EDITION 1018
6 MAY 2024

Good morning.

The Conservatives suffered their worst local election defeat since 1996 in polls that took place across much of England last week, resulting in a loss of almost 500 councillors putting the party in third place on the seats contested, behind the Liberal Democrats, who enjoyed a good set of results. Labour won control of a string of leave-voting councils and new mayors. However, the turnout by the electorate was less than 30%, so this week we ask if turnout would be higher if voting took place on the weekend. You can cast your vote at item three below. Last week we asked if it were a good idea to stop selling smartphones to the under-16s and 83% of our readers agree.

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 bring people in from the cold. All employees want to feel that they belong in the workplace. Creating a sense of belonging results in greater on-the-job effort and higher employee performance. To build a sense of belonging, eliminate outsiderness, bring everyone on board and demonstrate care through benefits and initiatives. READ MORE

2. The UK economy will be worst performing in G7 next year. The UK will be the worst-performing economy in the G7 next year as continued high interest rates and restrictive fiscal policy weigh down on growth after the general election, a leading forecaster has said. In its annual assessment of the economy, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] cuts its UK growth outlook for GDP to 0.4 per cent this year and 1 per cent in 2025. The figures are down from projections of growth of 0.7 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively in March. The Paris-based OECD said the UK would be the slowest growing economy in the G7 next year and the second worst this year, behind Germany’s estimated growth of 0.2 per cent for 2024. The Times

3. Leadership lessons from the local elections. Turnout at last week’s local elections was barely 30%. Labour gained more than 180 council seats to take control of eight councils. The Tories lost over 470 councillors and returned only 515 councillors overall, fewer than the 522 council seats won by the Liberal Democrats. The Tories lost control of 10 councils. Labour won a trio of newly created regional mayor roles. Labour's Sadiq Khan won a third term as London mayor and Labour won in the West Midlands by the narrowest of margins. Despite the dismal results, however, the signs are that the prime minister's internal critics are holding off on a leadership challenge. Do you think turnout for local and general elections would be higher or lower if they were held on the weekend [as opposed to a Thursday], or would it make no difference? Please share your views in our latest poll. VOTE HERE

4. Journeying through modern life. The Office for National Statistics [ONS] has revisited the key events that mark out adult life and the age at which people tend to experience them. Aged 23: Starting full-time work; Aged 25: Moving out of the family home; Age 28: Moving in with a partner; Age 29: Having a first baby; Age 31: Median age at first marriage; Age 36: Home ownership (either with a mortgage or outright); Age 47: Highest average wage; Age 59: Providing unpaid care; Age 61: Owning a home outright; Age 65: Becoming a grandparent; Age 66: The age where more than half of people are retired. Women who are at retirement age (66 years) can be expected to live on average to 87, and men aged 66 years can be expected to live until 85. Women aged 66 have a 5.5% chance of living to 100, compared with a 3.1% chance for men. Office for National Statistics

5. UK mortgage approvals hit 18-month high. UK mortgage approvals hit their highest for 18 months in March, according to official figures that suggest the property market is continuing to recover despite recent rises in quoted rates. Net mortgage approvals rose to 61,300 last month from 60,500 in February, the Bank of England said on Tuesday. Although slightly below the 61,500 forecast by economists in a Reuters poll, the figure was the highest since September 2022 and marked the sixth consecutive monthly increase. Mortgage approvals fell to a low of 39,800 in January 2023, after higher interest rates hit demand. They are now closer to the 2016-19 monthly average of 66,000, signalling a normalisation in the market despite a steady rise in home loan costs over recent months. Financial Times

6. Create a new leadership vision. Now is the time to clarify and refine your leadership vision. This requires both articulating your values and re-examining your goals for the future. [1] Start by identifying the four or five most important episodes in your life - moments that defined who you are today. For each episode, articulate how it shaped your values. [2] Then draft a statement of your personal leadership vision. This is a compelling image of an achievable future. Describe the kind of leader you want to become and the major contributions you want to make this year. What will you be doing in 2025, and what impact do you hope to be making? Editor

7. Public sector productivity falls further. Data from the Office for National Statistics [ONS] showed that productivity in the public sector, dominated by education and healthcare, deteriorated between the third and fourth quarters of 2023. It measured a 1.0% decline over the period, leaving the figure 2.3% lower than a year ago and even further away from recovering pre-pandemic levels. The gap was put at 6.8%. Public sector productivity measures the volume of services delivered against the volume of inputs - like salaries and government funding - that are needed to maintain those services. Sky News

8. Seaside town named ‘laid back capital of the UK’. London might be the land of excitement and opportunity, but one thing we can (almost all) agree on, is that it’s certainly not relaxing. Instead, those burned out by the rat race might want to head down to Bournemouth, which has been named the ‘laid back capital’ of the UK. Bournemouth’s seven miles of beaches and warm microclimate seem to be a recipe for contentment, with the Dorset county scoring high on happiness and low for anxiety among residents. The town received the title after coming overall top in the UK in a study commissioned by Supplement Place. Metro

9. The 20 best managers in football, apparently! With the risk of being too controversial, herewith is the ‘definitive’ list of the 10 best managers in football currently. The following factors have been taken into consideration: trophies won, recent successes, longevity in post and performance compared to expectations. [1] Pep Guardiola, Manchester City; [2] Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid; [3] Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan; [4] Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool; [5] Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen; [6] Mikel Arteta, Arsenal; [7] Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid; [8] Unai Emery, Aston Villa; [9] Thomas Tuchel, Bayern Munich; [10] Julian Nagelsmann, Germany. GiveMeSport

10. The bottom line. In 2022 the estimated population of England and Wales aged 90 years and over grew by 2.1% compared with 2021; this was its highest ever total (550,835 people). The number of centenarians has more than doubled since 2002, with an estimated 15,120 centenarians living in England and Wales in 2022. Office for National Statistics