Category Archives: Help To Grow News

Helping SMEs to Grow Sustainably

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Written by Prof, Jon Fairburn – Professor of Sustainable Development & Programme Director

COVID 19 has forced changes on many business practices with disruption in supply chains, remote working of staff or the development of e-commerce. All three of these examples link to the concept of business sustainability.  

Business sustainability is much broader than just recycling your waste –  it encompasses working practices which could allow you to draw on a wider pool of employees, it can include the development of new products either targeted at the green market or made sustainable by new techniques whilst also saving you money. 

Professor of Sustainable Development & Director of Help To Grow – Management at Staffordshire University.

Business sustainability is one of the cross-cutting themes of the Help to Grow project launched by Government and delivered by Business Schools to support businesses to become more productive and to grow. The course is 90% subsidised by government, largely delivered online and includes one to one mentor support as well as workshops.  

So, what else can businesses consider in terms of sustainability? 

Staff well-being, resilience and recruitment is a good place to start – widespread remote working during the pandemic demonstrates a profound cultural shift in business. It has become essential in many businesses allowing a greater flexibility but still needs to be managed. At Staffordshire University we know several businesses that have downsized offices and now only require staff in 2-3 days a week. Other businesses have given up their offices entirely. Manging these issues is covered extensively in the course. 

Branding and marketing – is sustainability one of your business values? Do your customers and suppliers know this? How do you communicate these values to your staff? Again all of these issues are covered on the Help to Grow course.  

Innovating new services or products – have you thought about how you could target new markets? The Sustainable Development Goals have ambitious targets that will require new products and services especially around the areas of carbon reduction, grants and support are available in many areas to support businesses develop these. 

At Staffordshire University we will be using a range of staff to deliver the programme – academics, Entrepreneurs in Residence and business mentors. You will also benefit from some peer mentor sessions discussing your issues with fellow businesses. We will also be running an alumni network after the programme so that you can stay in touch and get further support if you need it. 

Throughout the pandemic this team at Staffordshire University has delivered a range of programmes (Leading to Grow, Survive and Thrive, Small Business Leadership Programme) so we have plenty of experience in delivering blended learning to businesses. From those programmes we also have a lot of local and regional examples we can draw on to illustrate good business practice.  

So sign up now on the links – we are onboarding in December and main delivery starts in January 

Book Your Place Now
Emily Whitehead, Entrepreneur in Residence, Assessor for EQM.org.uk and part of the Help To Grow delivery team.

Successful Help to Grow Launch in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

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A great opportunity for businesses in Stoke on Trent and the region was launched on 4th November with local MP Jo Gideon and Stoke on Trent City Council leader Abi Brown in attendance. 

Martin Jones, Jo Gideon MP and Jon Fairburn

Martin Jones, Jo Gideon MP and Jon Fairburn

The Help to Grow programme is aimed at SME’s and will provide training and mentoring in business management so that companies can become more resilient, productive and aim to grow. 

The programme is 90% subsidised by government, largely delivered online but with some in person workshops. At Stoke on Trent these workshops will be delivered in the brand new Catalyst Building on Leek Road in Stoke on Trent at the University.

Abi Brown, Council Leader for Stoke on Trent

Abi Brown, Council Leader for Stoke on Trent

At Staffordshire University we will be using a range of staff to deliver the programme – academics, Entrepreneurs in Residence and business mentors. You will also benefit from some peer mentor sessions discussing your issues with fellow businesses. We will also be running an alumni network after the programme so that you can stay in touch and get further support if you need it.

In the same week of the launch it was also announced that the city had been successful in three levelling up bids totalling £57 million for the city as well as £2.7 million from the Community Renewal Fund (Staffordshire University has received £750,000 for three projects).

The event was well attended with stakeholders from Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire (there is no geographical limit on which businesses can be supported)

Attendance from Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire

We have three online taster sessions for more info coming up (30 mins)

  • Monday 15th November 4.30pm
  • Tuesday 16th November 4.30pm
  • Tuesday 7th December 4.30pm

Sign up here https://bit.ly/3qiqxwv 

If you are ready to Sign up for a cohort choose from below

For a course starting on 11th January https://bit.ly/3k3GuCG

For course starting on 19th January https://bit.ly/3knjDCn

More social media

LinkedIn – @staffsunibusiness 

Twitter – @BusinessStaffs    

#HelptoGrow #HelpToGrowStaffs #HelptogrowStoke

Email htg@staffs.ac.uk 

 

 

 

 

Pandemic perspectives on digital adoption by small businesses

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By Jonathan Westlake, Entrepreneur in Residence and Help To Grow Team member.

