A group of small Wolverhampton businesses were given help to assess their current position and future growth at an all-day workshop in the city.
The day-long workshop, funded by the National Skills Academy, and hosted by Wolverhampton Homes at their Learning and Development Centre, on Tarmac Road, also saw business trainers inform them of the benefits of the national accreditation Investors In People.
The ten small to medium businesses, which included PK Hygiene, Kycor, Air Builders, Emcor, N Speed, DR Builders and Tony Davies Painters, were then invited to join a six-month business improvement course, which will cover effective leadership, coaching for success and good practice.
Shazad Ahmed, project skills co-ordinator at Wolverhampton Homes, said: “Small businesses contribute hugely to Wolverhampton’s micro-economy through jobs and training opportunities.
“Wolverhampton Homes wants to do everything we can to support small businesses to grow and prosper because it’s not just good for them – it’s good for our city too.
“This free day helped the organisations to ensure they are fit for purpose and that staff are supported to develop innovative systems and procedures.”
A recent piece of research by Cranfield School of Management found that organisations that invest in their staff are best placed to save money, improve staff motivation and increase employee retention.
* Wolverhampton Homes (www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk) manages more than 23,500 properties, including 1,800 leaseholds on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council. More than 20 per cent of households in Wolverhampton are managed by Wolverhampton Homes.
