< Previous20 Business Link www.blmforum.net HEALTH & SAFETY transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting; demonstrating accountability; improving the disclosure process; ensuring provision of tailored in-house mental health support and signposting to clinical help. Investing in workplace mental health interventions is worthwhile on many levels, including when one considers that the average return per £1 spent is £4.20, as pointed out by the Stevenson/Farmer review. A recent report from CBI in partnership with Bupa and HCA Healthcare, highlighting how companies must make staff health and wellbeing a priority, makes further recommendations that build on the review such as raising awareness of what poor mental health looks like and the techniques to help improve it, and offering fast and confidential access to treatment through health insurance where possible to reduce the time that employees take as sick leave, as well as offering the option to work flexibly to help those preparing to return to work. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have recognised the need to change how we deal with mental health in the workplace with councils and employers signing the Time to Change Employer Pledge. On a national level, 95% employers signed up to the pledge report that it has had a positive impact on their organisation. This year, Doncaster and North Yorkshire have been chosen as locations for Time to Change Hubs - networks of local organisations committed to ending negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems - and will receive a £15,000 start-up budget. Also showing our region’s growing commitment to better mental health practices, local mental health charities and councils across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are offering free sessions to learn more about supporting mental health in the workplace. Further, mental © Shutterstock/Syda Productions 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:02 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 21 HEALTH & SAFETY health website Mindwell has this year launched an employee wellbeing guide for employers in Leeds, commissioned by NHS Leeds CCG. It provides an open online resource for leaders, people managers and HR professionals, to help them promote workplace wellbeing and support staff experiencing mental health problems. In addition a group of Humber region employers revealed in June that they have developed the, free to achieve, Healthy Workplaces standard to indicate an employer’s commitment to health and wellbeing concerns on the back of a study by the UK Government indicating that improvement in wellbeing leads to improved workplace performance, productivity, profitability and quality. Even in industries that we most commonly associate with physical injury, mental health is being recognised as a major issue. The construction industry for instance, one of our region’s largest industries, witnesses the most employee suicides, while work-related depression, stress and anxiety have overtaken the “expected” musculoskeletal disorders as the most common workplace health problem in the sector. This comes as a result of heavy workloads, long hours, risky tasks, constant travelling, a lack of routine as well as the fact that construction workers are often separated from family. For employers looking to boost mental health awareness and improve offerings in their workplace there are numerous online tools that are of use such as the HSE’s online ‘Talking Toolkit’, which gives employers advice on how to reduce the epidemic of work-related stress. It is also recommended that you survey your employees to understand the help that is required. Ultimately, to maintain the mental health of employees, the culture of the workplace across all industries needs to change and the conversation needs to be opened to remove the “taboo” label given to mental health issues, especially as stress, depression and anxiety can create more accidents and reduce productivity. With more leaders asking for mental health first aid to be mandatory in the workplace – 50 business leaders wrote an open letter to parliament last year asking for ministers to amend health and safety legislation to make mental and physical first aid of equal importance – the time is now to implement better mental health procedures. In doing so, and by adopting a proactive and preventative approach, one will gain the added benefits of attracting and retaining more staff, increased commitment and productivity and reduced sick leave, ultimately creating a happier workforce and workplace. This year, Doncaster and North Yorkshire have been chosen as locations for Time to Change Hubs - networks of local organisations committed to ending negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems Let Chemex look after your Hygiene Control Program so you can concentrate on running your business Cleaning and Hygiene Specialists Chemex (Lincoln & Boston) Unit 14, Jessop Close, Brunel Business Park Newark NG24 2TT Tel: 01636 642740 Email peter.cussans@chemexuk.com www.chemexuk.com 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:02 Page 422 Business Link www.blmforum.net IT AND COMMUNICATIONS © Shutterstock/alice-photo Flexible 22-24.