By Dr Julia Lyons, Principal Clinical Lead, Onebright Every parent holds hopes and dreams for their child’s life – from first words to first days at school, from birthdays to quiet moments of connection. When a child dies, these hopes are cruelly cut short, and the grief that follows is all-consuming. In this article, we’d like to recognise the profound impact of child loss, the silent suffering many parents endure, and the vital role we all have in supporting them, especially in the workplace. What grief means for bereaved parents? Grief is the mind and body’s natural response to losing someone deeply…
Author: sme-admin
Research conducted in the wake of the UK National Insurance (NI) hike in April 2025 shows a missed opportunity for employees to minimise NI, boosting take-home pay and pension contributions at a time when personal finances are stretched and many are under-saving for retirement Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, has announced the findings from its survey exploring the impact of recent rises in fiscal demands on SMEs, and the effect it has had on workforce decisions and employee benefits strategies. The Howden Employee Benefits research, conducted in partnership with YouGov, reveals that 68% (1) of UK SMEs are not…
As everyone in SEO knows, there really are no set rules. And, even when we think we have cracked the code, the algorithm updates again, creating an ever-evolving world. In 2025, it’s simply not enough for brands to just show up in search. Today, the Google EEAT model is at the centre of success. But with every SEO specialist and agency having access to this information, how can you trust that your team of experts is really driving significant change and beating the competition? Here, Andy Beckwith, Head of Creative at Tall, shares four ways to stand out in today’s digital…
The House of Lords has voted to remove a key part of the Employment Rights Bill that would have given employees protection against unfair dismissal from their very first day at work. Instead, they supported an amendment introducing a six-month qualifying period before employees gain unfair dismissal rights. This amendment, put forward by Conservative peer Lord Sharpe of Epsom, was approved by 304 votes to 160 during the debate. Senior Employment Solicitor at law firm Harper James, Claire Cole, highlights what this means, especially for SMEs: “The House of Lords continues its Report stage scrutiny of the Employment Right Bill. The Bill originally…
Berkshire-based, Filestream Systems Ltd discuss how to prepare for the upcoming changes to Windows operating systems. The tech industry is getting ready for a big shift on 14th October 2025, as Microsoft prepare to stop all support for Windows 10 from this autumn date. Industry professionals across the world are starting to discuss the impacts of this discontinuing of support and sharing how people and businesses can prepare for this. Filestream Ltd, a specialist innovative document management company, are calling out for people to get ready for this change. Operations Director, Layla Cockburn, is providing insight into how the closing of Windows 10 will affect many. “Discontinuing Windows 10 support means that Microsoft will…
With cybersecurity being a priority in every boardroom, SME business leaders are particularly pressurised, with lower budgets than their larger counterparts. Threat levels are high, with as many as 43% of businesses and three in ten charities experiencing some kind of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. Beyond resources, there could also be another key barrier to SMEs taking adequate cybersecurity action. It seems friction amongst leadership is creating a divide in business with lack of a CISO or cybersecurity representative at board level being common. This cavalier approach may leave companies wide open to successful…
Setting a company vision is crucial to guiding a team or organisation towards a successful future. After all, if you don’t know where you are heading as an organisation, how will you know you are on the right path, or ever going to get there? Developing and embedding a well-defined company vision provides direction, inspires motivation, and ensures your team is working together towards one common goal with a united sense of purpose. Sue Carr, director of marketing and PR agency V Formation, provides advice on setting a vision for your company. What is a vision? A company vision is…
Alex Campbell and Katie Friedman—co-founders of Gold Mind Academy and authors of ADHD… Now What?, a new book (out 21 July) on understanding ADHD wiring and reclaiming your power—draw on over a decade of experience helping organisations move from theory to meaningful neurodiversity support. It’s easy to talk about “supporting neurodivergent staff” in theory. But what does that actually mean day to day, especially when not everyone has a diagnosis, or even identifies as neurodivergent yet? That’s the challenge many workplaces face. Over the last decade, we’ve worked with many organisations trying to be more inclusive. What we’ve learned is…
Late payments are a huge headache for UK SMEs. Nearly three-quarters of UK SMEs are grappling with overdue invoices, with one survey finding an average of £96,000 owed per business in late payments. This cash flow squeeze can choke a small company’s growth and even threaten its survival – the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) estimates 50,000 business closures a year could be avoided if customers paid on time. Put simply, waiting months for payments isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a critical problem holding back our entrepreneurs. John Day is Sales Director and Shareholder at Apollo Business Finance, a UK-based…
Matthew Ekholm, Digital Product Passport and Circularity Specialist at Protokol looks at how businesses should use the EU legislation as a proof point to appeal to a growing sustainable consumer and effectively eliminate accusations of greenwashing Issues surrounding sustainability continue to heighten in the modern world, with businesses knowing too well the demand on them to become more eco-conscious enterprises. In fact, as 70% of consumers admit they are now willing to pay more for products from sustainable brands, it is more important than ever that businesses turn on their green agenda. Moreover, as more reusable and refillable products enter…