In October, Richard Baker, Project Programme & Portfolios Support Director at BAE Systems, delivered a talk to St Helens businesses.
BAE Systems help their customers stay a step ahead when protecting people and national security, critical infrastructure and vital information. They provide some of the world’s most advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions and employ a skilled workforce of 85,800 people in more than 40 countries.
Richard provided valuable insight into the nation’s productivity problem and how some of the UK’s leading industries are coming together to help solve the productivity puzzle – through incentives such as Productivity through People.
The UK’s productivity measure has remained stubbornly flat since the global financial crisis of 2008. The UK is less productive than several of its G7 counterparts, including France and Germany.
Richard said: “Productivity as a measure is very useful. It drives wage growth, the more you grow productivity the more you can afford to pay people, therefore standard of living increases. When productivity is suppressed, wages are suppressed and we have seen this in the UK since the financial crisis.”
A recent study shown that improving management capability by just 0.1% can increase productivity by nearly 10%.
Richard explained: “The better the management capability, the better the productivity of a business. Therefore, investment in management training is key to helping increase efficiency. Generally, the UK is less likely to deliver management training compared to our compatriots around Europe.
“It is really good that St Helens Chamber does a lot to support management learning. They offer various types of training from theory learning or networking – we can gain a lot from learning from each other at networking events.”
St Helens Chamber offers a range of different seminars and networking events, running at different times of day across the year so there is sure to be something to suit you.
For more information on any of our networking events or seminars, contact the events team on 01744 742028 or email events@sthelenschamber.com. You can also find all of our upcoming events at: https://www.sthelenschamber.com/events/
