Blog

12 | 12 | 2018

It’s just a few extra “trimmings” - Increase in overtime during the Christmas period

Christmas can be a very expensive time of year, especially when it comes to the vast number of presents, the uncountable mouths we have to feed and the work Christmas do – but the real question is…how are people managing to afford to have the best Christmas ever? When the festivities are in full swing it seems like the British population either start to strategically plan how to have a smooth running Christmas and the rest of us go into a mad panic about how we will be able to afford the ‘perfect’ Christmas – with many of the stresses being over the luxuries we associate with this holiday. The total accumulation of the cost of Christmas per British household (on average) that includes; food, drink, clothing, decorations, presents, travel and other little luxuries – is a total of £1,805 but if the average household has two or more kids they are looking at spending an excess of over £2,795 - in order to cover the costs most families will have to save an average of £150 - £232 per month of their normal monthly wage (excluding overtime.) Throughout the UK, many professionals work overtime to be able to afford the expense Christmas brings each year, with some employees starting their overtime in early November, averaging out at an extra 75 working hours throughout the months of November and December, however some plan far earlier and can start their festive planning early in the year, the stats are: 54% - work overtime to cover the costs of Christmas 27% - start saving at the start of the year 14% - beginning buying presents throughout the year to cover costs To earn extra money most working professionals often; work overtime with their current employer (31%), take on a second job (37%) or seek ‘cash in hand’ or ‘under the table’ employment opportunities (32%) – these include; online surveys, money making apps, tutoring, selling household products, baby sitting, freelance work or working part-time within retail or hospitality. Christmas is overall an expensive time of year and people like to celebrate it in their own way, be it with family, skiing in the Alps or out celebrating the day – but when it comes down to it, Christmas is Christmas and you can’t put a price on a day full of festivities, love and joy. All the team at Sewell Wallis would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – once the festivities are done and we are all stuffed from our Christmas lunch it will soon be time to get back into the working spirit for next year. So why not beat that January rush and plan ahead for your 2019, Call us on 0114 268 3313 or 0113 242 1200 and we will be happy to help.

06 | 12 | 2018

Christmas Saviours

With festivities in full swing and this year’s ‘Black Friday’ ecommerce sales exceeding 9.4% of the overall market’s seasonal sales – did retailers and SMEs fill their stockings with enough seasonal temps? The Christmas period is one of the biggest recruitment drives for many companies, particularly in industries such as Manufacturing, Industrial, Logistics and Retail – with online sales increasing year-on-year and exceeding predictions, are companies’ planning their interim team effectively to cover the increase in workload? “Having worked within the temporary job market for over 4 years the increase in demand for temporary and contract staff has increased year on year, particularly in the holiday and festive period. The main benefits of companies employing temporary & contracted members of staff is that they reduce the burden on the permanent staff allowing them to reach deadlines, reduce the backlogs and take much needed holidays. Considering how a reduced staffing period and increased workload can add pressure to both the staff and the company cash flow recruiting an interim is a cost effective solution.” – Natalie Rollinson, Temporary Consultant. The increase in the need for additional interim support is increasing within both practice and industry. Many accountancy practices make the majority of their revenue around this time, which is often known as ‘Tax Season’ and therefore plan ahead to expand their teams in order to cope with the increasing demand as the year-end approaches. Within industry companies often require support from external contractors, temporary staff and self-employed professionals at certain peak times. When companies pre-plan their temporary staffing needs they will work-out the optimum level of ‘normal’ workload for the business and predict the unexpected peaks they will face throughout the year, this predominantly covers them for any seasonal changes the company may face throughout their financial year. Why do you think temporary workers are important for business? “Not only do temporary workers make great additions to existing teams in busy periods but they are also very beneficial to maintaining staffing levels in absences, reducing company training costs and can even assist with the implementation of new accounting software. Our temporary workers have varied experience in different sectors, systems and areas across Accountancy & Finance from transactional level to part-qualified/qualified and above depending on the need of our client. As the Accountancy & Finance market is very candidate driven at the moment there is a limited amount of time for hiring processes to be conducted that correspond with the Hiring Manager’s workload; hiring temporary members of staff resolves this issue drastically, as most temporary workers are immediately available and are more flexible with their working hours. Most permanent candidates require flexibility and can have notice periods of up to 3 months’. We also meet our candidates prior to submitting their CV for any positions which enables us to give accurate information on the suitability and skill-set – because of this our clients trust our judgment and often don’t need to conduct interviews themselves for temporary staff.” – Chloe Wilford, Temporary Consultant. At Sewell Wallis, we have dedicated interim Consultants working on all levels from accountancy juniors to CFO level who have proven success in building relationships with both Clients and candidates to ensure the ‘right fit’. Call us on: Leeds: 0113 242 1200 Sheffield: 0114 268 3313

