HELLO and welcome to the AM Business Briefing on Thursday, August 26, as recruitment company Hays has warned over "clear signs" of skills shortages worldwide and said the hiring woes are pushing up wages in some hard-hit sectors.
The firm said salaries are rising in certain industries as employers seek to attract and retain staff, particularly in the technology and life sciences sectors.
It comes as businesses in the UK are resorting to offering large cash bonuses to attract recruits, with it emerging earlier this week that Amazon is paying £1,000 "golden hellos" to new warehouse workers. The shortage of lorry drivers in the UK is also seeing firms pay hefty joining bonuses.
In the City, the incoming chief executive of Sports Direct owner Frasers Group could pocket a £100 million shares windfall if he meets a "challenging but achievable" target, the firm has said.
Frasers said 31-year-old Michael Murray - Mike Ashley's prospective son-in-law, who is set to succeed the retail tycoon in the top job - will be in line for the award if he more than doubles the group's share price.
Also today, a Glasgow-based housing developer has started work on a new sustainable housing development in Edinburgh, oil and gas workers hit by the downturn are to be supported for retraining, and in Business Voices Laura Gordon asks: Are you up to the job of conducting interviews?
Edinburgh 'green roof' homes at former pub site
A Glasgow-based housing developer has broken ground on a new sustainable 25-flat development in the Scottish capital.
Carmichael Homes has delivered 11 developments across Greater Glasgow over the past nine years, including sites in Finnieston and Bishopbriggs. Building on its success, the firm has recently started construction on the development made up of a range of one to four-bed flats on Lanark Road in Edinburgh.
The site was previously occupied by the Tickled Trout.
The development will feature a green roof to help the building retain water and aid local biodiversity, enhanced high performing glazing for added insulation, modern fans and an energy efficient boiler system, linked to solar panels, and was possible with support from Bank of Scotland.
To support the development, Carmichael Homes secured a seven-figure funding package via bank’s Clean Growth Finance Initiative (CGFI) which provides discounted lending to help firms invest in sustainable projects.
The construction of the new flats is expected to take 16 months, with completion expected by December 2022. The business currently has three live developments across Glasgow and Edinburgh and is expecting a further three projects to go live next year – all of which will be developed with a focus on sustainability.
Carmichael Homes is also supporting Scottish businesses during the development, using products from Wick-based Ashley Ann Kitchens, Aberdeen-based Stewart Milne and many more locally sourced companies.
Scott Carmichael, managing director of Carmichael Homes, said: “At Carmichael Homes, we create high-quality properties that are sustainably built to help Scotland on its way to net zero.
“The support from Bank of Scotland has been a massive boost to our business. It has enabled us to equip each property with a host of eco-friendly features and ensure each flat has a low carbon footprint.
“The project will also mark a continuation in our expansion into Edinburgh. A recent report found that people across Edinburgh are concerned with the current climate emergency and by building new homes with this in mind, we are continuing our commitment to provide sustainable homes across Scotland.”
Douglas Spowart, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “Earlier this year it was reported that renewables met 97% of the country’s electricity demand in 2020. While this was a positive development on our path towards net zero, there’s still more that can be done. Businesses in sectors ranging from agriculture to construction can all play a considerable role in helping us decarbonise.
“Carmichael Homes’ new project in Edinburgh is a prime example of a Scottish business doing just that and we’re proud to be supporting them with this new sustainable project.
“With COP26 just around the corner, we’ll continue to support businesses like Carmichael Homes as they work to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions and strengthen our ever-growing green credentials.”
Carmichael Homes has delivered 11 developments across Greater Glasgow over the past nine years, including sites in Finnieston and Bishopbriggs. Building on its success, the firm has recently started construction on a new 25-flat development made up of a range of one to four-bed flats on Lanark Road in Edinburgh.
Oil and gas workers to retrain in tourism and entrepreneurship
Workers impacted by the pandemic and the oil and gas downturn are to be backed for training and enterprise projects across a number of areas, including entrepreneurship, tourism and energy transition.
Laura Gordon: Are you up to the job of conducting interviews?
Opinion: Most of us will have attended job interviews from time to time, some good, some bad.
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