Sanderson is excited to announce that following the hugely successful inaugural event last year, we are once again collaborating with Tech West England Advocates and our colleagues at Sanderson iKas Hong Kong to sponsor Tech Mission to Hong Kong for 2024 during 21^st-25^th October 2024.

For any founders and scale-ups in the technology industry, including those in the clean tech, health tech, fintech, AI and robotics space, this unique 5-day will offer an unrivalled opportunity to explore the Hong Kong tech ecosystem as a platform to expand your business into.

What does the event involve?

During the Mission to Hong Kong week tech owners and attendees will enjoy a comprehensive programme including being taken on an eye-opening journey through the thriving tech ecosystem and vibrant city of Hong Kong, visit several science parks with accelerators and incubators, meet counterpart Hong Kong founders and investors, foster vital relationships and gain cutting-edge market insight, participate in a reverse pitch investor event and enjoy dinners and networking evenings with partners such as KPMG, Pitchflix and Eaton Club.

Attendees will also have opportunity to pitch at the official ‘UK Tech Founder Showcase Event’ as part of the StartmeupHK Festival. There will be unique networking opportunities with not only your tech founder peers, but potential investors, influential venture capitalists and potential business partners.

Why Hong Kong?

The Hong Kong business market is ripe with opportunities to build long-lasting relationships in the tech space and is renowned for its connectivity and infrastructure, making it a great destination for large and small tech businesses looking for a gateway to opportunities in mainland China and the rest of Asia.

Speaking to Sanderson i-Kas Country Director for Hong Kong Adam Kennedy, he said:

“We are delighted to continue our support to ‘Mission to Hong Kong’ in 2024. Richard and his team did such an amazing job for last year’s mission bringing together some of the UK’s most innovative tech starts ups to Hong Kong. The mission was such a success in showcasing the scale, quality, diversity, and ambition of our tech community in Hong Kong. The mission provides tech founders with the information and connections to successfully scale in Hong Kong. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share our insights as recruiters during the programme of events as well as helping the founders grow their businesses in the past 12 months.”

Register your interest today

Could the Tech Mission to Hong Kong Week be the gateway to the Asia-Pacific you’ve been searching for your business?

Find out more and register your interest to attend here.

An experience not to be missed

As last year’s tech founder attendees will testify, this Mission is a rewarding and memorable market entry experience, that opens a wealth of opportunities for expanding into Asia Pacific, via Hong Kong. Take a look at some of the feedback we received following the 2023 Week:

‘Our team met a huge variety of investors, founders and partners and wouldn’t hesitate to return on a similar mission organised by Hewlett Rand for UK Tech Advocates in the future’ Alex Balderstone, CEO & Co-Founder. Kaiku

‘As a direct result of our participation, we are exploring exciting commercial opportunities and partnerships with those we met and we aim to set up our Hong Kong presence during 2024. MCG highly recommend Tech Founders from Start Up and Scale Ups to make the most of this valuable export opportunity.’ Clinton LIU 劉長亮 Liu, CEO, MCG

‘We have garnered significant interest from potential investors, and discussions are currently underway.’ Hao Pang, CEO, Quantum Science Ltd

As part of the ongoing partnership Sanderson Government & Defence have with Women Empowering Defence, our Head of Talent Consulting for G&D Mollie Hatton recently hosted a “Perfect on Paper” webinar on to empower military leavers to craft the perfect CV and boost their online presence as they embark on a different stage of their career.

What did the webinar cover?

Upon leaving the military, it can be hard to know what to do next, or how to translate the skills you’ve acquired in your career to date to a different sort of working environment.

This webinar aimed to educate participants by providing practical insights on creating effective CVs, empower job seekers by equipping them with tools for standout CVs and address challenges job seekers may be facing in translating their military experience to a different job types.

Key topics covered

Mollie dived into a range of topics including:

Different CV formats and what makes a good CV

• Emphasising tailoring CVs to specific roles and industries.
• Learning about chronological, functional, mini, and hybrid formats that could be used in a CV.
• The importance of a clear structure and including relevant content.
• How to quantify your achievements and tailor the content to the specific job requirements.

Translating military language

• How to translate military jargon to civilian-friendly terms for your CV.
• How to highlight and emphasise transferable skills.

Optimising social media platforms

• Building a professional online presence and how to enhance your LinkedIn profile ready for your job search and effectively showcase your skills and experience.
• The dos and don’ts of networking.

Effective research techniques

• Practical tips on how to research a company you’re applying for such as their company website, policies and social values and industry specific platforms.

Prioritising reflection and consultation

• Learning how to reflect on your strengths as well as areas for improvement.
• How to identify your goals and objectives and deal with constructive feedback.
• When to seek personalised consultation if needed.

