By Dr Haleema Sheikh, a specialist in integrative women’s health and bioidentical hormone balancing for the Marion Gluck Clinic

As summer temperatures soar, so do the challenges faced by people going through menopause, particularly in the workplace. Hot flushes, fatigue, brain fog, and mood fluctuations can be difficult enough to manage on their own. Add stifling heat, poor ventilation, and lack of understanding from colleagues, and a difficult experience can quickly become unbearable.

Rising temperatures don’t just increase physical discomfort, they can amplify symptoms, reduce concentration, and even lead to higher rates of absenteeism. For businesses, failing to recognise and respond to this intersection of climate and health is not just a wellbeing issue—it’s a productivity and retention risk.

The good news? With a few thoughtful, hormone-aware adjustments, organisations can create workplaces that are more comfortable, inclusive, and resilient during the summer months and beyond.

Why Menopause Deserves a Place on the Workplace Agenda

Menopause is a natural phase of life that typically affects individuals between 45 and 55, although symptoms can begin earlier. Around 13 million people in the UK are currently peri- or post-menopausal, this demographic makes up a significant portion of the workforce.

Despite its prevalence, menopause has long been underacknowledged in workplace policies. Research by the Fawcett Society found that one in ten women have left a job due to menopause symptoms. These numbers are likely to rise if workplaces don’t adapt to climate change’s impact on thermal comfort and employee health.

The Heatwave Effect on Menopause Symptoms

Summer heat can worsen key menopausal symptoms, including:

• Hot flushes – Already one of the most commonly reported symptoms, flushes can become more frequent and severe in hot environments.
• Fatigue – Heat can disrupt sleep, making it harder for those already struggling with menopause-related insomnia to feel rested.
• Brain fog – Cognitive symptoms like forgetfulness and poor concentration are harder to manage when overheating or sleep-deprived.
• Mood changes – Rising temperatures and physical discomfort can intensify anxiety or irritability.

This isn’t just a matter of comfort, it’s a business issue. Discomfort and stress can reduce performance, increase sick leave, and damage morale. Being proactive is not only compassionate, it’s commercially sensible.

Practical, Hormone-Aware Strategies for Cooler Workplaces

Creating a menopause-ready workplace doesn’t require a full office overhaul. Here are several actionable steps businesses can take to support affected employees, particularly during a heatwave:

1. Prioritise Thermal Comfort

• Allow for temperature control where possible. This might mean adjustable desk fans, access to cooler rooms, or permission to adjust windows and blinds.
• Review dress codes. Formal uniforms or restrictive clothing can make hot flushes more unbearable. Offer flexibility in what’s considered “professional” attire during the summer months.
• Monitor ventilation and ensure that air conditioning units are serviced and effective. Poor airflow exacerbates discomfort.

2. Flexible Working Hours and Locations

• Consider offering earlier or later start times to avoid peak heat hours.
• Enable hybrid or remote working, giving individuals the chance to control their environment and take breaks as needed.
• Let employees take brief cooling breaks—short walks, hydration pauses, or simply stepping into a cooler space should be encouraged, not frowned upon.

3. Training and Awareness

• Provide manager training on menopause, including how it interacts with environmental stressors like heat.
• Build psychological safety by making it clear that discussing menopause is not taboo. Employees should feel confident disclosing symptoms without fear of being judged or overlooked for opportunities.

4. Update Policies

• Include menopause in occupational health and wellbeing strategies.
• Audit your equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policies to ensure they explicitly acknowledge menopause and related needs.
• Implement anonymous feedback systems to identify temperature-related concerns and workplace barriers.

Leading by Example

Forward-thinking organisations are already taking menopause seriously. From offering menopause leave to providing tailored healthcare plans, businesses that invest in inclusive wellbeing see returns in engagement, retention, and reputation. As the climate warms, the need for these strategies becomes even more urgent.

By recognising the compounded impact of rising temperatures on menopause symptoms, businesses can position themselves as compassionate, future-ready employers. Creating a menopause-ready workplace isn’t a summer-only initiative, it’s an all-year-round necessity. But getting ahead of the heatwave is a smart starting point.

About the Marion Gluck Clinic

https://www.mariongluckclinic.com/

The Marion Gluck Clinic is the UK’s leading medical clinic that pioneered the use of bioidentical hormones to treat menopause, perimenopause and other hormone related issues. Founded by Dr. Marion Gluck herself, the clinic uses her method of bioidentical hormonal treatment to rebalance hormones to improve wellbeing, quality of life and to slow down ageing.

The post How To Get Ahead Of The Heatwave & Make Your Workplace Menopause-Ready appeared first on Real Business.

Although discussing wellness in the workplace has become less of a taboo over recent years, work-related mental health issues are costing the UK economy over £57 billion each year – a figure that has nearly doubled in recent years.

Businesses failing to acknowledge employee wellbeing is no longer feasible, resulting in a decline in productivity and a higher staff turnover. The graph below shows just how much impact a business taking care of employees can have on their intention to stay.

(Image source: Great Place To Work)

Although the evidence is clear, only 55% of workers in the UK report a high state of wellbeing at work. This has got us asking ourselves whether businesses are still failing to acknowledge the flaws in their approach.

In this article, we discuss why employee wellness is so important in businesses. We’ll then explore some strategies that can be implemented to create an improved workplace culture and how these can make a big difference in the long term.

The Importance of Having a Support Network at Work

A staggering 63% of UK employees are displaying signs of burnout at work, struggling with symptoms such as exhaustion and disengagement. When an employee is feeling overwhelmed with their workload or is getting distracted from work by personal issues, it can have a big impact on both productivity and their health.

Creating a happy and healthy workforce can go a long way within a business, not only making the work environment more positive and supportive, but helping drive the business forward. By creating a working environment that supports employees and introduces initiatives that focus on wellness, employees will feel more comfortable opening up if they need additional support.

The best UK startups are known for their approach to employee wellness. Being able to prioritise wellbeing within a business is not just an incentive for employees, but a business decision that can increase productivity and reduce staff turnover, creating a more stable workforce.

How to Implement an Employee Wellbeing Strategy

For businesses looking to improve their commitment to employee wellness, implementing a formal wellbeing strategy will ensure long-term solutions are in place. This plays an important role in managing employee absenteeism, minimising the amount of time employees are likely to need to take off work due to stress-related illness.

Let’s discuss a few ideas that can be incorporated into an employee wellbeing strategy.

Mental wellness

Talking about mental health has become much more normalised over recent years, with people understanding the importance of looking after mental health as much as we look after our physical health.

Here are some strategies that businesses can incorporate into the workplace:

Counselling: Being able to access counselling services through workplace health insurance cover means employees can talk to professionals if they need further support or advice on their mental wellness.

Hybrid working: Where possible, splitting working days between the workplace and home can have a huge impact on stress levels. This helps employees achieve a better work-life balance by allowing them to cut out their commute and be able to accommodate personal commitments.

Creating a values-based culture: It can be easy for employees to lose sight of your company’s core values, especially in a remote environment. This can lead to them feeling disconnected from the company. Instill a values-based culture to boost morale, enhance collaboration, and drive overall performance.

Performance reviews: Regular performance review meetings should be scheduled. This gives employees the chance to sit down with their manager to discuss their progress, any concerns, and their goals. Having this opportunity for a one-on-one discussion can make employees feel more supported in their roles.

Mental health awareness courses: There are a range of mental health awareness courses, both in-person and online, which should be attended by managers within a business. This will equip them with the knowledge they need to recognise any issues and know how to respond to them.

Physical wellness

Physical health refers to more than just broken bones and illnesses. Physical and mental wellbeing come hand in hand and having good physical health has a positive impact on how we feel mentally.

Here are some strategies that businesses can incorporate into the workplace:

Gym memberships: Providing employees with a free or discounted gym membership is a good way to encourage them to work on their fitness. Exercising before or after a working day can have a great impact on mental wellbeing.

Healthy workplace snacks: Providing healthy snacks in the workplace is a great way to help boost employees’ energy levels. Whether this be a fruit bowl, healthy snack bars, or even nutritious lunch options, fuelling a healthy workforce is bound to reflect on overall productivity.

