Office & Professional

We are delighted to welcome Neil Duggins to Meridian! Neil joins our Sales Team as Senior Sales Executive. He brings with him a wealth of recruitment & sales experience having started his recruitment career in 2000 as a Consultant, he was promoted to Branch Manager in 2002 and then moved into sales in 2012. For the last two years Neil has been the Sales & Client Services Director for First Personnel Services where he was successful in winning some impressive clients in addition to supporting & developing their key accounts. Neil will be based in the Midlands but his role will have a national remit. To find out more about Neil visit his LinkedIn profile.

When we posted the first photo of the Meridian socks on holiday in Dalyan, Turkey, courtesy of Aaron in Credit Control, back in August, we had no idea how far they would travel! We hoped people would get involved and they certainly did! Who knew Meridian employees were such a bunch of jet-setters! We have had sightings from Berlin to Borneo, Thailand to Tenerife! We even had a worrying moment when we received a photo of a pair of Meridian socks without an owner in the Everglades! Thank you to everyone who got involved! This is by no means the end of the challenge, if you want a pair of socks to take on your travels, just get in touch with marketing@meridianbs.co.uk. Aaron Shaw, Turkey | Jeanette Barrowcliffe, Borneo | Fran Parkes, Singapore | Zara Byrne - Dubai | Adrian Saffery, Thailand | Julianne Leitch, Tenerife | Nuala Slim, Tenerife | Adam Temme, Cyprus | Maderia, Nigel and Sarah Dobinson | Tracey Clay, Florida, Haiti, Mexico | Derek Skelton, Marbella | Pauline Folllows, Berlin | June Anderson, Morrocco

We are delighted to be nominated for Back Office Support Team of the Year at this year's IRP awards, which are taking place on Thursday night, in London. We put our Talent and Organisational team forward for the award because of the excellent work they have done to improve company benefits, increase employee engagement and introducing training courses that have made a significant improvement on the company's bottom line. For ten years, the IRP Awards has been celebrating the best practice and professional excellence of their members. The night brings together hundreds of recruitment professionals to celebrate the best of our industry. Wish us luck - we'll let you know how we get on.

Don’t leave your job search until January like everyone else! Historically, November and December haven’t been the best times to start looking for a new job, however, the jobs marketing is changing and we have lots of opportunities available right now! One thing is for sure there is less competition this time of year, so why not start now and bag the job of your dreams, ready for a January start! Interested? Click here to search our jobs.

As Living Wage Week rolls around again, our supplier Croner takes a look at what the current National Living Wage is, what it means, and how it is going to change. What is it? First thing’s first, let’s clear up the confusion regarding the difference between the National Minimum Wage, National Living Wage and the ‘real living wage’. The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a small difference. The minimum wage is the smallest amount employers legally have to pay to employees over compulsory school age but under the age of 25, while the National Living Wage is the minimum amount employers legally have to pay employees over the age of 25. The real living wage is a figure calculated by the Living Wage Foundation that values the real cost of living in the UK. Sometimes this term is used interchangeably, which can cause confusion. The main difference? The National Living Wage is a legal requirement, the real living wage is not. What is the current National Living Wage? At the moment the National Living Wage is £7.83. The National Living Wage was first introduced in 2016 at £7.20, which then rose to £7.50 in 2017/2018. What is the future of the National Living Wage? In the recent budget, Phillip Hammond announced that the National Living Wage would be rising to £8.21 next April, which is a 4.9% rise. The risks Following the rise next April, it is crucial you conduct a review of all salaries to make sure all staff are being paid correctly, as it can be easy to slip below the threshold during this period. If you discover any of your staff are being paid incorrectly, resolve the situation immediately before it has chance to develop into a full-blown issue. Why? Well, in the past year there have been numerous instances of ‘naming and shaming’ of employers who are incorrectly paying the national minimum and/or National Living Wage. If that isn’t scary enough, you can also be fined up to 200% of the underpayment. While there may have been some among the culprits who were knowingly underpaying their employees, most cases were a result of simple errors that pushed employees below the threshold. There are a few things to watch out for when considering the National Living Wage, for the most common errors and tips on how to recognise them, see our Infographic on how to Avoid National Minimum Wage Naming & Shaming Paying the living wage Employers have two methods of paying the Living Wage – they can either sign up through the Living Wage Foundation as a Living Wage employer, in which case they become accredited. The employer then has to make certain commitments, and would be removed if they didn’t increase the living wage within the six months. Examples of organisations that have done this are Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs. Alternatively, Employers can just decide to provide the Living Wage voluntarily, but do not commit to doing so via the Living Wage Foundation and so don’t become accredited. The living wage, as announced today, will increase by 3.4% to £10.55 in London and by 2.9% to £9.00an hour across the country Source: Croner

