< Previous20 Business Link www.blmforum.net BUSINESS TRAVEL AND LEISURE locals are generally proud and happy to give you the best advice about how to behave and fit in, in their home country or area, and further help a person to avoid the inexperienced or ignorant ‘tourist on tour’ vibe. Specific training, usually from experts who have lived and worked in a country or area/regional office, can also be sourced for staff needing specific or a more in-depth understanding of a new culture for a meeting that needs to be handled extra delicately. This training will cover cultural awareness as well as focusing on any gender specific challenges abroad and of course gives attendees a chance to ask additional, more complicated questions relevant to the challenges that maybe encountered. There are often definitive expectations when attending business meetings away, such as how a business traveller should dress, with possible additional restrictions for women in certain cultures. A few general rules for all are to dress smartly and conservatively, avoiding whacky shirts, ties, socks, accessories and footwear, unless that is expected, for example in the fashion world. The weather is also something to be considered as sweat marks from overheating is not a good look and will cause discomfort, as can being too cold. Always match the fabric to the weather, for instance in a humid country or hot climate natural fabrics like cotton are better to wear and more comfortable. Where possible, pack lightly as many regular business travellers never check luggage in if flying, only taking a carry-on bag, avoiding the risk of the airline losing essential bags, equipment and business wear. Carry only an appropriately clean, smart briefcase or bag to hold paperwork, electronics and files into the meeting itself, being aware if it’s appropriate to put the bag on the table or better to place it on your lap or, if necessary, on the floor. Always be punctual to any meetings or dinners. When you arrive www.blmforum.net Business Link 21 BUSINESS TRAVEL AND LEISURE at your destination look at travel times and routes, and allow time for delays, such as in India where cows have a right of way and hold up traffic as many gods and goddesses are associated with the cow, or in Germany where autobahn drivers are free to go as fast as they want in de- restricted sections but in many areas 80 mph per hour is the speed and of course road works and diversions can crop up anywhere. Some travel dates are unavoidable so research if the country you are visiting, or area in the UK, is celebrating a specific religious or national occasion, such as Ramadan – this is where Muslims don’t drink or eat between dawn and sunset – therefore a business lunch would be out of the question and inviting someone who is honouring Ramadan to a lunch would be deemed rude and ignorant. So, learning about local dining customs and etiquette is essential as dining out often forms an important part of business culture. Adjusting expectations relating to a different country’s culture is also helpful. For instance, in China it can take time to build a relationship with the often more reserved Chinese people, so be patient. In France it goes a long way to learn a few words of French, if not apologise for the lack of fluency, and in Germany, during meetings, communication is serious and direct, so avoid jokes. Overall, working abroad, or further afield in the UK, can be interesting and a lot of fun but it’s vital to be aware that people differ from other countries, cultures and regions and often have different expectations and expect an effort is made to meet these, as it would be hoped any visitor to the UK would do the same. Taking time to research the area, wear the correct clothes, prepare ahead for the meeting and learn the correct etiquette for a meal could mean the world of difference and affect the outcome of a business deal, turning it from negative to positive.22 Business Link www.blmforum.net PRINT AND PACKAGING D esigning and executing the best packaging for your brand, identity and product can be a labour of love, often necessary to attract customers in the first place. But it’s worth the attention to detail, down to the literal fine print that can hold consumer attention by providing them with vital information. Even in these smaller details, there are a multitude of functions such as accessibility, placement and appearance to consider. Conveying unique selling points and features – even in just a few words to as many people as possible – contributes a great deal to making an instant emotional connection, or being able to tell an intriguing story to anyone spotting a product on a shelf. Whether the focus is image, colour, text or a combination of all three, ergonomic and attractive packaging design is what first grab the eye in a highly competitive retail environment. It establishes brand recognition and loyalty, and serves as a marketing tool by creating a visual or narrative identity that distinguishes a product from its competitors. To look, feel and be different from the competition, start by making your print and packaging designs vibrant and unique, but simple and clear in their functionality and communication. A clean and uncluttered design allows consumers to focus on the essential details and helps the product stand out, while consistency with colour, shape, imagery and taglines fosters instant recognition and trust with consumers. Simplicity and speaking volumes aren’t mutually exclusive. A single well-chosen graphic or short phrase can be more striking and resonant than all the words or pictures in the world. Looking at brand image and identity The key to capturing attention For businesses looking to communicate brand identity and captivate customers with their packaging, they can’t afford to forgo clarity and sustainability. 