P&O, PR & HR – what an utter ship-show! By Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR
Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR and the PR and Communications Ambassador for the IoD in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, discusses what PR lessons can be learned from the P&O fiasco.
When I initially wrote this (March 23rd) it was being reported by various media outlets that P&O has said 800 redundant staff will be offered £36.5m in total – with around 40 getting more than £100,000 each.
It was also being denied that they broke the law when it sacked the workers without warning last week. Many had questioned whether the move was legal – but P&O said those affected were employed outside the UK. Oh, that’s OK then, sod ‘em!
Today as I write (24th), the winds have changed aboard the bad ship P&O with an admittal from P&O boss Peter Hebblethwaite that the decision to sack the workers last week without consulting the unions broke the law. SHOCK HORROR. “We chose not to consult and we are, and will, compensate everybody in full for that,” he said.
Calmer seas ahead? Doubtful. I appreciate that a lot may change before this column comes out but the advice will remain sound.
Now, I’m not an HR expert, but let’s just recap how this utter farce has played out. It is actually painfully easy to summarise. P&O sacked around 800 staff last week (Thursday 17th March) by video call. Talk about finding “efficiencies,” or as Winnie The Pooh might suggest rather aptly, a “fish in the sea.”
P&O said it was a “tough” decision but it would “not be a viable business” without the changes. However, the government described the workers’ treatment as “wholly unacceptable,” whilst the RMT union is threatening legal action, on one of the “most shameful acts in the history of British industrial relations.”
Speaking of relations, let’s consider the Public Relations impact here. The bit I most certainly AM an expert in.
Never mind the way it was handled, I’ll come to that, just consider this, if business was not viable before, how many customers would now actually WANT to travel with this bunch if they had a choice? Not many. So a challenging market is now shrinking further and further, all down to how this utter ship-show was handled. They have apparently made huge savings by switching to agency staff, however, let’s consider the huge COST they have incurred in brand damage – #boycottpando reached thousands of shares in days.
Let’s look at this pathetic approach to PR, straight out of “My First Book of Bungling” published by Lazybird. First, the video message – this never plays out well. Remember Better.com, well this was worse! It wasn’t even live, total cowardice. Then the physical aspect, rumours of staff seen in handcuffs being forced from their posts. Now add a dash of stranded customers, a soupcon of cheap labour and bring to the boil with a defiant message about viability and employees not being UK-based so there. It boggles the mind.
When politicians and unions are in agreement, you know you’ve dug yourself into a very large hole. This fiasco is going to rumble on from a PR and HR perspective. It will become a textbook example of what NOT to do. Will it blow over? Right now, there’s no port that will provide sanctuary in this storm – they are holed below the waterline and sinking fast.
A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008.
He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective.
See this column in the April edition of East Midlands Business Link Magazine.
Work with us to fix “utter injustice” of poor disability employment, small businesses urge Government
More than a million small business owners and sole traders are managing disabilities or health conditions on a daily basis, with a sizeable share reporting that they have been subject to discrimination or negative treatment, according to the latest study from FSB.
Its new ‘Business Without Barriers’ report finds that more than half (51%) of small employers have employed someone they know to have a disability or health condition in the past three years.
Amongst small business owners who themselves have a disability or health condition, the share of those who would employ people they know to have disabilities or health conditions is even greater (66%).
Despite this, only one in twenty (5%) small businesses have used the Government’s Access to Work scheme and fewer than one in ten (8%) disabled business owners have accessed local authority business support services – the share is half that of their non-disabled counterparts (16%).
A quarter (25%) of small business owners across the UK are managing a disability or health condition on a daily basis, and close to one in four (24%) of these business owners report suffering discrimination or negative treatment.
Latest official figures show there are 5.5 million small businesses across the UK, indicating that well over a million business owners have a health condition or disability.
