t2 business solutions blog

£2,500 for employing jobless

An interesting article on Wales Online explains how employers are to be paid up to £2,500 for every person they recruit and train who has been out of work for more than six month.

The move is part of a £500 million package to support the long-term unemployed as the number of jobless continues to rise.

The money will also go towards additional training places to equip people with new skills, as well as 'intensive' support from JobCentre Plus advisors.

This is due to be rolled out in April, with the money to be spread over two years. To read the full article, click here.

Happy New Year from t2 business solutions

t2 business solutions would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and wish everyone the best for 2009!

The Importance of a Christmas Party

An article on the ILM website advises that while some office managers may think it is necessary to cancel the office Christmas party due to the current economic climate, it has been claimed is more important than ever to motivate employees.

ILM advise that it is 'crucial' for management to make sure their team feels valued and help boost morale.

The groups chief executive advised that even though holding a Christmas party may seem like a small gesture, it goes a long way toward recognising team achievements over the past year, showing them that their work is not being taken for granted.

ILM advises that Christmas parties can be cost-effective and fun, and it notes that holding the party in the office or booking a venue which is free to hire are other money-saving ideas.

So the question is...where are you having yours?

2011 Census Form To Include 'Welsh'

Wales Online published an article today announcing that a 'Welsh' tick-box will be included in the 2011 census, the Office for National Statistics confirmed yesterday.

In the 2001 census, people were able to define themselves as Irish or Scottish on the official government survey, but there was no option to tick Welsh.

This sparked widespread protests, and the Western Mail led a campaign for the form to be changed.

Peter Benton, the deputy director of the 2011 census yesterday said: “There has been a very strong demand for people to be able to state their own identity, especially to say they were Welsh. We looked for the best way for people to express this.”

In other changes, each Welsh household will receive a bilingual copy of the census form. People will also be able to complete the form online for the first time.

To read the full article, click here.

Success of Business Could Lie With Training

According to an article on the ILM website, studies have shown that it is vital for businesses to offer adequate training to employees. The Learning and Skills Council have advised that training can improve not only the productivity and efficiency of workers, but also staff retention rates.

Jaine Clarke, director of communications at the Learning and Skills Council, claimed that "progressive" companies are able to understand the importance of training staff, which can help them to outstrip their rivals in the marketplace and survive economic difficulties.

"Training is key if businesses are to prosper and grow - whatever the economic circumstances," she remarked.

Statistics from Evaluation of Train to Gain showed that 43% of workers received pay rises as a result of training, while 42% of employers claimed it boosted their productivity and profitability, Ms Clarke added.

Learning strategy director Kevin Lowell wrote for Personnel Today last month that companies should not cut back on their training budgets as a result of the credit crunch.

Managers Struggle To Raise Workplace Spirits

ILM have posted an interesting article explaining how managers will have to work even harder to keep morale high in their workplace as the economic downturn bites.

Apparently, research by Accenture reveals that 61% of business leaders believe that employees are concerned about losing their jobs or that their spirits have fallen.

While job security is a major worry to staff members now, managers might find themselves having to let people go. Because of this, managers must work hard to ensure those who remain behind are happy in what they do.

According to David Smith, Managing Director of Accenture, managers failing to do this could find they face another employee exodus when the economic situation improves as workers looks to change jobs.

t2 business solutions, one of the leading Welsh training providers, offers a 'Motivating Yourself and Others' bespoke training course to companies, which could help in these uncertain times. Key topics for this course include getting the best from people and dealing with the all important de-motivation. For more information on this course, or any others, visit t2's website.

More Recycling Needed For UK

An interesting article on the ILM website looks into how the Local Government Association has said that the UK needs to do more about recycling, even though rates are moving in the right direction.

Apparently, figures have shown that household recycling and composting rates have risen from 30.9% in 2006-07 to 34.5% in 2007-08, but the UK is still behind the rest of Europe.

