Greg Murphy a Certified Accountant and Roddy Comyn a Chartered Accountant were awarded the Master Franchise Licence for TaxAssist Accountants in the Republic of Ireland and haven’t looked back as they have seen the franchise go from strength to strength. They celebrated the event at their Annual Conference which was held at the Morrison Hotel in Dublin, which as well as being a motivational and informative event also rewarded the top performing franchisees across their network of 26 franchisees.
Overall 2014 has seen fantastic growth in numbers in the Republic. In 5 years of operation TAD Ireland have now passed the 5,000 clients mark, and more importantly they have also gone past the €5,000,000 fee bank mark.
Greg Murphy comments, “Prior to joining TaxAssist Accountants myself and Roddy were partners in a local practice in the Fairview region of Dublin. Whilst the practice was successful in its own right, we were both ambitious and wanted to develop a national brand across Ireland.
TaxAssist offered a distinctive brand and clear approach to marketing and it was one we were sure would work well in Ireland, even in a recession – as has been proven right. Where the franchise model adds value, is the strength of the brand and the high visibility of the shop-front premises.
As a Master Franchisor I have been given the tools, support and experience I need from TaxAssist UK to make the business successful in Ireland and I think that TaxAssist Ireland is a great blueprint of how the franchise model can work in other countries. We’ve all very much enjoyed building the brand over the last 5 years. Here’s to the next 5 years of success and more!”.
VisitEngland, the national tourist board, has announced the shortlist for Tourism Superstar 2016. The tribute to tourism star players was launched in 2012 as part of English Tourism Week (this year running from 5th – 13th March) and is supported by the Daily Mirror.
Norfolk’s Rachel Duffield, Learning & Engagement Officer at Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse near Dereham, is one of only 11 names on the national shortlist, and the only representative from the East of England.
The campaign recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry, and is awarded to an individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure visitors to England have an unforgettable experience. Rachel has certainly been doing this in her guise as ‘Moaning Martha’, fictional inmate of Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse whose gossipy monologues about life in the workhouse – delivered in an authentic Norfolk rural accent – have been engaging and entertaining visitors of all ages and abilities for the past seven years.
Voting opened on Saturday and runs until midnight on 28 February, with the winner announced on 5 March. The winner is entirely decided on public votes, Click on this link if you would like to vote (and to watch Rachel in action in the nominees’ film):
Rachel’s commitment to living history certainly caught the eye of the Tourism Superstar judges who drew up the shortlist. Always up for a challenge and prepared to go the extra mile, in 2014 Rachel publically endured living on an authentic workhouse diet for three weeks, sharing the highs and lows via social media and her blog: https://theworkhousediet.blogspot.co.uk/ Her willingness to take on milk broth, boiled meat, pease pottage and workhouse gruel fired lots of imaginations, helping the museum reach new audiences from further afield and introducing them to what life was like within the workhouse walls.
More recently in summer 2015 ‘Martha’ has been leading lots of activities for the Voices from the Workhouse project, a three-year, £1.8m Heritage Lottery Fund project which will transform the museum displays, telling the real stories of the people who lived and worked in the workhouse. She has led tours in character to raise awareness of the Voices from the Workhouse project, and has trialled new workhouse-related activities for families including Workhouse Top Trumps!
Dismissing an employee for ‘some other substantial reason’ is often relied on by employers where the reason for the dismissal cannot be shoehorned into any of the other statutory fair reasons for dismissal.
What is SOSR?
It is not a call for help. ‘Some other substantial reason of a kind such as to justify the dismissal of an employee holding the position which the employee held’ – more fondly known in the employment law fraternity as ‘SOSR’ – is a residual potentially fair reason for dismissal.
To minimise the risk of claims of ordinary unfair dismissal claim, employers must be able to show that the reason (or principal reason) for the dismissal was a potentially fair reason. There are five statutory potentially fair reasons: conduct; capability; redundancy; breach of statutory restriction; and SOSR.
