10. Investment / funding for SMEs
As established enterprises wrestle with becoming more innovative and agile, ‘buying in’ that mindset and approach will be an increasingly attractive option. For start-ups and SMEs, the benefit is being able to access funding and support from a wide range of sources and being able to tap into the much wider resources of larger organisations, without necessarily compromising their independence.
Whether through financial investment, accessing IP or simply agreeing a mutual sharing of resources, 2019 will see increased partnerships and collaborations between established manufacturers and smaller operators.
9. Better diversity
2018 saw the continuation of a major conversation and focus on diversity across all levels of society. From a manufacturing perspective, the business case is clear – an organisation is likely to perform better financially if its workforce is more diverse. Diversity is going to continue to be top of the agenda for many years to come, and with greater public awareness will come increased government scrutiny and tougher legislation.
Forward thinking businesses will pre-empt this by implementing more rigorous and impactful programmes to accelerate the diversification of their workforces.
8. Workforce of the future
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