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When it comes to working with people and their problems getting the pace right is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do, but do it we must. That is because if we are going too slowly we may miss opportunities to move forward – for example, ‘missing the boat’ when someone is in crisis and motivated to make important changes. If we move too swiftly, we may create (or exacerbate) insecurity and anxiety and thereby hamper progress in terms of whatever need we are trying to meet or problem we are trying to solve. So, how do we judge what is the best pace? There is no hard and fast rule, but mainly it comes from looking closely at the situation, gauging reactions to our input and picking up the clues about how comfortable or otherwise the person(s) involved appear to be. Difficult though this may be, it gets easier with experience, provided that we stay tuned in to the need to consider pace as an important feature of our efforts to help.
Flexible working involves making a change to when, where or how an employee works. Some form of flexibility can be built into almost all jobs, regardless of the organisation’s size or sector. When considering flexible working, it’s best to start by thinking about what might be possible. There are many different types of flexible working. While some might not be practical for every job, it’s likely other types will work.
Activity Alliance is the leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity. Established in 1998 as a national charity, we were previously known as the English Federation of Disability Sport. It is not right or fair that disabled people are the least active in our society. Sport and activity play an important role in our nation’s health. We want to create a fairer society for everyone. A place where everyone can be active however and wherever they want to be.
Millions of pounds are invested every year in research on autism, yet few of these projects actively seek to include autistic people in their design phases. Many scholars and activists have called for more participatory approaches, arguing that there is a disconnect between the types of studies that are undertaken and what autistic people and their allies actually want from research.
Identifying issues that the autistic community would like to see researchers prioritise on is the central focus of a new study by the University of Sterling’s Eilidh Cage and colleagues, which itself utilises a participatory design: the project was partly led by autistic researchers, as well as community-based autistic co-researchers from the Striving to Transform Autism Research Together — Scotland (STARTS) initiative.
The Avenue Subscription Service gives access to 60 online courses for up to 300 people, but is now available to individual subscribers at just £118.80 per annum, less than £2 per course. Visit www.NeilThompson.info/subscription-service/ to find out more
We don’t get a second chance when it comes to first impressions, and yet sadly many organizations pay relatively little attention to how people are greeted when they have their first contact with the organization concerned. If we want to make a positive difference, then it is important that we get off to a good start by giving a positive, welcoming message, letting people know that they are valued and respected. Much of ‘customer care’ is basic communication skills, but there can sometimes be additional challenges involved (for example, where someone is irate or threatening). Of course, however difficult such situations may be, we need to remain focused and respectful – even if we feel very uncomfortable. This will help to make sure that, after the person concerned has calmed down, they will appreciate how well they were treated. If, on the contrary, we allow the tensions involved to prevent us from being helpful and supportive, we can be creating significant difficulties for ourselves (and/or our colleagues) further down the road if the message we are giving out is that resolving our own discomfort is more important than providing genuine customer care.
Thousands of people in the UK are being deemed incapable of any work every month due to mental health problems, figures have shown. According to official data published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), at least 20,000 incapacity benefit claims are for mental health problems – making up more than two-thirds of the total.
Previous figures have shown that mental health and learning disabilities are among the main contributors to disability benefits, which are paid regardless of whether someone can work. But until now, there had been no such data for incapacity benefits paid through universal credit when people struggle to work.
Research from the American Heart Association shows that routine stress, including job strain and long working hours, may contribute to serious health problems, including elevated risk for heart disease and stroke and experiencing depression for the first time.
Working on fast-paced, demanding projects and constantly being connected to technologies can make the workplace exciting — and very challenging. While being challenged at work can help strengthen resilience as a skill, it can also come with a cost. Approximately two in three employees report that work is a significant source of stress. And stress can lead to depression and anxiety.
