​When we asked our client's to enter their talented children into our Easter Egg Colouring Competition, we were not disappointed! We received over 30 fantastic entries and it was so difficult to choose a winner that we had to pick two. Please find the winning entries below, we hope you'll agree they are Eggcellent! ​​​Craig Malcolm, Aged 9 ​Josh Wright, aged 8​

​It has been over a year since we formally launch our charity partnership with Leonard Cheshire so we thought it would be a good time to take a step back and review what we have achieved over the past 12 months. And giving the challenges of the pandemic, it is pretty impressive. It’s also a reflection of what a great bunch of people we have working at Meridian as this couldn’t have achieved without their support. FUNDRAISINGWe have raised an impressive £8,342 over the course of the last 12 months which is amazing! Here is a breakdown of how we reached that total:​Meridian has been involved in a number of other initiatives with Leonard Cheshire​ where we have been able to use our recruitment expertise to help:CHANGE 100Last summer we took part in Leonard Cheshire’s Change 100 Internship programme which provides paid summer work placements, professional development and mentoring for under/newly qualified graduates with disabilities or long term health conditions. The programme aims to remove barriers experienced by disabled people in the workplace, to allow them to reach their full potential. In July, Sam Jones joined the HR team as an HR Assistant and despite the challenges of having to induct and train Sam remotely, he very quickly settled into the team & it was fantastic to watch him develop and grow in confidence during his placement. Sam is still working for us on a flexible basis since returning to university and we are very much looking forward to taking part in Change 100 again in 2021.CHANGE NOW & CAN DOThese are programmes for school and college age young people with disabilities aim to provide the insight, skills and experience to prepare them for leaving education and getting a job. Due to Covid, they only started up again in virtual format in December and since that time we have presented 5 sessions including a meet the CEO session where Derek, our CEO was asked some great questions! There will be more coming up in the future for those who would like to get involved.CHANGE 100 ASSESSMENT CENTRES5 of our people took part in the selection process for this year’s Change 100 programme by joining the virtual assessment centres as assessors. This was a great opportunity to meet some inspirational candidates and see a fully open & inclusive assessment centre in action.THINK PURPLEThis was a fun campaign to raise awareness about disability which quite a few of our people really got behind & posted some great pictures on social!#ADayWithoutBack in March last year just before the first lockdown, a number of our people gave up something for the day to raise money for Leonard Cheshire whilst also supporting disability awareness. To find out more about Leonard Cheshire, please click here.

