MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE

Over 100 delegates attended our Doing it Differently conference at the Doubletree by Hilton Lincoln recently to find out how they could use digital technology to grow their business. 

Hosted by the BBC’s first ever Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman, the event on the 12th of July featured renowned guest speakers including Steve Wells and Professor Neal Juster.  

There was also a digital playground showcasing agricultural robots, technology games, digital technology equipment; plus, mobile phone augmented reality technology provided by Matthew Cox Ltd! See a video of the event below:  

The key themes for the day were Digital Transformation Trends for 2022 and Beyond, Transforming your Customers’ Digital Journey and Creating a Fulfilled Digital Workforce. By March this year 218 Lincolnshire businesses received help from the Productivity Programme business support activity and 27 businesses have accessed the Business Angels network, with an impressive £213,395 worth of funding provided by the end of March – and there are still grant funding opportunities available. 

Zoe expressed her delight in hosting the event: “I was excited to see how engaged delegates were in having conversations about digital transformation which plays an important role in helping to shape the future of the local economy. It has become the fabric of society.” 

Professor Neal Juster, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, welcomed guests, before delegates heard from Steve Wells, founder of Informing Choices Ltd. Steve spoke about digital transformation insights that help businesses make informed choices about the emerging future. 

Steve said: “As a futurist I am really interested in working through plausible scenarios for the future so that businesses and individuals can prepare themselves for whatever the future throws at them, and digital transformation plays a major role in that, but the critical element is how we translate the digital technologies and create very human responses.”   

One of the delegates, Jane Smith, Managing Director of Jointine Products, added: “What a fantastic day it has been! It has opened my mind to a huge number of digital possibilities that I can take back to my business; plus, I have forged some brilliant relationships during the day.   

“I would highly recommend the Doing it Differently conference to anyone in the future, it was well worth it.” 

Key Takeaways 

We wanted to share some of the key takeaways from the day for those of you that were unable to join us, to help you increase your productivity: 

• Focus on upskilling and training staff to be confident using digital technology.  
• Empowering front-line staff with new digital skills will give them the confidence they need to be successful, while also improving customer service. 
• Organisations will gradually shift from teaching teams how to use specific digital tools to teaching them how to assess and solve problems using design thinking, service design and agile techniques. 
• Digital transformation methods can build connections despite the trend for “work from anywhere” roles. 
• A critical success factor for SMEs is to go where your customers go. Given the budget constraints small businesses face, it is essential to focus on the websites and digital platforms where you can reach the maximum number of potential customers. 
• Another critical success factor – capitalise on first-party data, i.e., the information provided by customers. Businesses can collect first-party data directly from customers (such as through online form fills), or it can be gleaned through analysis of how customers interact with your website and ads. No matter how you collect it, first-party data is critical for businesses to market and advertise effectively online. If trends and behaviours are changing rapidly (i.e., your demographics are shifting, certain items are outselling others, etc.), you will have real-time insights you can use to adjust your digital strategies and operations. 
• Web accessibility is key and there are many practical benefits: aside from avoiding possible legal issues, accessibility also improves the customer experience. 

• Key steps to accessibility:  
  • Ask for feedback.  
  • Invest in visuals  
  • Double down on mobile responsiveness  
  • Make it easy for customers to contact you.  
  • Find key integrations such as social media feeds, commerce platforms etc.  
  • Update quarterly 

• Personalisation through AI can drive better customer service, boost online sales, forecast future trends, and target the right leads 
• Don’t underestimate the power of analytics: Using tools like Google Analytics can help you to understand your audience demographics and the success of campaigns in driving traffic to your website. 

You can still view the live stream of the event here: Doing it Differently Conference 2022 

To find out how you can get involved with the Productivity Programme, visit: http://www.productivityprogramme.co.uk/ or email: productivity@lincoln.ac.uk. 

Rohit Talwar is a futurist. He’s gained critical acclaim, and awards (profiled as one of the top 10 global futurists by the Independent Newspaper) for his work educating and inspiring others with “how to” messages and knowledge in the future of business. His work is always engaging and beneficial, as it is packed with valuable business insight and practical takeaways.  

Rohit works with people, aiming to guide them in business into a bright, emerging, and ever-changing future. He highlights the new thinking and emerging technology in business and introduces people to using technology and harnessing the next wave of innovation using case studies, and personal experience such as his story of how he ended up on Interpol’s most wanted list due to identity theft.  

His vast knowledge, and range of experience helps him to provide this important guidance to others. Rohit has been involved in many futurist projects including research for clients ranging from the UK Government to Heathrow Airport, to the European Commission. However, his focus is on educating people so he has been involved in creating many books focusing on futurism including Fast Future Publishing, Designing Your Future, The Future of Business, Technology vs Humanity, and his recently released book: Aftershocks and Opportunity, alongside many more. You can also look forward to further business insights in his upcoming books: 50:50, Scenarios for the Next 50 Years, and The Future of AI- Pathways to Artificial Intelligence.   