Paul Bettison, Chairman of the LGA Environment Board said "Britain is still the dustbin of Europe, throwing more waste into landfill than any other country in the EU."

While recycling has increased, other countries on the continent recycle twice as much. Local authorities and council tax payers face fines totaling £3 billion if landfill waste is not reduced.

Mr Bettison added that for this reason new ways of improving recycling levels must be investigated and the LGA has called for the law to be strengthened so councils can punish people who throw rubbish from cars.

Wales' New Hi-Tech Rugby Kit Launched!

WalesOnline today announced that Wale's new rugby kit has been launched and is now on sale! Nearly a year in the making, the kit was put to the test by Warren Gatland’s men trying to rip it off each other’s backs, and it is claimed that the Welsh rugby team’s new kit  could be the most technologically advanced in the world.

The kit features slinky, “anti-grab” material and in-built sun protection, to team socks with added charcoal to stop them smelling, its creators say it is a genuine feat of engineering. The jersey, which was created by up to 100 people, is made from polyester and nylon and contains several features to help finely tune performance.

The home shirt has anti-microbial properties and an ultraviolet protection factor to guard against the sun’s harmful rays. The shirt – which will get its debut against South Africa on November 8 – is designed to keep the players’ core body temperature at the optimal level, and to keep them dry. Its tightness helps remove sweat in seconds.

It also features “dragon scale grippy” technology on the inside of the sleeves and to the side of the chest for enhanced ball-handling ability and can even withstand being pulled in different directions.

Its durability was put to the test when Wales coach Warren Gatland told his team to try and rip the shirts off each other’s backs during a training session.

The company behind the new kit is US firm Under Armour, the flagship sportswear provider for American football and basketball, which has also provided equipment for soldiers on the frontline. Its bosses admit they had considered designing kit for other nations, but chose Wales because of its passion for the sport.

Under Armour’s representative in the UK, Mike Dods said: "If the kit makes a 0.1% difference, like semi-fitted shorts, that might help Shane Williams not get caught a metre from the line, that’s when we know we’ve done our job.”

Throughout production, Under Armour also visited rugby clubs and schools across Wales to get into the mindset of the average Welsh fan and what they wanted.

The new kit is on sale now from £70 for the professional jersey and £40 for the fans’ shirt. It will also be sold online at www.wru.co.uk

Lack of Training in UK Workers

An interesting article on ILM explains how more than three quarters of UK workers have been asked to undertake tasks which they have not been trained for.

A new survey conducted by SkillSoft found 76% of respondents felt they should have been better prepared before being assigned certain elements of their job.

The survey showed that the most common element people were asked to undertake without proper training was managing people, followed by project management and leadership.

It also found that line managers, supervisors and senior managers are considered to be those most in need of training.

t2 business solutions offers a variety of training, ranging from Modern Apprenticeships to tailored training and one-day open courses. t2's areas of training included management, sales, customer service, IT, personal effectiveness and more. For more information visit t2's website.

Rise in Welsh Adults with Skills

An article on Wales Online explains that the proportion of working age adults in Wales without qualifications has fallen by nearly a third since 2001.

Figures released by the Welsh Assembly Government show that just 14.9% of people reported having absolutely no educational qualifications in 2007, which is down from 21.5% in 2001.

In Monmouthshire just 8.2% of working age adults remain without qualifications, while in Merthyr Tydfil the figure is as high as 21.4%, or more than one in five. Looking at the English regions, only the West Midlands has a higher proportion of its adults without qualifications, at 16.6%.

The steady improvement in Wales is reflected at every different skill level. The proportion qualified to National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 2 or above – defined as five GCSEs at grade A*-C, NVQ Level 2 or equivalent – has risen from 60.4% in 2001 to 68.5% in 2007.

Those achieving NVQ Level 3, has risen from 39.5% to 47.1%, while those reaching degree or diploma level have risen from 22.1% to 27.3%.

t2 business solutions offers funded vocational Modern Apprenticeships to Welsh adults through the Welsh Assembly Government. For more information visit t2's website.