Although, there is no statutory definition of SOSR, the clues are in the statutory reason itself. The reason must be substantial and it must be some other reason. The reason must also be of the kind to justify the dismissal, as opposed to any lesser sanction such as, redeploying a member of staff where there are irreconcilable differences between colleagues.
When can SOSR be relied on?
Almost any reason which does not fall within one of the other potentially fair reasons for dismissal might amount to an SOSR. Over the years, SOSR has been found by the tribunals to be a fair reason for dismissal in a range of diverse situations including, dismissals arising out of business reorganisations (short of redundancy) or through employees’ refusal to accept changes to employment contracts; expiry of limited-term contracts; dismissals at the behest of third parties and in situations where an employer sought to protect its business interests. Personality clashes between colleagues have also been found to amount to an SOSR where the conflict is causing substantial disruption to the business.
What about a breakdown in trust and confidence?
The most commonly relied on SOSR is that of loss of trust and confidence, but employers should be wary of relying on this reason. Breach of trust and confidence goes to the root of the contract. The tribunals have no difficulty with employees citing breach of this implied term as grounds for constructive dismissal complaints. In contrast, employers relying on a breakdown of trust and confidence as SOSR have often been criticised by the appellate tribunal which has held that it is not sufficient merely to say that trust and confidence has broken down. Something more is required.
Can employers rely on SOSR as a reason for dismissal?
Yes. SOSR provides a potentially fair reason for dismissal in more unusual cases, but it should not:
be relied on where the reason for the dismissal of the employee falls squarely within one of the other potentially fair reasons; be seen as a way for employers to circumvent a fair procedure for dismissal; or used as a ‘convenient label’ to stick on any situation where the employer cannot easily rely on one of the other fair reasons for dismissal.
To avoid a finding of unfair dismissal, employers must be able to establish SOSR as the sole or principal reason for dismissal and that the decision to dismiss for SOSR was reasonable in the circumstances.
If you’ve worked hard to attract and recruit talented employees, you will need to put in even more work to keep them. While employees will choose to move on for many different reasons, some of which you can’t control, we’ve compiled ten top tips on what can be done to help retain valuable members of staff.
1. Find the right fit
You’re more likely to retain talent if you recruit effectively in the first place. Make sure you create a clear job description which sets out realistic expectations of the role so that a candidate doesn’t accept a position they are not suited for. It’s also important to recruit based on those who are a good cultural fit for your organisation, as well as on skills and experience, to ensure long term success.
2. Provide a good induction
Poorly designed or non-existent induction programmes can create disengaged employees from the outset. Create an induction plan which ensures new employees feel confident and equipped to succeed in the role from the start. This should include everything from the basics of introducing any equipment or software they may not be familiar with through to pairing up a new employee with a highly experienced colleague who can act as an induction mentor. Regular meetings should also be held throughout the induction period to establish if any further support or guidance is required.
3. Offer development opportunities
Hang on to top talent by providing a robust and meaningful development plan with clear progression opportunities outlined. Let employees have a say in what they would like to achieve by encouraging a two-way dialogue in which they can openly discuss aspirations and further training required. Development plans don’t have to involve additional costs, training could be provided by more experienced colleagues, or offering the chance to work in a different part of the business will help people to develop new skills. If there’s not many chances for promotion within your organisation, think about offering more responsibility or autonomy instead.
4. Balance strong management with trust
It is becoming increasingly common to find four different generations of people working together, including the current generation known as ‘Millennials’ (born 1977 to 1994), expected to make up 75% of the UK’s workforce by 2025. Studies show that the millennial generation in particular both values and benefits from consistent management feedback, preferably on a weekly rather than a yearly basis. Make sure that your managers are effectively equipped and trained to provide ongoing performance management. Balance this strong management with a trust in people to do the job they are paid for. If you enable employees to shape the way they work, and the projects they get involved in, they are more likely to be engaged and fulfilled.
