Gender Gap: Pensions

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It is a well-known fact that in the UK, women are at a financial disadvantage to men, which is evident from the documented 13.9% gender pay gap. If you investigate further into this, it becomes clear that this inequality is not just annual salary – women remain at a greater risk of poverty, financial insecurity and insufficient pension savings. 

According to Age UK, one in seven pensioners in the UK lives in poverty and women are more likely to be living in poverty than men. This fact alone illustrates the importance of a good pension. Following this, Aegon has released their findings from a study in which they used 2000 participants aged 18 to 65 to investigate pensions. Their main findings were: 

  • Women on average accumulate £56,000 in their pension funds by age 50 in comparison to the £112,000 saved by men. 

  • The gender gap rises with age as women aged 50 who want to match their male counterparts pension at retirement would need to pay an extra £360 into their pension pots each month.  

  • Several factors including the gender pay gap and time spent out of employment to raise children to mean that women are less able to build up pension pots.  

Why do differences in pension exist? 

The Motherhood Penalty  

  • Women are likely to receive pregnancy discrimination. 11% of women said that they have had to leave jobs through redundancy, mistreatment or dismissal following a pregnancy.  

  • A further 20% told the Quality and Human Rights Commission that they had been passed over for a promotion, for a pay rise or even had their salaries reduced due to their pregnancy.  

  • After becoming a mother, many women who want to return to work find themselves returning to lower-skilled roles. This is because many employers believe that a gap in the CV automatically means that an individual’s skills have deteriorated.  

  • A report by PwC found that women returning to work after a career break lose out on £4,000 (on average) each a year because of this.  

The Childcare Penalty  

  • Women’s finances are likely to be affected by the cost of childcare, which often affects their earning potential.  

  • While it has become more common for a man to take on childcare, women still do most of it.  

  • The Young Women’s Trust found that almost 300,000 young women in the UK are ‘shut out’ of the job market, despite 86% wanting a job. 

  • The charity said that caring for family members is the main reason women give for being economically inactive and that mothers are affected by the unaffordable cost of childcare.  

Kate Smith, Head of Pensions at Aegon had this to say:  

‘Shockingly, 100 years after women secured the vote, we have a gender pay gap across every occupation: The fact that the pay gap filters down to mean women receive lower pension incomes is a double blow. 

When you factor in that women’s ability to solve is further interrupted by breaks in their career to raise a family or care for elderly parents, the pension gap reached epic proportions, making it difficult to catch up.  

Gaps in pension saving history leave you worse off in retirement but for women who take time out of their career this is unavoidable and could mean they have to work longer to make up the shortfall.’ 

However, Smith argued all hope is not lost and the earlier women can address the shortfall, the better. She said women in the early days of their career are within touching distance of men’s overall savings and there are many steps women can take to increase their chances of a secure retirement. 

Workers in the UK Aren’t Using All Their Annual Leave

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Hotel group ‘Jurys Inn’ asked 1000 employees across the UK about how much holiday they have left to use before the start of this year. They asked employees if they were planning on using their remaining holiday, and if so, what they were planning on using the holiday on. 

The results were startling. Jurys Inn found that a staggering third of their UK employees still had 10 days of annual leave to use before 2018 came and that the average UK worker had 6 days of holiday remaining. If the same thing happens this year, 134 million holiday days will be wasted. 

Why Are People Not Using Their Holiday?

When asked, 34% of people said that they hadn’t used their holiday days because they weren’t sure how to use them. A further 22% said that they were simply too busy to organise anything. 1 in 10 employees believe that taking time off isn’t appealing because they were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to find someone to cover their work while they were away, and so they would be returning to twice their workload. Another 11% said that they didn’t have enough money left to spend on a trip away, whilst some said that they had deliberately saved holiday days to book something exciting – only to realise come November there are no holiday options that appeal to them. 

So What Should We Do?

This study, therefore, illustrates to us that people simply didn’t take enough holiday. So, if you’re one of those people that don’t take time off and build up your holiday days – maybe now is the time to take a well-deserved break. Many people regret not using their holiday earlier in the year, especially when they get to the end of the year and have so much remaining holiday left.  

Why Should We Take Time Off?

Holiday time is a great opportunity for you to have a well-deserved pause from your workplace environment. A break allows you to rest your mind, brain and soul, and it’s a great opportunity to come back to your desk motivated, ready and dedicated with a new mind-set. Below, we’ve listed a few reasons why it’s vital that you take time off from work.

