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​With employees continuing to work from home amid the pandemic, it is possible that some will listen to tunes to help them get through the working day.But is your current playlist or go-to music choice helping you to maximise your productivity while working remotely?New research from Sodexo Engage revealed the music to help staff feel most productive at work.In a study of 2,000 respondents, the data found that rock band Queen ranked as the most recommended artist to listen to for maximum productivity, despite the pop genre coming out on top overall.Out of the top ten artists to listen to for productivity, pop artists including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Pink, Abba and Adele made the list.Eminem (hip hop), Beethoven (classical) and Oasis (Britpop) also featured lower down in the top ten for aiding workplace productivity.Music genres & productivityPop (58%), rock (47%) and dance music (42%) were revealed as the top three most popular music genres for increasing productivity when working from home.Indie music featured further down on the list with 29% listening to this genre, alongside Country (20%) and Jazz (13%).Elsewhere, the study found that pop music came out on top as the most productive genre per work task.Whether staff are writing (35%), completing administrative work (31%) or reading (18%), pop music was revealed as the most popular for ultimate productivity.‘Keeping staff positive is key’Emma Yearwood, Director of HR at Sodexo Engage, said that during this time, keeping staff positive, motivated and productive is key.​“With music being a strong commonality in the workplace across the world, some professionals have missed out on this as we are forced to work from home during lockdown,” she explained.​“Between pop and rock music, it was a close call, but with pop being a style of music that resonates with different professions, the results prove just how popular it is in the workplace.“Given the variety of music artists that made the top ten recommendations, such as Queen, Ed Sheeran, Abba, Oasis and Coldplay, it goes to show that getting your working surroundings right is so important in ensuring your employees can work happily and feel positive about the task they’re undertaking,” Yearwood added.Music & productivityPrevious research conducted by Scala Radio and Psychologist Dr. Becky Spelman found that listening to music at work can boost productivity levels by 15%.In a previous interview with The London Economic, Spelman said: "It affects mood, mental performance and physical performance.“Many people find that listening to certain types of instrumental music can help them with their productivity levels.“The music can function as a sort of ‘white noise’, cancelling out potentially distracting ambient noise,” the psychologist added.Source: HR Grapevine

Research has indicated that the number of jobseekers applying for roles in December 2020 was at its lowest in five years, with 2.2million job applications made.Despite the current unemployment rate, Broadbean Technology has found that there was a 34% drop in the number of people applying for jobs last month when compared to the same time in 2019. It also revealed that there were 45% less applications than in December 2016.Broadbean’s data discovered that the number of vacancies being advertised were down slightly less (this equates to 32%), which suggests that many people took ‘a holiday’ from their employment search likely due to high levels of uncertainty impacting confidence levels at the end of 2020.Plus, this fall in applicant numbers also ties in with the recent furlough extension, suggesting many employers have made use of the jobs support scheme.Commenting on these findings, Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology, shared that the data suggests there is now a divergence from seasonal fluctuations that are seen towards the end of a year.“While 2020 was a year like no other and the impact the pandemic had on vacancy levels comes as no surprise, what is interesting – and perhaps quite unexpected – is that jobseekers were seemingly missing from the market in December,” Fourlis explained.“Our data shows a divergence from the normal seasonal fluctuations we see at the end of the year and, due to the effects of covid and the extension of the furlough scheme, this past December saw a large decline in jobseeker activity. In fact, we saw the lowest applicant rate in five years that was lower than the decline in jobs posted due to the holidays.”Despite the third lockdown, the research uncovered that vacancies were up by four per cent in the first week of January when compared to the middle of December. This would suggest that many employers are remaining resilient against the crisis.Fourlis continued: “Looking forward, however, it is encouraging to see that 2021 has got off to a good start with vacancy levels up when compared to the middle of December.“It remains to be seen how the employment market fares in the coming weeks and months, though. With the vaccination programme in full swing and many employers better able to facilitate remote working we are quietly confident that the positivity we have seen so far will continue.”​​Source: Recruitment Grapevine