22 | 11 | 2018

What are the benefits of schools joining/becoming SATs or MATs?

The success of MAT approaches has shown how effective their teaching programmes are and how they’ve allowed them to take into account the varying demands of each subject taught within their schools’ syllabus, allowing flexibility throughout this ensures appropriate teaching, planning and assessment approaches are being adopted. Some trusts have already recognised the potential these approaches have on their pupils’ overall learning and teacher workloads by developing higher-quality curriculums. Outwood Grange Academies Trust has already adopted these models to collaborate a structure that is used across all of its seventeen secondary and five primary academies. “Over recent years MATs & SATs have been in the firing line of many educational professionals, but since they were introduced in 2010 there has been more benefits than disadvantages for schools, when it comes to joining a MAT or SAT. I believe that this is a necessary step in the development of education - not only for the success of the way they’re funded to make themselves more sustainable, but through how they now operate to improve the learning of their students – banding together to use the shared resources among their newly established networks.” – Farah Bano, Not for Profit Consultant, Sewell Wallis. Collaboration amongst MATs The aim of the MATs is to create a network group where innovation and collaboration impacts the outcomes of pupils within their trusts, through shared strategies that are ideally focused on their schools’ improvement, procurement, recruitment, retention, governance and much more. The benefits: Stronger Leadership: School Governors and teachers can combine their knowledge and planning abilities to work on challenges and solutions together – Shared knowledge. Strategic Management: Governors and trustees can draw on each other’s experience to formulate strategic approaches. Shared Staffing: Human resources within schools can work across multiple sites, particularly in a localised Trust. This can appease the recruitment challenges facing the teaching industry and offer more varied opportunities to staff. Specialist Resources: With combined funding in a Trust, specialist knowledge can be bought in many different areas, spanning academic, extra-curricular and operational functions. Professional Development: This can be organised across multiple schools, spreading the cost per school and upskilling as many individuals as possible per session. Economies of Scale: A Trust is able to purchase as a whole, thereby achieving economies of scale not achievable by schools as individuals. With ever tightening budgets, this can help schools maintain and build upon the resources and standards they aspire to. Shared Accountability: As a Trust represents multiple schools, it is in its interest to raise the profile of each, in line with rising expectations. The disadvantages: In 2017, Education Policy Institute found turning schools into academies doesn't automatically improve standards. Geographical Issues: difficulty to establish an effective network within the collaborative school governance if the schools within the MAT are considerable distance apart. Structural Distributions: After joining a MAT board you want to represent your school it could be possible the physical dynamics that attracted you in the first place may change overtime. Reputation: If schools struggle to maintain their standards whilst in a MAT, their reputation may suffer. Transferring from being a SAT or School into a MAT is why, it is essential school leaders carefully review their options before deciding on which MAT to join. There are some significant legal and operational challenges schools will have to face when joining a MAT, which includes moving their funding agreements from their current provider to the MAT they wish to join, as well as implementing a commercial transfer agreement of all assets and contracts. It also remains to be seen if MATs are flexible enough to offer a supported infrastructure that will benefit all schools within their trusts, and for many academies this already exist, making it a testament for those choosing to convert in the future. Joining a MAT or becoming a SAT is now a natural step within any school’s evolution and has become quite promising for the future sustainability for the UK’s education system. If you are a MAT or SAT and you require assistance with your recruitment, please contact Farah Bano: Mobile: 07813 974 503 Email: farah.bano@sewellwallis.co.uk For more info and to view our sources, please follow the links below; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/0/academies-pros-cons/ https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576240/Multi-academy_trusts_good_practice_guidance_and_expectations_for_growth.pdf https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/0/academies-pros-cons/ https://academytoday.co.uk/Article/is-joining-a-mat-the-right-decision-for-your-school

