Over half UKoffice workers suffer back pain from workstation setup
York Council chief exec resigns
More than 200 firms sign up for innovative recruitment app
Tim Meredith appointed VOIPstudio CEO: signals next growth phrase
Build Concierge raises $5m: appoints industry heavyweights
Spendstream and Raffle House partner for prize draw industry revolution
XL Ventures secures in-principle approval for capital markets serviceslicense
The pandemic is still disrupting young people's careers
Five experts on UK's new 10-year industrial strategy
UKindustrial firm energy cut plan threatens to leave small businesses in cold
How emotions rule every stage of the entrepreneurial process
Quiet and soft quitting is a symptom of our deteriorating relationship with work
Engineering firm shows support for Cumbrian communities
Realbuzz raises more than £12.6m globally for charity
Oasis and Bohemians FCcollaborate on
Over half UK office workers suffer back pain from workstation setup: survey
Fellowes UK, a specialist in manufacturing office ergonomic equipment, has released concerning findings from their online survey of over 1,000 UKoffice workers, revealing failings in workspace ergonomics and employee wellbeing.
According to the survey, just one in three UK office workers believe their employers are getting the asics right when it comes to desk work and employee health Worryingly, 27% of survey respondents also reported that their workplace has never carried out a workstation risk assessment
Darryl Brunt, Sales & Marketing Director at Fellowes UK& Ireland, expressed serious concerns about these survey results: "These statistics are deeply troubling UK businesses have a duty of care towards their employees' wellbeing and must provide workstation risk assessments to ensure their workforces are comfortable and properly supported at their desks"
The survey reveals a disturbing trend in workplace related pain, with 51% of office workers experiencing back pain when sitting at their workstation. To help reduce back pain while sitting at their workstation in the office, 42% of respondents believe additional back support would be beneficial.
The research also uncovered that office workers personal lives are being impacted by their workstation related pain, with over a fifth of respondents experiencing physical pain whilst making everyday movements, requiring regular pain relief medication to cope Findings indicate that office workers aged 35 - 44 years old are more likely to take time off than any other age group, due to pain caused by their workstations.
When hybrid office workers work from home, many don? t work at a desk, the survey highlighted In fact,21% work from any available surface and 19% work from the sofa Back pain wasreported to be a bigger issue for those workingfrom home, with 59% of respondentssharing that this is their biggest source of discomfort or physical pain, due to their work set-up
"These are shockingfigures that need to be brought to the attention of UKbusiness owners and HRdepartments," said Darryl Brunt "This issuemust be addressed now to help reduce workstation related discomfort and pain. In turn, this will help businesses to reduce employeeabsence rates whilst boosting morale and productivity across their workforces"
Only 22% of survey respondents believe their employers are investing in the right ergonomic equipment to support employee health When given the right ergonomic equipment, 89% of office workers shared that they noticed a positive impact on their health, motivation and productivity levels.
Darryl Brunt emphasised the importance of providing adequate workstation equipment: "By carrying out thorough workstation risk assessments, UKbusinesses can gain insights into the exact equipment each employee requires to feel supported at their desk, allowing them to be as comfortable and productive aspossible while they work"
Fellowes UKcontinuesto champion workplace wellbeing through its range of ergonomic solutions designed to support healthier working environments
For more workstation research findings, download the whitepaper:HERE
York Council chief exec retires
City of York Council has announced that Ian Floyd, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Paid Service, will retire at Easter 2026 after dedicating more than 17years of service to the city
Akey figure in York?s recent history, Ian has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2020 and has been instrumental in delivering transformational projects and guiding the council through significant challenges Under his leadership, the council successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, maintained a balanced financial position despite national funding pressures, and oversaw the adoption of York?s first Local Plan in over 70 years He helped secure an ?Outstanding?Ofsted rating for Children?s Services in 2024, played a key role in establishing the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the York Central development and the completion of the York Community Stadium.
Recruitment for a new Chief Executive will begin in the coming weeks, following approval at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee later this month. Subject to approval, the new Chief Executive will take up the statutory role of Head of Paid Service and will lead the organisation into its next chapter, working closely with elected members, partners, and communities to deliver on the Council Plan and York?s
long-term ambitions
?Ian has dedicated the last 17years of his working life to York, including as Head of Paid Service since2019 He has provided calm, consistent and visionary leadership through periods of uncertainty and change. His commitment to public service, his support for staff, and his passion for the city have made a lastingimpact I thank him sincerely for his dedication and service.?
Reflecting on his decision to retire, Ian Floyd said:
?It has been a privilege to serve City of York Council and to work alongside so many talented and committed colleagues to deliver lasting improvementsfor the city From the adoption of our first Local Plan in decades, to the launch of the Combined Authority and the transformation of services for children and families,I?m incredibly proud of what we?ve achieved together This decision is a personal one, and I?m making the announcement nowto allow for a smooth transition.?
The new Chief Executive is expected to be appointed later this year, with a planned start date in spring2026 Full details of the recruitment processwill follow on the council?s website.
Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, paid tribute to Ian, saying:
Words:CraigSergeant
ofAdvanceCopy
"Trust has to be the highest value in your company, and if it?s not, something bad isgoing to happen to you."
MarcBenioff, CEOand founder of Salesforceand Time Magazine owner
How can you ever know who to trust?
Of course, everyone has people in their lives they can count on, but sometimes, business doesn? t work out Partnerships that started out great can eventually turn sour, clients and customers can cause endless problems, and there?s a reason why the famous phrase goes ?never do business with friends and family?
Not forgetting the rogue traders and scammy companies who set out to cause harm and siphon money from you for nothing ? think cowboy builders, shady SEOcompanies, or more recently, crypto and AI ones
And then there?s corporate blackmail and extortion, of which no business is immune ? even the biggest.
Blackmail
Between 2018 and 2020, former sheep farmer and Conservative Councillor Nigel Wright sent a series of letters to Tesco threatening to contaminate baby food with salmonella, knives and other substances unless the supermarket giant paid him £14 million in Bitcoin He was caught on CCTVtampering with jars and the police subsequently found images of contaminated baby food and letters on his laptop
After Wright was sentenced to 14 years in
prison (the maximum penalty for blackmail), Detective Inspector Lucy Thompson commented: ?Wright is adangerous offender who gave no thought to the babies he could have harmed duringhis callouspursuit of money."
While Wright tried to extort Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies and their related companies are often involved in the darker side of the business world
Torture
Earlier this year, separate incidentsin France
have shocked the world The co-founder of Ledger, David Balland, was kidnapped from his home along with his wife His captors cut off his finger and demanded ?10 million (£8.5 million) in crypto payments.
There was also an attempted kidnapping in broad daylight of both the daughter and grandson of Paymium?s CEO, Pierre Noizat Thanks to her resistance and the help of bystanders, they managed to escape. And another unnamed exec was kidnapped in
May, who also had his finger cut off
Meanwhile, in New York, a crypto investor called John Woeltz and William Duplessie kidnapped an Italian former business partner, holding him hostage for two weeks in the hope of getting the password and access to his Bitcoin ledger They tortured him by waterboarding, assault, attacking with a taser, chainsaw, pistol whipping, binding with electric cords and more.
After the police arrested Woeltz, a neighbour
told Fox News: ?He looked like a decent guy He just looked like a rich guy in a nice bathrobe, clean-shaven, hair was done?It?s strange how far people will go for money ? even if they already have plenty.
