Business Case

Employers | SSCs | Business case | Main issues

SME

Small to Medium sized Enterprises [SMEs] rely heavily on the skills and commitment of their workforces, often small and multi-talented. It makes sense to look at a wide talent pool to recruit the best and it makes sense to create a fair, flexible and supportive working environment to hold on to good staff and development their skills within your company.

Pitching for business doesn’t just involve promoting your products and services without a plan – you have to know your market. If you don’t have a diverse workforce, do you really understand your market?

While many SMEs apply good equality and diversity practice on a day to day basis, they often don’t have the time to write up yet more policies and procedures and strategies…so use the resources on this website – a strategy and action plan templates, with helpful “how to” guides and sample documents that you can adapt for your needs. Get your workforce involved – consult about setting up a staff group to get your equality and diversity profile promoted and publicised.

Remember, if you want to bid for work from major public bodies, you’ll need to demonstrate your commitment to equality and diversity – public bodies have legal obligations to promote equality and diversity and many will have supplier chain “compliance” clauses written into their contracts. Be ready for that business opportunity!

Your Sector Skills Council can help you understand the make up of your local labour market and can support and offer guidance on training opportunities and employer-led initiatives. You SSC may be running equality and diversity training and promotion events that will suit you and your company.

Check our useful links page to find out what’s happening in your sector and in your local area. Perhaps there are people just around the corner, business development agencies, colleges and training agencies, regeneration companies, eager to work in partnership with you to develop your workforce and your markets.