Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Teams Up with Employment Hero to Empower SMEs and Drive Economic Growth in the North

1 month ago

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) today announces a new partnership with Employment Hero, a global HR, payroll, and benefits platform. This collaboration is fuelled by a shared mission: to provide small businesses in the Greater Manchester region with the tools and support they need to scale.

As the largest accredited Chamber of Commerce in the UK, GMCC champions over 4,200 members across the region. Through this strategic alliance with Employment Hero, which currently serves 20,000 SMEs and 200,000 employees across the UK, they aim to diversify their support offering and provide essential resources, such as payroll management, HR and recruitment, to strengthen the business ecosystem.

A recent report from GMCC’s Local Skills Improvement Plan team highlighted a significant demand for customer-facing roles, such as Care and Hospitality. Despite this demand, a staggering 65% of employers said that these positions are ‘hard to fill’. This challenge is particularly pronounced in the Care sector, which advertised almost 15,000 vacancies last year alone. The report also pays homage to the North’s historical role as an industrial powerhouse, with over 100,000 Manufacturing jobs available in the Greater Manchester area.

These industries remain vital to our economy and require substantial support to thrive. Employment Hero’s platform is particularly beneficial for SMEs grappling with complex pay runs or shift scheduling. Their talent matching tool, SmartMatch, harnesses the power of AI to match employers with pre-vetted candidates for every role within the business to ensure optimal staffing levels. By consolidating recruitment, onboarding, payroll, and HR processes into a centralised system, SMEs can significantly enhance team efficiency.

"At the heart of our mission is empowering small businesses across the North, ensuring they have the resources and connections essential for success," explains Reet Sercombe, Head of Membership and Events at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

"Regardless of their industry or scale, every company grapples with HR challenges. Teaming up with Employment Hero bolsters our support system, providing SMEs in Greater Manchester with a robust platform to nurture and expand their teams.”

Employment Hero, recognised as one of the world's fastest-growing SaaS companies, is dedicated to simplifying the lives of SMEs by supporting them at every stage of the employment lifecycle. Their AI-powered platform streamlines HR processes, liberating business owners from administrative burdens so that they can focus on growth.

Commenting on the partnership, Kevin Fitzgerland, Employment Hero UK MD said: "No small business owner wants to spend their time completing admin tasks, but the reality is that dealing with HR issues like recruitment and payroll takes up a lot of time and headspace. SMEs are the real heroes of our economy, making up 99% of all businesses, giving jobs to 70% of the world's workers, and contributing nearly half of global GDP. Imagine if they could put all their energy into growing their businesses instead of completing paperwork. I’m thrilled to partner with GMCC and believe that together, we can boost the local economy and show the world what Greater Manchester has to offer."

This collaboration signals a commitment to driving economic growth and showcasing the innovation and resilience of Greater Manchester.

GMCC members will gain exclusive discounted access to the Employment Hero’s suite of products. SMEs across the region are already signing up and reaping the benefits of the platform. For more information, visit our landing page.

Notes to Editors

For more information, contact:

Jessica Hale

UK PR Lead, Employment Hero

jessica.hale@employmenthero.com

+447961974465



About GMCC

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is the largest accredited Chamber of Commerce in the UK, with over 4,200 members. The Chamber represents each of the 10 Local Authority areas in Greater Manchester and promotes commerce, community and culture in the region. The Chamber is an independent, not-for-profit company and exists to support businesses and create the best climate for the region to thrive. It does this by providing businesses with a platform to connect with other businesses, providing support and services for organisations and creating opportunities for a skilled workforce.



About Employment Hero

Employment Hero is the world’s leading HR, payroll and employee engagement platform. Its powerful employment platform and groundbreaking employment superapp, Swag, are changing work for the better. The award-winning employment software helps launch businesses on the path to success by powering more productivity every day.

Employment Hero services over 200,000 businesses and 85 percent of business leaders agree Employment Hero makes managing employment easier.

Employment Hero is launching employers toward their goals, powering more productive teams, and taking employment to rewarding new heights. For more information visit employmenthero.com/uk.

Attached Media

About Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is the largest Chamber of Commerce in the UK, providing business support to approximately 4,500 members who collectively employ 446,000 people, around one-third of Greater Manchester’s workforce. Recognised as a leader in its field, Greater Manchester Chamber’s reputation in government circles has grown locally and nationally. At the heart of the area of greatest economic intensity outside London and the South East, the Chamber is the primary body for business support, policy, representation and networking. The Chamber is an independent, not-for-profit private company and its aim is to support businesses and help create the best climate for the region to prosper. This is achieved by ensuring that those taking decisions on key issues such as transport, taxation and business regulation hear the voice of our members. The representation of our members’ views is central to the work of the policy team at the Chamber; these views are gathered in a range of ways including our local councils, policy committees, sector councils, the main Chamber council, focus groups, meetings with politicians and consultations. The Chamber also offers a range of networking forums across Greater Manchester, free as part of membership, plus a variety of other events and services designed to benefit specific sectors or individuals and help businesses to grow.

Press Contacts

GMCC Comms Team

communicate@gmchamber.co.uk