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People with positive work relationships are more likely to engage in proactive behaviour at work

Employees with positive work relationships are significantly more likely to take proactive action, according to new research, conducted by researchers at Trinity Business School, Dublin City University Business School, Alliance Manchester Business School and ESSEC Business School.

The study shows proactive behaviours, such as anticipating problems, preventing issues before they escalate, and improving day-to-day processes, are vital across workplaces but are often constrained when staff fear negative consequences for speaking up or stepping beyond their formal roles.

The research analysed data from 246 staff nurses nested in 35 units across four hospitals in Ireland. Nurses provided data on relational experiences and team relational coordination, while unit managers independently rated each nurse’s proactive behaviour, ensuring greater objectivity and reducing bias.

The study found that positive relational experiences boosted employees’ role-breadth self-efficacy (confidence to take on a wider range of responsibilities) with a meaningful effect size of .37. This shows employees who have positive relationships at work characterised by positive regard (being liked), mutuality (committed to by colleagues), and vitality (energy), can garner noticeable increases in their confidence to handle a wider range of tasks beyond their current role. This increased confidence was a key factor which in turn influenced whether staff engaged in proactive behaviours at work.

Timely, frequent, accurate and respectful communication (relational coordination) within teams played a major role too. Indeed, relational coordination was positively and statistically significantly linked with psychological safety climate, with a large effect size of .87. This psychologically safe climate, involving employees felt ability to speak up and question things without being punished or humiliated in the team, in turn, positively influenced their willingness to engage in proactive behaviours at work.

Professor Steven Kilroy from Trinity Business school, together with co-authors, emphasised the central role of workplace relationships in shaping proactive behaviou told That's Business: “Relationships are effectively the nervous system of an organization, which affects how individuals think, feel, and act when they are at work,”. 

They added that “positive work relationships are important for encouraging proactivity because they endow individuals, through affirmation and more general positive reinforcement, with a sense of confidence in their own ability to engage in a broader range of tasks,” underscoring how everyday interactions directly influence whether staff feel able to step beyond their formal roles.

The findings highlight the value of investing in relational culture, not just leadership, to encourage proactive behaviour. By fostering strong connections and psychological safety, organisations can boost performance, reduce errors, and strengthen workforce resilience.

Budget confirms crypto crackdown on 13m taxpayers

Cryptocurrency holders warned after Budget 2025 reiterates crypto platforms will start recording the gains made on these assets on 1st January 2026, ahead of sharing it with HMRC.

Anyone who buys or sells cryptocurrency is being urged to get their tax affairs in order, after the Government confirmed in Budget 2025 that HMRC will soon start receiving detailed financial information directly from crypto platforms.

From 1st January 2026, major cryptocurrency exchanges will be required to collect full transaction records for their UK customers – including how much they paid, how much they sold for and any profits made.

This is part of the government’s wider clampdown on tax avoidance. With these platforms to become responsible for recording and, in time, sharing the financial information of crypto holders with HMRC, the tax office will have visibility of the amount of tax that should be paid.

From 2027, these platforms will begin sending this information straight to HMRC, giving the tax authority a clear view of people’s gains for the first time.

Experts are warning that anyone trading in digital assets – from Bitcoin and Ethereum to smaller tokens – must make sure they are accurately reporting their profits on their self-assessment tax returns. HMRC will use the new data to crack down on undeclared gains.

Seb Maley, CEO of tax insurance provider, Qdos, told That's Business: “This marks a major shift in how crypto trading is monitored from a tax perspective. HMRC will soon know exactly who is making gains – and how much.

“Anyone who holds or trades cryptocurrency must ensure they are reporting the gains on their self-assessment tax return. HMRC is set to have more information and data at its fingertips than ever before.

“With platforms set to keep a record of this information from 1st January 2026, ahead of sharing it with HMRC the year after, the tax office will be able to cross-check tax returns against the data they’ve received.

“And it goes without saying, that HMRC will have no hesitation in launching an investigation if the numbers don’t match.”