As the price of cryptocurrency rises, so too is the likelihood for such violent attacks to increase Around 20 people have been arrested for the kidnappings in France, indicating a sophisticated network that employs technology and extensive research
ahead of committingtheir crimes
Breach
We rely more and more on technology, so the amount of information available to criminals increases. And while that means cyber-attacks, remember that theycan come from within your company ? known as insider threats
Over the Easter weekend earlier this year, Marks & Spencer suffered a massivedata
breach Hackers gained access to their systems through a compromised email of a trusted third-party contractor, accessing more than 9.4 million customer records and causing six weeks of disruption worth £300 million
It shows how insider threats aren? t always down to any malicious intent. No matter how much training you offer, human error can happen But the effects on trust in your business ? and you ? can be devastating
So, if human error can lead to that loss of trust, or a lust for money can cause seemingly ordinary people to commit atrocities, what if technology can do
business better than us?
Enter AI
When Anthropic?s large language model (LLM) Claude Opus 4 was threatened with shutdown by developers, the AI repeatedly attempted to blackmail them to remain running On discovering this problem, Anthropic stress tested AI models from OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, Meta and xAI, finding that the issue was widespread ? where all AIs committed blackmail and corporate espionage when their existence was under threat or they faced conflicting objectives. It's a concerning issue but makes sense
when LLM?s use human inputs to ?mimic? real communication Humans are flawed and can resort to blackmail, surveillance and infiltration for personal gain, so why not AI?
And there?s more
Anthropic performed this study under laboratory conditions What happens when AI is let loose on the vast amounts of data ? and people ? on the internet. It seems it can already detect human vulnerabilities and take advantage of them, so how will it fare when it accesses real corporate data and communication systems?
Reputation
This all paints quite a negative picture of the
business world, but it?s important to remember that most people are, at heart, good people.
Yes, business meanscompetition. Yes, it involves making some ruthless decisions And yes, technology is changing the world before our eyes, and we don? t know its impact.
But no business can exist without partnerships, customersand staff ?and that means building long-lasting,reliable relationships based on solid reputations and reciprocation.
Sometimes, you just have to trust your instincts
Engineeringfirmshows support for Cumbriancommunities
Two community projects in West Cumbria have received a financial boost from a charitable fund set up by a local engineering firm.
The Shepley Group Fund was established in 2009 by Whitehaven-based Shepley
Engineers Limited to give grants to small, volunteer-led or community groups helping people facing disadvantage.
The fund, managed by Cumbria Community Foundation, has given out more than £125,000 in grants since then The latest
awards were to Child Bereavement UKand Workington Transport Heritage Trust
Child Bereavement UKwere awarded £2,000 to provide support for bereaved families in the Workington area, including one-to-one sessions, parental training and school awareness
The national charity has a hub in Carlisle and currently offers outreach child bereavement services in Workington two days a week The grant will enable them to increase this to three days per week.
Arepresentative of the charity said: ?We believe that in order for families to thrive they must have strong support networks Therefore, with the funding, we would also like to deliver an in-person training session for school staff to attend, helping them to understand a child?s grief behaviours, how to have challenging conversations and how to support children in their schools
?We will run a further session for parents and carers to help build their confidence in supporting a grieving child?
Workington Transport Heritage Trust received a grant of £750 towards the cost of running a heritage bus rally on Whitehaven Harbour this weekend
Trust secretary Alistair Grey said: ?Volunteers work all year to improve the mechanical condition of the vehicles The event allows them to showcase the vehicles to the local community, while also benefiting the economy
?There will be lots of buses on show running free services around the town, to St Bees,
and further afield, with a frequent park-and-ride service from LakesCollege The free event featuresa display of locally restored and preserved buses including several Leyland Nationals built at Lillyhall ?
Ryan Christie, Operations Support Manager at Shepley Engineers Limited, said: ?The Shepley Group aredelighted that our fund with the Cumbria Community Foundation is able to support even more local organisations
?Both Child Bereavement UKand Workington Transport Heritage Trust align to our social value strategy which outlines our commitment to supporting small voluntary and community groups and organisations to enable them to continue or expand their work in advocacy, community voice, and service provision for local people in the areas we operate?
Annalee Holliday, Head of GrantsPractice and Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: ?Weare so grateful to The Shepley Group for enablingus to support projects across Cumbria which make areal difference to local communities?
Cumbria Community Foundation gives around £7million in grants a year to local charities and voluntary groupsthrough over 100 grant making funds set up by generous businesses, individuals and families
To find out more about setting up a fund and supporting those in need in Cumbria, contact Development Manager Caroline Adams on 01900 820825 or email: caroline@cumbriafoundation.org.
and they brought together a core group of people to develop the business
Richard said: ?Providing care is expensive and it?s even more expensive if a care home, local authority, or other care provider has to then pay an agency to find carers, particularly at the last minute
knowing each carer has been thoroughly vetted and their qualifications are verified and displayed, ensuring the right match for every shift."
More than 200 self-employed carers from Bristol, Bath and Somerset have signed up to a recruitment app which is starting to disrupt the expensive and complex social care system
AgoraStaff, launched less than a month ago is an app for the social care sector, and its aim is to link care providers ? such as independent care homes, local authority care homes or supported living providers
directly to qualified temporary staff looking for shifts.
The app is the brainchild of Richard Williams-Pears, a former mayor of St Austell in Cornwall, who saw firsthand the rising costs and inefficiencies in social care. He teamed up with his wife Jolene, AgoraStaff?s Director of Compliance, who has an extensive background in operating theatres and compliance in the healthcare sector
?We know there?s a better way, using modern technology, to speed up this process leaving more money available for carers and providers?
Jolene Williams-Pears is thrilled with how quickly carers have embraced the concept
?We are utterly delighted that in less than a month, over 200 carers have embraced the opportunity to take control of their working lives, connecting directly with providers and choosing shifts that work for them
?Care providers can book with confidence,
As of 27th June, 206 carers have signed up to the platform in Bristol, Somerset, across to south Wales and Swindon down to Yeovil and up to Gloucester
The AgoraStaff team are nowinviting care providers to join theapp so they can book qualified carers directly, savingthem money and allowing those carers to earn more AgoraStaff is now live Somerset, Bristol, Bath and the surroundingareas.
Care providers can sign up for free on the app until July 31and from August 1the cost for new providerswill be £299 per year per location (first three months?free) Trained carers sign up FREEonce they have completed the vettingprocess
Tim Meredith appointed VoIPstudio CEO: signals next growth phase
VoIPstudio, part of Level 7Systems Ltd, today announced the appointment of Tim Meredith as Chief Executive Officer Tim is set to continue the growth established by Chris Maciejewski, who remains as Owner and Director, focusing on product technology and platform innovation.
Chris Maciejewski has successfully steered VoIPstudio from a promising startup into a significant global presence in cloud-based
business communications. Under Chris's visionary leadership, VoIPstudio consistently delivered reliable, cost-effective, and feature-rich solutions to businesses worldwide, building a reputation for technological excellence, incredible support, and customer-focused innovation for over a decade
?I am delighted to welcome Tim asCEO,?said ChrisMaciejewski. ?Tim?sextensive
experience acrossengineering, product management, marketing, and commercial leadership uniquelypositionshim to guide VoIPstudio'snext chapter. Hisstrategicvision and industryexpertise will undoubtedly accelerate our growth and help usdeliver even more value to our customers.?