Our people are the lifeblood of our business and we are always looking at ways in which we can support them, particularly during these difficult times. We know that people are struggling to juggle work with family commitments and home schooling so a few ways in which we have tried to make the lives of our people easier is to offer everyone the option of changing their core hours to enable them to work around family and childcare commitments, they can also take some time out during the day to do something to support their mental wellbeing and we offer two hours off a week to go shopping to support a vulnerable relative, friend or neighbour. In addition we are offering additional support to those shielding or with childcare and caring responsibilities and we gave all employees who worked consistently through the pandemic an extra five days holiday last year to be used until the end of 2021.It would seem that we are not alone in this thought process - a new report called Future Trends in Leadership & Management – shifting priorities, found that over the next five to 10 years, a shift towards more compassionate leadership will continue to emerge.Perhaps less surprisingly, this is already apparent in the third sector, where 34% of leaders say they already put people as their number one priority. However, right now, this more compassionate approach is less common in private and public sector organisations, where only 16% and 11% of leaders say they put their people before their profits.In the next decade, the research reveals that 28% of third sector organisations and 20% of private sector businesses expect the biggest focus within their organisation to be valuing their staff. This is also similar in SMEs, with 27% of small and 20% of medium-sized enterprises predicting this will occur – the second-highest future priority for these organisations.​This is what our employees have to say! ​​​​

​Salary increases and rising vacancies are injecting optimism into the UK job market despite continued lockdown restrictions.Adzuna’s latest figures show that advertised UK salaries have grown despite Covid-19, averaging £37,223 (+6.9%) in December 2020 compared to £34,811 in December 2019, as employers seek senior staff to see them through pandemic pressures.While the job platform’s analysis found advertised vacancies fell 29.5% in December compared to December 2019, Adzuna Co-Founder Andrew Hunter pointed out that overall vacancies had increased slowly but surely throughout 2020 following the initial pandemic-induced collapse. “Despite lockdown restrictions and Brexit uncertainties, the headlines report job openings at around 70% of normal levels in December 2020,” Hunter says.New hiring trends“But the fine print shows a huge shake-up of the types of jobs on offer. The first major change is the redistribution of hiring from industry to industry, with the Logistics & Warehouse and Manufacturing sectors hiring at pace, while other sectors remain weak. In Hospitality & Catering, there are only a fraction of the roles available compared to a year ago, with nearly three-quarters of opportunities having gone.“The second switch is a renewed focus on hiring senior staff and a pulling back on entry-level openings. This is reflected in low graduate opportunities available and rising average advertised salaries despite lower total vacancy counts.”London financial sector continuing to hireThe Morgan McKinley Winter London Employment Monitor indicated that the city jobs market has remained resilient, despite the triple threat of the pandemic, Brexit trade deal and U.S. elections. While year-on-year vacancies plunged by 36%, the quarter-on-quarter decrease was just 2%.Hakan Enver, Managing Director, Morgan McKinley UK said: “Q4 ended with jobs seeing a small decrease of 2% which continued to counter the massive drop of 60% in Q2. This shows real resilience and steadiness in stark contrast to the beginning of the year when overall numbers for 2020 fell dramatically compared to 2019.”“Banks and financial service firms have fared well by adapting quickly. Many employers are focusing on hiring when needed and feasible. We’ve seen growth in IT, marketing, and digital roles, whilst auditors outside the big 4 have also been in demand.“The financial sector is continuing to hire and we are seeing a renewed optimism as we head into 2021.”Did jobseekers take December off?Against a backdrop of rising unemployment, the number of people applying for roles in December was the lowest in five years, according to new data from Broadbean, with 2.2 million job applications made. It highlighted a 34% drop in the number of people applying for jobs last month when compared to the same time in 2019, 45% fewer applications than in December 2016, and vacancies down 32% year-on-year."What is interesting – and perhaps quite unexpected - is that jobseekers were seemingly missing from the market in December,” said Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology. “Our data shows a divergence from the normal seasonal fluctuations we see at the end of the year and, due to the effects of Covid and the extension of the furlough scheme, this past December saw a large decline in jobseeker activity. Looking forward, however, it is encouraging to see that 2021 has got off to a good start with vacancy levels up when compared to the middle of December.”The REC is bullish – their latest data crunching concluded that vacancies increased by 10.5% in December compared to December 2019 on the back of a boom in adverts for healthcare and construction roles. “The potential for a strong bounce-back after the vaccination programme is rolled out is there,” said REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry. “Jobs are still being created all over the country.”​Source: Recruitment International