Annual salmon count shows record low numbers of fish for a second consecutive year

The annual counting and tagging of juvenile wild Atlantic salmon on the River Frome in Dorset has shown a dramatic decline in numbers of fish being captured for a second year in succession, indicating a worrying downward trend which is reflected across the UK and Europe.

Since 2002, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's (GWCT) has spent four weeks over late summer catching, weighing, measuring and microchipping the juvenile salmon, known as parr, that have hatched in this 35-mile long south of England chalk stream during winter and spring.

The aim every year is to tag 10,000 salmon parr - but this summer, the Fish Research team only managed to scrape together 3,226 salmon parr. This is another record low after they only managed to find 4,593 last year.

GWCT's Senior Research Assistant Will Beaumont is leading the fieldwork, which took place between 22 August and 17 September. He told That's Businesss: "Last year was the worst we've ever had, but this year has been catastrophic.

"This follows on from yet another year where we have seen a new record low number of adults returning from sea to spawn, confirming the continued steep decline of salmon in our rivers."

Numbers of wild Atlantic salmon have crashed by some 80% over the past 40 years. Rivers which had tens of thousands of salmon in the 1980s now only have a few hundred in them. They are now classified as endangered in the UK and on the IUCN Red list along with other threatened species like elephants, pandas and polar bears.

In a bid try to identify what is causing the decline, and what can be done to reverse it, the GWCT's Fisheries Research department has been studying the health and lifecycle of this iconic species since 1973 - and has been PIT tagging salmon since 2002. This means the GWCT has data going back more than 50 years, making the Frome monitoring programme one of the longest running and most comprehensive of its kind in Europe.

Working with farmers on a landscape and catchment-wide scale is key if we want to improve the health of the river and reverse the decline in salmon. This is something the GWCT has been pioneering for the past decade through farmer clusters and, more recently the Environmental Farmers Group (EFG).

Dylan Roberts, Head of Fisheries at GWCT, says: "This decline is alarming, and if it continues salmon could disappear from our UK rivers in the next 30 years. It is also sadly reflective of what's happening in other rivers in the UK and more widely in Europe. Almost all salmon rivers in England and Wales are classified as at risk by the Government bodies.

"The issues for salmon are many and complex. They are facing much tougher conditions in the marine environment, where global warming and concerns over bycatch are posing serious threats. But if we are able to improve conditions in our rivers, and make sure they can grow fitter, larger and stronger and reproduce in greater numbers, they will stand a better chance, once they migrate to sea, of returning in larger numbers.

"My team has seen first-hand the changes to the physical nature of the river Frome. In recent years, we have seen a huge increase in the growth of algae between spring and autumn which smothers the riverbed, shades and then reduces the growth of plants like water crowfoot, which are crucial habitats for juvenile salmon and the insects upon which they feed. We've also seen increases in the quantity of sediment, which is mud running from the riverbanks and ploughed fields into the river where it smothers and suffocates salmon eggs.

"Excessive algae also reduces the amount of oxygen available to fish in rivers at night and especially during the warmer months, this can stress, reduce the growth of and even kill fish. The algae grows excessively due to high levels of nutrients - nitrate and phosphate which are released into rivers from sewage, septic tank discharges and running off agricultural land.

"To create a better future for salmon, we need to tackle these issues together and at scale. To date, projects have been too small and patchy - mainly due to a lack of funding and bureaucratic challenges around farming and conservation - to make the changes needed.

"There are a number of other organisations striving to do good things on rivers and we don't want to be another group doing our own thing. We need to work collaboratively with everyone in the sector, from councils, government bodies and NGO's like the Wildlife Trusts and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group."

Farmer Collaboration

Ian Baggs is a dairy farmer based along the banks of the Frome near Wareham. His herd grazes the water meadows and fields near the river.

He says: "I believe farmers are custodians of the land and we have an obligation to do the right thing. It's about securing the long-term sustainability of farming and the future of generations to come.

"For decades we used to grow maize on this field above the river, where the land slopes down towards it. We have now changed that, instead we've planted deep rooted grass and now graze the cows on it. This stops the problem of run off and helps improve the river, reducing the amount of silt reaching it.

"We also keep cattle moving to fresh pastures every few days, to allow the environment to recover quicker."

