march 2015

CONFERENCE CENTRE

RACE DAY HOSPITALITY 2015

Brought to you by the Oxfordshire GuardianSponsored by First Line IT

Hello, and welcome to First Line ITWe’re all about helping businesses grow by looking aftertheir IT. We’ll help you get the best from the Cloud andmake sure your network is always up and running.

Hey, you! Get onto the cloud ...“We now expect to be able to work from home, or from a client’s offi ces, or even on the beach.” Biff Bang Pow

Contact us on:01865 598 100fi rstline-it.com

IT Support Cloud Computing Telecoms Services

LONDON WELSH BUSINESS CLUB

PREMIERSHIP RUGBY IN OXFORD - BE PART OF ITPaul O’Brien | paul.obrien@london-welsh.co.uk | 01865 717661

Friday 17th April 2015 12pm - 3pm

Oxford Spires Hotel, Abingdon Road, Oxford, OX1 4PS

After 14 years at Admiral insurance group, Hayley Parsons founded GoCompare in 2006, together

with Scott Salter. In less than a decade GoCompare has transformed its industry; becoming a market leader and innovator in a hugely-competitive sector. The success of the business has been well documented and is set to make Parsons a £44m windfall in April, following the sale of the business to Esure for the remaining shares in a £95m deal. In 2012 Hayley was awarded an OBE for Services to the Economy.

Scott Salter had a held a number of senior positions for AXA and AIG before starting GoCompare with

prior to setting up GoCompare Scott was Chief Executive of the Europa Group, which employs over 1,000 people here in the UK and overseas, and for which he is now Chairman. The event will be hosted by the inimitable Adrian Davies.

London Welsh Business Club invites you to join us for our next event, with guest speakers Hayley Parsons OBE and Scott Salter, co-founders of the GoCompare

insurance comparison website. Guests will have an opportunity to network at the event with fellow Business Club attendees, before enjoying a two course meal.

MEMBERS £31 + VAT NON - MEMBERS £36 + VAT

Interested in becoming a member of the Business Club? Get in touch for further details.

The importance of purposeA number of recent corporate scan-dals have reinforced the importance of “values” in business. In my experience, if you are not already conducting busi-ness according to your values, you’re not going to improve things by coming up with a set of worthy-sounding words for your website. but, on the other hand, if you already have a firm sense of purpose in your company, you don’t need to. The customers will come to you.

For example, at First Line, we firmly believe in providing the same high levels of service and fair pricing to all our clients, regardless of their size and the amount they spend with us. That’s why we have invested in our own infrastruc-ture so that we can provide on-site hosting, online backup, and remote access from our professional helpdesk together with a full range of telecoms services. And why we were the first IT support company to dispense with the 12-month, pay-up-front agreement, and also the first to introduce an hours-based contract that was fair to the customer.

This clear and consistent way of doing busi-ness has already attracted more than 100 regular clients to our books, ranging from the smallest micro-business who rents a single Microsoft mailbox to multi-million dollar companies for whom we provide complete servers, network maintenance, and a full-time help desk.

More importantly, these clients tend to share our values and so we have often found our-selves wanting to become their clients in turn. One such client is Biff Bang Pow, the builders of our new website at www.firstline-it.com. You can read all about them on page 7.

Going forward togetherWelcome to Oxfordshire’s business Guardian, designed with you in mind to reach an audience of other like-minded business individuals and companies looking to expand their horizons and reach key decision makers – just like you.

We feature our sponsor First Line IT, expand on Williams F1 award winning conference centre, we hear about recruitment matters from Allen Associates’ Kate Allen and myFD Recruitment’s Alan Hine. Steve Bateman from Santander talks of their expansion to increase their presence to boost business support in Oxford and The Big Conversation is with Withy King’s Richard Baxter.

We touch on property matters from Martin & Co (Oxford) Richard Goodwin who explains the benefits of renting or buying in Oxford and Gareth Bertram of John Charles Property highlights the advantages of transferring your pension into a property investment, last but not least Simon Berry from The Clear Mind discusses the key to a great performance, is simple, let’s see how simple.

We don’t want to leave anything out and need a whole lot more in future issues and this is where you can feature in an article about your company.

We are interested in businesses in Oxfordshire no matter how small or large, if you run a company or have an important role to play in one then we want to hear from you. Tell us about your experiences, your ambitions for the future, your concerns for the future. Tell us about your company and what you have to offer, send us some images and let us help you fulfil your company’s potential.

This online edition is emailed to thousands of businesses in Oxfordshire, so we would be delighted to hear from you so that you can enjoy some of the rewards of featuring in our April issue. Email to news@businessguardian.uk and see how your business can benefit.

In our next issue we invite business leaders to comment on

issues locally and nationally, if you would like to participate in our Business Talk discussion please email news@businessguardian.uk

Finally, grateful thanks to our sponsor First Line IT for being, as usual, ahead of the curve.

Business Guardian

To become a featured sponsor please call Julian Richings on 01235 516926

Quote of the month:

it wasn’t luck that got them there.

Withy King, ranked 42 in the top 100 in the uk

CONFERENCE CENTRE

RACE DAY HOSPITALITY 2015

ABOUTHosted at the Williams Conference Centre we offer a unique way to view an F1 race, with a review of qualifying, an exclusive live link up to a team member from the track, followed by the race itself. The day also includes the opportunity to browse the Williams Grand Prix Collection as well as testing your speed in our Simulator/Pit Stop Challenge and other activities

DETAILSRace Day Package £150.00 per person

DATESMonaco 24 May 2015

Austria 21 June 2015

British 5 July 2015

Italian 6 September 2015

Singapore 20 September 2015

Abu Dhabi 29 November 2015

SCHEDULESchedule and content may be subject to changes due to events at the circuit

EXAMPLE09:30 Doors open, breakfast rolls, danish pastries

& refreshments available - Grand Prix Collection & activities open

11:00 Bar open & pre-race presentation including live link with a senior team member

12:15 Lunch is served

13:00 Race start

14:15 A ernoon refreshments served

15:00 Bar & activities close, race debrief

15:30 Close

Agenda is subject to change, to be used as a guide only

A minimum age of 8 years applies for race days

Please contact us or visit or website for full information

T +44 (0) 1235 777 900CONFERENCES@WILLIAMSF1.COMWILLIAMSF1CONFERENCES.COMFACEBOOK.COM/WILLIAMSCONFERENCECENTRE@WILLIAMSF1CC

WILLIAMS CONFERENCE CENTREGROVEOXFORDSHIREOX12 0DQ

Withy King is ranked at 42 in the Sunday Times Top 100Oxfordshire-based law firm, Withy King, has been ranked 42nd in The Sunday Times Top 100 best mid-Sized Companies to Work For in 2015 – up from 58th posi-tion last year.

The firm’s ranking was revealed at an awards ceremony held in London in February and has been published in a league table in the Sunday Times and online.

Withy King was also awarded the highly sought-after Best Companies Two Star ‘Outstanding’ Accreditation for the second year running.

Withy King has been recognised for its out-standing levels of staff engagement and its ongoing commitment to creating a positive working envi-ronment for its people.

“We are delighted to have improved on last year’s success and to now be ranked one of the top 50 mid-sized employers in the UK,” com-mented Graham Street, Managing Partner at Withy King. “Our latest ranking, together with the Best Companies to Work For accolade, reflect the hard work and dedication of individuals and teams across the firm who are committed to cre-ating a great working environment and delivering unbeatable levels of client service and support.”

The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For is the most comprehensive analysis of workplace engagement, opinion and satisfaction in the UK.

Withy King employs 324 people across a network of offices in Oxford, Abingdon, Thame, Headington, Bath, Swindon, Marlborough and London. In 2014, the firm was also awarded top marks in eight categories in a survey of trainee solicitors run by Lex 100, the student guide to law – one more category than the previous year.

• Graham Street, Managing Partner, Withy King

Located at the home of Williams, Grove, Oxfordshire the Williams Conference Centre offers a secure environment in which to meet, inform, discuss, educate and cel-ebrate

10 multi-purpose event rooms offering you great flexibility for events of up to 200 guests in a modern and inspiring surrounding

Our Ayrton Senna room is a fully equipped pres-entation theatre and the ideal venue for events that require maximum impact with professional produc-tion

Our in-house AV Technician works with you to ensure a seamless presentation saving you both time and money.