Cycle to Work scheme: The Cycle to Work scheme is a government-supported initiative that allows employees to hire a bike and equipment through their employer. This is paid for through a deduction from the employee’s monthly pre-tax salary, leading to savings on tax and National Insurance contributions.

Health insurance: Offering an employee health insurance plan entitles staff to free or reduced private health care, including dental and optical appointments. This is a great incentive that helps employees access the medical support they need.

The Long-Term Impact of Employee Wellness

Investing in the wellbeing of a workforce offers a range of benefits from both a business and employee perspective.

If an employee feels more supported within their job, this will result in improved engagement and motivation. A healthy team that has access to various wellness incentives is more likely to be happier in their role, creating a higher retention rate for a business. An improved staff turnover not only looks great, but also helps save on the cost of recruitment and training.

In addition to this, making changes to improve the wellness of employees will subsequently reduce absences. If employees are able to access better healthcare, and potentially even work from home if needed, they are less likely to require time off work. This will have a noticeable impact on the efficiency of daily operations, causing fewer delays and stresses.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the statistics we see show that UK employers are generally not doing enough to support their employees’ wellness. Although there has definitely been progress over recent years due to the normalisation of mental health struggles and the addition of wellness-based incentives in the workplace, there is still a long way to go.

Businesses nowadays have much more access to tools and resources that can be implemented in the workplace to provide employees with additional support. By acknowledging the issues and putting procedures in place to improve workplace wellness, employees will have more options when it comes to managing their stress and seeking help when needed.

The post Are UK Businesses Doing Enough To Look After The Wellness Of Their Employees? appeared first on Real Business.

Contrary to the myth, we do use more than 10% of our brains every single day. In fact, scientists say we use all of it. But why is it so hard to stay focused and productive if we are using all of our brain capacity? It comes down to how we use that brain power. Just as your legs can be used to walk or to sprint, your mind can be switched to autopilot, or can be engaged in mental athleticism.

If you have been battling to engage your brain, there are some simple tips to help you improve your brain power, engage your mind, and excel at life and at work. Improving your brain power and keeping your brain healthy will help you to solve more efficiently, generate new ideas, and process data more quickly. Supporting your brain health will help you achieve goals now, but it will also help your brain to stay healthy long-term, decreasing the chances of early-onset conditions like dementia.

What can you do to improve brain power?

We’ve rounded up the top suggestions from leading psychologists and neurologists for improving brain power. All of these tips can be implemented easily into your life to help you maximise your brain functionality. Our top tips are:

• Physical exercise
• Eat brain foods
• Get some sun
• Sleep well
• Learn something new
• Listen to music
• Read more
• Learn how to rest

1. Physical Exercise

It’s easy to think of exercise or physical activity as something for the body and not the brain, but as you exercise you increase blood flow to the brain, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients – the things your brain needs to work optimally. Exercise leads to the development of new nerve cells and increases the connections between brain cells to improve brain function.

Some studies found that those who exercised for more than 30 minutes, three times a week had better memory and improved cognitive function after 12 weeks than those who hadn’t done any exercise.

Research suggests that cardio activity is particularly good to maintain brain function and lessen the likelihood of a decline in mental function, or even the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, so incorporating running, cycling, swimming, active sports, or dance into your weekly routine can improve your physical health as well as your brain health. 

2.      Eat brain foods

We all know that food plays an important role in how we function. This is no different for our brains. Antioxidants, essential fatty acids, healthy fats and vitamin E are all essential to healthy functioning brain cells and for slowing cognitive decline. Instead of grabbing an unhealthy snack from the vending machine, stick to nuts, berries, wholegrains, fish, and avocados. The Mediterranean diet is a good healthy diet option in terms of general eating habits.

And it’s ok to treat yourself to a glass of red wine too – moderate consumption has been linked with healthy cognitive function. However, don’t accompany your glass of red with a cigarette as these undoubtedly have negative effects on brain health and are likely to lead to cognitive impairment.

Poor diet is also a factors in high blood pressure which can contribute to a decline in brain function, including memory loss and a decline in thinking skills, and the development of dementia

3. Get some sun

The easiest and healthiest way for your body to absorb vitamin D is through sun exposure. Vitamin D helps to regulate your mood and strengthens bones, teeth, and muscles. But vitamin D also slows down natural brain deterioration that comes with age. By ensuring you are getting enough vitamin D, you are helping your brain to perform better and age slower.

4. Sleep well

Have one bad night’s sleep and you will know that sleep is vital to brain functioning. It may be tempting to stay up late to work on reports or meet deadlines, but the quality of your work in the long run will suffer.

Sleep is your brain’s chance to consolidate information and build memory. Without enough sleep, your frontal lobe (the part of your brain responsible for memory and executive functioning) starts to shrink. Ideally, adults should be getting between 6-8 hours of sleep every night and waking up early. Early rising has been linked with success and productivity. If you have any sleep-related issues, such as sleep apnea, you should seek help from a qualified healthcare professional.

5. Learn something new

Your brain is like a muscle. If you do the same thing with it constantly then it will start to only be able to do that one thing. But if you challenge it, and change the movement, and try something new, you are building up strength and flexibility.

Learning something new doesn’t have to be academic either. If you get to the end of the day and are desperate to not think about work, try learning a new skill like a musical instrument, a craft, or a tactical game.

Crosswords or online puzzles can be a great way to think tactically and compete while not feeling like you’re doing work. You can also incorporate brain training activity, whether through mental puzzles or even creative outlets like painting or other arts and craft activities. Studies have found that crossword puzzles, for example, can help improve cognitive function in those already with some form of mild cognitive impairment.

6. Listen to music

Music is a unique brain stimulant because it activates multiple parts of the brain unlike most other things. Working with music on, enjoying music, or playing music can all help to stimulate your brain and enhance general cognitive functioning. Music memory is the last thing to go when people suffer from conditions such as dementia, so by linking music to other activities, you are also embedding certain brain functions more deeply into your subconscious.

7. Read more

Reading is good for so many things. People read to relax or to learn, to motivate themselves, or to escape from the realities of life. But reading has another benefit: brain building. The process of reading requires your brain to process large amounts of information in a unique way. It helps to stimulate different parts of your brain as you process, visualise, empathise, learn, and remember plot lines and characters. It doesn’t matter what genre you’re interested in, just the act of reading can help boost your brain power.

8. Learn how to rest

Just like every other part of your body, your brain needs a chance to rest. Although some stress is necessary for healthy brain function because it helps with decision-making, problem solving, and response times, too much stress can become toxic for the brain as cortisol builds up. Learning how to let your brain rest and getting a good night’s sleep can be one of the healthiest things you can do for it. Putting your feet up to rest at the end of a long day doesn’t help your brain if you’re still thinking about work.

If you’re struggling to rest, try some relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, mediation, or yoga. Alternatively, try some new hobbies or sports. Switching to a new activity that you enjoy and that allows you to use a different part of your brain or “switch off” from work pressures will help your brain detox and stay healthy.

Cognitive health conclusions

There are many ways in which people can minimise the risk factors when it comes to brain health and slowing or minimising cognitive decline. Incorporating brain exercises, physical activity, and making dietary changes to lower blood pressure can all have an impact on cognitive skills, mental focus and the brain’s ability to function well.

Even older adults who introduce some moderate aerobic activity, alongside some of the main tips mentioned above, can enhance memory function and improve their mental well being. By learning new skills, brain connections can be strengthened as multiple areas of the brain will be worked.

The post 8 Ways To Improve Your Brain Power appeared first on Real Business.

Working from home can work really well for those who have a busy life or trouble with child care but it can also have many disadvantages, especially for business owners who often see falls in productivity from allowing remote working. Working from home isn’t anything like working in a normal office environment, and while there are some advantages (often largely for the employee), there are a number of disadvantages (usually for the employer) that we explore in this article.

The lure of the housework

One of the main problems when employees are working from home is they often get sucked into doing household chores. When in the home environment, remote workers are always surrounded by everything that needs doing.