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:14 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 23 IT AND COMMUNICATIONS Embracing digital technologies improves internal process, saves money, boosts efficiencies and results in better service delivery for customers and clients. So why aren’t more business taking advantage of them? Business Link explores. A n audit or review will no doubt reveal areas where businesses can make improvements to their operations, saving costs and increasing efficiency. Of all these areas, perhaps none yield the greatest impact as communications technologies. Updating an outmoded telecoms system not only helps to streamline and modernise a company’s internal process, but also improves competitiveness in an increasingly difficult marketplace. Presently, some 8,000 fax machines are still in use across the NHS, and our beleaguered health service is far from alone with some businesses in our region still sending and receiving faxes despite the drawbacks and security risks. Most businesses will at least have broadband in their premises and likely a half decent telecoms system, so they may be looking to augment their IT and communications rather than replace it altogether. Yet simple solutions such as file sharing services, software and apps still go neglected by businesses. WeTransfer and Dropbox enable companies and individuals to securely send – and in the case of the latter, store – documents, images and other important data. This can be accomplished in the office or remotely from a smart phone or tablet and both services are free-to-use up to a certain capacity whilst also offering paid-for subscriptions for businesses. The topic of Dropbox brings us on to cloud storage. At its simplest, the ‘cloud’ refers to software and services that run on the internet rather than locally on one’s computer. As with the internet itself, the cloud isn’t owned or managed by any one organisation but is rather a collective term for a variety of applications operated by different organisations. Though, it’s fair to say, that some organisations have more of a monopoly than others – big names being Google, Amazon and Microsoft. Lesser known, perhaps, is the number of common applications that are cloud-based, including BBC iPlayer. For businesses, this allows more flexible, accessible and trust-worthy storage than a hard drive or local servers – both of which can malfunction, be ruined in fire or flood, or corrupt and erase data. Because of its inherent flexibility, cloud computing is perfectly suited to remote workers who can access everything they need from a home office. The same can be said for working on-the-go, with staff able to access files via a smart phone, tablet or laptop, whether that’s on the way to a meeting or during a networking session. Surely that’s preferable to the oft-forgotten memory stick. Despite the obvious benefits to business, there are companies that still refuse to implement a cloud storage strategy into their operation. There are a number of reasons why, from misconceptions around the initial investment and subscription costs, to a simple fear of new technologies – something that many heritage SMEs struggle with. But perhaps the biggest fear concerns security. Over the years there have been a number of high-profile hacks and cybersecurity scares. Readers might recall the 2014 ‘Celebgate’ in which hackers breached Apple’s iCloud to gain access to hundreds of celebrity’s private images and videos. However, the security of cloud storage and similar services is improving all the time. Those regular updates on your smart phone usually contain security fixes, meaning they need to be installed as soon as possible. Compared with, say, the telephone, digital technologies are still very young, but it’s important for companies to be cognizant of security risks such as hacking and phishing and tool staff up with the knowledge they need. A robust suit of virus protection services is also a must. Some businesses may think they’re saving money by using a cheaper – or even free – virus protection but, ultimately, it’s a false economy. Businesses cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to cybersecurity. Remember 2017’s ‘Wannacry’ hack? It was estimated to have cost £92 million in lost output and IT costs. Though hacks are never welcome, bigger businesses are often in a better position to endure them and may even have insurances in place to cover them in such an event. But for SMEs, a hack can be truly devastating and something they may not ever fully recover from. 24 Á 22-24.