The Ayrton Senna room forms part of our Drivers Suite which, used in its entirety, can accommodate awards or celebrations for up to 200 guests with

superb cateringBe it formal Boardrooms, Cabaret, Classroom,

Theatre or U-shape, our Centre offers total flexibil-ity, with every event having its own private catering area

Also including on-site secure car parking for 150 cars and complimentary Wi-Fi for all guests

The Williams Conference Centre is the home of the Williams Grand Prix Collection, the largest private collection of Formula One cars in the world charting the history of the Williams F1 Team

A tour of The Collection is included in all events, with Public Tours available throughout the year

Each season, the team hosts a number of Grand Prix Race Days at The Centre. A unique day out for Formula One enthusiasts and an ideal Corporate Hospitality opportunity.

The award-winning Williams Conference Centre is an experience that never fails to impress

Activities for team building or entertainment include:

• F1 Simulators• Batak• Giant Scalextric• Williams F1 Team Pitstop Challenge• Land for non–motorised activities is also available on–site

From the steam-punk vibe of the montage of instruments from the museum of the History of Science to the martin Parr-esque row of red telephone boxes, the images on First Line IT’s new website are perhaps not quite what you’d expect from your average IT support company.

Even more surprisingly, they didn’t buy or commission the images from a professional photographer – they all came from First Line’s very own in-house talent, IT Support Technician Kevin Sands.

Kevin studied photography between 1990 and 1996. Although he decided that he didn’t have the temperament to “sell himself” as a photographer, he did initially work in the business. In that pre-digital age, his first jobs were in photographic laboratories, processing and printing pictures using the long established ‘wet’ processing techniques of film and chemistry. He observed how the industry changed almost overnight: “I was working for a fairly well-known photo-graphic studio, but even then it felt as if we were always on the edge of going bust,” he said. “As digital photography became more common, the studio didn’t need as many staff, or even as much space. They aban-doned one building completely, and all its lab equipment was suddenly obsolete: they literally couldn’t give it away.”

Eventually, tired of working in a failing industry, but having picked up a lot of digital expertise along the way, Kevin changed career direction and joined First Line IT.

Funnily enough, though, it was that career change that reignited his interest in taking photographs. “Working in the business, sitting in front of a computer screen tidying up endless school groups, killed my wish to do something creative,” he said. “I had to stop working in photography to rediscover my passion for it.”

Pre-digital, photography was an expensive hobby. While photography students had unlimited use of laboratories while at college,

anyone who wanted to continue taking pho-tography seriously after graduating needed a serious amount of money to invest in equip-ment and profile-raising. Now, as Kevin says, all you need is a camera and a Mac, and any number of photo-sharing apps. “Photogra-phy has gone right back to the days of the first box brownie, when it became acces-sible to everyone. I love it that I can take photographs, post them on Instagram and

my website, and get instant feedback.”And the benefits to First Line are obvious!

Not only do they get distinctive imagery for their website, but members of the team all appear in the best possible light in their profile pictures – and they have an excellent source of art for their own homes.

You can see Kevin’s portfolio and buy prints from www.kevinsandsphotography.com.

Tales of the unexpected

• Meet Kevin Sands IT Support Technician First Line IT

What with smart phones, tablets, flexible working, and cloud computing, the email landscape has changed completely over the past 10 years. We now expect to be able to work from home, or from a client’s offices, or even on the beach while sending and receiving emails just as we would from our own offices.

The only problem is that if you haven’t changed your email provider or host since you first set up your website fifteen years ago, you’re trying to do all that with a clunky and outdated system that is always teetering on the brink of an “outage”.

This is why website developer Biff Bang Pow made the big decision to stop hosting its own clients’ email, and recommended that they moved to First Line’s Microsoft Exchange Online service instead.

“When we first started Biff Bang Pow, we offered website hosting together with a free email hosting service,” said Managing Director David Burke. “Over the years, our clients grew and we started attracting

bigger companies. Add to that the increasing expec-tations of what email should be able to do, plus the risks of viruses, and we were spending more time sorting out email problems than we were on our core business of web development and hosting.”

David started looking for an IT support company that would be able to provide the sort of email service that his clients needed. “Email is mission-critical to most companies these days: you can’t have down-time, or risk losing existing records. We needed a company that was experienced in provid-ing support and back-up, and could guarantee email continuity for our clients.”

First Line IT was recommended by Nigel Spawton, a director of Biff Bang Pow and also Senior Partner of First Line client GBS Architects. By coincidence, David rang John Crozier just at the point when First Line was inviting proposals for building its own new website and Biff Bang Pow was a perfect fit.

So the companies have been working together in

the roles of both supplier and client. David thinks that First Line IT got the slightly rougher end of the deal as they’ve had to talk a lot of new clients through the Microsoft Exchange Online service. “We had nearly 170 email clients to migrate. We suggested a range of options – including using Googledocs and gmail but strongly recommended that they transfer to First Line IT because they could offer more support. First Line managed all the transitions very smoothly, and I think all who opted for their Microsoft Exchange service are very happy. Even so, it wasn’t our customers’ decision and some were understandably disgruntled about suddenly having to pay for what had been a free service.”

He remains unrepentant, however. “If you’ve got a business, you should take it seriously and you should not be relying on a free email service. You expect to pay for your phone and your broadband – why not your email? A few pounds a month for each Microsoft Exchange mailbox is not a great expense but it does guarantee you 24/7 availability, support, and backup, as well as allowing you to synch your mail, calendar and contacts across all your devices. However small your company is, you should look at your IT as a whole and have a proper budget for it, and that includes email. ”

Taking your business seriously means taking IT seriouslyWhy web developers Biff Bang Pow recommend First Line’s Microsoft Exchange service to their clients

united in business is an opportunity to involve the business community in support-ing Oxford united and the Community Trust, while at the same time creating an environ-ment for like-minded people to meet infor-mally, network and do business.

So on Thursday, March 19, United in Business will host a quiz night for current members at St. Aldates Tavern in Oxford’s City Centre, where Oxford United chairman Darryl Eales will host the fun event.

The popular pub tradition is aiming to bring the members of United in Business closer together, whilst attracting new members to go the group.

We spoke to United in Business’ sales support executive Jennie Brennan and corporate sales execu-tive Hugo Mendus about the quiz night on March 19.

Q and A with Jennie and Hugo Q: What is the purpose of the quiz night and what do you hope to get out of it?

A: The quiz night is one of the monthly events for United in Business members. It will be a really informal and fun evening where our business club members will be seated with those that they wish to do business with. It is a way of all the businesses getting to know each other.

Q: Whose idea was it and what has the build up to the event been like over the last few days?

A: We are always speaking to our members to gauge what sort of events they would like. So between the Oxford United commercial team and our members, we create a list of informal network-ing events that are slightly different to your usual networking events. The idea for a quiz night actually came from one of our members, Simon Hill from MARS Recruitment. When Darryl heard about the idea, he insisted that it was a brilliant idea and that he would be the quizmaster!

Q: Who will be present at the quiz night?A: United in Business members. Usually at our

events we have some prospective members, but this is a members only event.

Q: Why is it important for many people to go to this quiz night?

A: This is one of the monthly events for United in Business members, but it is the first quiz night that we have done. We have a real variety of events. Our past events included the virtual launch of the Jaguar XE at Ridgeway Jaguar, a morning at Williams F1 with a speech from the inspirational Humphrey Walters, ‘The Chairman’s Drinks’ and also a series of curry nights. Each event is different but they are all aimed at bringing like-minded local businesses together and building a network of contacts.

The quiz night will start at 6.30pm and finish at 9pm.

For further information, visit unitedinbusiness.co.uk, oufc.co.uk, or call 01865 337500.

#TOGETHER

Come and put your knowledge to the test with the United in Business Quiz Night.The quiz will be watched over by our quizmaster for the evening, Oxford United Chairman, Darryl Eales.

Date: Thursday 19th March

Time: 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Location: St Aldates Tavern, 108 Saint Aldate’s, City Centre, Oxford, OX1 1BU

Teams: Picked by OUFC

Please RSVP to

hmendus@

oufc.co.uk

by Monday 13th M

arch

There is limited space at the event so please ensure speedy responses to book your place. This is a members only event.

QUIZNIGHT

UNITEDINBUSINESS

United in Business quiz night

Think!About your customers and what they are looking

for. Ensure your message is clear at a glance so your next customer can see you.

Is your logo legible from a distance showing who you are and what you do? Your company name needs to stand out to make sure that customers contact you and not the competition.

Is it clear what you do in either your name, strap line, or slogan?

Try using photographic images or pictures and logos to attract the eye.

Keep it simple: make it easy to read, stay away from unnecessary jargon or lists which may over-

crowd your message. Your vehicle needs to be memorable, quick and

easy to see, you may only have a few seconds to connect with your prospective customer.

Most sign companies will have a design department and should be able to offer ideas. They will under-stand the lines of the vehicle and should also be able to offer advice to save you money on materials.

