Survey BB-52 :
"How you would use a consultant for a day?" And what of Trades Union membership, cost increases due to pension legislation, responses to increased insurance and N.I. contribution costs, Data Protection and, "Are you a family run business?"
Question Number Question Q1 If you had free access to an expert consultant for a day, which one of the following issues would you most like him/her to address? Q2 Approximately what percentage of your employees are members of a Trades Union? Q3 Approximately how much have your costs (time or money), spent on pension arrangements, increased due to the introduction of Stakeholder Pensions? Q4 What is the main way by which your business is accommodating the recent increases in insurance premia? Q5 What is the main way in which you anticipate your company will accommodate the increase in national Insurance contributions from next April? Q6 Does your company have a Data Protection Policy? Q7 75% of UK businesses are owned or managed by families. Would you include your business in this category? Q8 To what extent is your business constrained by skill shortages? Q9 To what extent is your business constrained by a lack of finance? Q10 To what extent is your business constrained by low market demand? Q11 Over the last 3 months, has your business:- Q12 Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:
(1) If you had free access to an expert consultant for a day, which one of the following issues would you most like him/her to address?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. Recruitment 4.7%
2. Finance 15%
3. Marketing 48.8%
4. Management skills 14.2%
5. Regulation 17.3%
(2) Approximately what percentage of your employees are members of a Trades Union?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. 100% 2.4%
2. 75% 2.4%
3. 50% 3.9%
4. 25% 2.4%
5. 10% 3.9%
6. 0%. 59.1%
7. not applicable 26%
(3) Approximately how much have your costs (time or money), spent on pension arrangements, increased due to the introduction of Stakeholder Pensions?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. unchanged 48.8%
2. doubled 17.3%
3. trebled 4.7%
4. quadrupled 2.4%
5. more than quadrupled 4.7%
6. not applicable 22%
(4) What is the main way by which your business is accommodating the recent increases in insurance premia?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. reduced cover 7.1%
2. increased prices 11%
3. improved productivity 5.5%
4. lower pay increases 1.6%
5. reduced profits 65.4%
6. not applicable 9.4%
(5) What is the main way in which you anticipate your company will accommodate the increase in national Insurance contributions from next April?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. increased prices 18.9%
2. improved productivity 7.9%
3. lower pay increases 14.2%
4. reduced profits 53.5%
5. not applicable 5.5%
(6) Does your company have a Data Protection Policy?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. yes 61.4%
2. no 38.6%
(7) 75% of UK businesses are owned or managed by families. Would you include your business in this category?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1. yes 63.8%
2. no 36.2%
(8) To what extent is your business constrained by skill shortages?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1 Highly 11%
2 19.7%
3 25.2%
4 25.2%
5 Not at all 18.9%
(9) To what extent is your business constrained by a lack of finance?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1 Highly 17.3%
2 18.9%
3 19.7%
4 26%
5 Not at all 18.1%
(10) To what extent is your business constrained by low market demand?
Response Total answers: 127 %
1 Highly 18.9%
2 22.8%
3 30.7%
4 15.7%
5 Not at all 11.8%
(11) Over the last 3 months, has your business:-
Response Total answers: 127 %
Expanded significantly (more than 10%) 13.4%
Expanded somewhat (between 5% to 10%) 31.5%
Remained static 38.6%
Declined somewhat (between 5% to 10%) 11.8%
Declined significantly (more than 10%) 4.7%
(12) Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:
Response Total answers: 127 %
Expand significantly (more than 10%) 15%
Expand somewhat (between 5% to 10%) 36.2%
Remain static 30.7%
Decline somewhat (between 5% to 10%) 15%
Decline significantly (more than 10%) 3.1%