Improved Mental and Physical Health

In today’s society, mental health problems are on the increase as people become stressed, overworked and unhappy. Therefore, you need to ensure that you take time off and put your own health first. Your health and happiness are vital to everything you do and so, taking time off in order to increase your happiness and motivation is vital to your workplace efficiency. You can find out more about this here.

Breaks Make You More Productive

Sabine Sonnentag, professor of organisational psychology at the University of Mannheim in Germany finds that the inability to detach from work comes with symptoms of burnout, which impacts well being and productivity. She found that disengaging from work when you are not at work makes us more resilient in the face of stress and more productive and engaged when we are at work. Even a short weekend getaway can provide significant work-stress recovery while longer trips away provide even more relief. After time off, 64% of people say that they are refreshed and excited to get back to work. 

A Change of Pace Boosts Creativity

In today’s society, creativity is one of the most important traits for all incoming employees. Researcher Kyung Hee Kim, the author of the creativity challenge, has shown that we are facing a dramatic creativity crisis, with creativity scores dropping significantly in younger generations. Here again, more time off will help. Doing something different seriously boosts your creativity. For example, one study showed that hiking in nature and disconnecting from responsibilities showed a 50% spike in creativity. Brain imaging studies also showed that doing nothing, being idle and daydreaming also create alpha waves in the brain, which are key for creative insights. 

Therefore, it is absolutely vital that you make time and take time off! There really is no excuse for not treating yourself, which will allow you to relax, stay healthy, boost creativity and productivity and let you come back to work with a refreshed attitude, excited to get back to work. 

How To Achieve Workplace Success

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The definition of success is something that varies from person to person, but in terms of the workplace, it usually refers to doing your job to a high standard. There are many debates on what it is that makes a person successful, with some individuals believing that it’s about the people you know, while others will swear it depends on your personality and motivation. Regardless of what your definition of success may be, Forbes has found that there are five factors that can improve your chances of success in the workplace. Forbes’ information came in the from a research project, where they drew data from a pool of more than one million cases of work around the world. Using a sample of 10,000, Forbes looked at what people were doing to make them successful at work. They found that success is less about who you are, but more about what you do. Following this research, Prestige Recruitment Group has listed the top five things that Forbes believes you should do in order to achieve workplace success.

According to Forbes, Successful People:

1. Don’t Settle for Average

People who don’t settle for average are more likely to succeed in the workplace. These individuals are always trying to better themselves, whether that’s through further education or helping other employees. These people are successful because they aren’t bothered about the specifics of their job description or titles–they will routinely go above and beyond their job roles in order to achieve. So, next time you see something that needs doing but think ‘well, that’s technically not in my job description, do it! It’s a step closer to being successful at work.

2. Ask Game-Changing Questions

Forbes also found that successful people are the individuals that are likely to question why things happen a certain way. Successful people are likely to challenge management and other members of the team in order to deepen their understanding of the company’s procedures. They are also likely to come up with suggestions and ways to improve by asking questions like ‘Why don’t we...?’ and ‘What if we....?’ Successful people are constantly thinking outside the box.

3. Finish What They Start

Forbes also found that successful people always see a task through. These people remain focused and dedicated to achieving the desired results, rather than giving up when things get difficult. Next time you start something and think it’s too difficult to finish, keep at it. Ask for help if you need, but never leave a job half finished.

4. Want To See How Their Work Is Received

Forbes also states that successful people want to see how their work is received, and so make a conscious effort to get feedback. These individuals aren’t chasing compliments but are looking for clues on how they can improve. In order to be successful at work, Forbes state that you must be constantly improving by finding out what your weaknesses are. Forbes found that employees who see how their work is received are seventeen times more likely to be passionate about their work, so next time you hang in a project, chase up some feedback!

5. Ask For Help From Obscure Sources

The study also found that people who are successful in the workplace seek input, ideas and help from people that seemingly have no connection to their work. It is believed that successful, award-winning workers want to find different and opposing perspectives about their ideas in order to improve upon the work that they are creating. But what do you think? What do you think makes a person successful?