24 Áwww.blmforum.net Business Link 23 PRINT AND PACKAGING24 Business Link www.blmforum.net PRINT AND PACKAGING as making the best possible first impression might be helpful when creating or reworking designs. Flashy gimmicks might be handy for an instant buzz but irritate customers in the long term. Ditching loud logos or a brash tone in favour of softer colours and gentle language may better put across honesty, caring and trustworthiness – values that’ll encourage long-lasting loyalty. When acting to encourage more customers to stick around, accessibility goes further and encompasses more than you might expect. Simplicity and softer colours in your imagery, while keeping print bolder in colour and easy to read, could help visually impaired customers find the details they need more easily. Providing alternative means of accessing this information, such as braille or QR codes, will further link more people with sight related disabilities to your product’s benefits, ideals and backstory. Clarity and transparency should be an essential factor in both print and packaging, inclusive of every potential customer that comes your way. Even the keenest and most able of readers could be put off by unclear information, or too much or little of it. All the essentials, such as a product name, ingredients, usage instructions and any necessary safety warnings, should therefore be clearly printed and easily legible. These details should also be strategically and prominently placed to guide consumers’ eyes across the packaging, and towards the most critical information. Using appropriate font sizing and styles also enhance readability, while providing an opportunity to experiment. See what happens when you challenge yourself to make clear labelling and copy an expression of your brand’s unique vision and personality. The quality of your raw materials takes the excellence of your print and packaging design to a deeper level. Investing in best practice with printing techniques and materials ensures that print looks professional, and is set to outlast the product’s lifecycle. Durable print options can work even harder to maintain packaging’s appearance, preventing information from fading or smudging. Sturdy yet minimal packaging and labelling will assist you in being mindful of sustainability, as well as communicating your ethos to customers. Labels can be an especially touchy area for eco-friendliness, as some materials www.blmforum.net Business Link 25 PRINT AND PACKAGING aren’t as recyclable as others. There are still plenty of safe and reliable options, including paper and cardboard. Especially if they are uncoated or have water-based adhesive, these labels can usually be processed along with other paper waste in recycling facilities. Print methods are equally varied in sustainability, whether applied to labels or directly to packaging; sustainable print techniques aim to minimise waste, energy consumption and the use of harmful chemicals wherever possible. Digital printing is a favoured eco-friendly option because it doesn’t require the creation of plates or the use of chemical-based inks, all while allowing for customisable on-demand printing, reducing waste and inventory space. Water-based inks have lower levels of volatile organic compounds than solvent-based varieties, and reduce the emission of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Soy-based and vegetable- based inks make an especially kind replacement for those that use chemicals such as petroleum, being both renewable and biodegradable. UV printing alternatively reduces the need for solvents by using ultraviolet light to cure inks instantly, eliminating the need for solvent-based drying methods, consuming less energy and emitting fewer harmful chemicals. The more adaptable, reclaimable and high quality your base materials are, the higher the chance they can be infinitely broken down and reused, provided you don’t opt to reduce and reuse from the outset. Making recyclable packaging from already recycled materials is known as circular packaging, based on the concept of a circular economy – one where as many materials as possible keep being reused in a continuous loop, never needing to go to waste. Even after every aspect has been decided and your final products are on shelves, the process doesn’t have to end there. Carrying out user testing reinforces a strong relationship between business and customer, and helps evaluate how effectively your packaging and print works together. Actively send out surveys and be open to spontaneous feedback from consumers, to assess how well the packaging communicated information or resonated with them. You never know where the spark of a unique refit or rebranding idea may come from, as the target audience of a product knows what it needs better than anyone else. 26 Business Link www.blmforum.net TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS As businesses across all sectors tackle recruitment and skills crises, apprenticeships are being brought to the forefront as one potential solution and are finding a key role in the levelling up agenda. T hough historically associated with school leavers, apprenticeships provide people of all ages an opportunity to earn while they learn and build or further a career. Whether looking to hire new staff or upskill existing employees, from entry