When a person is remote working it’s so easy for them to cook something for lunch from scratch, start preparing tea, or even go out to the supermarket or corner shop. It is important to remember that all of these things are something they simply wouldn’t be able to do if they were out at work or at the office.

The distraction of the housework when working from home can be huge. Because people at home are in their own property, it can be very easy for them to think, ‘I’ll just tidy the kitchen’ or ‘I’ll just do the vacuuming’ – tasks they wouldn’t be able to do if they were physically in the workplace. Housework simply becomes a way for employees to avoid doing their actual work, and what may seem a small task or break away often becomes several hours.

No daily structure

When in the workplace, employees will often have set working hours, set breaks, and usually, a plan to work by in order to complete all their daily tasks. They will usually have a routine, from waking in the morning, to grabbing breakfast, and then probably making the daily commute to work.

When working from home, it can be all too easy for employees to completely lose this structure and have no real plan. A lie-in can become a common occurrence, and they might not know what time to start and could genuinely just feel like they really don’t know how to start the day anymore. Some employees actually benefit from being ‘managed’ to some extent, especially if they struggle with organisational skills, and for them working from home and the lack of structure can present difficulties and make it feel like hard work.

Traditionally, people have tried to maintain a distinct separation between work and their personal life, with work being done in the workplace and the home environment being used for winding down, spending time with family, cooking and relaxing, etc. Working from home can really disturb this equilibrium. Setting a structure to a day when working from home can be tough because employees haven’t necessarily got anything that separates home life from their work life, it is all done in the same building.

Lack of community and teamwork

People, by nature, are social creatures at heart which is why working from home can induce a real lack of community and teamwork. What many people consider a big disadvantage of working from home is the total lack of community and teamwork. Some employees may thrive when around other people, and for them working from home might be a struggle. Home working can often feel very isolated and lonely.

While the prospect of working from home can make some people very excited, without the distractions of the workplace and some incredible home comforts, there are others that might find it all too difficult to spend long hours alone and collaborate with just a computer screen. People’s productivity can be better when they are surrounded by other people and the hustle and bustle of a thriving environment.

Nothing quite replaces face-to-face interaction and communication with actual work colleagues and the laughs that can also come with it. Today there are various platforms such as Zoom, Skype, etc., where work colleagues can connect through video calls and conferences, though it just doesn’t feel the same as colleagues sitting together, having that personal interaction and brainstorming ideas to work effectively.

Need to be extremely self-motivated

Lack of motivation can be a real issue for some of those working from home. It sometimes can be hard for employees to get themselves into the right mindset to smash those targets and meet goals, especially when they might be struggling to get out of their PJs.

To work from home, employees really have to be self-motivated and if this isn’t something that comes naturally then they really have to put some time and effort into developing this skill.

In order to stay motivated at home, it is vital that employees create a working environment or space at home where they feel able to focus and complete tasks. If their idea of working from home consists of sitting in bed, not getting dressed, or sitting in front of the television with a laptop, it is unlikely that they will be very productive.

Certain personality types may struggle

The big problem with certain personality types, especially introverts, is that they can struggle so much with being alone. If someone is the type of person that needs to go to work because it’s a huge part of their wellbeing, in the sense of mixing with other people, then being stuck at home alone all day every day can be pretty damaging to mental health.

Some people really rely on the interaction they have with their work colleagues, and in some cases, it can be the only interaction they get at all. Working from home can contribute to depression and feelings of loneliness and isolation. While virtual meetings can help to some degree, they aren’t the solution for everyone’s needs.

Studies have looked at the effects on workers’ mental health due to working from home. It has been found that well-being, stress, depression, fatigue, quality of life, strain, and happiness mostly diminished while spending long periods working from home.

The impact on health outcomes was strongly influenced by the degree of organisational support available to employees, colleague support, social connectedness (outside of work), and levels of work to family conflict. Overall, women were less likely to experience improved health outcomes when working from home.

Mobile phone and social media

Most day jobs mean that employees can’t be on their phone every 5 seconds checking social media and replying to messages. The lure of social media and the checking of the phone constantly can be such a big distraction when it comes to working from home. With nobody monitoring behaviour, the temptation is always there for employees to be sucked into wasting time on mobile use throughout the day.

If employees are having to work from home regularly then this may mean them having to mute phone notifications and only checking their email at hourly intervals. Of course, this can be difficult if they don’t feel the need to be that disciplined, but it can be a big drawback of working at home.

There are too many distractions

Unless employees have their own physical space and separate working environment at home, such as an office or separate building, then they are probably susceptible to a whole host of different distractions. Many people do find that working from home can bring along with it the benefit of a good work-life balance.

Many employees may feel that working from home allows more time to be with family and take part in other life events, but there is a little more to the picture. Watching TV and listening to music can be huge distractions to working from home life.

A survey released by Glassdoor, where nearly 1,000 employees were asked about their top concerns when working from home between March 11 and March 13, 2020, reported that roughly 32% of employees say watching TV is a top distraction when working remotely, followed by 27% who say child care is a huge distraction.

When employees are at work, the main thing they need to do is focus and concentrate while doing their job. Focusing and applying themselves can prove to be highly difficult with the distractions of family wanting attention or other household noises. Not every home working environment can provide good working conditions as an office space can.

Lack of equipment and support

When working from home, employees are often away from all of the facilities and equipment they need to complete their job tasks. Being around colleagues and able to have a quick conversation and get questions answered can often become a long-winded process when working from home. It can turn into an unanswered phone call or several emails and a long wait.

Employees might not have access to all the same information sources, and office equipment such as printers, papers may be lacking, so working from home can be much more challenging in this sense. They might also face technical problems and equipment not working or even have slow internet. It may also be necessary to set up virtual private networks for employees to encrypt data and provide secure access over the internet at home.

What’s more, at home employees likely haven’t got the correct set up in place to ensure work surfaces are the correct height, and a lack of dedicated desk, poor-quality chairs and subsequently, bad postures can become very common. Neither of these should be an issue with a properly equipped home office. Without a proper desk and decent office chair, an employee’s back, neck, and shoulders will eventually suffer.

Conclusions

Working from home and away from a traditional office and fellow employees can come with its challenges. For many, it is an unnatural way of working, and the social aspects and teamwork methods are lost when employees are separated from co-workers and not physically present. It can be easy for employees to feel isolated and become a victim of all the distractions, including family members, that are going on around them.

For home working to work for your business, you need to ensure your employees are self-motivated and able stick to a good working schedule and plan accordingly to ensure productivity stays high. With good organisation, employees can make hybrid working models productive. It’s a case of employees being able to adapt to the situation and trying to separate their professional and private life the best way that they can to overcome some of the disadvantages outlined.

The post The Disadvantages Of Working From Home For Employers appeared first on Real Business.

Habits can help you get ahead in life, or they can hinder your progress, development, and happiness. The good news is that you can cultivate your own good habits. You can decide which repeated patterns stay and which ones go. All it takes is some self-discipline and awareness.

We’ve compiled a list of the best habits to help you lead a more productive and happy life – both in work and at home.

Good Habits For Productivity

1.       Rid your life of clutter

When your environment is cluttered it can be difficult to focus. Create a habit of giving everything a home, cleaning while you go, and having an end-of-day routine for putting everything where it should be. Reducing clutter will help to clear your mind, give your better focus, and reduce stress.

2.       Eat superfoods

Superfoods are rich in nutrients and brain-boosting vitamins. Up your daily intake of leafy vegetables, blueberries, and walnuts to give your brain an extra boost. You’ll feel less tired and have more focus.

3.       Walk

A simple 15 minute walk every day gets the oxygen in your body moving more efficiently. It can boost creativity and energy for hours after you sit back down again.

4.       Wake up early

Many top achievers swear by a 5am wake up time. Waking up early gives your body a chance to properly adjust before starting work and means you’re tired earlier and sleep more deeply. Research has found that people who wake up earlier are more likely to succeed in business, display higher levels of initiative and resilience, and earn higher wages.

5.       Follow a morning routine

Having a set routine helps you get out of bed and get ready for the day more quickly. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment to start your day off with the right mentality.

6.       Plan your day

Having a daily planner will help you to see everything you need to accomplish in your day. You can prioritise, tick things off as you go, and balance your tasks throughout the day.

