Monthly Archives: August 2023

Appointments, News

Cohesity Appoints Eric Brown as Chief Financial Officer and Srinivasan Murari as Chief Development Officer

Cohesity, a leader in data security and management, today announced the appointment of Eric Brown as Chief Financial Officer and Srinivasan Murari as Chief Development Officer.

Eric Brown

Brown, who is an experienced public company CFO with over 25 years of proven operational experience and skills in helping companies scale, will manage Cohesity’s financial strategy as it expands its multicloud portfolio for data protection, redefines AI-powered data security and data management, and continues on the path to profitable long-term growth. His industry experiences include a range of enterprise technology markets, including security, data analytics, data management, collaboration, and interactive entertainment. In 2021, Brown led Informatica’s initial public offering as CFO, raising $1B in proceeds at a $10B enterprise value. Prior to that, he served in several public company CFO roles, including Electronic Arts, McAfee, and Polycom. Brown is a technology enthusiast, his passion dates back to his MIT days when he co-founded an AI/data mining company with his classmates.

Srinivasan Murari

Murari, who is a visionary technology executive with over 35 years of experience building world-class products and services in cloud and enterprise technologies, will be responsible for Cohesity’s engineering and R&D teams as they continue to innovate across AI, security, and multicloud. He most recently served as vice president of Engineering at Google Cloud, where he was responsible for the productivity of approximately 20,000 software engineers encompassing compute, storage, networking, security, databases, analytics, AI/ML, Kubernetes, serverless, cloud console, platforms, and fleet management. Before Google, Murari served as SVP of Engineering at VMware, leading teams across the company’s Storage and Availability, vSphere, and ESX portfolios, and brings deep experience in Compute and Storage across multicloud environments.

“The scale and growth Cohesity has achieved is a testament to the tremendous value its AI-powered data management and security innovations bring to organisations. My role is to ensure the company has the best financial framework for sustainable, profitable growth and leverage my experience to make Cohesity public company-ready,” said Brown. “I’m honoured to join Sanjay and the talented team he has put together as we continue on a course toward sustainable, profitable growth.”

“Cohesity is a phenomenal customer-focused company driven by ground breaking innovation, talented employees, strong leadership, and deep cultural values,” said Murari. “I am excited to work with Cohesity’s talented leadership team to continue to deliver industry-leading solutions that can help organisations radically simplify data management, improve their security postures in the face of sophisticated cyberattacks, provide AI-powered insights, and do more with data — their most valuable digital asset.”

These new appointments round out leadership changes made in June, expanding roles of key talent:

  • Amith Nair, who has been pivotal in leading the company’s cloud initiatives, now leads the global marketing organisation as senior vice president of Marketing. He was previously in leadership roles at HashiCorp and Microsoft.
  • Rebecca Adams, who has been serving as the CxO chief of staff, has taken on an expanded role as senior vice president of People & Places. She was previously in leadership roles at VMware.
  • Elad Horn, group vice president of Product, now joins the executive team and reports directly to the CEO. He was previously in leadership roles at Proofpoint.
  • Tonya Chin, who has been leading the Investor Relations function, has taken on an expanded role as group vice president, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations. She was previously in leadership roles at Nutanix.

These leadership changes mark the beginning of a significant milestone in Cohesity’s history, as the company has made a strategic shift in pursuit of a sustainable growth model that prioritises positive cash flow from operations. With this plan in place, the company expects to reach positive cash flow within Fiscal Year 2024 (August 1, 2023 – July 31, 2024) while preserving a healthy cash position.

“Cohesity’s business continues to be strong. Our industry-leading growth has been validated by the most influential industry analysts. We are growing in the enterprise and are significantly expanding our data security and Generative AI technologies while steadfastly advancing the number and depth of our strategic partnerships,” said Sanjay Poonen, CEO and President of Cohesity. “All of our key metrics indicate we are building a category leader with a focus on public readiness. We are taking share in our market by top-line growth while also aiming to become cash flow positive within our current fiscal year. Eric and Murari are well-respected talents in their areas of expertise who, along with our other leadership appointments, bolster our executive team to be one of the best in our category and position us well for our plans to become public.”

IDC ranks Cohesity as the fastest growing of the top 25 largest players in Data Replication and Protection Software Market in 2022

Cohesity has a unique position in a market with sustainable, high growth potential, as security, cloud, and AI have become mission-critical imperatives in nearly every board room and organisation. Industries worldwide must secure and manage data in a world of increasing cyberattacks, including ransomware. At the same time, business leaders require faster and deeper insights into data that helps them make better decisions.

