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Mental Health Awareness Week

Selective Group · May 13, 2022 ·

Mental Health Awareness Week

Did you know 1 in 4 adults feel alone some or most of the time? The longer that they feel like this, the more at risk people are of having a mental health problem.

This year for Mental Health Awareness Week 9th-15th May, the theme is loneliness. The week focuses on helping support those who feel lonely, giving advice on how to cope, and helping people share their stories.    

This week is very important particularly because our society has changed a lot in the 2 years the pandemic has been around. The pandemic has created a sense of loneliness and isolation in everyone’s daily life that people aren’t used to. 

Today, daily tasks that were normally done in person, have now adapted to be over the phon

e or via web cameras or even work has adopted the WFH style of working. Reducing loneliness is a huge step to helping create a mentally healthy society, that has grown to be isolated at home.   

How does loneliness affect our mental health?

Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling that can leave people feeling isolated and needing more of a connection with others, more than normal.  

The impact that loneliness has had on people’s mental health can be very negative, especially if it lasts for a long time. Loneliness can lead to an increase in mood disorders like depression and anxiety, as well as problems with sleep.  

How to support mental health at work:

In the workplace or at home there are several ways to help support the mental health of employees.   

All companies need to adopt a culture where communication is encouraged, in a non-judgemental way, so that employees can feel like they can trust them enough to share any issues they are having. Whether an employee is working in a workplace or at home, the more open a company is about mental health issues, the easier it is to communicate.  

Working from home employees can find it difficult to boost team spirit or create meaningful connections within the team, which can lead to isolation. Online activities such as daily check-ins, weekly team sessions, or fun quizzes can help WFH employees get to know their team better and feel more included.   

It is so easy for an employee at home to work overtime or burn themselves out by not taking regular breaks. Encouraging employees to take breaks can help increase their productivity, reduce stress, and helps promote positive well-being.

How to cope with loneliness :

Dealing with loneliness can be difficult, but there are some things you can do to help cope and prevent negative feelings that can happen.   

  • Do something you enjoy or find a new hobby that you can take up that is fun or fulfilling. 
  • Social media can be a good or bad thing for people. If you use it as a way to communicate with a digital community and to share your passions with people, it can be a positive aspect of a person’s life. However, turning off social media can let people focus on those around them than online friends.  
  • Interacting with animals it has been known to reduce stress levels.   
  • Talking to people or trying to connect with new people can be hard when you feel lonely, but just even saying ‘hi’ to someone you know while out and about or even a stranger can help. 

Mental Health – Useful Links: 

  • Mind
  • Time to change 
  • City  Mental Health Alliance 
  • Spill  
  • Mental Health Resources 
  • Mental health at work 
  • Living life to the full 
  • Headspace 
 

General

Not quite on the mark

Selective Group · March 10, 2021 ·

 – Secure yourself the salary you deserve!

So, you have gone through the interview process and been successful in getting an offer, but when the proposal comes through the salary doesn’t quite meet your expectations. What do you do? Do you accept the role regardless and hope for a pay rise in the future, (after all it’s the job you want)? Or do you negotiate to secure a better deal? The answer to this question is obvious right? You need to negotiate! But we know it’s not that easy; it can be scary to discuss money. Well, here at Selective Recruitment we have a lot of experience in discussing salaries, so we thought we’d share some of our top tips on how to make sure you secure the pay you deserve. 

1 – Know what salary you are looking for before you go for an interview.

To start with, it is a common mistake to wait until you’ve been through the interview process and are at the offer stage to discuss your salary requirement. Roles are often advertised within a wage bracket and these can be quite large, sometimes up to £10,000 or even £20,000, which is a huge banding. Companies often advertise positions in this way because they are able to consider someone with less experience, that they can train (who would sit at the bottom end of the pay scale) or would employ a candidate that meets all the qualifications and expertise they require (who would sit at the top end of the pay scale). The trick is to know where your skills sit along this banding and be clear about your minimum salary expectation. Where possible it is good to set your intention early on, if possible, at the application stage, but if not, it may be worth including a question at the end of your interview to open a dialogue around salary. If you make it clear what you are looking for early in the recruitment process prospective employers are more likely to offer what you are seeking, and you will avoid that awkward conversation later on. 

2 – Know your worth

One of the driving forces behind looking for a new role is often a pay rise. But another common mistake people make is applying for roles that are too similar to the one they currently have and thus they have a similar salary. If you are aiming to secure a pay rise in your next role you need to be aware of this when making applications. Are you staying within your comfort zone or are you putting yourself forward for positions that are going to stretch you? It may be easier to think of it in terms of career ladder; if you are looking to step up and secure a larger pay packet you need to apply for roles that reflect this. It may be prudent to reframe how you think about your next pay packet, focusing not on an incremental pay rise, but what you could earn.  