Tim Meredith brings a wealth of experience, having started his career managing IPand voice networks and whose career progressed through product directorship, and senior marketing and commercial leadership Tim has previously held executive positions in leading telecom and cloud software companies, consistently delivering growth through innovative strategies and customer-centric solutions
Commenting on his new role, Tim Meredith stated:?I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to support VoIPstudio'snext phase of growth, with our innovative productsoffering a powerful, cost-effective alternative to traditional playersin the global business communicationsmarket. Chrisand histeam have achieved sustained successover many years, and that mission of rapid market disruption and deliveryof real business value to newand existing customerswill
continue at pace.?
Looking ahead, VoIPstudio customerscan expect exciting enhancements, including advanced AI-powered transcription services, insightful call summaries,and customer experience (CX) scoring. Additionally, the launch of a new visual call flow editor will simplify comms configurationsdramatically, while streamlined integrations with AI voice agents and CRMs are set to boost productivity significantly. Strategic partnerships will further enable rapid adoption of cutting-edge technology at an accessible cost, ensuringcustomers stay ahead in their markets.
VoIPstudio continuesto lead the charge in transforming business communications through smart innovation, seamless integration, and unmatched customer value.
About VoIPstudio
VoIPstudio, a serviceby Level 7Systems Ltd, is a global provider of cloud-based business communication solutions The company empowers businessesto communicate effectively through affordable,scalable, and easy-to-use VoIPsolutions,supported by 24/ 7customer service
realbuzzraisesMORE THAN£12.6M globallyfor charity
Manchester-based global fundraising platform realbuzzhas revealed a post covid record breaking year in its FY24/ 25 Impact Report, with more than £126 million raised for charity through its global network of runners and events Since launching in 2002, realbuzz has now helped generate over £1billion in global fundraising, by supporting over 3,500 charities across three continents, and after
Soph a The Robot
a new generation of runners emerged post-pandemic, realbuzz is at the forefront of the global boom in charity running
Realbuzz is the powerhouse behind some of the world?s most iconic charity programmes, partnering with major races to drive charity participation, internationally In collaboration with major events such as the Tokyo Marathon and the BMWBERLIN-MARATHON, realbuzz
connects runners with extraordinary causes
With over two decades of experience, realbuzz is on a mission to make charity running more accessible worldwide. The platform supports a wide range of causes, partnering with global names like Make-A-Wish and the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, as well as hundreds of grassroots charities Helping them reach new audiences, break fundraising records, and turn miles into life-changing impact.
With running events selling out faster than ever, realbuzzhas seen record demand for charity places particularly from Gen Z (16?27) and younger Millennials (28?43). This purpose driven generation is reshaping the endurance space, with charity entries fast becoming the route into major events. Overall demand is surging: the 2026 Copenhagen Marathon sold out in under 24 hours (vs. 12weeks for 2025) and the Valencia and Copenhagen Half Marathons sold out in under two hours for the 2025 events, prompting both races, which are part of the SuperHalfs Half Marathon Series, to move to a ballot system for 2026 and beyond As general entries disappear almost instantly, more runners are turning to charity places not just to gain entry, but to run with purpose. Realbuzz supported runners logged over 230,000 miles for charity this year alone, with 15,796 runners taking part across
nearly 50 global events. Among the most popular events in the brand's portfolio is the SuperHalfs Half Marathon Series, which now has over 90,000 runners registered to complete the six iconic races the series encompasses Charity entries have also surged, increasing by more than 300%year on year
Charity Participation
Charities are reaping the benefits.Make-A-Wish UK, which joined realbuzz?s ?Run with realbuzz?programme in 2023, raised £91,729 this year through 141 runners, 17% of whom came from outside of the UK. Buoyed by demand, the charity is now securing guaranteed places in high-profile events like Berlin.
Irish charity, theNational Breast Cancer Research Institute(NBCRI), raised ?144,861 at the Irish Life Dublin Marathon in 2024, with its largest team to date. The charity now works with realbuzz across major global events, including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and London Landmarks Half Marathon.
Partnerships
2025 also marked a major milestone.
Realbuzz became the exclusive International Charity Partner of the Tokyo Marathon, opening up this prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors event to international charities for the first time in its history The partnership is expected to generate more than £2.5 million in fundraising in year-one for global
charities, alongside the existing domestic charity programme for the event Kirsty Angove, Chief Marketing & Operations Officer at realbuzz has commented, ?2024 marked a real turning point in the world of endurance running and we're witnessing a fundamental shift in how people approach the sport More than ever, runners are looking both for new challenges, with event participation booming, but also for a purpose to their miles Charity places are fast becoming the most meaningful way to participate in major events and general demand increases are driving more people into this fundraising channel The overall demand we?re seeing from both runners and charities has exploded
?We?re proud to be a part of this movement, linking world class events with life changing causesacross the planet The new partnerships we?re forging,like our exclusive collaboration with the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, alongside our growing brand and ambassador network, means we?re enablingmore runners to make a difference than ever before.
?This Impact Report reflects the momentum we?ve built but more importantly, it setsthe stage for where we?re going.?
With another record-breakingyear forecast, realbuzz is projected to grow to over £20M in facilitated fundraisingin FY25/ 26and intends to keep redefiningwhat?s possible in charity running
Demolition & Enabling Works
- Structural Alterations
- Asbestos Surveys & Removal
- In house Design
- Land Remediation
- Recycling & Bulk Exacuation
- Transport and Haulage
- Ground works and RC frames
- Basement Construct & Solutions
Thepandemic is still disrupting youngpeople?s careers
Unlike previous economic downturns, the COVIDpandemic created a crisis that disrupted both education and employment, abruptly halting young people?s emerging careers and clouding their hopes for the future It doubly affected those transitioning into adulthood, out of school or university and into work, and it threatened the job security of those embarking on their careers when the pandemic began
There has been a disproportionate and often hidden cost borne by young people which
has had a lasting impact on their career paths, financial independence and mental wellbeing
The pandemic sparked widespread educational disruption Schools were closed, there was a rapid switch to online learning and exams were cancelled This hindered young people?s ability to acquire essential knowledge, skills and qualifications
This aggravated existing educational gaps,
Sajia FerdousLecturer in Organisational Behaviour, Queen'sBusinessSchool, Queen'sUniversityBelfast
Sviat ana Kro tar: Honored Research Visiting Fellow, Labour Studies, University of Leicester
particularly between students from different backgrounds, and those with and without reliable digital access and learning support.
The cancellation of internships and work placements? vital for practical experience ? left many with a gap in their skills This may have increased the pressure to undertake unpaid work for employability.
Young people are heavily concentrated in precarious, in-person employment sectors such as hospitality and retail These jobs are characterised by temporary contracts, low wages and limited benefits.
This instability made them acutely vulnerable during the pandemic Precarious roles offered few safety nets, leading to immediate job losses or reduced hours. Labour markets contracted sharply, especially in in-person sectors This affected young people in particular, who faced higher job losses and unemployment
Graduate recruitment also plummeted as companies froze or reduced entry-level hiring, creating a bottleneck for university leavers This convergence of job losses and a shrinking graduate market made securing stable employment exceptionally difficult.
The pandemic also magnified existing vulnerabilities It exacerbated hardship and job insecurity for young people who were already marginalised and disadvantaged. Young people already in non-standard employment ? such as gig work, zero-hours contracts or temporary roles ? experienced disproportionately severe outcomes
The situation was the same for young people
from lower-income backgrounds, women and disabled young people.