​Stress and anxiety can sometimes feel similar – think of your heart beating faster as you get closer to an important work presentation or that nagging feeling that you forgot to put the milk back in the refrigerator. But there’s a difference. Stress is the body’s natural “fight or flight” response to an external trigger like a deadline or a doctor’s appointment.It is also accompanied by physical sensations – your breathing starts to quicken and certain muscles in your body feel tighter in anticipation of real or perceived harm. It also comes with emotional symptoms, such as a feeling of being overwhelmed, getting agitated, or having difficulty quieting your mind.This is where anxiety comes in – characterised by persistent and excessive worrying, it is the body’s natural response to stress. The link between anxiety and lack of sleep is well established but it can be hard to tell which comes first. Are you sleepless because you are anxious or are you anxious because you lack sleep? It is the ultimate chicken and egg situation.David Neubauer, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, says that the relationship between anxiety and sleep is “bidirectional”, meaning that they affect each other, and that it can be difficult to determine which came first. Mild stress and anxiety are manageable. There are many ways to cope, from meditating to simply getting more sleep.How sleeping better helps you cope with stress and anxietyNew research by scientists at the University of California (UC) Berkeley suggests that deep sleep is a natural remedy for manxiety.During the study, researchers detected excessive activity in regions of the brain linked to processing emotions. A part of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex, which is believed to reduce anxiety and stress, also got deactivated after a night of sleeplessness.As a result, anxiety increased by 30% in sleep-deprived participants. By contrast, anxiety levels dropped after a night of sufficient sleep, especially in those who remained in the deep, slow-wave, stage of non-REM sleep for longer. The authors of the study are convinced that deep sleep restores the brain’s ability to regulate emotions and lower emotional reactivity, which in turn prevents anxiety levels from escalating.Follow these basic tips for getting a good night's sleep:Keep regular hours - Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, all the time, will programme your body to sleep better.Create a restful sleeping environment - Your bedroom should be kept for rest and sleep. It should be neither too hot, nor too cold, and as quiet and dark as possible.Make sure your bed is comfortable - It's difficult to get deep, restful sleep on one that's too soft, too hard, too small or too old.Take more exercise (where possible) - Regular exercise such as walking or home workouts can help relieve the day's stresses and strains. But not too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake!Cut down on stimulants - such as caffeine in tea or coffee, especially in the evening. They interfere with falling asleep and prevent deep sleep. Have a hot milky drink or herbal tea instead. Don't over-indulge - Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night just before bedtime, can play havoc with sleep patterns.Avoid smoking - Yes, it's bad for sleep, too! Smokers take longer to fall asleep, wake more often and often experience more sleep disruption.Try to relax before going to bed - Have a warm bath, listen to some quiet music or do some yoga to help relax your mind and body.Make jobs lists - Deal with worries or a heavy workload by making lists of things to be tackled the next day.Switch off devices at least an hour before bed - Many people are also affected by the blue light emitted from laptops, tablets and smartphones and can be addicted to playing games, scrolling through social media, or watching videos close to bedtime.If you can't sleep - don’t spend more than 20 minutes trying to get to sleep; get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again – then go back to bed.If you are experiencing problems sleeping and feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.Useful Links for more tips and information:www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.ukhttps://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-guidelines-covid-19-isolationhttps://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/how-to-get-to-sleep/https://troublesleeping.co.uk/​

​The coronavirus pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the workplace. Whilst for some, the move to remote working may well be seen as an improvement on the traditional 9-to-5 office-based structure, it seems that the detrimental effects of changes to the working world as a result of the pandemic have negatively impacted some in the workplace more than others.The latest research from the Fawcett Society found that women were more likely than men to lose work or be burdened with childcare in the coronavirus crisis. In a survey of 8,400 workers within the UK, the organisation found that one-third of working mothers had lost work or had their hours reduced due to a lack of childcare during in this time.It also found that, whilst both men and women had spent more time caring for children, the gap between the amount of time that each gender spent parenting had grown larger.The Fawcett Society noted that there was now a very real danger that the gender pay gap – the average difference in pay between men and women – would widen as a result and described the current position the UK was in as a ‘coronavirus crossroads’ that could impact the progress of workplace equality for the foreseeable future.The concern was shared by business leader, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Women In Tech, Ina Behrendt, who in a recent interview with Executive Grapevine noted: “The gap has unfortunately again become much bigger for those who are working from home and managing family life, maybe additionally home-schooling at the same time.“Can you imagine the burden of balancing jobs and supporting [dependants] at the same time? And we’re not even talking about [the wellbeing effects] on mental state of mind.”Although Behrendt believes that perception around the relationship between working and family life has changed, she still believes much needs to be done to support women in the workplace in this time.“Those [mums] need a strong, supportive network – for sure, the understanding is there, if a child jumps into view in a meeting, but in comparison – which of the two, women or men, really has to cut back and ultimately get the short end of the stick?” she said.Is there a clear ‘solution’ to this key issue?Behrendt believes that much of these issues can be rectified by essentially ensuring that an equal demographic of representation is involved in all decision-making issues. Only with the insight available when women are part of this process, can solutions, that actually make a difference, be found.“I truly believe that women belong in all places where decisions are being made – as well as men and gender-neutral people – no matter which background, race or orientation,” she noted.“We need this diversity, in general, to learn from each other, work together and shape the future for the better. I support women, wherever I can in all sorts of aspects. Everyone deserves to be treated equally,” she concluded.