31 | 10 | 2018

Spooktacular Profits

In total the UK spends over £419 million on Halloween products and other confectionery goods each year. Mintel a global market researcher, has reported that Halloween has exploded in recent years, with overall consumer spending on the holiday continually rising since 2009 – up an enormous 263% between 2013 and 2016 alone, and shows no sign of slowing down. Halloween is now the third largest seasonal occasion in the retail calendar and is worth a monster £39.6m amongst convenience stores alone, growing at 8.7% year-on-year. This holiday is now a capital for sweet manufacturers across the globe and with new trends developing amongst adults, manufacturers now have more of a diverse market range to increase their overall sales. Tangerine Confectionery have already jumped onto one of these trends by capitalising on adults buying retro sweets that takes them back to their childhoods, they have released a new Halloween themed treat under their Barratt Brand just at the peak of Halloween sales. After the relaunch of the product (Tricks Mix - a retro styled mixture of sugary goodness and old style design) saw an 8.7% increase in sales. The 450g bucket contains a mixture of old school favourites, including Dib Dabs, Fresher Rolls, Foam Shrimps and an all-time classic of Cola Bottles and Fruit Salads. After the revamped launch Tangerine Confectionery positioned the sweets as their best seller in October 2017. “The Halloween confectionary market has grown by 34% over the last two years and we don’t expect this growth to slow down.” – Russel Tanner, Marketing & Category Director at Tangerine Confectionery. According to Euromonitor International, the Global Confectionery market’s retail sales are to rise by 2.7% this year to reach over £145.39bn. In early July sweet/confectionary goods manufactures started to promote their products online, with ‘Buy Online’ now being a main area for e-commerce sales, confectionery companies are using platforms such as Amazon, EBay and Etsy to promote their seasonal products. Amazon is the fastest growing influence for the candy industry and will ultimately be the biggest sales drive for confectionery manufacturers over the years. Amazon's total candy sales between September and October last year grew by 38% compared to 2016, with most of the growth being in October just before the Halloween period. The Attack of the Sugar Tax… Even after the sugar tax levy being introduced in early April 2018, manufactures haven’t really seen a dent in their quarterly sales or profits, with most of them having reduced the amount of sugar in their products prior to the tax even being actioned – predominantly the tax was introduced to tackle the amount of sugar in fizzy-drinks. However, the treasury have predicted the tax will increase to £240m within the fizzy drink industry alone. How could the sugar tax effect the candy industry in the future? Sweet/Confectionery Goods Sugar per 100 gram Tax per 100ml Current tax payable – British Sterling Predicted tax payable Skittles 47g £0.24 p/L for more than 8 g/100 mL £0.12 £.70 Starbursts 34g £0.24 p/L for more than 8 g/100 mL £0.12 £0.51 Blackjacks 41g £0.24 p/L for more than 8 g/100 mL £0.12 £0.62 Note: The predicted tax payable in this table is neither true nor false and has been worked out as a prediction of the current tax payable to give a rough estimate of where the sugar tax may be heading, and has been backed from global tax statistics already in place. The current tax payable has also been worked out from the tax payable within the fizzy-drink industry so may or may not be fully true when applying to a different set of industry standards.