5. Give employees a voice
One of the key enablers for achieving employee engagement is to ensure that employees have a ‘voice’. Develop a culture where new ideas can be expressed and a collaborative approach is adopted to fuel discussion and engagement. A company where staff feel empowered to speak their minds is one that is likely to have good levels of employee retention. It is equally important to ensure clear processes are also in place for employees to voice any dissatisfaction. Issues can usually be nipped in the bud, before they escalate to the point of someone leaving, if they can be raised through appraisals or grievance procedures etc.
6. Support unsung talent
Sometimes the most talented employees are too busy quietly doing a great job to shout about it. These are the employees who know the organisation inside out and seem to be able to tackle pretty much anything you throw at them with very little fuss. It is particularly important for managers to spot these valuable people and to support them. Check they aren’t taking on too much and slowly burning out. They may not push themselves forward, but they need to feel just as valued as those who do, or there’s a danger that they could gradually get fed up and finally leave.
7. Help employees to achieve a work/life balance
The journey to and from work and a lack of work/life balance are now the two biggest factors for people choosing to leave a job. It’s vital for employers to help employees strike the delicate balance between work and home life so they can effectively manage their careers, stay healthy and continue to feel engaged. Review your organisation’s practices around flexible working and look for opportunities to support employees in successfully juggling work and family life.
8. Recognise and reward success
Make employees feel valued and proud of what they do by sharing the bigger business picture and the impact their role has had in the overall success. This could be as simple as sharing reports or statistics on the effect a particular project has had. Rewarding any successes highlighted doesn’t have to be financial. Although money still holds considerable importance, and salaries and benefits should be regularly reviewed to ensure they remain competitive, simple and sincere acknowledgements still go a long way. Cakes on Friday, or breakfast rolls on a Monday are inexpensive treats which still speak volumes.
9. Monitor engagement levels
Consistently monitoring employee engagement levels will help you to spot any potential areas for development before they become an issue that could cause an employee to leave. If you already conduct an annual staff survey try adding short ‘pulse’ surveys throughout the year as well. This will help to capture immediate feedback on particular issues without having to wait for the yearly results roll round. Through our Best Employers Eastern Region initiative we also offer a free employee survey which will provide insight on how employees perceive an organisations culture, learning and development, values, leadership style and communication: which all impacts on engagement levels.
10. Establish the reasons why
If employees do choose to move on, try to establish the reasons why. Exit interviews are good practice but remember people may not be entirely honest. It is human nature to be reluctant to directly criticise managers, colleagues or a business overall. They may also be worried about protecting their reference. If possible, get an external provider to conduct the interview to encourage honesty and to gain a more accurate picture. If this isn’t possible, make sure the person conducting the exit interview is someone as impartial as possible, and not the individual’s direct manager.
Chamber member Cintra Translations has purchased language services agency First Edition, fuelling the companies’ own growth by supporting their clients’ success here and in export markets.
Announcing Cambridge-based Cintra’s purchase of First Edition early in February, Cintra CEO Jerry Froggett, said: “Quality is in the DNA of both companies. We have in common a consistent emphasis on quality and trust that has earned both companies many loyal clients here and internationally.
“Now with First Edition on board, Cintra is exceptionally well-placed to offer a wider range of translation and interpreting services to the many diverse Norfolk businesses operating here in what is one of Europe’s fastest growing and most dynamic regions. We look forward to considerable growth in our market share.”
First Edition Translations Director, Sheila Waller, who owned and ran the company from 1997, will play a key role in realising that vision for growth. She commented: “Our shared commitment to quality and integrity is fundamental to our plans for the future.”
The companies will continue to trade as Cintra Translation and First Edition Translations respectively with no immediate plans for a change of business entity.
A Norfolk based photography company will be focusing their attention on a new aim this year as they pledge their support for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) nook appeal.