It was #StressAwarenessDay earlier this week so we wanted to share this article by our friends at Total Jobs with some simple ways to reduce stress and increase happiness. Your mental health can be greatly affected by your daily experience at work. In fact, a recent CIPD survey found that 40% of UK managers noticed an increase in stress-related absences and mental health problems in 2015. Heavy workloads, lengthy commutes and bad relationships at work can quickly add up and damage workers’ mental health. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safeguard your mental well-being. We teamed up with leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness to share some top tips with you. 1. Take breaks We’ve all heard that taking breaks is vital, yet many of us avoid them in order to get those precious extra minutes of work in. But stepping away from your work will actually boost your well-being and productivity, according to Chloe Grass-Orkin, Media Officer at Rethink Mental Illness. “Incorporating regular breaks into your day can help you manage stress levels by enabling you to refocus and get a new perspective when returning to a task. Going outside at lunchtime can help separate yourself and your mind from work. You could also read a book, or listen to music to help make your break more relaxing. For shorter breaks, why not make yourself a drink in the kitchen, and chat to a colleague while you’re there. Building relationships with colleagues is an excellent way to improve well-being.” 2. Leave work on time Work-life balance often seems like an elusive concept that no one actually achieves. However, Chloe explains why it’s worth making the effort: “Creating boundaries between our job and life outside of work can make a big difference to our mental well-being, allowing time to maintain relationships and engage in activities we enjoy. We all have to put in extra e sometimes to meet those urgent deadlines, but this should be the exception not the norm. Extra hours may cause a drop in concentration and ultimately take a toll on your well-being. Chloe suggests that “if you’re a manager, lead by example and encourage a good working culture.” Just before leaving for the day, Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Well-being at Mind, advises planning your day in advance to stay on top of your workload so you feel less stressed: “At the end of each day, go over your to-do list and write up one for the next day. When your thoughts are down on paper, you’ll find it easier to not think about work in your personal time.” If you do need to work at home to complete an urgent task, Emma suggests “designating a separate area for work and sticking to it, as you’ll find it much easier to close the door on work when you finish for the day.” 3. Get talking In a survey by Time to Change, the anti-stigma campaign run by Rethink Mental Illness and Mind, 60% of employees said they would feel uncomfortable discussing a mental health condition with their employer, according to Chloe. However, she says that “discussing any problems you may be experiencing with your manager can be helpful. There are a number of simple adjustments that can be made, such as moving to a quieter part of the office, working from home sometimes, or travelling in later to avoid the rush hour commute. But if no one knows there is a problem, it can be difficult to find a solution.” Emma agrees: “If you feel like your workload is spiralling out of control, discuss it with your manager or supervisor. If you can’t resolve the problem in this way, you can also talk to colleagues in HR, a trade union representative or other relevant members of staff.” 4. Use your commute to unwind Commuting after a long day at work can be a stressful experience in itself. However, Emma suggests that you can still use this time to relax before you get home. “Use the time on your commute home to wind down from work – read a book or listen to music. Maybe try cycling part of your journey or getting off a stop early to take a shortcut through a park or quiet streets. These little actions can really help you to switch off.” 5. Get moving Chloe describes how making physical activity an integral part of your work days can combat stress: “Research has shown that exercise has a positive impact on our mental health, and it can be easier than you think to fit it into your working day. For example, you could go for a short walk on your lunch break. This has the combined benefits of exercising, clearing your head, and getting some important time away from your computer screen so that you’re more alert and focussed once back at your desk.” Source: Total Jobs About the experts: Chloe Grass-Orkin is a Media Officer at Rethink Mental Illness, a leading UK charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness. They directly support almost 60,000 people every year to get through crises, to live independently and to realise they are not alone. You can find more advice on mental health in the workplace here. Emma Mamo is Head of Workplace Well-being at Mind, a leading UK charity working to improve the lives of all people experiencing mental health problems for more than 60 years. Read more of their mental health at work tipshere.

