It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Larraine Boorman, Chief Executive of Leicester-headquartered Optima UK, the recruitment, training, and business advisory firm.
For some, 2023 was a year of getting back to normal after economic turmoil largely down to the COVID pandemic.
But, we have also seen a year that has been impacted by the war in Ukraine. Next year we will have a general election and no doubt that too will play its part.
That said, business deals are still being done, companies are still moving forward, people are being innovative and new revenue streams are being opened up. The future is bright for sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, and professional services.
There are a number of exciting things happening in the East Midlands and beyond, so we firmly believe that 2024 will be a year of growth for businesses.
Because of this, getting talented people on board will be a high priority but will continue to be one of the biggest challenges.
High-calibre candidates are in great demand, so an organisation needs to be able to offer a competitive salary and suitable benefits that attract the right people. It’s not always easy to get this absolutely right, particularly if, like many businesses of course, you have a million and one things to do on a daily basis, but looking internally and externally will be key.
Training, and wellbeing programmes, will be paramount in 2024 as more and more people recognise that getting these elements right will help them to achieve their goals.
People who are experts in their field, like our recruitment and training consultants, will be worth their weight in gold more than ever before.
