Building Employer Appeal Through Brand, Reputation, People Management and Compliance

Attracting and Retaining the Right Talent: Building Employer Appeal Through Brand, Reputation, People Management and Compliance

Attracting and retaining skilled employees continues to be one of the most pressing challenges for SMEs in 2026. Employers are navigating a competitive labour market shaped by skills shortages, rising recruitment costs, evolving employee expectations, and increased demand for flexible and meaningful work.

· Skills gaps remain significant, particularly in digital, technical, engineering, health, logistics and professional services roles.

· Vacancy levels remain above pre‑2020 averages, with SMEs reporting difficulty attracting candidates with the right mix of skills, experience and work‑readiness.

· Retention has become a critical business priority, with employees placing greater value on development, wellbeing, hybrid working options and strong organisational culture.

· The true cost of recruitment continues to rise, with many SMEs experiencing first‑year hiring costs that exceed 1.5–2x the annual salary once onboarding, training, lost productivity and employer overheads are factored in.

· SMEs that invest in both recruitment and retention strategies are better positioned to grow, innovate and remain competitive.

A Highly Interactive Workshop:

This workshop is designed as an open an interactive environment where business owners can discuss their challenges. Attendees are encouraged to raise real‑life scenarios, explore practical solutions, and gain direct guidance from specialists who understand the realities SMEs are facing.

Laura Wheatley - Managing Partner, Infusion

Laura runs a highly successful management consultancy called Infusion with her partner in business and in life, Graham Hardy

Infusion are the go-to Strategic Partner for ambitious Business Owners who want to successfully grow and scale. They specialize in showing ambitious SMEs how to create a successful business that runs itself by taking their People and Performance to the next level

Laura is a born facilitator who inspires and empowers others to reach their full potential. She is dedicated to showing Business Leaders and their teams how to become truly high performing and deliver exceptional results. She is a qualified transformational Coach, Master NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner, Qualified GCOlogist and DiSC Practitioner

Cheryl Luzet, CEO of Wagada

Cheryl is the CEO of digital marketing agency Wagada Digital. Wagada supports companies looking to build their brand online and take control of their marketing spend to generate strong ROI. Our team of experts work with in-house marketing teams to allow them to take their digital marketing to the next level. As part of our work, we support our clients to ensure that their marketing also attracts and retains the best staff, helping them to develop engaging campaigns to develop their employer branding.

Liz Redway, Founder of Redway HR

Liz has over 20 years' experience internationally across a range ofsectors.

She works with integrity to support the businesses she works with, using a practical and down to earth style which puts her clients at ease.

Liz has excellent facilitation skills, with an eye for detail and compliance. She has the ability to influence at senior levels, and a good understanding of business issues. Liz has a keen interest in SMEs, and enjoys supporting businesses setting up as an employer for the first time.

Clients appreciate Liz’s straight forward approach, her track record for simplifying complexities and her smiling and engaging manner. She is a solution-focused individual who seeks to inform and empower her clients to achieve their business and people goals.

Facilitated Panel Discussion

A central part of the workshop is a facilitated panel session, giving businesses structured time to bring forward real situations they are currently experiencing. This discussion is designed to be practical, solution‑focused and grounded in the day‑to‑day challenges faced by SMEs.

The panel brings together expertise across HR, leadership, digital recruitment, skills development and government support, Joining Laura Wheatley, Liz Redway and Luca Avviniti will be representatives from:

Hertfordshire Future Skills Team

Providing insight into local skills priorities, training pathways, workforce development initiatives and how SMEs can tap into emerging talent pipelines.

University of Hertfordshire

Sharing opportunities for placements, graduate recruitment, upskilling, and collaboration with academic departments to support long-term talent development.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Offering clarity on recruitment support, local labour market programmes, employer incentives and how SMEs can access government-backed employment schemes.

This multi‑expert panel ensures businesses receive rounded, practical advice from multiple angles. The session is designed t

Description supplied by the event organiser.