According to IDC’s Semi-annual Software Tracker, Data Replication and Protection Software, Cohesity had the fastest worldwide year-over-year revenue growth among the Data Replication and Protection Software market’s top 25 largest competitors in calendar 2022.

Cohesity’s industry-leading growth is strong evidence that enterprise customers continue to select Cohesity over its competitors to replace legacy and point solutions. Today, eight of the top twenty banks in the U.S., six of the Fortune top ten, and 40 of the Fortune 100 have adopted Cohesity solutions.

Employee Benefits

Does success in creating a cohesive and engaged workforce in 2023 lie in finding a balance?

 Written by Michelle Hartin, Executive Director of Operations at Lexica

 When it comes to workforce trends, Covid-19 has had an enormous impact on all UK industries including employee-led businesses. The pandemic accelerated emerging trends and pushed some of these trends to set new boundaries.

According to the World Economic Forum, in 2020, 84% of global businesses accelerated the digitalization of work processes in response to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many employers switching to remote and part-time work. Three years in, hybrid work is now set to continue for a sizeable portion of the workforce in developed economies.

Aside from the physical changes in our work environments, issues of diversity and inclusion, climate change and eco-innovation have combined with wellness priorities in the everyday.

 

In addition, to be able to attract and maintain talent, organisations also need to be clear on their working policies, such as their return-to-work programmes, the gender pay gap, how they manage the wishes of hybrid, working from home, and flexi-time options.

We know that offering competitive employee benefits is a great way to show staff that their needs are being prioritised, and it can play a big part in the success of a business. By introducing benefits and perks such as a generous holiday allowance, wellbeing programmes, low carbon travel initiatives together with the agile and flexible working, business leaders can increase staff satisfaction and improve work-life balance for their teams – which tends to lead to a more productive and creative team.

 

But has this swung too much in favour of employees at the expense of employers, or does it need to go further? A blend of technological, generational and social shifts mean that employers are sailing into unchartered waters.

Finding purpose and value through work is a key driver for most people when it comes to employment. How employers set about delivering this for employees is important to ensure sustainable growth patterns for businesses throughout 2023 and beyond.

 

Culture is a main concern for many leadership teams , according to a recent Gartner report which has been born out of in-office and work-from-home policies for ‘knowledge workers’. The report goes on to highlight that for HR leaders, one of the more perplexing aspects of hybrid working is deciding how and when to adjust company culture, which is often pre-pandemic in nature, to be supportive of their workforce in today’s climate.

Even in employee-led organisations, such as Lexica, we have had to review and rethink our company culture post-pandemic. What began as emergency measures have now transitioned to a new way of working where employee accountability is central to its success.

 

At Lexica, we adopted an agile working hours’ approach which goes beyond the usual 9 to 5 to give employees flexibility and autonomy to meet life commitments and client needs. We have confidence in our employees to continue to build client relationships, regardless of where they are working from but recognise the importance of maintaining a successful team is by creating time to work in person together. Being together greatly benefits learning and collaboration, this can only be a good thing for employees and clients.

Instead of focusing on short-term solutions to ‘tide us over,’ organisations need to rethink their approach to work with a long-term view. How can they, for example, introduce a shared sense of purpose amongst their employees?

 

For this to be successful and widely embraced, employees must be involved in shaping this process and also share accountability for its success. Taking collective action on purpose, rather than creating and sharing statements, will have a greater impact and encourage employee engagement and accountability. Lexica has provided the training for several of our graduate analyst grades and up, in creating accredited social value practitioners that now act as ambassadors for the rest of the organisation.

Alongside creating a sense of shared purpose and value, sits recognition. Recognition safeguards culture in a hybrid work environment and when done well, joins the dots to unite a workforce. So, whether you are dialing into a meeting or office based, recognition of an employee for a job well done crosses the divide and affirms the individual or team involved. This can take the form of spotlighting a team’s successful project, a colleague’s professional achievement or a department’s new innovative work initiative. Helping people feeling seen and recognised for the good work they have done goes a long way to making them feel valued by the wider company.

 

The future of the workforce remains a movable feast, and with mounting pressure to control costs combined with the rise of AI and automation there is much to keep senior leadership teams awake at night.