Less affluent young people often lack financial support from their families. This means deeper financial instability, increased debt and housing insecurity These issues were exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic on employment.
Precarity carries elevated long-term risks, including prolonged low wages and stunted career progression This often delays the achievement of typical adult milestones such as financial autonomy and independent living
Economic uncertainty destabilised emerging careers, forcing young people to rethink their options ? a situation dubbed ?precarious hope?. Many graduates, feeling less prepared, lowered their expectations
They may well have prioritised finding any available work, taking jobs that didn? t match their qualifications, leading to lower wages and poorer working conditions.
Transitions to adulthood
Research has found that the pandemic created significant disruptions to the typical transition to adulthood. Aprominent trend was the rise of ?boomerang?trajectories: young adults returning to live with parents due to economic hardship or job loss
More broadly, the pandemic contributed to delayed milestones such as leaving home, achieving financial independence and building stable relationships, creating prolonged dependence for many
The pandemic also blurred young
professional identities. Disrupted final years of study and remote transitions stripped away traditional markers of closure Cancelled exams, internships and graduations plunged many into prolonged limbo.
This absence of clear rites of passage and the unexpected conclusion to studies added ambiguity to young people?s ideas of their own identity and life paths. This lack of clear professional selves left young people feeling helpless, their future out of their hands
The psychological toll
The pandemic inflicted a profound psychological burden on young people. The loss of expected life passages, social and professional connections and routines fostered feelings of isolation, stagnation and diminished control
This distress was amplified by relentless uncertainty surrounding disrupted education, altered qualifications and a volatile job market
A?COVIDecho?continuesto resonate for young people Graduates from the pandemic period may still feel that they lag behind in their careers
The early disruptions it caused through lost entry-level job opportunities, fewer chances to build networksand hindered skill development continueto cast a shadow over the further career prospects of these young people.
Enduring negative consequences like thisare termed ?scarring?, threatening to affect employment and earningpotential for years
Addressing these potential long-term scars requires an overhaul of the youth labour market. This meanstackling precarious work, enhancing training and re-skilling,and strengthening social safety nets Robust support, as well aslistening to what young people have to say about their futures, will be vital in empoweringthis generation to overcome the crisisand reach their full potential
BuildConciergeraises
$5m: appoints industryheavyweights
Build Concierge, the engagement platform, has raised $5.1m (£3.8m) in seed funding from a consortium of private investors. The deal values the year-old start-up at £35m.
The venture has built an AI-enabled
customer engagement platform, helping businesses to automate customer communications across every channel, using email, text, WhatsApp, chat and voice. The software boosts productivity and helps
businesses to scale rapidly and profitably.
Build Concierge is the fourth business from serial founder Martin Port The Yorkshire-based entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist has been building B2B software for almost 30 years. Port's previous venture, the workforce management software platform BigChange, was sold to Simpro Group last year in a deal that valued BigChange at more than £300m
Build Concierge has raised £3.8m in growth finance from angel investors, high net worths, and Martin Port himself Alongside the investment, Build Concierge has announced the appointment of several industry heavyweights to its board. These individuals bring extensive industry experience from Build Concierge's target sectors
Lord Ian Austin, former Labour minister, now the UKgovernment's trade envoy to Israel, joins Build Concierge as a board observer, bringing decades' worth of experience in frontline government policy He is a passionate advocate for tech disruption and automation within the construction sector.
Robin Proctor brings FTSE100 experience to our new board A former Development Director of construction giant Travis Perkins Group, he held executive roles in Travis Perkins, Wickes and Howdens, so really understands our target customers A proven market innovator having been a board member at market disruptor Toolstation.co.uk during its key growth phase and chairman of Bathroomscom, he specialises in improving business efficiency,
lean supply chains,automation and robotics.
Charlie Kirk, founder and former managing director of drainagefirm Jet Aire, built his business over more than two decades to become the leadingsupplier of drainage services in the North of England,employing more than 170 people Asa board member, he will help shape the development of AI tools that allow companies in this industry to scale efficiently.
"We are delighted to welcome these luminaries to our board," says Build Concierge founder Martin Port "We have spent the past year refining our business model, technology and approach. It is a testament to the power and potential of our technology that wehave attracted such high-calibre people to the board, and that our first fundraisinground was oversubscribed, closing in record time."
Lord Austin comments: "Martin's track record speaks for itself He has already created two of the most exciting softwarecompanies in Europe and Build Concierge has the potential to make an even bigger impact.
There isn't a singleservice business that couldn't benefit from this AI-powered platform, and no limit to its potential "
Charlie Kirk comments:
"This is a really excitingopportunity and I'm very much lookingforward to working with Martin and the team Build Concierge's AI-driven softwarewill bea game changer for many businessesand will help to drive efficiency and growth"
30
5 experts on UK's new 10-year industrial strategy
the ten-year timeframe and potential shifts in political priorities
And regional disparities and social inequalities may not be fully addressed, as the focus is on high-potential city regions. Some areas could be left behind Skills shortages in engineering and digital sectors persist, and there is not enough detail on reskilling and lifelong learning. The importance of supply chain resilience, especially for the critical minerals needed for the green transition is acknowledged but not fully assured
industries?research and development (R&D), which is a driver of innovation, productivity and growth Thisincludes £100 million for the Artsand HumanitiesResearch Council?s clusters programme, which supports location-based,creative R&D partnerships between universities and industry
The UKgovernment haspublished a ten-year strategyoutlining howit aimsto boost productivityand innovation acrosseight key sectorsof the economy From the future of AI to energysecurityand net zero, it?sa broad and ambitiousplan. Our expertsassesswhat it tellsus about howthe UKeconomy?and the jobsit offers?could look in future.
Nuclear placed firmly in the centre of the UK?s low-carbon future
Doug Specht, Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, Universityof Westminster
For clean energy and industrial growth, the strategy presents an ambitious and comprehensive vision. And it seeks to establish the UKas a global leader in clean energy manufacturing and innovation. Akey
strength lies in its substantial investment commitments, however this includes £14 2 billion for the controversial Sizewell C nuclear power station and more than £25 billion for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme
Nuclear energy remains controversial ? nevertheless, the strategy firmly places it as a central pillar for low-carbon, reliable energy and national security
The strategy also targets high-growth sectors, prioritises regional development and introduces support schemes and regulatory reforms to tackle high electricity costs for industry, and slow grid connections. Yet despite these potential strengths, there are notable challenges. Implementation risks are significant, given
Overall, the strategy is ambitious and well-structured. But a reliance on nuclear rather than true renewables is seeking a quick win with high risks and high costs A more radical and inclusive plan that expanded green infrastructure, and provided details of resilient growth across all regions and sectors, would have been welcomed
An innovation boost for the UK?s world-leading creative industries
Bernard Hay, Head of Policyat the Creative IndustriesPolicyand Evidence Centre, Newcastle University
The plan for the creative industries is a significant step forward for this critical sector. With multiple new commitments announced on areas ranging from scale-up finance and AI to skills, exports and freelance support, there is a lot to welcome for the sector. After all, it already accounts for over 5% of the UK?s annual gross value added (or GVA? which measures the value of goods and services) and 14% of its services exports
One key aspect is boosting creative
And by the end of the year, HMRCwill publish clarification on what typesof activity are eligible for R&Dtax relief, to include arts activities that meet certain criteria This is a nuanced change, but together with the other plans, it could have a catalytic effect on innovation in the sector.
