Seven steps to quitting your job and creating the life you want September 24, 2019 As summer becomes a distant memory and the commute gets more crowded, you might be daydreaming about leaving your job forever. At this time of year, lots of people are secretly tempted to quit office life to create a “be your own boss” career that suits their personality and the life they want. However, while [...]
Small but mighty: SME export champions deserve to be heard September 24, 2019 Anyone watching the news earlier this month may have spotted figures showing the UK trade deficit narrowing by £14.9bn to £2.9bn in the three months to July. This is of course a promising sign of the UK’s future trading position. Yet these figures miss a big part of the story: the role of the UK’s [...]
No business is an island in the fight against climate change September 23, 2019 Last Friday, adults joined forces with students to inspire a call to action on the Earth’s climate and ecological emergencies. More than a thousand Amazon employees planned a walkout, and we saw the Trade Union Congress urge their members to support climate strikers. Regardless of what you think of people taking time off work to [...]
DEBATE: Should companies be supportive of employees who want to take part in today’s climate strike? September 20, 2019 Should companies be supportive of employees who want to take part in today’s climate strike? YES, says Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green Party. Climate chaos does not mean business as normal, and it’s especially important that the business community sends this message. Already, the climate emergency is likely to cost the world’s largest [...]
Founders, change with the times as your startup scales up September 17, 2019 You’ve had your brilliant idea, and others are backing you by working for or even investing in your startup. Your role as founder is clear: you need to make sure that all your people pull together to make your vision a reality, but the buck stops with you. It will take all your energy and [...]
Punching power: F45 is innovating gyms using technology September 16, 2019 Fitness is a cut-throat business. Competition is intense: there are over 7,000 gyms in the UK, and the market is worth about £5bn. Around one in seven people are paying some form of gym fee. Unsurprisingly, new fitness brands are popping up all the time to capitalise on the health and wellbeing trend. To stand [...]
Lessons from rugby to the boardroom September 16, 2019 Having been part of several world-class rugby teams, I reached a stage post-retirement when it was impossible to imagine ever being part of a team that was so trusting and technically brilliant again. Whether playing for Bath, England, or the British and Irish Lions, I had to adapt to my teammates very quickly. But now, [...]
Five common mistakes to avoid on your first day in a new job September 13, 2019 Starting a new job is like the first day of school. You’ve got no idea where anything is, you can’t remember anyone’s name, and you generally feel a bit a clueless about it all. Concerns about making a good impression build up in your head from the moment that you accept the job offer, and [...]
Four-day working week ‘unrealistic’, finds Labour-backed report September 12, 2019 A four-day working week is unrealistic, according to a Labour party-commissioned report that undermines a policy the party is considering. Shadown chancellor John McDonnell tweeted that “something must change” after Lord Robert Skidelsky’s report said a reduction in working hours “is both desirable ethically and desired by most people”. Read more: John McDonnell poised to [...]
Reviving the post-study work visa will help the UK attract international talent September 12, 2019 It is hard to think of a more short-sighted and self-destructive policy than Theresa May’s decision in 2012 to close the post-study work visa route for those wanting to live and work in Britain. Boris Johnson is right to bring it back. Britain’s universities are truly world class, attracting the best and brightest from across [...]