Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has kicked off its Growth Through People campaign - in a bid to help businesses achieve better results by managing their employees more effectively. The campaign will focus on how businesses – particularly SMEs - can effectively manage their staff and increase productivity and growth by doing so. Throughout the month-long campaign, GBCC will be working with a range of partners to deliver activities including free training sessions, seminars and networking events.
There will also be a series of expert blog posts on the GBCC website. The seminar – run in partnership with the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Growth Hub and ACAS - will highlight some of the free people management resources that are available and show delegates how they can use them to more effectively manage their people.
In particular, the session will explore resources designed by ACAS and the CIPD which can relieve pressure on small businesses leaders. The first campaign week will also include events looking at employee engagement and effective apprentice management for small businesses. GBCC chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “We recognise that there is a productivity gap in the West Midlands and that there are a number of structural factors that need to be addressed if we are to overcome this. Doing so will take time and require co-ordinated strategy across the region.
“However, we also know that one of the simplest ways to increase productivity within businesses, especially in SMEs, is by improving the way that they manage their employees. “Not only can this save business leaders time and money, it can also strengthen the relationships between people in your organisation. I encourage you to visit the GBCC website to find out more about the campaign and see what exciting activity we have planned.”
Diane Rance, executive at Creating Value with People Ltd and Birmingham Chamber of Commerce council member, played an instrumental role in introducing the campaign. She said: “Over the last 30 years I’ve seen first-hand the amazing impact the progressive and professional management of people can have on the fortunes of organisations, whether developing highly effective teams, introducing new working practices or unlocking the potential of individuals.
“As a GBCC Council member I’m delighted that our Growth Through People campaign is providing leadership and support for local organisations, particularly SMEs, alongside partner organisations including ACAS, the Growth Hub, CIPD and Engage for Success.” The Growth Through People campaign concludes on Friday 3 March at the Chamber Expo, which is being held at the Birmingham Conferences and Events Centre.
