Tag: CPD

1. Live well work well

   April 6, 2022 4:10 pm

   The rising cost of living is affecting us all (and our bank balances), and it’s also having a marked impact on the employment market; driving more people to look for a new job.
   With more candidates looking to change jobs, employers are having to do more in order to attract the best candidates and retain current staff.

   Benefits packages
   Job hunting isn’t simply about salary and take home pay. Employers are looking for new and innovative ways to improve quality of life for their staff; from offering home and hybrid working options to free food and coffee, healthcare and gym membership. The list of ‘extra benefits’ on job adverts is escalating as organisations compete to attract and retain the best people.
   Supplying employee benefits packages is a growing sector in itself. Perkbox – a global benefits and rewards platform – claims this helps to keep each employee happy, healthy and motivated, and that employee experience and wellbeing is now more critical than ever.
   Promoting mental and physical wellbeing at work have long been recognised as the foundations for a successful business as happy workers are more productive and less likely to leave their jobs or take time off sick.

   Financial wellbeing
   However, in today’s cost of living crisis, organisations are also looking for ways to support the financial wellbeing of staff. With more people worrying about money (and bringing those worries to work with them) it makes perfect sense to extend wellbeing strategies to help staff cope with today’s tough economic climate. The CIPD even suggest that all employers should consider implementing a financial wellbeing policy to let staff know where they can seek help if needed.
   Home working options certainly reduce petrol and travel costs, but may in turn increase utility bills or create the need for a better home broadband connection. Some employers are even offering to contribute towards these costs.
   Many organisations are waking up to the fact that financial wellbeing amongst staff makes good business sense. Providing employees with access to free or discounted professional financial advice helps people keep control of their household budgets as the cost of living spirals. It’s all about equipping staff with the tools to deal with concerns around debt, savings or expenses; daily worries we’re all experiencing that could affect performance at work.

2. Home working and how to keep motivated

   May 6, 2020 10:26 am

   Millions of people across the UK and the rest of the world have swapped their office desk for their kitchen table in order to work from home during the lockdown.

   Even after stay at home restrictions are eased its likely that many people will continue home working in the future. Now that so many people have realised the obvious benefits (including no travelling time and no travel costs for staff and lower overheads for organisations) we predict a much bigger trend for more home-based roles going forward.

   However, despite the obvious financial and logistical advantages there are certain challenges to overcome when homeworking. Some people genuinely miss the regimented schedule and social interaction of going into work every day. It’s important for staff at all levels to keep motivated and stay productive, which can be especially challenging for those sharing their new ‘workplace’ with small children and noisy pets!

   Here are our top tips to help you get the best out of your home working experience (and advice if you are trying to manage a team of staff remotely):

   Set goals
   Struggling to stick to the same hours and level of output now you’re on your own at home? Set yourself (or your team) goals to reach in a certain amount of time. This will give you a purpose and provide you with something tangible to aim for.

   Have a daily schedule
   Sketch out a daily schedule including time slots for working, eating, exercising and relaxing. It’s unrealistic to sit at your laptop from breakfast until dinner; breaking up your day will help to keep you focused and motivated. You will be much more productive and feel engaged if you put energy into working at specific times. It’s essential to take time out for coffee and snack breaks and to enjoy fresh air and physical activity. Exercising is not only essential for your mental wellbeing but will help to fire your brain and give you boosts of energy to improve your motivation and discipline. So, follow an online home workout programme to get moving or simply run up and down the stairs or in the garden to help improve your fitness and your work levels.

   Keep professional
   Resist the temptation to lounge around in your pyjamas all day, looking smart will help you feel ready for work (and won’t leave you in an embarrassing situation if you receive a unexpected video call from your boss). Set out an area of your home where you can work and receive video calls in peace and ask the rest of your household to respect that space.

   Continuous Professional Development
   If you have any down time during your work slots why not look at ways to further your skills, knowledge and development? There are lots of free tutorials and training resources online that will help with your professional development during this period of lockdown. Talk to your employer about options for further development, and if you’re a team leader encourage your staff to discuss their training needs with you to help them achieve their goals.

   Stay in contact
   Keep morale up by staying in contact with colleagues. We’re all in the same boat at the moment and others will be struggling to balance home working and family life as well. Just because you can’t chat with colleagues face to face in the office, it doesn’t mean you have to deal with work related queries or issues on your own. Keeping in contact with others is essential for mental wellbeing so take the time to call or video chat with colleagues on a regular basis.

   For more details about how we help our clients to adapt to ways of working from home, or if you’re looking for a new role please contact us at Ocean Edge by calling 023 8000 1153 or email info@oceanedge.biz