Rohit’s in-depth research and real business experience has helped business navigate the complicated world of developing technology in business, and to use trends to their advantage. His people-centric philosophy has helped entrepreneurs to bring their business into the future.

If you want to attend the Doing it Differently Conference on the 12th of July 2022, click here. 

DATE & TIME: Tuesday 12th July 2022, 9:00am – 2:00pm

LOCATION: Doubletree by Hilton, Lincoln

Zoe Kleinman, the BBC’s first ever Technology Editor, is a leading tech journalist, presenter, and broadcaster, with 20 years of expertise and experience to share.  

Through her time at Radio 4’s Today Programme, and BBC World News, she has delivered a wide range of stories to millions. Zoe has brought fascinating stories varying from serious issues such as cybersecurity and hacking, all the way to the weird and wonderful such as artificial intelligence and driverless cars to a mainstream global audience.  

Zoe enjoys travelling the world, seeking out the next “Big Thing” in technological advances. Some of her tech adventures have led her to the Nevada Desert to fly selfie-taking drones; to spending a night in a house of robots; or becoming a human beatbox; to Las Vegas where she climbed Mt Everest (using VR); and to the Isle of Man to complete a challenge of surviving 48 hours with only Bitcoin at her disposal.   

However, her expertise has gained her significant experience closer to home too. Zoe worked at BBC News in the last year, reporting on the pandemic. She also has much experience sharing her knowledge and passion for technology through the Open Data Institute where she hosted a fireside discussion with Sir Time Berners Lee, and Nigel Shadbolt, hosting the Fintech Connect conference as a keynote speaker, and through Utility Week Live, as a keynote speaker. And if that is not enough, her report on parents whose children accidentally spend thousands of pounds whilst playing online games was discussed by politicians and influenced a parliamentary hearing on gaming and gambling.   

Zoe’s engaging and interesting adventures, and vast expertise on all things tech, are brought to life when she is sharing them with others as a keynote speaker. This is where she shines. 

If you want to attend the Doing it Differently Conference on the 12th of July 2022, click here. 

DATE & TIME: Tuesday 12th July 2022, 9:00am – 2:00pm

LOCATION: Doubletree by Hilton, Lincoln

It’s now been 4 weeks since I joined the Productivity Programme team at The University of Lincoln as Business Development Officer, and it feels like I have been here much longer; I have settled in so well. I can honestly say it’s been brilliant in every sense; I’ve loved meeting some amazing businesses in the region who are benefiting from our academic support and grant funding, but also working alongside supportive and friendly colleagues who have helped me settle in!    

As it is my first job at a university what has been really striking has been seeing how well the University of Lincoln interacts with and supports local businesses; how well academics from a variety of disciplines work with business, how mutually beneficial this support is to businesses and academics alike, and how receptive these businesses are to working with us on future projects. It makes me proud to be working for such a dynamic and forward-thinking university. 

The support the Programme has given in all its strands has proven to be a vital lifeline to many entrepreneurs & businesses during these challenging economic times; I’m excited to help others on this journey as they access our support.   

If you want to learn more about our productivity vouchers or grants you can contact myself or Reece at productivity@lincoln.ac.uk   

In a first of its kind initiative, Concept Smoke Screen is partnering with criminologists from the University of Lincoln to assess the impact of their systems on retail loss prevention and on crime in surrounding communities.  

This initial project has been made possible thanks to a productivity voucher from The Productivity Programme for Greater Lincolnshire, delivered by the University of Lincoln and funded by the European Regional Development Fund.  

Productivity vouchers provide micro, small, and medium businesses with the academic capacity and technical expertise of the University to address a specific business need to drive forward a new idea, product, process, or service. 

This study, with the Criminology team of the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln, will also act as a pilot for further investigation into the way that security systems manufacturers and security users can work cooperatively with researchers to share data, providing insights into criminal trends and patterns which have not traditionally been available to either group. 

Concept MD Matt Gilmartin said: 

“We’re hugely excited about this new partnership and the insights it will provide for ourselves and our clients. We see it as both extremely valuable in itself, and as the first step in an ongoing collaboration with the University of Lincoln team. 

“Data is absolutely critical to intelligent crime prevention planning and being able to assess that data in a wider, holistic context will allow us to make smarter choices about how and where our systems are deployed. And we’ll also be better able to advise Smoke Screen users about the broader social impact of these sorts of loss prevention measures.” 