The disability employment gap – the percentage point difference between disabled people in work and the employment rate for the economy as a whole – currently stands at just over 28%, with small businesses employing a larger proportion of disabled people in their overall workforce than larger counterparts.
In response to the findings, FSB is launching a 10-Point Plan for Disability and Entrepreneurship and a freely accessible resource hub on its website for small businesses.
FSB National Chair Martin McTague said: “It is an utter injustice that so many disabled people are denied the opportunities that employment and entrepreneurship bring.
“This can and should be fixed by Government and enterprise working together. Too often we have seen small moves and siloed approaches in this area – we all need to show the ambition necessary to overcome the scale of the barriers disabled people face in our economy.
“At a time when we need more people to set up a small business and drive the economy, more than half of disabled entrepreneurs say they have experienced a barrier due to their disability or health condition.
“Addressing this would create more economic activity and enterprise, which is why we also want to see Government commit to a target for 100,000 new disabled entrepreneurs by 2025.”
FSB’s Disability, Health, and Wellbeing Policy Chair, Julian John, said: “This 10-Point Plan – and the host of other recommendations we have made across Whitehall departments – shows how Government and business can work together to bring more disabled people into workplaces to the benefit of individuals, local communities and the economy as a whole.”
Louise Rubin, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Scope, said: “At Scope, we know that small businesses play a vital role in employing disabled people, as highlighted in this report.
“But it is clear that many small businesses need better support from Government if they are to increase the number of disabled people that come into – and thrive in – their organisations.
“The latest figures show that the disability employment gap has grown to 28.9 percent. The gap has been stuck at around this figure for more than a decade and action is desperately needed.
“We support the recommendations put forward by the FSB and particularly welcome proposals to improve Access to Work, and to fund disability employment schemes that support disabled people into work for the first time.
“We would urge Government to carefully consider the recommendations included in the report as it reviews policy in this area.”
Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, said: “Employees with mental health problems face many barriers to accessing and staying in jobs suited to their individual skills and aspirations, and too often people fall out of work because they don’t get the support they need.
“We welcome this FSB report, particularly the recommendations around extending the types of medical professionals who can provide fit notes when people need time off sick and making sure employees who’ve been off sick are offered phased returns to work.
“With employee mental health worsening during the pandemic, it’s never been more important for employers to invest in staff wellbeing, which helps improve productivity, morale and retention and decreases sickness absence.”
FSB’s 10-Point Plan for Disability Employment and Entrepreneurship:
- Act to close the Disability Entrepreneurship Gap, including by committing to a target for 100,000 new disabled entrepreneurs by 2025, and 250,000 more by 2030.
- Redress disadvantage at the point of recruitment, including through a new disability Kickstart Scheme to make the most of pandemic-era policy innovation and give disabled people who are long-term unemployed their first proper chance in the workplace.
- Increase retention following sickness absence, including through a full Statutory Sick Pay rebate which prompts phased return to work for people who are off sick and by allowing a wider range of health professionals such as physios and mental health nurses to complete sign-off of Fit Notes.
- Promote progression in work for disabled people, including by allowing all disabled employees to ‘passport’ their portable Access to Work support to a new employer if they secure a new job.
- Help make workplaces better for disabled employees, including through new Line Management Bootcamps so front-line managers are better able to support disabled staff and deliver flexible working.
- Smooth transition from education to employment, including through joining up careers guidance and disability support, making sure disabled children access work experience and rolling out Access to Work passports for all young disabled people.
- Make treatment easier to manage alongside work, including by introducing stricter waiting time targets and service standards in the NHS for musculoskeletal problems and mental health treatment; and reviewing NICE clinical guidance to ensure better co-ordination between the health system and employment support.
- Improve JobCentre Plus’ offer to disabled people, including making Universal Credit more responsive to fluctuating health conditions and launching a revitalised version of the New Enterprise Allowance to help disabled jobseekers start their own businesses.