3 – Consider the whole offer

It is very easy to focus solely on salary and make a decision based on this. We are not suggesting that it shouldn’t be a key factor, but many companies now offer so much more. It is therefore imperative to consider what else will be included in your employment package. Will there be any other financial rewards such as a bonus, company car or share schemes? Is there the possibility of training, which in turn could increase your ability to secure a higher salary? What else is important to you? In recent times flexibility has been identified by many as key to ensuring a work-life balance, whereas others seek good healthcare, holiday allowance or pension schemes. To be solely focused on your annual take home, may mean you overlook other benefits. Consider the whole picture when making a decision and don’t be blinded by numbers.

4 – Seek Clarification

If you are unsure why you have been offered a specific amount, then ask why. Don’t be scared to find out why you have been made an offer as the answer is likely to impact your decision. Remember, you can reject an offer based on salary, but an offer cannot be rescinded because you want to discuss the salary. It may be, as discussed in the previous point, that a company has other things to offer or that they are restricted by banding scales or budgets. It is likely that they will have considered their offer but will be open to negotiation. Lest we forget, businesses will look to secure a good deal for themselves too, and although they may have a maximum spend, they will look to stay within their budgets.

5 – Speak to a Recruitment Consultant 

One of the advantages of working with a Recruitment Consultant to find your next role is that they are able to offer advice based on their industry knowledge. They have an understanding of pay scales for certain roles and locations as well as being able to offer specific company insights. Perhaps more importantly, your consultant can support you to have a discussion about pay or have it on your behalf. When registering with Selective Recruitment an important part of our candidate interview process is discussing the expectations for your next role and speaking at length about salary and the factors that will make a job appeal to you.

Uncategorized

Resolution Roadblock?

Selective Group · January 14, 2021 ·

Resolution Roadblock? Try setting new habits to ensure you achieve your goals…

Every year I have the best intentions when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. I set my sights high and give myself at least one goal to conquer. You know the type of thing… ‘this year I am going to get fitter’, ‘this year I am going to secure that new job’, ‘this year I am going to spend less time on screens’. If you are anything like me, the first week is a doddle and you feel smug with the progress you make. But, as the days go by it becomes increasingly hard to keep the momentum going, especially as the Christmas spirit fades and the winter winds howl – who wants to for a run in this weather?

So, this year I thought it was time to approach things differently. I did lots of reading and listened to the odd podcast and discovered where I was going wrong; I wasn’t putting in the groundwork required to ensure sustained results. More specifically I was reverting to old habits as I hadn’t embedded new ones. Simply put, in order to succeed I needed to make small sustainable changes; I needed to take stepping stones to reach my end goal. This is where habits come in. By setting new habits in relation to my goal I would be more likely to succeed. 

Let’s just pause for a second and look at what a habit is in a bit more detail. James Clear, the author of blockbuster book Atomic Habits, defines habits as “small decisions you make and actions you perform every day” and asserts that “when you learn to transform your habits, you can transform your life”. Habits differ from resolutions or goals in that they are more specific. Now to drop a bombshell, taking this approach is not a quick fix and setting a new habit is not easy (we must first break old ones). But, and this is what sold it to me, habits become stronger over time and they also become progressively more automatic. Thus, by forming good habits we can not only reach our goals more effectively, but they become a sustained part of our daily lives. 

Tips for creating new habits:

Start small and add on incrementally:

When introducing a new habit, if you make it complicated you risk setting yourself up for failure. For instance, if you are looking to get fit it’s not advisable to set yourself the goal of going to the gym 5 times a week for an hour at a time. This is unlikely to be sustainable (especially if you are new to exercise or haven’t done any in a while). Instead try committing to completing 5 minutes of exercise at home each day. By making a habit easy you are more likely to complete it and more importantly, repeat it. You’ll find that after a while you will naturally add to it, perhaps increasing the time or intensity of the exercises. 

Schedule it at time that you are likely to be able to complete it 

With busy schedules it’s easy for lack of time to be an excuse for not completing that new task. However, if you set this habit into your daily schedule then there is no justification for not getting it done. Try setting an alert on your phone to prompt you or tie the task into an already formed habit. I know that I am most successful at getting things done at the beginning of the day, so I set an alarm to complete my exercise first thing. However, you may find it easier to do push ups while you wait for the kettle to boil, or do squats while you are brushing your teeth. 