Dr Sue Bond-Taylor, Senior Lecturer and Criminology Programme Leader in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lincoln, said: 

“The University of Lincoln Criminology team welcome this opportunity to support Concept’s ambition to become pioneers within the security industry. Their aim is to promote a more ethical and sustainable industry, in which private security companies can make a positive contribution to the communities in which they operate, and we are excited to help them achieve this vision.” 

Dr Nick Cowen will lead the quantitative data team on the project: 

“By pooling data from across multiple sites and multiple retailers, we expect to be able to produce precise and up-to-date estimates about the impact of loss prevention strategies, as well as where, when and how the application of these strategies is likely to be most effective,” he said. 

“Additionally, because we will be establishing the broader social impact of effective loss prevention on the public’s experience of crime and disorder, we anticipate that this will help Concept’s clients substantiate and document their contributions to wider public values according to Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance criteria.” 

About Concept Smoke Screen 

Concept Smoke Screen is an award-winning innovator of electronic security systems, specialising in security fogging technology. Established in 1991, Concept Smoke Screen pioneered security fogging in the United Kingdom after recognising that intruders were no longer deterred by conventional security measures. The Smoke Screen range of products was developed to provide direct but harmless confrontation to criminal intrusion, while simultaneously defending high risk property. 

Today, the systems are exported, installed, and deployed globally. They are used for the critical defence of people and property against robbery, raid, and burglary. As well as being a principal member of the British Security Industry Association, Concept Smoke Screen is an ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited company. At the heart of the business is its core belief that safety and security are a basic human right and it is focused on enabling positive societal change to effect this. 

Find out more about Concept Smoke Screen here. 

Although we know that developing your own business can be exciting, freeing, and super fun, it can also be scary and hard to switch off – especially when you’re feeling anxious about deadlines or passionate about new ideas. But this 24/7 attitude can easily lead to burn out – if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or stressed, you’re not alone! 

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, so we’ve put together some tips on how to look after your mental health alongside managing or setting up your own business. And remember we’re only ever a phone call away. 

What is mental health? 

Mental health is your emotional well-being. It can affect how you think, feel, and act, and how you respond to stress, people, and decisions. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Having good mental health doesn’t mean being happy 100% of the time! Everyone experiences sadness, grief, guilt, stress, and anger. The main difference is how we deal with these emotions. Below are some tips for managing stress, low moods, and self-esteem. 

Remember: this is a list of advice, not demands! Things that work well for other people may not work for you, and you definitely don’t have to implement all of these at once.  

Self-care tips: 

• Track your feelings! Being in tune with your emotional ups and downs can help you avoid or prepare for difficult situations. Take some time to be introspective – consider tracking your moods in a mood diary or journal, and see if you can spot any common themes in what causes your mental health to deteriorate. Take note of any triggers or early warning signs you can identify, as well as maybe a gratitude list to balance it out! Your diary doesn’t have to be complicated. Colours, emojis, graphs… whatever works for you. 
• Allow yourself to feel your emotions. It’s all part of the human experience, and responding negatively to difficult situations and high stress – or even just having an off-day – is totally normal.  
• Set boundaries. Taking on too much can be emotionally draining, and can lead to burn out. It’s okay to say no to things you don’t want to do, be assertive when explaining your limits, and ask for help when you need it. 

• Get creative. Whether that’s art, music or journaling, take a shot at expressing your feelings through a fun medium. Try not to worry too much about the end result – just enjoy doing it! Give your mind some time out to relax and de-stress.  
• Avoid comparing yourself to other people. People often only share the more positive things in their lives, and comparisons are likely unrealistic without the full picture. Social media is essentially a highlights reel! If you spend a lot of time on social media, search out accounts that focus on the realities of daily life without sugar-coating it.  
• Equally, you can utilise social media for good! Find people or social media accounts based around what you’re interested in, then reach out to them for a chat. It can be tough when you feel like your friends and family don’t quite understand what you’re saying, but there will be plenty of other people in the same boat as you! 
• Connect with the people around you. If you feel able to, let them know when you’re feeling down, and explain what could help you. This could be helping you with a simple task when it feels overwhelming, listening to you talk things through, or just chatting with you to help take your mind off it. If you can’t or don’t want to talk to your friends and family, that’s okay! You can find a list of helplines and support channels at the bottom of the page.   
• Do something you enjoy. Keeping busy can help distract from difficult thoughts or feelings, or help you to process them. Maybe this is the time to take up a new hobby, or restart an old one!  
• If you’re feeling underconfident, remind yourself of the positives. It’s easy to forget all of our good qualities when we’re feeling low! Maybe you have a great sense of humour or a friendly smile. Maybe you’re an amazing cook, or you’re good with numbers. If you’re struggling, ask the people around you what they like about you!  
• Similarly, congratulate yourself on any ‘small wins’, such as completing a task you’ve been putting off. Take the time to acknowledge what you’ve done well, both recently and in the past. These small achievements are what add up to big milestones! 
• Challenge your own negative thoughts about yourself. Consider whether you’d talk to a friend that way – be as kind to yourself as you would be to those you care about! Try combatting the negative thoughts with a positive comment… it might feel unnatural, but stick with it.  
• Basic self-care and hygiene can help you to feel better in yourself. On a bad day, it may not seem like a priority, but just brushing your teeth and having a quick shower can help to boost your mood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just set yourself a small goal, such as washing your face, or getting dressed.  