We are continuing to celebrate International Women's Day with another blog from one of the fabulous women at Meridian - Jo Bowden who was recently promoted to Head of Credit Management. Jo joined us nearly 15 years ago as a Credit Controller and progressed through the ranks being promoted to Team Leader then Credit Control Manager in 2012. In this last year Jo and her team have excelled in every way possible - our DSOs, end column debt, overtrading control and reporting is the best it has ever been. Hear about her Meridian journey in her own words: My first job after university was with a bank, arranging mortgages where I qualified as a mortgage advisor. It wasn’t for me and so I switched to credit control. Two jobs later I found myself at Meridian, and 16 years later I am still very happy at Meridian. I joined as a credit controller and through training and development; I progressed to Team Leader and Credit Manager. My current role is Head of Credit Management. We have a team of 10 assessing the credit risks and limits that should be offered to clients and collecting over £100mil of cash p.a.The best thing about my job is definitely the people I work with, and work for. I’ve been with Meridian for 16 years and a lot of the people I work with have been here even longer so I have know them most of my adult life. I have an amazing mentor in Jeanette Barrowcliffe and owe a lot to the support and guidance she has given me.Over the last year, like a lot of people, I’ve spent a lot more time in my garden. Gardening and trying to make the garden more wildlife friendly has been a great way for me to switch off and relax. I still have no idea what I’m doing and my kids find it hilarious that I’ve taken to watching repeats of gardeners world! But we have the first spinach seedlings coming up, so I’m classing that as success 😃Possibly the best thing I have learnt is to just keep going. There have been times where there seemed like impossible amounts of work to get through and impossible tasks to complete, but if you keep making small steps it all comes together in the end.Click here to read the first blog in this series from our FD,Jeanette Barrowcliffe. ​

Our third blog on International Women's Day comes from Lana Bennett! Lana joined Meridian in 2004 and was recently Promoted to Head of Finance. Lana has steered her team and our finances through some  very rocky times.  At the start of last year she took responsibility for Facilities & Procurement which now sits alongside her other responsibilities of Accounts, Payroll & Purchase Ledger.  ​Career Background / Current RoleI started training to become a chartered accountant but soon realised that wasn’t the job for me so moved into industry in 1992; spent 12 years with a car hire and leasing company where I qualified as a management accountant and moved through the ranks from Assistant Accountant to become Finance Manager. From there I moved to Meridian where I’ve been ever since. My current role is Head Of Finance, looking after Accounts, Payroll, Purchase Ledger and Facilities & ProcurementWhat's the best thing about your current job? Variety and the team I work with. Nearly every day is different; I can start the week doing management accounts, move to looking at holiday pay calculations and end the week looking at different office locations.How do you manage stress or switch off from work?I go out for a walk as much as I can, it might be a struggle some days to get motivated to go out but always feel better for it; also trying to teach myself yoga from You Tube videos at the moment, no idea if I’m doing it right but makes me feel better! What's the best lesson you have learnt in your career? Always be truthful; if you make a mistake own it but make sure it doesn’t happen again! Click here to read more blogs about the inspirational women that work at Meridian!​ 