Whether we are Post pandemic or still in the pandemic is academic, it is clear from recent research outputs that the pandemic has been a watershed for businesses in general, a forced catalyst for change. In the mix of all that change is Digital. 

Much is written about “digital” some of it evangelical, some of it useful, some of it repetitious, regurgitating of bandwagon headlines, do this! do that! you need to be doing this! Over the early part of October 2021, we have seen numerous events/directions emerge in the news, the current UK’s drive towards a digitally skilled (BCS 2021), high wage economy, the fragilities of social medium platforms, the continuing debate about the digital divide within the UK firms and workforce and don’t mention Gas! 

It is well documented (ERC 2021) that over the last 18 months of the pandemic business landscape, firms who embraced digital change or initiated digital change insulated themselves somewhat from the ravages of the circumstances. Digital technology can be seen a disruptor if employed with thought and can provoke the chance to do a so called “pivot”.  The rise of click and collect, the role of eCommerce and a growing reliance of internet enabled systems are evidence of adapted business models. 

Help To Grow Staffs

Digital adoption is not new, the computerisation, automation of business processes, communication via remote means has existed from 50+ years. What is unprecedented with the Covid 19 pandemic has been the scale, the response needed to survive, and justifying savings, whilst helping a business grow.  

Refreshing the drive towards digital readiness for small firms is important and there is help available. Answers to questions regarding:  What low cost and “doable” digital adoption opportunities are out there? And how do we go about it?  

A non-ad Hoc plan is recommended to examine areas of a business that may benefit from digitisation. With an awareness of what the “as is” areas of the business are, it is worthwhile reviewing how digital technology can create a “to be” over a period. Building a digital adoption plan can help map out change. On the Help to Grow programme (SBC 2021) this digital adoption investigation and strategy forms part of the programme. 

Opportunities for digital adoption include a myriad of normal business functions ranging from marketing to operations. Research has also shown that senior management support, and the involvement of other stakeholders is vital to avoid disappointment. Challenging the existing digital presence with a firm can be highly beneficial and informative for the digital adoption plan: what impact does the existing website have; is anyone responding to the social media channels; has electronic documentation quickened the flow of data within the organisation? 

The digital adoption opportunities available to a small business will of course depend on the context. The small business that finds the time to address digital adoption will find reward. To mitigate the time, join the Help to Grow programme (SBC 2021), network with other businesses in a matter-of-fact way and plan a digital way forward. 

Ready to learn more with Help To Grow in Staffordshire? Book your place today.

References: 

British Computer Society (BCS) 

Small Business Charter (SBC) – Help to Grow Management

Enterprise Research Centre (ERC) 

Digital readiness, Digital adoption and Digitalisation of UK SMEs Amidst the Covid-19 crisis

If you would like to contact Jonathan, please email htg@staffs.ac.uk today.


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Help To Grow is officially announced

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Staffordshire University has officially announced the start of the Help To Grow in the county. Here’s a highlight of their Press Release and read in full here.

Business leaders throughout Staffordshire are being invited to take part in a new training programme designed to boost business growth.

HTG 50hrs Header Twitter branded resize
Help to Grow is 90 per cent funded by government

Available through Staffordshire University, the Help To Grow Management programme is 90 per cent funded by government and will support senior managers of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to boost their business performance, resilience and long-term growth.

Emily Whitehead, Entrepreneur in Residence at Staffordshire University, is a business coach and founder of Simply Great Britain, who is delivering on the 12-week programme in the New Year.

She said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer two courses, both of which are starting in January and will be delivered both online and through face-to-face workshops. The programme is accredited by the Small Business Charter and we will be supporting our business leaders to build their skills in leadership, innovation, employee engagement, marketing and financial management.

“We know from experience of delivering leadership programmes that businesses learn from each other but one of the benefits of this new programme is the one-to-one support from a mentor who will be working with business leaders to develop their growth plans.”

Professor Jon Fairburn said: “Throughout the pandemic we helped more than 80 businesses through the government-funded Small Business Leadership Programme and the overwhelming feedback was that they felt better equipped to deal with the challenges they face.”

Grace Shiel, Sales Director of Minuteman Press in Trentham was just one of the businesses to benefit from the support offered through Staffordshire University. She said: “The Small Business Leadership programme has really helped my business by giving us the tools to think differently in what has become a very challenging environment. We were given access to knowledge and information in a supported environment which has enabled us to consider what is working, what needs to change and how we can improve.”

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