7.       Take regular breaks

Small, regular, and planned diversions throughout your day can help you to focus better and improve your productivity. Standing up, stretching, having a snack, or even changing your task will give your brain a chance to rest and reset before tackling the task again.

8.       Minimise distractions

As far as possible, set up a workplace where you can control the environment. Studies have shown that once you are “in the zone” it can take as long as 25 minutes to get back there after a distraction.

9.       Be a goal-getter

Give yourself goals with practical steps and achievements. Let them be big goals that can take years as well as small daily goals. Being able to see your goals written down gives you greater ambition and productivity levels. As you achieve your goals, you will also be inspired to set and reach more.

10.   Arrive early

Arriving early helps you to feel in control. It also looks more professional and improves your time management skills.

11.   Compartmentalise

If a task seems too big, break it up. Create a habit of breaking jobs down into smaller, more manageable parts that can be handled more easily.

12.   Create a system and stick to it

Systems help things to move along smoothly. Find the systems that work for you and then make them a habit. This could be opening emails first thing in the day, or a specific way of filing. Whatever works for you and helps you work more efficiently.

13.   Prioritise

When you plan your day, look at the tasks at hand and prioritise. This will help you to complete more tasks and stay on top of things.

14.   Stop multi-tasking

People wear multi-tasking like a badge of honour, but research has shown that doing multiple things simultaneously wears out the brain faster and makes us less likely to accomplish things quickly and well.

15.   Follow the 15-minute rule

You can do anything for 15 minutes. Create pockets of 15 minutes in your day for various tasks, chores, or hobbies. You will be amazed at the results. Even daunting tasks, when broken into 15-minute sections, can be conquered easily.

16.   Create a nighttime routine

No more late- night emails or binging your favourite TV show until 2am. Create a calm and relaxing nighttime routine that will help you fall asleep and get a better night’s sleep so you have more energy during the day.

17. Complete daily reviews

At the end of the day take time to review your progress, goals, accomplishments, and tasks for the next day. This will help you stay motivated and give you a better handle on work the next day because you have had a chance to mentally prepare.

Good Habits For Happiness

1.       Hug

Hugging has been shown to increase the “happiness” hormone and decrease stress. Some studies suggest that receiving 8 hugs a day can even help alleviate or prevent depression.

2.       Get outside

Spending time in nature boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, increases patience, and decreases anxiety and depression. Spending 15 minutes outdoors before noon will also help keep your sleep cycle constant. The vitamin D from the sun will even boost your mood.

3.       Show appreciation

A habit of gratitude creates a positive outlook. It also makes those around you more likely to want to be with you. Build appreciation and gratitude into your daily habits by thanking people for service or keeping a gratitude journal.

4.       Smile

Your physiology has a surprising effect on your psychology. Smiling, even when you don’t want to, can trick your brain into thinking you are happy until you truly are. Smile often and soon you won’t need to even think about it.

5.       Keep it positive

A positive mindset makes all goals more achievable. Learn to banish negative thoughts and immediately replace them with positive ones.

6.       Find your mantra

What inspires you” Who spurs you on to live your best life Having a go-to thought can help to lift you from a bad mood and give you the motivation you need to get things done.

7.       Get gardening

Gardening reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. The simple act of using your hands, nurturing life, and watching things grow is good for you. Even if it’s one tiny pot on your windowsill.

8.       Learn to say “no”

Putting boundaries in place can be incredibly freeing. Practice saying no when you need to.

9.       Learn to say “yes”

Try new things and challenge yourself by saying yes to things you would normally turn down. The sense of adventure and excitement will boost your mood and give you great memories.

10.   Exercise

Even a 10-minute jog will boost your serotonin levels and improve your mood. Try and fit some form of exercise into your routine every day. Find what’s fun for you and make friends who will help you stick to your habits by finding sports teams, dance groups, or fitness clubs.

11.   Learn to let things go

You will never be able to control everything and the more you hold on, the more miserable you will become. Learn to let the little things go so that you can be more peaceful and content.

Good Habits To Improve Your Life

1.       Eat dark chocolate

Dark chocolate has surprising health benefits! Eat a piece a day to improve oxygen to your brain and protect it from free-radical damage.

2.       Breathe deeply

Breathing deeply decreases the stress hormone in your body. Taking a few moments regularly throughout the day to simply breathe can help you stay calm and focused.

3.       Listen to music

Music stimulates most parts of the brain. It has been shown to relieve pain, improve the immune system, and motivate you in whichever task you are busy with.

4.       Hydrate

Water is vital to a healthy functioning body. Drink 6-8 cups of water a day to help regulate everything from digestion to hormones.

5.       Be curious

People who keep learning throughout life have been shown to stay sharper and happier for longer. Read a non-fiction book or take an online course, but never stop learning.

6.       Visualise

Have a regular time to visualise the future you want. This will help you stay motivated and excited for life.

7.       Read

The most successful people all swear by it: reading. It helps you develop new ideas, foster empathy, and understand the world around you better.

8.       Socialise

Being around people is good for your mental health. Social interaction can help reduce anxiety and depression and give you a sense of purpose and belonging.

9.       Stretch

Most people suffer from tension headaches and sore muscles because they don’t take the time to stretch. A simple 5-minute stretch twice a day can improve blood flow and increase comfort and relaxation.

10.   Write

Writing helps you to create connections in your brain through the flow of letters and words. It can also help you reflect on your life, process events, and develop communication skills.

11.   Be a mindful eater

Fad diets won’t help, but taking note of what you’re eating and avoiding distractions while you eat can help you eat more healthily and enjoy food and your body more.

12.   Listen more, talk less

You’re less likely to say silly things if you listen instead of talk. Take time to make people feel heard – it will make you and them feel better. It will also allow you to develop empathy, consideration, and a holistic worldview.

The post 40 Good Habits For A More Productive & Happier Life appeared first on Real Business.

According to health experts, too much sitting is detrimental to your health. “Too much” means 3-4 hours a day, which is way below how long most office workers tend to sit. This puts many at a higher risk for multiple ill health effects that can shorten your quality of life, as well as simply cause muscle pain. Luckily, many desk exercises can help alleviate these ailments.

But what are these exercises? In this article, Real Business will outline them, including how to perform them, why you should and more.

Why do desk exercises?

Doing exercises at your desk can help alleviate issues that can occur as a result of being seated for long periods, such as:

• Musculoskeletal disorders – Prolonged periods of sitting in poorly supported postures can strain muscles, ligaments and spinal structures, leading to pain and injury. In an EU-wide occupational health survey conducted by Eurofound, 46% of workers reported back pain and 43% reported shoulder, neck or upper limb pain. Musculoskeletal conditions cost the NHS roughly £13 million daily, £5 billion per year.
• Cardiometabolic and mortality – Prolonged sedentary behaviour increases the risk for conditions that lead to death, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (112% higher risk), metabolic syndrome, obesity and certain cancers. It also carries a 64% increase in the risk of fatal heart disease, a 147% risk of heart attack/stroke, a 50% risk of dementia at 12 hours and nearly triple at 15 hours a day.
• Lost work days and productivity – Office workers with MSD lose on average 13.9 working days per case per year. The total economic loss of new workplace ill-health and injuries was estimated at £21.6 billion in 2022/23.
• Hidden costs from “presenteeism” – Employees tend to soldier on through pain, reducing focus and slowing recovery.
• Chronic damage – Without intervention, you can suffer lasting spinal changes, degenerative disc disease and nerve compression.

What are the best desk stretches to counteract injury?

