The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 66: April/May 2023 | Page 5

BUSINESS NEWS

NEW JOBS FOR CHIPPENHAM AS HOLMAN EXPANDS

Swindon connectivity boosts productivity

Chippenham-based Holman is creating new jobs in the town as it expands its operation . As one of the world ’ s largest automotive specialist companies , Holman provides a range of services to the automotive industry , including vehicle funding and fleet management in the UK .
The expansion of its UK headquarters in Chippenham , coupled with adding a new office in Birmingham , will see Holman add 100 new members of staff to its workforce , with a focus on customer service .
Among the new jobs being created in Chippenham are roles for maintenance technicians and customer service operatives .
Nick Caller , Managing Director of Holman in the UK , said , “ Holman is continuing its extraordinary growth in the UK , so we need exceptional people to join us as we continue our journey . Although we are expanding with a new location in Birmingham due to significant growth , Chippenham is our home , as it has been for many years , and we will continue to invest locally .
“ As a family-owned company , we thrive on an inclusive , caring , fair and transparent atmosphere . Our people are our greatest asset and the key to our current and future success .”
According to the company , the benefits of working for Holman are an annual bonus
scheme , 26 days ’ annual holiday , hybrid working , on-site monthly rewards , a free healthcare plan and a £ 1,000 signing-on bonus .
The company also offers clear paths for employees to grow and learn , with progression opportunities and it strongly promotes , supports , and encourages its people to give back to the community through fundraising and volunteering efforts .
“ Holman is continuing its extraordinary growth in the UK , so we need exceptional people to join us ”
For more info : www . holman . com
Swindon is in the top three most productive towns and cities in the UK , according to a recent study .
With the five-day office week a thing of the past , Currys undertook a study of 34 UK towns and cities to assess how well-equipped each was for remote working . Each was assessed for its ‘ productivity ’, taking into account factors such as download speed , internet outages , access to full fibre broadband and cost of coworking spaces .
The town and cities were ranked with an overall score out of 40 .
Swindon came out as the third best town or city in the UK for productivity , with a score of 32 out of 40 , helped largely by its relatively low number of internet outages and access to full fibre .
According to Currys , actively selecting a city that has the best capabilities will give you a better chance of making the most of remote working . “ In business , time is one of the most valuable currencies a company has . So , when minutes or even hours are lost to poor internet connection or outages , that ’ s also your hard-earned money flushed down the drain . While these factors are often out of your control , carefully considering where you set up shop based on these metrics can make a huge
Rank
City
Outages
score
Full Fibre % score
Wood Street Co-Work in Swindon .
difference to the success of your business .”
London was found to be the worst for productivity , with an overall score of just 12 out of 40 , due to its high rate of internet outages , high co-working costs , poor full fibre coverage and slow download speeds .
Download speed score
Co-working costs score
Total score
1 Coventry 9.9 10 7.1 8.7 35.8 2 Slough 9.8 8.1 10 4.9 32.8 3 Swindon 10 9.5 6.8 5.8 32 4 Derby 10 8.5 7 5.8 31.3 5 Oldham 10 4.7 6.3 10 31 6 Bristol 9.9 8.2 6.5 5.9 30.4 7 Leeds 9 8.9 5.2 7.3 30.3
8 Leicester 9.9 5.5 7.3 7.5 30.2 9 Exeter 10 8.5 4.8 6.1 29.5 10 Cardiff 9.8 7.5 5.2 7 29.4
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