EDITION 974
19 JUNE 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 give everyone a say in your next team meeting. Many people see staff meetings as a waste of time. To make them more useful, try engaging everyone in the room. Don’t allow the usual suspects to dominate the discussion while others remain largely quiet. If you want to hear from everyone follow these tips. READ MORE

2. Britain’s ‘most desirable town’ named. Harpenden in Hertfordshire is Britain’s “most desirable town”, according to a new study. Using the latest census data to compile a list of the 50 places that scored the highest across several factors, estate agent Savills put Cobham, Surrey, in second place, with Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire third. But it’s “not all about the south”, said the paper, because Wilmslow, a Cheshire market town lying 11 miles south of Manchester, has “climbed 10 places since the research was last carried out using the 2011 census data”. The Telegraph

3. Cancer blood test next year. A blood test that could spot 50 cancers early is set to be rolled out to a million people on the NHS from 2024. The unprecedented trial of blood tests could find 5,000 potential cases a year and experts hope it will “transform cancer care forever”. The blood tests could one day be carried out by people in their own homes, a researcher told a conference of health service leaders in Manchester. The Galleri test, devised by the American company Grail, is being tested in 142,000 people without symptoms across England. The Guardian

4. Where to avoid the crowds. Scotland is among the latest travel destinations discussing measures to handle the impacts of tourism, since the Scottish government recently published a bill to give local authorities the power to implement a "tourist tax" on visitors. Curbing over-tourism in Europe's most popular places could be good for business, as beating the crowds is increasingly one of travellers' top priorities. Travel writers are on the lookout for the least crowded gems for different travel tastes: While the Washington Post recommends swapping London for Oslo, Greece's Mykonos island for Albania, or heading to Turin or Sardinia instead of Amalfi or Rome, the rental portal Holidu has singled out four capitals in the EU – Berlin, Brussels, Budapest and Madrid – that shouldn't be overrun by tourists this spring and summer. BBC

5. Is inclusion the missing piece? In the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace, fostering a culture of inclusion is no longer optional - it's a necessity. Our research has shown that inclusion is a key predictor of turnover and burnout. Employees who feel included report a better work-life balance and are less likely to seek employment elsewhere. In other words, inclusion isn't just good for your employees; it's good for your entire organisation. Take a meaningful step toward building and sustaining a more inclusive work environment by inviting us to host an in-house session or live and online webinar tailored for your organisation. CONTACT US

6. The impact of Long Covid. The Office for National Statistics estimates that two million people in the UK, or 3% of the population, had self-reported Long Covid symptoms in January this year. People living in deprived areas are among the most likely to be affected. A recent BBC investigation found that up to 10,000 NHS staff were off sick with Long Covid. Last summer, the Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated that 110,000 people were missing from work as a result of Long Covid, costing the economy £1.5bn per year in lost earnings. The Guardian

7. Insomnia linked to stroke risk. Insomnia seems to increase the risk of stroke, particularly in people under 50, a major study in the US has found. Symptoms of insomnia included difficulty getting to sleep, waking up during the night, waking up too early and not feeling well enough rested. The researchers found that the people who had one to four symptoms were 16% more likely to have a stroke than those who had none. And those with five to eight symptoms had a 51% increased risk of stroke. However, those with five to eight symptoms who were under 50 had four times the risk of stroke. Neurology

8. More of us to live in extreme heat. More than 1 in 5 of us will live in extreme temperatures by 2100 and more than 1 billion people could be forced to migrate if humanity continues on its current climate trajectory, according to a study by the University of Exeter. Scientists define extreme heat as an average temperature of 29°C or above. At that level, temperatures are likely to exceed 40°C for 75 days each year. Today, 0.9% of people live in extreme heat. Experts say we are on course for a 2.7°C of warming by 2100, and that would leave 22% of us living in extreme heat. That’s 2 billion people. But scientists say we can limit that to 400 million people if we meet the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement. Reuters

9. More avoid ‘depressing news’. A global study has found that the number of people taking a strong interest in the news has dropped by around a quarter in the last six years. Some 48% of people around the world are very or extremely interested in the news - down from 63% in 2017. In the UK, the proportion is lower than the global average at 43%, found researchers from Oxford University’s Reuters Institute. The authors of the report said they found that audiences “cut back on depressing news and look to protect their mental health”. BBC

10. The bottom line. With nearly 800 members, the Lords is now the second-biggest legislative chamber in the world, after China’s National People’s Congress. Neither is exactly an advertisement for democracy. Editor