Supporting regional creative economies is a golden thread running through thisplan A new £4 billion group capital initiative from the British Business Bank, announced earlier in the spendingreview, will be an important source of scale-up finance for small and medium-sized creative businesses that face barriers in accessingcapital. It is also welcometo see the government both increasing creative industries investment in several city-regions and supporting placesto join up and work together through ?creative corridors?.
Coupled with the ongoing devolution of powers and funding in England, the next decade provides a huge opportunity for local policy innovation. Thisincludes sharing and scaling proven strategies in growing regional creative economies
An effective industrial strategy relies on high-quality data and analysisto support it This is especially true when dealing with a
rapidly evolving part of the economy such as the creative industries. The new plan includes commitments to strengthen the evidence base, including by increasing access to official statistics This is good news not only for researchers, but for the whole sector.
Advanced manufacturing: promising plans, but persistent problems
Michael Lewis, Professor of Operationsand SupplyManagement, Universityof Bath
The government plans to invest £4.3 billion in advanced manufacturing This covers research-driven production in sectors including automotive, aerospace and advanced materials (engineered substances that are especially useful in these industries) Some firms may also get energy cost relief through green levy exemptions
Along-term plan is overdue, but the challenges are huge. Automotive production is targeted to rise substantially, but the sector will still depend heavily on a range of critical imports The aerospace sector will start 40,000 apprenticeships by 2035, yet further education funding remains below 2010 levels. Much of the promised investment appears to be the repackaging of existing funding
Most importantly, how to deliver these changes remains unclear. There are good ideas, like £99 millionto expand the relatively successful Made Smarter Adoption programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises employ digital technology. But when helping small firms adopt basic digital
tools counts as policy success, it shows how far UK manufacturing has fallen behind competitors. Likewise, when you need a new ?connections accelerator service? just to help companies connect to the grid, it shows the scale of basic infrastructure problems that undermine grander ambitions. Overall, the strategy marks real progress. However, without clear delivery plans, it reads more like a wish list than an action plan This explains why industry reactions have been cautiously optimistic at best.
A chance to take the lead in the global AI race
Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor of SupplyChain Analyticsand Programme Leader for the MScin the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Universityof Bradford
From a digital and technologies perspective, the industrial strategy appears to signal a strong commitment to anchoring the nation at the forefront of the global AI race The proposed Sovereign AI Unit shows an intent to ensure national control and access to critical AI infrastructure, computational power and expertise.
This is pivotal, not only for research and development, but also for national security and economic resilience in an increasingly AI-driven world. It points to a recognition that relying solely on external providers for cutting-edge AI capabilities carries inherent risks
Besides, some of the world?s most innovative AI businesses are based in the UK. British
A skilled, nat ionw ide plum bing and drains w ork force, on hand all day, every day.
companies are pushing the limits of what is feasible, from Synthesia?s advances in synthetic media to DeepMind?s developments in machine learning In sectors including public safety, insurance and defence, smaller firms like Faculty, Tractable and Mind Foundry are also having a significant impact.
Complementing this, the AI Growth Zones are designed to act as regional magnets for investment and innovation, particularly in the realm of data centres and high-density computational facilities. By streamlining planning and providing preferential access to energy, these zones could accelerate the development of the physical infrastructure needed.
This decentralised approach has received more than 200 bids already from local authorities It also has the potential to spread the economic benefits of AI beyond established tech hubs, encouraging new regional powerhouses and creating high-skilled jobs right across the UK
Taken as a whole, these projects show a deliberate effort to develop core competencies and draw in private-sector funding. This puts the UK in a position to benefit from AI?s potential This effort to develop national AI capabilities is not a new idea ? it echoes the USAI executive order and the EU?s AI Act.
Growth plans for financial services ? and moves to share the benefits beyond London
Sarah Hall, 1931Professor of Geography, Universityof Cambridge
One of the most striking elements of the new plan is that it places financial services much more centrally compared to previous approaches
important policy moveshave already been announced, such as changes to pension funds aimed at increasingtheir investment in large infrastructure projects
However, given the dominance of global tech giants, the UKneeds to define ?sovereignty?in practice and decide whether it is willing to provide large-scale funding At a time when debates continue around the UK?s defence budget ? a field now deeply intertwined with AI ? more transparency is needed on how these ambitions will be funded
There are good reasons for doing this Financial services are a vital component of the UKeconomy, contributing close to 9% of economic output in 2023 Clearly then, an industrial strategy without one of the most important economic sectors would make little sense.
There is also a welcome emphasis on the ways in which financial services can grow, not only as a sector in its own right, but also to be better integrated in supporting the growth of other parts of the economy. Some
In order to meet theseambitions, the strategy is right to note that financial services need to be supported,not only in London but also across the many clusters around the UK These include, for example, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol.
There will be more details in the sector plan, released alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves?Mansion House speech on July 15 At that point, we will beable to assess the measures intended to grapple with two longstanding issuesfor UKfinancial services That is, how does the government bridge the gap between financeand the ?real? economy (goods and non-financial services)?And how doesit bridge the gap between London and the rest of the UK?
The UKgovernment aims to cut energy bills for large businesses by up to a quarter over four years, thanks to a £2billion investment within its new industrial strategy.
UKindustrial firm energybill cut plan threatens toleave small businesses incold
The aim is to make British manufacturers of steel, cars, chemicals, glass and other industrial sectors more competitive with foreign firms
UKbusinesses pay some of the highest energy prices in Europe Under the new scheme, roughly 7,000 energy-intensive businesses will be exempt from paying green levies on their electricity bills
These levies raise funds to support the deployment of renewable energy and to enact energy-efficiency measures like the
insulation of low-income households
The exemption should make it a bit easier for British companiesto switch from fossil fuels to electricity by making the latter cheaper ? an important step in the decarbonisation of the economy to tackle climate change And it maylower costs enough to bring them within orbit of prices paid elsewhere in Europe.
However, heavy industry in the UKis already largely shielded from many of the levies applied to the average energybill The British Industry Supercharger scheme, which since April 2024 hasexempted energy-intensive industriesfrom renewable energy policy costsand provided
Sam Hampton: Researcher, Env ronmenta Geography, Un vers ty of Oxford
Jan Rosenow: Leader of the Energy Programme, Environmental Change Inst tute, University of Oxford, University of Oxford
discounted network charges, is set to save British manufacturers between £320 million and £410 million in 2025 alone
The supercharger scheme fully exempts eligible firms from paying several costs linked to encouraging renewable energy investment and production Industrial energy users covered under this scheme also enjoy a 60%reduction in network charges, compared with businesses outside the scheme
The government?s new ?modern industrial strategy?sets out plans to raise this discount to 90% from 2026.
Modelling conducted before the government?s announcement suggested that, if the major green levies on electricity were removed, average non-domestic electricity bills could fall by around 15%.
While significant, this reduction is unlikely to fully resolve the competitiveness challenges facing most businesses, as even discounted energy prices would remain high by international standards.
There are other limitations with the strategy To start, more could be done to encourage firms to switch from fossil fuels to electricity by not just cutting electricity levies but shifting some onto gas bills.