Camera specialists Wex Photographic, who run an online shop and have a showroom on Drayton High Road, Norwich, are the latest local company to sign up to the nook business network scheme, and have pledged to raise at least £10,000 over the term of the appeal.
EACH launched the nook appeal in November 2014. The appeal aims to raise £10 million to transform children’s palliative care across the county, which includes a new purpose-built hospice ‘the nook’ on a 5-acre woodland site in Framingham Earl just south of Norwich.
The nook business network asks for companies small, medium and large throughout Norfolk to commit to raising either £10,000, £15,000 or £25,000 over the duration of the appeal in return for a number of benefits and support that the charity will provide. More than 25 local companies have now pledged their support for the scheme.
WEX Photographic are already supporters of EACH and donated a camera with accessories worth over £450.00 to the charity’s current hospice in Quidenham in December 2015.
Louis Wahl, Chief Customer Officer at from Wex, says: ‘”As a Norfolk-based business, we understand why the work done through East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices is so important for affected families, and for the whole community. We are proud to support EACH and the Nook Appeal’.”
James Bacon, EACH Norfolk Corporate Fundraiser, said: “We’re delighted that WEX photographic have pledged their support for our business network and are committed to helping make our vision of a new hospice for local life-threatened children and their families a reality.
“We need the support of all sectors of the Norfolk community – individuals, schools, community groups and of course the business sector to achieve our fundraising target , so support from WEX is fantastic and we very much look forward to working with them.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the nook appeal and the nook business network should visit: www.each.org.uk/the-nook or contact the Norfolk Fundraising Team on: 01953 666767, [email protected].
iBoxit, a company based at Norwich Research Park, has been
named as the winner of the Business Innovation Award at the Broadland and South
Norfolk Business Awards 2025. iBoxit is a collaboration between entrepreneur
John Farley and the University of East Anglia (UEA) under the tutelage of Prof
Sheng Qi.
iBoxit is leading the charge to tackle the environmental
impact of expanded polystyrene. Through its innovative development of a new,
environmentally-sustainable packaging that uses an intricate mixture of
existing plastic and plant-based composite to replace the expanded polystyrene
boxes that are currently used to transport fish, it’s paving the way for a
future where polystyrene could be eliminated entirely.
Its solution not only helps reduce landfill waste and ocean
pollution but also supports the food industry and benefits the global food
chain.
It is estimated that 9.5bn expanded polystyrene boxes were
used in 2020 and this is expected to grow to 13.5bn by 2025. The majority of
boxes are single-use and not recyclable. The fishing industry worldwide
discards almost half the total consumption into the oceans, with the remainder
finding their way to landfill.
The new transportation box, which importantly, can be
integrated into existing worldwide transportation systems, has the same thermal
properties as expanded polystyrene boxes and stacks safely. It is fully
recyclable and reusable, with a shelf life of 10 years, offering a more
sustainable long-term solution for packaging and distribution.
The Broadland and South Norfolk Business Awards 2025
celebrate the exceptional vision, innovation and leadership of local
businesses. The winners were selected by the judging panel because they have
truly set new benchmarks for excellence.
John said, “We are really pleased to have had our work
recognised with this award. Norfolk really has got a reputation for innovative
thinking and with Norwich Research Park and the UEA on our doorstep it is vital
that we work together with the brilliant minds there to come up with
sustainable solutions that will improve the lives of many on our planet both
now and in the future. With iBoxit we aim to change the way a huge industry
approaches the transportation of fish and ultimately other foodstuffs.”
Why choose a Flomotion height adjustable sit-stand desk.
So, you’ve decided to buy a height adjustable, sit-stand desk. You search online and a host of suppliers come up. How do you choose from the many sit-stand desks available on the market?
We’ve set out some of the reasons why we think we’re different and why you should choose one of our sit-stand desks.
Switch between standing and sitting effortlessly
A Flomotion sit-stand desk allows you to effortlessly switch between sitting and standing. At the touch of a button you can adjust the height of the desk – take your finger off the button and the desk will stop at your chosen height.
