Culture clash: How to avoid a feedback faux pas in the office November 8, 2015 Understatement is a well-known British trait, and often frames the way people give negative feedback. Brits often use what linguists call "downgraders" when delivering criticism – words that soften the blow, such as "kind of", "sort of" and "a little bit". In London, where the workforce is one of the most multicultural in the world, [...]
The UK is great at supporting startups – so why can’t we do the same with scale-ups? November 6, 2015 The last five years have seen an unprecedented growth in the number of new, registered companies and we have now surpassed the rate at which even the United States produces startups. This is terrific progress, but when these businesses grow and try to move to the next stage – be that taking on more employees, [...]
Theatre review: As You Like It, National Theatre November 6, 2015 Cert: 15 | ★★★☆☆ With its rambunctious female lead and sketch-show skits, As You Like It must be one of the easiest Shakespeare plays to modernise. Which makes it all the more surprising that this is the first time in 36 years the National Theatre has staged the lovestruck comedy. And what a surprise it [...]
Here’s how Goldman Sachs wants to hang on to its millennial workers November 6, 2015 Goldman Sachs isn't known as the doting type – but it seems the investment banking giant has found a new, more maternal streak, after it outlined a series of measures to ensure its millennial workers go elsewhere. The bank has unveiled a range of initiatives to ensure its youngest employees aren't tempted to leave the [...]
Remembrance Sunday 2014 in pictures: Queen leads commemorations at the Cenotaph November 6, 2015 The Queen led the nation in paying its respects to fallen servicemen and women today, 100 years on from the anniversary of the start World War One. At the Cenotaph in central London, the Queen laid a wreath following a two-minute silence in memory of Britain's killed military personnel. Following the Queen's lead, Prince Charles, [...]
John Lewis Christmas advert 2015: With Aurora’s cover of Half the World Away once again it has the right song, brand values and storytelling November 6, 2015 Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without retailers bombarding us with their festive fair. However, when you consider the serious amounts of time and money (£7m for last year’s Monty the Penguin) spent on first creating their Christmas campaigns and then on the media time to ensure we see them, many a retailer must be asking themselves, what [...]
Watch: John Lewis Christmas advert 2015 – The Man on the Moon, with Aurora’s cover version of Oasis’ Half The World Away November 6, 2015 [custom id="181"] The wait is over. Christmas is officially here. John Lewis has revealed its latest festive advert. Called Man on the Moon, the tearjerking ad shows a young girl – Lily – watching an elderly man who sits alone on the moon. After a few failed attempts to contact him, she finally manages to get a [...]
John Lewis Christmas advert 2015 review: Why the Man on the Moon leaves me feeling out in the cold November 6, 2015 John Lewis knows a thing or two about building anticipation around its Christmas ad campaign. Over the past four years (since 2011's The Long Wait) the department store has ensured it dominates the festive season by shrouding its big-budget ad in secrecy – but with just enough hints leaked to get us consumers frothing at [...]
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino revels in his side’s imperious fitness ahead of Sunday’s north London derby after moving within touching distance of Europa League knockout stages November 6, 2015 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino revelled in his side’s imperious fitness ahead of Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal after Spurs moved within touching distance of the Europa League knockout stages with victory over Anderlecht last night. Substitute Mousa Dembele was Tottenham’s match-winner with a spectacular half-volley with only three minutes remaining after fellow replacement Imoh [...]
Kill Your Friends is a shallow imitation of American Psycho November 5, 2015 “To make money sometimes we have to make art,” muses Nicholas Hoult’s oily A&R man Steven Stelfox. There’s an irony to be found here, given that Kill Your Friends, which rides shamelessly on the coat-tails of The Wolf of Wall Street and American Psycho, appears to have been made by people who share that exact [...]