Repetition is key:

Remember that in time habits become automatic; our brains actually change to make the behaviour easier to complete. However, according to heathline.com “It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic”. So, if you want that habit to stick you need to keep it up. That said, we are all human and sometime life can get in the way. If you miss a day, don’t sweat it, just make sure you pick it up the next day. Equally, doing something is better than nothing – even if you do a 2 minute workout instead of 5, it is a step towards the habit becoming ingrained. 

Limit choices

Until a habit becomes automatic it is still a choice. So, by eliminating other options you are more likely to stick to the new behaviour. For example, by packing a healthy lunch every day and leaving your wallet at home, you limit your options and are thus much more likely to follow your desired habit. It is easy to revert back to old ways, but if the choice to do so isn’t there you give yourself the best chance at success. 

Measure improvements 

The idea behind setting good habits is that they provide sustained growth and improvement. Going back to the example of the gym, it’s all very well and good if you manage to go 5 times a week for the first week (getting that smug feeling), but if you only go 3 times the next week and 1 the week after your success rate drops (and you likely feel defeated). If instead, you make consistent incremental wins this is likely to ensure lasting improvement. 

Why not join me in evaluating your New Years’ resolutions? Can you shift the focus from achieving a specific goal to creating positive long-term habits? Why not aim to make continuous improvement a way of life.

General

Turning your ‘to-do’ list in to a ‘ta-dah’ list:

Selective Group · December 2, 2020 ·

Do you start your day looking at your to-do list and immediately become filled with dread? 

Do you get a sinking feeling in your tummy about all the tasks you need to complete?

Do you feel like your to-do list is never ending and you never seem to make any progress? 

Well you are not alone. It is very easy to feel suffocated by the endless day to day duties that divert our attention and demand our time. Here at Selective Recruitment we have come up with some helpful tips that will allow you to take back control of your schedule and feel confident and proud of the work you produce. 

The 4 Ds

One of the main problems with a to-do-list is that it can lack structure and as such seem overwhelming. The 4 D’s is a simple strategy that will help you focus on the tasks that matter most, and ensure you become more productive and efficient. The 4 D’s stand for ‘Do, Delay, Delegate, Delete’. By analysing your tasks and placing them into one of these four categories you can manage them more effectively and ensure that those featured on the ‘Do’ list are given the time, attention and commitment they deserve. You may also be surprised by how many tasks you can ‘delete’ or ‘delegate’ to others, thus freeing up your time to hone your focus. By applying this system, your to-do-list should become instantly less daunting and more manageable.

Time Management

Now that you have worked out which items on your to-do-list need to take priority, you should address how long each will take and when is the best time to complete them. By allocating a specific time period to an activity you will give structure to your day. Moreover, there is evidence to suggest that by setting a completion deadline one becomes more motivated and focused to deliver on time. That said, many of us work in jobs that require us to be responsive and as such it is important to allow for a degree of flexibility and not get stressed if you have to amend your workflow.  

Another key factor to think about when scheduling your tasks is when you are personally most productive. We all work differently; some of us are highly energetic first thing in the morning, whereas others need at least 3 cups of coffee before we can get the wheels in motion. When looking at your daily schedule think about aligning the more challenging or time-consuming tasks to when you feel most switched on and have the most energy. In so doing you will find that the challenging tasks don’t seem as formidable. A classic mistake many people make is putting things off to the end of a day when energy stores are low. This often results in extended hours in the office and tasks taking longer to complete. 

Break down big tasks

More often than not there are tasks on our to do lists that seem impossible. You may not know where to start or how you are ever going to reach the finish line. You end up procrastinating and put off starting due to sheer fear, and then you reach that point of no escape and it all comes tumbling down. Stop! Take a breath and pull back for a second. When presented with such a scenario you need to break it down; divide it up into smaller, more digestible and realistic activities that you can achieve. This is often referred to as ‘chunking down’ and will enable you to reframe your thinking; instead of being focused on the final outcome (which is the bit that seems impossible) you will be able to look at each component task as a stepping stone towards your final goal. Also, by taking this approach you will often find that a logical order presents itself and instead of feeling swamped you will feel in control. 

Ask for help

If you are struggling to complete one of the tasks on your to-do-list, then it may be beneficial to look to others for help. Do you have a work colleague or a manager who could give you a different perspective? Many people see asking for help as a sign of weakness or worry that they will be shunned. This is not the case; a supportive workplace should always allow for colleagues to work together and pull on resources. It is important to remember that we are all individuals and have distinct problem-solving abilities; depending on our personality type and experience we see things differently. So instead of letting that difficult task consume you, or not doing it for fear of getting it wrong, reach out to someone who may be able to support you in taking it forwards. The likelihood is that you will be able to return the favour at a later date and ‘two heads are always better than one’!

