Train to Gain Goes from Strength to Strength
Three-quarters of employers training their staff through the Government’s flagship Train to Gain programme have seen significant gains in performance and in the skills of their workforce, according to independent research commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council.
The benefits reported by participating Train to Gain employers include:
- 74 per cent noted improvement in job-related skills and performance;
- 80 per cent noted improvements in the self-confidence of their staff;
- 80 per cent reported improved quality standards;
- 61 per cent improved productivity;
- 53 per cent improved staff retention;
The employer evaluation found that 69 per cent trained more staff than they would have done otherwise and over 40 per cent extended training to groups of employees.
How to Run Effective Brainstorming Sessions
Brainstorming sessions can easily degenerate into lacklustre wastes of time, with the same ideas coming up again and again. Ask yourself these questions before you start your next session to prevent it from turning flat:
1. Who's in the room? Bring in a diverse set of people that represents your consumer base as well as the breadth of expertise within your company.
2. Who talks? Many sessions fail to produce fresh ideas because the usual suspects are doing all of the talking. Draw out those who are usually reticent and always ask for further clarification on ideas you don't understand.
3. What signals are you sending? As a leader, you need to create a safe space for innovation. Make sure your body language and tone signal that you want to hear from everyone and that all ideas are welcome.
4. Is there fresh perspective present? Make sure that someone without your (your team's) emotional attachment to the situation is also present to help avoid unduly influences from past experiences. Ask a collaborator or an outside consultant to attend.
How Hyundai Sells More Cars When Everyone Else Is Selling Less
In 2008 - a brutal year for the auto business - Hyundai Motor's global unit sales rose 2 per cent, lifting revenues by 5 per cent. In the first three months of this year, the South Korean automaker's global market share rose to 4.7 per cent compared to 4 per cent a year earlier. With industry-leading guarantees, an intense focus on quality and a program to reassure buyers worried about their economic future, the once-derided company has won hearts and business.
Click here to read full article
Small businesses still having trouble securing public sector contracts
A new report from the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group shows that small companies are still finding it hard to secure valuable public sector contracts, and made the following key recommendations to Parliament:
1) SMEs must not be seen as one group. Micro entities face very different challenges to medium sized companies, which are performing much better in winning public procurement contracts than smaller rivals. Specific proposals should be developed and aimed at the micro enterprise sector.
2) Public authorities should set individual targets for public sector procurement contracts to be awarded to SMEs, with a specific focus on micro enterprises.
3) Bureaucracy affects SMEs disproportionately and needs to be reduced.
4) The procurement process should be made more transparent and selection should be on the basis of value for money.
Webinar on the preparation of a successful Framework 7 proposal
Date: 10.30am 18 august 2009
Venue: webinar
Cost: free
On the 31st July the EU Commission launched its largest call for proposals so far this year with over €700 Million of allocated budget. On the 18th August at 10.30 a.m. the Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network (DCKTN) will be holding a Webinar on the preparation of a successful Framework 7 proposal. The EU call can be found http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7
This free webinar will be delivered by Eddie Townsend, a collaboration domain expert, and will last for 20 minutes, followed by time for questions. To register go to http://www.brighttalk.com/webcasts/5162/attend
In case you are unable to join the live event it will be recorded and made available for later viewing via the DCKTN website.
Three-quarters of employers training their staff through the Government’s flagship Train to Gain programme have seen significant gains in performance and in the skills of their workforce, according to independent research commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council.
The benefits reported by participating Train to Gain employers include:
- 74 per cent noted improvement in job-related skills and performance;
- 80 per cent noted improvements in the self-confidence of their staff;
- 80 per cent reported improved quality standards;
- 61 per cent improved productivity;
- 53 per cent improved staff retention;
The employer evaluation found that 69 per cent trained more staff than they would have done otherwise and over 40 per cent extended training to groups of employees.
How to Run Effective Brainstorming Sessions
Brainstorming sessions can easily degenerate into lacklustre wastes of time, with the same ideas coming up again and again. Ask yourself these questions before you start your next session to prevent it from turning flat:
1. Who's in the room? Bring in a diverse set of people that represents your consumer base as well as the breadth of expertise within your company.
2. Who talks? Many sessions fail to produce fresh ideas because the usual suspects are doing all of the talking. Draw out those who are usually reticent and always ask for further clarification on ideas you don't understand.
3. What signals are you sending? As a leader, you need to create a safe space for innovation. Make sure your body language and tone signal that you want to hear from everyone and that all ideas are welcome.
4. Is there fresh perspective present? Make sure that someone without your (your team's) emotional attachment to the situation is also present to help avoid unduly influences from past experiences. Ask a collaborator or an outside consultant to attend.
How Hyundai Sells More Cars When Everyone Else Is Selling Less
In 2008 - a brutal year for the auto business - Hyundai Motor's global unit sales rose 2 per cent, lifting revenues by 5 per cent. In the first three months of this year, the South Korean automaker's global market share rose to 4.7 per cent compared to 4 per cent a year earlier. With industry-leading guarantees, an intense focus on quality and a program to reassure buyers worried about their economic future, the once-derided company has won hearts and business.
Click here to read full article
Small businesses still having trouble securing public sector contracts
A new report from the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group shows that small companies are still finding it hard to secure valuable public sector contracts, and made the following key recommendations to Parliament:
1) SMEs must not be seen as one group. Micro entities face very different challenges to medium sized companies, which are performing much better in winning public procurement contracts than smaller rivals. Specific proposals should be developed and aimed at the micro enterprise sector.
2) Public authorities should set individual targets for public sector procurement contracts to be awarded to SMEs, with a specific focus on micro enterprises.
3) Bureaucracy affects SMEs disproportionately and needs to be reduced.
4) The procurement process should be made more transparent and selection should be on the basis of value for money.
Webinar on the preparation of a successful Framework 7 proposal
Date: 10.30am 18 august 2009
Venue: webinar
Cost: free
On the 31st July the EU Commission launched its largest call for proposals so far this year with over €700 Million of allocated budget. On the 18th August at 10.30 a.m. the Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network (DCKTN) will be holding a Webinar on the preparation of a successful Framework 7 proposal. The EU call can be found http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7
This free webinar will be delivered by Eddie Townsend, a collaboration domain expert, and will last for 20 minutes, followed by time for questions. To register go to http://www.brighttalk.com/webcasts/5162/attend
In case you are unable to join the live event it will be recorded and made available for later viewing via the DCKTN website.
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Entelliz Weekly Newsletter - Week 32, 2009
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Are you a business-decision maker in a London-based organisation with fewer than 250 employees? If so, and want your views captured and your, business requirements better served, you can enter the survey by clicking once (please don't "double-click") on the following link before Friday 14th August:
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Are you a business-decision maker in a London-based organisation with fewer than 250 employees? If so, and want your views captured and your, business requirements better served, you can enter the survey by clicking once (please don't "double-click") on the following link before Friday 14th August:
http://www.surveys.com/BusinessServices?i.user1=BRL