"I'm happy to look at doing more, in fact I want to do more, and I'm always looking at ways of improving the health of the river, but like many I need adequate financial support and expert guidance. That's why farmer clusters, EFG and the science based advice of the GWCT is vital."

GWCT recognises that the UK will not meet environmental challenges such as river pollution and species recovery without this collaborative relationship with farmers, who manage 72% of the land. This is why the trust developed the Farmer Cluster concept in 2012, facilitating groups of contiguous landholders to work together to save threatened species in their local area.

In 2022 the Trust supported the launch of the farmer led cooperative Environmental Farmers Group (EFG) which acts as an umbrella group for farmer clusters and individual farms looking to access funding for habitat improvement and emissions reduction projects. It currently represents 541 farmers over an area of 341,404 hectares with groups in the South East, South West, Midlands and Yorkshire providing a blueprint mechanism for helping deliver national targets on net zero, biodiversity recovery and clean rivers.

Colin Smart, from the Environmental Farmers Group Dorset, says: "We are planning to develop a catchment conservation plan for the Frome with advice and input from GWCT fisheries. As part of that we are surveying the length of the River Frome to build a picture of where we can make improvements.

"With a sufficient blend of investment from both the private and public sector, the catchment plan has the potential to reverse the catastrophic decline of salmon in the Frome, which is an indication of the poor health of the entire river system.

"Farmers do care about the environment and can make a real difference but also need to produce food and make a living. They need adequate compensation to put the right measures in place."

The GWCT's salmon monitoring work forms part of a 'Core Salmon Rivers' research programme in partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust and the Missing Salmon Alliance.

Clare Scott, facilitator for The Devil and Chesel Farmer Cluster in Dorset on behalf of FWAG South West (FWAGSW), says: "As facilitators, FWAGSW ensures that farmers have access to industry expertise and best practice guidance. Working together promotes group discussion and provides opportunities to share ideas and learning."

Salmonid electrofishing and parr tagging - how it is done

Every August/September the GWCT Fish Research Centre team set out to capture and tag 10,000 juvenile salmon and 3,000 brown trout.

Fisheries scientists, volunteers and students make up two teams of six or seven and head out daily for four weeks to cover most of the River Frome, fishing sections at a time. The tagging work is undertaken in a mobile riverbank laboratory.

At least three people get in the river and walk upstream in waders with a metal loop (called an anode) which is moved through the water to create a slight electric current in the water to slow the fish's movement to be able to capture them.

The fish are then put in a bucket and handed over to the lab team on the riverbank to be weighed, measured, anesthetised and tagged with microchips - PIT tags (passive integrated transponder) which is what a vet will use in cats and dogs. A few scales are also taken to help age and undertake genetic analysis on the fish.

After recovering in a bucket of oxygenated water the fish are returned unharmed to the same 100m section of the river from where they were caught.

https://www.gwct.org.uk/

Puredrive Energy CEO Named Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year

Cheltenham-based battery manufacturer, Mark Millar has been named entrepreneur of the year for the second year running.

Puredrive Energy is celebrating a landmark achievement as CEO Mark Millar has been crowned Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards (GBEA) 2025. 

After his previous Scale-Up Entrepreneur win at the GBEA awards in 2024, Mark’s second consecutive win places him among the UK’s most respected leading in the clean-tech and manufacturing sectors.

The ceremony which was held last week at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London is the biggest celebration for founders and their businesses in the UK.

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards is often described as “The Grammys for Entrepreneurship” and shines a spotlight on the individuals and businesses driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of the UK economy. The awards honour remarkable stories of entrepreneurial success, perseverance, and vision.

Based in Gloucestershire, Puredrive Energy originated as a family-run start-up with four employees. Today it is the UK’s fastest-growing home battery manufacturer, working with over 400 active installers across the UK and Europe. The business is best known for its high-performance Duracell Energy home storage systems, designed in the UK.