Meridian is delighted to have been highly commended in the Best Recruitment Company category at the On the Tools Awards last night! On The Tools is the largest Online Construction Community in the UK and the On the Tools Awards celebrate and reward construction workers, sub contractors, tools and equipment manufacturers and construction companies from across the UK. The awards ceremony took place at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham and our Built Environment team had a great evening celebrating!

46 CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISORS - IMMEDIATE INTERVIEWS - START ASAP £8.39 per hour plus weekend shift allowance of £48.20 per week if you are working on the weekend! Working 4 days out of 7 on a rota basis including 1 in 3 weekends If working between Monday - Friday the hours will be 9am-7pm; when you are on the rota to work weekends hours will be 9am-5pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday - Please note you will only be working 4 days per week! The role is based in: Bromyard, Hereford Craven Arms, Shropshire Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire Malvern, Worcestershire Shrewsbury, Shropshire Ludlow, Shropshire Worcester, Worcestershire Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Leominster, Herefordshire Hereford, Herefordshire Meridian is providing a TRAVEL ALLOWANCE to cover your travel costs to and from work. These are temporary positions starting ASAP through to early 2019. No Contact Centre experience required as full training is provided but you must have good keyboard skills, customer service experience and a great telephone manner You will be answering inbound calls and emails from customers and investigating any issues in order to resolve them in an efficient manner CALL US TODAY TO BOOK YOUR REGISTRATION ON 0117 9065808 OR EMAIL US ehowell@meridianbs.co.uk Meridian Business Support is acting on behalf of our Client as a Recruitment Business.

Ongoing seasonal work – leading sportswear & fashion retailer £7.50 to £12.00 per hour (inc. Overtime) Early & Late shifts available Weekly and seasonal attendance bonuses November to late January full time shifts Significant staff discount on branded sportswear & fashion – up to 85% On-site subsidised canteen Picking and packing customer orders for Christmas Peak – modern, clean warehouse environment Leading online retailer in branded sportswear & fashion items, our client is an employer of choice and offers a friendly team focused environment As a Warehouse Operative your primary role will be to fulfil customer orders by picking and packing stock – full training will be given, PPE provided No experience is necessary however you will be required to complete and pass an assessment including basic maths, English and H&S understanding prior to starting work Morning shift: 5.30 am – 1.30 pm – Monday to Saturday plus overtime (five days, one weekday off) Late shift: 2.00 pm to 10.00 pm – Monday to Friday plus overtime For the right candidates we can offer continuous work throughout the Winter and into January – permanent roles available at the end of season for the right candidates For more info and a friendly informal chat, please call the Resourcing Hub xxxxxx xxxx, xxxxx@meridianbs.co.uk .

WAREHOUSE OPERATIVES required on a PERMANENT basis for a busy award winning warehouse based just outside Hereford in Moreton on Lugg! Working 6-2 OR 2-10 including some weekends, offering an hourly rate of £8 per hour plus excellent benefits including 25 days holiday, bonus, shift premiums, and career progression! We are recruiting for a high number of roles in various departments including Goods In, Bulk Replenishment, Goods Out, and Returns. Ideally you will have experience of working within a warehouse environment, however, those without warehouse experience will also be considered. You need to have a good work ethic, be flexible to work weekends and have your own transport or have the ability to get to Moreton on Lugg. Good numeracy and literacy is required with excellent attention to detail. To apply call 0117 906 5808 or email iwilson@meridianbs.co.uk Meridian Business Support is acting on behalf of our Client as a Recruitment Agency.