As we step into the new year, Enterprise Oxfordshire is launching Members Week, with a powerful and timely theme: Working Well.
Set to run from January 27th to 30th, this unique week provides free, high-value business support sessions led not by external consultants, but by successful Enterprise Oxfordshire clients themselves; business owners and leaders who are giving back to the community that helped them grow.
Peer-to-Peer Learning: Why Experience is the Best Teacher
For both new and seasoned business people, learning from peers offers unparalleled value that differs significantly from traditional consulting:
- For New Business Owners: Peer-led sessions cut straight through theory to deliver tested, practical solutions. You learn what actually works on the ground in Oxfordshire, accelerating your understanding of real-world challenges.
- For Seasoned Professionals: Peer learning offers a vital chance to benchmark. You can validate your own strategies, gain fresh perspectives on familiar problems, and identify best practices that may have evolved since you last revisited a topic. It provides an immediate, relevant, and non-judgmental space to share common struggles.
The focus on Working Well recognises that a successful business is built on a foundation of strong culture, clear communication, and employee health.
The Working Well Programme: What’s On
This meaningful week of extra-special free business support tackles subjects that are crucial for staff retention, legal compliance, and operational efficiency:
Tuesday, Jan 27 • 12:30 PM: Demystify Menopause
With one in ten women reporting they have left a role due to lack of support, at a significant cost to the business, understanding menopause is no longer optional. This session offers clear, practical guidance on how to support colleagues navigating peri/menopause and how to make reasonable adjustments to ensure talent is retained and thriving.
Join us for an accessible 60 minute session where coach Emma Thomas will ‘Demystify Menopause’, bust some myths, find out why peri/menopause is more than mood swings and hot flushes, and learn how we can best support those in our work and personal lives that might be navigating the choppy waters of peri/menopause.
Research shows that one in ten women have left a role due to lack of support, at an average cost to the business to replace them of £30,000. Employment tribunals citing menopause have also increased dramatically over the last three years due to increased awareness. In this session we will look at the symptoms that most impact people in a workplace environment, and how reasonable adjustments can help.
Wednesday, Jan 28 • 12:30 PM: Sit Happens!
Moving beyond basic compliance, led by Alison (AKA The Safety Elf), this session looks at safety while working. It covers not just physical safety protocols but also the broader well-being required to sustain long-term healthy working, equipping attendees with the knowledge to protect their teams and their operations. Because posture, comfort, health and focus shouldn’t be casualties of desk-based working.
Making Desk Work Work for You
Whether you WFH, work in an office, or are constantly on the go, if you bring your body as well as your laptop to work, this webinar is for you.
We’ll explore how to beat the barriers to desk-based health, comfort and productivity, including:
- Key posture principles: why they matter and how to apply them wherever you work
- “Be more astronaut”: valuable lessons desk-bound humans can learn from NASA research
- Myth-busting: tackling common misconceptions about posture and desk setup
Thursday, Jan 29 • 12:30 PM: Going Against the Grain
This session champions collaboration and connection. It explores how linking with nearby businesses and fostering a collaborative mindset can help individuals and organisations grow with purpose, sharing knowledge and building a stronger local ecosystem.
Join this webinar for an inspiring session led by Jack from Against The Grain Oxfordshire CIC, a social enterprise using creativity, craftsmanship and collaboration to help people grow with purpose.
Through hands-on learning and community-based projects, Against The Grain supports young people and members of the local community who have faced challenges in education, mental health, or employment. Their approach transforms lived experience into valuable workplace skills, building confidence, resilience and wellbeing along the way.
In this webinar, Jack will share insights from his work with learners whose journeys often begin amid adversity but evolve into stories of skill, contribution and renewed motivation. He’ll explore what your business could learn from these experiences, from creating supportive, values-driven workplaces to harnessing the potential of diverse teams.
Friday, Jan 30 • 12:30 PM: Conversation Culture
Great business results rely on effective communication. This webinar, with expert Heidi Black, focuses on techniques for having impactful, productive, and sometimes difficult conversations at work, helping managers and owners build a healthier, more transparent conversation culture within their teams.
Whether it is checking in with an employee to find out how their daughter’s wedding went at the weekend, right through to addressing a drop in someone’s performance, effective workplace conversations are at the core of a thriving workplace.
We will talk about making conversations part of your company culture, making the easier one’s common place and the harder ones less challenging. I will cover different scenarios and encourage you to think about when and where you have conversations, so you get the best outcome.
Sometimes great ideas come from unexpected conversations rather than in formal meetings.
There is nothing worse than finding out an at exit interview that your member of staff didn’t find they were able to talk to you… Perhaps you always looked too busy.
Importantly, I will also talk about knowing your limitations, you can’t put the lid back on Pandora’s box, but you can learn when to signpost.
Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Members Week
To maximise your investment of time in these free, high-value events, follow these simple steps:
- Be Prepared to Ask: Don’t hesitate to use the Q&A function. These sessions are interactive, and presenters value hearing about your specific challenges. Asking questions ensures the advice you receive is directly relevant to your situation.
- Make it Actionable: Designate a specific notebook or digital document for the week. Don’t just take notes—write down one immediate action item you will implement after each session.
- Network Digitally: Use the event and host names to connect with other attendees or the speakers on LinkedIn or other professional social media platforms. Expanding your network is one of the biggest long-term benefits of attending.
Don’t Miss This Free Opportunity
If you are an Oxfordshire business owner, manager, or ambitious sole trader looking for meaningful growth and development in 2026, these sessions are for you.
The Benefit: Gain practical, peer-led advice on subjects that directly impact productivity, legal risk, and staff morale…all completely free of charge.
Action: Spaces for these webinars are limited. Register your interest now to secure your spot and start 2026 with a proactive focus on your team’s wellbeing and your business’s culture.
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