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:15 Page 224 Business Link www.blmforum.net IT AND COMMUNICATIONS But the benefits outweigh the risks. Take, for example, video conferencing, which has existed in one form or another since the eighties. But now with web-based video conferencing, teams can convene in virtual meeting rooms. The majority of these solutions typically come bundled with online collaboration tools such as document sharing, text chat and screen sharing. The benefit, of course, is that teams can collaborate over distances and meetings can be hold from parties in two or more different countries. One of the biggest business communication trends tipped for growth is unified communications – that is the integration of real-time and near real-time communications systems. This means bringing together chat services, phone, video conferencing, messaging, feedback and commenting systems into a unified system which reduces infrastructure and boasts more features for a more responsive experience. What has taken place with video conferencing becoming near inseparable from other collaborative communication tools will happen right across the sector as companies bring their communications increasingly into one unified solution. There’s also the environmental benefit of shifting towards a more digitally- focussed workplace. The next time you receive an email, check to see if a sender’s signature contains a line about whether you really need to print the page. The underlying message, of course, being the environmental costs of that sheet – or sheets – of paper. Vince Digneo, Sustainability Strategist for software giant Adobe, put it best when he said “the greenest paper is no paper at all”. Every action undertaken online carries with it an environmental cost and a carbon tag. A spam email, for example, has a footprint of 0.3g of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e); a normal email has 4g of CO2e, while an email with what writer and researcher Mike Berners-Lee refers to as a “long and tiresome attachment” can have a carbon footprint of 50g CO2e. In the UK, the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. So imagine the amount an entire office or organisation is responsible for. According to Good Energy, producing 100,000 sheets of paper has a carbon footprint of 6,000kg, so really, going paperless is a no brainer. Smartphones, tablets and computers utilise touch screens with intuitive apps that trump paper in almost every regard. Even little things like using sticky notes to remind oneself of something important can be easily and more efficiently replaced with an app. Digital communication technologies help to create more synergies across a business, unifying workers and different departments like never before. But these benefits extend beyond in-house operations and to a company’s clients and customers, with better service delivery and overall communication and access. The face of business has been changed by digital technologies, from communications right through to employment. LinkedIn has become indispensable for many company’s hiring activity, whether that’s checking up on a prospective new starter or keeping them updated of their application progress. The workplace is evolving and we’re all the better for it. © Shutterstock/everything possible 22-24.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:15 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 25 BUSINESS SCENE Streets Breakfast Event at The Lincolnshire Show Guests were once again invited to join Streets Chartered Accountants for Breakfast at the 135th Lincolnshire Show. Streets hosted an invitation only breakfast in the Tennyson Pavilion for more than 200 guests across the two days, allowing them to relax in an informal setting and enjoy a full English breakfast before the start of the show. This year’s Lincolnshire Show was particularly special as the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society celebrates its 150th year and Streets said they’re “delighted” to continue their association and continued support. 25.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:16 Page 126 Business Link www.blmforum.net DESIGN AND MARKETING sell M arketing is an oft- misunderstood and hated term in business. One of the largest industries in the world, with billions spent on advertising across multiple industries, it’s hard to imagine why so few companies in our region lack marketing managers or understanding of how to implement it. In its most basic form, marketing is the act of attracting and drawing more customers to a company. It’s something every business wants, but also an approach few take part in. Mostly, this comes from poor experiences in the past, from which they determine that marketing doesn’t work. More often than not, this was thanks to an inexperienced approach, or outsourcing it to a low- cost firm who didn’t really know what they were doing. Marketing exists and works, otherwise the largest companies in the world would not spend as much as they do on it. In its simplest terms it is improving the image and reputation of a brand or product with a view to generating natural sales. A good marketing campaign should utilise all aspects and mediums of marketing, from written press to 28 Á They’re the key components to success, but many businesses in our region put too little emphasis into them. Design and marketing is big business. Design market 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:18 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 27 DESIGN AND MARKETING © Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:18 Page 228 Business Link www.blmforum.net DESIGN AND MARKETING advertising through to brand management. So often it is only taken half-way, with a company investing in a sports figure or personality and then just leaving it at that, sending out a few quick press releases and waiting for the revenue to roll in. All too often it does not, and this