​It was inevitable that the mandatory move to remote working for the vast majority of the workforce was going to be met with logistical issues and, as such, have an impact on employee wellbeing.Those who previously had likely never even considered the viability of working from home were forced, in a very short space of time, into less than ideal conditions, balancing laptops precariously on kitchen counters or setting up a makeshift office on a dining room table – often whilst having to care for children or other dependents.This unexpected drop in physical contact with colleagues, along with the general anxieties around health due to the pandemic and the instability of many jobs as companies struggled to work through the situation was a recipe for disaster that saw a massive percentage of the population decrease in mental health and come that much closer to burnout.However there have also been other, more unexpected, side effects of the move to remote working – many of which are a direct consequence of the decline in mental health. One example given by the New York Times is the increased prevalence of paranoia and anxiety.Why has paranoia grown in lockdown? According to the report from the New York Times, the increase in paranoia is due to two key things. One is company culture and the effect this has on communication and clarity with workers, and the second is the increased use of technology as a way to communicate.The report stated that when remote corporate culture suffers due to neglect, employees will start to feel far more unstable in their positions. Many leaders agree that the number one priority at the moment is communication; allowing staff to be aware of how the company is doing, how individuals are doing, if business is suffering as a result of COVID, or if leaders are generally happy with the level of work being achieved all contribute to preventing speculation and overanalyses on the part of the employee.When a worker feels like they aren’t receiving communication from their boss, instead of assuming that the boss is getting on with their own workload or caring for their children, many will assume that it is due to their standing within the company – causing unprecedented anxiety.Unlike in the office, where most workers are able to speak to their boss face to face and gauge their reactions, the digital barrier created by instant messaging platforms or email breaks down the ability to gauge the feeling of those around them.“You just lose a lot of that personal touch, then you read into it more, you’re going on one nugget of information,” businesswoman Ali-Khan told the New York Times.“It’s down to feeling out of the loop, because you’re missing the kinds of ad hoc conversations that tend to reassure us we’re in good standing,” Professor Roderick Kramer of the Stanford School for Business added.What can bosses do to ease this burden?Whilst it simply isn’t feasible to increase the amount of in-person meetings currently taking place, bosses must do all they can to increase the level of clarity and communication within their businesses. This means ensuring that staff have constant access to a line manager with the option of talking over video, and that as a whole company, townhalls discussing the details of the company’s health, even if this information is not positive, are essential.​Source: Executive Grapevine​

​Nobody can question that the impact of COVID-19 has been significant across all areas of UK business, but how this will affect recruitment in 2021 is still open to debate. A recent report from CV library has found the following sectors will see high volumes of hiring throughout 2021:IT: With businesses forced to deliver their services remotely and learning, socialising, exercising and shopping all switching online, a spotlight on IT and digital solutions has shone brighter than ever. Social Care: The care sector has always been both a popular and rewarding area to work in and never more so than now. With 14% more jobs available overall this year, there's an increased choice for those looking to move within, and into, the industry. ​Online Learning and Education: As the UK schools closed, online education resources have become a necessity for pupils at every stage of the education process. Indeed, it's likely the transition to online learning will grow throughout 2021. ​Medical/Pharmaceutical/Scientific: With a Covid vaccine being rolled out, the need for ongoing investment and research, there can be little doubt that this sector will be at the forefront of any 2021 growth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​We are now one