Depending on your requirements and budget it may be necessary to invest in a graphic designer, but do ensure that the final design clearly conveys your message.

Creating a good design doesn’t need to be complex, sometimes the plain and simple look is best. Use a maximum of 2 to 3 font types that are clear. Choose colours that work with your vehicle,

for example blue on red cause a purple blur while having white on silver can seem to disappear in certain light conditions, use shadows or outlines to break these colours apart if you want to use them.

Remember to consider how customers find more information: Ideally a concise web address should be one of the first points of contact, as it is usually the most memorable and all your contact details are at their fingertips, you don’t need your email address.

Using a telephone number as a contact either landline or mobile (not as unprofessional as it used to be) or both, are useful ways

to pick up extra work whilst parked, at a customer’s location or out on the road.

For every vehicle livery you should receive a tem-plate visual from your sign company or designer for you to proof read and authorise before production.

Check your sign company are using high quality materials. Inferior grades may crack, shrink, retract or discolour. Graphics that need to conform to the contours and curvaceous areas of your vehicle need specialist vinyls to ensure quality and longevity.

Lower quality vinyls also tend to be harder to remove in the future. Printed logos and images should be laminated to extend their life and protect from abrasion and UV rays.

When having your graphics fitted the location is important to achieve a quality fit, if possible in an internal and controlled environment, which reduces contamination from dust in the air, rain, wind and sun. Specific temperatures are essential for fitting spe-cialist vinyls into the curves and recesses, especially when wrapping vehicles, which must be acclimatised before, during and after fitting.

Once you have had your vehicle signs fitted remember:• First Impressions Count – Keep your vehicle clean• Avoidhotpressurewashesandcarwashesasharsh bristles may scratch the graphicsmost importantly • Drivewithrespect–yournextcustomercouldbebehind you!need more information? Contact Kingdom Signs:

(t) 01235 812299 (e) sales@kingdomsigns.com

...and Finally

If you regularly use a vehicle for your business and it’s not sign-written you could be missing out on a valuable opportunity and potentially losing money. A one-off cost for the application of graphics which last until you next replace your vehicle can attract new customers who will come to you. Vehicle Graphics are a form of direct marketing, advertising specifically in your work location and directly to your next potential customer. Graphics on your vehicle also ensure your customers see your business as a professional organisation.

Missing an Opportunity? - Using Signs to promote your business.

Think......of the order in which you want your customer to read your vehicle graphics.

Here’s a simple 1, 2, 3, example.

1. What services or products you have to offer? 2. Who are you?3. How you want to be contacted?

There has been much talk of wage inflation in recent months, not least of all the Prime minister suggesting that employers should give their employees a pay rise. but as the candidates I talk to will tell you, it’s not all about the money when seeking out future opportunities.

I work with candidates from a variety of sectors. Whilst each group will have its own idiosyncrasies pertinent to industry or location, one thing I am seeing across the board is a changing emphasis on what candidates consider motivators when looking for a new job.

Just over a decade ago, the salary would have topped a list of factors most important when consid-ering a job move. However, in today’s environment I am seeing a much wider variety of options with factors such as work/life balance and training and development becoming equally important .

This reflects the environment in which I now work and employers have to adapt their recruitment and retention strategies accordingly. Being able to identify a remuneration package that conveys the value of an individual is critical in not only securing new talent, but also in being able to retain employ-ees.

One such factor is training and develop-ment. Candidates working in fast changing environ-ments such as IT and marketing have to respond to the way technology is altering their industries, the new job roles being created and the ongoing need for revised skill sets. As a result, I see a number of candidates in these sectors looking closely at the level of training and development content on offer by future employers.

For others, the adventure and challenge of a new role can be just as important, with candidates requiring detailed information on how flexible their careers will be. But no one would say that their salary didn’t matter – it does, but is now a constitu-ent element of a candidate’s decision rather than the whole. For many candidates it provides an initial benchmark to spark interest . But in isolation, it no longer carries the same degree of impor-tance. Candidates need to understand more of the role being offered and how it will contribute to their career opportunities in the future.

Another key factor is often the opportunity to work flexibly. As an employer you cannot change your location in the short-term but you can widen the talent pool by offering candidates the chance to work flexibly. Traditionally this has often meant people working part-time around school hours but it doesn’t have to. Particularly in Oxford City itself it may make more sense for someone to work 10 to 6.30 rather than more traditional 9 to 5.30 .Full time home working is another challenge altogether but may be achievable with good IT and workflow planning , particularly in roles where outputs are easily measured

Can you win the war for talent?

• Alan HineManaging DirectormyFD Recruitment Ltd

Santander Corporate & Commercial is strengthening its support for local businesses and extending its presence in the Thames Valley with a major investment in its Corpo-rate business Centre in Oxford.

The move is part of Santander’s strategic plan to grow its presence across the UK and demonstrates its commitment to the region’s businesses following steady growth and rapid expansion in its local busi-ness over the past year.

Relationship bankers at the newly refurbished Corporate Business Centre in St. Aldates, Oxford, provide a bespoke relationship banking service to corporate and commercial customers with a turnover above £250,000. Customers are offered a full range of banking services, including asset finance, invoice finance, deposits, treasury, merchant recruitment, cash management and supplier payments.

Santander’s team now boasts seven Relationship Directors in Oxford city centre and is led by Cheryl Adams, Regional Corporate Director, Thames Valley.

Cheryl Adams, Regional Corporate Director, Thames Valley, comments: “Our lead Relationship Director in Oxford is Steve Bateman, who has over 30 years banking experience. Recent new addi-tions to the team include Nigel Chivers and Tom Windett specialising in the Professionals and Agricul-

ture sectors respectively. They complement already established sector specialists in Education (Dorothea Dunn), Healthcare (Clare Willcox), and Real Estate (Andy Scott), with additional Trading sectors also catered for by Relationship Directors Ashley Keen and Kevin Farrell.”

The highly experienced banking team are located in the hub of the local business community in the centre of Oxford. Santander is focused on supporting

businesses throughout the Thames Valley and now has Corporate Business Centres in Oxford, Slough, Basingstoke and Reading. During 2014 Santander extended £5.8 billion of new facilities to SMEs and mid-sized corporates, an increase of 30%.

Steve Bateman, Relationship Director for Santander Corporate & Commercial in Oxford, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide increased support to local businesses across Oxfordshire through our

enlarged Corporate Business Centre Team, with vast individual experience spanning many decades. We are committed to working with Oxfordshire businesses to help them achieve their ambitions and supporting SMEs which make up the backbone of the local economy.

“We already have some great business customers in the area, and we look forward to continuing to work with these businesses and helping new custom-ers to grow and prosper too.”

Santander’s Corporate and Branch Banking teams hosted an official re-opening of the bank’s retail and corporate offices at the end of January. Over 60 local professionals attended a celebratory event to meet the Corporate and Branch Banking Teams. The event was an opportunity for Oxford’s profes-sional services firms to hear first-hand about a range of new client businesses joining Santander during 2014, as well as the bank’s broadened capabilities to help support Oxfordshire businesses in 2015 and beyond.

For further information on the range of services available from Santander Corporate & Commercial, business owners or finance directors can visit the Corporate Business Centre at Santander Corporate & Commercial, 121 St. Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1HB; or visit www.santandercb.co.uk.

Santander expands Oxford presence to boost business support

• Steve Bateman, Santander’s Area Relationship Director (pictured centre) with the expanded Corporate & Commercial Team in Oxford

We are delighted to be able to provide increased

support to local businesses across Oxfordshire

Nick Babington M: 07896 036 993nick.babington@peninsula-uk.com

FREEADVICE CALLYour direct line to expert Employment LawAdvice for Employers and Business Owners

0844 892 2807Peninsula Business Services currently support 29000 clients in the tricky areas of HR and H&S. For advice on any current matter please call 0844 892 2807.

If you would like to know more about the various levels of support Peninsula can offer you, please call Nick Babington on 07896 036 993 or Steve Killick on 0161 416 6784 quoting GuardianBusiness.

THIS ADVERT ENTITLES YOU TO ONE FREE ADVICE CALLFor expert employment law advice, call our FREE helpline on 0844 892 2807, select Option1, quote our reference GUARDIANBUSINESS and see how Peninsula can help you and your business

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Our Employment Law services currently allow employers across the country to focus on the success and growth of their business rather than worrying about how to deal with a difficult employee or what they should do when facing a Tribunal claim. Peninsula’s expertise is on hand to assist with any employment matter no matter how trivial through our 24 Hour Advice Service which is available 365 days a year.

Common employment issues include sick pay, TUPE regu-

lations, retirement age, holiday pay, bereavement leave and workplace bullying.

