Monthly Archives: May 2024

Data & Analytics, News, Retail & E-commerce, Tech

New report exposes the Grocery industry’s personalisation paradox: Anticipation vs. implementation

In an era where consumers expect personalised digital shopping experiences, a report launched from Dynamic Yield, by Mastercard, sheds light on the evolving landscape of grocery retailing.

Titled “The State of Personalisation Maturity/CPG” the report unveils critical insights derived from a comprehensive survey conducted across 12 countries and four global regions with responses from personalisation stakeholders in the c-suite and senior and middle management, covering marketing, business development, and growth functions.

The research reflects the growing anticipation within the grocery industry as 76.5% of customers express frustration when deprived of tailored digital shopping experiences. Moreover, with industry analysts forecasting a doubling of grocery eCommerce penetration from 11% to 23% in the next five years, brands are increasingly turning to personalisation to meet consumer demands, boost margins, elevate basket sizes, and foster customer loyalty.

However, amidst this optimism, the report exposes a disparity between recognition and action in implementing robust personalisation strategies. Despite acknowledging its potential, grocery and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brands struggle to make necessary investments in cultural shifts and evolved mindsets necessary for successful execution.

 

Key findings from the report include:

  • Recognition of the potential of personalisation programs, yet inadequate investments in cultural evolution and mindset shifts.
  • Diverse expertise incorporation but a lack of dedicated primary business resources hindering synchronisation in executing personalised strategies.
  • Challenges in implementing a scalable personalisation framework due to limitations in comprehensive testing and inadequate communication of testing outcomes.
  • Reliance on anecdotal decision-making hampering the development of a clear audience strategy for a competitive edge.

 

The report categorises companies into four maturity levels—Absent, Basic, Advanced, and Pioneer—based on signals such as culture, resources, processes, and effectiveness. It emphasises the criticality of a unified approach encompassing quantifiable business goals, talent allocation, streamlined processes, and data-driven strategies for optimal personalisation maturity.

Further analysis unveils insights specific to each signal:

 

Signal 1: Culture

  • Brands struggle to bridge the gap between recognising the value of personalisation and effectively implementing it. 80% view personalisation as a priority, yet significant portions have yet to allocate necessary resources. 
  • Two thirds of companies plan to invest further in this field, however previous approaches need to evolve in order to drive tangible testing and personalisation efforts.

 

Signal 2: Resources

  • Lack of dedicated business operators hampers strategic cross-departmental deployment, impeding the scaling of personalisation teams across business units. However 88% of surveyed businesses have built cross functional teams, so now is the time to scale these up!

 

Signal 3: Processes

  • Organisational approaches hinder a scalable framework, with limitations in comprehensive testing and the age-old issue of data utilisation posing challenges in optimising strategies. According to the report although 86% use different data sources to fuel personalisation strategy, 52% have identified sources but have yet to fully action them. 

 

Signal 4: Effectiveness

  • Brands often implement projects without a clear strategic direction, favouring short-term wins over long-term effectiveness (59% of respondents said they set campaign specific KPIs without informing the long term strategy).
  • Despite recognising the importance of audience strategies, alignment with broader business strategies remains a challenge for many, with a fifth (21%) failing to align personalisation strategies with the overall business strategy. 

To learn more visit https://www.dynamicyield.com/personalization-maturity/grocery/

News

New sales boss spearheads expansion plans at 150-strong care agency

ONE of the most respected names in the North Wales commercial and health sectors has joined the team at an acclaimed care organisation.

Leanne Andrews is the new Head of Sales at Enhanced Healthcare.

Following almost 20 years in media and advertising, the mum-of-two switched to medical recruitment during the pandemic and is now spearheading a campaign to attract more clients and carers following a successful first three years for the Colwyn Bay-based agency.

Originally from Rhyl, she has already secured customers from Anglesey to Chester and is pleased to join a business with a “clear and caring vision” for the future having been given a warm welcome by founder Chanel Williams and Director of Operations, Natalie O’Brien.

“As soon as I sat down with Chanel and Natalie, I knew this was the place for me,” said Leanne, who lives in Kinmel Bay with fiancé Dion and her children Ava and Brodie.