5 Trends That Will Shape The Future Workplace

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The workplace is constantly developing as the world around us also changes. Experiences at work will also continue to transform as society and trends continue to adjust, so Zoot Recruit has prepared a list of five current trends that will shape our future workplaces. How many of the following trends do you recognise? What other trends do you think will change the workplace? 

1. People Just Aren’t Sticking Around

A really common trend in the workplace is that employee’s just aren’t sticking round! In previous generations, employees would tend to stay at a company for a very long time. In fact, most employees would work at a company for 25-30 years, and it was actually normal for someone to retire from the company they trained with. However, this has changed, and now, people just don’t stay at the same company for as long. According to the Future Workplace Multiple Generations @ Work survey, 91% of Millennials stay in a job for less than three years. This means that in their working life, newer generations are likely to have more than fifteen different jobs with different companies.  

2. Changing Leadership 

Society has changed for future working generations, and the leadership landscape is altering massively. Younger generations are hungry for more, and they want to rise through the career ranks as quickly as possible. This means that today, there are more young leaders than ever before, with the average age of CEO’s decreasing from 60 years old to 30 years old. Companies are more innovative than ever, and that’s because of the younger leadership. Some people may find it odd having to report to younger bosses, however it looks like this trend is slowly becoming the norm. 

3. Importance On Learning 

There’s a huge focus in today’s society on the importance of ‘learning’. In previous generations, a new employee would be trained on all aspects of their job before being left to get on with it. Now, companies will invest more time and money into educating their employees. These companies can use a variety of methods, such as training academy’s, or by even paying for their employees to go on courses. Training has changed from something you only learnt at the beginning of your role to something that continues for the duration of your time within a business. This is a really important trend as people want to continue to learn and upskill in order to better themselves. 



4. Remote Working

Another trend that seems to be on the increase in the workplace is the amount of people that work inside of the office. More people are working remotely, and that’s because more companies are offering the opportunity for their employees to do this! In one survey, 85% of millennial respondents said that they would prefer telecommuting from home versus commuting to a central location. Because of this trend, the office population is shrinking, however it also means employees can waste less time commuting to work and lets them work whenever is best for them, which ultimately increases productivity. 

5. Employee Engagement 

Businesses have adapted to the fact that engagement plays a critical role in retaining employees, and so, more than ever, companies are trying to engage with employees. The trend that disengaged employees are likely to swap jobs in today’s society makes employers scared – hiring new people is expensive and time consuming, and so they would prefer their original employees to stay. This is why companies are having to adapt their priorities and come up with an effective strategy for employee engagement. 

Top Tips for Surviving a Modern Workplace

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The workplace environment is constantly changing, so today’s working generations are slowly having to adapt to surviving and working within this new modern work environment.


Mark Your Territory


It’s vital that you distinguish between social spaces and serious workplaces. Most offices don’t have access to the sleep pods or Ping-Pong tables that start up companies appear to be adding to their working environment, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make boundaries as to where social areas and working areas are.

This is also important in regard to social events. Depending on the culture of your office, if you are management who spend a lot of time socially with your employees, it can be difficult for you to ever be more than a ‘friend.’ If you are treating your employers to a drink, it’s important to go out for one and then leave, allowing the rest of the team to bond on an equal level. If you get carried away and all of your team see you at your worst, they may not see you as professional, and it will be difficult for them to take you seriously.


Make Your Physical Space Better


If you’re sat at a desk for eight or nine hours a day, it’s important that the desk is associated with happy thoughts that will motivate you while you’re at work. You can change your desk space easily – just make it more personal and add things that make it a little different. Buy your own keyboard and mouse, bring your own photos in and even treat yourself to some new stationary. In an office environment, these little things can make a big difference and make you feel more comfortable within your workplace! It’s amazing what a few personal belongings can do.

Get Used to Small Talk

Unfortunately, part of the package with working environments is getting used to small talk, and it’s a really important element within the office environment. You don’t want to come across as rude by not partaking in the standard conversations about the weather and the commute to work. If you are genuinely really busy and have to get your head down – just tell people! Going hand-in-hand with this, if the conversation moves on and people start telling you about their personal problems, try and avoid offering advice. You never know when you’re going to accidently offend someone, so try and avoid this in order to save your professional working relationships.