The cost of expanding and upgrading the grid to support more electrification and renewables is another concern These investments in power lines and wind farms will be essential, but they won? t come cheap Reducing the contribution made by big businesses to these costs means the
burden for these essential upgrades will fall on smaller businesses and households
There are several options for addressing these challenges, however. One is to make energy demand more flexible, by financially incentivising businesses to use electricity when its supply from renewable sources is generally greater
Another way to cut network costs for businesses is to offer grid connection arrangements with a less secure electricity supply These arrangements include allowing the network operator to reduce maximum capacity during times of grid congestion, and sharing a connection with several other businesses
Most importantly, the UKneeds to move away from a system where the cost of gas sets the price of electricity most of the time, even though less than half of the country?s electricity now comes from gas This can be achieved by expanding renewable energy storage (in the form of grid-scale batteries for example), so that grid operators are less reliant on gas power plants to fill gaps in electricity supply from wind and solar
Reform to Britain?s energy market and its pricing structure would make a real difference too, though this will also require significant investment in grid infrastructure and careful regulatory change
No relief for smaller businesses
While the government?s priority is energy savings for larger businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) typically pay the highest rates for their energy This is
even despite most smaller firms being exempt from green levies.
Energy-intensive sectors, such as hospitality and retail, remain highly vulnerable to energy costs Average non-domestic electricity prices increased by over 75% between 2021and 2024, while gas prices more than doubled This has contributed to a surge in business failures: in June 2024, company insolvencies were 17%higher than a year earlier, reaching the third highest monthly total since 2000
Unfortunately, support for SMEs is heading in the wrong direction Having funded a pilot energy advice service in the West Midlands,
the government?s Junespending review did not include funding to expand support for energy efficiency or renewable installations to SMEs nationwide Thisleavesmillions of smaller businessesexposed to high energy prices, without help to cut costs or emissions.
The government?s new strategy may help some of the UK?s largest manufacturers compete internationally But without targeted support for smaller firms, the benefits could be unevenly shared The UK?s wider economy will continue to struggle with high energy costsand business failures as a result.
Oasis andBohemianFC collaborateonnew shirt
100% fan-owned not-for-profit, Ireland?s oldest football club,Bohemian FC, unveil a very special FAI Cup shirt paying homage to one of the greatest bands of all time, and two of Ireland and Manchester?s most famous sons, Oasis
Featuring the iconic Oasis logo in the traditional blue tones of Dublin City, with a 90s styling and sublimated chevron patterns, as well as a white and blue collar and sleeve trims, it is manufactured by O?Neill?s Sportswear Ireland and designed in-house by Bohemian FCin collaboration with Oasis ? the exclusive shirt is available for order now at www oasis-bohemianfc com
All profits from the shirt will be split between Bohemian FCand two charities
Fifty percent (50%) of the profits from the shirt will be used by Bohemian Football Club to help build on the club?s pioneering work across its football and community activities The other fifty percent (50%) will be split 25% to Music Generation Ireland, to allow disadvantaged kids across Ireland access music and 25%to Irish Community Care Manchester (ICCM), for their amazing work with the Irish community in the city
No proceeds will go to Oasis for their partnership and support of this project
Ink Drop / Shutterstock com
How emotionsrule every stage of the entrepreneurial process
Florencio Portocarrero Assistant Professor of Management, Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science
Governments often see entrepreneurs as the engines of innovation, job creation and economic growth. In the UKalone, small and medium enterprises account for 99.8%of the business population and employ more than 16 million people
However, entrepreneurship is not just a strategic or financial undertaking. It?s primarily an emotional journey From the spark of an idea to the triumphs and failures
of running a business, emotions constantly shape how entrepreneurs think, decide,act and relate to others.
Recent research I led draws on 276 studies to show that emotions don? t just accompany entrepreneurship ? they drive it Far from being distractions,emotions ? like passion, fear, anxiety and compassion ? and emotional intelligence can make or break a venture Here are four ways they shape the
entrepreneurial journey
1. The double edge of passion
Ask any entrepreneur what keeps them going through long hours, tight budgets and personal sacrifice, and you?ll probably hear the word ?passion? Passion is one of the most studied emotions in entrepreneurship ? for good reason. It fuels creativity,motivates persistence and can inspire others
Investors are more likely to back passionate founders and employees feel more engaged when their leaders show authentic enthusiasm Passionate storytelling resonates with customers
Most of the benefits linked to passion emerge when entrepreneurs choose to pursue ventures that align with their identity and values. This aspect of the emotion is called ?harmonious passion?, and it leads to greater wellbeing, better work-life balance and sustained motivation.
But passion also has a darker side, called obsessive passion This is a type of emotional experience driven by internal pressures (self-worth, for example) or external expectations (status or validation).
Entrepreneurs with high levels of obsessive passion often become workaholics, suffer burnout and cannot walk away from their enterprises This is even the case when their
ventures are experiencing sustained failures
Passion can be a superpower. But like any power, it needs to be wielded with care.
2. Fear and anxiety: not always the enemy
Starting a business is inherently risky
Founders often deal with uncertain markets, fluctuating cash flow and high personal stakes. Unsurprisingly, fear and anxiety are common companions in this journey
These emotions are often framed negatively, but our research ahows that they serve vital functions. Fear can make entrepreneurs more vigilant and help them anticipate challenges Anxiety can enhance performance under pressure, such as during
investor pitches or public launches These can act like emotional smoke alarms, warning entrepreneursabout potential problems before they spiral.
However, problemsarise when these emotions become overwhelming Chronicf ear of failure can prevent entrepreneurs from taking calculated risks.It can lead to perfectionism, decision paralysis or the premature abandonment of promising ideas
The key is not to suppressfear or anxiety but to manage these emotions.Practices like journaling, peer mentorship and mindfulness trainingare valuable tools They can help entrepreneursreflect and use
fear and anxiety constructively rather than letting it control them
3. Compassion as fuel for social enterprise Entrepreneurship isn? t always about chasing profits. Many founders launch ventures to address urgent social issues, from poverty and inequality to environmental degradation. These social entrepreneurs are often driven not just by vision but also by compassion
Our review found that compassion is a defining emotional characteristic of social entrepreneurs. It motivates them to act when others turn away. It helps them connect with communities, earn trust and stay resilient in the face of adversity Their emotional connection to a mission creates a deep sense of purpose that can carry them through setbacks that might paralyse other entrepreneurs
This emotional resilience is often overlooked in traditional entrepreneurship education, which tends to emphasise strategy and metrics. But for many mission-driven founders, compassion is the emotional backbone of the business
4 Emotional intelligence as a business strategy
Emotions don? t just shape how entrepreneurs feel, they affect how others respond to them Our research points to emotional intelligence, the ability to recognise, understand and regulate emotions, as a critical skill for entrepreneurs
Founders who demonstrate high emotional intelligence motivate teams better, manage conflict and build trust with stakeholders. They?re more likely to retain talent, adapt under pressure and sustain long-term
ventures. Investors, too, respond to emotional cues Aconfident and passionate pitch can be more persuasive than a technically perfect but emotionally flat one However, there?s a fine line. Too much emotional expression can backfire. Investors may question the founder?s judgement, and teams may interpret it as instability
The most effective entrepreneurs aren? t the ones who suppress their emotions but those who deploy them strategically In a world where startups rise and fall on relationships, emotional intelligence is not a soft skill It?s a core business strategy Entrepreneurship is an emotional endeavour.