“Enhanced Healthcare is widely praised for putting people first, from patients and families to their own team of more than 150 nurses and health and social care workers.

“Their values and standards align with my own, so I am thrilled to be here and excited at the strides we have already taken together in growing the company in this region, into the North West and beyond.”

The firm – which delivers temporary staffing solutions to a range of health and social care services – has received plaudits for helping employees cope with the social, economic, and mental health challenges of the current cost-of-living crisis.

This included training and events with financial advisers, health and wellbeing experts and more, tackling issues such as debt, mortgages, rising childcare costs, energy bills and the compounded remnants of recent times, including Brexit and Covid-19.

Leanne says the knock-on effect is an even stronger and more positive collective determined to raise the bar for the healthcare arena.

“This in turn is very attractive to prospective employees, who are keen to join an agency which has their best interests at heart,” she said.

“That’s certainly the case here and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Leanne added: “I had always loved sales but wanted to do something that made a difference, and this role has given me the chance to do that, providing solutions for a wide range of clients from housing associations, nursing homes and local authorities to supported living services and mental health settings.

“I joined the industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, so I was in at the deep end, but the experience was pivotal in building my confidence and the confidence of customers.

“The numbers on both sides are growing all the time – staff and clients – and we look forward to more joining us in the months ahead.”

Chanel is thrilled to have Leanne in their ranks and said: “Her reputation and ethos runs parallel with ours. She is driven and determined to make a difference, for the customers and in matching the right candidate with the right setting.

“That is vital for what we do, and why we are expanding both here in North Wales and across Cheshire, the Wirral, and neighbouring areas.

“Leanne will be key to that growth, she is well known, well respected and a great addition to our talented team.”

For more news and information and job opportunities with Enhanced Healthcare, visit the website www.enhancedhealthcare.co.uk and follow them on social media @enhancedagency.

Alternatively, call 01492 459896 or email info@enhancedhealthcare.co.uk.

Employee Benefits, HR, Payroll Automation

Deel Partners With Carta to Solve International Option Exercises for Global Employees

Partnership between two industry-leading companies harnesses Deel’s global payroll capabilities and Carta’s equity management platform 

San Francisco, May 14, 2024 – Deel, the leading global payroll and HR company, announced today its strategic partnership with Carta, the trusted equity management platform, to streamline the process of exercising stock options for global employees by automating global equity tax withholding and ensuring compliance with varying tax regulations.

With companies increasingly hiring across borders, granting equity to international employees has become more challenging due to the complexities of global tax regulations. Accurately calculating local taxes, withholding appropriate amounts, and ensuring timely payments to various jurisdictions has historically been a time-consuming and complicated process.

This industry-first partnership seamlessly integrates Deel’s global payroll capabilities with Carta’s equity management expertise to deliver a comprehensive solution. Together, they simplify compliance while empowering employees with an accessible way to manage their equity.

Companies using Carta and Deel can now automatically sync equity events across platforms. When global employees exercise their options, Deel will log these transactions, calculate local taxes, and handle payment collection for local authorities.

Employees can now pay for their option exercises in their home currencies. Deel will collect funds and handle foreign exchange via its payment rails and ensure the employee’s shares are fully paid for by forwarding the correct amount to the company in USD. This solves a common pain point for foreign employees who are looking to exercise their options, and will help avoid frequent delays associated with trying to transfer USD to cover employee exercise costs.

This strategic integration reinforces Deel’s mission to empower businesses with efficient, comprehensive tools for managing a global workforce, simplify equity administration, and make it easier for global teams to manage their total compensation.

 

Ryan Freeman, Head of Partnerships at Deel, said: 

“Deel’s partnership with Carta is transformative for companies providing equity benefits to their international teams. As two industry-leading platforms, we’re constantly seeking innovative ways to simplify global workforce management, and this integration embodies our commitment to help businesses navigate the complexities of cross-border equity administration. Together with Carta, we’re making global ownership accessible to all, helping companies worldwide create more engaged and motivated teams, and ensuring ownership opportunities reach every corner of the globe.”