Leave Without Burning Bridges

No matter what job you are doing, if you do decide it’s time to leave, make sure you do so without burning any bridges. You are leaving the company you have been working for, not the relationships you have with previous co-workers and management. When you interview or work in another company, don’t waste time bad-mouthing your old job because you never know who knows who! Some people will actually know other people who work in your company so making sure you have a good reputation that follows you is vital to surviving in the modern workplace. As well as this, just because you’re leaving a company does not give you an excuse to work less hard than you would if you weren’t leaving. Your management will notice and it may affect your reputation.


Understand That Work Is NOT Your Entire Life

One of the greatest changes that have come alongside the modern working environment is that employers and businesses understand more than ever that work is not everyone’s ‘life’. It can be easy to get stressed, angry and upset if something doesn’t go right at work, but try and stay calm and not bring those feelings into your personal life. If you let work control your whole life, you may find yourself struggling more and not being happy in the long run. If you do find yourself struggling at work, don’t be afraid to speak to management!

10 Questions You Should Prepare For as a Finance Candidate

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Prestige Recruitment Group specialise in Accountancy and Finance, so we see our fair few finance candidates. It doesn’t matter how many job interviews you’ve been on, they will still make you nervous. This is your one chance to really impress your potential employer, and this is why it’s so important that you are thoroughly prepared.

Prestige Recruitment Group has therefore made a list of the top ten questions you should prepare for as a finance candidate. Some of them are more general, whereas others are a little bit more specific - but make sure you prepare for every single one of them! 

 

1) Tell me about yourself.

This question usually sets the groundwork for the entire interview and your potential employer wants to know about your work history. They want to know exactly where you are professionally, what you have learnt from your past work experiences and why you are there today

 

2) What do you know about our company?

This question is asked so that your potential employer can understand how much research you have done prior to your interview. The best way to answer this is to actually do your research! Have a look across their website and social media. The best way to turn this round it to make it industry specific, see what they do and link it back to the financial industry!

 

3) What do you know about the industry?

Following on from the previous question, your potential employer is also trying to see how much research you’ve done about the industry to see if you know your stuff! They want to see if you keep up to date with all the financial news and on goings, so flick through some news outlets and see what’s happening in the industry. Extra points if you find something really relevant from that day’s news!

 

4) Why do you want this job?

You need to be completely honest with your answer and it’s really important that you show your passion for the role you have applied for. Bring up the work the company has done in the past and how that fits into trends in the industry – you’ll show you know your stuff! As well as this, make sure you bring up ways you can make an impact and how your views align with that of the company. 

 

5) What are your strengths?

This is a question you can really brag about! Make sure you highlight a strength that is crucial for the position you are interviewing for. 

 

6) What are your weaknesses?

Everyone hates this question but it doesn’t have to be that bad! Don’t pick something that is essential to the job, and don’t pick something that isn’t really a weakness, like ‘I’m a perfectionist.’ Whatever you choose, show your employer that you’re working on it - this question is a perfect opportunity to show that you are self-aware.

 

7) What do you know about our competition?

The financial industry is very competitive, so it’s important that you look at the companies or businesses that are closely related to the business you are interviewing at. State how the company differs. 

 

8) What motivates you?

Even though you’re interviewing to be part of the financial industry – the answer shouldn’t be money. Showcase your passion and illustrate how the company can help you develop skills, which are your key motivators!

 

9) What do you do outside of work?

As we’ve said, the financial industry is very competitive. If you play any sports or are involved in anything that’s quite competitive, make sure you mention them here. Remember – it’s not a trick question. Your interviewer is human, and so are you, so don’t be afraid to go slightly off topic here.

 

10) Do you have any questions for me?

The answer should always be yes! This question gives you the opportunity to showcase your passion for the company and industry. Bring in some of the research you’ve done – perhaps ask about any projects the company are currently working on.

 

To find out more about our Accountancy & Finance sector, click here.



Your Exit Interview: How Honest Should You Be?

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You’ve got a new job and you’ve handed in your notice – fab! The only thing left to do is finish your last two weeks, pack up your desk and leave… oh, and your exit interview! When it comes down to an exit interview, most people just aren’t sure how honest they should be, especially if they weren’t exactly fond of the job or company. That’s why Prestige Recruitment Group has written this blog to help you when it comes to preparing and answering those dreaded exit interview questions.