If your business does face an Employment Tribunal claim

then be assured that our Legal Services team will provide a full Employment Tribunal representation service aimed at achieving the best outcome for your business. In addition, our indemnity scheme can fund the cost of any awards made against your business giving you further peace of mind.

Clive OliverClive is a Human Resources professional who, before joining Penin-

sula, was Director of HR with the UK’s largest privately owned retailer in it’s sector. Originally in an operational role, Clive was part of a small team which grew and developed an organisation from 3 stores to 35 sites with eventually over 650 employees. Clive’s many years in busi-ness, in numerous management roles, enables him to use ‘real life’ experiences to help managers, business owners and directors of all types and sizes of businesses to understand their legal obligations whilst focusing on maximum employee performance.

Clive’s enthusiastic, fun and fast paced presentation will make very

clear the importance of keeping your business up to date with the con-stant changes in employment law and health & safety legislation and give delegates many practical ideas for improving the success of their businesses through the people they employ.

Paul CharlesPaul cut his pensions teeth at the West Midlands Pension Fund, where he held a variety of roles

at senior level, focussing on administration and communications. During this period he obtained professional qualifications in payroll and pensions and developed a thorough understanding of what constituted Industry best practice and how to achieve it. Paul was the driving force behind the multiple Industry Awards won by the Scheme in the 1990s.

In 2000, Paul moved to Diageo, where he first worked with Steve and used his experience to great effect in streamlining and improving the service provided by the administration team and greatly enhancing the quality of the Scheme’s communication. Again, this resulted in numerous prestigious Industry Awards for the Scheme. Paul’s role broadened to incorporate global pensions strategy & policy, which included benefit design and scheme governance, and he took a leading role in the devel-opment of web-based communication and self-service tools for Scheme members. In 2004/2005 Paul implemented a series of UK pensions changes, including the introduction of an innovative new cash balance pension plan.

Paul and Steve were reunited when Paul moved to RHM in 2005, and apart from overhauling the Scheme’s administration and communication procedures to great effect, he also used his broader experience to develop a Payroll outsourcing strategy and took the lead on the HR change manage-ment project.

Since setting up Isinglass Consulting with Steve in 2007, Paul has played a leading role in a number of major projects, including scheme mergers, DC Asset transitions, Implementation of new benefit structures for both DB and DC clients and procurement of best practice administration and communication services. He also become immersed in all aspects of auto-enrol-ment, including impact analysis, development of pension strategy and HR/Payroll/Pensions and administration solutions.

Away from work, Paul has a diverse range of interests, including writing and recording music. Paul was instru-mental in the establishment of Stonesfield Strikers Youth Football Club in 2008, which now boasts no fewer than ten teams. Paul is Chairman of the club and also coaches two of the teams, and is a licensed FA coach trained to a UEFA B standard.

Storm Internet launches new website and corporate identity to help Small Businesses flourish

Founded in 2004 by CEO Salim Benadel, the Eynsham based company provides high quality hosting solutions for SMEs around the world, growing from a small start up in 2004 to become recognised as the UK’s best SME hosting company and UK’s best dedicated hosting company in the last 2 consecutive years, by the highly respected Internet Service Provid-ers Association.

“The new website and brand refresh are more closely aligned with our strategic vision for growth and expansion over the next decade, and beyond. It’s been designed to provide a more user-friendly experience, with improved navigation and functionality throughout” said Benadel. “We have stayed in business for over 10 years by listening to our customers and building one-on-one relationships. We’re one of the only compa-nies in the UK who focus solely on providing affordable hosting solutions to SMEs. We work closely with our customers by really getting to know their business, so that we can provide exactly what they need both now, and in the future,” Benadel continues.

As part of their commitment to SMEs they have

introduced a free hosting growth plan, an offer avail-able to anyone, with any of their shared hosting plans. “By giving SMEs free hosting for life it is one less recurring bill for them to worry about, allowing them to focus on the growth of their business.” Benadel con-tinues, “We are passionate about helping businesses to grow and want to take some of the stresses and strains away from start-up businesses. We believe that they’ll be so happy with this partnership that as their busi-ness grows, they’ll require more hosting services which would naturally be with us. If they don’t, they get free hosting for life and our continued support. It’s as simple as that. Either way, we’re there for the journey!”

“We are very proud of the new website – and we hope it provides a useful, informative portal for our customers to get to know Storm Internet and our Managed Hosting solutions just a little better!”

As part of their commitment to SMEs, Storm Inter-net will be creating and sharing a series of valuable resources to help businesses to get ahead of the game. Here’s a few reasons Storm Internet suggest you should switch to a cloud based solution:

1) Cost savingsStatistics have shown that companies can save up

to 30% in IT costs over 3 years by switching to the cloud. Paying a fixed monthly bill rather than incurring high capital expenses is a popular option for start-up’s, often resulting in beneficial tax implications. Only paying for the resources you require means that you aren’t wasting money on technology that you don’t need, and overheads such as power and license fees are also reduced. Savings can also be made on staff, IT people don’t come cheap and with cloud computing your provider’s staff should be on hand to handle any emergencies.

2) Peace of mindDisasters happen. But with cloud computing you no

longer need to worry about complex disaster recovery plans as your service provider will take care of most issues, and they can do it faster. With data stored in the cloud, it can still be accessed no matter what happens. Your data should be stored on at least 2 different servers in different locations and good providers will offer 24/7/365 monitoring, giving you peace of mind that your critical data is safe, saving you money and allowing you to focus on running your business.

Server maintenance will be managed by your service provider too, including the latest security updates.

3) Speed The elasticity and self-service nature of a cloud based

solution naturally lends itself to enabling businesses to innovate, experiment and deliver software based solu-tions quickly.

It also gives a competitive advantage over companies that don’t use the cloud who often rely on slow, labori-ous tape backup methods – which cloud users simply don’t need to worry about.

4) AccessibilityAllowing your employees to work securely from

anywhere, at any time. This means business doesn’t have to stop when staff are out of the office or travel-ling. Moving to the cloud means that employees can access the information they require anywhere, increas-ing employee productivity.

5) ScalabilityMany businesses face spikes in traffic visiting their

website, for example, seasonal fluctuations at Christ-mas. With a cloud based solution you have the flexibil-ity to expand or downsize efficiently, as required, and you only pay for what you use too.

Contact us for more information on how you can save by switching to a cloud based solution

0800 817 4727solutions@storminternet.co.uk │ www.storminternet.co.uk

2015 is set to be a busy year for International hosting company, Storm Inter-net, with a new user-friendly website (www.storminternet.co.uk) and brand refresh going live today, followed closely by the launch of their revolutionary Private Cloud Initiative. The move reflects Storm Internet’s re-focussed key commitments of empowering Small and medium Sized businesses (Smes) to grow by using their managed Cloud services.

Storm Internet launches new website and corporate identity to help Small Businesses flourish

Founded in 2004 by CEO Salim Benadel, the Eynsham based company provides high quality hosting solutions for SMEs around the world, growing from a small start up in 2004 to become recognised as the UK’s best SME hosting company and UK’s best dedicated hosting company in the last 2 consecutive years, by the highly respected Internet Service Provid-ers Association.

“The new website and brand refresh are more closely aligned with our strategic vision for growth and expansion over the next decade, and beyond. It’s been designed to provide a more user-friendly experience, with improved navigation and functionality throughout” said Benadel. “We have stayed in business for over 10 years by listening to our customers and building one-on-one relationships. We’re one of the only compa-nies in the UK who focus solely on providing affordable hosting solutions to SMEs. We work closely with our customers by really getting to know their business, so that we can provide exactly what they need both now, and in the future,” Benadel continues.

As part of their commitment to SMEs they have

introduced a free hosting growth plan, an offer avail-able to anyone, with any of their shared hosting plans. “By giving SMEs free hosting for life it is one less recurring bill for them to worry about, allowing them to focus on the growth of their business.” Benadel con-tinues, “We are passionate about helping businesses to grow and want to take some of the stresses and strains away from start-up businesses. We believe that they’ll be so happy with this partnership that as their busi-ness grows, they’ll require more hosting services which would naturally be with us. If they don’t, they get free hosting for life and our continued support. It’s as simple as that. Either way, we’re there for the journey!”

“We are very proud of the new website – and we hope it provides a useful, informative portal for our customers to get to know Storm Internet and our Managed Hosting solutions just a little better!”