However, continuing to be supportive of your workforce with a focus on instilling a sense of purpose and value at work is vital. It remains important to focus on employee benefits and ensuring staff feel catered for at work by fostering a culture that supports better health, well-being, recognition and the performance of staff.

 

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About Michelle Hartin

Michelle Hartin is an Executive Director of Operations at Lexica, a leading specialist consultancy, supporting health and life sciences organisations in the UK and internationally with the planning, delivery and continuous improvement of their services now and into the future.

Charity & CSR, Events, News

Neurokinex rowers set to make a big splash to safeguard rehab services

The Neurokinex spinal cord injury rehabilitation community is spending the first week in September in kayaks and on rowing machines in a bid to raise funds to safeguard its Step Up Scheme that brings lifechanging rehab within people’s reach.

The Step Up Challenge has become a much-needed annual event and this year’s challenge is to see how far people can kayak on water or row on dry land during the week.  This fundraising challenge is in place to safeguard the Neurokinex Step Up Scheme for children and adults who have recently suffered a spinal injury.

A lifeline

Neurokinex is the UK’s leading specialist spinal cord rehabilitation provider with sites at Gatwick, Bristol and Hemel Hempstead.  Its Step Up Scheme provides a lifechanging set of six free rehab sessions to anyone with a new spinal cord injury.  An absolute lifeline which enables people to access the world-class Neurokinex facilities and expertise, the Scheme costs the Neurokinex Charitable Trust £420 per person to fulfil and relies totally on funding for its survival.

In a bid to keep the Step Up Scheme running for another year, Neurokinex needs its team to raise £25,000 by being sponsored to take part in the week-long Step Up Challenge.

Two ways to take part

The team comprises children and adults with spinal cord injuries who are being treated at Neurokinex, their friends and families and the dedicated Neurokinex trainers who work in the spinal rehabilitation sites.

The Step Up Challenge is being undertaken in two ways: on water and on land.

On water

Starting on Wednesday September 6th, Neurokinex Trainer Laurence Green will kayak 100 miles (160KM) from Oxford to the Wey Kayak Club in Guildford in just five days, aiming to arrive on Sunday September 10th. He will be joined by his young Neurokinex client Jasper, 10, who is training hard to be able to kayak the final 500m alongside him.

On land

Whilst Laurence is out on the water, the rest of the team will be pitting themselves against Concept2 rowing machines, with each of the sites also having one specially adapted to suit clients of all ages and abilities. Kindly donated by Pulse Fitness in June, these devices are proving a great additional training tool within their rehab sessions.

The indoor rowing relay will start at the Gatwick site, before the Bristol team takes over and then hands the ‘baton’ to the Hemel Hempstead team. To keep the rowing going, Neurokinex trainers, families, friends and business neighbours are invited to join the teams.

Those dates are:

  • Tuesday September 5th at Gatwick from 8am to 6pm
  • Wednesday September 6th at Bristol (Almondsbury) from 8am to 6pm
  • Thursday September 7th at Hemel Hempstead from 9am to 7pm

Big splash to finish

On Sunday September 10th in the afternoon, a celebration is planned at the Wey Kayak Club to welcome home Laurence and cheer on Jasper. Everyone is welcome and there will be water-based activities and refreshments available for people to enjoy while they await their arrival.

This will be the culmination of a week of great effort and commitment by the Step Up Challenge team members. Many of those participating know first-hand the physical and mental value of the early intervention Step Up Scheme and are keen to fundraise to give others the same great opportunity.

To support this year’s Step Up Challenge, please follow the link

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/nkkayakandrow

Media contact for further information/comment from participants:

Katherine@action-group.co.uk / 07787 533143

 

Gambling, Gaming & Entertainment

A New Era in Sports: How Sports Apps are Revolutionizing the Game

Sports world is rapidly developing at an incredible rate, thanks to new innovations and technologies that are changing how fans engage with games. Sports applications have led this revolution by providing essential access to their preferred teams or sports; live updates or predictive analytics apps are shaping current and future landscapes of sports engagement.

Game Changer: The Rise of Sports Apps

The advent of smartphones and mobile apps has led to a surge in sports apps that cater directly to fans. Consequently, the majority of sports fans use some kind of sports app to follow their favorite sport or team. From official team and league apps to fantasy and betting apps, these mobile platforms provide fans with customizable access to live scores, stats, news, highlights and more.