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is one of the most important days of the year to:celebrate women's achievementsraise awareness about women's equalitylobby for accelerated gender parityfundraise for female-focused charitiesThis years themeThe campaign theme for International Women's Day 2021 is 'Choose To Challenge'. A challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change. So let's all #ChooseToChallenge.With this in mind we are going to celebrate the women who work at Meridian and their achievements. Starting with our Finance Director, Jeanette Barrowcliffe. ​​​​Tell us a bit about yourselfI’m Jeanette Barrowcliffe and I’m the Finance Director for Meridian Business Support.  Prior to Meridian, I trained with EY following which I had roles with Astra Zeneca and CWS before joining Meridian in 1997 as Finance Manager. I was promoted to Financial controller in 1998 and appointed as Finance Director in 2003.  I was part of the MBO team in 2005 and work closely with and support the Executive and Senor Leadership teams as well as being directly responsible for all of the support functions within Meridian, ranging from Finance to HR to IT to Marketing.​​​I have been fortunate to be given various opportunities over the years which includes currently being on the Board of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), the largest trade body for the recruitment sector and being a Trustee for Walsingham Support, a charity which supports people with learning disabilities.  In addition to being on the Board of Walsingham Support I am also the Chair of the Finance Committee, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and am a member of the Strategy and Governance Committee.  Previously I was a Parent Governor of a Primary School for eight years. What's the best thing about your current job?The best things are the people I work with (very corny I know but true!), the variety of my role and seeing other people develop and grow – which when you see this happen it is just amazing. We have some super people at Meridian and in my teams, who I know I can rely on to do a great job and who support me in doing my job. The variety just stops me from getting bored!  How do you manage stress or switch off from work?Funnily enough that’s never been an issue for me, maybe because I’ve never seen work as 9-5 & I enjoy what I do so it’s never been a chore. Of course I have off days and the last year has been particularly challenging but finding solutions to challenges is something I enjoy and I have loads more good days than bad!  If I were to pick a few things out, I’d say I only try to managed the controllables; I don’t have an issue reaching out to ask for help if I need it and I have strong personal values including integrity and authenticity which I live by, that helps me not to feel conflicted. Outside of work, I have a family with two (now grown up) children and a dog who keep me occupied and I like to read – anything and everything, especially if I can learn something from it!What's the best lesson you have learnt in your career?There are a few - just go for it, never be afraid, never stop learning and developing yourself or asking ‘why’ (it really is the best question!) and always be kind – Karma is a bitch!

​As the COVID-19 situation progresses and the Government guidance continues to change as lockdown restrictions are eased, individuals may be feeling anxious about going back to “normal life” and to how safe it is to return to work and schools. This article looks at things for parents/guardians to consider when you are thinking about your children returning to schools. How to prepare a child emotionally for returning to school? The advice can vary depending on the age of the child. You may like to consider some of the below points to help prepare your child to return to school as outlined by The Mental Health Foundation – Start talking - Your child might have worries about returning to school. You can explore these and help them think of ways to manage them. Sleep routine - Help your child return to their normal sleep routine in the weeks before school starts again. Talk about school - Start to talk through the daily routine that they were once so familiar with. It doesn’t have to start as a conversation about worries, but these might arise as you talk. Coping strategies - Model coping strategies you use when feeling stressed such as reconnecting with friends before returning, doing regular exercise or using breathing techniques. If it applies, you could share your own worries and feelings about returning to work and ways you are managing these feelings. Make yourself available as much as possible - Children may want to come and “debrief” but maybe not when you expect. Create space for talking in different ways, such as going on a walk together or baking together – there may be less pressure in these circumstances than when sitting face-to-face. Look at the positives - As schools reopen, other things will too. It might be helpful to talk about things the child is looking forward to, like their favourite shop reopening, seeing friends in the park or getting ice cream from their favourite café. Signs that a child may be anxious or distressed about returning to school: They look withdrawn, tearful or appear in low mood They are struggling with sleeping or eating They appear anxious or distressed Talking about negative or worried thoughts around their future They tend to be more upset and are struggling to manage their emotionsIf you are concerned about your child’s mental health, you may be able to help by: Spending time talking to your child Setting a routine for the next few weeks Maintaining your own mental health Giving your child the chance to talk about how they are feeling Do your best to try and understand their concerns and worries, reassure them that you understand and that you are there to support them What Question’s may I want to ask my child’s school? What procedures have the school taken to ensure the safety of students? What changes have been made due to COVID-19? What if my child feels unwell, do they have to stay off school for a certain amount of time? Will any after schools clubs be on? ​ Please see the below links for more information https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/managing-children-s-fears-around-returning-to-school-aftercoronavirus- lockdown https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/returning-school-after-lockdown/tips-parents-carersreturn- to-school https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirusoutbreak/ guidance-for-full-opening-schools ​

