Sue Grogan – Joined Up Working Associates

Sue Grogan has previously accessed support offered by the Business Gateway Growth Hub in order to help with the running of her business.

Sue, who runs business wellbeing consultancy firm, Joined Up Working Associates, was at the recent day-long Growth Hub conference and looking to gain tips on how to develop her online offer.

“It’s good to hear mental health and wellbeing talked about and acknowledged as an important part of being an employer, however it remains that mental health and wellbeing are not always a financial priority,” she said.

“Some businesses absolutely see the need to provide support to employees, others need encouragement.”

Sue, like many business owners, has seen the way her business operates and offers services change since the pandemic.

“I find that demand for online and video sessions are what businesses are asking for, rather than in person.

“It is easier for them to make time for employees to access sessions that are online or recorded so my business is moving in that direction.”

Attending the recent expo at the Morningside Arena was a worthwhile exercise for Sue.

“All of the speakers have offered advice that could easily be implemented,” she said

“I need to think about ways of making my business more digital, so the talks about apprentices and graduates were of interest to me.”

Having heard about the wealth of options available to small firms when it comes to taking on graduates or interns, Sue added: “It’s not necessarily something I have thought about before now but taking on an employee to help with that side of my business could be a way of moving things forward.

“The online side of things is not something I know a lot about or where my skills are – so working with a graduate or an apprenticeship could work well for both sides.”

• View the presentations seen by SME delegates at the Growth Hub’s Survive and Thrive conference.