Sports applications have revolutionized the way fans engage with sports, offering a dynamic second-screen experience during matches. Features such as live match updates, real-time statistics, and instant replays allow fans to dive deep into the game. The convenience and ubiquity of smartphones have spurred this engagement – more than 90% of time spent on sports media currently takes place on mobile applications.

In the Spotlight: Sports Apps Success Stories

The utility and popularity of sports apps is evident from usage numbers and how seamlessly they’ve been adopted. Take the NFL’s official app for instance – it has millions of downloads and provides fans with a singular hub for all things NFL. From catching live local and primetime games to getting the latest news, it’s become a fan favorite. Fantasy sports apps like ESPN Fantasy are even more popular, with some boasting over 20 million active users.

These apps exemplify how leagues and organizations can drive greater engagement by meeting their audience’s needs. Beyond just scores, they provide an interactive space for fandom to thrive through commentary, predictions, chats and more. This deepens connections between fans and the sport they love.

On-field Impact

While largely seen as a boon for fan engagement, sports apps are also transforming team strategy and player performance. Teams are increasingly relying on data and analytics from apps to gain valuable insights that can give them a competitive edge.

Apps provide coaches and players with granular metrics on technique, conditioning and opponents. This data helps identify strengths to leverage and problem areas to improve. Teams are able to make strategic choices backed by app-driven data analytics – from formations and plays to optimizing training and recovery.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Sports in the Digital Age

As technology progresses, so will the role of sports apps in revolutionizing the industry. Going forward, emerging tech like VR and AR could allow apps to deliver even more immersive experiences to audiences. Data analytics will continue to shape strategic decision-making. And greater personalization will cater to each fan’s specific interests and needs.

One thing is for certain – sports apps are at the forefront of the digital-led transformation of sports. Their ability to meet audiences where they are, while deepening engagement and performance, will usher in an exciting new era for sports.

 

Carbon Reduction, EVs and Automotive News, News

Businesses are advised to plan flexibly around ULEZ in London and other cities.

As Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urges Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to ‘think twice’ about expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to Greater London, there are fresh warnings for business owners from SOGO Mobility.

The short-term leasing specialist is urging businesses to plan for flexibility as clean air zones in London and around the country are put on hold, altered or questioned.

Commenting on the issue, Karl Howkins, managing director of SOGO, said: “Many business owners are having to make quick decisions about adopting ULEZ-compliant cars and vans. While there is a clean environmental imperative, it’s also clear that the use case isn’t always there, especially with vans. A more flexible approach to meeting your mobility needs is essential through this transition period, as it’s likely that the scope of clean air zones across the UK may change.”

The London ULEZ is due to expand on 29 August to cover all areas in Greater London. It will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day. Non-compliant cars will be charged £12.50 every day they drive in London.

SOGO has adopted a digital-first approach to operations to help customers move between vehicles with minimum effort. It’s a popular model that has seen the company’s fleet expand to over 6,000 vehicles.

SOGO recently moved to a new office campus on the Cranfield Technology Park in Bedfordshire. The new building hosts an innovation hub that aims to accelerate the speed digital tools are launched to improve the customer experience.

The company is also exploring using advanced telematics to inform greener motoring choices through better route planning, informing EV deployment and encouraging greener driver practices.

AI, Technology

How AI Will Further Change The Computer Sciences Market: Our Overview

Artificial intelligence, commonly known by the abbreviation AI, has been a hot topic for some time now. However, it really came to the fore at the end of 2022, with the launch of the eerily creepy human mimicking ChatGPT. Since its launch, the tool has led to many new uses for AI and created a conversation throughout society about the safety and proper use of these solutions.

With its ability to simulate human intelligence, learn from vast datasets, and make informed decisions, AI has become a game-changer in various industries, revolutionising the way we interact with machines, analyse data, and tackle complex challenges. In the dynamic realm of computer sciences, AI has emerged as a formidable force, reshaping the landscape and offering unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation.

If you’re interested in how AI will continue to change the computer sciences market over the coming years, then this is the article for you. Whether you are a seasoned tech enthusiast, an aspiring computer scientist, or a curious mind eager to explore the possibilities of AI, this overview aims to provide valuable insights into the compelling fusion of AI and the computer sciences market.

Improving Testing Processes

Thanks to its speed and knowledge, AI is revolutionising the way software and systems are developed, tested, and maintained. It enables automated testing, continuous integration, and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, which can significantly speed up development cycles, reduce human errors, and enhance overall software quality, making it a vital part of the software development cycle. As such, companies will be looking to embrace AI in the testing process to reduce the need for human staff and improve the quality of their output.