 

Reed McBride, VP, Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Development at Carta, said:

“Our groundbreaking partnership with Deel marks an industry first in global equity management, delivering an integration that simplifies the complexities of international money transfer and tax compliance. With Deel’s cross-border expertise and our innovative approach, we’re offering a revolutionary solution. Our integration empowers companies to confidently provide global equity to their international team members while ensuring simplified funds flows for option exercises, with precise tax withholdings. By blending Carta’s cutting-edge technology with Deel’s compliance know-how, we’re pioneering accessible ownership opportunities for international teams.”

 

In addition to the partnership, Deel has announced significant updates to Deel Equity, expanding support for additional equity types and providing detailed information like vesting schedules, grant details, expiration dates, and comprehensive documentation. Companies can now monitor their employees’ compensation with built-in reports covering benefits, equity payroll, and more.

Global equity tax withholdings, powered by Carta and Deel, aims to create more owners in every corner of the world. At launch, the integration will cover Deel EOR and Deel Global Payroll employees in France, Germany, India (Deel Global Payroll only), Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland, with a number of countries being added soon.

Companies using Carta and Deel can activate the Carta integration in their Deel accounts today to automate their global equity tax withholding.

 

News

Panasonic Electronic Shelf Labels Drive Success At German Service Station Smart Store

Electronic Shelf Labels are an integral element in Q1 Energie’s smart store trial shaping the future of service station retail.  

Bracknell, UK. 14th May 2024 – Panasonic Connect Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) have been chosen as an essential element in the success of the first trial smart store built by German service station company Q1 Energie AG and German AI company Autonomo GmbH. Q1 Energie, with 230 locations across Germany, is piloting its first “Shop & Go” smart store in the city of Osnabrück to help shape the future of retail in European service stations.  

The smart store is open 24/7, giving customers easy access and enables them to leave the shop without queuing at a checkout. Key partners were shopfitters Kesseböhmer, specialists in smart store hardware and software, Autonomo, and Panasonic for installation and integration of the ESL. 

Housed in a 9x3m container at the heart of the Osnabrück Science Park, the smart store is in the ideal location for testing. It offers a wide range of 300 products to local employees, university students located in nearby buildings and young, tech-savvy local residents.  

Panasonic ESLs are essential in the store without staff. They are able to provide customers with more information about products, advertise special promotions and automate the updating of stock control and pricing, which can be delivered dynamically. 

James Sutherland, CEO at Autonomo, a Harvard award-winning AI company that exists to simplify shopping for retailers and customers, explains: “Petrol stations open long hours and struggle to recruit and retain staff, we solve this leading to increase retailer profits and increase shopper satisfaction. Our solution includes a dynamic pricing model adjusting price based on time of day, stock holding or weather thereby maximising the sales or basket. A reliable ESL is needed to cope so the customer actually benefits from it.” 

Jens-Michael Pohl, Head of Field Engineering at Panasonic Connect Europe, explains: “The integration is different because we are integrating with a cloud service – and not with a customer server or an on-premise system. Communication only occurs from cloud to cloud, which makes it easier to scale in the future – it also makes the hardware cheaper because the resources in the cloud are divided between several locations.” 

Jörg Bleydorn, Head of Convenience Retail at Q1, believes that the trial will allow the company to actively shape the future of the service station industry, address the issue of labour shortages and provide customers with a more convenient and enhanced customer experience.  

Results from the “Shop and Go” smart store trial will be presented at the UNITI Expo in Stuttgart, from May 14-16th. Panasonic Connect Europe will also be attending the event and available to discuss the project in Hall 1, Booth 1C04. 

Appointments, News, Technology

Cohesity Appoints Dr. Craig Martell as Chief Technology Officer

Cohesity, a leader in AI-powered data security and management, today announced the appointment of Dr. Craig Martell as Chief Technology Officer. In this role, Dr. Martell will bring his deep industry expertise to shape the company’s technical vision, incorporating current and evolving industry and customer trends to define and execute a strategic and impactful roadmap for the company’s future.

