Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 40 | Page 11

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 11
/NEWS
Dozens of companies including
Aycliffe-based Beacon 365
have benefited from EMCON’s
Incubator Zone.
20 new jobs
created since
Incubator Zone
launched at
EMCON
T
wenty new jobs have been created
since a support programme to help
County Durham engineering and
manufacturing companies to grow
launched.
The Incubator Zone was added to the
EMCON line-up in 2017 to attract those
companies who had never before exhibited at
the event.
They include Keith Ivory and Darren Race
from Beacon 365, based on Aycliffe Business
Park.
A strand of the Durham Business
Opportunities Programme (DBOP), part
of Business Durham, and funded by the
European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF) the programme puts participants
through 12 hours of support to prepare them
for exhibiting, with the aim of them being in
the strongest position possible to win work
at EMCON.
And now statistics compiled by the DBOP
team ahead of the final year of the Incubator
Zone show that 20 new jobs have so far
being created by the 38 companies who
have exhibited, with more in the pipeline as
participants looks to convert leads into new
business.
Michael Harriott, DBOP business
FOSTERING A HEALTHY
WORKFORCE
engagement officer, said: “The aim of the
Incubator Zone is to help companies win
work through exhibiting at EMCON, and
not only have they done that but have so far
created 20 new jobs between them which is
fantastic.
“We have some businesses that have
added more than one employee, while others
have recruited apprentices or trainees to
support their growth, which really backs up
the importance of the programme.
“These are companies which would
otherwise have never exhibited at EMCON,
whether because of a lack of resources,
budget, or experience, and now as a direct
result of exhibiting and the support they’ve
been given by the DBOP team and LEC
Communications and Design, which is
managing the project, they have seen their
portfolios and headcount grow.”
Among the businesses that have recruited
since the Incubator Zone launched are Shred
Direct, Moralbox, JSB Enterprises, Emotional
Intelligence, Beacon 365, Millbank Solutions
and Concision.
The business to see the biggest growth
since is Peterlee-based Steadfast Security,
which has added five employees to its
headcount after exhibiting in 2017.
County Durham’s leaders take their message to Westminster
D
urham is a great place to live, work
and invest – that’s the message the
county’s leaders took right to the heart
of government.
Influential figures from the county’s
business, culture and education sectors
demonstrated their passion for the area
during a reception at the Houses of
Parliament.
Hosted by Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield,
and organised by Durham County Council,
the event aimed to showcase all that
the county has to offer, particularly for
businesses and potential investors.
Invited guests, who included financiers,
investors, property developers, MPs,
members of the House of Lords,
Government ministers and civil servants, also
heard about the county’s Powered by People
initiative and #Durham19 Year of Culture.
Those in attendance included Greg Clark
MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy, Northern Powerhouse
minister Jake Berry MP and a wide variety of
representatives from outside the county.
Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham
/ADVICE
Influential figures from the county’s
business, culture and education sectors
demonstrated their passion for the area
during a reception at the Houses of
Parliament, hosted by MP Phil Wilson.
County Council, said: “Durham really is a
fantastic place for so many reasons.
“For those looking to bring their business
here we have some great locations
supported by excellent infrastructure and
a wide range of thriving businesses just
waiting to work alongside you. Our quality of
life is also hard to beat, with stunning coast
and countryside, world-class culture and
warm and welcoming people.
“But if we do want people to invest in our
area and support our ambition for the growth
of the county, we need to make sure they
know exactly what it is that we can offer
them.”
Crafter’s Companion founder and
Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies with
some useful tips on keeping a happy
workforce…
our workforce is one of the single
biggest assets to your business,
so keeping employees happy and
productive is a must if you want to drive
success.
It’s a two-way street for an employer –
for your staff, a healthy workplace means
a flexible and pleasant atmosphere where
their talents will be nurtured and valued,
but for you it also means a lower staff
turnover and reduced levels of stress,
leading to fewer sickness absences – a
win-win all round.
An approachable ethos and open-
door policy will help to see your
employees, and your business, thrive.
Clear communication is key to this, so
that your employees will not only know
what is required of them, but know what
is expected of staff and management
throughout the company.
An up-to-date employee handbook and
provision of regular one-to-one meetings
might seem unnecessary in a very small
company with a less formal structure,
but it’s best practices like these that will
facilitate the flow of information and
feedback that will prove so valuable over
time.
Another way to ensure high levels of
staff wellbeing and retention is to make
them feel valued with plenty of positive
reinforcement. Personally showing
your appreciation when projects are
completed or targets are hit, whether
that’s with a small bonus or just a simple
thank you, will keep motivation levels
high.
Similarly, celebrating wins with your
workforce will help them to feel a
part of the company’s successes and
foster a spirit of teamwork. Whether
it’s a staff party, meals out or a token
box of chocolates, your employees will
value being included in the company’s
achievements.
Encouraging a fun environment and
ensuring you have the chance to work
together on a shared goal outside of
work, such as raising money for a chosen
charity, will also help your employees to
have a sense of belonging and to enjoy
their working hours.
YOU are the key to a happy workforce,
and you’ll find that your positivity and
approach to teamwork will pay dividends.
Sara Davies MBE
Founder, Crafter’s Companion
And star of BBC Two’s Dragon’s Den
Y