Your physical health and mental health are closely linked. Look after yourself and your body with these tips:  

• Try to establish a good sleep routine – that includes the wind-down before bed! For example, putting away any bright screens and avoiding caffeine and alcohol can promote better night-time sleep. On average, adults need around eight hours of sleep per night. If you’re ill, elderly, or pregnant, that number might differ. 
• Focus on your diet. Regular, balanced meals will stave off any feelings of being ‘hangry’ (hungry and angry!), and keeping your blood sugar stable can help regulate your mood and energy levels. Drinking water and staying hydrated can also help to improve both your mental and physical health. 
• Exercise! Physical activity releases some great stress-management hormones: cortisol and endorphins. You don’t have to be down the gym for several hours at the crack of dawn (unless you want to be). Just a walk or run a few times a week will get you out the house, give you a clearer headspace, and get those happy hormones flowing. You could also combine this with other feel-good activities, such as seeing a friend, or running an errand. 
• If you can’t leave the house, yoga is a gentle alternative which many people find to be calming and relaxing. Alternatively, there has been a recent increase in the popularity of online Zoom exercise classes and follow-along YouTube videos. Search out ones that suit your needs! 
• Try to avoid blocking things out with drugs and alcohol. It may feel like a solution to any negative feelings, but this can prevent you from dealing with the root cause of the issue and will likely cause more problems in the long run.  

If you’re in the position to consider therapy, then talking or arts therapies can be incredibly beneficial to working through any issues and establishing some helpful coping mechanisms. Therapists are professionals, and will not judge you. Another good option is peer support, such as support groups and online communities.  

If you need help in the short term, consider contacting one of the helplines below: 

If you want someone to talk to: Samaritans – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), or email jo@samaritans.org.  

If you’re feeling suicidal: you can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (open 24/7). 

If you’d prefer not to speak on the phone: text the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to have a text conversation with a Shout volunteer. Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) offer a webchat service.  

If you’re under 25: The Mix is specifically aimed at younger people. Call 0808 808 4994 (3pm–midnight every day) or visit their website for other options. 

If you’re LGBT+: all Switchboard phone operators identify as LGBT+. Call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day), email chris@switchboard.lgbt or use their webchat service.  

Since the Productivity Programme began, we have had the great honour of helping micro, small and medium-sized businesses launch and thrive through grant funding, business support and collaboration with the academic capacity of the University of Lincoln.

But just what kind of impact is the programme having on Greater Lincolnshire businesses?

We’ve collated the numbers and are delighted to share our statistics with you:

• 218 businesses have now benefited from our invaluable expert advice, specialist business support and exclusive range of free events.
• 27 businesses have benefited from support from our Business Angel Network.
• 40 graduates have been supported with start-up grant funding, coaching and mentoring for their start-up businesses via Growing Graduate Enterprise.
• We’ve provided funding to support the recruitment of 44 graduate interns totalling £124,000.
• Over £213,395 worth of grant funding has been provided for businesses’ research and development costs supporting productivity and growth.
• We’ve supported over 27 projects of academic support from the University of Lincoln’s expert academic and technical staff via our productivity vouchers.

We are immensely proud to have been involved in each business’s journey and look forward to seeing these statistics continue to grow.

We held our Think Productivity Conference this month, which attracted over 40 local businesses to talk about all things Productivity. We heard from some fantastic speakers and enjoyed facilitation from host-with-the-most, Richard Askam, who inspired the audience with learnings from his journey of working with one of the world’s biggest brands and how he manages to beat the productivity blues to really drive business growth.

Richard Askam hosted the Productivity Programme’s Think Productivity Conference
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for University of Lincoln’s Productivity Programme

Something that stuck with the team was when Richard said, “We need to be in touch with our inner child. Children aren’t afraid to be wrong and that is where innovation and creativity comes from.” We always have those inner child moments don’t we? Or is it just us? But when it comes to work and getting things wrong, we tend to have that misconception that it is bad when actually in fact it is a learning process and great ideas come from making mistakes.