- Increase availability of Occupational Health support, including by making it easier for large firms to make Employee Assistance Programmes available to suppliers and delivering the findings from its testing and evaluation of the OH subsidy for SMEs and the self-employed within the next six months.
- Make disability employment central to cross-Government decision making including by establishing disability employment as a cross-departmental outcome metric in the Treasury’s Priority Outcomes targets and increasing the level of internal scrutiny of Equality Impact Assessments.
Chart-topping band Marseille join Derby businesses as fundraising target for Ukraine event at Bustler Market is smashed
A family-friendly charity event organised by a group of small businesses in Derby has raised more than double the initial fundraising target.
Chart-topping band Marseille, from Derby, entertained crowds at Bustler Market while businesses including personalised gift company Colleague Box, cosmetics brand Divine Box and artist Carla Dee – who painted one of the giant Rams that formed part of the Derby Rams Trail last summer – hosted pop-up shops.
The initial target for the event, held to raise funds for the DEC – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, was £1k but organisers are expecting to break the £2k mark.
Adam Bamford, of Colleague Box, said: “It is just fantastic to see how the city has come together to support this event, which we’re proud to support.
“Derby has a big heart and we’ve received so many kind donations for the raffle, including a signed Derby County shirt from Derby County Community Trust, tickets to Chatsworth House and bottles of bubbly.
“Derby player Festy Ebosele donated a pair of his boots, which he signed, and they were won by a young Rams fan who was over the moon to have won them. From schools doing bake sales to village halls becoming drop-off centres for donations, the generosity of the people of Derby never fails to amaze me.
“As a parent myself, I find it heartbreaking that families are being separated and having to flee their country. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing; Colleague Box donated 25% of our profits made last month to assist the brave people of Ukraine but organising a fundraising event with the incredible ladies who we recently worked with on our International Women’s Day gift box, seemed such a good idea to raise more money.”
Marseille, who have supported band The Sherlocks on tour, said that they were proud to be doing their bit for their home city.
“The incredible people of Derby have been so supportive of our journey so far and we are looking forward to taking part in this community fundraising event for the people of Ukraine,” said Will Brown, of Marseille.
Meanwhile, swimmers at Derby’s 4Strokes Academy have been swimming the length of the Ukraine during their lessons – 347 miles in total – to raise funds for people in war-torn Ukraine.
The club have set up a JustGiving page which has raised almost £10,000.
Co-founder Hayley Mitchell said: “Swimming is a life-skill and we have both young swimmers and adult swimmers at our school.
“It’s been a huge task; we’ve swam more than 38,000 lengths of our pool in Derby and, regardless of whether the children can swim with or without aids, they have been given the task of swimming as many lengths as they can so that we can collectively reach our target.
“We also held a 12-hour sponsored swim to boost the total further and invited parents, friends and families of our children to play their part. It’s been a real team effort and we’re over the moon to have raised so much money.”
Next size up for growing fashion business
After just 18 months in its new premises, the Leicester Fashion and Textiles Academy Ltd, whose services include fashion design, manufacture and consultancy, has outgrown the space and is on the move again.
The Leicester Fashion and Textiles Academy Ltd (LFTA) was started in 2015 by fashion designer Janie Morgan-Wood whose experience includes designing for household brands such as Next, Matalan and Marks & Spencer.
For several years, Janie used design rooms owned by other companies at weekends to develop her business. Her core service was supporting manufacturers with their technical skills and she also began helping start-up companies that wanted to get a foothold in the industry. The business was doing well until Covid happened and she lost access to these design rooms.
Janie said: “As I sat at home during lockdown I realised I needed to adapt. I needed my own physical space and machinery.”
With the help of the Business Gateway Growth Hub she successfully applied for a Leicestershire Covid Recovery Grant and was awarded £5,500. Together with her own funds, she invested in machinery and premises in Wigston. A Small Business Recovery grant of £3,000, from Leicester City Council also meant she was able to set up a design room with new machinery to create premium samples.