In 2022, Puredrive secured a brand licence to manufacture, market, and distribute Duracell-branded home energy storage products. This partnership has helped the business scale rapidly while supporting thousands of UK homeowners in storing low-cost, renewable energy to reduce both bills and carbon emissions. Today, the business exclusively supplies Duracell Energy storage products, reinforcing its commitment to quality and reliability.

The GBEA judges said that its identity as a true family business is what sets Puredrive apart in the energy sector. Mark heads the company alongside his two sons: Oliver, Head of Marketing, and Daniel, Head of Sales. Their shared vision has shaped a culture built on resilience, innovation, and agility. During a year marked by industry-wide economic, political and environmental pressures, these qualities have proven essential.

Despite challenges that have forced several competitors to reduce the scale of their operations or exit the market, Puredrive has continued to grow, increasing its market share and achieving significant revenue uplift. The company credits its success to its ability to adapt quickly to shifting demand and global logistics uncertainty, which is particularly important for a business operating across the UK, Europe, and South Africa.

This latest accolade follows an impressive run of recognition for Puredrive in 2025. The company reached the finals at the Gloucestershire Business Awards and secured two UK Contact Centre Forum awards for excellence in customer service.

Mark Millar, CEO of Puredrive Energy, told That's Business:  “This award means a lot to me and to our family team. 

"We’ve always believed that if you stay focused, stay adaptable, and keep pushing for better, good things follow, even in a challenging year like this one. What really matters is that we’re helping more homeowners take control of their energy and become more self-sufficient. 

"That’s what drives us every day. This recognition is a reminder that we’re on the right path, and we’re excited to keep building, keep improving, and keep supporting people who want a cleaner, more reliable way to power their homes.”

Looking ahead, the company is preparing for a milestone year, with business on target to increase by 50%. Puredrive is set to launch a new generation of energy storage products and expand its operations in the Benelux region, further strengthening its position as a leader in the European energy storage market.

https://www.puredrive-energy.co.uk

https://www.duracellenergy.com

The Top 5 Blogging Platforms Available Today

We promised to let you know about what blogging platforms there are available, so here we are!

Starting a blog has never been simpler. Whether you’re launching a personal journal, building a brand, or growing a business, choosing the right platform is the first and most important step. 

With so many options available, it can be tricky to know which one suits your goals, budget, and technical skills. 

To help you decide, here’s a clear rundown of the top five blogging platforms used by creators around the world today.

1. WordPress.org

Best for: Full control, customisation, long-term growth

WordPress.org powers a huge percentage of the world’s blogs — and for good reason. As a self-hosted platform, it gives you complete freedom to design, optimise, and expand your site exactly how you like.

Pros:

Thousands of free and premium themes

Extensive plugin ecosystem

Excellent for SEO

Full ownership of your content

Cons:

Requires hosting and maintenance

Slight learning curve for beginners

2. WordPress.com

Best for: Beginners who want an easy start

WordPress.com offers the simplicity of a hosted platform with some of WordPress’s best features built in. It’s ideal if you want to start publishing quickly without dealing with technical setup.

Pros:

No hosting setup required

Built-in security and updates

Free starter plan available

Clean writing interface

Cons:

Less flexibility than WordPress.org

Customisation options depend on your plan

3. Wix

Best for: Visual creators and small businesses

Wix.com is a drag-and-drop website builder that makes designing a blog feel effortless. Its visual editor is particularly appealing to beginners who want full creative control without touching code.

Pros:

Intuitive design tools

Wide selection of templates

Built-in marketing features

No technical knowledge required

Cons:

Less flexible than open-source platforms

Changing templates later on is difficult

4. Squarespace

Best for: Stylish, polished blogs with minimal fuss

squarespace.com focuses on beautiful design and all-in-one convenience. Many bloggers choose it for its sleek templates and straightforward layout tools, especially in creative fields such as photography, lifestyle, and portfolio blogging.

Pros:

Some of the best templates available

Reliable hosting included

Robust support

Good built-in SEO tools

Cons:

Fewer plugin options

Slightly higher cost compared to similar platforms

5. Blogger

Best for: Simple, hobby-style blogging

Blogger.com is a long-standing platform owned by Google and offers an easy, no-cost way to get your writing online. While it’s not as feature-rich as newer platforms, it’s dependable and perfect for casual bloggers.