In elite sport often the difference between success and failure is what is called ‘fine margins’. Sometimes this is a horse winning by a nose in a photo finish, or Oxford beating Cambridge in rowing by a centimetre. These fine margins can be linked back to how those athletes prepare for an event and the “one percent’s” that they focus on away from their training to give them an edge. These fine margins and one percent’s can be transferred to daily life for any of us, as ultimately they are nothing to do with being a sportsperson but instead, just doing things that benefit our lifestyle to get the best out of it. That could be sleeping better, feeling fresher in the morning, running longer or being more productive with your time, be it personal or professional.​​Little Changes for a big impact to your life: In this article we will explore a series of simple lifestyle changes or additions that many of us can adopt to lead a healthier lifestyle: 1. Start your day with water – whilst many of us will start with a coffee, energy drink or soft drink it is important to remember to hydrate. Mild dehydration can cause moodiness, fatigue, and problems concentrating so kick start your day with water. 2. Stretching – regular stretching can help to increase flexibility and motion, develop muscle strength, reduce pain and help prevent injury. 3. Eat without distractions - When we eat while driving, working or in front of the television our body never gets the clear signal that we’re taking nutrients in. Part of mindful eating is eating without distractions and savouring the sense of your food. 4. Walking – allows us to be active and to take breaks from day to day life whilst also taking notice of what’s around us and pausing from the day to day business of life. 5. Spend time off technology – spending too much time on social media and devices can impact both our physical and mental health. It can impact how much we exercise, how we feel about ourselves and ironically increase loneliness and social isolation. Be aware of how much time you spend on social media and take breaks when you need them. 6. Alcohol – A great tip for managing and monitoring your alcohol intake is to get a measurer rather than free pouring drinks. Or if you enjoy a beer, switch from pints to bottles. 7. Stand up at work – If you are sitting at a computer all day it’s time to change that. Set a challenge to yourself to walk around the office or home or even just stand whilst working. Many studies suggest that people who spent more time standing or moving during the course of their week had lower levels of cholesterol and blood sugar. ​8. Buddy up for fitness – working out with a friend can be great for boosting your motivation and also output. 9. Connect with others – regular engagement with others, be it a coffee with a friend (lockdown permitting), bumping into fellow dog walkers, or just a daily hello to your neighbours can help lower rates of anxiety and depression, build higher self-esteem, greater empathy, and more trusting and cooperative relationships. 10. Make your own food - This is can help you save money, increase your awareness about good food, and give you an activity to do to take your mind of things. Useful sources & more Information: Some of the information sourced for this article was originally published on the links below. If you would like to access this and further information in more detail please follow the links below – https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/these-15-small-lifestyle-changes-will-improve-your-life-today.htmlhttps://www.bustle.com/articles/163174-11-small-lifestyle-changes-that-can-make-a-big-difference-in-your-healthhappiness​​

​In order to better understand the value created by the recruitment industry, the REC commissioned independent consultancy Public First to measure the industry’s economic and social impact. Using a combination of new modelling, research and extensive polling of workers and businesses, they sought to better understand the impact of good recruitment.​The industry directly employs 119,000 people and helps over a million other workers find a job each year in companies across the UK. Covid-19 has had a significant short-term impact on all of us - but the wider changes in flexible work and diversity look only to increase the importance of good recruitment in the future. Our study shines a light on three core themes: Recruitment is a major driver of UK productivityGiving workers new opportunities and supporting a more inclusive labour marketThe recruitment industry can help accelerate the recovery. Click here for a copy of the full report. ​