If you are an Irish SME with the potential to grow business productivity and are eager to be more efficient, this initiative is for you.
The Productivity Challenge is a national programme that supports Ireland’s small businesses and enterprises, by providing them with the right advice and training resources to enhance productivity and efficiency.
It aims to increase your business productivity in any of the following ways:
The initiative comprises a pilot productivity voucher scheme supported by 500K in Government funding. You will find the scheme promoted under your Local Enterprise Office “Making it Happen” campaign.
Small Irish businesses or enterprises can now apply for one of 200 productivity vouchers valued at €2,500 each, to help them develop a more efficient and productive business operation. Your Local Enterprise Office will receive additional funding in order to pilot this competitive fund.
To qualify, you should examine your current operations and identify opportunities for addressing productivity gaps or improving efficiency in your business. There is a finite quantity of vouchers, so it is a competition to find the most deserving applicants. You must make a convincing case, demonstrating how your business could make the best use of this funding opportunity.
For example you should identify:
● Ways you could improve margins either by lowering the costs of production or raising the quality of your products and subsequently pricing.
● Ways you could increase production by reducing waste, saving time, changing the way you do things, or training your workforce
● Ways to increase your revenue through better sales techniques, accessing new markets or developing new products.
In short, the Productivity Voucher aims to improve the quality of what you make, reduce the costs of running your business and help you deliver more, faster.
It will help you find new ways to implement more efficient processes, innovative production techniques, improved delivery systems or find new ways to streamline the organisational methods within your business.
Use it to improve the way your business works through the:
• Adoption of lean practices and principles
• Identification of cost reduction initiatives
• Identification of Green sustainable practices
• Introduction of waste-reducing plans
• Enhancement of customer experience
• Enhancement of performance management
The Productivity voucher can be used by participating in small businesses to:
1. Engage and leverage experts, who can consult with you and help you assess your business’ value chain and operations. This process can cover supply chain management, internal business and production operations, right through to logistics and your distribution network.
2. Invest in training & capability development. It will support the development of a more effective, capable and efficient workforce through relevant training. Go to our “Scenarios”(Case Studies) Page to see how this process will work in various sectors.
The programme is relevant to any domestically-focused small business (across all sectors) with the focus and drive to succeed.
You must also have a turnover or balance sheet total of less than €10M and a workforce of fewer than 50 people. More information is available HERE.
More details are available on the application process here: How To Apply . Use our easy-to-use online application form to avail of a €2,500 Productivity Voucher.