Helping Businesses Connect With Clients On A Personal Level

One of the most significant and instantly-noticeable changes that we’ve seen since the introduction of ChatGPT is how AI algorithms have transformed the way businesses interact with their customers. Personalisation and recommendation systems use AI to understand user preferences and behaviour, leading to tailored experiences and increased customer engagement. That means that companies can adapt marketing materials to suit the needs of individual customers and quickly create unique communications that answer specific questions.

Creating Valuable Audio/ Verbal Tools

AI tools are no longer limited to covering the written word: Natural Language Processing (NLP) has advanced rapidly, allowing machines to understand, process, and generate human language more effectively. This capability has opened up new opportunities for chatbots, voice assistants, and other human-computer interaction interfaces. As a result, we will soon see even more audio and verbal tools that use AI technology being integrated into the corporate and consumer landscapes.

Crafting Unique Images

Possibly one of the most remarkable achievements of AI within the computer sciences market is its ability to create stunning, lifelike images that rival those crafted by human artists. Through the amalgamation of deep learning, computer vision, and generative adversarial networks (GANs), AI has ushered in a new era of creativity, opening doors to uncharted territories of artistic expression. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated and nuanced AI-generated images that blur the lines between reality and imagination. Improved models will likely facilitate the creation of images with higher fidelity, greater diversity, and increased realism, making AI an indispensable ally in the realm of creative expression. These images can help to reduce costs for marketing campaigns, allow for greater creativity and much more. With so many applications, these solutions will likely be some of the most popular and well-used in the future.

Making Computer Science Skills More Valuable

As AI tools are made and taught by experts in computer science, the rising popularity of these solutions will inevitably lead to a greater need for computer science professionals. Workers who are looking to enhance their skills in this niche might want to consider earning qualifications like an online computer science master’s from a provider like Abertay University. If you’re interested in learning more, you can see the university’s website for more information on entry requirements and how the course could enhance your future career.

Enhancing Cybersecurity

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, AI plays a crucial role in identifying and mitigating security breaches. AI-powered algorithms can detect anomalies, predict potential attacks, and respond to incidents faster than traditional security methods, making them vital in the fight against online crime. However, AI is also being used by cybercriminals to create more sophisticated phishing communications and speed up attacks, so the cybersecurity market needs to always stay one step ahead of its adversaries to ensure that it triumphs and keeps internet users safe at all times.

Reshaping The Education Landscape

When you think of technology in learning, it’s easy to remember those old projectors or the awful smart whiteboards that never quite worked. However, those days are behind us, and for the next generation, AI is reshaping the education sector by offering personalised learning experiences and intelligent tutoring systems. It can adapt to individual learning styles, assess student performance, and provide targeted feedback, meaning that teachers can deliver lessons and learning materials that are designed around the needs of today’s students.

Driving Change In Healthcare

Another market where AI is having a major impact is healthcare. These tools offer a plethora of innovative solutions that enhance patient care, optimise workflows, and accelerate medical research. With its ability to analyse vast amounts of medical data and identify patterns that may elude human comprehension, AI is reshaping the landscape of healthcare and driving unprecedented advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes. Specifically, the concept of personalized medicine, or tailoring treatments to individual patients based on their unique genetic makeup and other health factors, has been significantly amplified by AI. Machine learning algorithms can analyze genomic data to identify specific genetic markers associated with diseases, allowing clinicians to prescribe targeted therapies with higher efficacy and fewer side effects.

Changing The Way We See The World

While it can’t be injected into our eyes, AI-powered tools like goggles or VR headsets can be used to reshape the way we see things and provide instant insights. As such, AI-powered computer vision has found applications in various fields, such as healthcare, automotive, retail, and agriculture. It can be used for medical diagnosis, autonomous vehicles, facial recognition, and quality control in manufacturing, and over the years ahead, it will likely have additional applications.

Increasing The Push Towards Greater Regulation

As AI tools become more prevalent and companies start to realise their potential, there will be a greater demand for regulation. Already, the rapid rise of this and other similar tools led to many, including the head of the company that made ChatGPT to call for regulation on AI tools. While some rules are being put into place, regulators will need to act quickly to ensure that they create safe online spaces for everyone and that these tools aren’t used for nefarious purposes by unscrupulous individuals or organisations.

