It is no wonder then, that the business leaders we are working with say time and again that their business needs to be resilient as they navigate economic uncertainty.
From a business resilience perspective, investing in the right leadership and management skills is vital. It enables leaders to focus on the skills they need to develop a value driven business that is capable of weathering the storm of external pressures facing most organisations.
Recruiting and retaining excellent staff can be a challenge for small businesses. Ensuring they are an attractive place to work for prospective employees and providing opportunities for professional development and career progression is a must.
In a highly competitive recruitment market, having a culture where employees feel supported and valued can set an organisation apart from the rest.
Having a motivated, skilled, productive workforce is the foundation for sustainable business growth but strong leadership skills can help to foster that further.
The government-funded Help to Grow: Management programme has proved incredibly successful in supporting small businesses to develop their leadership talent.
Delivered by university business schools, the programme can help leaders focus on a specific issue, such as expanding their business in a new market, or more broadly supporting changes in culture and sustainability.
What we do at Sheffield Hallam University and through the Help to Grow: Management scheme is to help leaders to focus on the opportunities for their business – supporting them to consider their mission and values and plan for the future.
The 12-week course has been incredibly well received by the business community since it launched in 2021.
At Sheffield Hallam University we’ve delivered the course to almost 170 business leaders over the last two years with new cohorts planned for this year in Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield.
There are benefits beyond the course for businesses. They become part of a network of businesses who have taken part, providing peer-to-peer support and shared experiences in leadership.
Participants can also access other programmes delivered by the University as well as our facilities and expertise. More than 50 per cent of those who’ve taken part in the programme have gone on to use other University services.
One of our participants, Lucy Prior Business Growth Director at Trough-Tec Systems said the programme helped her to ‘network with a group of peers that she wouldn't ever have met beforehand’.
Duncan McCombie is the CEO of YES Energy Solutions CIC, which supports householders escape fuel poverty and reduce climate change. He took part in the first cohort of programme delivered by Sheffield Hallam in 2021 and said the course helped him to ‘explore new options and consider broader possibilities’.
With 2024 looking like another challenging year for small businesses up and down the country, resilience has never been higher on the priority list of leaders.
But with decisive leadership, strategic direction and an empowered workforce, businesses can get themselves into the best position to weather the storm and sustainably grow their business.
Originally published in the Yorkshire Post