25 | 10 | 2018

Study. Learn. Earn. - Apprenticeships vs University

The diverse world of education, careers and student pathways is fuelled by activity and developments. Among these new developments apprenticeships have now been given a 21st-century reboot, with the most significant change being the increasing number of degree apprenticeships available. In 2017 the government introduced a scheme known as the ‘Apprenticeship Levy’ to help prompt students to take a different academic route as well as supporting businesses to invest in their workforce. The Government’s primary aim is to increase the number of apprenticeships nationwide, pledging to create over 3 million new apprenticeships by the year 2020, in the bid to broaden the depth of UK talent and skills. The levy isn’t just for students, business owners are now able to up-skill their workforce by introducing fresh talent into their businesses, a study that was conducted by the Department of Education has revealed that most companies after hiring an apprentice have seen productivity growth and higher returns on investment. Benefits of an Apprentice Productivity Growth - New apprenticeship standards empower employers to train Apprentices to meet the needs of the business: improving efficiency, reducing waste, increasing return on investment. Developing Future Leaders – The Levy tackles concerns over the ageing workforces by providing opportunities for existing employees of any age to develop their potential of becoming future leaders. Technical Skills - Apprenticeship training perfectly addresses the skills gaps which many businesses fear will hamper their growth. Financial Incentives - There are financial incentives available to help employers develop their workforce or recruit new talent. "Apprenticeships are a key part of creating a stronger and fairer economy, where people of all ages and backgrounds can fulfil their potential; helping employers address skills shortages, upskill existing workers and attract new, diverse talent." - Media Planet Apprenticeship qualifications are now being recognised as an equal alternative to a Degree, since 2014 over 56,200 workers have enrolled on a higher level or Degree equivalent apprenticeship, as they are able to study a wider range of courses that offer qualifications equivalent to foundation and full masters’ Degrees. With the evolution of apprenticeship qualifications expanding, the Department of Education has marked this as a cornerstone in the development of apprenticeships; but there’s still much to be revealed about how the newly listed qualifications will sit within the current education structure. The pressure of deciding what route to take when starting your career can be daunting, and one of the biggest decisions of your life, if you are wanting to start a career within a professional industry such as; accountancy, legal or third party you are probably debating whether to study at university or as an apprentice. The main benefits: University You Have Access to More Specialist Jobs – Degrees aren’t always necessary to get a job, with more employers nowadays giving more value to work experience than qualifications, a Degree can act like a passport to more specialist jobs that you would otherwise not be able to pursue without. Increase Your Earning Potential – The latest report conducted by the Department of Education has released market statistics that show the working age graduate (16 to 64-year-olds) earn almost £10,000 more than their non-graduate counterparts, with some on an annual salary of £32,000. Developing Transferable Skills – Studying at university isn’t just about getting a Degree, it is also about developing and building key skills that will help you succeed further down the line in whatever career path you choose to follow. Key Transferable Skills Conducting Research Writing Essays & Assignments Working Under Pressure Meeting Deadlines Giving Presentations Working within a Team Managing Time Effectively More Employable – Being educated to a Degree level makes you more employable – in fact, the employment rate for non-graduates aged between 16 and 64 was 3% higher than for graduates in 2016 and 3.8% higher than postgraduates, according to the Department of Education Apprenticeship Apprenticeships have been labelled as the ‘easiest, fastest and most secure route’ to take when starting your career but that’s not all an apprenticeship offers. Structured Training – Apprenticeships are structured educational programmes that give you a chance to work towards a qualification of your choosing, whilst helping you gain the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in your chosen industry. Starting employment earlier means you have more potential to progress within your career as well as earning a salary. Experience – You are given the autonomy to gain relevant working experience in a professional environment and this shows potential new employers that you can ‘hit the ground running’. Hands-on training gives you a real advantage to put your skills into practice, helping you gain the confidence in a working environment. Earn while you learn – When studying as an Apprentice you will be paid to learn the key skills you need to develop in your industry, with the government covering the costs for your training. You’ll have no student loans, no tuition fees, and, hopefully, no debt. Also being a student without a degree, you will be eligible for apprenticeships that involve qualifications such as AAT, ACCA and ACA – something a Graduate must normally pay for once graduating. Choice – There are over 400 different types of apprenticeships to choose from, so if you’re hankering to follow a career in business management, sport, marketing, accountancy or engineering, there’s something for everyone. Varied Learning – Being an Apprentice means you won’t have to spend all your days studying, you will get hands-on experience; most of your time will be spent working at the company you are employed at. Some apprenticeships are completed solely at your place of work and others require you to study at college for a couple days of your working week. Studying for a Degree or an apprenticeship has been a long-running debate with both offering their own added benefits, but choosing your next educational move requires careful consideration. Higher education does continue to be a popular option despite the rise in tuition fees and student debt. At Sewell Wallis we work with Graduates that have just finished their Degrees in Accountancy and help them get into work. We work with a number of Accountancy and Finance firms that offer study support, meaning you can achieve your AAT, ACCA and ACA qualifications much faster than most other graduates. If you are a Graduate looking for a role within Accountancy or Finance please contact us on: Leeds: 0113 242 1200 Sheffield: 0114 268 3313 Email: enquiries@sewellwallis.co.uk

