Nursery World - Work Matters: Take control of the nursery purse strings

Nurseries are finding a number of ways to cope with the effects of the recession and changes in demand, as Karen Faux hears.

Many nurseries are having to make practical changes to the way they operate in order to strengthen their business in these tough economic times.

That can mean anything from changing staff contracts to undertaking more in-house training and sticking to new budgets. In straitened circumstances there is recognition that marketing needs to be more targeted and cost-effective. Few providers are willing to reduce rates, although many are re-thinking their discount packages and making them more competitive.

The release of the latest job figures has underlined that there is not going to be any quick fix for the UK economy. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people out of work has risen to its highest level since 1995, with unemployment now standing at 2,453,000 in the three months to June. Meanwhile, average earnings, excluding bonuses, grew at their slowest rate since records began in 2001.

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