Pros:

Completely free

Simple to use

Integrates with Google tools

Unlike some blogging platforms actively encourages you to host adverts on your site, should you wish to have adverts 

Cons:

Limited design flexibility

Fewer updates and modern features

The best blogging platform depends on what you want to achieve. If you need full control and long-term growth, WordPress.org stands out. For beginners who want a stress-free start, WordPress.com, Wix, or Squarespace are excellent choices. And if you simply want a space to write without worrying about extras, Blogger remains a solid, no-frills option.

Whatever you choose, the most important step is to start writing, your blog will grow as you do.

Incidentally, we use Blogger.com, even though we have tried several other platforms, we have always returned to Blogger.com.

Why Your Business Should Launch a Blog – And Why Consistency Is the Key to Success

In today’s digital marketplace, a business blog is no longer a “nice-to-have”. 

It’s one of the most cost-effective, trust-building, search-boosting tools available to any organisation, no matter its size. And it doesn't have to cost you a penny!

Whether you’re a sole trader, a growing SME, or an established brand, a blog helps you reach customers, shape your reputation, and stay visible online.

But here’s the catch: the benefits only come when you update it consistently.

Why Every Business Should Have a Blog

1. It boosts your visibility in search engines

Customers turn to Google for almost every decision. A regularly updated blog helps your website appear in these searches by providing fresh, keyword-rich content.

Each new post creates another chance to rank for specific queries, increasing your organic reach without paid ads.

2. It positions you as an authority in your field

Sharing guidance, insights, case studies, and behind-the-scenes knowledge shows that you understand your industry.

Over time, your blog becomes a resource hub that builds trust and encourages customers to choose you over competitors.

3. It humanises your brand

A blog gives you the space to share your personality, values, and brand story.

Readers want to buy from businesses they connect with. Showing the faces, ideas, and passion behind your company helps build meaningful customer relationships.

4. It supports your sales funnel

Blog posts can drive customers through the buying journey by answering questions, introducing products, and reducing hesitation.

A reader might discover your site through an informative article and later convert because your content helped them at the right moment.

5. It gives you unlimited material for social media

If you ever struggle with what to post online, a blog solves that instantly.

Every article can be repurposed into short snippets, tips, graphics, or video scripts – keeping your social channels active and engaging.

6. It keeps customers informed

Whether you’re launching a product, attending an event, or offering a seasonal promotion, your blog acts as a central place for updates.

This builds loyalty and encourages repeat visits to your site.

Why Consistent Updating Is the Secret Ingredient

Launching a blog is only half the job. The businesses that see real long-term gains are those that keep it updated regularly.

1. Search engines reward fresh content

Google prioritises active, well-maintained sites. Posting consistently signals that your business is alive, engaged, and relevant.

This leads to better rankings and increased organic traffic.

2. It creates a predictable experience for your audience

If people know you publish new content weekly or monthly, they’ll return for more.

Consistency builds trust – inconsistency erodes it.

3. It strengthens your brand voice

Regular writing helps refine your tone and messaging, making your brand instantly recognisable.

A clear, consistent voice improves customer confidence.

4. It keeps your business adaptable

Trends move quickly. By updating your blog consistently, you stay ahead of industry shifts and respond to customer needs in real time.

5. It compounds over time

One blog post is useful. Fifty posts become a library.

A well-stocked blog continues attracting visitors long after each article is published – working for your business 24/7.

Tips for Keeping Your Blog Consistently Updated

Plan a simple content calendar – even one post every fortnight makes a difference.

Mix evergreen content with timely topics for balance.

Repurpose content across social media and email newsletters to maximise value.

Use SEO research to decide what customers are searching for.

Delegate or outsource posts when time is tight.

Final Blogging Thoughts

A business blog is one of the most powerful tools available for building visibility, trust, and long-term customer relationships. But the true magic happens when you treat it as an ongoing part of your marketing strategy rather than a one-off project.

Start your blog, update it consistently, and watch your authority – and your audience – grow.

What blogging platforms can you use? We'll tell you in a subsequent post.