We are looking forward to our CREME and ESRC PrOPEL Hub in-person event hosted by Aston University, Birmingham at 1330 on Wednesday 5 October: Levelling Up: Managing People in Microbusinesses in a Changing World. You can still join us for this free networking and information-sharing event. Register for free at EVENTBRITE.

The ESRC PrOPEL Hub’s key focus is to explore how high-quality, inclusive and engaging people practices can drive productivity and performance within the workplace. However, microbusinesses face a number of particular challenges in their delivery of people management and often current support interventions fail to reflect the lived experience of running a small business on the ground. Seeking to address this, the ESRC PrOPEL Hub has partnered with the Centre for Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship to run a “Spotlight on Microbusinesses” event series. Through two workshop style sessions, we have brought together key stakeholders within the microbusiness ecosystem to explore people management challenges and identify priorities and actors to drive real change. 

Now we want to hear from businesses and their partners – What is it like running a microbusiness from the ground? What people management issues do microbusinesses grapple with day to day? On Wednesday 5 October, we will be running the final event in our series to reflect on challenges, brainstorm solutions and importantly hear from the people that matter most; microbusiness owners. We will bring together microbusinesses with policymakers and other key stakeholders from across different sectors in the UK to explore:

  • The people management challenges micros face and how they are responding to these on a day to day basis
  • Gaps and opportunities in the current microbusiness support landscape
  • Next steps to continue to drive forward this agenda.

Top speakers confirmed for the workshop include (with additional speakers to be confirmed):

  • Mark Hart, Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School
  • Andrew Impey, CEO, Be The Business
  • Meryl Levington, Knowledge Exchange Manager, CIPD
  • Ian McLaughlan, Director at Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub
  • Graeme Roy, Professor of Economics and Dean of External Engagement, University of Glasgow
  • Dee Sharma, Founder and CEO, The OM Group
  • Claire Spencer, Senior Programme Manager for Inclusive Growth, WM Combined Authority
  • Paula Whitehouse, Associate Dean for Enterprise at Aston Business School, and Director of the Aston Centre for Growth

If you run a microbusiness, research the experiences of micros, or provide services or support to the sector, join us to have your say and be part of developing a multi-stakeholder, positive framework for change, all while expanding your microbusiness network. 

Places are limited, so please register as soon as possible at EVENTBRITE.