level to management, apprenticeships can apply to employees at all levels. The Government’s flexi-job apprenticeship scheme allows people to complete short placements across sectors such as construction and creative during their apprenticeship, opening up a new paid training route to a career in these industries, to address that some sectors with flexible employment patterns and short-term roles have previously found it harder to take on an apprentice. Apprenticeships are at least 12 months long, and apprentices need guaranteed employment and pay for that whole period. The new scheme will put an end to this by using agencies that can act as employers and place apprentices on projects in different companies. An apprentice working in construction for example could fulfil several contracts. There are myriad reasons why a business should consider utilising Solving problems with apprenticeships www.blmforum.net Business Link 27 TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS apprenticeships, which help bring valuable skills into your business, even ahead of new changes. Often overlooked is that apprentices can be employed at different levels, from school leavers to university graduates, to the less thought of people who want to further their careers or change career direction; you can hire someone new or upskill an existing employee. As we tackle recruitment and skills crises, apprenticeships may well become an important tool to fill key gaps in an organisation and improve retention. Designed by employers to reflect the relevant knowledge, skills, and 28 Á28 Business Link www.blmforum.net TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS behaviours that businesses need, there are apprenticeships from level 2 to level 7 (equivalent to a degree) which allow firms to find apprenticeships that suit their learning and development requirements. Research from Grant Thornton indicates that businesses are recognising this and strategically making use of apprenticeships as a means of upskilling their people at all levels, achieving sustainable recruitment, gaining more desirable qualifications within a business, and advancing social mobility. Moreover, the usefulness of the ability to tailor apprenticeships to specific development requirements is being understood, with many firms utilising courses to gain valuable new skills in the fields of digital and data analysis, for example, for their organisation, plugging skills gaps. Further reasons for embracing apprenticeships include the funding available. Indeed, employers could be eligible for financial help and grants from the Government to fund apprentices. Whether new members of staff, or existing employees being upskilled, an apprenticeship can be a cost-effective option to develop the skills you need in your firm and train your workforce to be fit for the future. Though apprenticeships are certainly valuable for creating and developing your workforce, in-house training is another route increasingly being sought to adapt to the skills shortage and lack of qualified candidates, particularly where only a short duration of training is required - Verner Wheelock launches three new courses for food industry Foreign bodies in food account for around 18% of UK product recalls. Verner Wheelock’s new course Foreign Body Prevention and Investigation gives food industry personnel the knowledge to identify, detect and investigate foreign body occurrences, as well as putting preventative measures into place and training teams to drive continuous improvement and reduce complaints. It is just one of three new courses launched by Verner Wheelock this spring. The other two are Crisis Management and Sustainability in the Food Industry. Crisis Management is aimed at anyone with a leadership role within the food industry. Delegates will understand how to build a robust, useable crisis management plan; how to prioritise and how to communicate effectively both internally and externally. Sustainability in the Food Industry helps delegates to understand UK sustainability targets and how to develop a plan to contribute towards sustainability goals within their own businesses. All courses may be attended remotely or at Verner Wheelock’s Skipton training centre. In-house training is also available. For more information visit www.vwa.co.uk www.blmforum.net Business Link 29 TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIPS Contact our Business Development Team VQƂPFQWVOQTGCDQWVTGETWKVKPICP apprentice. Email:employers@kirkleescollege.ac.uk Tel:0800 781 3020 kirkleescollege.ac.uk/employers/ APPRENTICESHIPS at Kirklees College Looking to recruit an apprentice? perhaps to respond to changes to legislation or as part of professional practice - or group training is to be undertaken. The flexibility of in-house training formats is a key reason for the popularity, with the skills development courses offered by in-house training providers customisable for employees. It means that staff can develop in the areas where they need it most, and by businesses themselves setting the objectives of the training with the expert provider, facilitates a higher return on investment. Bespoke in-house training can also be delivered at one’s convenience, with the business choosing the delivery mode, location, and time best for staff, reducing potential disruption. Some businesses however are working with training providers to integrate content delivered in in-house training within an apprenticeship, seeking a longer period of support for employees to enhance their knowledge and skills while gaining qualifications.Next >