Business News
Talent pool among ex-offenders
West Midlands firms are being urged to employ more ex- offenders – as they could be missing out on a big pool of untapped talent. Police and Crime
Commissioner David Jamieson wants more companies and public sector organisations to give a second chance to those who have served time behind bars. He believes that by offering those with a chequered past the chance to rehabilitate, reoffending would be reduced and millions would be saved in policing, prison and legal costs. According to the Office for
National Statistics, around 29 per cent of people who have been released from custody, received a non-custodial conviction or were handed a caution go on to reoffend. However, a Government
study in 2013 found that offenders who landed a job within a year of being released from prison were up to 10 per cent less likely to reoffend than criminals who were unemployed for that time. Mr Jamieson, said: “We
know that if an individual can find work then they are much less likely to reoffend. “Organisations should think
about the untapped potential of employing people who want to their life around and make amends for the poor decisions they’ve made in the past.”
Emily Stubbs: creating lasting change
Chamber campaign tackles productivity in the region
A Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) campaign aimed at boosting productivity through improved leadership and people management gets underway this month. Growth Through People, which
returns for a third year, was designed by the Chamber Council in response to a productivity gap in the West Midlands. The purpose of the month-long
campaign is to promote the positive impact leadership and people management skills have on productivity in organisations. It will also encourage Greater
Birmingham businesses to develop those skills. A four-week series of free-to-
access events, workshops, research and thought leadership content begins on 25 February. Over the course of four weeks,
the GBCC will deliver 15 events in partnership with over 40 organisations. The GBCC is teaming up with the
University of Birmingham to deliver Growth Through Responsible Leadership Week (25 February to 1 March), while Aston University are backing Growth Through Attracting and Developing Talent Week (4 to 8 March). Growth Through Unlocking Potential Week (11 to 15 March) is sponsored by Curium Solutions and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development are supporting Growth Through Workplace Resilience Week (18 to 22 March). To ensure Growth Through
People has a lasting impact, the GBCC will also release original research into businesses views on leadership and management - and its impact on productivity. Delegates are encouraged to
book onto events now to avoid disappointment. Emily Stubbs, patron and policy
adviser, said: “Growth Through People 2019 builds on the success of the 2018 campaign. “The Chamber is striving to
create a real, lasting change to the productivity gap in the region and, as always, to ensure our members are equipped with the best skills to thrive and grow. “We look forward to working
with our sponsors throughout the campaign to deliver some fantastic events, supported by a host of thought-leadership video, podcast and blog content and social media engagement.”
More information on Growth Through People can be found at
www.greaterbirminghamchambers. com/GTP
Spotlight on key leadership challenges
Business leaders discussed skills challenges in leadership roles and the construction and rail industries, at the launch of a key Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce report. The event explored the
performance of the region’s businesses, analysed in the Chamber’s fourth Quarterly Business Report of 2018, sponsored by Birmingham City University. Raj Kandola, senior policy and
patron advisor at the Chambers, said Brexit uncertainty and the rate of inflation continue to be concerns for businesses, but domestic demand and business confidence remained high. Mr Kandola added manufacturers
had experienced a welcome upturn in exports, with 48 per cent reporting rising sales, compared to 24 per cent in Q3.
6 CHAMBERLINK February 2019 Delegates at Birmingham City
University’s Curzon Building also heard from Curium Solutions managing director Andy Dawson who focused on the skills required by leaders in order to effectively boost business performance. He said: “What we see as getting
missed is the mind-set focus. How do you get people to think, act and behave differently? It is a key leadership responsibility. However, we just don’t do it. “In our businesses, we find many
excuses not to give feedback, fear or apathy might step in and that means we are not giving them that feedback they really need.” Rose Rees, skills and inclusion
lead at the Midlands Metro Alliance, discussed skills challenges in the construction and rail sectors – such as the projected 24,800 ‘replacement’ jobs to be filled.
Report launch: Birmingham City University’s deputy-vice chancellor Professor Julian Beer, GBCC chief executive Paul Faulkner, Rose Rees of the Midlands Metro Alliance, Birmingham City University’s director of innovation enterprise employability and business engagement, Curium’s Andy Dawson and GBCC’s Raj Kandola
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89