As part of their commitment to SMEs, Storm Inter-net will be creating and sharing a series of valuable resources to help businesses to get ahead of the game. Here’s a few reasons Storm Internet suggest you should switch to a cloud based solution:

1) Cost savingsStatistics have shown that companies can save up

to 30% in IT costs over 3 years by switching to the cloud. Paying a fixed monthly bill rather than incurring high capital expenses is a popular option for start-up’s, often resulting in beneficial tax implications. Only paying for the resources you require means that you aren’t wasting money on technology that you don’t need, and overheads such as power and license fees are also reduced. Savings can also be made on staff, IT people don’t come cheap and with cloud computing your provider’s staff should be on hand to handle any emergencies.

2) Peace of mindDisasters happen. But with cloud computing you no

longer need to worry about complex disaster recovery plans as your service provider will take care of most issues, and they can do it faster. With data stored in the cloud, it can still be accessed no matter what happens. Your data should be stored on at least 2 different servers in different locations and good providers will offer 24/7/365 monitoring, giving you peace of mind that your critical data is safe, saving you money and allowing you to focus on running your business.

Server maintenance will be managed by your service provider too, including the latest security updates.

3) Speed The elasticity and self-service nature of a cloud based

solution naturally lends itself to enabling businesses to innovate, experiment and deliver software based solu-tions quickly.

It also gives a competitive advantage over companies that don’t use the cloud who often rely on slow, labori-ous tape backup methods – which cloud users simply don’t need to worry about.

4) AccessibilityAllowing your employees to work securely from

anywhere, at any time. This means business doesn’t have to stop when staff are out of the office or travel-ling. Moving to the cloud means that employees can access the information they require anywhere, increas-ing employee productivity.

5) ScalabilityMany businesses face spikes in traffic visiting their

website, for example, seasonal fluctuations at Christ-mas. With a cloud based solution you have the flexibil-ity to expand or downsize efficiently, as required, and you only pay for what you use too.

Contact us for more information on how you can save by switching to a cloud based solution

0800 817 4727solutions@storminternet.co.uk │ www.storminternet.co.uk

Thinking of moving to the cloud in 2015?

Talk to us, and let us help you save money, increase revenues and get the most out of transitioning to the cloud.

Storm Internet is an award winning local Oxfordshire Company that have been helping SMEs to grow, by delivering Managed Hosting Solutions for over 10 years.

We specialise in: Managed Hosting Secure Cloud Backup & Data Protection Business Email Bespoke Solution Design

All of your IT systems Managed, Monitored and Supported 24/7/365

Call: 0800 817 4727Email:solutions@storminternet.co.uk

T O R MI N T E R N E T

Empowering Small and Medium Sized Businesses

www.storminternet.co.uk

Managed Hosting · Cloud · Web Hosting · Business Email

Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel

BOOK NOW To discuss specific questions about the venue, your budget, and more, please contact us directly: phone: 01865 324 324

For more information about conference planning with the Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel, why not explore the downloads?

Conference & Meeting Planning with the Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel

At the Oxford Spires Hotel we know the time and planning it takes to organise an event for your business and team. To help, our dedicated conference & event team are on hand throughout to help you manage the details.

And after years of event planning & hosting, we know what works:• Ourin-houseteamwilldeterminethe

types of equipment you need, provide youwithstate-of-the-arttechnology,andwilltakecareofset-up/break-down

• Ourtalentedchefswillworkwithyou to determine the best meal plan-ning option, from light refreshments throughout your meeting to more substantial meals for all delegates

• Oureventsteamwillensuretheroomis set up to best facilitate your group and needs

The Perfect Meeting Rooms in OxfordAmong the conference venues in Oxford, there

is no doubt the Oxford Spires Hotel stands out. The ideal conference & meeting

venue, Oxford Spires Hotel:• Offersself-containedbusinessfacilities,provid-

ing 10 meeting rooms that are easily tailored to your requirements and cater for events both large and small (accommodating up to 266 delegates)

• Providesacentral,easilyaccessiblemeetinglocation for your delegates in the heart of Oxford, as well as private parking

• Ourmeetingroomsfeaturestate-of-the-artfacilities,suchashighspeedWi-Fiandcaneven be hired by the hour for maximum con-venience

• Boastsanexcellentselectionofactivitiesandfacilitiesneededpost-meetingtorelax.Whynotenjoy a delicious meal in our Deacons restau-rant relax with a drink in our bar and lounge orde-stressinourWillowsLeisureClub.Or,after a long day’s business, unwind in one of our comfortable bedrooms and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Set in 20 acres of stunning parkland, the Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel offers a leading Oxford con-ferencevenuethatisflexible,welcoming,andsought-after by many. Just half a mile from the city centre, our Oxford meeting rooms are also conveniently located close to the Midlands and Gloucestershire and all major transport links coming into the area.

CorporateTeamBuildinginOxfordIn conjunction with 3 specialist suppli-

ers, we offer an extensive programme of team building events that will appeal to your delegates and achieve your business objectives.

Whether it is something mentally chal-lenging or physically challenging, a short interlude during a conference or a whole day’s package of different corporate team building activities, we’ll arrange a tailored programme to suit you. Our expert event organisers will help you decide which of our team building activities will suit you and your team best.

Activities include (but are not limited to):• Exhilaratingwatersports,suchas

wakeboarding and dragon boat racing• Tailormadeteambuildingchallenges,

such as Treasure Hunts and ‘It’s a Knockout’

Transferring your Pension into Property is now possible thanks to the forthcoming changes in pension legislation.

www.PropertyinPension.com

› In operation for over 10 years

› Helped over 1000 Clients

› Flexible Investment Terms

› Discover your pension

› Increase Portfolio Diversity

› Bricks and Mortor Investments

John Charles Property Investments of Milton Park, Oxfordshire is one of the leading property investment fi rms in the UK and since 2004 has helped over 1,000 people invest into property.

• Low cost way to invest your pension

• Expert property investment advice

• Wide choice of pension investments

• UK based company

Call us 01235 911 035www.PropertyinPension.com

Outstanding returns in your pension.

Find the key and unlock your pension

Open your Pension to new opportunities by investing in Oxfordshire Property

Discover more at www.PropertyinPension.com

Outstanding returns in your pension.Switching your pension into property could make you returns of 8-10%.

“”

Premier Partners with:

Pension Buyto LetThe Landlord’s Pension

Find out more at PropertyinPension.com

Then meet Frank, like most of us he did not understand his pension, but did understand property. And after contacting Oxfordshire based John Charles Property Investments he discovered he could develop a better use of his pensions.

Frank Joyce, 52, had 3 different work pen-sions from a variety of jobs as an IT consult-ant, he wasn’t entirely sure where they were invested or how they were performing. He took matters into his own hands, wanting to better understand his pension and what property had to offer. In this account we recall how Frank changed his attitude towards his pension and is now reaping the benefits. We outline his aims and how he has now reached his goals.

What was Frank’s situation?

Until 2013 he had paid into a pension. The pension provider Friends Life projected, in a traditional stocks and shares fund based investment that Frank would receive only 5% growth on his money for the coming years ahead. He was unhappy with this pro-jection; at retirement he would not have the capital he required. He believed his pension could provide him with a higher return.

The ObjectiveAbove all else Frank wanted to consolidate,

control and simplify his pension. He had several other requirements:

• He wanted 10% return on investment, double what Friends life were forecasting.

• He wanted security over an asset to protect his money.

• He wanted a defined exit strategy from his investment in 12 months, giving him the flexibility to reassess his options

The Proposition Consolidate

Frank was provided with a free Pension Report to clarify. The report explained the past performances and the charges he was currently incurring.

Control In the next step he was able to combine

his pensions into a single pot and decipher. He decided to move his pension into a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) to ensure he could take control of his investment choice, he opted to get some help to do this, but he could have even done it on the inter-net for free to cut out financial advisor fees.

Simplify Frank was offered a variety of prop-

erty based pension investments including purpose built student accommodation, hotels and care homes. It was his decision to make and he completed his own due diligence. Frank decided to engage in a UK property development investment that has earned him 12 % on his money for a 1 year investment. He understood exactly how his money was working for him, could plan for the future with fixed returns and best of all he could see the physical results in the prop-erty investment.

Safe returnIn October 2014, he received 12% on

his money, and the full amount of capital was returned safely to him. He achieved his objectives of fixed returns, security and getting his monies returned to him on time. Frank is now planning on a second term of investment in property.

Take an active role in your pension and find out if you can switch to property today.

John Charles Property Investments has been a Premier Partner of Rightmove for over 3 years and regularly provide comment on the property and pension market. Find out if you can invest in property using your pension by clicking the enquiry link.

www.propertyinpension.com

Thinking of transferring your Pension into property?

• Frank Joyce, transferred his pension into property for a 12% annual return

THE BIG CONVERSATION: Giving staff a stake in your business

• Richard Baxter, Partner, Withy King

With many businesses now focused on growth, retaining key staff in an increasingly competitive jobs market is more important than ever. Every employee will be incentivised by different factors but having a stake in the business they work in, can be a powerful motivational force. Richard Baxter, a partner in the corporate team at Oxford law firm Withy King, explains how businesses of any size can incentivise employees through a share option scheme.

