EDITION 924
20 JUNE 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 find career fulfilment. Practicing gratitude for these changes propels you with the motivation to continue striving for success, and makes all of your sacrifices worthwhile. Fulfillment comes from witnessing your own growth. When you're able to hit the pause button and reflect on the substantial changes in your life, you feel a sense of meaning and purpose. So how do you keep in tune with what brings you joy? Constant self-reflection. Here is a list of 10 questions you can use to seek out career fulfilment. READ MORE >>

2. Most CEOs see recession, survey shows. The proportion of CEOs around the world who think a recession is looming has surged to 60%, from 22% late last year and 39% at the end of 2020. The boomerang in expectations for economic contraction tracks a battle against rising consumer prices that has become more pitched. High inflation is likely to diminish demand for products, while executives warned soaring energy prices and increasing transportation costs will make the manufacturing of goods more expensive. The Wall Street Journal

3. Busted billionaires. Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index makes for startling reading this year – because of the sheer amount of cash that has simply evaporated. Having seen their fortunes soar during the pandemic, the 500 wealthiest people in the world have lost a combined $1.4trn in 2022 as global financial markets buckle under the weight of higher interest rates and inflation. Some of the biggest loses include Tesla’s Elon Musk (down $73.2bn to $197bn); Amazon’s Jeff Bezos (down $65.3bn to $127bn); Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg (down $64.4bn to $61bn). Bloomberg

4. Majority keeping up their ‘side hustles’. In a sea of terrible economic news, it’s good to learn that the entrepreneurial spirit is still alive and kicking among ordinary Britons. According to a survey by pension provider Aviva, the majority of people who started “side hustles” during the pandemic “are still keeping them up”. Nearly a fifth of those polled (19%) said they had started a venture since March 2020, and 63% of those are continuing to pursue them. “Many saw an opportunity to turn a hobby into an income.” Selling “handcrafted products” was the most popular activity, with general freelancing, taxi-driving and art and photography also scoring highly. Many younger people “tried their hand at being a social media influencer”. MSN

5. Why the job market is hot right now. UK vacancies reached another record high in May, ONS data shows, and the number of jobs available now outstrips the number of candidates. Though there are indicators of slowing on the horizon, with short-term unemployment rising slightly, many recruiters say it's still a candidates' market. Why is the labour market running so hot? Some analysis points to the number of people leaving the UK during the pandemic and not returning, particularly in sectors such as hospitality. Others point to economic inactivity: the proportion of 16-64 year olds who aren't in the labour force currently stands at over 21%, with over 50s seeing the largest rise since the pandemic. Daily Record

6. Soft skills for career success. In today's world of work, soft skills have become almost as important as your qualifications when it comes to getting that offer letter or being promoted. We asked our members, "What are some soft skills you need to be successful at work and in your career?" From adaptability to teamwork, they told us what they think are the must-have soft skills to get ahead at work. Let us know what you consider to be the most important by voting in our latest poll. VOTE HERE >>

7. PM breaks jabs pledge. Boris Johnson has broken his promise to deliver 100m surplus Covid vaccines to poor countries. At a G7 meeting last summer, the PM pledged to send the vaccines to developing countries within a year to help close the global vaccine gap and “vaccinate the world”. However, 12 months on the government has delivered barely a third of the number of promised jabs, with just 36.5m deployed as of the end of May – a deficit of 63.5m doses. Ministers have deducted the value of leftover jabs from existing aid agreements. The Independent

8. Starmer ‘boring everyone’. Shadow cabinet ministers have said that Keir Starmer is “boring voters to death”. Several opposition frontbenchers said that the Labour leader’s “locker is empty” and that “there’s no energy or direction from his team”. One unnamed shadow cabinet minister told the paper: “Is he exciting? No, of course not – that isn’t why we ended up with him. But there is a big difference between not being Mr Razzmatazz and boring everyone to death.” A poll published by The Observer over the weekend found that the public thinks Starmer would be a worse choice for PM than Boris Johnson. Meanwhile 28% of voters think Boris Johnson is a better PM than Keir Starmer would be; 26% think the Labour leader would be the better PM. The Times

9. Apple tribunal could lead to payouts. Millions of Britons could be in line for a payout after a tribunal was told that Apple misled users over an upgrade that slowed iPhone batteries. A campaigner has issued a £768m claim alleging that Apple abused its market dominance by secretly impairing iPhones. Lawyers say that if successful, the claim would result in British consumers with models from the iPhone 6 to X being awarded up to £60 each on the grounds of substandard performance. Others would be eligible for hundreds of pounds each if they can prove that they replaced batteries or the device itself because of the issue. Metro

10. The bottom line. 22.5% of state school pupils are now in receipt of free school meals, up from 13.6% four years ago. In the northeast of England, one in three children are eligible. The Guardian