week into a brand new year. However, it is yet again a very different start to the year – likely one that involves remote working, communicating almost entirely through phone and video chats and balancing home and family life in a way that seemed unfeasible just 12 months ago.2021, a year that shows the promise of improvement in the summer months, is currently as stressful and challenging as any period in the previous year. However, whilst every working day may feel reminiscent of Groundhog Day, there’s no reason why you can’t start your year with a few key changes.It’s time to accept that this year is a marathon, not a sprint and that your mental and physical health are more important than any work deadline – so with that in mind, here are five of the most essential mistakes you must avoid if you plan on making it through the year as healthy and happy as possible.Discounting COVID’s effectsRegardless of your seniority, it’s time to accept that simply powering through and throwing yourself into your work regardless of coronavirus is unsustainable. According to data released by Monster, 69% of employees have experienced some level of burnout whilst working remotely in 2020. Rather than pushing yourself to your limits, give yourself room to breathe and digest. This may mean that your output is lower, but all businesses must accept that the normal rules no longer apply. If you’re going to make it through 2021, accepting this is a must.Not building a support networkWhether it be a partner, a loved one, a friend or a boss, every professional needs someone to talk to about their struggles. In these times of isolation, maintaining deep and regular contact with a support network not only allows you to vent, but also aides in adding outside perspective. It may be that the one project that has been causing you so much grief has a solution that you just haven’t seen – and in discussing this with someone else, a feasible solution can be found.Never finding time away from workIt can be easy to maintain a cycle of eating, sleeping and working – however just because outside activities are not currently feasible, this doesn’t mean that you should spend your conscious hours working. In fact, this is counterproductive and only leads to burnout. Even if your relaxation time is spent watching films, carving out this allotted space each day to do something that settles your mind or prevents you from thinking about work is essential. There are plenty of hobbies that you can do from the comfort of your own home – in fact, a recent Metro poll found that the number one most popular hobby for many has been learning a new language in lockdown.Not considering othersOne of the few positives that has come from coronavirus is the way in which we’ve been forced to see others not just as professionals, but as complex people with challenges of their own. It is now considered totally normal for a working parent to be sabotaged in a group call by an indignant toddler, a stroppy teenager or an energetic pet. Just as you yourself face struggles, remember that everyone around you is fighting to survive in the pandemic, and is worried about those around them. Currently, one in 50 people within the UK have coronavirus according to the ONS. That’s a lot of professionals and loved ones suffering, which is guaranteed to have an impact on their working life.Being too seriousThis one sounds ridiculous, but it’s a poignant point that we cannot go through life with a frown on our faces. Yes, times are hard but finding joy, and spreading it to others, is absolutely essential to wellbeing. If you’re a manager, ensuring that you maintain a positive attitude and building some joviality and conversation into your daily meetings helps everyone feel better and could well be the boost that your people need. With casual office chit chat now a thing of the past, replicating this positive time for people to connect and spread some warmth and contact is irreplicable. For your own sake and the sake of your colleagues, don’t be too serious.Source: Executive Grapevine​

​Here we are again, Lockdown 3.0! Millions of people have found themselves working from home again and some never made it back to the office in the first place. ​​​​Levels of depression have increased, while in a recent survey by the Royal Institute of British Architects many people said working from home had made them more stressed. ​​​So what can we do to keep us happier at home?​​​​Let in the light​​"People vary quite a lot in terms of personality type," says consultant psychiatrist Dr TBS Balamurali. "But the guiding principles are very clear. Sunlight - alongside fresh air and access to nature - is fundamentally good for your mental health."​​​​Sunlight triggers the brain to release the hormone serotonin. It helps people to feel calm and focussed, boosts their mood and reduces anxiety.​​​​Architect Ben Channon, head of wellbeing at Assael Architecture, says "the benefits of daylight are huge".​​​​"Sunlight is the starting block because it has such a big impact on the way we feel about a space - and on regulating sleep. Dealing with Covid has been exhausting for everyone, so that's particularly important right now."