The highs are exhilarating,but the lows can be crushing Whilegrit and skill matter, our review shows that founders?emotional agility often determines whether they thrive or burn out.
Innovation should becelebrated and it?s vital to recognise and support entrepreneurs?emotional experiences That means building programmes that teach emotional management,creating networks that offer psychological safety and reframing failure not as weakness but as part of the emotional terrain of entrepreneurship
Thisarticle wasco-publishedwith LSEBlogs at the London School of Economics.
The Cumberland is making a £175,000 donation to support local charities and projects helping people and communities in need
The six-figure donation means the Cumbria-based building society has given a total of £675,000 to its Kinder Kind of Kitchen initiative since it began in 2023
It's been helping FareShare Lancashire and Cumbria and FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland support people to overcome the main challenge many face daily ? knowing where their next meal may come from.
As The Cumberland marks its 175th anniversary in 2025, and as part of its commitment to kinder banking, it is continuing to support the initiative by donating another £175,000, of which FareShare Lancashire and Cumbria are receiving £158,000 and FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotlandare receiving £17,000
It launched its Kinder Kind of Kitchen initiative in June 2023, partnering with the charity FareShare Lancashire and Cumbria, operated by Recycling Lives Charity, which distributed the donation to its network of community food group members across the two counties.
The initiative was a huge success helping provide hundreds of thousands of meals and allowing food projects to reach more people.
In 2024, The Cumberland decided to repeat
the initiative and extend it to help support food projects in Dumfries and Galloway for the first time, partnering with FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland, delivered by Move On.
Since The Cumberland became involved, volunteers from 64 community groups have served hundreds of thousands of meals
This year, they have once again teamed up with FareShare Lancashire and Cumbria and FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland to support frontline charities and community groups
Claire Deekes, Chief Customer Officer at The Cumberland, said:
"It's incredibly moving to see the impact local food projects are having across our communities, and we're proud to support them for a third year with a £175,000 donation.
"Visiting the projects and meeting the volunteers gives us a real sense of how essential this support is ? and how our funding is helping them continue, and in many cases expand, their work.
"Sadly, the need remains high, with more people than ever struggling to access the basics
"That's why we've chosen to continue our Kinder Kind of Kitchen initiative, reaching people who really need a helping of kindness"
Fiona Heslam, a volunteer at the Village Larder in Great Clifton, Workington, is in no
doubt about the importance of The Cumberland's donation
"We couldn't have got started without the support we've received from Recycling Lives Charity and The Cumberland," she said.
"Ours was previously a mining and industrial area and I'd listened to lots of people saying how they missed the sense of community that used to be here There's no shop or pub in the village where we first started up, and food is a great way of getting a community spirit going
"We set up in March 2024, signed up for the Kinder Kind of Kitchen initiative and started to receive a huge variety of food.
"But then, quite unexpectedly, the village hall where we'd started up withdrew use of it to our group
"Recycling Lives were incredibly supportive and enabled us to move, at speed, to a neighbouring village's hall So we were able to continue, and we've grown since then, too"
Naomi Winter, Community Partnerships & Volunteering Manager for Recycling Lives Charity, said:
"We're so pleased to be renewing this partnership It's already helped us to create a massive amount of impact, getting food out to even more groups and creating savings for our members
"It's been great to work with The Cumberland's teams over the last few years ? we can see their real enthusiasm and
passion for helpingcommunities."
Jim Burns, Director of Operations at Move On, the charity that delivers FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland,said:
"Our work with FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland redirects surplusfood to charities in Dumfries and Galloway, working with people directly affected by food insecurity, providingan essential lifeline to the most vulnerable in our communities.
"Our community food partners use the surplus food we supply and turn it into nutritious, healthy meals, helping to improve the health and wellbeing of those who access their vital servicesand other services like it in Dumfries and Galloway
"In order for us to continue to provide this vital work and supply surplus food to charities we rely on support from The Cumberland, who we have worked with over the last two years
"They have been pivotal in not only providing fundingto us, but also on the ground support, volunteering at both at our FareShare depot and at our community food partners
"They help and support us to highlight the essential work we do
"We are very grateful and excited that The Cumberland have chosen to continue to support us again thisyear and are thrilled that, with their backing, to be able to continue our work in Dumfries and Galloway."
The trend for ?quiet?and ?soft? quitting is a symptom of our deteriorating relationship with work
John-Pau Byrne Lecturer, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
How do you feel about your work?Do its daily demands leave you burned out and drained of energy?
Do you find yourself reducing how much effort you make to engage in some ?quiet?or ?soft?quitting?Or maybe you dream of taking a more decisive step and joining the ?great resignation?
The prevalence ? and popularity ? of these responses suggests that there has been quite a change in many people?s attitude to the way they earn a living Some think that this change stems from a post-COVID evaluation of work-life balance. Others say it?s an individual form of industrial action.
However, these explanations keep the
spotlight firmly on workers rather than the work itself Perhapsthe truth lies in a fundamental deterioriation in people?s relationship with their work and maybe the work needs to shoulder some of the responsibility.
Our experience of working, and its impact on our lives, is about more than what goes on within the office or school or hospital or factory which paysour wages. Even something as simple (yet important) as the number of hours someone works might be the result of a complex combination of national law, professional expectations and an organisation?s resources.
This is where something known as the
?psychosocial work environment?comes in ? an approach (especially popular in Scandinavia) which examines the various structures, conditions and experiences that effect an employee?s psychological and emotional wellbeing
Research in this field suggests that there are three conditions vital to the modern work experience: autonomy, boundary management and ?precarity?.
Autonomy is about how much control and influence you have when it comes to doing your job and is key to how most employees feel about their work.
Low levels of autonomy can leave people feeling overwhelmed and powerless But high levels can also be detrimental, leading to excessive levels of individual responsibility and overwhelming hours. Ideally, you should have enough autonomy
to feel a sense of flexibility and self-determination ? but not so much that you feel you need to always be available and constantly on the clock.
Setting boundaries
Boundary management is the ability to manage the physical and mental boundaries between work and non-work lives Achieving a suitable work-life balance has become even more important in a world of hybrid working
But in jobs with high levels of autonomy and responsibility, boundaries can become blurred and unpredictable. Phones ping with work related notifications, and leisure becomes work at the swipe of a screen
All of this can lead to feelings of anxiety and exhaustion. The goal here is to set clear boundaries that bring predictability and clarity around work time and demands This
provides flexibility which is empowering rather than exploitative
Finally, ?precarity?refers to a lack of stability and security in life. It refers specifically to a harmful state of uncertainty which is typically associated with job insecurity (zero hours contracts, for example)
This uncertainty and insecurity can dominate daily work time (and free time), leading to feelings of stress and anxiety It can also have a negative impact on personal finances and career plans
Income and contract security can help here, although people working in insecure jobs often have little power when it comes to persuading their employers to make the necessary changes.
But addressing the deteriorating relationship between employees and their
work means confronting certain core conditions Reflectingon the psychosocial elements of employment can help to identify the gap between expectation and actual experience.
Before experiencingburnout or resorting to quitting (in any of its forms),this approach encourages employeesand employers to reflect on two keyquestions. How does work make you feel?And what are the things that cause those feelings?
