With the Coronavirus crisis spurring British businesses to adopt new ways of working, the UK Government is investing £20 million to improve small businesses’ management, productivity and problem-solving skills, through two training programmes aimed at helping the UK’s economic recovery.

It will focus on strengthening decision-makers’ leadership skills, so they can address management challenges, some of which — such as remote working — have arisen as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The programme aims to equip business leaders with “the confidence and leadership skills to plan for the future of their business, and ensure that they are in a great position to recover from the impacts of the Coronavirus”.

The 10-week programme, to be delivered virtually by experts from university business schools, will teach participants how to maximise their business’s potential by improving productivity, organisation and efficiency.

Businesses will undertake a series of 90min webinars; they will also be required to complete up to 2hr of independent study and peer supported learning per week.

Meanwhile, the ‘Peer Networks Programme’ will focus on helping business owners improve their problem-solving skills, through a series of guided exercises.

Participants will take part in sessions where common Coronavirus-related ‘business challenges’ will be discussed; these will include finding new customers and using technology such as customer record management and Web sites to adapt a business model.

Members of the programme will be given skills in areas such as leadership and management, sales and marketing that they need to tackle these challenges head-on while growing their business.

Small Business Minister Paul Scully (pictured) said: “I know from my own experience of running small businesses just how valuable the advice and experience of experts and peers can be when you are looking to grow your company.

“The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from Coronavirus and re-build our economy. These schemes will help equip small business leaders with the leadership, resilience and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.”

The Peer Networks Programme will be delivered via the UK’s 38 LEP Growth Hubs. There are 2,000 places available on the Small Business Leadership Programme and 6,000 on the Peer Networks Programme.