07 | 09 | 2018

The Destruction of Industry Barriers

Business owners are becoming smarter and they’re starting to think about what will truly affect their business in the future. With mergers and acquisitions becoming a "mega-trend" throughout the UK's economy, and more corporations starting to collaborate with one another they are forming what is known as "cross-sector businesses" specialising in more than one sector. This mega-trend has already taken effect within Healthcare, Construction, Utility and Educational sectors, with them now working together to improve access to knowledge throughout different communities. Businesses are now thinking about what is needed when it comes to surviving in the 'new world' of business, by looking at how they can make their rivals into collaborators with new business models. In the report conducted by EY, they believe there should be a framework in place to bring order to the chaos that might be caused by company mergers. It has been announced that the global economy has hit an all-time record of $2.5 trillion (£1.94 trillion) in company mergers in the first quarter of 2018, with corporations now noticing the overall benefits in joining other corporations and expanding into new sectors, there will be a bounty of shared knowledge amongst a variety of industries. Inward Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) within the UK has been valued at £21.7 billion within the first Quarter (Jan to Mar) 2018, that's £18.2 billion higher than Quarter four (Oct to Dec) 2017; this reflects the significant impact a small number of high-value deals throughout the UK effects our economy. Throughout July a significant number of deals took place within the energy sector, which has again demonstrated high levels of buyer appetite and demands. For example, Next Energy Solar Fund Ltd has acquired 10 South West UK-based solar plants for £42m, as the solar energy sector continues to see significant growth and investment. On the other hand, retail mergers and acquisitions rise by 15% as businesses try to combat falling sales with financial firms favouring M&A over flotations, due to weak demand from investors. Selling up to a competitor is seen as a more secure way for existing investors to exit a smaller retailer than an IPO (Initial Public Offering) which could be cancelled at any point which will be due to short-term volatility or poor sentiment towards the sector. We have already seen many retailers go into administration throughout 2018; Toys ‘R’ Us, Joe Bloggs (Fashion Retailer), Bench (still trading) and Henri Lloyd (Harvey Nichols Retailer). With more retailers seeing their sales plummet, is it really a bad idea to merge?

16 | 08 | 2018

Taking your first steps within your career.

When it comes to your career, you need to be in it for the long-run. It takes time to develop and grow within your niche. Making the time to invest in your career will be one of the most rewarding outcomes, especially when you look at where you were to where you are now. If you are starting out as a graduate or if you’ve changed your career prospects later on in life, there is nothing stopping you from achieving what you want to do or become. Try looking at your career like it’s a video game and with each bit of experience and level you get to; the benefits become more rewarding, investing your time and being patient when achieving your goals, will build your character and outlook on life. You’ll face many challenges, bumps in the road and sometimes failures, but learning from these hurdles you face will form a career you love instead of a ‘job’ you loathe. A few things to remember… A job is where you work to earn money; a career is a series of connected employment opportunities A job has minimal impact on your future work life, whilst a career provides experience and learning to fuel your future A job offers few networking opportunities, but a career is loaded with them When you work at a job, you do the minimum and avoid annoying your boss. When you’re in a career, you go the extra mile, doing tasks beyond your minimum job description Your Career is a Journey When you start advancing in your career think of it as you’re climbing a ladder, and on the way, you will be gaining valuable experiences; at one job, you may learn new skills and at another, you might gain a new interest. Knowing how to manage your career is crucial, the choices and actions you make now will affect your future, all the activities, volunteer work and part-time jobs are steps up the career ladder. Lifelong learning is very important, working somewhere or in a profession that offers short-term training opportunities is a big advantage in your career development A healthy work-life balance to separate your personal life and work life will help keep yourself level-headed and focused on your career Develop your own values and sense of purpose. Without these attributes in your career, you may become lost and working in a job you don’t really ‘fit-in’ People naturally change over time, so assessing and refreshing your career goals frequently is essential to a successful career The Big Question When you are looking for your next career prospect you need to ask yourself if you are hoping to be promoted at some point, or if you are looking for your next paycheck. This will be the difference between a career move and wanting to just pay your bills. If you’re hoping to take a step up in your career, turn on the passion. Figuring this out will help save you a lot of time investing in the wrong step. We will work with you throughout your career When you are ready for your next career move, we will be the catalyst for your new exciting career step. Unlike other recruiters we will support you every step of the way, guiding you from the assessment stage to offer stage. Contact us today so we can help you build a successful-rewarding career. Leeds: 0113 242 1200 Sheffield: 0114 268 3313