The conference had two brilliant workshops that were facilitated by the incredibly insightful Jo Mason and Sara Scott, in which they took everyone through ways to motivate themselves, their team and businesses to beat productivity blockers and become more innovative and creative in the process.

Jo Mason from Propulsion Coaching took us through some vital ways that we can really work on beating those things that stop us being productive. “Motivation at work has two aspects – we need to control the demotivating factors first before we can get motivated!” We really learnt from this session about how we could target the right areas to improve our productivity and focus our minds.

Jo Mason from Propulsion Coaching spoke about the key elements of productivity
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for University of Lincoln’s Productivity Programme

Sara Scott from Virtubrand gave us some great insights into how to avoid productivity blockers. “Productivity is the state of being able to create, particularly at a high quality and at quick speed.” Common blockers preventing productivity at work were explored and how we can introduce new ways of overcoming these barriers to increase our productivity.

Sara Scott from Virtubrand hosted a workshop on How to Avoid Productivity Blockers
Picture: Chris Vaughan Photography for University of Lincoln’s Productivity Programme

Tanvir Hassan, Managing Director of Lincoln-based marketing and design agency, Attract, highlights his experience at the event:

 “As a new business, which has been supported time and time again by the Productivity Programme and other University of Lincoln initiatives, I recognise the importance of productivity-boosting activities in our growth.

 I was able to gain insight into how technology could be used effectively to help manage our business, and we had an excellent discussion on bringing out the best in the workforce at our table.

 The interactive nature of the workshops was especially commendable, and in addition to the

workshop co-ordinators, I was able to learn things from other business leaders and share

some of the things we have learned on the way too! Leadership can be an especially lonely

game, so to be able to bounce thoughts and ideas off other business owners was especially

helpful.”

Following on from Tanvir’s insights, we wanted to share some of the key takeaways from the day for those of you that were unable to join us, especially so we can help you increase your productivity:

• Creativity can be the catalyst for removing productivity blockers.
• Collaboration with colleagues can help build confidence and resilience when times are tough
• Knowing your team’s strengths is vital when solving problems and finding new ways to solve old problems
• Innovation through new technology can help to bridge the productivity gap
• Talking through problems with peers and your network of contacts can help solve productivity problems

The Productivity Programme’s support streams are designed to help you embed these principles into your organisational culture and practices. We’d love to hear more about the productivity challenges facing your business so that we can tackle them together.

Heritage Components, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of furniture components, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its in-house manufacturing capabilities.

The company has recently acquired new specialist woodworking machinery, enabling them to produce an expanded range of hardwood furniture legs directly in their Lincolnshire warehouse. This investment in British manufacturing was made possible thanks to
grant-funding awarded by the University of Lincoln.

The funding award, part of the ERDF Development Fund and The Productivity Programme for Greater Lincolnshire, will now enable Heritage Components to further develop their service offering, along with supporting the local economy and local jobs.

Managing Director, Martin Fahy said: “Having this new machinery on-site enables us to use local suppliers for more of our manufacturing efforts. It’s great that we can now manage the end-to-end development of products in-house, not only so we can get a wider range of bespoke
products to customers quicker, but also for our own research and development needs”.

Previously, the process of designing, manufacturing and delivering a furniture part from scratch could take months. However, the addition of several new woodworking machines enables the company to complete this process quickly with premium certified sustainable timber, and
enhance the quality of the finished product.

This investment is a much welcome step forward for the manufacturing efforts of Heritage Components, enabling this growing company to improve its product offering, customer service, and overall effectiveness.

Find out more about Heritage Components: heritagecomponents.co.uk

Hi I’m Jo!

I am the second speaker at the Think Productivity Conference next week.

Some more information about me, I am an award-winning creativity, innovation and leadership coach, and founder of Propulsion Coaching, providing coaching and training services to individuals and businesses across multiple sectors.

I am based in the University of Lincoln’s Business Enterprise Centre, and I have supported both students and professionals in their start-up and scale-up journeys, as well as contributing to the wider business community.

I have worked with small businesses, corporate and executive clients, and educational establishments as well as private individuals all committed to elevating their excellence to the next level.

I love to contribute in a voluntary capacity as a business mentor, leadership & management mentor, a coach-mentor, a TEDx speaker-coach, and as a STEM ambassador for the promotion of STEM careers (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics).

At my business, Propulsion Coaching, I like to challenge your thinking, add rigour to your decision-making, boost your creativity, addressing challenges and supporting your personal accountability for taking action.

I am looking forward to exploring these with you at the conference on the 17^th November, find out more and book your tickets below!

Book your place at this event here: https://productivityprogramme.co.uk/event/think-productivity/

• Date: 17^th November 2021
• Time: 09:00 – 13:00
• Location: The Showroom, Tritton Road, Lincoln

Hi, Sara here! 