Below are ten simple desk exercises you can do to alleviate pain and prevent long-term injury:

1. Neck flexion – Sit tall, feet flat, head straight, and shoulders relaxed. Then, slowly bend your head forward with your chin toward your chest, until you feel a gentle stretch at the back of your neck. Keep your shoulder blades down, and don’t round your upper back.
2. Seated lateral neck stretch – Sitting tall as a starting position, keep your head straight and shoulders forward. Stabilise your left shoulder with your left hand, and reach your right arm overhead. With your right hand fingers on the right side of your head, gently push towards your left shoulder until you feel a neck stretch. Hold the stretch for 20 – 30 seconds.
3. Shoulder shrugs – Sit or stand with your arms straight by your sides. Gently lift both shoulders towards your ears like you’re shrugging, holding for two seconds, then slowly releasing down. Repeat between 10 and 15 times.
4. Shoulder blade squeeze – Sit tall with your arm by your side, palms facing in. Pull your shoulder blades together as if pinching a pencil between them, holding for five seconds, then releasing. Repeat ten times.
5. Chest stretch (opener) – Stand facing your desk or a wall, with your palms flat on the surface at shoulder height. Step back until your arms are straight, learn forward from your hips with your head straight until you feel a stretch across your chest and front shoulders.
6. Seated hip-flexor stretch – You can perform a hip-stretch by sitting on the front edge of your chair with your feet flat on the floor, and slide your right foot back so your right knee drops slightly behind you, whilst keeping your torso upright. Lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the front of your right hip. Then switch sides, repeating with your left leg back.
7. Seated glute stretch – Sit tall with your feet flat. Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Gently press the right knee down (or bend forward slightly with a straight back) until you feel a stretch in your right glute. Once done, switch to the other side.
8. Seated hamstring stretch – Sit at the front of your chair and extend your right leg straight out with your heel on the floor and toes pointing up. Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and lean forward until you feel a stretch behind your right thigh.
9. Upper body stretches – Sit straight, then reach your left arm across your body. With your other arm, gently pull your left arm just below until you feel upper back tension. Hold the stretch, then repeat on the opposite side with the same positions.
10. Standing one leg raise – Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and facing forward. Gently raise one leg, lifting one foot off the floor whilst the hips are levelled. You should feel a lower body stretch in your standing leg. Hold, then repeat on the opposite side.

How will these desk stretches benefit you?

Desk stretches will have several effects on your body and health:

• Boosted circulation – Stretching widens your blood vessels to ensure that oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and brain, lessening fatigue and sharpening your mind.
• Reduced soreness and stiffness – Circulation flushes out waste within your system and cuts down on aches/cramps.
• Posture – Realigning your spine through stretches, easing strain on your neck and upper back that builds up over time.
• Fewer tension headaches – Tightness in the muscles can build to the point that it pulls on the skull, and relieving that tightness lowers the pressure on your head.
• Increased energy/focus – A 30/60 second micro-break devoted to stretching can revitalise your motivation and concentration.
• Stress reduction – Stress hormones, chief of all cortisol, drop through brief stretches, and feel-good endorphines rise.
• Greater flexibility and injury prevention – Regular stretching maintains joint range of motion. This reduces the risk of strain or repetitive-use injuries.

How do you sit properly at your desk?

This is a slightly amusing question, but an important one. No matter how you sit, you will likely accumulate stress, but the best way to sit is with a straight back. Try not to slouch or lean forward towards your computer screen, and take regular breaks where applicable.

Remember to stay active throughout the workday to promote better posture and improve overall health.

How often should you stretch when working at a desk?

Current trends in medical research suggest you should get up from your desk at least every 30 minutes to reduce eye strain, alleviate wrist and joint pain, and boost blood circulation. Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to discomfort in the lower back and increase the risk of various health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. You don’t need to be stretching every time you get up, though; integrating movement throughout the day and staying active is essential for overall well-being.

Most medical professionals recommend doing stretches every 2 hours if you are stationary at a desk. That means most people can get away with a few stretches at morning break, lunch, and afternoon break. Prolonged sitting for long stretches can significantly impact health, increasing risks for conditions such as heart disease and obesity.

Take as much time as you can to stretch, knowing that it is good for your body, your health, and your mind. Prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of serious health issues, so incorporating movement and stretching into your daily routine is crucial.

Conclusion

All in all, it’s worthwhile to do simple stretches at work to prevent health issues and fix poor posture. If you feel pain consistently as a result of either sitting or stretching, you should contact healthcare professionals, as this may be indicative of a larger issue that could turn systemic.

The post Best Desk Exercises: Stretches to Do If You Sit All Day at Work appeared first on Real Business.

Boredom is a normal part of the workday for most people. In fact, studies have shown that the average employee is bored for around 10.5 hours every week. That said, boredom doesn’t have to rule your workday and there are some strategies you could use to avoid chronic boredom.

Sometimes boredom is caused by being underemployed (where your skillset is higher than your job role’s demands), but it can also come from repetitive activity, recent shifts in personal life that shift focus from work, or even seasonal aspects such as a long dull winter. Some people find that they are bored regularly throughout the day, while others find that boredom only hits ever now and then.

Whatever your experience, the statistics suggest that at some point in your working career you will feel bored at work.

Is it okay to be bored at work?

Studies have shown that boredom is not as bad for you as you might think. Boredom is often your mind’s way of letting you know that it is under-stimulated or diverted. Finding the cause of that diversion, or discovering what holds your interest, can help you improve your productivity or move into an area of work better suited to your skill set and interests.

Boredom is acceptable, and even expected. But boredom can turn into active disengagement, a state 16% of the workforce are in constantly. During active disengagement you are not only avoiding work, you are actively being counter-productive. This is bad for both your job, stress symptoms and your mental health. Mindless scrolling on social media, or taking that seventh BuzzFeed quiz to fill time, will most likely only make you feel worse.

So instead of turning to snacking or yet another walk around the office, why not have a look at our boredom causes and boredom killers to help you find out why you are so bored and then find out how to rectify the situation so you can enjoy going into work.

What are the reasons for boredom at work?

• Mismatched job

Maybe it’s the industry, maybe it’s the company, or maybe it’s the role, but a current job that isn’t right for your interests, skills, personality, and experience is the number one reason that people find themselves feeling restless and bored at work.

The problem with a mismatched job is that you will never feel completely fulfilled in the role. There is less job satisfaction, a higher likelihood of experiencing boredom, and less drive to achieve or improve.

• Underemployment

Everyone knows that you have to start somewhere. A lot of people will take an entry-level job or a “just until…” job and find themselves there years later wondering why they’re still not achieving their full potential.

Another cause of underemployment is when there are company changes or staff or management shifts and your role changes to something less stimulating and where you are less likely to be involved in problem solving. Underemployment can leave you feeling undervalued and invisible, making work seem pointless and boring.

• Confinement

Recent years have seen a rise in self-improvement, professional development, and a growth mindset. If you are in a job where your role cannot change and you have no freedom to extend yourself then you might find yourself getting bored of the same routine and tasks, even if you loved the job to begin with.

Our minds are remarkable and are able to push boundaries and learn and upskill. Just like a child with no stimulation, when there is no room for growth in a workplace and finding fulfillment, you can become bored and irritable.

How to survive boredom at work?

So how do you overcome boredom at work? There are some surprisingly simple strategies that you can start implementing today to help you deal with your lacklustre day.

• Create a new challenge

Depending on your job you may be able to do this on your own, or you may be able to meet with your boss or other colleagues to work together. Identify any gaps or areas that could do with improvement or streamlining and challenge yourself to find creative solutions with work tasks.

• Declutter

A feeling of confinement doesn’t only come from being confined in a job, it can also come from a physically cramped space (including all those desktop shortcuts). Clean out your desk and computer to clear your head. You might also find something new to work on that was buried underneath other debris.

• Make your work a game

Turn a mundane day into a day full of intrigue by pretending you work for the CIA, or set yourself challenges like replying to emails in record times. Any activity that engages your imagination or competitive side can break the boredom and restore interest to your work.

• Do some stretches or exercises

Getting the blood flowing and oxygen moving through your body can give your mind the boost it needs.  Try and take a walk at lunch time, or even escape to a coffee shop to get away from your work environment and come back feeling reinvigorated.

• Use a soundtrack

Interesting music can give your mind something to concentrate on while you do less stimulating work. If you are writing and need to concentrate on words then use instrumental or ambience music, or if your work is more active find something that gets you excited. There’s a reason people exercise with music on, it adds a level of motivation, utilise that advantage.

• Upskill

If you find yourself with too much time on your hands but still enjoy your job, speak to your boss about the possibility of taking an online course or doing additional training that may bring you new skills that can help in your career path. Often, employers are happy to help fund upskilling if you can pitch the new skill well enough and show how it will benefit the company and help with current or future goals.

