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- Mon 13th Feb Newsletter - First email
Mon 13th Feb Newsletter - First email
Welcome to the first edition of our fresh and improved newsletter
Howdy! (That’s cowboy for “hello”) 🤠
Welcome to the first edition of our fresh and improved newsletter! Every day, we’ll bring you the latest industry news, exclusive insights and expert tips, along with special products and gifts — to help you navigate and succeed in your career.
Why?
In today's email:
UK firms plan 5% wage increases - the highest pay increase in 11 years
Honoring Black History Month in the workplace: how to celebrate
Your Monday morning to-do list: how to stay on-top of your game
Book of the week: your go-to read for kicking procrastination to the curb
TRENDING NEWS
UK Firms Plan 5% Wage Raises Amidst Staff Gaps
The story: A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, published today, found that 55% of British employers expect to raise wages by at least 5% as they struggle to hire and retain talent. These will be the biggest pay rises in 11 years — since the CIPD records began in 2012.
What this means: The UK’s Office for National Statistics reports that median weekly earnings in the country in April 2022 were £640 ($771.63). With the planned raises, weekly wages are expected to increase to £672 ($810.26). However, this still falls well below expected inflation — having fallen to 10.5% in December 2022 after hitting a 41-year high of 11.1% in October.
The cost-of-living crisis: The UK is currently gripped by a cost-of-living crisis, largely caused by rising inflation, as well as the economic impact of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Despite planned wage increases, however, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research warned that UK households’ finances could suffer a hit of up to £4,000 ($4,823.31) this year, while nurses, teachers and transport workers continue to strike over pay and work conditions.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Yahoo joins the growing list of tech companies cutting jobs — 20% of workers will be made redundant by the end of the year, starting from this week. (CNBC)
A Mars Wrigley factory in Elizabethtown, PA is fined $14,500 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after two workers fell into a vat of chocolate. (BBC)
Sunday’s Super Bowl is the first to feature a female team of pilots in its annual pregame flyover, celebrating 50 years since women were first allowed to become US Navy pilots. (CBS News)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later. — Og Mandino, American author
TALKING POINT
Honoring Black History Month at Work
Observed each year in February, Black History Month aims to spotlight the contributions of the African diaspora, as well as honor its sacrifices.
This year’s theme, “Black Resistance”, focuses on the resilience of Black communities and the systemic oppression they experience.
Though uplifting disadvantaged groups deserves year-round thought, the month-long celebration provides a possibility for people to bring awareness within the workplace.
Participating in Black History Month at work can facilitate important conversations and highlight persisting struggles people face. This is a necessary step in achieving equity!
Here are ways you and your coworkers can take part:
Organize educational events, including workshops and presentations.
Spotlight Black employee stories.
Pick up, read and exchange books by Black authors with coworkers.
Support Black-owned and Black-led businesses.
Donate to charities that fight against racial inequality.
WATERCOOLER CHAT
Tell-Tale Signs Your Workplace Is Toxic ☠️
What is it exactly: A toxic workplace culture is rife with hostility. It’s an environment that’s overwhelmingly unwelcoming, where gossip and cliques are the norm, and there’s an underlying feeling of mistrust. While we might have a bad day every so often (or even a bad week), a toxic workplace is bad — with no break to recover.
What to look out for: If you’re going into work feeling on edge after tossing and turning at night, there’s a high possibility you’re working in a culture that’s toxic. You might be feeling stressed and humiliated, which, in turn, could be affecting your productivity — and that’s not good in the long term.
How to overcome it: If you’re struggling with a toxic workplace, try speaking to any coworkers that you feel are contributing to the way you’re feeling — they might not even be aware that their negativity is affecting you and the rest of your team! Remember to keep your emotions in line, and speak with HR so they can help you handle a toxic workplace.
DON'T MISS
🌙 Working long hours? Here’s how to survive a 10-hour workday while staying productive.
🎯 Feeling the pressure at work? Here’s how you can stay calm and collected.
📋 Not hearing back from employers about your job applications? This could be why!
MONDAY'S TO-DOS
Mondays can be a drag, so to help you start on the right foot, here are some tips to make it less sucky!
✅ Make a list: Write down an achievable to-do list that will help you stay focused and motivated.
✅ Turn off your devices: Shut down your devices: To steer clear of distractions and stay focused, switch your mobile to airplane mode.
✅ Take regular breaks: Take frequent breaks to relax your mind and body, and refocus on your next task.
✅ Reward yourself: Give yourself a little treat once you’ve finished an important task.
✅ Grab some fresh air: 10 minutes of fresh air can give you the boost that you need to clear your mind.
TODAY'S ADVICE
Handling “oops” moments at work
“What can go wrong will go wrong”, says Murphy's law. But why did it have to happen to you?
Whether you sent an email to the wrong person or called your manager “babe", you’re probably squirming with embarrassment. However, when the initial shock subsides, there are ways to restore your wounded pride.
Let’s look at some handy tips for those not-so-dandy moments.
1. Practice acceptance. Much like pineapple on pizza and low-rise jeans, mistakes are (sadly) part of everyday living. We can spend our time and energy on willing them away — or we can accept them and move on.
2. Keep things in perspective. So you grabbed the wrong data set and gave your client a nonsense report. If you paused your self-loathing, though, you’d notice the sun shining outside your window. The world has certainly survived your error, and so can you.
3. Remember your strengths. So, you made a small mistake? It's not the end of the world. Instead of dwelling on a blunder, think about everything you have achieved.
4. Be kind. When things go south at work, we must be kind to ourselves and our coworkers. If your mistake has impacted someone, apologize to them. A sincere “sorry” can help to mend the relationship.
5. Develop your problem-solving skills. Mistakes are part of the human experience. Although we can’t keep mistakes from happening, we can devise strategies for reaching resolutions faster.
ASK AN EXPERT
Have a question you’d like an answer to about your job, career or job search?
Let us know by replying to this email, and one of our qualified and certified experts could respond to you in next week’s column!
Check back on Friday's newsletter edition to see if your question has been featured.
BOOK OF THE WEEK
How to Reach Your Goals: While Filtering Out Distractions
by Devon Blackwood and Michelle Blackwood
Say “goodbye” to procrastination and “hello” to productivity! 💪
This week, we’re feeling ready and motivated to get succeed. Sometimes, though, it’s easy to be distracted. This book gives practical strategies for setting (and actually achieving) the goals you set for yourself. So, stop procrastinating and begin working on your to-do list!
MEME IT
Like what you read? Reply and let us know your thoughts.
Created with care by Chris Leitch, Joanna Zambas, Hayley Ramsey and Electra Michaelidou
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