In Summary: The Future Remains Uncertain But Bright

Looking ahead, AI’s impact on the computer sciences market depends on various factors, including technological advancements, regulatory landscape, and societal acceptance. As AI continues to evolve, it will bring both challenges and opportunities to the computer sciences market, transforming how businesses operate and how individuals interact with technology. For researchers and developers, the possibilities are endless, and they will undoubtedly continue to explore new AI models, algorithms, and applications, further fuelling even greater innovation in this vibrant and bold industry moving forward.

Employee Benefits, Healthcare, News

One year on: Benenden Health members benefit from RedArc’s support for cancer

Over 330 (331) Benenden Health members were provided with support for cancer during the first twelve months of the mutual organisation offering support for the disease via RedArc’s experienced registered nurses.

The not-for-profit healthcare provider added RedArc to its range of partners in June 2022, recognising that when a member is diagnosed with cancer, specialist emotional and practical support is needed to help the individual and their family.

Whilst Benenden Health doesn’t try to replicate NHS services and therefore doesn’t cover cancer treatment directly, it recognises the need patients have in terms of dealing with the emotional aspect of the disease: recipients’ ability to discuss concerns with the same nurse throughout their cancer journey is one of the most highly valued aspects of RedArc support.

 

Support in numbers

During the past 12-month period, RedArc has supported Benenden Health members with 11 different types of cancer, the most common being breast cancer (32%), genitourinary/gynaecological (26%) thoracic/respiratory (10%), gastrointestinal (10%).

Within the first year, the average length of support provided was 136 days, with the longest being 358 days. As the support has only been in place for 12 months and with new referrals occurring throughout the period, RedArc anticipates that both of these figures will increase over time.

The same nurse provides the support to each individual, is a listening ear, and is on hand for all queries. Over the last 12 months they also provided additional support where required, including arranging acupuncture, nutritionist expertise, specialist equipment, massage, and a range of reading materials to better understand a diagnosis or treatment. When appropriate, RedArc’s nurses also referred on to Benenden Health’s other services including physiotherapy, counselling and a 24/7 GP service.

 

Christine Husbands, commercial director, RedArc said: “The direction of travel for providers is to use companies such as ours to enrich the services and support they offer to their members and customers. The emphasis is now on specialist support that is proven to make a real difference, over lighter touch solutions that do not offer a sufficient depth of support or expertise.

“By offering our services, Benenden Health is very clearly demonstrating to its members that if they receive a cancer diagnosis, the Society is both on and by their side. Our experience is that this is often repaid with member engagement which drives member loyalty in the long term.”

 

Benenden Health members surveyed scored the service 8.1 when asked how satisfied they were with the support they received from RedArc. Feedback collected by RedArc showed that members felt listened to, considered their nurse to be empathetic and respectful, were able to express and discuss the problems that were most important to them, and were given useful information and/or guidance relevant to their health condition.

 

Andy Wiggans, chief commercial officer, Benenden Health said: “While we offer a very broad range of support for many health conditions, we felt that the emotional and practical type of support specifically required during and after a cancer diagnosis needed to be more extensive. The breadth of support provided to our members by RedArc has been considerable and we’re receiving really positive feedback from those who have benefitted over the past year.

“When selecting new services, we are careful to choose companies who have the ability to dovetail with our existing provision as this is key in ensuring all services are widely utilised for the best possible outcomes for our members.”

News, Thought Leadership

What is the value of corporate family events?

Written by Joe Gilliver, Founder of Chameleon Agency 

Employee events followed by family events and supplier events may all seem an extravagance  when the word recession is being dropped in news articles with regular intensity. So why would a business want to spend money on events for people outside the organisation?

Recently we have created a number of supplier events for our clients. Here suppliers were offered the opportunity to demonstrate their products and new innovations. This enables a better understanding throughout our client’s business of who they are working with and what the capabilities of that relationship might be. By bringing a business together with their suppliers, offers an educational opportunity for employees to find out more about the product and services that the supplier offers. The event also built a mutual working understanding that creates a cohesive working relationship. I have seen at first hand friendships being made between suppliers and employees start at events  that stand to be commercially and culturally beneficial. The suppliers feel they are valued and a positive commercial relationship is nurtured throughout both organisations.

This summer our clients have also embraced family events wholeheartedly, for example telecoms giant Three held a Hawaiian Luau party for employees on Thursday evening and then on Saturday held a beach party for employees’ families.

