It was fantastic to see so many people at the Chamber’s Innovation in Business event on 1 March 2022. Under the umbrella of ‘The Good Business Festival’, around 85 business representatives gathered to meet and greet one another and hear some valuable “nuggets” of information and advice from our business panel. The event clearly showed us that companies and organisations want to return to face-to-face engagement, and the sense of normalcy in the room was palpable.
A common theme that emerged from the Panel was the change in the way we work, the change in the way employers recruit, and the change in the way people search for a new way to work. It was agreed that many companies thought that they had nailed the “adapting to the new normal” during the pandemic, what was clear from the Panel is that this is just the start.
The world is changing faster than ever before, and technological advancements are placing a demand on us to adopt a “growth mindset”. Now more than ever, there is a need for leaders to embrace the fact that there is a relentless drive to deliver the best outcomes for the people and the business they represent, and what worked well yesterday may work less well today and may not work at all tomorrow.
With world leading businesses in the borough of Knowsley there are a multitude of opportunities with those that have the right skills. However, for many businesses where they once had 10 people apply for one job, they are now seeing one person, or in some instances, no-one applies.
What is clear, and this was the consensus from our Panel last week, is that in this highly competitive field those leaders and businesses that respond effectively to the new HR trends will ensure their organisations stand out from competitors. And from a workplace health and wellbeing perspective the pandemic has increased the trend of employers playing an expanded role in their employees’ financial, physical, and mental well-being. Such support includes enhanced sick leave, financial assistance, adjusted hours of operation and childcare provisions.
So, our businesses are adapting and changing to the workforce challenge. However, at the same time they are mindful and making contingency plans for the pressures on their way, including rising costs of raw materials and energy, and, as I write, the world is watching the growing conflict in the Ukraine.
Acknowledging that these are difficult and uncertain times, the purpose of Knowsley Chamber is to be there to support companies through their journey so do contact the team if you require support, advice, and guidance.