EDITION 980
31 JULY 2023

There is no escaping it: too much news is bad for you. It should come with a government health warning: “This intellectual diet is fine taken in small doses, and preferably in weekly instalments, via a well-balanced newsletter, such as 10 things from William Montgomery."

So, as another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. Please feel free to share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can also subscribe, learn and engage. I would be very grateful if you did.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to ignite employee engagement. A driver of employee engagement is any factor that can motivate, inspire, and encourage employees to engage with your organisation. These elements work to create a more positive and productive company culture and are often found to be the key motivating factors behind engaged employees. However, research from askten.com shows that engagement among workers is holding steady at a scant 30%. READ MORE

2. New doubt over HS2. The future of the HS2 railway is in doubt after an official watchdog warned the “successful delivery” of the multi-billion-pound project “appears to be unachievable”. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority applied a “red” rating to plans for the construction of the first two phases of the troubled rail line and a separate leaked document showed that a plan to strip back its proposed Euston terminal would still result in a £1 billion overspend. The developments will “renew questions about whether construction of HS2 should continue”. Sunday Telegraph

3. What spiritual leadership means. There are four dimensions of health - physical, social, mental and spiritual - according to McKinsey’s Health Institute. Strong leaders  prioritise all four facets. One regularly overlooked facet? Spirituality. The word doesn’t necessarily need to imply having religious beliefs - but rather high levels of moral values, integrity and kindness. According to the research, workers perceive managers who embody these values to be good at creating a sense of trust and community in the workplace. Managers can start prioritising spiritual leadership by practicing self-reflection and emphasising personal and professional development amongst their teams. INC

4. UK health on ‘catastrophic’ path. Nine million people in England will be living with major illnesses by 2040, according to a new Health Foundation report. The "catastrophic" forecast is likely to have a major impact on the NHS and social care. The researchers stress the urgency of having a long-term plan to invest in the "nation’s health and wellbeing". As the average life expectancy by 2040 is projected to rise to 83.1 years, the report calls for policy changes around air pollution, poor food and obesity. Meanwhile, a separate study found that adopting healthier habits like quitting smoking and sleeping well could add 20 years to your life. Finally, having positive social relationships can also be beneficial for health. The Guardian

5. Why UK firms lag on productivity. Productivity in the UK has been stagnating since the 2008 financial crisis, lagging behind many other comparable economies. Data suggests that UK firms are conscious of the importance of productivity but have not implemented changes to improve it. Even ongoing technological advances have yet to significantly improve productivity. Experts recommend companies focus more on developing management capabilities, adopting technology, measuring productivity accurately, and aligning different departments to a common productivity goal. The Financial Times

6. Do we need work BFFs? Having a best friend at work makes the job more fun, with studies showing that it increases retention and leads to greater employee satisfaction. But bonding with colleagues has become harder for many people in the new world of work – and some employers worry that it is harming company culture and operations. In a recent US Gallup survey of hybrid workers, just 17% said they had a best friend at work, down from 22% in 2019. Should you make an extra effort to forge friendships with colleagues? Please share your thoughts with us. CONTACT US

7. Write letters to ward off dementia. When a text message can be dashed off in seconds, sitting down to write a letter can seem a bit of a waste of time; but do it regularly, and it could reduce your risk of developing dementia. Data from Monash University, Melbourne, showed that “adult literacy activities” – which include keeping a diary and taking educational classes, as well as letter-writing – has the most protective effect: people who regularly did one of these were 11% less likely to develop dementia than their peers. Playing chess or cards and doing crosswords was associated with a 9% lower risk; arts and crafts cut the odds by 7%, as did more passive activities such as watching TV and reading; socialising, however, appeared to have no benefit. The Telegraph

8. Wall squats and planks best at lowering blood pressure. Strength-training exercises such as wall squats or holding the plank position are among the best ways to lower blood pressure, a study suggests. Current guidance focusing mainly on walking, running and cycling should be updated, the UK researchers say. Analysis, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, of trials involving 16,000 people found all exercise lowered high blood pressure. But wall squats and planking led to larger falls than aerobic exercise. These isometric exercises are designed to build strength without moving muscles or joints. BBC

9. It wasn’t all bad. Two reservoirs in Cardiff reopened for swimming last week, two decades after they were acquired to make room for houses that were never built. Lisvane reservoir was built in the 1860s to supply drinking water to Cardiff, and as the city grew, another was built next to it. Having stopped supplying water in the 1970s, they were closed to the public in 2004. Now, thanks to a community-led effort, the woods around them have been restored, and swimmers are being welcomed back along with kayakers, sailors, and paddleboarders. The Guardian

10. The bottom line. Some 13 million people in Britain live in privately rented accommodation, with more than a third of such households spending at least half their take-home pay on rent. Nationally, newly let homes are now an average of 25% more expensive than they were three years ago, at £1,190 a month. In London, that figure is £2,500. The Financial Times