based at Norfolk County Council.

Commenting on the Make It Digital traineeship, Sam said: “I have learned about my own skills, like finding out that I had more confidence than I ever realised, learning how to do presentations professionally, networking as well. Meeting new people and making new friends has been a massive part of it as well. It’s been really good.”

Sam, who has now secured an Apprenticeship with Norwich-based Wide Angles TV, starting in the New Year, added: “If you’re into media, if you want to get into the media sector, this traineeship helps you so much with everything. Videos, photography, all of the digital side of it, there is so much to learn. Everything that we’ve done you wouldn’t think it’s possible to do in 8 weeks, but it is, and it’s really fun as well.”

Reflecting on the achievements of all of the trainees, Alison Harvey, Deputy Head of Employer Responsive Delivery at City College Norwich, commented:

“Over the initial 4 weeks that the trainees were in college we saw them blossom with the employability skills, with the technical challenges that they were doing, and in their confidence. During their placements they have all completed a social media project and done something really valuable with it. We’ve given them the tools and they’ve gone away and done it and that I think is what has impressed us most.”

City College Norwich is keen to hear from 16 to 24 year olds who would be interested in similar traineeship opportunities. The college would also like to hear from new employers who could offer a trainee a work placement.

For more information please contact City College Norwich’s Employer Responsive Delivery Unit on 0800 328 3616 or email employerpartnerships@ccn.ac.uk.

The New Year is an excellent time for businesses to begin proactively planning their recruitment strategy for 2016, and beyond, and a good recruitment agency can add real value to this process.

In depth recruitment planning could become increasingly crucial in 2016, as employers potentially face an ‘applicant drought’. If the economy continues to grow, more businesses are likely to expand and start recruiting new people, leading to increased competition for the best talent.

Planning ahead will help businesses to prepare for this shift, increase the quality of the recruitment process and minimise the risk of any expensive hiring mistakes. Experienced recruitment consultants will work with employers to ensure their business is well equipped for future growth.

Here’s a few examples of how a good agency can help to ensure that 2016 is a successful year for recruitment.

1. Extra industry insight

Consultants have their finger on the pulse of the industry they specialise in, acting as an employer’s eyes and ears in the market place. Whether its jobs being advertised by competitors, or shifting trends in salaries, this insight will help ensure your organisation offers the right package to attract the best talent.

2. Enhancement of employer brand

Promoting a company as a great place to work really helps to attract high quality candidates. A good consultant will not only highlight the benefits of working for your organisation directly to candidates, they will also provide ideas on how to stand out as a good employer. This could include showcasing your organisation as a socially responsible place to work, or suggestions of any employee benefits which could help to make your organisation more competitive.

3. Wider field of candidates

Consultants will have access to people who may not consciously be looking for a job and wouldn’t necessarily have seen that you were advertising. They will also be aware of talented people who may currently be looking for a similar role, but in a different location. With the right relocation package, which a consultant will help to advise on, they could be tempted to take their next career step in a new area.

4. Great culture fit

A good fit for your organisation’s culture is just as important as the right skills, qualifications and experience. Recruitment agencies can provide additional, complementary services, such as psychometric testing, to help identify the candidates who share your company’s values. Plus consultants will already have interviewed candidates and have a clear understanding of who they are and what they are looking for, saving internal teams time by only providing a shortlist of the most appropriate candidates for the role, and for the company itself.

5. Ongoing support

Here at Pure, we don’t just place someone in a role and then walk away. We continue the relationship to ensure the candidate settles in to the new role as quickly and effectively as possible. This includes offering services such as induction support and transition coaching.

Norse Commercial Services is sponsoring the 2016 Young Enterprise Initiative in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Young Enterprise is the UK’s leading charity that empowers young people to harness their personal and business skills, making business relevant to their daily lives.

Norse Group HR Director Tricia Fuller said;” As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy we are sponsors of the 2016 Young Enterprise Initiative in Norfolk and Suffolk. There are a number of schools in the Norfolk and Suffolk area taking part in this year’s programme, with young people running a business for an entire year.”

“This is a really exciting opportunity for the young adults who will be taking part and they will need lots of business advisors. Norse will be providing seven mentors, whose commercial expertise and skills covering a range of business disciplines that will help the students with the various challenges they will face. “

Norse will be providing mentoring for teams, which consist of 10 to 12 youngsters, from City of Norwich School, Norwich High School for Girls, Attleborough Academy and the University Technical College.

Daniel Vanstone, Head of FM Services at Norse has volunteered to assist in answering questions and giving business advice for a year 11 class at the University Technical College Norfolk (UTCN).

“These students are enterprising professionals, managers and business leaders in the making,” he commented. “This is a great way for students to realise that business is never straight forward and there will always be curveballs you must overcome to succeed. For me there isthe unique satisfaction of using my own experience to help develop the next generation of enterprising professionals.”

Linda Raphael, Key Account Director with Norse subsidiary n-able, will be working with City of Norwich School; “This initiative is giving young people an ideal opportunity to get involved in the commercial work world by taking their ideas forward to form a functioning company. It teaches them how to work and develop as a business, making decisions and working as a team. I volunteered to mentor in order to give something from my commercial experience back to the community, guiding and supporting the team through the various stages in the project.”

Glyn Manton, Subject leader for Economics and Business at City of Norwich School said; “Norse has been excellent support for our energetic team of year 10’s who meet after school. Advisers really helped the students during the ‘storming’ stage of group development. Now we are through that students now feel positive and, because of the support, are ready to take their companies’ products to market.”