Hiring the best staff and encouraging them to stay was the topic of conversation for the latest Breakfast Exchange event in Bath.
Co-organised by The Business Exchange, Thrings Solicitors and accountants Richardson Swift, the latest breakfast event focused on recruitment and retention, with more than 90 representatives from organisations across Bath and the wider region in attendance to hear from the panel.
Returning to The Ivy in Bath on Wednesday, 18 October, the panel was chaired by Anita Jaynes, founder of the Business Exchange, with the panel’s Bath-based guests Dieter Wood, Managing Director of workplace design experts Interaction, and Emma Summers, Founder and CEO of Juice Recruitment, discussing the trends they have seen in recent years relating to creating and motivating a successful workforce.
Dieter Wood, Managing Director of Interaction, said: “It was great to be a part of today’s energetic panel. Providing working environments that not only inspire people to join a business but to enjoy the prospect of working there long-term is fundamental to our mission at Interaction and I very much enjoyed being able to bring that perspective to the discussion.”
Emma Summer, Founder and CEO of Juice Recruitment, added: “In our experience, candidates look for opportunities aligning with their personal values and beliefs, something I was pleased we as a panel were able to reflect upon. An employer’s willingness to invest in the wellbeing of their employees and to commit to boosting morale in the workplace will have a significant impact on their ability to not only recruit the best people, but to then retain them.”
Joining the panel were Thrings Employment Partner Natalie Ward and Debbie Boulton, Richardson Swift Managing Director, who brought their expertise on how company finances, grievances and other issues are impacting the situation.
Debbie Boulton, Chartered Accountant and Managing Director of Richardson Swift, said: “Balancing the finances of employment and ensuring businesses have the right staffing levels are constant concerns for senior leadership. Today’s panel discussion on the importance of providing reasons for people to stay in the jobs once recruited was really insightful.”
Natalie Ward, Partner in the Thrings Employment team, added: “Finding the balance between employees’ expectations of their workplace and working pattern, and the needs of the business can be as tricky at the recruitment stage as it is further down the line when it comes to retaining longstanding employees. It was great to discuss this with a range of Bath business leaders at today’s event and bring a legal perspective to the panel.”
Anita Jaynes, Founder of The Business Exchange, said: “We were delighted to have such a great turnout for our latest Breakfast Exchange event in Bath, the first one since The Business Exchange celebrated its 10-year anniversary. With the working landscape having been so dramatically changed since the pandemic, it was fascinating to hear from our speakers and learn from their valuable experience on how factors such as working environments, the economy and culture are impacting workforces and I want to thank everyone who joined us.”
Thrings’ Employment lawyers are experienced in dealing with business matters that affect the workforce, including managing absence and long-term sickness, and has acted for both employers and employees from start-ups and SMEs all the way to multinational corporations across a wide range of employment matters. To find out how they can help strengthen your polices, and solve your disputes, please get in contact.
