HR reports make up more than half of whistleblowing reports, according to new data from Safecall’s Benchmark report. 55% of all reports stem from human resources, heavily outweighing reports of dishonest behaviour, health and safety and general complaints. Though they make up the majority of submissions, HR reports have declined slightly in the past year, falling by 3%. Of the HR cases submitted to Safecall, two thirds (66%) were for unfair treatment – a number which has declined by 10% since 2020. However, amongst the HR cases, reports of bullying and discrimination are on the rise. Since 2020, bullying has…
Author: sme-admin
By Tim Grieveson, CSO and EVP Information Security at ThingsRecon It’s high time we talked about the changing face of cybersecurity leadership. It used to be that the CISO was the security gatekeeper – buried in firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and policy enforcement. But trust me, those days are long gone. Today’s CISO has one foot in the data centre and the other in the boardroom. They are expected to understand the threat landscape, manage growing technical complexity, implement and enforce new security standards, and, on top of all that, translate it into something the business can act on. It’s…
Tax compliance costs small businesses nearly £25 billion a year, while three in five small business owners report that dealing with HMRC has increased their personal stress. The findings, from a survey of over 1,400 small business owners, come from a new report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Taking a Toll: Small businesses and the cost of tax compliance, published today. The report tallies up the demands – in terms of stress and time, as well as the financial costs – levied upon small business owners when they engage with the tax system. These costs fall not just on…
During World War II, small and medium-sized businesses played a critical role in supporting Britain’s war effort. They adapted quickly, innovated boldly and stepped up when it mattered most. Today, SMEs are once again being asked to contribute to the nation’s defence. The Government has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027, with plans to go further in the next parliament. The Ministry of Defence has also launched a dedicated support hub for SMEs, recognising that smaller firms bring not only agility and innovation but also deep technical expertise. One of the most powerful tools…
For the first half of April, Trump’s tariffs dominated global headlines, triggering both diplomatic tensions and volatility within key markets. While Trump has now paused his tariffs on most of the world for 90 days, it’s impossible to assuage fears of economic disruption. Yet, for some small, local businesses, there could be unprecedented opportunity in this otherwise turbulent act of economic violence. Where we stand In April this year, Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose a 10% universal tariff on all imports, citing national security concerns and trade imbalances. The move was swiftly followed by…
Many SMEs now find themselves with four generations within the same workforce. While this can bring wide-ranging benefits and competitive advantages to the business, it can also lead to relationship challenges, making it difficult for leaders to unlock the potential of their diverse workforce. Tina Benson, founder and managing director at Team Tactics explores why SME employers need to act to remedy these difficult dynamics and how they can build a more positive, cohesive company culture. Difficult dynamics While the accumulation of different perspectives, experiences and skills can bring great advantages for innovation, knowledge transfer and creativity, our research of…
To a casual observer, VAT is understood to be a tax levied on the goods that they buy, such as restaurant meals, consumer electronics or alcoholic drinks. While this assumption is true in many cases, the reality is actually considerably more complex. Some goods and services are exempt from VAT, with examples including insurance, charity fundraising and certain medical treatments. However, the real complications arise when it is less clear-cut if a product falls into an exempt category or not. It is in these situations that technical VAT disputes can occur, and where organisations need to fully understand the intricacies…
According to a Gallup study, CEOs who excel at delegation generate 33 percent higher revenue than those who don’t. This is not an isolated finding. Business researchers back as far as the 70s and 80s knew that a CEO’s ability to delegate was associated with good growth and profit performance. A 2020 study went even further, concluding that SMEs need to engage all their employees in dedicated training programs on effective delegation strategies. So if we know without a doubt that more delegation equals increased profits, why do so many entrepreneurs struggle so much to do it? And the answer…
The natural reaction to scaled back governance measures is complacency, but boards must stay vigilant to maintain and enhance their reputations, says Corporate Governance Institute. There is an emerging global trend of cuts to red tape, as governments roll back on promised reforms that boards might see as overly bureaucratic. This transition has been triggered by a number of factors, including a shifting political landscape, efforts from countries and states to stay attractive to businesses, and pushback from companies against the compliance burden. A recent example is the decision of the US State of Delaware, long considered a tone-setter when…
Dr Glenn Mason, Head of Adult Psychological Therapies at Onebright shares insights from Onebright’s internal data on stress diagnoses, as well as some strategies to implement to prevent stress, burnout and other more serious mental health issues. April is Stress Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is about approaching people with kindness, compassion, and acceptance, no matter what challenges they face. This year especially it seems as important as ever to bring this into the workplace and help employees who may be dealing with a range of situations causing stress. From financial worries caused by the ongoing cost-of-living-crisis, to problems…