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Are you looking for a solution without really knowing what the problem is? Very often we can find ourselves in a pressurized situation where there is a strong sense that ‘something must be done’. If we are not careful that pressure can lead us to trying out solutions without really knowing what the problem is. Sometimes we will get lucky and we will be able to resolve the situation purely by chance, in the sense that our ill-defined ‘solutions’ just happen to address our ill-defined problems. However, what is much more likely is that we will make little progress by being so unfocused and may, at times, actually make the situation worse. So, it’s important that we spend some time…

Women of colour across the UK already know that experiencing racism at work is the norm. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Runnymede Trust to produce our ground-breaking research, Broken Ladders: The myth of meritocracy for women of colour in the workplace. Broken Ladders centres the voices and experiences of thousands of women of colour at work and explores the different experiences of women from different ethnic minority groups and religions. Our research shows that every stage of the career journey, from entering work to senior leadership, women of colour are being locked out of reaching their true potential. Click here to read more

Let’s start with the number one myth that impacts most organisations sooner or later: Mental health isn’t a problem for my workforce. Also known as everything is fine, nothing to see here. Unfortunately, the recent data on mental health indicates otherwise: Significant mental health issues affect 1 in 4 people in the UK annually—nearly 17 million people in 2022 alone. A recent study by Surgo Ventures of 17,000 people across the UK puts that number even higher, at 1 in 2—that means that half the people you know could be affected by a mental health concern. Click here to read more

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that health and well-being should be at the forefront of our personal and working lives. Researchers define well-being as a positive state in life where an individual experiences physical, mental, and social zeal (Roscoe, 2009). This definition includes not only the absence of illness but also a positive state in work and life. As researchers working on employee health and wellness, we advocate that wellness is a necessity in life, not a luxury. Wellness may seem like an individual concern at first glance; however, researchers argue for the connection between well-being and work outcomes. Poor well-being affects individuals at work, resulting in lower productivity, more time off from work, and making…

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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all busy practitioners and managers. Available from here or Amazon

When we need to make changes in our lives we can sometimes find it difficult to motivate ourselves. This is often because we tend to focus on what we need to do to achieve the desired change rather than on the change itself. For example, if you want to lose weight, focusing on eating less and/or exercising may seem like a bind, something you are reluctant to engage in. However, if you focus on weight loss and the benefits it would bring, you are far more likely to feel motivated to make the changes. This may seem simple, obvious even, but that doesn’t alter the fact that so many people continue to focus on means rather than the ends and…

Workplaces can be places of both opportunity and risk for mental health. On the one hand, workplaces that promote good mental health and reduce work stress not only enhance mental and physical health but are also likely to reduce absenteeism, improve work performance and productivity, boost staff morale and motivation, and minimize tension and conflict between colleagues. So action to protect and promote mental health in the workplace can be cost–effective. On the other hand, unemployment, discrimination in accessing or carrying out work, and poor working conditions can all be a source of excessive stress, heightening the risk of developing new mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Such negative working environments and experiences are the very opposite of what…

Heather Lawrence was shocked at the state she found her 90-year-old mother, Violet, in when she visited her in hospital. "The bed was soaked in urine. The continence pad between her legs was also soaked in urine, the door wide open, no underwear on. It was a mixed ward as well," Heather says. "I mean there were other people in there that could have been walking up and down seeing her, with the door wide open as well. My mum, she was a very proud woman, she wouldn't have been wanted to be seen like that at all." Violet, who had dementia, was taken Tameside Hospital's Stamford Unit in Greater Manchester , in May 2021, after a fall. It was…