Dr. Martell brings extensive industry and public sector experience and unprecedented expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, leading AI programs for top tech companies since 2013. Dr. Martell most recently served as the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). In this role, he served as the senior official responsible for accelerating the adoption of data, analytics, digital solutions, and AI functions to generate decision advantage across the department – expertly guiding the DoD through a quickly-changing AI industry. With Dr. Martell as its first leader, the CDAO office was created to elevate digital and AI strategy development and policy formulation while ensuring the unity of mission and tighter integration for the department’s enterprise-wide data, AI, and cyber organisations.

Prior to joining the DoD, Dr. Martell held several senior roles at some of the most recognisable technology companies. At Lyft, he served as Head of Machine Learning, where he designed and built a state-of-the-art Machine Learning (ML) Platform, allowing the Lyft engineering team to quickly create and ship ML models using large-scale, new, and ongoing statistical programs. From 2018 to 2020, Dr. Martell was Head of Machine Intelligence at Dropbox, responsible for all machine learning, including overall vision-setting, drawing from analytics as applied to ML, and clear, concise communication of ML strategy across the organisation. Before then, he led a number of AI teams and market-moving initiatives at LinkedIn. Dr. Martell was also a tenured computer science professor at the Naval Postgraduate School specialising in natural language processing. Dr. Martell’s proficiency in statistical principles and methodologies has been demonstrated in his several patents, including a Hybrid Classification System in 2021 and System and Method for Encrypting Data in Pictorial Data in 2008.

“The speed and scale Cohesity has achieved over the last several years is a testament to the incredible technology platform the company has built at the junction of multi-cloud, security and AI for the future of data protection. My role will be to accelerate the innovation internally and the advocacy externally of Cohesity’s AI-powered innovations that are second to none,” said Dr. Martell. “I’m honoured to join Sanjay and the talented team he has put together as we accelerate the company’s course to advance AI and machine learning capabilities critical to addressing key challenges to enterprise data.”

“AI represents a massive competitive opportunity and advantage for Cohesity. Our launch of Cohesity Gaia– with its first-to-market, patent-pending innovations – was the first step in our strategy,” said Sanjay Poonen, president and CEO, Cohesity. “Attracting and hiring an industry pioneer of Craig’s calibre – someone who has been driving an agenda of responsible AI at the highest levels of both public and private sector organisations – rounds out our strong executive leadership team with expertise across security, multicloud, and AI. I expect that Craig’s experience and vision for Cohesity’s AI roadmap will accelerate our lead in this critical area of our business.”

News

Vivitek Launches the D9000Z Series: With Market-Leading Brightness Revolutionising Large Venue Projection

Vivitek Launches the D9000Z Series: With Market-Leading Brightness Revolutionising Large Venue Projection

Vivitek – the visual display brand for all meeting spaces – announces the launch of the D9000Z Series, a groundbreaking line of single-chip DLP laser projectors engineered to redefine brilliance and innovation in large venue projection. Set to revolutionise projection in demanding environments, the D9000Z Series has been designed for seamless integration and control, offering unmatched operational features while setting a new benchmark for performance and versatility.

Optimised Performance tailored for Large Venues

Unrivaled Brightness: Engineered with the flexibility to meet the diverse needs of large venues – ranging from large auditoriums to outdoor venues and immersive mapping applications – the D9000Z Series delivers  up to 27,000 lumens of brightness. This ensures that the projectors provide the best balance of exceptional clarity and vivid colours, across a wide range of applications and environments. The D9000Z Series utilises the latest power supply technology and laser light source efficiency to reduce power consumption and, therefore, operational expenses.

Vivid Colour Reproduction:  Given Vivitek’s expertise in single-chip DLP laser light source design, where a blue laser – coupled with a high-performance colour wheel – is responsible for best colour reproduction, the D9000Z Series comes with an additional RED laser to boost the image experience to unmatched levels. This light source design expands the colour gamut, resulting in more vivid and lifelike images.

Multi-Functional Image Processing: The D9000Z Series incorporates a high-end IC with de-interlacing, scaling, warping and edge-blending functionality to minimise delays and therefore latency. In addition, it supports geometric adjustments like wall corner correction and linearity correction, pincushion and barrel as well as horizontal and vertical keystone correction. With the D9000Z Series, users can be confident that visuals will always be presented in the best possible light, captivating audiences and maximising the impact of the message.

