Pride in a pandemic: Putting intersectionality top of the agenda July 3, 2020 The most vulnerable and marginalised members of society have faced the worst consequences of this global health crisis. Coronavirus has highlighted the many ways in which issues related to gender and sexual identity, race, and socioeconomic circumstances all intersect. Equality is becoming one of the defining narratives of this pandemic. People are waking up to [...]
Equality is a business imperative, so let’s close the ethnicity pay gap July 3, 2020 I am often asked how business leaders decide who is the best candidate for a team or an organisation. Of course, there’s no one reason or answer. It’s about understanding the relevance of skills you need and the context of the role you are hiring for. You might be looking to create energy and pace [...]
HSBC and Standard Chartered have put profits before principles and betrayed Hong Kong July 3, 2020 Increasingly, companies are being asked to take a moral stand on the great issues of the day. From clothing retailers to tea bag brands, every company is being asked where their values lie. While many organisations proudly broadcast their internationalist and liberal values in the west, some are willing to undermine those principles as soon [...]
FTSE bosses: Businesses ready to kickstart UK recovery July 3, 2020 This weekend the UK economy takes a few more important steps towards reopening and rebuilding. And in spite of the human toll the coronavirus has had, so far the public are strikingly optimistic about the future. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, two-thirds of people believe the pandemic will result in improvements in how we [...]
Struggling to adapt? Look to the creative industries for inspiration July 2, 2020 The outlooks for many sectors remains pessimistic — but if you want inspiration, you’ll find the industries that have been worst hit are setting an example of how to respond. Social distancing restrictions have hit the creative industries, from concert venues to cinemas and museums, more than any others. For some companies, this has exposed [...]
The taxing question of unsustainable corporate debt July 2, 2020 Although we are by no means out of the danger zone, eyes are starting to turn away from how the UK’s businesses can survive the Covid-19 crisis and towards how to rebuild the economy in the longer term. However, there is a very real issue facing the UK economy as a whole: are our levels [...]
How to be a great boss in the era of Covid-19 July 2, 2020 In the 1980s, corporate leadership was all about command and control. It was the era of presenteeism, of leaving your jacket on the back of your chair for your boss to see. Just like baggy jeans and grunge music, it went out with the millennium. Then came its polar opposite: formal, intimidating bosses were replaced [...]
Why is linking Israel to George Floyd’s murder an antisemitic conspiracy theory? July 2, 2020 Last week, shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey tweeted public support for a newspaper interview given by the actor Maxine Peake. The article, in which Peake said that anyone who couldn’t vote for Labour because of Jeremy Corbyn had “voted Tory”, included this line: “The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s [...]
Let’s not miss this opportunity to upskill our dormant workforce July 1, 2020 Today, we mark 100 days since lockdown began — and for many of us, that has meant three months of unforeseen “me-time”. As our economy begins to reopen and recover, some may be regretting not yet having taken the chance to finally learn to juggle, play the trumpet, or simply get out and jog more [...]
Feeling sluggish? How to boost morale after 100 days in lockdown July 1, 2020 It’s now been 100 days since the UK’s workforce went remote. Initially designed to be a three-week precaution, it’s clear that working from home has evolved into an indefinite future in many industries. While some workers have found it relatively easy to exchange cappuccinos and commutes for Nescafé and Netflix, it has naturally been a [...]