EDITION 1031
5 AUGUST 2024

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.

Before you dive in, remember our POTENTIAL workbook [see below] is on offer for only £99. This unique workbook will help guide your organisation to its highest potential. Contact us today to start your transformation.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to learn to be charismatic. We have all seen the leader at the front of the room, the one who holds an audience in sway, bringing on laughter and tears and causing everyone to leave feeling challenged, inspired, and motivated. Though they may be experts in their fields, expertise alone doesn’t explain the glowing response they evoke in others. People want to hear what charismatic people have to say and do what they advise. But can you learn to be inspiring? READ MORE

2. Chancellor outlines spending plans. Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves told the House of Commons that there is a £22bn shortfall in the Treasury's public finances. Outlining her short and long-term plans, Reeves confirmed that she will accept "in full" pay rises for public sector workers, including a 22% pay rise to junior doctors. Savings will be made, Reeves claimed, by scrapping the Conservative government's Rwanda scheme, cancelling the Stonehenge tunnel, pausing plans to restore old railway lines and cancelling the retail sale of the government's remaining stake in NatWest. Reeves also confirmed an end to universal winter fuel payments, currently paid out to all pensioners, which will instead be means-tested going forward. The chancellor also confirmed the date of the autumn budget: 30 October. A new department will be created, the Office of Value for Money, and will be tasked with improving value for spending. A Covid corruption commissioner will sit in the department. The Times

3. Consumer confidence rebounds. Consumer confidence in the UK has reached a three-year high, as per the latest analysis from PwC, with falling inflation, rising wages and anticipated interest rate cuts said to be strengthening household finances. The firm, which surveyed more than 2,000 consumers, found that people are planning to spend more on groceries, holidays and fashion, and are more excited for Christmas than this time last year. However, 72% still expect to cut back on spending in the coming three months, reflecting cautious optimism. Sentiment improvement was more pronounced among lower socio-economic groups, narrowing the gap with more affluent groups who have shown a slight decline in sentiment. The Independent

4. Staff illness cost UK £100bn in 2023. The cost of staff sickness in the UK reached over £100bn in 2023, according to analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). It's a £30bn increase from 2018, when the annual cost of workplace sickness was £73bn. The organisation found that an extra £25bn was lost because of lower productivity due to illness or injury, with an added £5bn lost because of staff taking more sick days. Even so, UK workers are least likely to take sick days compared with their European counterparts. The IPPR's report detailed a UK culture in which employees "are being pressured to work through sickness" and that "staggering" levels of presenteeism was leading to a "productivity loss of people working through their sickness". The analysis concluded that "better health is in UK businesses' self-interest". Have you felt pressure to work even when you felt seriously ill? VOTE HERE

5. Four-day workweeks alright for some. Reducing the working week by one day, with the same pay, is gaining traction in Europe with some organisations adopting the policy to attract talent. Trials show it can lead to more rested and less stressed workers. But a four-day week for all might still be some time away. While shorter working weeks might be a realistic prospect in sectors that can automate part of the work, think factories or offices, it's a different story if you're working in services or in sectors with staff shortages. Whether part-time staff and senior executives should similarly earn the right to work fewer hours for the same pay might be another issue to resolve for firms considering a four-day week. A new four-day week pilot project is due to launch in the UK in November. It will aim to incorporate a range of flexible working options, such as moveable start and finish times, compressed hours, and nine-day fortnights. Fortune

6. Airlines report summer travel surge. The global airline industry recorded an annual rise in passenger numbers this June, with a 9.1% increase in total demand compared with June 2023, and an 8.5% rise in capacity, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). International travel demand grew by 12.7% in the same time period, as travellers sought global destinations for their summer holidays. Europe saw a 9.1% year-on-year increase in demand, with capacity up by 9.8%. Air cargo demand also rose by 14.1% in June, the seventh consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. European carriers saw 16.1% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo, with Europe-to-Middle East and Europe-to-Asia routes surging by 30.2% and 20.3% respectively. Reuters

7. Too many meetings is a thing. Yes, there are too many meetings. That's what a Slack survey of more than 10,000 desk workers in six countries reveals. Exceeding two hours of meetings, whether in person or on Zoom, can hurt productivity, the study shows, and even 50% of executives polled said they met too frequently. “Meetings do serve a purpose," a Slack researcher said, "but focused time is so important." The survey involved workers in the U.S., U.K., Japan, Germany, France and Australia. One survey surprise: A small percentage of workers, usually younger employees or those with less than a year on the job, think they spend too little time in meetings. Financial Post

8. Vilnius named Europe’s most budget friendly city break. The cost-of-living crisis significantly impacted the way in which most Brits live their lives, but travel remains a high priority for many searching for some respite and escapism from home stresses. Ahead of the summer holidays, the Post Office has released their annual City Costs Barometer, showcasing the best destinations to visit that won’t break the bank. The winning city for 2024 is the Lithuanian capital. Vilnius previously held the crown of best value city in 2015, 2019 and 2020, but last year only just lost out on first place to Lisbon. Its fourth win is a result of low prices across the board – the cost of a weekend racks up to £237, more than 10 per cent lower than the runner-up city, and less than half the cost of 18 out of the 37 cities featured. In second place comes last year’s winner, Lisbon with Lille coming third. CN Traveller

9. Survey finds cost of living misery. One in four households regularly run out of money, a group of charities have said. The Together Through This Crisis initiative said that nearly 40% of people end the month with no money left, while 24% run out of money for essentials either most months or most days. Even among the 10 most affluent constituencies in the UK, 19% said they found themselves unable to pay for food or bills by the end of most months. The initiative’s members are Save the Children, Shelter, Turn2us, Little Village and 38 Degrees. Daily Mail

10. The bottom line. A third of employees visit the loo to take a breather. British workers are seeking respite from their jobs by taking refuge in the loos, a survey has suggested. It found that 24% of workers admit to spending more time on the lavatory at work than they would at home, and that more than a quarter use this time “away from their desks” to check on their social media. The findings indicate that some people spend 104 hours a year in their work WCs. Daily Mail