EDITION 780
26 AUGUST 2019

As another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. This newsletter is sent to 50,000+ subscribers each Monday. Please share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can subscribe, learn and engage. I'd be very grateful if you did.

1. How to be an effective boss. Effective bosses try to make work meaningful and enjoyable for employees. They’re most successful when they adhere to a few best practices. [MORE]
    
2. Boris seeks legal advice on parliamentary shutdown. Boris Johnson has sought legal advice on whether parliament can be shut down for five months, according to leaked government correspondence. An email shows that the prime minister has recently requested guidance from the attorney general on the legality of such a step, known as prorogation. The move would be a bid to stop MPs forcing a further extension to Brexit. The Observer
    
3. Respect makes for better employees. Respect at work is among the biggest factors influencing job satisfaction, according to an HBR and Tony Schwartz study surveying nearly 20,000 employees. Over half of employees said they don’t receive regular respect from leaders, and studies further suggest business leaders may also be unaware when respect isn’t reciprocated. Our complimentary webinar reveals numerous ways for bosses and managers to build a respectful office. [MORE]
    
4. UK economy £26bn bigger than previously thought. Britain is richer than previously thought, after new estimates added an extra £26bn to annual GDP. Using new methodology and data to assess the economy between 1997 and 2016 - including costs faced by businesses and capital assets such as buildings and machinery - the ONS found that the UK economy shrank less during the financial crisis than estimated, returning to its pre-crisis peak in the first quarter of 2013, earlier than previously thought. Sky
    
5. When work has lost its spark. Feeling a lack of engagement and motivation is acommon problem among workers. But there are specific ways to combat that feeling and regain inspiration at work. Among the tips: celebrate small steps, instead of just focusing on the larger goal. And also, don’t forget the mission - remind employees how their work affects people inside and outside their organisation. New York Times
    
6. Nice work if you can get it. Pay for FTSE 100 chief executives has fallen to. its lowest level in five years, according to an analysis by Deloitte. Median pay was £3.4m in the past financial year, down from £4m a year earlier. Recent high-profile shareholder revolts, such as at Standard Chartered where more than a third of shareholders voted against the bank’s pay policy, have put executive pay under pressure. Financial Times
    
7. Apple credit card: don’t let it touch wallet or jeans. Apple’s new credit card – sleekly branded and made of titanium – should be kept away from wallets, pockets, jeans, keys, coins and other credit cards for fear of damage, the tech giant says. The care instructions for the new card have prompted hilarity online, with one Twitter humourist suggesting making a knitted cosy to keep it in. The Independent
    
8. The benefits of doodling. Mindless doodling at work can increase effectiveness in the office. Several studies on learning styles found doodlers recalled 29% more information and relieve psychological stress. Taking notes with a pen and paper boosts long-term memory for information but incorporating doodling in traditional note-taking can also help the brain connect the dots and digest information at a faster pace. A plethora of online apps provide tools for workers to leverage their careless drawings for creative brainstorming. FastCompany
    
9. How the Queen made royal history. Carrie Symonds became the first unmarried partner of a sitting prime minister to be invited to visit the Queen at Balmoral. Her Majesty traditionally hosts the PM for a weekend during her summer holiday in Scotland; spouses are invited, but no previous PM has brought a girlfriend (or boyfriend). Daily Express
    
10. The bottom line. The number of workers employed in Britain who were born in the EU hit a record high of 2.38m between April and June, according to the Office for National Statistics. In the past year the number rose by almost 88,000, driven by a rise in people arriving from eastern Europe. Numbers fell off after the 2016 referendum but have recovered. The number of workers born elsewhere in the world (and outside Britain) rose to 3.34 million. BBC