Bondholders talk time

Marketing Derby‘s second Talking Business LIVE webinar brought Bondholders together to consider how best to maximise time whilst working at home during the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Tips from Bondholders the University of Derby, Safe and Sound, Vibrant Accountancy, AWD Development Solutions and Derby County Community Trust included balancing tasks for short-term business continuity with reflection and planning for the longer-term, alongside taking opportunities for learning and development.

Tracy Harrison, CEO at charity Safe and Sound, noted the importance of partnership and using skills to support each other during the crisis. She said: “There is a lot of business support out there that doesn’t have to involve money, for example why not look at ‘skill swaps’ with other local businesses to help each other with advice, support, time and expertise. Swapping skills is a real opportunity as together we can achieve more.”

The webinar is now available on Marketing Derby’s YouTube channel – click here.

The third Talking Business Live will be held next Tuesday 21st April.

Dr Chris Bussell, University of Derby, highlighted the opportunity for businesses to retrain and upskill staff with the University offering a range of short courses. On Wednesday 22 April (2.30-3.30pm) the University will run a webinar on its online training provision.

Derby County Community Trust is also moving online, making its digital resources available for parents, caters and teachers who are home-schooling. Speaking on the webinar, Will Turner of the Trust urged people to look after their health, adapting the routine of favourite activities to stay active and using the time at home to take a health MOT.

Bev Wakefield of Vibrant Accountancy gave handy tips to get on top of business finances: optimise your cashflow cycle; look at your eligibility for R&D credits and the government grants available to businesses; review business plans and budgets; and get ahead with cloud-based accountancy and tax returns.

Advice on motivating staff to keep them engaged and effective, and adapting management and communication styles whilst working at home, came from Andrew Deighton, AWD Development Solutions. “As many of us are working remotely, juggling personal and work responsibilities, the need for flexibility is greater than ever. We need flexibility in how we work, how we use our time, and how we manage our employees. We all need to adapt our styles and approaches to help each other.”

Further Talking Business LIVE! Webinars will be announced in due course. Following the second webinar, Marketing Manager at Timms Solicitors, Sharon Jeffrey said: “It’s easy to forget when you’re working from home that we are still part of this incredibly supportive business and network. The webinars are so uplifting..it doesn’t matter that we are in kitchens/offices/dining rooms, the sense of togetherness is apparent.”

Abbi Burns, owner of Darley Dance Productions echoed this, saying: “Having the Bondholder events online is great because not only is the advice from the panellists useful and interesting but it also gives us chance to see each other and feel, in some way, like there is familiarity in these uncertain times.”