Richard Baxter’s experience as a corporate partner at Withy King is wide reaching and he can advise on all aspects of employee share option schemes. Richard has strong rela-tionships with a select group of accountants who he works closely with to advise clients on the most tax-efficient ways of structuring employee incentives. For further information or advice on this or any business issue, please contact Richard Baxter on 01865 792300 or email richard.baxter@withyking.co.uk

If an employee is not already a trusted and valued member of the team, you may understandably be cautious about giving them a stake in the business. Fortunately, a share option scheme enables you to give an employee a contractual right to a fixed number of shares while not actually issuing the shares until any pre-agreed conditions have been met. If the conditions are not met or the employee leaves, the option falls away and you do not have to worry about getting the shares back. A further benefit of a share option scheme is that it will not normally give an employee additional rights in a redundancy situa-tion. It is only when the employee exer-cises their option that he becomes a shareholder and acquires the rights of a shareholder, for example to attend shareholder meet-ings, vote and share in profits.

The most commonly used share option structure for owner managed businesses is the Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) Scheme. Under an EMI Scheme, employ-ees may be granted the right over a fixed or maximum number of shares at a price commonly set at market value at the date of the grant. The employee is then allowed to exercise the option on the terms set out in his personal offer letter. It is only when he exercises his option that he is required to pay the option price.

EMI Schemes are extremely flexible and allow options to be exercised according to

an agreed timescale, subject to company or individual performance, on a sliding scale or only on an exit. This can be different for each employee.

If the main aim is for an employee to have a share in the ultimate sale price, without necessarily being entitled to dividends in the meantime, there is arguably no real benefit in holding shares until a sale is imminent. An EMI Scheme is often used in this context as it avoids the admin of having additional share-holders in the medium term while still giving

the employee the guarantee of a share in the sale price on an exit. Once the sale is agreed, the employee gives notice to the company of his wish to exercise his option and pays the option price to the company. He then immedi-ately sells on to the third party purchaser at which point he becomes entitled to his share in the sale price.

EMI Schemes offer a number of tax breaks. The grant of the option is tax free. If the option price is set at market value at the date of grant, there is normally no tax or NI for the employee when the option is exercised. Any profit made on an ultimate sale is then subject to capital gains tax rather than income tax. A key benefit of acquiring shares via an EMI Scheme is that the individual may benefit from entrepreneur’s relief despite not holding a five per cent stake in the company. The period for which the option is held also counts towards the 12 months period of ownership required to qualify for entrepreneur’s relief.

To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.

Doug Conant, CEO, Campbell’s Soup.

Three reasons to issue shares to employees:• To reward and incentivise them through regular dividends

paid on the basis of company performance

• To encourage them to help grow the company with a view to a sale or other exit by offering them a slice of the ultimate sale price

• To develop the next generation of leaders in the business.

If you are thinking of adopting an EMI Scheme, there are four key questions you should consider:

Does your company qualify?The requirements of an EMI Scheme

include the following: gross assets of not more than £30 million; fewer than 250 full time employees; option holders must be full time employees i.e. work 25 hours per week or if less, 75 per cent of their working time but without a material (30%) interest in the company; options must be for shares worth no more than £250k; the company must be independ-ent, satisfy tests as to its trade and any subsidiary must be a “qualifying” subsidi-ary.

Do you want to specify any conditions on when share options can be exercised?

These can be linked to individual or company performance targets, length of service, a sliding scale or the ultimate sale of the business.

What class of share would you like to issue?

Options can be granted over a dif-ferent class of employee share which means that when exercised, a dividend can be paid on the employee’s shares on a different basis to any dividend payable on your shares or those of other share-holders.

Have you updated the company’s articles of association?

Adoption of any share option scheme should include a review of the company’s articles of association. This is to ensure that any shares can be reacquired if an employee leaves, if appropriate, divi-dends can be paid separately on differ-ent classes of share and, in the event of a company sale, no individual employee shareholder is able to frustrate the sales process by holding out for a higher price.

An innovative networking organ-isation is helping to boost golf club revenues and drive business across Oxfordshire by using the game as a catalyst to develop new con-tacts.

“FOre” business is celebrat-ing its second birthday this month having signed up over 750 members across 43 active groups across england, Scotland and Wales. These include the Oxford Golf Club and Heythrop Park resort, which hosted the national “FOre” business tournament last year.

more than 1000 businessmen and women have taken part in events held during the last 12 months, which has boosted the order books of local businesses and generated over £250k for the golf industry in additional green fee, beverages and food income.

A further 19 groups are being launched over the next couple of months and “FOre” business has now set its sights on having over 100 active groups on board by the end of 2016.

As Sean Fergusson co-founding director of “FOre” business explained: “Golf and business go hand in hand, as it brings likeminded people together and creates a great icebreaker with the right environment for net-working.

OXFORDSHIRE GETS A BUSINESS NETWORKING

BOOST WITH GOLF!

JOINING PACK

It’snotwhatyouknow,butwhoyouknowwhichisinfluentialinbusiness,andbeing part of an active group comes an abundanceofopportunities,as“FOREBusinessAmbassadorGaryGoymerfortheOxfordandChippingNortongroupspoints out:

Women are also getting involved as business is all about relationships and wherebettertobuildthemthanwhilstplayinggolfinarelaxedandconvivialatmosphere.

Themonthlynetworkingeventsorgan-isedby“FORE”Businessprovideunin-terruptedqualitytimeandarelaxingatmosphere to do business both on and off the golf course.

Co-foundingdirector,ArronBusstadded:“Unlikemanyothernetworkingevents,“FORE”Businessoffersanaturalwayofbuildingrelationshipsandfriend-shipsthroughouttheentirenetwork.It’s not just about the people you meet atthelocalgroupmeeting,it’sabouttappingintothenationalnetwork.

“FOre” business Dates for your diary:Oxford Golf ClubWednesday 1 April and Wednesday 6 mayHeythrop Park resortThursday 12 march and Thursday 9 AprilFor details of other monthly events across the regions, visit www.fore-business.com

meeting other businesses is always a great thing to do and

networking groups have proved this over a considerable length of time. “FOre” business allows more time and potentially greater rewards. building trust to do business with anyone is a key factor and behaviour on a golf course reveals a lot about a person.

The appetite for networking with golf has even surpassed our own

expectations and we are creating a new national community of golfers through this innovative business development concept.

meeting other businesses is always a great thing to do and

The appetite for networking with golf has even surpassed our own

this innovative business development concept.

Via the Free monthly 4-ball we provide a mecha-nism for our members to play golf and develop new busi-ness opportunities across the entire national “FOre” business community, so we are seeing members sharing their 4-ball spaces with other members up and down the country. by the end of 2015 our members will now be able to engage with 1500 business owners and senior decision makers and play on 62 different golf clubs across england, Scotland and Wales

Via the Free monthly 4-ball we provide a mecha-nism for our members to play golf and develop new busi-

expectations and we are creating a new national community of golfers through this innovative business development

networking groups have proved this

anyone is a key factor and behaviour on a golf course reveals a lot about a

Here, Kate Allen answers our questions on Oxfordshire’s employment market and provides recruitment advice for employers and HR profes-sionals.

What does the recruitment market have in store for us in 2015?

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is predicting nine per cent growth this year and demand is already threatening to outstrip supply. Our own Employment Trends Survey conducted earlier this year revealed that 93 per cent of the 128 Oxfordshire-based employers who took part, expect recruitment in 2015 to be as challenging or more challenging than it was last year; 43 per cent said they were already finding it more difficult to find quality candidates. While it’s great to see businesses forging ahead with their expansion plans, they will need to take steps to mitigate the recruitment chal-lenges and overcome the skills shortages in specific sectors. One of our roles is to help fuel business growth by matching the right people to the right roles within the right organisations to maximise the return for both the employer and the candidate.

Have job seekers’ attitudes changed?Yes. Employees are constantly on the look-out for

new opportunities. Forward-thinking employers are realising how important it is to invest in retention and reward strategies which tie their best people into the business, for example through a clearly identified career path, competitive salaries and ben-efits, great working environment and possibly even a stake in the profits or eventual sale of the business.

Do employers need to approach recruitment differently this year?

With the number of people in work at its highest level for a decade, flexibility is key. Where possible, we try to encourage employers to look beyond skills and sector expertise to experience gained in other fields as well as strong personal attributes, such as leadership, creativity or business acumen – qualities which are valuable and yet arguably, more difficult to teach. This widens the pool of candidates and gives businesses the opportunity to meet new prospects with development potential.

