Autumn marks the start of festive corporate event season – that time of year when work calendars often up with the usual ‘team building’ rituals: pub lunches, karaoke nights and overly facilitated icebreakers.
Category: Columns
Columns, blogs and opinion from some of the UKs leading business opinion makers and entrepreneurs and small business owners
Business is not an Olympic sport, so invest today in that performance-enhanced boost
In this sharp and witty column, entrepreneur and broadcaster Richard Alvin argues that business isn’t an Olympic sport — there’s no level playing field or drug testing — so small firms must seize their own performance-enhanced edge through AI. Forget fair play: it’s time to fuel up, think faster, and “blow the bloody doors off.”
Asking why vs. saying yes: the generational divide in the modern office
As a member of Generation X, I grew up in the workplace with a simple rule: if your boss asked you to do something, you said “yes” and got on with it.
Reshaping confidentiality: the changing landscape of Non-disclosure agreements
There have been long-standing concerns about the use of Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), particularly relating to sexual harassment allegations. Those concerns have grown with the momentum of the MeToo movement.
Reeves’ Budget: is Larry’s cat food the last refuge?
Rumour has it that Rachel Reeves is limbering up for November with a Budget that will make the taxman’s quill squeak like a stuck pig. Property, pensions, profits, pasties — all grist to the Exchequer’s mill.
Creating a space for every voice: How to lead with genuine inclusivity
In today’s fast-moving business world, inclusivity is often spoken about but less often practiced in meaningful ways. True inclusivity goes far beyond ticking boxes, it’s about creating spaces where every voice is heard, respected, and valued.
Why Growing Your Own Talent Is Good for Business
For many SMEs, growth often hinges on one big question: hire from outside your organisation or invest in who you already have?
Why Meeting People Without an Agenda Matters
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, meeting new people has never been easier.
700,000 disabled people want to work: How can businesses help and benefit at the same time?
Schemes like Access to Work can help cover the cost of providing support to help disabled people get into work or remain in work.
Sorry Kemi, but Farage’s Reform is the real opposition to Starmer
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, not the Conservatives, is the real opposition to Keir Starmer’s Labour. Here’s why Kemi Badenoch has it wrong.
The executive burnout: Why rested founders build better businesses
I spent fourteen years in the financial services sector, navigating an industry where long hours were simply part of the landscape. Twelve-hour days felt normal, weekend work was expected, and the relentless pace was just how business was done.
From Altadena to Westminster: climate denial is a luxury we can’t afford
On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I saw first-hand the devastation of the Altadena wildfires. In the face of such loss, the politics of climate denial — from Westminster to Washington — feels not just out of touch, but dangerous.
Why customer reviews are crucial for small business success
When deciding where to spend their time and money, most people don’t start with a business’s website, but start with the reviews.
How SME Success Starts with Employee Wellbeing
Wellbeing isn’t a buzzword. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it’s a strategic advantage. When people feel supported, balanced and valued, they show up more engaged, more productive and more loyal. That’s not just good for culture – it’s good for business.
Why Clarkson’s Farm should tackle climate change – before the business of farming crumbles
Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm delights audiences with unvarnished farming realities—but his refusal to admit the climate cost of our changing weather is increasingly perilous. As farming edges into a high‑risk sector, it’s time even the most charming farmhand acknowledged the business of climate.
