Leadership

Recruitment firm Page Group saw its shares fall by seven per cent today after it said in its annual results statement that Brexit uncertainty has affected the job market. The FTSE 250 recruiter said that while it had increased its number of fee-earning staff by 561 in the first three quarters of 2018, this slowed to just 58 in the final three months of the year. Read more: Page Group profits up but Brexit takes its toll "Whilst additions in Q4 are normally lower, we are also mindful of the heightened geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, which has the potential to impact client and candidate confidence,” said Steve Ingham, chief executive officer. The fall in the share price came despite the announcement that gross profits increased by 16 per cent to a record £815m for the year to 31 December, with the firm delivering record profits in 23 countries. However, full-year profits in the UK division, which makes up almost one-fifth of the group, fell by 1.7 per cent to … [Read more...] about Shares in recruitment firm Page Group drop amid macroeconomic uncertainty despite record profits

Junk food is, rightly, under assault. This year, we’ve seen the introduction of a sugar tax on soft drinks, and last month London mayor Sadiq Khan announced a ban on junk food advertising on the capital’s public transportation network. This comes after tougher TV advertising rules introduced last year, which meant that ads for food and drink high in fat, salt or sugar could not be shown against online media targeting children. All of these measures are part of the government’s general push to reduce sugar consumption and prevent obesity – it has set a target for the food industry to cut 20 per cent of sugar from a range of products by 2020. For the big, established players like Coca-Cola and Cadbury, this has created new challenges to get health-conscious consumers to buy their products. But it also means that smaller, more nimble players are being given an opportunity to break into this highly competitive space and offer healthier alternatives. Enter Halo Top, … [Read more...] about Halo Top ice cream defrosted from the startup doldrums to become a retail success

While a Christmas get-together is a great way to thank and reward employees for their work over the year, it can also be a time of trepidation if you don’t know how to approach these festivities. So, to make sure that everyone can relax, we’ve put together five essential rules for the work Christmas party. Don’t forget, you’re still technically at work Even though you’re dressed up in your finery and out of the physical workplace, you’re still technically within the work environment, so the same rules of your organisation will apply. It’s definitely not the place to discuss your job role, wages, or any grievances you may have. And just as importantly, don’t talk shop or complain about your colleagues. This is a time to celebrate and socialise – not an opportunity to vent about your job or your coworkers. Get to know colleagues Being in a more relaxed and casual environment is a fantastic opportunity to network with your colleagues, … [Read more...] about It’s Christmas party season, so heed these words of wisdom to avoid embarrassment

The office Christmas party is a minefield. We know this because every year, about this time, an article appears telling you how the office Christmas party is a minefield. Sometimes it offers advice, although those tips are usually either spurious (“remember not to drink too much”) or hand-chewingly obvious (“now is not the time to ask for a promotion”). Frankly, if you’re of voting age and sound mind you probably don’t need anyone to tell you that it’s a bad plan to get pissed and sing songs from musicals, hit on your boss, berate the chief executive, or photocopy your bits. Unless everyone else does, of course, in which case it would look elitist and high-handed not to. Sometimes the patron saint of tipsy young executives watches over you. Early on in my career I misjudged how much champagne I could drink on an empty stomach and passed a pleasant, if very blurry, night. The next morning I was comparing notes with a colleague, both distinctly … [Read more...] about The golden rule of the office Christmas party: don’t be that guy (or girl)

We are less than four months away from when the UK is officially meant to leave the EU, but there’s still confusion and much negotiation to be done before we find out exactly what impact Brexit will have on the City. Jobs are already crossing the Channel – JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Lloyds and more have launched subsidiaries elsewhere in Europe as the various negotiation deadlines loom. So if you’re worried about redundancy, or you just want to escape the confusion and get a new job, now is the time to get your career strategy in shape. Here are my top tips. Be positive If you’re asked about redundancy in interviews, don’t sound like a victim, or worse, angry and bitter. Deal with it. Act as if you’re a valuable asset, because you are, and never feel embarrassed about redundancy. Say it out loud: “The experience has been character building and a great opportunity for bringing positive change.” Be a spin doctor. Devise a narrative … [Read more...] about Brexit may shake up the jobs market, so get your CV in shape now