Flexibility is also important when it comes to benefits, environment and working practices. While salaries will always be important, job seekers are increasingly concerned with balancing their profes-sional and personal aspirations. Employers that are able to offer a degree of flexibility, for example around working hours or place of work, will have a competitive advantage over those bound by more rigid employment structures.

A flexible approach to interview dates, times, venues and formats is also helpful.

What steps can employers take to attract the best candidates?

It’s more important than ever that employers make themselves as attractive as possible to secure their first choice of candidate. This means ensur-ing they have robust employment processes in place, a strong brand and a compelling offer which includes training and career progression. Employ-

ers are increasingly having to put themselves in the candidate’s shoes and consider how they position and present themselves. The candidate will form an instant first impression of an employer in much the same way as the employer will of them. The differ-ence is that good candidates are often now able to pick and choose from more than one opportunity and will negotiate hard to secure the best deal. Great PR and marketing, clean and tidy offices, welcoming staff and an enthusiastic description of the business and the role on offer, all help to create a good first impression. We all know how impor-tant it is for candidates to present themselves well at interview – it’s even more important now that employers do the same.

What value does a recruitment agency bring?

It’s important to find a professional, service-orientated agency with a proven track record. Make sure they are REC accredited, meet them, demand the best from them and review their performance. A good recruitment consultancy will meet every candidate they register and invest time in getting to know every client’s business so they have a good understanding of their ethos, culture, environment and existing personalities. An experienced consult-ant helps business to identify and secure the right person for the role as well as the organisation, saving a considerable amount of time and effort.

Securing your first choice candidate in a competitive recruitment market Kate Allen

Managing DirectorAllen Associates

This month, Oxfordshire business Guardian meets Kate Allen, managing Director at Allen Associates – one of the county’s longest-established, independent recruitment consultancies. Founded by Kate and rob Allen in 1998, the consultancy was the first recruitment business in Oxfordshire to achieve Investors in People Gold status for the high calibre of its staff training and development which translates into exceptional client service.

Allen Associates places permanent and temporary staff in roles at all levels within PA and administration, HR, marketing and finance. To find out more, visit www.allen-associates.co.uk or contact Kate Allen on 01865 335600 or kate.allen@allen-associates.co.uk

Let’s firstly look at a typical sale. In Greater Leys, Oxford there is a 2 bedroom mid terrace house for sale at £230,000. Working off a typical mortgage rate of 3.5%, with a 30 year repayment plan and based on an initial deposit of £12,000 (5%), the monthly repayments would be £979. Over this period the total

repayable sum amounts to £352,400.Turning my attention to the rental

side and this property would fetch approx. £950 per calendar

month. Over a typical 12 month tenancy

this would cost a tenant

£11400 in

rent. Calculated over the same mortgage period and renting this property has cost the tenant £342,000.

In this case the difference between renting and owning is just over £10k so it would appear as though the answer is obvious. Buying must be the way to go. The sales market must be booming, but yet in a lot of cases it is not, and the number of people choosing to rent continues to grow. Besides the numbers, it clear that a certain per-centage of people still favour renting than buying. The National Centre for Social Research report, 2014 backs this up pointing to a shift in attitudes from previous generations when buying at the first opportunity was the ‘done thing’.

Although in pure monetary terms, buying seems like the best option, first time buyers are clearly also considering the risk associated with

owning their own property. I point to some of the following examples of why there is still

a reluctance to buy:

• It’s a big financial commitment –first timers need to be sure they can afford what they’re taking on.

• When interest rates rise, repayments will also go up. It’s important to know how much a rise would be.

• New homeowners also need to be sure they can afford maintenance costs such as replacing a boiler if it packs up or fixing a leaky roof. If you stretch yourself too much when you buy you may resent not having money for meals out, holidays and entertainment

• You have less flexibility than when renting. For example, if you want to move for work or personal reasons selling up and moving on is far more expensive if you own as you’ll have all of the associated estate agency and legal fees. Also bear in mind that it may not always be easy to sell your home – it’ll be dependent on what’s happening in the market

• If you’re living with someone else and split up, the process of sorting out the property will be far more complicated and expensive

Buying and owning your own home is cer-tainly what the majority of us continue to strive towards, but now more than ever ‘Generation Rent’ continues to gather considerable momen-tum and shows no sign of slowing down in the future. No doubt this will be welcomed news amongst Oxford’s landlords and investors.

For your Oxford Market property update please visit my blog at www.oxfordproperty-blog.co.uk

Rent Vs Buy in Oxford – Which is best?An intriguing question, yes? Or one which would appear patently obvious to answer? Surely we are all in this to own our own property one day rather than paying out large sums of what is essentially ‘dead’ money as we like to call it. Or is there a little more to it than that?

What it isn’tIt’s not a clever trick or technique. It’s not some-

thing you can find in the myriad “The Secret to……” books and training courses. It’s not to be found in what people tell us we must do, such as meditation, mindfulness, positive thinking, affirmations, or finding our courage by swinging on ropes or crawling down potholes. And it’s certainly not found in just blindly copying the habits of other people.

Prior to moving into coaching and consulting nearly twenty years ago, Simon was a uK Director of nCr Ltd, a global computer company.

Since then he has worked with well-known organisations such as HP, Compaq, BT, RBoS, HSBC and SGI as well as smaller/medium sized companies such as Thomas International and Polycasa. He has also worked on a one to one coaching basis with several hundred senior man-agers and business owners.

Email:simon@theclearmind.co.ukOffice: 01844 342239

The Key to great performance is simple

What it isThe key is to be found in gaining a clear

understanding how the human mind works, then getting out of your own way, and in doing so, automatically releasing your capability to get things done effectively, effi ciently and with a sense of ease.

Think for a minute.• Have you ever wondered why some days

you feel on fi re and everything just seems to go your way and other days it just doesn’t?

• Have you ever hated your job one minute and loved it the next? Or maybe this feeling has lasted hours, days or even weeks?

• Have you ever wondered why some people with seemingly all the skills, knowledge and experience they could ever need, just don’t seem to deliver on their potential? Even those that seem highly motivated?

The chances are you have.Now let me ask what you think causes these

fl uctuations in feelings and performance?If you’re like most people, you’ll name outside

infl uences such as people, situations and circum-stances outside your control.

But what if this were not true? What if you were creating these experiences yourself?

What if how you feel and what happens outside of you operate independently of each other?

How would that affect how you feel and what you do? Here’s another question?

• Does everyone always respond in the same way to the same situation or people?

Of course not. Otherwise we would all like the same fi lms, music, holiday destinations, people, type of work etc.

That’s a tough one to get our heads around, but let’s for one minute take what is for many,

the ultimate bad situation – being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I’ve known people in this situation and I’ve met with people working in hospices. Overwhelmingly the view is that there are as many reactions to having the disease as there are people who have it. In other words, they all view it differently and they all respond differently. The disease does not DIRECTLY create the feeling/experience. If it did, then eve-ryone would respond in the same way.

Now, if we can see this is the case with something so major, then we can see how the same applies in our work lives. How a sales-person feels when his bid is rejected. How a customer services representative feels when faced with abuse from a disgruntled customer. How a manager feels when one of their team consistently fails to deliver. How a leader feels when faced with a backlash to a change they are proposing. Their experience of the situation is not directly caused by it the situation otherwise everyone would feel the same way in the same situation.

So what to do Well as I said at the beginning, success does

not lie in doing what others tell us to do, or copying their behaviour. So I am not going to add to your list of ‘shoulds’. I might even suggest that you should reduce your should’s (!) as they’re probably getting in your way.

The coaching and training we do is not pre-scriptive. We don’t tell you how to do your job and what you should and shouldn’t think/feel/behave. There is no need. We simply help you see for yourself how the mind works and once you see this, the answers to your questions become obvious to you. As your mind clears, you stop doing what you think you should and simply do what works. The answers you get will be totally relevant to you and your situation. They will be answers for you alone and they will be different to the answers for others. The lessons that come from within us, from our insights, are the ones we learn.

Our goal at The Clear Mind is

simply to help you create the conditions where these insights occur whenever you need them. Not just when you are on a workshop or having coaching, but more importantly, for the rest of your life when you are not.

What sort of results have our clients seen?

Naturally, they have seen the real tangible business benefi ts they were looking for in the fi rst place such as increased sales, close rates, projects and change programs delivered on time within budget. The surprise for most though lay in the fact that these seemed to be achieved with less, rather than more effort. They also noticed signifi cantly improved work relationships (one Director even talked of his relationship with his teenage daughter being better than it ever had been), lowered stress levels and a greater sense of enjoyment in their work.