This is a cost effective way of using the same theme and props twice while being appropriate for both audiences. The beach party for the family audience involved beach arts and crafts, beach photo opportunities and beach games. Strong friendships at events can start at young age, at one event the kids found the comperes microphone and started an impromptu karaoke session, prompting people to ask why they hadn’t known about the karaoke – there wasn’t one, the kids were just having a great time!

We recommend two family events a year, once at Christmas where you can incorporate a winter wonderland, a visit to the North Pole and Father Christmas and one in the summer where you can get everyone outside to compete in sports and summer activities.

Here are the four main reasons to extend business events to families

  1. Regular events build a community, with the same purpose. Families and kids are introduced and friendships wider than the office are made. This supportive mutual respect trickles throughout the culture of the business and families understand more about what happens at work and why.
  2. Your business is seen to practise what it preaches! Work Life balance is respected and acted on. Three are huge advocates of creating a healthy work and life balance for their team. By creating family orientated events the business is proving their commitment to this value and recognising their employees lives beyond their working environment.
  3. Staff retention is raised as employees feel seen and valued. Events that incorporate employees’ families create a feeling of real belonging throughout the team and therefore people are more likely to feel committed to the organisation. Resignation by employees will be considered much more seriously as there is more at stake than a salary, there is the loss of a supportive community.
  4. By introducing family events businesses will also see commercial benefits. As staff enjoy the inclusive community at work they will remain in their role, becoming valuable skilled employees. This saves money on recruitment, onboarding and staff training of new candidates new to the organisation.

 

So as negative news continues to surround the economy, reassure your team with positive family events that will ensure they feel secure.

 

Awards, Menopause, Menopause at work, News

Menopause Friendly Employer Awards names finalists

The industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Employer Awards – powered by headline sponsors HSBC UK, first direct, M&S Bank and Peppy – has named the finalists ahead of the Awards ceremony on Thursday September 14, 2023 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.

The prestigious event will celebrate and recognise excellence among organisations and individuals going above and beyond to support menopause in the workplace. Hosted by broadcaster and menopause champion Louise Minchin, 350 guests will attend in person while hundreds more will join via live link from across the country.

Organised by Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards comprise 11 categories that recognise organisations, teams and individuals who have successfully changed the lived experience of menopause in the workplace. As well as celebrating their achievements, the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards aims to raise £100,000 for a range of menopause-related charities, programmes and research.

“The standard of this year’s Awards entries has been phenomenal – employers have significantly raised the bar in terms of their creativity, innovative approach and, importantly, making a positive impact in their workplace,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in The Workplace.

 

The Awards have attracted a wealth of menopause friendly members keen to sponsor the categories and tables. Taking their place alongside the headline sponsors are Accenture, BAE Systems, Boots and No7 Beauty Company, Bristol Myers Squibb, British Airways, Lloyds Banking Group, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Theramex and Vitabiotics.

 

“As the first organisation to be awarded The Menopause Friendly Accreditation we know first-hand the positive impact and the importance of being a menopause friendly workplace,” says Chris Pitt, CEO of first direct. “These awards are a great opportunity for people to learn from one another, with best practice tips being shared among guests to encourage an open dialogue and positive change.”

 

“We believe employers have a crucial role to play in breaking down the taboo and filling the gap in health and wellbeing care for those experiencing menopause,” says Kathy Abernethy, Chief Nursing Officer & Clinical Director Menopause Services, Peppy. “Raising the profile of businesses who have shown themselves to be real agents of change as these Awards set out to do, is an important part of encouraging and inspiring other businesses to recognise their role and join the movement to make a difference.”

 

The Menopause Friendly Employer Awards were judged by the Menopause Friendly Independent Panel who were looking particularly for the impact achieved within the workplace. The finalists in each category follow below.

 

“The Independent Panel had a tough job selecting the finalists from such a strong field and judging went into a second day, such was the number of entries and exceptionally high quality of applications,” continues Deborah. “I would like to thank the Independent Panel for their expertise and passion and feel reassured that every finalist is deserving of their recognition.

“I would also like to thank all the employers and individuals for taking time to enter the Awards and extend my congratulations to all the finalists. There is no doubt that their remarkable work and dedication is changing hearts and minds to improve people’s lived experience of menopause in the workplace.”