Streamlined Projector Setup and Management: Vivitek’s PJ-Control software is a user interface to set up single or multiple projectors for best screen fit. This shortens the time for installation and helps to manage the installed projectors remotely. The ViviCam App is a smartphone-based auto-calibration tool and helps to easily align multiple projectors, whether in edge-blending, warping or stacking installations. In addition, it balances the colours for a seamless image experience.

For System Integrators in the rental and staging markets, the D9000Z Series offers the flexibility to set and manage rental periods or various brightness levels to cover multiple use scenarios.

“Our D9000Z Series represents a significant advancement in large venue projection offerings,” said Holger Graeff, General Manager, Vivitek EMEA. “With its unparalleled brightness, image quality, and ease of installation and control, the D9000Z Series sets a new standard for brilliance and flexibility in the industry.”

Pricing and availability
The D9000Z Series is available immediately. The MSRP (ex VAT) for the three models is: DU9057Z, £28,900; DU9055Z, £26,500; DU9053Z, £22,500

About Vivitek

Vivitek is a leading brand offering award-winning digital projection, wireless collaboration and digital signage solutions. Vivitek is committed to enabling the visualisation and sharing of information from multiple devices in the easiest and most secure way possible. Simple. Guaranteed. For more information about Vivitek, please visit www.vivitek.eu

About Delta

Delta, founded in 1971 and listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (code: 2308), is a global leader in switching power supplies and thermal management products with a thriving portfolio of smart energy-saving systems and solutions in the fields of industrial automation, building automation, telecom power, data center infrastructure, EV charging, renewable energy, energy storage, and display, to nurture sustainable cities and smart manufacturing. As a world-class corporate citizen guided by its mission statement, “To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” Delta leverages its core competence in high-efficiency power electronics and its ESG-embedded business model to address key environmental issues, such as climate change. Delta serves customers through its sales offices, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities spread over close to 200 locations across 5 continents.

Throughout its history, Delta has received various global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies and dedication to ESG. Since 2011, Delta has been listed on the DJSI World Index of Dow Jones Sustainability™ Indices for 13 consecutive years. In 2020, 2022 and 2023, Delta was also recognized by CDP with double A List for its substantial contribution to climate change and water security issues, and named Supplier Engagement Leader for its continuous development of a sustainable value chain for 6 consecutive years.

For detailed information about Delta, please visit: www.delta-emea.com

Fintech, News

Lenvi reveals 19% revenue growth in first year

Leading lending fintech of 30 years shares 12 month growth success since spin-off

  •        In its first 12 months, Lenvi announces 25 new customers, and covers £90 billion in assets.
  •        New customers include major financial institutions BNP Paribas, Octopus and Development Bank of Wales.
  •        Rapid innovation: Lenvi has launched 45 products releases in 12 months, investing millions in product development
  •        Lenvi’s risk management software Riskfactor now holds a 90% of the UK market share and signed major BNP contract to dominate Europe
  •        The company has also grown its talent pool by nearly 70% and invested in over 5,000 hours of learning

Lenvi, the leading lending software and solutions provider, has announced 19% revenue growth in its first year of operations, with £20 million in current company customer revenue.

The 12 month growth was driven by securing 25 new customers, and covering £90 billion in assets.

New customers include major financial institutions BNP Paribas, Banc and Octopus to add to its already impressive portfolio which includes household names Santander, Barclays, Metro Bank, Virgin Media/O2 and Admiral.

Lenvi, which brought together EQ Credit Services, EQ RiskFactor and EQ KYC Solutions into a single entity used its newfound agility to drive rapid innovation, with 45 product releases and investing millions and 4,400 hours in product development.

Lenvi has also established leading credibility in the risk management field through its risk management software Riskfactor, now holding over 90% of market share.

To support its growth, Lenvi has grown its team by 70% in just 12 months, including the launch of a new contact centre in Cardiff, which has answered over 200,000 customer calls, and helped over 12,000 Help to Buy customers to pay off their loans. Lenvi has also invested heavily in learning with 5,227 hours  of development time across all teams.