This space in Wigston started as a design hub but today her business also manufactures small runs of 100-300 garments for niche, high-end customers. Products include ladieswear such as dresses, T-shirts, hoodies, cycling shorts, swimwear, yoga clothing and lingerie, and latterly dog hoodies. They also make men’s leisurewear including sweatshirts.
The business started to build so Janie’s husband Roy gave up his lecturing job and joined her full-time. She’s also taken on three machinists and a part-time fashion designer. They’ve outgrown the current location so have just moved to a 3,500 square foot building on Linden Street in Leicester.
Janie adds: “We’re helping new brands move forward with quality products made in the UK, and that’s something we are very proud of. With more than 35 years of experience, I’m able to support these brands to make better decisions for fabric and trims, it’s about focusing on what they really want.
“We’ve seen lots of textile manufacturing in Leicester that is cheap, fast-fashion, mass production for high street or online retailers but very few places make better quality garments. Our staff have a high level of skill, every piece is quality checked, it’s quite artisan.”
The business is also making an impact on the environment. As well as making garments of a high quality that last, they are supporting start-ups and developing brands by sourcing affordable fabric.
Janie explains: “There’s a lot of waste in our industry, not so much in our business, but once you get into larger-scale production there’s over manufacturing with unused fabrics and trims.
“We work with supplying companies to identify any excess, good quality stock which is offered to our clients. This means they can use better quality fabrics and trims at an affordable price. We’re helping these young brands achieve their aims saving them money and diverting unwanted fabrics from landfills.”
Office unit sold at Nottingham business park
Nationwide Care, a rapidly growing care company, has bought Unit 1 Park Lane, a self-contained office building.
The property is situated in a prominent position on an established business park known as Park Lane Business Centre in Basford, Nottingham which has a wide variety of occupiers.
The unit comprises approximately 1,700 sq ft of modern office accommodation situated over two floors with a generous amount of car parking also provided.
Amy Howard, of FHP’s office and industrial team who agreed the sale, said: “Unit 1 Park Lane is situated in an excellent location and provides high quality office space, for which we expected a high level of interest.
“It was the perfect opportunity for both owner occupier and also for investment purposes, resulting in a high level of interest on the property within the first month alone.
“We managed to generate several competitive offers from the interest we received resulting in an excellent outcome for our client which saw the property under offer in under a month of it being on the market.
“The office market may not be in as high demand as other sectors, but the level of interest received on this unit alone shows that the demand is still there. That being said, interest is still high for freehold units and demand is certainly outweighing supply.
“It has been a delight to work alongside both our client and Nationwide Care in securing this deal and I wish them all the best in the future.”
Next stage of project to save last major bellfoundry in Britain underway as contractors invited to tender
The Saving the Last Major Bellfoundry in Britain Project is entering its next stage as it invites main contractors to tender for a programme of capital works to protect and enhance Loughborough Bellfoundry’s Grade II* Listed Buildings and museum, funded by a number of generous donors and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Loughborough Bellfoundry – which is in the centre of the Leicestershire town – is also known as John Taylor’s Bellfoundry, and is the last major bellfoundry in the UK and Commonwealth.
More than 25,000 bells, which can be heard in more than 100 countries, have been cast there since the present bellfoundry was built in 1859, from London’s St Paul’s Cathedral to Washington National Cathedral in the US capital, and from the National Carillon in Canberra, Australia to Cape Town City Hall in South Africa.
In 2016, the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust was set up to begin the project of restoring the bellfoundry’s buildings, redeveloping the site’s museum and protecting the bellfoundry and the ancient craft of bell making for generations to come.
Plans for the comprehensive restoration of the Victorian site have been drawn up by a team lead by Caroe Architecture Limited and the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust is now in a position to invite tenders from main contractors to deliver the project.
Works are expected to begin later this year and complete towards the end of 2023. Main contractors are invited to submit their proposals by the deadline of 16th May 2022.
