EDITION 898
6 DECEMBER 2021

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 realise a mid-career change. Changing career paths or finding a new role mid-career needs a multi-pronged approach, career experts suggest. Taking stock of your skills, highlighting your strengths and seeking out honest feedback from trusted friends and colleagues can help you work out where to go and what you should be looking for. READ MORE >>

2. Variant threatens global recovery. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says the omicron variant is "adding to the already high level of uncertainty" in the global economic recovery. Its latest report expects U.S. consumer-price inflation to average 4.4% in 2022, up from a September forecast of 3.1%; the latest EU forecast is 2.7%, up from 1.9%. The research body's chief economist warns supply chain snarls may worsen in the short term as the world assesses the omicron threat, and the recovery could slow if existing vaccines aren't effective against the variant. Financial Times

3. CBI cuts growth forecasts. The Confederation of British Industry has revised its growth expectations for next year from 6.9% to 5.1%. The closely watched forecaster blamed weaker-than-expected output since its last survey. The accounting company KPMG issued an even more pessimistic prediction, saying it expected growth to reach 4.2% next year at best, even if the Omicron variant turns out to be a “false alarm”. Both groups also raised the alarm about a lack of business investment. Meanwhile, A typical UK family will spend £1,700 more per year on household costs in 2022, according to analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research. The group said that the inflation rate would rise to 4.6% by Christmas, mainly due to higher fuel and energy prices. A family of four is predicted to spend £33.60 more per week on the same goods and services. BBC

4. 1 in 3 working ‘dream job’. According to a survey of 2,000 UK workers, the ideal job includes: 21-30 hour working week; Salary of £44,355 per year; 29 days annual holiday per year; commute between 16-20 minutes; and a supportive boss. Commissioned by RAJA UK, the survey also found that regular pay rises, a tidy work environment and casual office wear are all important factors. One in three workers also said they feel they're already working in their dream job. What factors make up the ideal job for you?. VOTE HERE >>

5. Trust in MPs collapses. Trust in politicians to act in the national interest rather than for themselves has fallen dramatically since Boris Johnson became prime minister. Polling data from YouGov for the Institute of Public Policy Research showed a particularly sharp fall in trust in the few weeks since the Owen Paterson scandal sparked a rash of Tory sleaze scandals. In 2014, 48% of voters believed politicians were “out merely for themselves”. By last week, this had increased to 63%. In other news, all but one of 12 lavatory areas in Parliament that were tested showed traces of cocaine. As a result, the House of Commons Commission - responsible for the running of the Palace of Westminster - is considering allowing the use of sniffer dogs to detect users. BBC

6. Older workers are hiding age on CV. Mid-career and older workers feel they lack support in the workplace and are concerned about ageism in the application process, new research shows. A survey by inclusivity specialists Working Wise found that 44% of workers over 45 have altered their age on their CV and more than a third say they have experienced ageism. The vast majority said they were keen to learn new skills but felt undervalued by employers. The research also revealed the growing importance of work-life balance – almost one in four said a lack of flexibility would now be a “dealbreaker”. But as research from Timewise shows, workers over 50 are more reluctant to request flexibility, preferring it to be offered by their employer. LinkedIn

7. School cuts hit poorest areas hardest. Cuts to education spending in England over the last decade have hit the most deprived schools hardest, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Its report found that the most disadvantaged fifth of secondary schools have faced the biggest cuts, with a 14% real-terms fall in spending per pupil between 2009 and 2019, compared with 9% for the least deprived schools. The IFS said: “The cuts to education spending over the last decade are effectively without precedent in postwar UK history.” The Guardian

8. Where is the most expensive place to live. Several places in Europe - Paris, Zurich, Geneva and Copenhagen - were included in The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU)'s annual list of the world’s most expensive cities. Tel Aviv jumped four places to become the priciest place to live this year. Overall, the world is feeling the strain of rising oil prices and supply chain issues brought about by the coronavirus. Prices for more than 200 goods and services covered by the index increased on average by 3.5% year-on-year in local currency terms, and the EIU expects inflation to continue to drive up the cost of living in many places. The Economist

9. The pen is mightier than the sword. The culture secretary doesn’t mince her words – even with members of her own party. A few years ago, a fellow Tory backbencher opined that there are not many MPs from the working classes because they don’t know how to write letters. Dorries, who used to live on a council estate, was quick to pick up her pen: “Dear Mr Rees-Mogg,” read her letter, “you are a f***wit. Yours sincerely, Nadine Dorries.” The Times

10. The bottom line. In London, over 21% of those aged 16 to 24 are jobless and looking for work. In the next worst-affected region, the West Midlands, the figure is 15%. Scotland has the lowest youth unemployment rate, of 9%. The overall unemployment rate is 4.3%. The Independent