Richard Carter, CEO, Lenvi said: “Looking back at our first year, we have achieved what we set out to do. We built Lenvi upon decades of industry-leading, global insight and hands-on experience, with the goal of supporting agile and forward-thinking delivery of lending solutions. It’s important to us that we are making a tangible impact for customers, and we have proven in our first year that we can do just that.

“The continued growth of our fantastic team, industry-leading product offerings and support for customers is at the heart of our plans. We have big ambitions for our second year to help our customers revolutionise lending, including launching some new AI-based products that are ready to be rolled out to new customers. After a fantastic start to our journey as Lenvi, we are excited to see what the future has in store.”

Accountancy & Accounts, Finance and Banking, News, Tax

HURST expands with new private client tax service

Independent accounting and business advisory firm HURST has launched a private client tax service to enhance its offering to business owners, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals.

Karen Chadwick, who has 30 years’ experience in the field, has joined HURST as a partner to lead the new offering.

She has moved from Azets, where she was a tax partner. She previously worked at firms including Deloitte, KPMG and CLB Coopers.

During her career, Karen has gained a wealth of personal and trust tax compliance and advisory experience and technical knowledge, particularly in the areas of trusts and inheritance tax.

She said: “HURST is on an impressive and ambitious growth trajectory, as a strong, independent north west accountancy firm whose team delivers a first-class service to a varied client base as well as contacts and intermediaries, backed by a strong, cohesive and close-knit management team.

“The partners have recognised there is a need and demand within the firm’s tax service line for a dedicated private client tax offering, and I am thrilled to take up the opportunity to lead it.

“I’m excited to be part of the firm’s journey and to complement the existing partner group and HURST’s skilled and ambitious team to assist with the future development and growth of the practice.

“I look forward to applying my experience and technical knowledge to help clients achieve their personal and family wealth objectives now and in the future.”

HURST’s managing partner Tim Potter said: ““As the firm cements its position as the number one independent north west firm working with owner-managed businesses in the £5m-£100m turnover space, we have taken the decision to enhance our offering with a new service to support our high net worth clients with inheritance tax, trusts and complex personal tax matters.

“This is an exciting development for HURST and we are delighted to welcome Karen to the fold. We expect her vast experience and knowledge to be in high demand from our enviable client base of high net worth individuals.”

HURST focuses on advising entrepreneurial owner-managed businesses across all sectors. Clients include Kinaxia Logistics, M&I Materials, Beechfield Brands, Duerr’s, Oliver Valves, Lancashire County Cricket Club, Krones UK, Creamline Dairies, Scapa Group and Hyde Group.

The firm recently moved its head office to a new flagship development in Stockport to accommodate its growing team, taking 11,000sq ft at 3 Stockport Exchange, the latest phase of a £145m project by Muse Developments and Stockport Council.

HURST had been based since 1996 in Tiviot Dale in Stockport town centre, but outgrew the premises. The firm aims to grow from 120 staff to around 170 over the next three years.

Law, Mental Health, Mental Health at Work, News

Legal Network Launches Initiative on Mental Health Awareness Week to Rescue Isolated lawyers

A legal support network has launched a dedicated well-being service tailored for lawyers struggling with burnout and poor mental health.

The National Legal Alliance, established to combat loneliness during the pandemic, has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative called métier legal lifestyle protect – which aims to help lawyers navigate strains of solitude and mental health challenges amid the demanding rigors of their profession.

The service, launched alongside Mental Health Awareness Week on 13th May, focuses on holistic health while embracing both mental and physical well-being in one accessible platform.

The organisation is hoping to expand the service to include discounted gym memberships, healthy recipes, and a charity partnership that will encourage lawyers to take care of their minds and bodies.

Andrew Byrne, a qualified solicitor and founder of the National Legal Alliance, said: “The attitude towards mental wellbeing for lawyers is definitely improving compared to how things were when I started practising law almost 30 years ago.

“Back then lawyers probably took themselves too seriously. There was a lot of pressure and not a lot of time for socialising or relaxing. You couldn’t switch off from thinking about cases you were working on.

“Burnout was common, and I even had to take six months off at one point to recover from being so exhausted.

“Mental health wasn’t talked about then but now it is, which is something we want to focus on.