Think Creatively

Sometimes even simple tasks can cause no end of problems, but, as the well known saying goes “if at first you don’t succeed, then try and try again” However, what this doesn’t make clear is that if something isn’t working it may be time to take a different approach. When tasked with an assignment that doesn’t seem to be going to plan it may not be best to plough on regardless. The likelihood is that even if you complete it you will not be totally happy with the results. Instead, you may need to readdress your approach and think outside the box. Try grabbing a sheet of paper and brainstorming some ideas – it doesn’t matter if they seem far fetched, this will help get the creative juices flowing. By allowing yourself to find an innovative approach, it is likely that you will become more engaged in the task and produce better results. 

Acknowledge your accomplishments. 

In our day to day working lives it’s very easy to complete one task and move straight onto the next without taking a moment to stop and take stock of what you have done. Even the simple activity of ticking off, or crossing out, something you have completed will have a beneficial effect on your psyche and give you a moment to note your accomplishments. Equally, taking some time to evaluate the success of a task will allow you to think about areas for improvement and you can apply these moving forwards. It is even more important to celebrate ‘the win’ when you have finished a significant piece of work. Give yourself permission to feel proud of what you have achieved. After all, success at work is likely to be one of the driving forces behind why you do what you do. 

Is it time for you to re-evaluate your to-do-list? If you apply these techniques not only will you be able to become more effective in managing your workload, but you will be able to deliver ‘ta-da’ results that you can feel proud of. 

Uncategorized

The Importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Selective Group · November 4, 2020 ·


It may be that you’ve been in your job for some time, that you are currency between roles, or that you have recently entered the job market having secured your first position, whatever the case, a pivotal focus throughout your career should be Continued Professional Development (CPD). That is, developing your professional knowledge and skills through self- learning, specified interactive courses and/or formalised training. Many workplaces encourage and provide opportunities for CPD, but if you’re savvy you can tailor your CPD towards your own personal career goals. Through targeted learning you can carve out the path you want to take or rise up through the ranks at an accelerated pace.


But what’s that we hear you say, “I don’t need CPD, I am comfortable in my job and know what I am doing”. Granted, but with this mindset you won’t be moving anywhere fast! It’s a competitive market out there, so do you really want to stay where you are while your friends and colleagues surpass you? Is comfortable good enough when you could be aiming for ‘engaging’, ‘rewarding’ or, dare we say it, ‘fun’?


Perhaps you are looking at CPD all wrong; CPD shouldn’t be a chore, it is an opportunity for personal and professional growth and your chance to flourish in the workplace. Here at Selective Recruitment we see first-hand how candidates with strong CPD accreditations stand out from the crowd, so we implore you to consider its importance and if it’s worth taking some time to invest in your career development.


Benefits to CPD:
1 – Knowledge is power.
This may be a little cliché, but there is truth in this well-known phrase. By arming yourself with knowledge in a specific area you will undoubtedly not only become more proficient and increase delivery in your current role, but you will grow in confidence to be able to push yourself further. Furthermore, more knowledge makes us better at decision making and undoubtedly we become more equipped to make informed choices.


2 – It opens doors
CPD is a great way to help you attain the skills required for a promotion, or if you are looking for a new role, adding CPD accreditations to your CV is a must. Employers are always on the lookout for candidates that can bring something extra to their company, and those applicants who have clearly invested in their own personal development present as hardworking and motivated individuals.

3 – It allows you to move with the times
In these ever-changing times it’s important to stay up to date with current trends and not fall behind the curve. With technology constantly evolving and the climate of industry ever changing, keeping yourself informed will allow you to amend working practices to ensure that you are able to deliver a consistent and professional service.


4 – You can help to enhance your company
Employees who undertake CPD can contribute in a meaningful way to company growth and a strong reputation. Through continued learning you will be able to pitch yourself as an expert in your field and can also support the development of others within the workplace via the sharing of information.


5 – Personal satisfaction
CPD can stop things getting stale and will keep you engaged in improving your work. Although many of us struggle with time, learning is a valid investment and when you have a clear destination in mind, studying can be exciting and fulfilling. Through CPD you will become more accomplished and this in turn will boost your confidence.


There are many CPD opportunities available. It may be worth speaking with your employer about relevant training within the workplace. Or, you could allocate some time each week to keep up to speed with current affairs, set up some training or mentoring with a coworker, or identify an area in which you want to personally improve and track down an online course that works for you.

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