02 | 08 | 2018

Inside Sewell Wallis - Faith Collins

Faith Collins is one of our Senior Consultants and has worked for Sewell Wallis for over three years, specialising in newly qualified accountancy positions. Faith started at Sewell Wallis as a Resourcer in June 2015 and was promoted to Senior Recruitment consultant two years after. Faith isn’t a newbie to recruitment, having previously resourced for call centre staff in her previous role, but she still had a lot to learn to before she became the recruiter she is today. Faith wanted to develop and challenge herself and she didn’t feel like she could achieve this without moving and focusing on her career, and that’s when Kayley Haythornthwaite took Faith under her wing and saw her true potential, with Faith wanting to deal with a higher calibre of candidates and clientele she took off in her race to progress within her role, as she developed and achieved higher and higher targets she set for herself we saw a ‘superstar’ recruiter born. With the nourishment and support that was given by the whole team she flourished into the recruiter we know today. This year so far Faith has made it into our high achievers' club and it looks like she will be there again in our second quarter. “Since working at Sewell Wallis we have been so successful over the years and the amount of money we’ve made as a team is absolutely phenomenal, which makes me so excited to see what there is planned for us as a business. Our five-year expansion plan is nail-biting and I’m looking forward to meeting all the new members of the team and to see them progress, growth and develop as I did.” - Faith Collins Working in our Sheffield office means Faith doesn’t really get to see both teams, but she has noticed when we are all together we are “oriented and family like,” Faith continued “you can tell that everyone cares about each other, and how much everyone would help other members of the team. With constant training and support given by the senior management team and others in the business, you can see precisely why Faith has been so motivated to continue her development at Sewell Wallis. Faith love to socialise with her team inside and outside of work and is often found going out for food, nights out and general socialising to promote company ethos and culture. Without Faith, Sewell Wallis would be missing a link. If you are eager to start your career in recruitment or move just like Faith? Then contact us today: enquiries@sewellwallis.co.uk | 0113 242 1200 | 0114 268 3313

23 | 07 | 2018

How will we fix the gender pay gap in the charity sector?