 

Menopause Friendly Employer Awards 2023 – FINALISTS

 

Category 1 – Menopause Friendly Employer of the Year

BAE Systems

Bristol Myers Squibb

Cadent Gas

HSBC UK | first direct | M&S Bank

Marine Management Organisation

Thames Valley Police

Unilever UK & Ireland

 

Category 2 – Most Inclusive Menopause Friendly Employer

BAE Systems

Colt Technology Services

HSBC UK | first direct | M&S Bank

Joined Up Care Derbyshire

Moody’s Corporation

 

Category 3 – Most Open Workplace

Aramark

Bristol Myers Squibb

Mott MacDonald

Santander

South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and South Yorkshire Integrated Care

Thames Valley Police

Category 4 – Best Engagement Campaign

BT

Colt Technology Services

Department for Education

Medical Protection Society

 

Category 5 – Most Menopause Friendly Environment

Independent Assessment Services (IAS) by Atos

Correla

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

QVC

 

Category 6 – Best Trained Workforce

BAE Systems

No7 Beauty Company

Bristol Myers Squibb

Holland & Barrett

University of Greenwich

 

Category 7 – Best Training Initiative

No7 Beauty Company

BT

Dentons

Department for Education

Experian

 

Category 8 – Best Support Group

Independent Assessment Services (IAS) by Atos

British Airways

BNP Paribas

Close Brothers Group Plc

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Lloyds Banking Group

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

WTW

 

Category 9 – Most Supportive Partner

Derby County Community Trust

Huddersfield Town Association Football Club

University of Greenwich

 

Category 10 – Community Award

Jill Ross – Accenture

Sarah Garton – Accenture

Maria Hathaway – Stonewater

Lisa Hogg – Independent Assessment Services (IAS) by Atos

Brigitte Kavani- NHS South Yorkshire ICB

Maureen Montague – University of Greenwich

Nancy Reeve – WTW

Paula Rix – Medical Protection Society

Marie-Anne Sandler – First Source

Gill Thomas – Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

Category 11 – The Carolyn Lazurus Award

To be announced on the night

 

 

To find out more visit: https://menopausefriendly.co.uk/awards/

Business Advice

What’s the Difference Between “Gross” and ‘Net’? Which One’s Most Important?

Introduction

Two vital profitability metrics for any business are gross and net income. The remaining income or profit after subtracting product expenses from revenue is the gross profit. Revenue is the income amount a company generates from the sale of its services or goods. Gross profit enables investors to know the amount of profit a business earns from manufacturing and selling its services or goods.

Sometimes, gross profit is known as gross income. On the other hand, net income is the profit or income that remains after all costs and expenses have been deducted from revenue. Also known as net profit, net income enables investors to determine a business’s overall profitability, which indicates how effectively a firm has been managed.

Once you create and register a company, you’ll need to track these vital profitability metrics to know whether it’s earning a profit. And if it isn’t, where is it losing money?

Implications of Gross Profit

Gross profit is a crucial financial metric that offers vital insights into a company’s operational efficiency and ability to earn profits. Understanding gross profit is crucial for investors, stakeholders, and business as it acts as a preliminary pointer of a business’s financial health and profitability.

It indicates how efficiently a business utilises its resources, including supplies and labour, in the manufacturing process. If your company has a higher gross profit, it shows that it’s generating more revenue, indicating effective management of costs and healthier profit margins.

On top of that, gross profit offers business owners valuable insights into their pricing strategies. A too low gross profit may show that the prices of services or goods need to be increased either through more efficient production methods or cost-saving measures.

Implications Net Profit

By keeping track of net profit decreases and increases, you can easily assess whether the current practices are working excellently and predict income based on revenues. Since businesses express net profit as a percentage instead of an amount of money, it enables investors to compare and contrast the profitability of more than two firms, irrespective of size. Net profit includes all factors in the operations of a company, such as:

  • Extra income streams
  • Total revenue
  • Operational expenses
  • Interest cost on debt obligations
  • On-time payments for common or usual events like taxes and lawsuits
  • Investment income, as well as income from secondary business operations

Investors and company owners can easily assess if a business’s management is generating the maximum profit from its sales and whether both overhead and operating costs are being contained.

Let’s look at an example. If your company has a growing income, but its operational costs are increasing speedily compared to revenue, its net profit will shrink. As an investor, you need to see healthy progress in margins, which means the net profit margin is expanding over time.

Gross and net profits can provide you with different perspectives and impact goals and actions you may take either personally or as an investor. These perspectives can help you boost your profit margins and expand your business.