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The liking gap – We tend to underestimate the positive first impression we make on strangers

The liking gap – We tend to underestimate the positive first impression we make on strangers

Talking to someone new can be daunting, but such conversations “have the power to turn strangers into friends, coffee dates into marriages, and interviews into jobs,” note the authors of a new paper, published in Psychological Science, which has found that perhaps we shouldn’t feel so anxious about them. Across five studies, the researchers explored what strangers thought about each other after chatting, and they found consistent evidence for what they call a “liking gap” – other people like us more than we think. Though in other areas of life many of us have a rosy-tinted view of our abilities, it seems that we tend to under-estimate how we come across socially. For the first study, Erica Boothby at Cornell…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 3, 2021
Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Be prepared for meetings

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Be prepared for meetings

I have run very many training courses where I have asked the group: ‘How many of you prepare for meetings so that you are better equipped to get the best results from the time you are putting in?’. It is very rare for the majority of responses to be in the affirmative and quite often it is as little as 10% or so of the group. And yet, if you think about it, many people spend a great deal of time in meetings, much of which can be wasted, unproductive (if not counterproductive) time if it is not focused enough. It can therefore be helpful to do some pre-meeting preparation by asking yourself: (i) What do I want out of…
Dr Neil Thompson
July 20, 2021
Five key wellbeing themes for 2021

Five key wellbeing themes for 2021

The CIPD and Simplyhealth’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report has been sharing trends and insights into workplace wellbeing for more than two decades. Our latest report, surveying more than 650 UK organisations, examines key wellbeing themes – crucially, this year, through the lens of the pandemic. For over a year now, employers have been dealing with the huge challenges presented by Covid-19. While employee wellbeing was already steadily rising up the corporate agenda, the last 12 months have really thrust it centre stage. With this in mind, we explore five of the most topical themes from this year’s findings: 1. More than two-fifths of businesses are ‘extremely concerned’ about the impact of the pandemic on employees’ mental health 2.…
Dr Neil Thompson
July 20, 2021
Social care: A guide to attracting and retaining a thriving workforce

Social care: A guide to attracting and retaining a thriving workforce

With an estimated workforce of 1.52 million, the adult social care sector plays a significant role in the UK labour market. Over the years ahead it will need to rapidly expand further to meet growing demand. But the sector faces long-standing challenges which have been made more acute by the pandemic and recent changes to immigration policy. From attracting individuals with the right qualities to retaining skilled staff and developing routes to progression, care providers are struggling to build and sustain their workforce. The guide aims to support care providers navigating these challenges, highlighting key insights from our research and offering recommendations for employers and government to create long-term solutions for a thriving workforce. Our research found that perceptions of…
Dr Neil Thompson
July 20, 2021
What is mindfulness?

What is mindfulness?

It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more and understand ourselves better. You can take steps to develop it in your own life. Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, says that mindfulness means knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
July 20, 2021
Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Tune in to grief

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Tune in to grief

The idea that ‘grief is the price we pay for love’ is a longstanding one. When we love (a person, a thing, a job or whatever) we may make an emotional commitment or investment (‘cathexis’, to use the technical term). When we lose who or what we have invested in we feel the emptiness of the emotional void that has been created by that loss. This can affect us at different levels (physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually) and can have a hugely powerful impact on our lives. Some people make the mistake of assuming that grief applies only to death, but, of course, it can arise as a result of any significant loss. If we make the mistake of…
Dr Neil Thompson
July 6, 2021