I’m looking forward to being one of the key speakers at this year’s Think Productivity Conference at The Showroom in Lincoln.  

Some more about me, I am a career creative with 25 years’ experience as a writer, agency director, brand planner and marketing strategist. In more recent years, I have embarked on a transformational learning journey to explore the role of creativity and innovation at work, both in business and for individuals looking to connect their purpose and passion to unlock the potential of their most authentic selves.  

Through my consultancy business, Virtubrand, I work with businesses and individuals who want to connect purposefully and passionately to conceive, create and implement powerful plans for growth. 

Fuelled by insight, anchored in awesome storytelling and with an ‘always learning’ approach, I create agile strategic plans, clear content and intelligent workshop formats to provide the structure that enables organisations and individuals meet their objectives. 

I can’t wait to introduce and explore common blockers preventing productivity at work with you all, get your tickets using the link below and come and learn more about promoting your business.  

Book your place at this event here: https://productivityprogramme.co.uk/event/think-productivity/  

• Date: 17th November 2021 
• Time: 09:00 – 13:00 
• Location: The Showroom, Tritton Road, Lincoln 

In the event of unforeseen Covid-19 government restrictions, the session will be rescheduled. 

Richard here!

I’m here to introduce myself as the host of the Think Productivity Conference on the 17^th of November.

A little bit more about me, I have spent 30 years working in the wine business before launching the first personalised champagne gifts in the UK in 2010.

This led me to Coca-Cola where I developed and executed the online ShareaCoke campaign across Europe in 2014.

Over the following two years, I made similarly successful personalised campaigns for the likes of Unilever, Barclays, Vodafone and McVitie’s before becoming a full-time speaker. I even made my debut as a TED Talker in 2017.

My focus is conversation, an invaluable skill in a world where businesses must adapt to the conversation of their customers, and over the last few years I have become a host and MC for business events both online and in person!

I’m looking forward to meeting all the businesses that are ready to Think Productivity on the 17^th.

See you then!

Book your place at this event here: https://productivityprogramme.co.uk/event/think-productivity/

• Date: 17^th November 2021
• Time: 09:00 – 13:00
• Location: The Showroom, Tritton Road, Lincoln

Please note tickets are limited to one person per company for this event, eligible businesses only. In the event of unforeseen Covid-19 government restrictions, the session will be moved online and carried out virtually.

The University of Lincoln facilitates business funding all year round through their internship programme UoL Talent designed to support employers to recruit talented students and graduates.

If you are looking for an efficient process and positive boost to your business, a graduate or student internship could be the ideal solution. Internships can help your business to grow and develop in a number of ways. Whether you have a specific project to complete or simply need additional resource in key areas of your business, an intern could be the answer.

Your business can benefit from:

• Funding towards employment costs
• A tailored package of support to business by removing barriers to recruitment
• Support and advice from University employer engagement team through every step
• An easy process, saving costs & time
• No long-term commitments- interns can work on a specific project or fill a vacancy for a fixed period
• Natural Progression – our data shows that UoL internships frequently turn into permanent positions.
• A quick injection of skills with short term graduate & student roles
• Opportunity to develop new business areas with extra resource and fresh ideas
• Free advertising through our vacancy platform CareerLinc. Find out more about vacancy advertising here. 

Register your interest today

Hi, Mandy Wheeler here!  

If the last eighteen months have done anything, they’ve forced us all to be more creative, which makes this is an ideal time to step back and take a critical look at this elusive skill.  

Creativity — or innovation, imagination, ingenuity — means different things to different people. Whatever you think it is, most of us would agree that creativity is essential for business success. But it is not always easy to achieve. Why is that? Are we going about it in the wrong way?  

That is one of the questions Luke Sorba and I will invite you to explore in our workshop: Creativity…Reimagined. As practitioners and lecturers, we both have spent our professional lives in the creative industries. We’ve decades of experience in coaxing creativity out of hiding. It is our belief that the key to a successful creative working environment isn’t more brainstorming sessions; it’s knowing how to help people get out of their own way.  

Creativity Reimagined is a full day session designed to get you thinking about where creativity fits into your business, and how you want to work with it in the future. There’ll be exercises and chat (and no PowerPoint slides). You’ll get up from your chair, move about, work in pairs and in groups. Along the way you’ll learn how you can help yourself and others get comfortable with spontaneity and develop a flexible, resilient mindset that doesn’t shrink when faced with uncertainty.  

You’ll also laugh a lot, and surprise yourself, we promise.  

We hope you’ll join us. 