is because people are trying to make use of only a single aspect of marketing. It is almost like trying to build a house but refusing to use more than one tool or material. A good marketing plan needs to look at what the current image and reputation of the company is. Not just in terms of the product, but also the brand and name of the company itself. Are they well-known, are they respected, is the product considered high-quality and high-price, or low-price convenience? It’s all too easy for businesses to delude themselves at this stage, but unless brutal honesty is used, there can be no correct answer. This is a problem because no one likes to think of their company as lacking in any one department, and employers know well the value of lying at times to bolster confidence in the workforce. After all, a workforce who doubt their own product or service will be less productive. When it comes to marketing, however, then a degree of honesty is required. Whether it’s done in secret or not, the true image of the company needs to be considered. If it is bad, then that is not necessarily a problematic thing. Every company in the world will have bad PR at some point, and it’s somewhere to start. A plan then needs to be put in place to stress the advantages of the company, while also addressing any weaknesses. What can be done to reverse the image, and what is the costing? Not everything has to be external at this point, and sometimes part of a good marketing push is expanding your own workforce. Does the company have a reputation for poor customer service? Well, the solution might be to invest in training the staff to respond better, but it could also be a result of there being too few staff to deal with complaints or questions. Recruitment can be complicated and expensive, but it will only be more so if it has to be done in a rushed or desperate manner. Any changes need to take into account what people work at a company and how they will adapt. Beyond that, it needs to be asked what their competency levels are. If the marketing plan includes a scheme to increase customer trust by proving detailed and experienced information on the product, then are staff capable of providing that? Good marketing is both internal and external, however, and there comes a point where it’s necessary to make customers aware, either of changes, a new product, or a shift within the company. While a move to improve customer care is obviously wonderful for the image of the company, it will be a subtle thing indeed unless shouted about. Many choose to make this more widely known, and call centres are a good example. Bank adverts of a few years back, and even today, often make specific mention of having UK Call Centres in their advertisements. It is here that they make customers aware of the changes they’ve made. When it comes to advertising, there are many different options available, but due to the cost involved, and our businesses being more regional, television is often removed from the equation. In all cases, it’s best to consider how best to specifically target the message. Will the business pages of a newspaper target the right people for instance? While they might be titled business, it’s still worth remembering that newspapers are bought by everyone, and it may well be that 90% of the people who see an advertisement are not applicable and could never use your product. This is wastage, and wastage a company still has to pay for. Perhaps one of the most important elements, and also the most-often ignored, is that of design. Whether you are making posters or signs, magazine adverts or vehicle wraps, it’s important that the message is laid out in a clear 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:18 Page 39 Clifton Street, Stonefield Park Industrial Estate, Lincoln, LN5 8LQ tel: 01522 546118 email: sales@lincolncopycentre.co.uk www.lincolncopycentre.co.uk LOGOS AND BRANDING / STATIONARY / BUSINESS CARDS / BOOK COVERS NEWSLETTERS / LEAFLETS / FLYERS / BROCHURES / POSTCARDS ROLLER BANNERS / VINYL BANNERS / POSTERS / PLAN PRINTING Printing / Copying Graphic Design £200 Save money with a stationery pack 500 letterheads, 500 compliment slips & 500 business cards from only £200 Celebrating 40 years in business www.blmforum.net Business Link 29 DESIGN AND MARKETING © Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com and appreciated manner, and that it appeals to the sensibilities of the customer. This can be difficult, because what appeals to one person may not to another, and many people who run businesses tend to have a more figures-oriented approach to creating things, lacking perhaps in artistic design. All too often, companies decide to forego the use of a designer, deciding that it’s an additional cost on something they can handle themselves. There is a reason the most powerful marketing is done by huge design agencies in the US and London, however. Designers know how to take a message further, ensure it hits the right audience, and also that it conforms to what they know works for other companies. Considering how much investment is placed into marketing in other terms, it is risky to skip this important stage. It would be like building a house without a blueprint. 26-29.qxp_Layout 1 04/07/2019 12:19 Page 4Next >