With job vacancies in the UK reaching a record high, new research from Grant Thornton UK LLP finds that the ‘great resignation’ is severely impacting the mid-market. Of the mid-sized businesses in the East Midlands surveyed for the firm’s latest Business Outlook Tracker, the vast majority (84%) are experiencing unusually high attrition rates – with more people leaving their business than normal. But businesses are not just losing people, they are also finding it difficult to attract new talent. Half of the region’s businesses are struggling to recruit new people to replace the talent being lost (50%) and to recruit for additional new roles to support their growth (56%). Amidst the ongoing battle for talent, many mid-sized businesses are doing everything they can to both attract new people and retain existing employees. Nearly two thirds (62%) are offering higher salaries for new roles, and a similar number (60%) confirmed they are offering pay rises or bonuses to help retain their existing people. Effectively competing in the talent market also requires looking beyond just salary, with jobseekers increasingly taking the wider employee offering into consideration. The research finds that the mid-market is responding to this, with the majority (60%) offering flexible working opportunities as standard and 70% are currently reviewing their employee benefits package to make it more competitive. Many businesses in the East Midlands are also willing to adopt innovative new working styles in a bid for talent. More than half (60%) said they would be likely to trial a four-day working week, in line with the current pilot in the UK, in their business. Attracting and retaining the necessary skills is an ongoing challenge and many businesses are now looking to government for support. Nearly one third (30%) of respondents said incentives for employers to invest in skills attraction and development should be a top priority for policymakers. Sue Knight, partner and practice leader at Grant Thornton UK LLP in the Midlands, said: “With job vacancies reaching record highs in November, the ‘Great Resignation’ has made the fight for talent amongst organisations fierce. As our research shows, mid-sized businesses in the East Midlands are doing all they can to attract new people but the last two years have had a significant impact on what people prioritise, resulting in some re-thinking their career path or role. This has led to many companies experiencing unusually high staff turnover rates and facing a recruitment struggle. “The rise in hybrid working has allowed people to achieve a better work-life balance, while still providing the opportunity for collaboration and human connection in the office. Employers who can continue to offer this flexibility will be much better placed than those who don’t. The fundamental change to ways of working also means that it’s vital for organisations to ensure they have effective people managers, as the old adage that people leave their manager, not their employer, is still often the case. “Today’s job seekers consider a much broader picture when deciding where to work, and a company’s overall employer brand and offering has never been more important. People are placing much more emphasis on aspects of the employee proposition such as the long-term development opportunities, the workplace culture, an employer’s focus on wellbeing as well as inclusion and diversity. “A business’s success ultimately hinges on its people and with the job market highly competitive, looking beyond the normal recruitment pathways is crucial. Businesses should be challenging themselves to consider whether it’s possible to recruit from a wider talent pool or to develop and retrain their existing people into new roles to fill potential skills gaps. Apprenticeships, for example, can be a very effective way of achieving both goals, while also increasing diversity within an organisation.”

If you are an employee working from home, you may be able to claim tax relief for some of the bills you pay that are related to your work, as Streets Chartered Accountants details below. Employers can reimburse employees for the additional household expenses incurred by working at home. The relief covers expenses such as business telephone calls or heating and lighting costs for the room you are working in. Expenses that are for both for private and business use (such as broadband) cannot be claimed. Employees may also be able to claim tax relief on equipment they have bought, such as a laptop, chair or mobile phone. Employers can pay up to £6 per week (or £26 a month for employees paid monthly) to cover an employee’s additional costs if they have to work from home. Employees do not need to keep any specific records if they receive this fixed amount. If the expenses or allowances are not paid by the employer, then you can claim tax relief directly from HMRC. You will get tax relief based on your highest tax rate. For example, if you pay the basic (20%) rate of tax and claim tax relief on £6 a week, then you would get £1.20 per week in tax relief (20% of £6). You can claim more than the quoted amount but will need to provide evidence to HMRC. HMRC will accept backdated claims for up to 4 years. These tax reliefs are available to anyone who has been asked to work from home on a regular basis, either for all or part of the week including working from home because of coronavirus.

In celebration of International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8^th March, housebuilder Allison Homes is encouraging women to consider careers in the construction industry. Construction has long been a male-dominated industry, with Statista reporting in 2020 that only 13 per cent of the UK workforce was female¹. Technical Co-ordinators at Allison Homes Dani Oleksow-Bunten, aged 22, and Jasmine Holmes, aged 27, both work at Allison Homes’ head office in Bourne, and would love to see more women working alongside them. Dani, who is from Peterborough and now lives in Spalding, said: “Throughout my career in construction, I have been very lucky in not experiencing many negative assumptions as a result of being female. “It’s so important to encourage women into construction, especially by reaching out to schools, as this is how I knew that housebuilding was an industry I could consider. It would be refreshing to see more women in these jobs and out on building sites! “Society tends to push women towards female-dominated jobs and industries, and a lack of knowledge around the industry can affect girls’ career choices. My advice to women joining the industry is to be confident, and don’t be afraid to do something different!” Jasmine, from Spalding, now lives in Bourne and said: “I have always seen housebuilding as a male-dominated industry, however this never deterred me from wanting to do something different with my career. Often, it’s assumed that women want to work in the office and won’t want to visit or work on site, and I don’t think this is true. “It is incredibly important to encourage women into construction and show they have an important role to play in the industry. Women may not be aware of the varying roles available, as construction and technology skills aren’t often taught and promoted to young girls at schools and colleges – I hadn’t considered either of these professions when I was at school. “Women should always be true to themselves and be confident knowing their skillsets are important. They should empower other women and know they are paving a new era for the construction industry!” Samantha Hart, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes, said: “At Allison Homes, it’s very important to us to encourage women to join the construction industry, and to create a diverse workplace. Housebuilding has always been seen as a very male-dominated field, and we want to remind women that there is space for them here too. “We have a range of different roles within the business, which provide excellent opportunities for career progression, and hope to see many more women pursue careers in construction in the future.” International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and is dedicated to promoting equality. This year, the theme is #BreakTheBias.

A further meeting was held today between representatives of Team Derby – Derby City Council, Marketing Derby and local Members of Parliament – with Quantuma (the Derby County Football Club Administrators). Its purpose was to seek an update on progress to identify a preferred bidder and ensure the future of Derby County in seeking to exit administration. Quantuma have reconfirmed interest remains in buying the club and they are urgently clarifying details before announcing the preferred bidder. They explained the types of clarifications they are having to undertake and the reasons behind these. Team Derby said: “Whilst understanding the complexities, Team Derby remain frustrated and concerned about the pace of progress and urged Quantuma to communicate with stakeholders as is reasonably possible. “Our primary concern remains, not only the survival of Derby County, but the impact of this continuing uncertainty on the wider community of Derby and surrounding areas – the fans, communities and businesses – whose passion continues to bring an incredible energy and profile to attempts to save the club.” Quantuma have agreed to provide an update in a further meeting to be held later this week.