EDITION 935
5 SEPTEMBER 2022

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 say no without saying no. Answering in the negative can often be challenging and uncomfortable and, at work, it can lead to untoward consequences. When faced with a situation where your best bet is to turn down the request, the solution is to frame everything like your decision is in the other person’s best interest. READ MORE >>

2. Police fear disorder during winter crisis. Police forces expect a surge in crime, a breakdown in public order and corruption in their ranks this winter. A leaked national strategy paper, drawn up by police chiefs this summer, has revealed they are increasingly concerned that “economic turmoil and financial instability” has “potential to drive increases in particular crime types,” including shoplifting, burglary and vehicle theft, as well as online fraud and blackmail, and crimes that “rely on exploiting financial vulnerability”. The Sunday Times

3. Brits to keep the heating off this winter. Almost a quarter of UK adults have said that they are not planning to turn the heating on at all this winter. That's according to a survey, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, which found that 11% of Britons are also considering taking out a loan to cope with higher energy costs. Experts believe that rising energy bills will prompt people to go into the office more often this winter. Do you have any plans to cut energy costs during the colder months? Share your thoughts by posting or commenting on the post below. The Guardian

4. OAPs return to work as costs soar. Pensioners are coming out of retirement and re-joining the world of work as living costs rise, according to The Telegraph. There were 174,000 more over 65s in employment in the three months to June this year compared to the start of 2022, data from the Office for National Statistics shows. The influx of labour could help alleviate staff shortages in certain industries and some businesses like McDonalds are even targeting older workers in their recruitment drives. Are you thinking about coming out of retirement to re-enter the world of work? CONTACT US >>

5. Report finds end of traditional family. Nearly 50% of British children now grow up outside the traditional two-parent household. According to a report published today by Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, almost a quarter of families are headed by a lone parent, compared with the EU average of one eighth. De Souza said she will revise the “family test”, which is applied to all new domestic laws and policies, to put families “at the heart” of policymaking. The Times

6. Thursdays are the new Fridays. The Friday slowdown may officially be here. Office attendance has fallen to 13% on Fridays in the UK, according to Advanced Workplace Associates consultancy data. The trend of workers spilling out into pubs and bars on Thursdays is intensifying post-pandemic, suggesting that Thursday is the new Friday. Meanwhile, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the most popular days to commute to work. Despite companies pressuring employees to return to the office, the reversal of the trend to pre-pandemic presenteeism is still a brave bet, Clark concludes. The Financial Times

7. Tea linked to lower risk of death. Drinking tea could be associated with a lower risk of mortality, a study has found. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health found that compared with those who do not drink tea, people who consumed two or more cups each day had between a 9% and 13% lower risk of death. Last year it was reported that drinking coffee or tea may be linked with a lower risk of stroke and dementia, according to the largest study of its kind. The Guardian

8. Barack Obama wins an Emmy. Former president Barack Obama won the best narrator Emmy Award on Saturday for his Netflix documentary series, Our Great National Parks. The Emmy joins Mr Obama's two Grammy awards putting him halfway to becoming an Egot - someone with an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. The only other president to win an Emmy was Dwight Eisenhower, who won an honorary award in 1956 for becoming the first president to conduct a televised news conference. Only 17 people have gained Egot status to date, including Mel Brooks, Whoopie Goldberg, Audrey Hepburn and Jenifer Hudson. BBC

9. Poll names UK’s best attractions. Poll names UK’s best attractions. Royal Yacht Britannia and Fountains Abbey have been voted the top UK attractions in a survey by the leadingconsumer body. Following the poll of nearly 3,000 members, the group said it was “easy to see why” the historic sites topped the survey at 88%. “Both Fountains Abbey and the Royal Yacht Britannia offer a unique day out with visitors telling us they enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in a slice of history for the day,” said a spokesman. Behind the top two in third was the Roman Baths and Pump Room in Bath. Which?

10. The bottom line. New figures from the Met Office show England has had its joint warmest summer on record. The average temperature in June, July and August was 17.1C, equal with 2018. The development means that four of the five warmest summers in England have occurred since 2003. England also had its sixth driest summer on record and the driest since 1995, according to Met Office data going back to 1836.  The Guardian