Book your place at this event here: https://productivityprogramme.co.uk/event/creativity-reimagined-2/  

• Date: 14th October 2021 

• Time: 09:00 – 17:00 
• Location: Stoke Rochford Hall Hotel, Grantham 

Please note tickets are limited to one person per company for this event, eligible businesses only. In the event of unforeseen Covid-19 government restrictions, the session will be moved online and carried out virtually. 

Productivity Programme has been working with a Lincolnshire woman, Sandra McDonough, who has battled Parkinson’s disease for more than 18 years and has now invented a device that could help 145,000 people living with the condition in the UK to manage and control their symptoms and improve their quality of life. 

Sandra gradually deteriorated until she had to stop driving and was resigned to using a wheelchair, yet she was determined to find a solution to help overcome her debilitating condition.  

The idea for the Eye Guide MC came to her when she placed a knitting marker on her glasses, she immediately noticed an effect on her hemispatial neglect, a condition which meant she had no awareness of the world on the left side of her body. The idea was beautifully simple, if she could alter messages to her brain by simply placing something in her peripheral vision, she could make a device that could help to control Parkinson’s symptoms. With her concept in hand, she needed help to formulate a business plan and to fund her product development, that is where she enlisted the support from our team. 

We’ve helped Sandra develop skills that would help guide her plans, including how to apply for grant funding. She learnt where to access funding and the process of building her business. Our team took Sandra all the way through the process, helping her become more business-minded and encouraging her to move forward with her product development. 

Sandra said: “The Productivity Programme resource is second to none because the team helped me to build confidence in myself to accomplish my goals. They supported me every step of the way and provided the tools I needed to get there. 

“I can’t imagine starting a business now without them.” 

For more information about the Eye Guide MC and to get in contact with the team please see the Eye Guide MC Facebook page.  

You can also view a full video case study on the Eye Guide MC.

Did you know that the University of Lincoln can help businesses within a wide range of sectors -Charities, Community Interest Companies and Private Sector Firms?

The Productivity Programme, delivered by the University of Lincoln and funded by the European Regional Development Fund is designed to enable micro, small and medium sized businesses to boost productivity and support business growth through grant funding, business support and collaboration with the academic capacity at the University.

The Productivity Programme are holding virtual drop-in sessions that focus on Productivity Vouchers and Grants.

What is a Productivity Voucher? 

They are a great way to engage with academics at the University to help support you to drive levels of Productivity and support businesses to grow. Vouchers provide up to 20 days of support which are fully funded through the Programme with no financial cost to you! We have a whole range of specialisms and Productivity Vouchers are a great way for you to tap into the wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise of our academics! Find out more with Reece below:

What is a Productivity Grant?

If you are lacking finance, we can offer small revenue and capital grants between £1k – £10k. The grants can help increase your productivity and support you to grow your business. This could be anything from a piece of software, market testing, product testing or independent advice or expertise, it is flexible to fit your needs! Find out more with Charli below:

To find out more about these events & how to sign up please visit the below links to register.

Vouchers

Grants

For further information, please contact Reece Leggett and Charli Baty via rleggett@lincoln.ac.uk / cbaty@lincoln.ac.uk

Think Productive are turning traditional time management on its head at their training session on the 29^th of September. So, if you are overwhelmed or struggling with constant distractions and information overload this is the training for you.

Following the success of last year’s virtual session, this face-to-face deep dive will offer plenty of interactive exercises and group discussions as well as 1-1 Ninja coaching. They want to help you manage attention and focus, projects, and actions, as well as choices and habits.

Previous testimonials:

“Great delivery and materials. I will be changing things in my working life using skills learned today.”

“Loved the session, will take a lot from this – there is so much more to Time Management than you think!”

Think Productive (www.thinkproductive.co.uk) was established in spring 2009, they are a team of productivity and wellbeing experts who passionately believe that time is not your most precious resource: your attention is.

The team work on the aspects of working life that cause confusion, distraction and information overload which are the biggest obstacles to ‘getting things done’ – and which conventional ‘time management’ programmes do little to address.

Their work has taken them across the UK, running workshops for clients such as eBay, GlaxoSmithKline, BP, The British Library, The National Trust, American Express and WorldPay.

To secure your place for this training event click here: https://productivityprogramme.co.uk/event/how-to-be-a-productivity-ninja/

• Date: 29^th September 2021
• Time: 09:00 – 17:00
• Location: Doubletree by Hilton Forest Pines, Brigg

Please note tickets are limited to one person per company for this event, eligible businesses only. In the event of unforeseen Covid-19 government restrictions, the session will be moved online and carried out virtually. 