Equality, diversity and gender issues within the workplace have never been so topical. With the average median of the gender pay gap being 18.4% in the voluntary sector and 5.4% overall in the UK, there is still quite a long way to go before we start seeing significant economic growth. Big charities such as PDSA and Marie Stops have pay gaps that are above 35% - Guardian analysists find. Within the charity sector, there are massive pay gaps between men and women, almost three out of four companies pay their female employees less than their male employees. Oxfam a Catholic founded charity (Est 1958) that relies on volunteers (20,000+) and partners to help with their global cause have very strong economic values when it comes to the gender pay gap, they have recently published a document that has a range of commitments they would like to address themselves when tackling this issue – their current gap stands at 12.5% with the global average in the voluntary sector being 18.4%. Today’s current rate of progress in tackling the gap between men and women could take approximately 170 years to close the difference in the overall global economy - this figure is much larger than 2017’s prediction, meaning economic inequality between men and women has reverted back to figures last seen in 2008. Research conducted in 2017 has shown that if our global economy tackled the injustice of the gender pay gap throughout all sectors, there would be an additional £12trillion added to the global economy each year. With this in mind we still do have a long way to go, but taking small steps and focusing on the divide between men and women in professional environments will help increase the influx between their salary bands. Skills, training and personal development is a great place to start and offering individuals the chance to improve themselves and progress in their careers will help close the gap even more. One of Oxfam’s commitments is to work towards a 50:50 women in Leadership Teams, with the aim to maintain their female representation of 35% - 65%. Most employers don’t utilise their female employees’ academic achievements, talents and experience effectively. If we equalised women’s productivity and participation rates we could see a significant impact to our economy, the increase in transparency around gender pay will affect company’s policies and practices, promoting gender equality throughout the workplace. Back in 2017 the world was hit by the #MeToo and #Time’sUp movement, one of the biggest gender equality trends to ever hit social media, erupting from the exploitation of women within the charity sector, with over two thirds of charity/voluntary organisation’s employees being women it struck hard blows into how women are treated in the workplace. With structural causes of the gender pay gap creating different variations in multiple industries, we need to benchmark with others to help highlight the benefits and disadvantages in our practices, to help encourage the best route to take. Encouraging research and commentating in this area will help us understand the causes of gaps and how we can effectively address them, keeping this issue in the spotlight of mainstream media will help employers prioritise the actions we need to take. A few extra steps: Let’s close the gap Publication of gender pay Analysing data and company internal structures to understand the gender pay gap Begin to implement different actions that will improve gender equality in the workplace Introducing enhanced, shared parental pay for partners, which can be aimed at encouraging more men/partners to take time off for child caring responsibilities Ensuring diversity and equality amongst development courses Committing to developing workable regulations that increase gender pay transparency will benefit not just employers but their employees’ attitudes towards workplace equality, with aims to improve the gender pay gap year on year we will hopefully see a significant difference in all sectors. We will be the change that we wish to see in the world.

19 | 06 | 2018

Work-life Balance: Flexitime

Nearly all working professional would agree it can sometimes be hard to find a healthy work-life balance, especially in today's 24/7 ‘always on' culture world. Health and well-being is a massive topic within the workplace and finding a healthy work-life balance is hard, but when you love your job it's hard to just cut off from your responsibilities, lots of people would rather stay productive so business thrives than just dropping everything. "Leave work at work" – has to be the most repeated phrase that has ever existed within the professional industry, with always expressing the same preach “you need to start taking steps back from your normal daily routine to reduce your stress levels, and to help you think more clearly about tough decisions” can and is quite patronising. There isn't anything wrong with working hard and achieving what you have set out to achieve, but knowing your limit is important, and this is what others are trying to get across to the wider professional community. With the amount of negative stigma that has surfaced recently about employee health and well-being in the workplace, and recent studies showing the different benefits to improve your teams health, a whole variety of professions have been now implemented different ways to promote this within their workplace, focusing on a percentage of the working population shouldn't be justification employers need to have a vibrant, motivating working environment. Employers are now offering us as employees a healthier work-life balance, but are we using these benefits to our advantage? With most working professionals enjoying what they do and sharing their achievements outside of work already is emotionally uplifting and shows that they care about our jobs. So, with that in mind employers are finding it harder to think of benefits they can offer their employees. As working professionals there are lots of assumptions being made that we are more stressed than ever before, all because we have the occasional rant about; how our boss made us pull our hair out again and how Helen from HR broke the printer again, is called being human…we do get ourselves worked up, stressed and lost in a minefield of our own thoughts. It's just human nature. With more benefits being offered too us, there are tons of ways we all could tailor a work-life balance to fit our personal needs, and over the past few years, more companies are helping employees achieve this by offering different packages, schemes, incentives and targets. Flexitime: allows employees to work a set number of hours a week, which enables them to have a more flexible approach to working lives. Flexitime benefits Staff morale and job satisfaction increases Fatigue and stress levels are reduced Satisfaction and employee production increases Other opportunities and commitments can be fit in and around work More control over employee workload Allows banked time to be used for leisure and personal activities Childcare is more flexible with working hours Another benefit to flexitime is it gives employees the chance to avoid rush hour traffic. For employees with long commutes, any effort that means they avoid sitting in traffic is an added job perk in their eyes, meaning it will prevent them from looking for a position closer to home. Flextime allows employees to work around their lives and they can work accordingly without having to sacrifice their productivity by ‘clock watching,’ giving employees the benefit to completing personal objectives whilst working full-time allowing them to focus on their work.