• Work with a colleague

If you have time but your co-worker is swamped, offer to help them with tasks they can delegate. It gives you a change of pace with something new to do, while giving you a chance to learn new skills or even find interesting solutions to problems.

• Concentrate on mindset

Ultimately, you need to make sure your job is a good fit and challenging enough that you are coming to work with a healthy mindset. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and water as tiredness and dehydration only make you feel worse and can quickly trigger boredom.

Conclusions

People experience boredom in all walks of life, including in the workplace, and that is not completely unexpected. However, there are ways to minimise the periods of boredom at work.

Approach work as an opportunity to grow, practice resilience, and improve both interpersonal and professional skills. By giving yourself the chance to feel more involved and creative in the workplace should eliminate some of that boredom.
It is possible that you may need to be brave and make steps to change your role to something more challenging. Or who knows, maybe now is the perfect time to venture out on your own and start that new business, maybe one based around a favourite hobby that allows your creativity and new ideas to flourish.

The post How Do You Survive A Boring Day At Work? appeared first on Real Business.

The UK government mandates the maximum weekly working days and working hours based on the EU Working Time Directive. Employers are forbidden to assign more than an average of 48 hours a week throughout 17 weeks, nor two back-to-back 12-hour shifts. But there are some special rules and exceptions based on industry and circumstance that change this.

But what are they, and what are the specific rules that mandate how long employees work? In this article, we  define the exact rules regarding how many days you can work throughout the year, define the Working Time Directive/Regulations, and consider how it affects you as a business owner and employer.

Understanding Working Time Regulations 1998

Like many regulations and acts signed into government, the Working Time Regulations 1998 is a lengthy document outlining the exact hours a week workers (both original and agency workers) can work, as well as their assigned rest breaks and sleep time between shifts. The main goal of the working time regulations is to avoid overwork and ensure workers can enjoy a rest period to recuperate.

To break it down, here are the main points:

• 48 hours a week is the limit – Workers cannot be made to work more than 48 hours per week on average over 17 weeks. That being said, a worker can opt out of this, but they must do so in writing.
• Daily rest period – By law, workers must be allowed 11 consecutive hours of rest time during any 24 hours between shifts. Back-to-back shifts that make these hours impossible are illegal by law.
• Weekly rest period – All workers must receive 24 hours of the allotted time for uninterrupted rest per seven-day period, or 48 hours per two weeks. This is easily done through the average weekly working hours of 40 a week.
• Limit on days worked in a row – Contrary to common belief, these regulations do not specify the limit of consecutive days you can work, only the rest period.
• Night workers – Workers on a night shift have differing rules, the limit on the hours worked is 8 hours in any 24 hours. Furthermore, night shift workers are required to have regular health assessments to protect their mental state.
  • Additional notes – Night work, typically defined as work done between 11 pm and 6 am, comes with specific regulations under the Working Time Regulations (WTR). Night workers are limited to a maximum of eight hours’ work per night and are entitled to a minimum of 20-minute rest break during their shift.
• Under 18s – Workers who are under 18 cannot work more than 8 hours per day, and 40 hours per week, and must have a 12-hour rest period between working days.
• Rest breaks during shifts – Workers with more than 6 hours in a shift are entitled to at least 20 minutes of uninterrupted rest breaks. When surveyed, 81% of employees reported being more engaged with their work after taking a lunch break, a figure any worker likely can agree with.

An employment contract must clearly outline break time at work, as well as hours worked. The rest period between working days usually comes as part and parcel of standard, normal working hours and, therefore, does not need to be specified – but in contracts with irregular working hours, they often are for compliance.

What Are The Consequences Of Ignoring The Working Time Regulations In 1998?

All employers and employees must adhere to the working time regulations 1998 for several reasons:

1. Penalties – The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or any local authorities can levy fines against businesses and companies that are found guilty of violating regulations, with the fines scaling with the severity of the breach.
2. Employment tribunal claims – The employment tribunal is an avenue by which workers can levy legal complaints against employers, and, if found guilty, they have the authority to pursue fines and other charges.
3. Enforcement notice – Enforcement notices are, as the name implies, orders from a higher authority mandating a change in conditions on the threat of legal charges.
4. Criminal prosecution – In cases where workers fall sick, become injured, or are exploited to severe extents, employers can face prison time.

Why Are These Protections In Place?

Aside from being in place to protect workers from exploitation, they are also in place to protect workers from themselves. Japan is a good example of a competitive workaholic society that has faced this issue, with many overtime workers dying of overwork. Nonetheless, the following are the reasons why rest breaks at work and home are necessary:

• Fatigue – 7-9 hours a week of rest is required to recharge the fuel in your brain, with fatigue being the result for those who don’t – meaning lower concentration, low mood, low social ability and generally being far less mentally able than you would otherwise be – as an employer it’s important that you stop employees from facing this.
• Health risks – Working without breaks for the long term can cause serious stress related to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal problems.
• Accident risk – Health and safety have developed over the years to protect workers on the job, but these rules can be hard to follow when you’re fatigued.
• Decreased productivity – The fact of the matter is, there’s a limit to how much people can work at a respectable pace and level. After a certain number of hours of being awake, your ability to do anything requiring concentration begins to falter.
• Burnout – Prolonged periods of doing the same thing over and over can lead to burnout, which is effectively mental blocks being formed in your mind that are difficult to overcome.

Is Working 7 Days Straight Illegal?

No, despite what the previously outlined rules imply. The law protects employees and gives them a right to 24 hours of uninterrupted rest in a week, aka the seven-day reference period, but where the employer decides the workweek starts and ends means you can work seven days straight.

Furthermore, not only can an employee work seven days straight – they can effectively work 12. For example, if you had 24 hours of rest on a Monday and then worked 12 days, you’d have Sunday off by law.

To move to even further extremes, the ability to write an opt-out clause means employees can choose to work 24 consecutive days with only two days off at the beginning and two days off at the end. That being said, in these situations, a worker is entitled to 11 hours of rest.

How Many 12-Hour Shifts Can You Work In A Row Without Weekly Rest Breaks?

The answer to this, put simply, is 6 consecutive 12-hour shifts, limited by the working time regulations 1988. 11 hours of adequate rest must be allowed between shifts.

Take into consideration, however, that this same set of regulations states that you may not work more than 48 hours a week, which means no more than four 12-hour shifts in a row. This number is worked out as an average over 17 weeks, opening the possibility for more shifts so long as rest is given and shorter shifts worked after the run of 12 hour shifts.

What Are The Exceptions To Employment Laws On Breaks In An Employment Contract?

The nature of an employee’s work may make it so that it’s impossible to give the required breaks. In these cases, exceptions are given with some caveats.

The following are examples:

• Emergency services
• Security services
• 24-hour staffing industries
• Sea vessels or otherwise isolating roles
• Self-employment
• Domestic servant

Bear in mind that despite these occupations being seen as exceptions, employers are still required to give compensatory rest. Compensatory rest is, of course, rest periods given as compensation to avoid the drawbacks that come with overwork.

Conclusion

Overall, the rules for how many hours you can assign or work within a week are not overly complex. There are many exceptions and caveats written into the regulations, however, they are always constructed with good reason. Compensation is often given out to those who find themselves unable to get the rest breaks otherwise owed to them, with the threat of legal action via the employment tribunal or other authorities as a consequence of those employers who abuse their workers rest rights.

FAQ – What are the maximum hours allowed to work in a day – UK?

There are no specific legal limits for the number of hours you can work in a single day, but:

• Health and safety – Employees mustn’t have working hours that are regularly above 13 hours a day.
• Working days – You must have 11 hours of daily rest between working days.
• Night workers – Working for more than 8 hours in 24 hours is disallowed.
• Working Time Regulations 1998 – This has set a limit for 48 hours a week, averaged over 17 weeks.

FAQ – Can an employee work for more than 48 hours a week if they have more than one job?