Five year warranty
It took us over a year to source what we think are the best height adjustable desk frames on the market. Combining stylish Danish design with the latest technology our desk frames all come with a five year warranty and a choice of three colours, black, white and grey.
Handmade desk tops
We’ve created desk tops from pine railway sleepers, vintage oak, recycled floorboards and antique pine reclaimed from 100 year old French railway carriages to name a few. Don’t worry, if you work in a more traditional office environment, we also offer laminate and veneer desk tops too.
Made to order sit-stand desk
If you’re looking for a desk with specific features, you can choose to have a bespoke, handmade desk top created just for you! The Hi-Rise was a commissioned piece that includes storage draws and two hidden compartments featuring Iroko wood sliding screens.
Any image or design
As creative people we love coming up with new designs but we also enjoy collaborating with local artists, designers and illustrators to design and produce a variety of inspiring designs printed on our birch ply desk tops. We can also custom print desk tops, if you can imagine it, we can create it, a unique desk top just for you!
Free two week trial
We offer a free two week trial and are pretty confident that once you’ve tried one of our desks you will want to keep it!
The trial includes free delivery and set up plus lots of information and advice on how to ergonomically optimise your workspace and maximise the benefits of using a height adjustable, sit-stand desk. Set up of the desk can normally be done within the hour.
Affordability – fit a frame to your existing desk top
If you have a desk or table that you really want to keep, we can fit one of our frames to your existing workstation. This is the most affordable option available and only costs £499. Information regarding interest free payments, available on request.
Health, well being and productivity
There are many benefits of working at a sit-stand desk. Research has shown that people who adopt a sit-stand approach to work tend to be much healthier than those who sit for long periods. Sit-stand working improves productivity and concentration, reduces the risk of type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, increases blood flow, and improves posture. Standing at your desk burns 50 more calories an hour than sitting. If you stand for only four hours a day for five days, you’ll burn 1,000 calories. Over a year this adds up to approximately 52,000 extra calories!
Under development
Exciting new designs that are under development include a desk with an easel/drawing board feature and a lightbox desk. We’re also looking into the feasibility of a polished concrete desk top and exploring new ecological materials like boards made from straw and tomato vines and polished pulp.
Sit-stand working free stuff
As part of our commitment to customers we also offer a free app that reminds you to sit and stand throughout the day. Printed material on exercise and stretching routines are included as well as free downloads on exercise, health, fitness and well being. Our website will also be updated regularly with the latest health information and well-being research.
Please give us a call on 01603 490054 to book your free trial or to discuss your requirements.
The 5 star Celtic Manor resort in Wales was the stunning venue for the TaxAssist Accountants Annual Conference and Gala Dinner held on the 18th April 2015. This is a special year for the Norwich based franchise, which this year celebrates its 20th Anniversary.
Franchisees, their partners, staff and specialist services providers gathered for an exhibition in the morning, followed by a productive and informative afternoon conference where the CEO provided a network update and announced that the franchise which has already expanded to the Republic of Ireland and Canada, will also be expanding to Australia.
Representatives from the British Franchise Association were speakers during the conference, and provided an overview of the history of the relationship between TaxAssist and the BFA. They announced at the conference that TaxAssist are finalists for the prestigious BFA franchisor of the year award again this year, having previously won the award back in 2010. Two franchisees have previously been finalists for the franchisee of the year award. The BFA were happy to endorse the TaxAssist model and later in the year the Franchisee Assisted Management Buyout, which is believed to be the first in the UK, will be held up as an example to other franchisors at their own Annual Conference.
The conference was rounded off by a black tie dinner, with top notch entertainment provided by Paul Daniels and Debbie McGhee who performed a magic show, followed by the amazing ABBA tribute group Bjorn Again. Over 480 guests were in attendance – the largest attendance yet – and rather than reward individual franchisees, the event was this year, focussed on celebrating the success of the network of almost 200 franchisees as a whole.