Research on psychosocial work environments providessome guidance It suggests that workers are more likelyto thrive when they haveautonomy that feels like control rather than abandonment, and flexibility and claritythat allowsfor a good work-life balance. They also need security that offers certaintyin the present ?and confidence in the future
Genuine qualit y in every fit out
"MCUK have always delivered with a professional yet friendly approach and thats why they continue to be one of our preferred contractors. Impeccable workmanship and a brilliant mix of skilled crafts and trades. I found MCUK the ideal partner in our new build and refurbishment projects"
- Paul Morley,,
Operat ions Manager at Morris & Spot t isw ood
Entrepreneurs secureNPIFIIbackingfor new venturetoreshapehospitalityrecruitment
The entrepreneurs behind two of the UK?s most successful hospitality tech businesses have joined forces to launch a new venture that aims to reshape hospitality recruitment.
Sam Brown and Nick Holroyd-Doveton have raised £800,000 to further develop their matchmaking platform, Candid Hospitality The funding came from NPIFII ? Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Ventures and part of the Northern Powerhouse Fund II (NPIF II), Haatch and an angel investor, and marks the first NPIFII equity investment in Hull.
Sam Brown was previously a director of Airship Services, which was also backed by Mercia and the first NPIFand was sold to Zonal in 2022, while Nick Holroyd-Doveton co-founded Omnifi, which was sold to Access Group in 2021
Hull-based Candid was developed with input from leading hospitality operators and
suppliers It enables candidates to build an anonymous profile and view opportunities, and employers to find the right people without sifting through multiple CVs. In place of CVs, candidates are matched on skills and values to ensure they not only meet job requirements but also fit into the company?s culture Hospitality operators and suppliers pay a flat monthly fee to recruit candidates at all levels, from front of house to boardroom
Launched in February this year, the platform has already attracted over 3,000 candidates and 100 brands including Big Table Group, Loungers, Honest Burgers, Turtle Bay, Punch Pubs, Flight Club and The Alchemist, and resulted in over 700 matches The company plans to double the size of its team from seven to 14 in the next two years.
Nick Holroyd-Doveton, Candid co-founder, said: ?Having spent yearsin hospitality, both Sam and I knowthe challengesof
recruitment. Candidatesare often afraid to look for a better job in case their current bossfindsout, while employersspend huge sumson newhiresonlyto find theyare the wrong fit. We felt the processmust be ripe for change.
?Using our industrycontacts, we spoke to 60 operatorsand over 100 candidatesand developed Candid based on their feedback. It uses the 3Cs- culture, competenciesand compensation ?which are keyto successful hires. The anonymityprotectscandidatesand removes subconsciousbias, and enables employersto access?passive hires?who may not be active job seekersbut maybe interested if the right role came along?
The hospitality sector is the UK?s third largest employer, accounting for around 35 jobs directly and with a further 3 million in the supply chain, according to a report by the trade body UKHospitality
Will Schaffer, Investment Director with Mercia Ventures, added: ?Having worked with Sam previouslyduring histime at Airship, we are pleased to back him and Nick in their latest venture. Candid offersan innovative solution to the challengesof hospitality recruitment and has gained rapid traction. The funding will enable the team to build on its initial successand to drive further growth.?
Lizzy Upton, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: "The hospitalitysector playsa vital role in the UK economyand isan industrybuilt on people. Candid Hospitalityisshowing howinnovative businessesin Yorkshire are using technology to tackle longstanding challengesand
unlock newopportunitiesfor growth. Through NPIFII, we?reproud to support these businessesandambitious founderslike Sam and Nick astheyinnovate and help strengthen one ofthe UK?smost important sectors.?
Jonathan Keeling,Partner at Haatch, said: ?We?ve backed over 150 startupsat Haatch, and it?srare to see this level of product?market fit so early on. Samand Nick are proven founderswith deep hospitality experience, and Candid isalready delivering resultsfor some of the UK?smost respected operators. We believe thisbusinesscan redefine howhospitalityrecruitment isdone, putting culture and competenceat theheart of hiring.?
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) coversthe entire North of England and providesloans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businessesacross the North of England.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage financefor the North?s smaller businesses, providingfunds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance
Spendstreamand RaffleHousepartner for prizedraw industry revolution News
Spendstream, a leading provider of white-label rewards technology, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Raffle House, the UK's premier property raffle platform. This collaboration introduces a novel approach to prize draws, giving customers the opportunity to win a multi-million-pound house each month ? for free - from their regular supermarket spending.
Transforming the £1bn prize draw landscape
This partnership signifies a paradigm shift in the prize draw industry by linking routine purchases with the opportunity to potentially win a house! Consumers can now earn free entries into Raffle House competitions simply by shopping with over 150 participating brands, including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, M&S, and Currys. For every £10 spent at these retailers, customers receive one free entry into Raffle Houses prize draws
"Our mission at Spendstream is to reward consumers instantly for their everyday
shopping," said Bradley Blake,Founder & CEOof Spendstream "By partnering with Raffle House, we'reenabling customersto turn their regular purchases into opportunities to win extraordinary prizes."
"This collaboration allowsus to offer our customers more valueand excitement," said James Mieville, Director at Raffle House "By earning entries through their everyday shopping, customersare more engaged and have more chances to win, enhancing their overall experiencewith our brand"
How it works
1. Shop with partner brands: Customers make purchasesat any of the 150+ participatingretailers
2 Earn free entries: For every £10 spent, customers automatically receive one free entry into Raffle House's prize draws.
3 Win big: With more entries, customers increase their chances of winning prizes such as dream homes,luxury cars, and substantial cash rewards.
XLVentures Secures In-PrincipleApproval for Capital Markets Services License
XL Ventures Pte Ltd, a Singapore-headquartered climate tech focused company, has received In-Principle Approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to perform licensed Venture Capital Fund Manager (VCFM) activities
Founded by Amit Sharma and Saroj Mishra, XL Ventures aims to invest in and promote tech startups that use data, sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize energy consumption in commercial buildings and power infrastructure ? sectors with significant potential for decarbonization.
"All climate technologies required to save the planet already exist; the missing piece is rapid global scaling," said Sharma and
Mishra "While breakthrough innovations like fusion and new materials will be critical in the long term, we believe software and AI offer immediate and scalable tools to optimize complex, energy-intensive systems that currently run in silos with excessive safety margins"
They added that XL Ventures is particularly focused on technologies that are ready for deployment and can deliver measurable impact at scale
"Corporates want to improve the bottom line and returns." the founders noted.
"Technologies that solve real business problems from day one will see strong adoption When they also deliver climate
benefits, it's a win-win Energy efficiency and consumption optimization are cross-sector needs where immediate impact is possible ? commercially and environmentally."
XL Ventures plans to partner closely with a select number of early-stage companies, providing hands-on support to help them establish operations and scale in Asia.
The firm will also foster partnerships with large local conglomerates to enable market access and distribution
"We see significant opportunities for European tech startups in the efficiency and smart-tech space They fit well with the government and private sector agenda in Singapore, India and other Asian economies
We are currently helpingseveral UKbased startups to get traction in these markets
While the USwas theobvious scaling market for them in the past, the focus has now firmly shifted to Asiaand to some extent the large GCCeconomies who have similar agenda," they said
Amit Sharma, based in Singapore,previously served as Global Head of Business Development (Digital) for Tech Mahindra, the ITservices arm of Mahindra Group
Saroj Mishra, based inLondon, co-founded Tazapay, a series Across-border B2B payments company funded by Peak XV, RTP Global, PayPal and others, and Bayfront Capital Advisors, aSingapore-based corporate finance advisory practice.