 Michael Kerr is an international business speaker and the author of ‘You Can’t Be Serious! Putting Humor to Work,’ and he says that some employees believe that the exit interview is the ideal opportunity to be completely honest about their experiences with their employer, while others think that being candid puts them at risk of burning bridges. Kerr believes that it’s not a black-and-white issue; you should think about how truthful you want to be, and when it’s okay to be.  

Firstly, if you loved your job and role, you should be honest about it! If you feel passionate about the industry and the job you were doing (perhaps you’re only leaving because you got an opportunity that’s too good to turn down) be sure to let management know that this is the case and you’re actually sad to be leaving!

 If this isn’t the case – perhaps you’re leaving because of management, or because of problems with the job and company, you might need to withhold some of the honesty. When it comes round to your exit interview, you can be honest about why you’re leaving, but don’t divulge confidential information or try and slander someone’s reputation. Sometimes exit interviews are anonymous through a computer system – if this is the case, you may find it easier to be honest, however it is important however that you are as honest as you can be even if it is not anonymous. When you’re honest about your experiences in an exit interview, you get the closure you need from that role and company. Hopefully, this shouldn’t be the first time management are hearing about problems you may have had, as you should have brought up any problems you have had in meetings or reviews during your time working for the company. If you haven’t, be prepared for management to be surprised or confused.

There is however, a world of difference between being honest and being disrespectful or rude. You should keep it short, polite and positive. Try not to blame particular people in the company for reasons as to why you didn’t like the role. Pointing fingers at certain people can come round to bite you – so keep your answers more general to the company itself. Offer constructive ideas and positive suggestions. When you leave a company, you don’t really want to burn bridges with everyone who works there. If you’re staying in that particular industry, there’s a chance that you might see these people again, or they’ll know your future employers. Therefore, it’s vital that nothing you say is too personal.

 If you do have negatives to say, make sure that you deliver criticism by emphasising what you did like at the company. Mention projects, elements or particular experiences that you have had that you have thoroughly enjoyed. You are then explaining to the employer what it is that you feel works in that company – and doesn’t make the whole experience sound negative.

 The best way to think about how to act or speak within your exit interview is to think about how you want to be remembered when you leave the company. Don't let your last hour destroy what you worked to build over weeks, months, or years!

To see all our blogs, click here.




What Happens When You’re Promoted

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So you’ve just been promoted – that’s great! You’re excited – and so you should be! You’ve worked hard and really appreciate the opportunity you’ve been given to grow further within your company and industry. However, if your role now means your managing your previous colleagues, things can get pretty awkward… if you let them. Even if you’re not going to be managing other employees, the change in your job title and status will still change your working experience.

If you do get that new position, here’s some quick tips of advice to help you with your transition into your new role:

1) Celebrate

The first thing you should do is celebrate your promotion. Buy yourself something new, whether that’s clothes for work or a new laptop, or just something you’ve had your eye on for a while but could never really justify buying. Even if you don’t want to buy something specific, go out for something to eat or drink with some close friends or family – they will be as happy for you as you are for yourself. Don’t do anything flamboyant in front of your colleagues (possibly now your subordinates!) like running round the office and shouting. Try and play it cool – some of your colleagues may have gone for the same job that you got, and some of them may find it weird that you’re going to be their new boss!

2) Set Your Goals In Your New Job

Think about what your future holds and ask yourself – What do you want to accomplish and why? Set both personal and career goals before you start your new role. Within your new role, things are going to start moving very quickly. You’ll be learning new things and meeting new people so before everything get’s too fast, it’s important that you immediately set your own goals.

3) Proceed Slowly

When you’ve been promoted, it’s easy to think about everything and anything you want to change. Maybe you have great ideas and now you have more power, you can try and put them into action. Whatever the case, you need to make sure you take things slow and try not to rush into your office with a list full of changes. Change is made even worse when people get promoted or become management and start adjusting processes or systems that have been in place for ages. At the end of the day, you’re going to have a tonne of new responsibilities that you should focus on first. If the processes in place aren’t working how you want them to, surround yourself with other managers and get to know how and why things are how they are.

4) Acknowledge the Change and Set Expectations

When you start your new job, you need to acknowledge the change. Let your colleagues and potentially new team that things are going to change. You might say something like ‘Things are going to be a little different now, but, as (insert your new job title) I will be going this…’ You could ask people if they have any questions or any concerns. 

