When consulting with our members for the recent SFA Skillnet funding application, many had questions about how to correctly identify the training needs for themselves and their staff. As a result, we have put together some steps on how to assess training needs in your organisation.

Let our SFA Skillnet 3 Stage Process help you devise a skills audit and figure out what your training needs are. Whether you are operating on your own or with employees, you will need to keep your business up to date and aligned with your strategy. Consider the following steps to help you identify any gaps in your organisation’s skills:

1. Business Assessment: are you clear on your business strategy? Do you know where you want the business to be in the next 3-5 years?
2. Skills Audit: measure the skills in the business and determine if there are any gaps that need addressing. Owner managers should remember to address their own skills as well
3. Training Needs Analysis: develop a training plan to address the workforce skills gap. Consider incorporating this into a personal development plan for each employee.

Please contact Geraldine Lavin, SFA Skillnet Network Manager, on geraldine.lavin@sfa.ie or 01 6051606 to discuss your training needs and to get assistance with your training analysis.

The SFA Skillnet is co-funded by Skillnet Ireland and member companies. Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Education and Skills.

New ‘no deal’ Brexit information has been made available for the construction sector on the manufacture or use of CE-marked construction products.

This new guidance explains how to check the CE marks of products to find out if a ‘no deal’ Brexit might impact you. If you are a manufacturer, importer, distributor, authorised representative of construction products or a builder, specifier, certifier or construction professional, a ‘no deal’ Brexit might affect you! 

Members working in this area are also advised to consult the following websites for more information on how to prepare for Brexit:

• Additional information on Brexit and the Construction Products Regulation can be found on the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government’s webpage.
• For support and guidance on standards and certification members should contact the National Standards Authority of Ireland, which is an EU ‘notified body’: www.nsai.ie Email: brexitunit@nsai.ie Telephone: 01 8073800
• If you plan on importing goods from the UK after Brexit, you, or a representative on your behalf, will need to complete customs formalities. For information on your customs responsibilities visit: www.revenue.ie/brexit
• Read the Brexit Preparedness Checklist to know the essential actions firms can take before 31 October 2019 to ensure they will still be able to trade with the UK after it leaves the EU.

As you ramp up your contingency plans, SFA is here to help. Please get in touch if you would like to talk to our policy expert, or HR professional or if you have any other queries or comments.

SFA Annual Awards launch

The SFA issued a press release on the launch of the National Small Business Awards on 5th September 2019.

• Business World - 6 September
• Sunday Independent - 8 September
• Irish Independent - 10 September

Navigating the maze of employment law

The rise and complexity in the Irish employment law landscape is increasing year on year. This is particularly challenging for small business owners who are time poor and wear multiple hats within their company. So how can small businesses navigate the maze of employment law and be confident that they are complying with their obligations to their staff? The SFA employment law seminar is the solution.

In 2018 and 2019 there has been a raft of employment law from changes to contracts, the introduction of banded hours and increases in parental leave. The SFA employment law seminar will take you through the recent changes within contracts, how to determine the status of a genuine self-employed person and the proposed changes in parental leave.

We will also cover bullying and harassment, work related stress case, as well as the dos and don’ts of disciplinaries and dismissals.

The one day seminar is taking place in Limerick on 3 October and in Dublin on 17 October. Tickets costs €210 +VAT for SFA members and €295 +VAT for non-members. 

Agenda

Contracts 

• Practical examples in action
• Self-employment

Bullying and Harassment 

• Table top exercise in a bullying case
• One or two case law

Work related stress

OHS/Long working hours panel

• Key learnings
• Top things recognised

Family Leave

• Parental Leave- Increased parental leave
• Benefit Act

Discipline and Dismissal (Do/Donts)

• Case studies- Practical
• Role play

Book your place at the Limerick event or the Dublin event today. 

Data Solutions and INM Events are delighted to offer SFA members a delegate discount to ‘Secure Computing Forum 2019’ a full-day conference on 12th September in the RDS Venue Hall 6, Anglesea Rd, Dublin 4. Now in its seventh year, this full-day conference will address 2019’s hot cybersecurity trends.

Leading speakers and industry experts will focus on topics including the ‘dark net’, crypto-currencies, surveillance technology, machine learning, cyber privacy and will provide tips for creating a cyber-savvy workplace. What are the most dangerous new attack techniques? How do they work? How can you stop them? What’s coming next and how you can prepare!

This conference is specifically tailored to meet the interests of senior business and IT professionals from Irish & UK organisations of all sizes. Network with your peers from across the business spectrum as well as semi-state bodies and government organisations.

To find out more about this unique event, and to avail of this great offer log onto www.securecomputingforum.ie and insert promo code SCFIBEC at checkout.

Irish Water and Gas Networks Ireland, are part of Ervia a commercial semi-state multi-utility company responsible for the delivery of Ireland’s national gas and water infrastructure and services and provide dark fibre broadband infrastructure through their business Aurora Telecom.

Ervia, Small Firms Association and Ibec are pleased to invite members to a special “Meet the Buyer” event on upcoming commercial opportunities on Tuesday, 17 September at the Gibson Hotel, Point Square, Dublin, D01 X2P2. The event runs from 8.30am-1pm. Registration and Refreshments begin at 8am.

Business opportunities can be expected in the coming months across the seven following broad category areas:

•  Assets & Equipment
• Customer Care
• IT
• Operations, Consumables & Services
• Professional Services
• Supply Chain
• Telecoms

A full overview of each category/sub-category is included below.

This is a tailored event to allow attendees understand how to win business with Ervia. There will be an overview of the business, briefings on upcoming opportunities and how the organisation procures products and services. Attendees will also hear from companies already engaged in Ervia’s supply-chain.

Ervia’s category teams will be present on the day for face-to-face meetings with potential suppliers. This will allow attendees to better understand the opportunities for their business.

Break-out sessions will also be held to allow attendees gain an understanding on how to find upcoming opportunities and advice for bidding for this important business.

To attend, please confirm your attendance here.

At Back to Business delegates will hear from experts such as Jo Collins, MD of Sales Performance Consulting and Sales Training Services on how to focus on your sales plan in the months ahead. Attendees will learn how to re-energise their team from Brian Smyth, MD of Maybe International. Following the recent launch of the SFA National Small Business Awards, SFA award winning business owners will speak about how they have grown their businesses on the back of the Awards. This will be a great opportunity for networking too.

On the night, we will be joined by our awards sponsors and partners. NSAI, Permanent TSB, One4All, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, IEDR, DeCare Dental, Skillnet Ireland and Vodafone.

Back to Business will take place on 19th September at the Alex Hotel, Fenian St., Dublin 2 from 18.00pm – 20.30pm

This event is free of charge and pre-registration online is essential. Please book now to avoid missing out.

Agenda
6.00pm - Registration and Networking
6.30pm - Welcome and SFA Awards overview
6.40pm - Sales – doing the basics brilliantly – Jo Collins, MD, Sales Performance Consulting and Sales Training Services
7.10pm - Achieve a higher level of performance, Brian Smyth, MD Maybe International
7.40pm - Networking
8.30pm-  Event ends