Karl Sandall CEO of TaxAssist comments “Absolutely delighted to witness such a fantastic turnout for our Annual Conference and celebration dinner. Our franchise network and all our partners are on top form and looking forward to our continued expansion and building of our brand worldwide. Our 60,000 small business clients are in good hands and I look forward to many more enjoying the TaxAssist service.”
Platinum sponsor Richard Simms comments “”From all at F A Simms & Partners we would like to congratulate TaxAssist on their 20th anniversary and another successful annual conference. We have worked closely with TaxAssist for many years now and it is such a pleasure to see them reach this milestone anniversary. We look forward to continue working with and supporting them for many more years to come.”
Digital Marketing agency, Bigfork, have designed a new website for the leading East Anglian independent property group – Arnolds Keys. You can read the full website design case study on our website here.
Bigfork – we make websites stand out t:01603 513080
Sports for Schools run athlete-led physical activities events to inspire children to participate in more sport, raise money for PE equipment in schools (over £1.75m to date), and support GB and Olympic athletes financially. They partner school groups with athletes to motivate and encourage children to enjoy being active and boost confidence. The company’s current system was labour intensive and needed a smoother, more integrated booking system. Naked Element’s developer Matt Wells explained “staff had to schedule the time-table for the whole of the following term manually, relying on their knowledge of athlete & school locations and resolving any issues raised by changes in availability and double bookings etc. As the following term approached this would eventually lead to a very labour intensive, ‘big-bang’ scheduling activity.”
“Naked Element implemented a brand new event scheduling system to automate and improve what was originally a manpower intensive, spreadsheet based process. The new System provides a web interface that enables Sports for Schools Athletes and Sportivaters to manage their own availability and always gives them an up to date view of their future events.”
[Athlete Page Rachael Latham] “The majority of the functionality however is tailored for Sports for Schools staff. This enables them to view a list of the closest athletes/sportivaters to a given school (in real-time whilst they are on the phone to that school). Once they’ve selected the appropriate candidates it then indicates their availability and also shows when they are already scheduled on other events nearby to minimise travel time between events. The date can be selected and the athletes/sportivaters assigned at the same time.”
The project was not without its hurdles though! A flexible, two-way integration with the existing CRM was required, to enable staff to stay in control of their own data. “We took a pragmatic approach to solve this issue” Matt says “one that focused on the needs of the administrative staff. Rather than being prescriptive about when and what they were allowed to do, we gave them the tools to move data between the systems and ensured that they had a good understanding of how and when to use (and not to use) those tools.”
The software also required extensive use of 3rd party mapping and geocoding APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which can prove costly. Naked Elements’ initial solution was to use Google APIs “but it soon became clear that the number of calls necessary to the APIs exceeded Google’s free usage quotas and even the entry level licensing costs were understandably much too expensive for our client.”
“We therefore ported the whole system to use some similar MapQuest APIs. However, this caused a number of issues because the postcode coverage of the MapQuest APIs was significantly poorer than those of Google. In the end we required a more complex technical solution under the hood which used the MapQuest APIs, but was capable of falling back on the Google APIs for postcodes that MapQuest struggled with.”
Michael Ledzon, director of Sports for Schools, was impressed by the speed at which Naked Element were able to determine what was required. He initially decided to work with Naked Element because he was aware of our background, education and experience. The requirements capture was “excellent and straightforward”, which was something that was important to Michael. The cycle of development was efficient too, in no small way due to the effective communication between Naked Element and Sports For Schools. “Naked Element was able to understand our requirements and beaver away – we never felt we had to chase for anything. They drove the project and made sure it all happened in a timely manner. I have been involved in projects that have been the opposite.”
“The end product is very intuitive and clean and that’s been really good. They captured our requirements and turned it into something easy and useful. All the users love it and I’ve had other companies ask who we got our system from!” So when asked if he would recommend Naked Element?