5) Start Afresh

Within your old job and role, you might have had opinions about certain members of staff. Maybe you got on better with certain members of staff and didn’t like others, but within your new role, you shouldn’t let these opinions affect your ability to do your new job.

6) Don’t Be Hurt If You Are Treated Differently

As we’ve said, things are going to change now that you have this new job. It’s therefore important that you don’t get hurt if you are treated differently. Your old colleagues might not ask you to come out with them as much outside of work hours, but that’s okay. They now know that you have more responsibility and power, and so some may only want a professional relationship. Unfortunately, there’s a power dynamic at work that just can’t be ignored and it comes with this promotion. 

7) Distance Yourself a Little

In fact, in some cases, your relationships with other members of staff may not immediately change. This is where it’s important to distance yourself a little and establish some boundaries. If as the new boss, you’re still hanging out with all your old friends and hearing them say things that aren’t really appropriate for you to know as the manager, you shouldn’t be there. Your leadership in general will come under question if you can’t change your relationships a little. Disengage from casual chitchat a little and say yes to fewer lunch invitations and you will cultivate that air of authority that you may need in your new position. Of course, if your promotion doesn’t affect your responsibility over your colleagues – there’s no reason for you to have to do this.

8) Show Them What You’re Made Of

Okay, so you’ve been given this promotion for a particular reason – and that’s because your boss thinks you have the ability and skill to do it! As you establish relations with members of the team and other people in the company, make sure you pull your socks up and show your management exactly what you can do.

9) Learn More

With any new job, there’s still going to be lots to learn. When you get your promotion, make sure you take the time to get to know the things that you need to know. It’s likely that you were in your old position for quite a while, so adjusting to a new position is going to take some time. Even in the same company, when you get a new role, you’re pretty much starting from scratch again. Learn the new systems (if there are any) and introduce yourself to any new team members you may have to work with that you haven’t worked with before.

10)  Make the Most Our of Your First Promotion

Your first promotion is bound to make you excited and feel satisfied! You finally feel like you’re making progress. In order for you to continue to excel, make sure you handle it the right way and prove that you deserved it.

5 Signs You’re in the Wrong Career

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Many people change careers throughout their life, especially if they fall out of love with the industry or role they are currently working. Sometimes however, it’s difficult to tell whether you are in a bad position or a bad career. If you are unhappy, Prestige Recruitment Group has listed five signs you’re in the wrong career, so you know whether you’re in the wrong place.

 

1) You Are Bored

A key element that shows whether it’s time to change career is if you are bored. If you don’t feel excited and ready for work every day and the idea of your role makes you yawn - you’re probably not in the right career. As well as this, if you find that you’re constantly daydreaming because you have completed all your tasks and there’s no room for movement or promotion, you need to leave.  

 CV –Library founder, Lee Biggins says ‘Boredom at work happens, and some tasks are always more tedious than others, but there should always be areas of your job that you love. If you’re struggling to identify any areas that excite you, it could be time to move on.’

 

2) You’re A Different Person At Work And Home

People who are happy at work are people who tend to feel relaxed. If you feel like a completely different person in the office and it’s not until you leave that you can be yourself, it may be a sign that it’s time to leave. You need to find a career that you feel you can be completely comfortable in.  At the end of the day, people who are in the right career tend to bring their ‘whole’ selves to work. This allows you to get fully submerged into the role and lets you form deeper relationships with people in the industry.

 

3) The Career Doesn’t Make Use Of Your Strengths

If you’re in a career and don’t feel like you’re making use of your strengths, this isn’t the role for you. Everybody wants a career they can excel in, and when you feel like you’re not utilising your strengths, your career isn’t rewarding.

 

4) You Complain About Work, A Lot

If you spend a lot of time talking about how much you hate your job, the career probably isn’t for you. If someone you haven’t seen in a while asks how work is going, and you find yourself going into a rant about how much you don’t like it, get out of there! In fact, you might not want to talk about work at all. For example, if you prefer talking to other people about their jobs rather than speak about yours, perhaps you’re not happy. 

 

5) You Fantasise About Quitting

When you’re unhappy with your job, you will find yourself thinking about the day you are able to quit. This is a sure sign that this career path isn’t for you. If you get more excited about the idea of leaving your role rather than progressing up the career ladder, get out of there! Find something you’re passionate about and work in that industry.

 

If you’re looking for a new role, get in touch. We recruit for a variety of roles and your new dream career could be just a phone call away. To find out more about us, click here.