Impact

By addressing key challenges and providing actionable guidance, the webinar this webinar contributes to participants’ future career success by helping listeners to feel empowered to go away and create compelling CVs and profiles.

Listen today!

Don’t worry – you can still listen to a recording of ‘Perfect on Paper’ and start working on your CV today! Just hit the link below and get started.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCPkp_FCzYA

If you have any follow up questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Mollie on [email protected]

Testimonials

‘It was so clear and easy to understand. Thank you so much.’

‘Thank you so much for the webinar. I’m at the very start of my military transition journey and your seminar has given me a lot of confidence as one part of the unknown doesn’t seem quite as daunting anymore.’

‘It was absolutely brilliant!’

We’re proud to announce that we have been awarded a Gold Armed Forces Covenant Award in the Employers Recognition Scheme Award for 2024.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme recognises organisations who pledge, demonstrate and advocate their support for the Armed Forces community, including serving and former armed forces personnel, as well as their families.

We are delighted to have earned the Gold Award, which is the highest level of recognition an organization can receive.

Commenting on the recognition, Managing Director Nick Walrond said: “As a specialist talent and consulting organisation, we proudly support the defence community because we recognise the exceptional skills, dedication, and leadership that Armed Forces personnel bring to the workplace. Their resilience, strategic thinking, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our core values and drive our success.

Supporting the defence community is not just a commitment; it’s a recognition of their sacrifices and contributions to our nation. By fostering an inclusive environment for veterans, reservists, and their families, we gain invaluable perspectives and enhance our organisational culture.

Achieving the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme is a testament to our dedication to this cause, demonstrating our unwavering support and ensuring that those who serve are valued and empowered in their civilian careers. We are honoured to champion this initiative, reflecting our deep respect and gratitude for the defence community”

Congratulations to the Sanderson Government & Defence team on this fantastic award.

You can find out more about this award here.

On Thursday 18th of July our Regional Director, Daniel Simmonite and Vicky Weir, from Sanderson’s Manchester Office partnered with with Ward Hadaway and their employment partners Caroline Shafar and Laura Darnley to deliver a webinar discussing the key HR changes businesses can expect to see in line with the Employment Rights  and Equality (Race and Disability) Bills as set out in the King’s Speech.

If you missed this webinar, you can listen to the recording where we cover the discussion points below, along with practical tips for businesses to navigate this period of change.

Watch a full recording of this Webinar here. 

Here is a summary of the key discussion points:

• Ban on Exploitative Zero-Hour Contracts: Ensuring fair employment terms by prohibiting exploitative contracts without guaranteed hours.

• Day-One Employment Protections: Granting immediate unfair dismissal protection from the first day of employment (although probationary periods will be permitted).

• Ban on Fire and Rehire Practices: Preventing dismissing and rehiring employees on less favourable terms.

• Day-One Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): Legal requirement to pay statutory sick pay from the first day of employment and removal of the lower earnings threshold.

• Flexible Working by Default: Establishing flexible working arrangements as the standard for all employees.

• Protection for Maternity Leave Returners: Making it unlawful to dismiss a maternity leave returner except under specific, justified circumstances.

• Trade Union Recognition Reforms: Implementing changes to trade union recognition and negotiating rights.

• Equality Legislation: Introducing the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. Mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers.

• Extend Equal Pay Rights: New right for employees to bring equal pay claims based on ethnicity and disability, not just gender.

Listen to the full recording here

There is no question that hybrid and remote working is here to stay but does it create unintended challenges for those entering the workforce for the first time or those early careers roles that require on the job training and support?

Mark Beale, Director of Delivery and Engagement at Sanderson notes ‘The emphasis of our RPO solutions into the financial services sector has evolved over the past 18 months from the ability to deliver high volumes of hires to meet the post-covid surge in demand, to partnering with our clients to deliver strategies that help them retain and develop their early careers talent, creating sustainable succession pipelines for senior and specialist roles.’

A question recently posed to us was, ‘how do we provide a better employee experience so that we can engage and retain more of our early careers talent, particularly with the increase in hybrid and remote working practices?’

To get a deeper understanding of these challenges, Sanderson partnered with a variety of Banks, Building Societies, Insurance, Wealth & Investment companies to understand their approach to this challenge and we have shared our findings in a comprehensive and downloadable report.

Download your copy today via this link.

If you would like to discuss any of the issues discussed in this paper, or have any questions on your own early careers candidates, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We are excited to be partnering with The HR World on a Breakfast Networking and Panel event in Manchester on July 3^rd exploring AI in the workplace.

In recent years, advancements in AI technologies have surged, permeating nearly every industry and facet of our lives. From automating routine tasks to augmenting human decision-making, AI holds the promise of revolutionising productivity, efficiency, and creativity in the workplace. However, with this promise also comes a myriad of questions, concerns, and ethical considerations that demand our careful scrutiny and reflection.