The programme of works will include reconfiguration of the buildings’ archive room, office spaces and workshop facilities, as well as the creation of a new entrance into the historic site.
The museum will be improved and enhanced by increasing its footprint to incorporate additional exhibition space and room for an administration office.
Chrissie Van Mierlo, museum director at the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust, said: “We are incredibly pleased and excited to have issued our invitation to tender on this project. The works are going to preserve and protect these historic and important buildings for years to come and provide a wonderful place for people to visit and learn about the highly specialised craftsmanship that the process of bellfounding entails.
“Our vision is for Loughborough Bellfoundry to become the global centre for the art of bell making and learning. We have been very fortunate to have benefitted from funding over the years to address the most urgent repair and conservation works required, and we’re thrilled to be in a position to enter the next stage of this project to secure the legacy of the Bellfoundry’s bells for future generations.”
Future makers get a helping hand from industry role models
A programme designed to support young people, particularly females, who may be considering or exploring a career working in the built environment, including designing, architecture, surveying and structural engineering, has recently been launched at the new Digital Centre at Chesterfield College.
The programme aims to help students develop their knowledge and understanding of the sector and career opportunities, broaden their horizons and build knowledge and awareness of career pathways. It also helps build their self-confidence and communication skills as well as helping them to learn about planning and organising.
Championed and supported by the D2N2 Careers Hub, led by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and funded by the Careers & Enterprise Company, the programme builds on a successful pilot programme run in 2021 in partnership with the Chesterfield Property and Construction Forum and Chesterfield Borough Council.
The launch event brought together mentors and role models from local companies, including Whitham Cox Architects, Harworth Group, Henry Boot Construction, Barrett Homes, Mascot Management and Airmaster, and matched them with students from local secondary schools and colleges.
Students got to meet their mentors, interview them and learn about their companies, jobs and own career journeys, including a team building challenge at Chesterfield-based company CBE+. Each student was set an individual bespoke project by their mentor, which they will work together on over the next few months relating to their role and company.
Project manager Alex Gardner, the Work-wise Foundation, who is helping to deliver the programme, said: “It’s just great to see the mentors and mentees getting to know each other and really gelling as a team straight away! What I really love is the enthusiasm and commitment being shown by everyone. The individual challenges set by the mentors all join together to tell the story of a development from initial survey and design to finished structure. This is an added bonus we hadn’t initially envisaged.”
Mentor, Katie Burnham, from Henry Boot Construction Limited, said: “I think the first two initial sessions are brilliant as introduction/ice breakers to the students. It’s been a brilliant opportunity to network as well as participate in the mentoring programme and I think the support from St Mary’s career team is really helping their students to get the best out of the programme.
“All the students seem really engaged with the opportunity and that’s brilliant to see and be involved with. The bridge building activity was a great opportunity to teamwork and learn about the learning style of our mentees.”
Will Morlidge, Interim Chief Executive at D2N2 LEP, said: “Providing young people with meaningful encounters and showcasing opportunities to inspire them into a sector and career is central to the work of the D2N2 LEP Careers Hub.
“It has been fantastic to see this develop from last year’s pilot and we are proud to be funding the new programme. Making links between our ambitious young people and some of our region’s key employers is just one of the ways our Careers Hub is supporting inclusive economic growth.”
For the employers, the programme helps them to make a real difference in a young person’s confidence, knowledge, job and career prospects while developing their own communication and leadership skills and potentially identifying future employees. It also provides a great networking opportunity with others in the sector and a chance to showcase the business and industry as a great place to work.
The learning and outcomes from the mentor and student partnerships and projects will be showcased at a Celebration Event back at Chesterfield College on 8th July 2022.
Allison Homes appoints Gordon More as Non-Executive Director
Gordon More, a former interim Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer of Homes England, has joined Allison Homes as Non-Executive Director.
Gordon joins the Lincolnshire-based developer as they seek to deliver against ambitious targets.
