Sponsors
Business Link
At Business Link we understand that running a business, whatever the size or stage of development, and making it a success requires many different skills and resources. Identifying your objectives, setting goals and finding the opportunities and ways to meet them, while responding to the demands of day-to-day activity, can be a time consuming process.
Finding the right people to help you achieve your aims can make a valuable difference, whether your business is already established or just starting up. That’s why Business Link is the ideal partner to assist your business with practical help, advice and provide easy access to objective information and solutions.
Who can Business Link help?
In short, any business of any size seeking to build on current levels of performance.You may already know what you want, or you may be looking for help in identifying how to take your business forward. Whatever stage you’re at, Business Link offers an independent and effective service to make a difference to your business.
How can Business Link help?
If your business is just getting started...If you have an inspiring business idea, Business Link can help by providing access to all the expert information, advice and support you need to get your new business off to the best possible start. Business Link will work with you to understand your individual business requirements. Our highly experienced team can offer support in a range of areas – from marketing and business planning to finding and securing funding, choosing the right premises and setting up accounts.
If your business is up and running...
It’s a competitive world out there, but you’re not alone with Business Link. We provide easy access to specialist advice, help and information – by putting you in touch with people who are really in the know about every aspect of business. Whatever issues, innovative ideas or inspiring initiatives you have in mind, you can benefit from the expertise of our highly experienced team. Business Link will work with you to understand your business, providing support and guidance in helping it move forward. If your business is going through changes...Business Link offers help in managing change successfully, by providing access to practical and independent information. Change may mean sourcing new suppliers, increasing marketing activity or training and development for staff.
Business Link will work with you to explore your options and help you find the right solutions to meet your objectives.For further information about Business Link, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast, call 0845 600 9 006 or email: enquiries@businesslinknortheast.co.uk. For forthcoming Business Link events and workshops visit www.eventsnortheast.co.uk.
Invest in Skills to Become a Winning Business Does your business recognise the importance of investing in the continuous training and development of its employees? If so, the Learning, Training and Skills Award at the North East Business Awards 2009 could be an ideal platform to recognise your company’s commitment to getting the best out of its workforce to gain a competitive advantage. The North East Business Awards, which is being supported by Business Link - associate sponsor for a third year running - celebrates outstanding business success throughout North East England. With 13 separate categories, the awards are designed to encourage participation from all sectors of the region’s business community and from businesses large and small.The Learning, Training and Skills Award recognises and rewards businesses that have shown a commitment to innovative learning, training and skills development programmes. Judges will be looking to identify businesses that have demonstrated a positive and sustained impact on business performance as a result of their commitment to people development. Business Link is committed to helping the region’s enterprises to be the best they possibly can and recognises that it is particularly important for businesses to invest in developing the skills of their workforce, particularly during these challenging economic times to help boost productivity, competitiveness and profitability. Business Link has a team of expert advisers who can assist companies to reach their full potential. Here Business Link’s xx gives his/her advice on how Business Link can help you to be in the running to secure the Learning, Training & Skills Award.“Businesses that recognise the importance of investing in ongoing training programmes for employees tend to have a greater chance of achieving success. It’s important for all businesses to maximise their potential, particularly in these challenging economic times. “A carefully targeted and well executed training programme can help a business to develop a competitive advantage by equipping employees with the skills that the business needs to succeed, helping them to become more effective, efficient and ultimately, helping to increase their bottom-line. “By choosing the right type of training, businesses can become more efficient by making sure their employees have skills that match the needs of the business. Employees at all levels can benefit from skills training, right up to management level.“A training needs analysis (TNA) can be an effective way to identify any gaps between the skills your business needs and those that already exist. This information can be gathered through employee surveys, customer comments, company meetings and inspections. This will make sure money is spent on training that will help a business to achieve its objectives.“It’s important to weigh up the pros and cons for each type of training before deciding which type to provide for employees. Business Link’s team of skills advisers can assess the needs of the business and explore training options that match these needs and identify which courses work best for the business involved and its staff.“When times are tough any investment should be carefully considered, however equipping employees with a broader range of skills to allow them to complete current tasks more effectively and efficiently, and enabling them to take on a wider range of tasks, can have a positive impact on productivity. Training can be a good way to motivate staff by setting them new goals and broadening their skills base which, in turn, can boost morale and job satisfaction.“There is no doubt that this could definitely be one of the most valuable investments you could ever make that will reap rewards for your business in the long-term.” Business Link is committed to supporting enterprises of every size and sector to ensure that the region is the best place in the UK to start and grow a business.To find out how Business Link’s team of skills advisers can help your business contact 0845 600 9 006 or email enquires@businesslinknortheast.co.ukFor information on how to enter the North East Business Awards 2009 go to www.northeastbusinessawards.co.uk or call 0191 2016072.