​​​​The good news, says Ben, is that "people often have more control over light than they might think".​​​​He says, if you can, to put your desk near a window. Make sure you can draw the curtains back fully and clean the windows - inside and out. Dirt on windows can significantly reduce the amount of sunlight passing through them.​​​​Also, use mirrors to bounce light around the room, and paint the room either white or a light colour also to reflect the light. And choose an upstairs room if you can - they almost always capture more sunlight, as do rooms with a higher ceiling.​​​Shut out the noise​​​​​​​Dr Rebecca Dewey from the University of Nottingham, an expert in how the brain interprets sound, says different parts of your brain are constantly trying to recognise different noises and changes in sounds. "That can be hugely distracting from trying to work," she says.​​​​"Sharp noises are more of a problem than a low level babble." And as some parts of your brain scan for changes: "You might only get distracted when the noise stops."​​​​Fellow neuroscientist Professor Adrian Rees of the University of Newcastle explains: "Noise is tapping into your 'fight or flight' response."​​​​A stressful sound induces an area of the brain called the amygdala to send out distress signals. They're picked up by another area of the brain, the hypothalamus, which in turn prompts the adrenal glands to pump adrenaline into the blood. Your blood pressure goes up.​​​​"It's partly about what the noise means to you," says Professor Rees. So, for example, your own child crying will be much harder to ignore than traffic noise of the same volume.​​​​Earplugs might be a solution for some, but if you want to go further, soft furnishings, thicker carpets and heavier curtains to absorb the sound are some of the things architects suggest.​​​​If that doesn't do the trick, under-carpet boards, replacement ceilings, additional layers of plaster board on walls, and window shutters - without shutting out too much sunlight - can help.​​​Declutter​​Studies have found that clutter can raise your level of cortisol, a stress hormone. That may be because clutter delivers conflicting stimuli to the brain, which then has to work harder to filter out unhelpful signals.​​​​Environmental psychologist Dr Eleanor Ratcliffe, from Surrey University says: "The problem with clutter is over-stimulation."​​​​Normal levels of cortisol with occasional spikes are perfectly healthy, but chronically high levels of cortisol are associated with anxiety, depression, headaches and sleep disruption.​​​​"You need to think about your need state", Dr Ratcliffe says. While a certain amount of clutter in a relaxing home, may not be a problem, if it's now a workplace, "you're in a different need state, you need to cut down on distraction".​​​​So have a proper clear out, get organised, and get some proper storage if you can.​​​Stand up​​​​​​​​​If you're not going to work, you may not be walking to the bus stop or the train station, or up and down long corridors to meetings and so on.If your commute is now from the bedroom to the box room or the kitchen table, you're probably missing out on physical activity that can help keep you mentally as well as physically fit.Multiple studies have found that exercise is a natural anti-anxiety treatment, relieving stress, boosting physical and mental energy, and enhancing well-being through the release of endorphins."Lack of exercise can have a real impact", says Dr Ratcliffe. "If people are missing out on exercise, they need to think about how their day is structured - and start making an explicit effort."One option is to get a standing desk if you can - and use it properly. Stand some of the day, sit some of the day. But you can also take breaks and go for a walk."The commute was also a kind of decompression time for many people," says Professor Gail Kinman, a fellow of the British Psychological Society." It enabled people to put a clear boundary between their work and home life. When you're working at home the boundaries become permeable." Getting out for regular exercise can give many home workers the decompression they need, she says.​​​​​​​​Use plants​​​Many claims are made for the mental benefits of contact with the natural world: reducing blood pressure, anxiety, stress and rumination (endlessly going over the same thoughts) while improving attention, memory and sleep.Bringing plants and other natural objects and images into your home work space can have a significant impact.Dr Ratcliffe explains the theory of "attention restoration"."Looking at natural objects can give your brain a break - or a series of 'micro-breaks' from focusing. They take up your attention, but not in a demanding or over-stimulating way. That's helpful."We also associate nature with recreation and relaxation, so again that can help enhance our mood," she adds.​Social contact…and not just online​​Dr Balamurali says people who find themselves unhappy working at home need to think hard about what it is they miss about going to the office and try to compensate for whatever they've lost.Top of the list, for many people, is social contact. More of us than we might expect get the majority - maybe 80 or 90% - of our social contact from being at work, he says.Whether that's chatting with colleagues in the office or the lunch queue, in the lift or on the stairs, it matters to a huge number of people."When the lockdown came - all of that disappeared quite suddenly," says Dr Balamurali. "It does depend what kind of personality you are, but many people need to get more real social contact in other ways."So get out at lunchtime and in the evenings - connect with friends, family and neighbours - people you feel connected to."Meeting others is obviously much harder in lockdown, but he suggests meeting another person to exercise with, or to walk with."Humans are social animals," he adds. "Staring into a screen on Zoom is not enough." Source: BBC​ ​

