Growing businesses urged to think ìoutside the boxî in employee development

Two HR professionals who launched their own company through Coventry Universityís business start-up programme are offering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a unique training opportunity ñ and it comes in a box. Dawn Turner and Vivien Long, co-directors of OutsideTheBox Ltd, have devised a series of training toolkits in subjects such as team management, customer care and appraisals. Each box comes with its own CD-Rom, training manual, handouts and props down to the last post-it note and is aimed at firms which may not have a large training budget.

With over 20 years experience in people development behind them, Dawn and Vivien realised there was a gap in the market for companies who may not want to pay for outside training. ìSMEs are generally unable to send staff away on courses because of the effect on the business in their absence, so weíve put together a more practical and cost-effective alternative,î Dawn said. ìOur boxes can easily be used by non-trainers because the manuals are so precise, even down to timings for each section. We also give top tips on how to deal with the most difficult delegates ñ dinosaurs, doodlers, whingers, saboteurs and sleepy heads.î

Dawn and Vivien met in 2001 while working as associates on a project run by Coventry Universityís Centre for Lifelong Learning offering soft skills training for SMEs in the West Midlands. It was here they found out about Vision Works, the Universityís business start-up programme run by its commercial arm Coventry University Enterprises, and signed up to the scheme in January 2004. ìAt that time our business plan was four sheets of paper and we were having meetings in our front rooms,î Vivien said. ìIt was essential to work in a proper business environment so the free office space offered by Vision Works at Coventry Universityís Technology Park was very attractive. Weíve also had our own personal business mentor who advises us on networking, funding streams, marketing and sales ñ itís like a sweet shop for growing businesses. Business can be a lonely world but the support weíve had from Vision Works has been fantastic and without that we definitely wouldnít be where we are today.î The training boxes cost 499 plus VAT and are available from the companyís website