To find out more about the Productivity Programme, follow its Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube feeds or visit: http://www.productivityprogramme.co.uk/

It’s now been three weeks since I joined the Productivity Programme team at the University of Lincoln (time really flies!) as Business Development Officer, having previously led the Graduate Enterprise side of things before moving to work at the Grimsby Institute. Having returned to UoL to take on this dynamic role, I can honestly say it’s been brilliant in every sense. I’ve loved meeting some of the amazing businesses in the region who are benefiting from our academic support and grant funding, while also working alongside knowledgeable and enthusiastic colleagues who have helped me settle back in like I’d never left!

This last two years have been like nothing we’ve ever experienced, but I have been blown away with how businesses have adapted to ‘the new normal’, pivoted to reach new markets and continue to research and innovate in such a challenging climate.

The Programme, with its various strands of support, has proven to be a vital lifeline to many entrepreneurs and businesses, and continues have real impact as we collaboratively respond to new challenges.

Having been born and raised in North East Lincolnshire, I feel passionately about helping our region’s business community to flourish with our support, and look forward to helping the Programme to benefit more local organisations.

Since the Productivity Programme began, we have had the great honour of helping micro, small and medium-sized businesses launch and thrive through grant funding, business support and collaboration with the academic capacity of the University of Lincoln. (more…)

GSA Environmental Limited, based in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, is one of the latest businesses to have transformed its operations and formed a partnership with the University of Lincoln after benefiting from several initiatives offered through the university’s programmes including the KTP initiative and the Innovation Programme for Greater Lincolnshire. (more…)

We are delighted to announce that ATT has been awarded a Productivity Voucher of 20 days of development support from the University of Lincoln, recently named Modern University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 to support the creation of its innovative e-Nudge app. (more…)

A study undertaken by The University of Lincoln has revealed that airborne pathogens in an office environment can be significantly reduced by the use of effective air purification systems.

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Working from home has many perks but on the other hand, it can open up opportunities for distraction which can hamper productivity. Here’s our top five tips for productivity… (more…)

Are you looking to inject new talent and ideas into your SME business? Then an internship could be the perfect solution for you.

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The University of Lincoln and telecoms provider Bluecube have partnered to deliver a two-day Covid support webinar ‘Business Reimagined’ this November. (more…)

Careers and Employability are hosting a student and industry-facing webinar to support the class of 2020 in their search for graduate roles in Lincolnshire. (more…)

Custom Fitness, based in Lincoln, is the latest business to have employed a graduate intern and benefited from funding and support during the coronavirus outbreak, thanks to the Productivity Programme. (more…)

The first in a series of our six weekly coronavirus crisis webinars which took place on Wednesday 25^th March and was led by Business Coach Simon Meadows was a huge success!

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In what is undoubtedly a worrying time, we wanted to reach out to our community with updates from the team and to highlight some of the resources available to support your business.

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GiftsOnline4U is one of many businesses to have benefited from funding thanks to the Innovation Programme. In this blog, the company’s founder explains his plans to get involved with the Productivity Programme.

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Last September we launched Growing Graduate Enterprise – our brand new programme aimed at supporting graduates who want to set up and run a business in Greater Lincolnshire. (more…)

We were joined by some of the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday night to celebrate the launch of our new Productivity Programme.

Our latest scheme aims to drive levels of productivity and investment in Greater Lincolnshire. It’s been launched following the success of our Innovation Programme developed by the University of Lincoln, which has helped a total of 511 businesses by funding innovative ideas and practical advice.

Andrew Stevenson, Director of Research and Enterprise at the University of Lincoln, kicked off the night, introducing the programme and stressing the importance of pushing businesses in our region to reach their full potential.

We were also honoured to be joined by Colin Jackson CBE, Olympic silver medallist, two-time world champion and two-time Commonwealth champion, to talk about how he made the impossible possible throughout his career. He also kindly offered his support for what we hope to achieve with our new programme.

We were inspired by how hard Colin worked to adapt and overcome the obstacles he faced before achieving great success as an athlete, and we want to help businesses adopt this mentality and thrive in what can be a challenging economic environment.

While the Productivity Programme offers some of the same types of support as the Innovation Programme, one key element is that it is open to businesses that previously took advantage of the previous programme as well as new businesses.

The programme will support our local businesses through funding and advice, including match-funded grants of up to £10,000, up to 16 days of academic support from the University of Lincoln and up to £3,000 of funding for graduate interns.

The UK’s growth in gross domestic product (GDP) per hour worked remains well below that of many of our major international competitor countries. The programme will greatly contribute towards closing the productivity gap in Greater Lincolnshire by directly supporting business growth.

Greater Lincolnshire is such a fantastic place to work with a range of inspiring and innovative businesses, yet our economy has typically had limited investment in productivity.

The Productivity Programme will be a key part of driving growth, allowing micro, small and medium-sized businesses to do things differently and achieve their goals.

To find out more about how we can help your business reach its full potential, get in contact or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.