This event will be led by four experts: Sue Turner OBE, Founder of AI Governance, Dr Naeema Pasha, Visiting Fellow, Henley Business School, Richard Pell-Nolan Chief Operating Officer & Chief People Officer, Epos Now and Charu Malhotra Global Leader in Talent Transformation and DEI, who will be sharing their knowledge and experiences and look at the pitfalls and the risks of AI in the workplace.

With advancements in AI continuing to surge, this event will give you insights into how you can prepare and plan for your business.

If you would like to attend for free you can book your place here

At the end of January, the Projects team extended an invitation to all of our Associates to join us at the South-West APM Event around ‘Sustainability in Project Management’ with guest speaker Will Masters.

APM is the only chartered membership organisation representing the project profession in the world, so we’re really excited to be a part of their events. In true Sanderson style, APM also believe that project delivery is all about achieving our clients desired outcomes but is also about so much more than process alone. They challenge the status quo and champion the new to help the project profession deliver better.

At this event, speaker Will Masters was incredibly engaging and provided a clear and insightful approach to layering sustainability into Project Delivery. It was a stark reminder that Climate Change is happening all around us, and we all have a responsibility to flatten the steep curve, both in our day to day lives and through the project lifecycle.

What did we learn?

The biggest take home for us as a team was around culture, and that being the biggest driver in positive change.

Following the event, we as a team have been exploring ways we can reduce our carbon footprint, personally and professionally with an initial focus on travel to work.

We are collating data from within our Community and will be taking travel impacts into account for new Associates throughout 2024.

Coming up next

Over the course of the year, we’ll be offering more APM events out to our Projects Associate Community, so keep an eye out and let us know if you would like to join us!

As ever, if you would like to chat more about our Associate Community, or about our Projects offering, please do reach out at [email protected]

In conjunction with TechBlast, we hosted a Tech Breakfast meet-up event at our Manchester office.

Raising investment is one of the biggest catch-22 scenarios facing many businesses. Hiring the best teams and building game-changing products all costs money, so how can a bootstrapped business be expected to navigate the investment minefield? Choosing the right investor is a good place to start, but what if you pick the wrong one?

On the 18th April, we welcomed Senior Tech founders, Advisors, NEDs and Angel Investors to our Manchester Office. 

• Our panel of founders and a panel of investors shared their own stories of dealing with different types of investment. It sparked some really insightful debates and discussions looking at both sides of the investment process.
• It was a a great opportunity to understand what a good investment looks like, and the type of approach to take when taking your company to market for investment. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us, it was a great morning of networking and listening to people’s personal experiences. We are looking forward to hosting more events like this in the future. 

We are delighted to have been awarded a Vendor Neutral Managed Service into two key divisions of the Cabinet Office, namely Government Digital Services (GDS) and the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO).

Our service, launched in April this year, is branded as Extended Talent and Services (ETS) reflecting the programme ambitions to capture a wide-ranging pool of DDaT and Commercial talent to augment civil service and partner delivered resources.

The key aims for the programme are:

• Implementation of an ambitious sourcing strategy providing multiple routes to market. To deliver a talent partner solution that helps GDS and CDDO remain competitive in the market and to make improved strategic sourcing decisions.
• Reductions in time-to-fill rates, whilst increasing and improving engagement with key strategic suppliers who specialise in the supply of workers across DDaT and Commercial areas.
• Access to quality market research, talent market trends and accurate pricing data to support more informed decision making and offer choice.
• Implement market leading technology to reduce the admin and contractual burden, ensure all processes are transparent, and offer real-time and supportive reporting

Commenting on this latest win, Nick Walrond, Managing Director of Sanderson Government & Defence said;

“We look forward to forging a long term and successful partnership with the GDS and CDDO teams, whilst building trusted and effective relationships with the critical supply chain. Our aim is to offer a route for new suppliers to be able to be onboarded quickly and easily in alignment with the future skills challenges faced by these key areas of government.”

Our Government and Defence team are going to be at the Security Cleared Expo in Bristol later this month.

As the leading innovative government and defence talent specialist, we are recognised for delivering exceptional teams into a wide range of clients.

We only recruit for the UK government and their critical supply chains, including: Ministry of Defence (MOD) and areas of National Security; Central Government and Arm’s Length Bodies; National Policing and Justice; and the broader Public Sector.

Come and meet our team

If you are looking for a new challenge and have security clearance, come and meet our talent solutions specialists at the forthcoming SC Expo to be held in Bristol on 25th April.

The event takes place from 10-3pm at Aerospace Bristol under the last Concorde aircraft to fly. Registration to the event is free – click here to secure your ticket.