Posts by John

Freelancers on the Rise

Posted on 4 May 2013 in Business, Business Planning, General, Information, News

The number of freelancers in the UK grew by 12% from 1.4 million in 2008 to 1.56 million in 2011, according to figures released by Kingston University and the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) for National Freelancers Day. The Prime Minister expressed support for the sector, saying that the Government “recognises the valuable contribution that freelancers make to the economy”. The survey also revealed that the most popular sectors for freelance workers are...

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Most small firms use social networks, survey finds

Posted on 4 May 2013 in Business, Information, Marketing, Social Media

Over 90% of small and medium-sized businesses use social networks for business purposes, up from 60% at the same point in 2011, a survey by PeoplePerHour.com has found. The research revealed that these firms use social networks to recruit new staff, find work and market themselves, and that Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were the most popular. The results of the survey support recent research by Deloitte that suggested Facebook is worth £2 billion a year to the UK economy....

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New guidance on protecting data on personal devices

Posted on 4 May 2013 in Business, Information, Mobile

New guidance explaining how employers can ensure staff protect business data and information and comply with the Data Protection Act when using their personal devices, has been published by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). The guidance provides key recommendations, including using encryption to store data securely and installing a facility that remotely wipes the device if it is lost. The guidance follows research by YouGov, which revealed almost half of adults...

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Small firms not optimising mobile websites

Posted on 4 May 2013 in Business, Marketing, Mobile, Websites

Just 8% of small firms have a website optimised for access via mobile devices, despite almost half encouraging customers to use their mobile website, according to research by Pitney Bowes. The research revealed print as the preferred advertising method for small firms, while top online methods included e-mail and Facebook marketing. The research also found just 10% of small enterprises planned to invest in a mobile website in the coming year, while 7% plan to offer mobile...

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