Yes, but the weekly maximum working hours applies regardless of whether an employee has more than one job or not:

• Opt out – Unless an employee opts out of their protection, then over a 17-week reference period, a person must not work for more than 48 hours a week on average.
• Employer responsibility – It is considered the responsibility of the employer to take reasonable steps to check if a person has more than one job to ensure you’re not contributing to adding more hours where none are allowed. That being said, an employee must inform their employers.

FAQ – Does job-related training time and overtime count as working time?

Yes, job-related training time and overtime count towards the total hours of the working week. If training is required by the job, hours must be included. Bear in mind that both paid and unpaid overtime are counted towards the total hours.

The post How Many Days In A Row Can You Work? – A Guide To UK Maximum Working Hours appeared first on Real Business.

Unhappy employees are a problem for business owners. They’re a problem because unhappy employees are disengaged employees, meaning productivity will fall. Of course, if there are issues with your workplace, such as a toxic work environment that doesn’t encourage a healthy work life balance for staff or adds too much work and pressure on to those workers who would happily give their all to the business, reducing employee satisfaction over time – then it’s your responsibility to fix that.

But if your workplace isn’t the issue, and you simply have an unhappy employee, it’s important to do all you can to support them. Failure to do so can lead to the problem affecting other employees, leading to bigger issues for your business.

Below we’ll look at the top signs employees are falling out of love with their job so you can take appropriate action to fix your business approach and culture, or else support disgruntled employees to reduce their job dissatisfaction and improve their work quality and quality of life.

Key Signs That You Have Dissatisfied Employees

Employee engagement is the single most important factor in ensuring business success. If your employees don’t care, then your customers won’t either and you’ll struggle to generate any buzz around your business.

Below are some of the most common signs that employee dissatisfaction is on the rise at your business:

• A dip in work performance
• Poor attendance
• Running late / leaving early
• Negative attitude
• Poor engagement
• Lack of communication
• Visible signs of stress

Now, not all of these will mean that an employee is unhappy at work and is thinking of leaving. It may be that something in their personal life is affecting them at work. Either way, it’s a clear sign to you as an employer that a conversation needs to be had to check in with your employee.

Employee unhappiness can be due to personal issues, but it’s still your duty as a business leader to make them as comfortable as possible at work. A friendly conversation could be all they need to turn things around. But if it turns out they are upset with their current job and role, then you can work with them to try and turn things around.

Let’s explore each of these signs in greater depth below.

Work Performance

One of the more obvious signs that your employees are falling out of love with the work environment they find themselves in is their work performance.

Engaged employees maintain high standards whilst at work. When an individual starts to feel disconnected with their workplace, those standards start to slip, and they can slip far and fast. That could mean missing deadlines, poor quality work, or even just a lack of interest in the tasks they’ve been given.

When work performance changes for an employee, it’s best to nip the problem in the bud as quickly as possible. Pull them to the side for an informal chat and find out what’s wrong. You might be able to re-engage your employees with a simple check in.

Attendance

A key indicator of employee happiness is simply whether or not they show up. Frequent absences can be one of the key warning signs that your employee already has a foot out of the door.

It’s a given in our professional lives that sometimes we just won’t feel like going to work, but not feeling like it because it’s a Monday morning and you slept poorly is different to waking up every day and dreading going to work. Sick days are expected, but if so many are being taken that it will negatively impact their ability to get their work done, this is cause for concern.

Most workplaces will have a system in place for poor attendance, and the first step of this is usually a meeting with the employee to discuss what’s going on it. It could be for a variety of reasons, but it’s good to talk to your employees and find out what’s stopping them from attending work. It could be health, well being, money troubles, or anything else besides. The only way to find out if it’s a lack of interest in work is to ask.

Punctuality

Perhaps the employee you’re concerned about isn’t skipping work entirely, but is just always arriving late or leaving early. If their punctuality is poor, then a chat might be necessary to find out why they’re cutting their hours short, and to remind them about the hours they’re contracted to work.

Additional action might be necessary beyond this if you notice a continued pattern. This could be reduced pay or disciplinary action depending on the situation. Consult with your HR team before taking any unnecessary action, however. Your employees personal circumstances could call for a calmer approach here.

Attitude

A bad attitude could be an indicator that your employee is thinking of leaving their role. If they no longer seem to care about the work they’re doing or the people they work with, then this will show through their attitude.

A motivated employee will take everything in their stride and work hard to let those they work with see that they’re engaged and happy to be there. If an employee starts to display a negative attitude, it could be a sign that they’re no longer as happy at work as they once was.

You might not see this yourself – business leaders rarely do – but their co-workers almost certainly will, because they’ll be listening to their complaints every day. If their fellow employee mentions their poor attitude, then you should be prepared to talk to the disgruntled employee to get to the bottom of their attitude change before their negativity infects others at your workplace, too.

Engagement

What exactly is engagement? It’s a difficult thing to put your finger on, but you’ll know an engaged employee when you see one. They’ll have the following traits and display the following behaviours:

• focus on tasks
• willingness to try something new
• thirsty for knowledge and skills
• they think creatively about problems
• always someone you can rely on
• working longer hours than required (although this should be done sparingly and proper work life balance encouraged at your workplace)

Disengaged employees don’t show any interest in learning more, bettering their professional position or helping others. Team activities will be a no go, and they won’t have any interest in the company or its culture at large.

Communication

Open communication is the cornerstone of any effective business. It’s what helps you resolve issues as a team and offer support to one another during busier periods. Managers know the importance of effective communication, and this should be encouraged for all employees.

It’ll be obvious when an employee changes their communication style and is being deliberately more difficult to communicate with. Perhaps they’ll stop contributing in team meetings when they used to, or stop sitting with their coworkers on lunch. They might even sit with their headphones in at work, actively discouraging connection.

When an employee starts displaying a complete lack of interest in communicating with their team member, they could be pretty far gone in terms of engagement with their job, and a swift intervention could prove necessary if you hope to keep them around.

Stress

You should be clear as an employer about what’s normal for your employees, and if signs of stress start cropping up, you should be prepared to intervene and offer assistance. Some things you should keep an eye out for with your colleagues and employees to determine if they’re stressed include:

The good thing about this sign is that stress is often as a result of the type of work your employee is being assigned or the amount. This is something you can help rectify by putting the proper training in place or else passing on their workload to other employees to support. If an employee is simply stressed at work you can usually support them through it and they’ll become a valuable member of the team once more.

How To Help Employees Re-Engage

As a business owner or member of the management team, it’s understandable that you’ll want to support your employees through this rough patch in their time with you. But it’s also important to remember that some employees simply don’t want to re-engage and are simply waiting to move on to a new role.

If you think the employee can find their spark again at your business, then it’s well worth sitting them down and having a chat about some of the signs you’ve noticed that perhaps they aren’t enjoying their role quite as much as they were before.

Sometimes all an employee needs is the opportunity to talk about the issues they’re facing. It can be intimidating for employees to talk to management on their own, but if you approach them with the opportunity, they’ll usually take it gladly.

This gives you both the opportunity to work out a way forward to keep them happy in their role.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes employees will fall out of love with their work and leave. Sometimes they’ll fall back in love with their work again with the proper support. It’s your job to offer that support and work out if your employee could return to their role happily again.

The post Signs Employees Are Falling Out Of Love With Their Jobs appeared first on Real Business.

Work/life balance has been a topic that has gained a lot of steam since the 2020 quarantine, with many companies being forced to apply flexibility to working arrangements to ensure they remain afloat. One area of renewed interest has been childcare support, especially in areas where there’s a single childcare provider in the home.

But how can employers aid in childcare? In this article, Real Business will outline the avenue which employers can take to aid with childcare costs efficiently, the tax benefits that are given out to employers that do, and best practices for ensuring quality childcare is given to those who need it.

Should Employers Aid In Childcare?

Employers are technically not bound by law to provide help with childcare, but as many modern businesses have come to realise, treating your employees as if they are internal customers has fantastic outcomes for your company.

Various studies have found the following true of businesses that have some sort of childcare scheme in place:

• Increased female applicants – A field experiment in the U.S. by the Harvard Scholar found that offering extended on-site childcare (such as a workplace nursery) led to an 18.4% rise in applications from women of childbearing age for managerial positions.
• Increased productivity – Reduced absenteeism was an immediate result of having reliable childcare services at hand, and productivity increased as a result.
• Financial incentives – Childcare scheme-offering employers pay tax to a lesser degree, as many tax and national insurance exemptions are made available to encourage the practice.

