A quick search online for terms like ‘customer experience’ and ‘business’ swiftly and overwhelming paint a picture of the need for artificial intelligence (AI), analytics and huge volumes of customer data to deliver a hyper-personalised customer experience.

Recent statistics indicate that over one in three UK workers see burnout as an evitable part of their career. This, combined with the challenges imposed by remote working, the rising cost of living, and a new world of “living with COVID”, have made it more important than ever before when it comes to the strategies employers have in place to support the wellbeing of their staff.

While the ability to connect and speak with others is important in just about any part of business, the power of networking is especially essential when it comes to meeting with venture capitalists and new networks when you are trying to get your product or idea off the ground. There is a lot of competition, and you never know when someone will have a similar idea, so you need to make a great impression with potential investors right off the bat so you can get your business moving.

The latest data from employee engagement specialist Sodexo Engage reveals that SMEs are at risk of losing a quarter of their female employees, with 28% of female staff planning to leave their role in the first half of 2022.

Creative technology agency Rehab today highlights research of over 2,000 Brits, conducted with YouGov, showcasing concerns of businesses respecting their personal data, and the general ineffectiveness of current advertising. Both have magnified importance as brands juggle the need to accelerate personalised offerings whilst also preparing for cookies ending in 2023.

Have you ever considered running a recruitment business? We caught up with Alex Dick, Managing Director of Alexander Lyons Solutions, who had some thoughtful advice regarding what you need to know if you do. 

Between their 10 to 14 years of medical education and then a lifetime of work in their chosen specialties, doctors develop a powerful set of skills that help them to be effective healers. Sometimes these unique abilities are innate, but in most cases, they’re learned and honed over a doctor’s career.

It has often been said that cash is king. This does not of course mean cash itself, but the phrase refers to a company’s cash flow and how it manages the flows of payments into and out of the business. Ultimately, turnover, and even profitability, are secondary in importance to cash flow.

There’s no doubt about it: today’s economy and sociopolitical outlook are impacting the ability of start-ups to fundraise. Early data during the pandemic showed a 50% drop in funding compared to the same weeks in 2019, and while there was significant uptick in venture capital in 2020, early stage companies still suffered.

As the economy springs back into action following two turbulent years, businesses are considering how to recover after the pandemic and maximise their commercial success. The role that events can play in this post-pandemic recovery should not be overlooked.

While individual multinational corporations may have a disproportionately negative impact on the environment, the cumulative effect of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also presents both a huge problem and an excellent opportunity for climate action. According to a recent study by the British Business Bank, SMEs are responsible for nearly 50% of all business-driven greenhouse gas emissions in the UK largely, in part, due to the use of inefficient internal and supply chain processes. Despite this, 76% of SMEs are yet to implement a decarbonisation strategy and according to another recent study by O2 and the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), only one in ten are even measuring their carbon emissions.

There can be little doubt that the last few years have been among the liveliest in online retail on record. While the sector has seen years of relentless incremental growth, several factors converged in 2020 to instigate a boom in eCommerce, and a quickening of its growth in share of all sales.

Young consumers around the world adore the serendipitous nature of online shopping today. They can discover exciting new brands, great prices and wide choices when they’re browsing beyond familiar, domestic websites for fashion, health and beauty, and homewares.

Nothing is set in stone. With signs that many industries are starting to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic, it can still be tricky to predict what lies ahead and what can be done to future-proof businesses for a successful 2022 and beyond.

Increased digitalisation and the changes to the labour market brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic mean that working from anywhere has not only become possible but also acceptable to an increasing number of people. This is therefore changing the way we work, as well as how we buy, sell and share goods and services.