Or to put it another way, we help people to spend more time in the top two boxes in the diagram below

It sounds like snake oil. It isn’t. Our results are simply testimony to the fact that once people see how they get in their own way, they can achieve remarkable results.

If you think this is new age clap trap, that’s fi ne, but if you’re intrigued, let’s talk. Call me on 01844 342239Simon Berry – The Clear Mindwww.theclearmind.co.uk

There is no direct cause and e� ect between what goes on outside us and how we feel.

Our experience is only ever created through our thinking

A common sense cleaning service for your business

‘Gazella’ is the genus of the gazelle family. Gazelles are swift and agile and have constantly evolved to survive and succeed in a predatory, ever-changing environment.In America, SMEs characterized by rapid growth and pace are known as “Gazelle” companies.Gazella HR was formed to help UK businesses grow by involving great people who are all doing the right things at the right time...…because an involved workforce is an engaged workforce. And an engaged workforce will make the journey with you.

If your business is like most businesses, your workforce is your largest expense. Put a better way, your employees are the largest investment that you make in your company.Like any successful business person, you will be looking for a healthy return on that investment. At Gazella, we aim to help you get results from HR that are straightforward, legally compliant and build your ROI.

What we bring is our experience in delivering results, whether that’s helping you to recruit the right people, get the best out of them or slim down your team. And when it gets more complicated, we offer HR outsourcing in acquisitions, restructures, redundancy and culture change programmes, as well as executive team audits and employee appraisals that help the whole team maintain the feeling of control and moving forward.

Our aim is to support you as an SME owner to produce results and returns that are right for you, your employees and your business by acting as: · your virtual HR Director and advisor, bringing our expertise in just where and when it’s needed,· your HR team, working with you to develop your business from the inside, or· your strategic project lead on workforce change,

leaving your HR team to manage the company’s day to day needs. We can create the package to suit you, ranging from a one day gap analysis to identify where you are now and how you could optimize your return, to implementing a bespoke campaign that delivers an exceptional workforce who understand how to deliver ROI.

The Gazella HR blog aims to look at all areas of HR from a different slant. We believe that working closely with employees and seeing life from their perspective is the way forward to delivering profi t and ROI in your business. We start by ensuring that the basics you need - contracts, handbooks, policies - are in place and then concentrate on

making sure that you have the right people, doing the right things, at the right time, right the way across across your business.Our blogs concentrate on the reality and the art of the possible of employing people. They are all available for you to read by visiting our website clicking the title on the right of your screen.

What we do

How can we help you?

Thinking

gazellaHR LimitedPrama House267 Banbury RoadOxfordOX2 7HThttp://www.gazellahr.co.uk

‘Gazella’ is the genus of the gazelle family. Gazelles are swift and agile and have constantly evolved to survive and succeed in a predatory, ever-changing environment.In America, SMEs characterized by rapid growth and pace are known as “Gazelle” companies.Gazella HR was formed to help UK

If your business is like most businesses, your workforce is your largest expense. Put a better way, your employees are the largest investment that you make in your company.Like any successful business person, you will be looking for a healthy return on that investment. At Gazella, we aim to help you get results from HR

What we bring is our experience in delivering results, whether that’s helping you to recruit the right people, get the best out of them or slim down your team. And when it gets more complicated, we offer HR outsourcing in acquisitions, restructures, redundancy and culture change programmes, as well as executive team audits and employee

What we do

Why are we Gazella HR?

DON’T MISS OUR ...

Book a stand in order to:• meet with students and parents from West Oxfordshire schools;• • access fi nancial advice and guidance;• meet college and training providers;•

Support a student - Provide a working opportunity!Organised by the West Oxfordshire Learning Partnership, engaging with the business community.

TO BOOK -

THE MARLBOROUGH C of E SCHOOL, Shipton Road, Woodstock, OX20 1LP

Calling all employers

APPRENTICESHIPEVENT

INFORMATION for STUDENTS, PARENTS AND EMPLOYERS

The Marlborough Church of England School

THURSDAY 16th April 2015 @ 6pm

Who will be there?Darke & Taylor

ISIS TrainingSOFEA

JTLMaylarch

Thames Valley Police

Culham Centre for FusionAbingdon & Witney College

Oxford Energy Academyand many more...

Following the recent activities for national Apprenticeship week in Oxfordshire, the West Oxfordshire Learning Partnership is holding its second Apprenticeship Fair for students and businesses on 16th April from 6pm at The marlborough School’s enterprise Centre (meC) in Woodstock.

Withalmost40exhibitorsalreadysigneduptoattend,thiseventwillraiseawarenessaboutapprenticeshipsandwillprovideinfor-mationandsupportforbusinesses,parentsand students through a carefully structured programme.Theschoolwillopenitsdoorstolocalbusinesses,parentsandstudentsfrom6pm-8pmwithpresentationsfromMelanieRingerofOxfordshireApprentice-shipsandtwoapprentices,bothintheirthirdyearatCulhamCentreforFusionEnergy,whowillbetalkingabouttheirexperiencesof the application process and describing their apprenticeship journey. OrganiserSharonWhittaker,Business&EnterpriseCo-ordinatoratMarlboroughSchool,reportsthatinterestinapprentice-shipsinWestOxfordshireisgrowingfast;“Weareseeingincreasedinterestfromstudentsandlocalbusinessesalikewhoareconsidering apprenticeships as a serious

option.Inaddition,studentslivinginruralareas need local employment. This event is an opportunity for students to meet a rangeofexpertswhocanhelpthemmakean informed choice. More and more young peopleinOxfordshireareleavingschooltostart an apprenticeship and it is crucial that wehelpthemprepareinthebestpossibleway’.Thiswillbeanexcellentopportunityforanyemployerlookingtopromoteanappren-ticeshiporwantingtolearnmoreaboutapprenticeships.Adviserswillbeavailabletoexplorethebenefitsandsuitabilityofapprenticeships.Forfurtherinformation,tobookanexhibi-

tor’s place or to register your interest in attendingtheeveningopensession,pleasecontactSharonWhittakeron01993814744oremail:s.whittaker@marlborough.oxon.sch.uk

West Oxfordshire’s Biggest Apprenticeship Event at The Marlborough School on 16th April 2015

Thames Valley Expo - READINGThurs 19th March @ 9.00am - 3.00pm

@ The Conference Centre, Green Park,Longwater Avenue, Reading RG2 6GP

80+ Exhibitors, 7 Keynotes, 5 Workshops, Networking, FREE ENTRY

THAMES VALLEY’S BIGGEST SME BUSINESS SHOW IS BACK!

We would like to invite you to The Thames Valley Expo Thursday 19th March 2014 @ The Conference Centre, Green Park, Longwater Avenue, Reading RG2 6GP (Doors open at 9.00am - 3.00pm)

This expo is free to attend and is ideal for anyone thinking about starting a business or expanding their current business.With over 80 exhibitors, advice, opportunities, and much more, can you afford to miss out?

The Thames Valley Expo as we believe it is the ideal way to enhance your business; to grow, prosper and thrive across the region.

REGISTER FREE TODAYEVERYONE THAT REGISTERS AND ATTENDS GETS 2 FREE TICKETS TO NEWBURY RACECOURSE WORTH £50.00

Join 100’s of powerful infl uential businesses and make incredible deals, engage with new suppliers and get that initial contact in order to build long lasting business relationships..

The Expo welcomes businesses from a cross-section of industries/sectors, to ensure that this is a success we remain more committed than ever in ensuring that visitors are provided with everything they need to improve, evolve, expand and develop their business.

WATCH LAST YEAR’S VIDEOAttend this year’s expo and learn why some of the world’s top international brands and most innovative fastest growing companies are choosing Thames Valley region as their European hub and headquarters. With so many ambitious business people in one place - 80+ exhibitors, 5 key-note seminars, 5 workshops and 3 networking sessions- the atmosphere is always electric.

REGISTER FREE TODAY

WHAT’S AT THE EXPO?Over 80 exhibitorsNetwork with over 700 regional businessesBe inspired by our 5 Keynote Speakers (UK’s Leading Business Keynotes)Be informed by our 5 unique industry leading Workshops Meet new contacts at our 3 speed networking sessionsMeet prospects or clients in our dedicated WORKZONE with free Wi-FiWonder Women Business Panel - Smashing the glass ceilingBenefi t from the Slow Networking Opportunities2 FREE Tickets to Newbury RacecourseA Delegate Goody Bag with over £100 of business promotional offers Free Subscription to Talk Business Magazine worth £40

EVERYONE THAT REGISTERS AND ATTENDS GETS 2 FREE TICKETS TO NEWBURY RACECOURSE WORTH £50.00