What Are The Childcare Support Options That Employers Can Make Use Of?

If you are interested in letting existing and prospective employees know that your business institutes employer-supported childcare, then the following are the best avenues you can go down:

• Directly contracted childcare – In this employer-supported childcare scheme, the employer directly partners with childcare providers and pays either all or part of the costs. The employer has to do some digging on their own to find viable providers, however, and is also responsible for negotiations.
  • Notes – Employers often negotiate discounted rates by contracting group bookings or long-term agreements with these facilities, helping with the costs. Employees prefer to work with a childcare provider that is held to the high standards that a partnership entails, as it reinforces the security of their child. It streamlines care by giving reliable, consistent access with predictable expenses whilst offering tax benefits for the company in question.
• Tax-free childcare – Available to working parents, including those who are self-employed, with children under 12 years old. The involved nature of this process often leaves it unclaimed by parents, so employers should make sure to spread the word in the workplace about this benefit. Parents must set up a HMRC account through the Tax-free childcare service. This scheme mandates the government add £2 for every £8 you apply to the account, which is then used to pay registered childcare providers directly.
  • Notes – The best way to encourage the use of this system is not only to notify your employees, but also to announce that you’ll be looking for local childcare providers to partner with, widening the pool of available options, and potentially lowering the overall price of the service on top of the tax-free childcare scheme.
• Childcare voucher scheme – Unfortunately, this scheme is currently closed for new applicants, but it’s worth keeping an eye on in case it reopens, as has been promised. It allows employees to exchange part of their salary via salary sacrifice to claim childcare vouchers, which can be used to pay registered childcare providers.
  • Notes – For employees who are already registered, the employer can still help. Not only are the employee’s childcare vouchers exempt from income tax and national insurance contributions, but the employer can still save on national insurance contributions based on the amount employees sacrificed on vouchers.
• Workplace nursery provision – This is a long-term investment offered by some employers. It provides on-site workplace nurseries managed and funded by the employer, making this childcare option both convenient and reliable. There is a lot to say about this provision, so we will dedicate the bulk of the information in the next section.

What Is A Workplace Nursery, And Should I Install One?

A workplace nursery is an on-site facility funded by the employer, allowing employees to deposit their children in safe care whilst they work. Whether or not you need it depends on the demand for childcare amongst your workforce and space availability.

They are subject to various laws and regulations, however:

• Ofsted – Ofsted requires registration of all workplace nurseries if they provide care for children under 8 years old for more than two hours a day. Furthermore, they will be inspected regularly to ensure compliance with the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, which ensures the protection and function of young dependents.
• Health and safety – Employers must ensure that the environment is safe and secure according to the parameters laid out in the Health and Safety Act of 1974. Furthermore, all food provided to the children must adhere to the food hygiene standards laid out in the Food Safety Act of 1990 and the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations of 2006.
• Staffing requirements – Ratios must meet the statutory requirements laid out under EYFS. This means 1:3 for children under two years, 1:4 for children aged 2-3 years, and 1:8 for children aged 3 and above (or 1:13 if a qualified teacher is present).
• Parental agreements – Employers must create a binding contract with parents that outlines terms for nursery use, applicable fees and policies on sickness, holidays and behaviour management.
• Children safeguarding – The Children Act of 1989 and 2004 outline policies to safeguard children and report concerns to local authorities. All staff must undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks to ensure allocated staff are suited to work with children.

How Much Does It Cost To Set Up A Workplace Nursery?

The costs of establishing a workplace nursery are affected mainly by the space currently available to you. The following is a breakdown:

• Premises – Adapting the current office space to meet the regulatory standards applied to childcare can range from £10,000 to £30,000. This price includes structural modifications to make way for partitions, child-friendly flooring and safe access points, plumbing and electrical work, and decorations. If you need a new build, you’re looking at a lot more – between £150,000 and £300,000.
• Operational costs – The staff-to-child ratio laid out earlier could potentially see you hiring one member per three children. Annual salaries for these qualified nursery staff range from £20,000 to £25,000. Utilities and maintenance will likely range between £5,000 to £10,000 per year.
• Ongoing expenses – Insurance coverage for public liability and employers liability insurance will cost between £500 and £1,500 annually. Also, Ofsted requires between £1,000 to £3,000 annually for inspections.

How To Assess Childcare Needs In Your Business

Whether you should apply employer-supported childcare in your business, and which type, depends entirely on the needs of your business. The following will be a rundown on how to assess childcare needs:

• Anonymous surveys – Digital tools such as Google Forms or Microsoft Forms being distributed to your employees can ensure privacy, which is key to getting those honest responses you need. Include questions such as “Do you need childcare? If so, for how many children, and how old?”. Also determine whether they’d prefer childcare close to home, or close to work.
• Workforce needs – The number of employees requiring childcare must be tallied, and find patterns in the demands. For example, flexible hours are preferred over particular childcare locations.
• Analyse data – Align your childcare solutions with both your workplace capacity and needs.
  • Workplace nursery – If employees want childcare to be local to the business, cutting out the middleman and installing a workplace nursery may be highly efficient.
  • Directly contracted childcare – If near home is more prevalent in the answers, find a local childcare provider that is accessible to all workers.

Do Employers Have To Work Around The Childcare Plans Of Employees?

Technically, no. Employers do not have to support childcare plans by adapting to the needs of the employee.

That being said, there are some rights that an employee can leverage.

Flexible Working Request

If your employee has worked for you for at least 26 weeks, they can request changes to work hours, times or location to accommodate childcare. From the point of request, the employer has three months to give a response. As an employer, you have a right to refuse if you have a valid business reason, such as being unable to meet customer demands in the event of the change.

In the case of a refusal, the matter is almost always considered settled. That being said, we recommend trying to meet them at least halfway where possible.

Indirect Discrimination Claims

In the case of a refused flexible working request, you should understand that the employee may have a claim of indirect discrimination under the Equality Act of 2010 if the refusal to meet childcare needs disproportionally affects one gender over the other. Of course, this is typically women in this category.

Parental Leave And Time Off For Dependents

Parental leave is a statutory right of parents or guardians to take unpaid time off to care for their children. If your employee has worked for you for at least a year, then they are entitled to take up to 18 weeks of unpaid leave per child over their lifetime, although it’s typically limited to 4 weeks per year per child. The employees must provide 21 days’ notice before taking the leave, and it can be for any reason they so choose, including simply spending more time with the child. That being said, employers have the right to postpone leave for up to 6 months if it would disrupt business.

Time Off For Dependents

Time off for dependents is a right that employees can leverage to deal with unforeseen emergencies involving their dependents. It is much more flexible for parental leave, but it’s also unpaid. All employees, regardless of service length, can take this with no consequence, and it covers emergencies for all dependents, both child and adult.

Examples include children being sick or injured or regular childcare arrangements being suddenly broken down, such as a childcare provider being shut. The time off given must be “reasonable”, usually 1 to 2 days for child illness but each case should be individually assessed.

Are There Any Other Resources To Take Advantage Of?

Yes, there are some additional resources that you can direct employees to, although employers are not directly involved:

• 15 hours of free childcare – Parents or guardians of 3 and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to a total of 15 hours of free childcare per week during term time, which totals 38 weeks per year (570 hours annually). Parents and guardians of 2-year-olds qualify if the family meets specific criteria, such as receiving means-tested benefits, or if the child has a disability.
• 30 hours of free childcare – Working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week if they earn at least £152/week, and less than £100,000 per year. Families can stretch these hours across a whole year for efficiency but this doesn’t come into affect until September 2025.
• Universal credit – Families on universal credit can claim up to 85% of childcare costs.

Conclusion

We would always recommend helping your employees get high-quality and consistent childcare arrangements and making it easy for them to access resources that would assist in the matter. Employer-supported childcare has been proven to have many benefits in the workplace, including employee retention. We hope this article helped outline the options available.

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