When we were asked by our charity partners, Leonard Cheshire to participate in the Change Now Programme we jumped at the chance. The programme is aimed at school leaver and college age young adults and it aims to help develop their confidence and skills and support them as they step into the world of further education and work. For the first event in the programme, we were asked to provide volunteers from the business to provide a virtual workshop, Derek Skelton our CEO and Caitlyn Aitken from our National Recruitment Centre, were thrilled to get involved and share their knowledge and experience. They spent an hour presenting to a group of 47 about what to expect in an interview – everything from CVs and preparation to the sort of questions to ask the panel – they shared some of their experiences too, the message was that if you work hard and be yourself you achieve anything!Jen Sweeney, Regional Fundraising Manager said: I really enjoyed listening to the session, I loved the honesty about the speakers' experiences and the examples they used, I thought the session was really positive.We will be doing a second session on 5th January to the same group, which will be a mock interview so they can see how they work in practise. Derek is also doing another couple of sessions with a Can Do group of students at the City of Liverpool college on 14th January, which will be more of a meet the CEO and Q&A session. We have lots of other sessions planned in, which other people around the business have volunteered to support too. Watch this space for more information on this programme. If you would like advice on find your next role, please visit our Career Toolkit

​There are many pitfalls jobseekers can face when attending a job interview, from not doing their homework to turning up half an hour late – recruiters have had to deal with them all.While these errors can easily happen in person, so too can a number of other pitfalls when candidates carry out an interview via video. Often considered far more intimidating than the regular face-to-face process, as a study by CV-Library in 2018 of 1,200 UK employees found 33.7% were most scared of video interviews, much more preparation is certainly needed.As such, Recruitment Grapevine has compiled a list of helpful suggestions for recruiters to advise candidates:Dress to impressCandidates will almost always don their smartest outfits when attending an interview, and one that takes place via video should be no different. Candidates thinking they can throw on a smart shirt and tie paired with boxer shorts because they think no one will see is a risky move, in case the camera moves or they forget and stand up – leaving everyone feeling rather embarrassed. To avoid such a scene, ensure you advise them to dress appropriately to make the right impression.Stop interruptionsCandidates do not want to appear distracted, so telling them to try and prevent all interruptions is a good idea. If they have children or pets, suggest they ask a friend or family member to look after them for the duration of the interview. Similarly, closing all background computer programmes will also limit any interruptions, while turning off a mobile phone will also stop candidates feeling the need to check notifications.Location, location, locationIt’s important for job hopefuls to pick a location that’s quiet and looks professional. If they opt to carry out the interview in a messy bedroom with a pile of unfolded laundry, this will likely reflect badly on them. Instead, suggest they set up on a kitchen dining table so they can sit upright using a sturdy surface, ideally in front of a blank wall to avoid any distractions for the hiring manager.Internet connectionImagine taking part in a video interview and the internet connection keeps breaking, leaving a blurry image and delayed responses – it’s perhaps one of the most frustrating things for all parties. Candidates should test out their connection beforehand and host a dummy run so they can smooth out any potential glitches before the video interview takes place. Practice makes perfect, after all.Acting too casualLastly, due to the nature of a video interview, candidates can often fall into the trap of acting too casual. This can greatly damage the interview process and result in a no hire for the interviewee – it’s therefore imperative that they take the interview seriously and act as they would during a face-to-face one. They should go in prepared having researched the company, keep their phones off and turn up on time.​Source: Executive Grapevine