“One thing we have noticed is that there is a lot of isolation, especially for smaller firms. It is healthy to go out and have a laugh with people who know what you’re going through. That’s what we try to achieve.”

Mental health is a big issue for people pursuing a career in law.

In 2021, Law Care shared that 69% of 1700 lawyers questioned had experienced mental health difficulties in the last 12 months, however only 56% of those spoke about it at work.

Similarly, research conducted in 2018 by consulting firm BetterUp found that lawyers ranked highest for loneliness, and a follow up article by the Washington Post shared that 61% of lawyers rank “above average” on the UCLA loneliness scale.

Loneliness in legal professions can be caused by a number of factors including a high workload, not being able to discuss cases and stigma surrounding the job.

The National Legal Alliance, originally the Northern Legal Alliance, was founded during the pandemic to provide support to a network of legal service providers.

Among its array of member benefits, the service extends aid and support in areas such as business development, marketing, networking, and more.

Mick Eardley, Sales and Marketing Director, said: “When COVID came about, it was suddenly really obvious how important your personal network was. We wanted contact with the people we were close to.

“I really struggled. I didn’t realise how important going to work, or having lunch with a client, or going to an event was until it stopped.

“It felt like my whole framework, my whole routine, had been ripped away from me.”

The group later opened up to law firms, giving them discounted access to a network of providers, community lunches, conferences, and more.

The Alliance has grown since its inception in 2020 to include over 40 law firms, whose members meet regularly across the country to help them step away from their desks, build friendships and network.

Mick added: “We’ve found lawyers often socialise within their business, but they very rarely get outside of that.

“That’s why our lunch events are popular. People can get out of the office and something comes of those conversations.”

The organisation has also recently partnered with legalCadre which helps law firms develop people focused strategies that enhance culture, engagement, and wellbeing.

Jane Gilchrist, director of legalCadre, said: “When your employees feel valued, included, recognised, and supported, they are motivated and productive.

“Creating a positive work environment creates a positive impact on connection, collaboration, engagement and wellbeing which in turn has a positive impact on how they interact with clients, and ultimately improves results.”

News

1 in 5 people feel Open Banking is secure

Open Banking platforms still have a way to go to convince the public of their superior safety despite 1 in 5 feeling this form of online transaction is secure, according to I-Finity’s 2024 Open Banking survey.

Open Banking is not only safe and secure, but also faster and more efficient than regular online banking methods.

But many people are still concerned over the security of Open Banking suggesting that the public need more education on the topic.

Open Banking survey: the findings

I-Finity – a highly-experienced digital solutions company – surveyed 200 people who had used or currently use banking apps to find the public’s views on Open Banking security.

The results showed:

  • Only 1 in 10 felt Open Banking was not secure, with 23% feeling it was. 67% were unsure.
  • Just 46% of people were aware of Open Banking.
  • 36% of people would be unhappy to give personal data to an Open Banking app or platform.
  • 47% were unsure of whether they would give personal data, with just 18% certain they would be happy doing so.
  • Bank details being stolen was the biggest concern around Open Banking. with 20% choosing this option.
  • 18% felt the site might be a scam or phishing site.

While the survey highlights there is some reluctance by the public to adopt Open Banking, it also suggests education around the topic would be beneficial.

Like most new technologies – especially ones that involve personal data and money – there has been some scepticism around Open Banking’s security. But most of this is unfounded.

Russ Huntington, CTO of I-Finity, said: “The reality is that open banking is very secure. In fact, it’s more secure than traditional banking. But as with many financial products, everyday users can be a little wary.

“But with Open Banking you need to use secure data-sharing practices, such as using APIs and encryption, to ensure that customer data is protected.

“The connection between apps and Open Banking is also encrypted, which helps to keep data safe. Consumers need more education on how safe this form of banking integration is.”

Open Banking is highly regulated

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) makes sure that all open banking apps and APIs are regulated.

They create the standards that all third-party providers have to adhere to if they want open banking as part of their solution/environment.

Russ added: “Accessing Open Banking APIs is only possible for apps that have been through an independent audit to prove the systems and security controls meet the standards of the FCA.”