EDITION 967
1 MAY 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 handle a meeting gone off track. We’ve all been in frustrating meetings where one person keeps going off on tangents. If the team can’t get the person back on track, important decisions get delayed and/or the meeting drags on past the ending time. When someone derails a meeting, it’s easy to assume that they’re the problem and the solution is to rein them in - but your assumptions may also be off-track. For smoother meetings, try these techniques: READ MORE >>

2. The latest iteration of a very long tradition. Since 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned at Westminster Abbey, all English coronations have happened in the same place: King Charles III will become the 40th monarch to be crowned in the Abbey. It will be a slimmed down affair, lasting less than 90 minutes, with a congregation of 2,000, compared to 8,000 at Elizabeth II’s. There will also be – unthinkable in 1953 – a republican protest against the monarchy, gathered on the procession route in Trafalgar Square, under the statue of King Charles I. The cost of the Coronation will cost taxpayers at least £250m. The Times

3. Labour lengthens lead. Labour has increased its lead over the Tories to an 18 point margin, bucking a trend of recent polls that suggested the Tories were closing the gap. The latest research, by Opinium, put Labour on 44%, an increase of two points compared to a fortnight ago. The Conservative Party dropped two points to 26%. The poll, which found that 20% of those who voted Conservative in 2019 are currently planning to switch their vote directly to Labour, will “make dispiriting reading” for Rishi Sunak. Sunday Telegraph

4. Stress levels rising among workers. A recent CDC report revealed that strenuous work conditions, such as inflexible schedules and lack of paid sick leave, can negatively impact mental health. The survey found that, in 2021, about 1 in every 37 working adults experienced psychological distress that was significant enough to impair social and occupational functioning or to require treatment. The upwards tick is brought on by feelings of lost control, says experts, adding that organizations can curb anxieties and aid workers in regaining a sense of agency by developing a consistent, but flexible culture. CNN

5. Under-44s borrowing to stay afloat. The cost-of-living crisis in the UK is hitting younger generations the hardest, with almost two in five 35 to 44-year-olds relying on borrowing to make ends meet, according to a report by the Resolution Foundation. The study found that 25% of those aged under 35 had turned to the “bank of mum and dad” for help, while a fifth of low-income families reported falling behind on at least one bill in the past three months. The report also revealed that nearly 40% of 25 to 34-year-olds said the rising cost of living had negatively affected their mental health. The findings have prompted calls for a wider strategy to tackle financial hardship as inflation in the UK remains the highest of any G7 country at 10.1%. Financial Times

6. Brexit ‘killing hospitality industry’. The number of hospitality venue closures is rising sixfold in just a year. Brexit is “killing the hospitality industry”, said the paper, as the net closure of almost 4,600 pubs, clubs, hotels and restaurants in the year to 31 March 2023 “lays bare the devastating impact of staff shortages caused by Brexit as well as the cost-of-living crisis”. Many owners have blamed persistent staff shortages since leaving the EU as the main reason for closure. The Independent

7. Almost half of students admit to using ChatGPT. Almost half of Cambridge students have used ChatGPT to help to complete their university studies, a survey has revealed. In a self-selecting online survey completed by over 400 students, 47.3% of students admitted that they had recruited the assistance of ChatGPT, or other similar AI chatbots, since they first emerged at the end of last year. Over a fifth of students that have utilised the new tool said they use it “often” or “always” when producing their work. The Times

8. Kids read more books. The number of books read by children in the UK and Ireland rose by almost a quarter last year, according to a report. The 2023 What Kids Are Reading report found that pupils read 27,265,657 books in the 2021-2022 academic year, 24% more than the 2020-2021 academic year, with social media trends credited. However, the researchers found that, while average book difficulty rose as pupils became older, this was in line with the rate the pupils should have been improving in reading. The Guardian

9. Names vetoed by Companies House. Bell End Holdings, Little Northern Tart and Middle Finger Promotions were among the 351 risqué company names vetoed by Companies House officials last year. “All applications are carefully considered but we will not register a name which is considered to be offensive,” said a spokesman. Other rejected examples included Quick Screw, Poop Ltd, Stiff Nipples Air Conditioning, Little Pricks Acupuncture, Bad Bitch Boutique and a courier company hoping to register the name About Effing Time. The Sun

10. The bottom line. UK households are collectively missing out on at least £19bn a year in unclaimed welfare benefits, according to a study by the consultancy Policy in Practice. With lower income households failing to claim benefits to which they are entitled, some families could be relinquishing as much as £4,000 a year. The analysis found that “the sheer complexity of the benefits system, lack of public awareness of what support is available”, and “fear of being perceived by others as ‘benefit scroungers’” contribute to the high level of unclaimed or underclaimed benefits. The Guardian