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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 1. How to cope with organisational change. While to whom you report rarely remains constant throughout your career, it might seem difficult to cope with feelings of uncertainty if your manager unexpectedly leaves the organisation. Sure you cannot control what’s coming next, but you can focus on creating an action plan for yourself. READ MORE >> 2. Signs you are in a toxic workplace. If you're feeling low on morale at work, dealing with negativity or stress, your environment may be contributing to the constant feeling of unease. Toxic workplaces can affect your mental health and lead to burnout, but how do you identify the signs? You should watch out for red flags like being told to feel lucky you have a job by your boss, poor communication and attitude. Office politics, cliquey co-workers or an overly dominating manager can also lead to unwelcome workplace drama. Finally, if the opportunity for growth seems limited or non-existent, it may be time to consider a move. Editor 3. Tackling the UK’s labour shortage. The pandemic led to the departure of more than 500,000 workers from the UK labour market, and according to the Bank of England, many won't be able to return due to early retirement, poor health or personal reasons. This, in turn, could permanently shrink the British workforce going forward. But is there a way to resolve this talent shortage? Employers could offer part-time or job-share options to those over-55s who might be refraining from applying for full-time roles due to health issues or caring for their parents or grandchildren. Meanwhile, the government making childcare simpler and more affordable could help bring more young parents into the labour market, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Financial Times 4. UK pays price for childcare fees. Britain's leading business group, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), is calling on the government to expand free childcare to tackle workforce shortages. A study cited by the CBI estimated that inadequate access to childcare prevented around 1.7m women from taking on more hours at work. A recent report by flexible working platform That Works for Me found that of the 24% of mothers in the UK who attempted to return to work full-time after having children, 57% left their role within two years. The Guardian 5. ‘Carrot and stick’ job scheme trialled. Universal credit claimants will be required to spend a fortnight on an intensive programme designed to get them back into work or risk losing payments, under government plans to reduce unemployment. The Treasury believes that the scheme could form part of a “carrot and stick” approach to encourage people back into work. It is already being piloted in four areas: Crawley in West Sussex, Pontefract in West Yorkshire, Partick in Glasgow and Coalville in Leicestershire. The prime minister has said that “we need to look at how our welfare system is operating”. The Times 6. Secret summit addresses Brexit failings. An “extraordinary” cross-party summit, bringing together leading Reavers and Remainers, has been held in “high secrecy” to address the failings of Brexit and how best to respond to them. Those in attendance included Michael Gove, Michael Howard, Gisela Stuart, David Lammy and Peter Mandelson. Documents from the meeting describe it as a “private discussion” under the title: “How can we make Brexit work better with our neighbours in Europe?” A source who was present said it was a “constructive meeting”. The Observer 7. Study finds marriage lowers blood sugar levels. People who cohabit with a partner have lower blood sugar levels, found a study into the relationship between social isolation and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have found that happy marriages offer a range of health benefits compared with being single, including a longer life, fewer strokes and heart attacks, less depression and healthier eating. The new research, published in the British Medical Journal, found that being married or living together helps keep sugar levels under control. The findings appeared to be the same whether the relationship was “happy or under strain”. The Independent 8. Lidl and Tesco in clash of the logos. How much of a logo can a brand claim ownership of? This question is at the centre of a current high court hearing involving Lidl, Tesco and a yellow circle. As well as the Lidl logo in its entirety, the German supermarket chain owns the trademark for the logo’s background and it has accused Tesco of infringing its copyright in marketing for Tesco's Clubcard loyalty scheme. Tesco’s legal team say Lidl need to prove damage from the use of the yellow circle in Clubcard ads and that Lidl must also establish infringement by satisfying the judge that "creating a yellow circle involves sufficient artistic skill and labour to comprise the author’s own intellectual creation". The Guardian 9. Mortgage approvals sink. Mortgage approvals were down 23% month on month to 35,600 in December – the fourth monthly drop in a row. The number was last this low in May 2020, during the first lockdown, and before that, in January 2009, at the height of the financial crisis. From 2015 to 2019 there were 66,500 approvals a month on average. The Times 10. The bottom line. The World Management Survey places the UK sixth in its global rankings – trailing the US, Japan, Germany, Sweden and Canada. But this modest shortfall matters, because “well-managed firms tend to score highly on a host of other metrics”: they’re likely to be more productive and profitable, and to export more. The Economist |