Interim Chief Executive of Homes England until September 2021, Gordon also has over 30 years’ experience in banking and finance. Before his appointment as interim CEO, Gordon was Chief Investment Officer at Homes England, playing a key role in the development of the strategic housing plan adopted by the UK government.
Speaking of the appointment, John Anderson, CEO Allison Group told Business Link Magazine: “Gordon’s experience, and passion for, encouraging the proliferation of small and medium enterprise (SME) housebuilders will provide invaluable support to Allison’s board as we pursue our targets. As a well-funded SME, we are in a strong position to make a significant impact on the industry, shaking up the way things are done and exploring new avenues to help deliver the homes that this country needs so urgently. I am looking forward to Gordon’s advice and guidance as we continue this exciting phase.”
Gordon More said: “Allison Homes is already marking themselves out as an ambitious company with innovative approaches to the delivery of new homes. The recent announcement of the Legal & General partnership is an excellent example of this, demonstrating a willingness to explore multi-tenure developments – which I believe play an essential role in the future of housebuilding in the UK.”
Along with developing partnerships to support growth, Allison Homes has also turned attention to customer care and is working hard to build stronger customer relationships that last throughout the buying journey and beyond.
Gordon continues: “If SMEs are to compete with national housebuilders, they must exploit the agility of their size and find new ways of operating – whether that’s through establishing partnerships with other housing providers or by building loyalty and lasting relationships with buyers and residents. Allison Homes is already showing huge potential to achieve this, and I look forward to supporting them as they work towards their goals.”
Gordon took up the new role from 1st April 2022.
Henry Brothers Midlands secures seventh framework appointment
Contractor Henry Brothers has been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s Construction works and associated services 2/Procure23 (P23) Framework alliance. It is the seventh framework appointment for Henry Brothers Midlands, which is based in Nottingham.
Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2020/21, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits equal to £2.04bn – supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.
The company has been successful on Lot 1.3 to provide design and construction services to NHS capital projects in the East and West Midlands up to £20 million.
Henry Brothers Midlands Managing Director Ian Taylor said: “We are really excited to have been named as a supplier on NHS CCS P23 Framework.
“Henry Brothers has carried out a number of healthcare projects in recent years including a new £15m ‘mock hospital’ facility, the Health and Allied Professions Centre, at Nottingham Trent University to help train healthcare professionals of the future and a new Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), also at Nottingham Trent University.
“This appointment on the NHS P23 Framework is fantastic news for Henry Brothers and will help us to build on our work in this area and further expand in what is a key and growing sector.”
The new Construction Works and Associated Services 2/ProCure23 framework has been put together by the Crown Commercial Service with NHS England and NHS Improvement.
ProCure23 is the fourth generation of the ProCure route to market for the provision of design and construction services to NHS capital projects.
The new framework has five lots, with Lots 1-3 specifically for healthcare projects in England. It is valued at £9bn.
Building on past iterations, P23 is hoped to bring the latest best practice in construction methods to the NHS and focuses on delivering greener facilities, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting social value.
Henry Brothers is on its own carbon reduction journey and is committed to cutting its carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030, and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Henry Brothers is one of eight successful contractors who have won a space on Lot 1.3 of the framework to provide design and construction services to capital projects in the East and West Midlands up to £20 million.
Henry Brothers Midlands, based at Priory Court, Derby Road, Beeston, Nottingham, is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out.
Fresh plans submitted to replace Derby hotel with apartment blocks
Fresh plans to demolish a Derby hotel, to make way for new apartments, have been submitted to the city council.
The plans from Elgie Properties would see the La Gondola hotel on Osmaston Road replaced with 42 flats in two blocks.
The proposals for the closed two-storey hotel, which comprised of 20 bedrooms, a restaurant, function rooms and associated parking, follow a previous submission refused in 2021.
The new application sees the scale of the development reduced and also looks to address concerns over bat activity.