How Can a Mentor Help You With Your Career?

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When you start a new career, there are tonnes of things you can do in order to expand your opportunities for the future and grow as a professional. One of these things is getting a mentor – someone who understands you, your aims and can help you flourish into the best possible ‘you.’ Prestige Recruitment Group has therefore compiled a list of 5 ways a mentor will help you with your career:

 

1) They Will Help You Find Your Way

If you’re new to your career path, having a mentor who knows their stuff can really put you on the right road to success. Not only can they help you find your way with jobs and experience, they can also teach you the rules (whether they are written or unwritten!)

 

2) They Will Acknowledge Your Shortcomings

When you’re trying to move forward in your career, you need to know what’s weighing you down. You might think you know and understand your own shortcomings but having a mentor who can give you constructive criticism in order to help you improve is great. A mentor will give you an outsider perspective and point out issues that you may not be able to see, so you can fully move forward and improve!

 

3) They Will Also Help Develop Your Strengths

Similarly to how you can develop on your shortcomings, you can also develop your strengths. You might already know what you think you are great at, but a mentor will be able to find other features that you might not even realise. Your strengths are only strengths when you continue to grow and develop them and a mentor will help you reach your full potential.

 

4) They Will Teach You

No matter where you are in your career, a mentor will be able to teach you something new. This is especially true if you find a mentor who is knowledgeable in an area that you need to learn more about. Whether it’s how to get something done at work, motivation tips or just how to start your day productively, a mentor will always have something new to show you.

 

5) They Will Help You Connect

Your mentor, who may be an outsider to your company or industry, is likely to know people that you have never met before. You will then be able to learn more from these new people, and this opportunity to network will help you in your career in the long-term. You never know what new opportunities will arise from who you know!

 

Connecting with a mentor is a great way to help you grow and develop, whether that’s as a person or in your career. For more advice, check out our other blogs here.





What is the Secret to Success?

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Most people want to be successful – that’s just a fact. However, the definition of success varies from person to person, but on the face of it, it’s achieving what you want to achieve.

Regardless of your definition, success often springs from opportunities, ideas, perspectives, connections or ventures. However, there are various things you can do in order to increase your chances of success. Prestige Recruitment Group have therefore created this blog in order to let you in on a little secret, and that’s the secret to success. Here’s what you should do:

 

1) Identify What Matters Most

Throughout life, and even throughout your day, there are multiple elements that compete for your attention. It’s therefore vital that you recognise your top priorities and:

 

2) Set Aggressive Goals

Establish what you want to achieve and stick to them - whether that’s in a decade, a few years, a couple of months, or just what you need to achieve for the day. By setting your goals, you will increase your motivation and when you have realistic deadlines, you are setting yourself up for success to complete what you want to complete! It’s also vital that you:

 

3) Ignore the Noise

Even though you’ve decided what matters most and you’ve set aggressive goals, there’s still going to be distractions and noise. In order to be successful, it’s vital that you ignore these. Obviously, if your manager tells you something needs to be done and it wasn’t originally scheduled into your plan, you’re going to have to realign your goals for the day rather than block it out! But anything that’s not important, ignore it!

 

But how should you spend your time?

1) Daily Routines

Many successful people get themselves into a daily routine. Tim Cook gets up at 3:45am and goes to the gym and Tony Robbins has a set exercise regime which he sticks to every day. If you wake up, get ready and rush to leave, you’re not setting yourself up correctly – you’ll be stressed before you even get to work. If you need to, wake up a little earlier (even if it means going to sleep a little earlier too!) and set yourself up properly for the day.

 

2) Carry a Notebook

Carry a small notebook round with you – when you have ideas, jot them down. Too often, great ideas are forgotten about. If you write down every little thing you think about, there’s a chance these ideas can develop into something amazing. In fact, people like Sir Richard Branson, David Allen and Cheryl Sandberg famously carry a little notebook with them everywhere they go.

 

3) Self-Development 

You need to schedule time to self-develop and learn, regardless of your goals. You can do this through taking online courses, researching and… reading! When you schedule time to read, you develop multiple skills, and you can find out more about this here.

Oprah Winfrey states that you need to stop worrying about other people and what you don’t have, focus on you and what you do have, as well as what you’d like for the future. When you focus on yourself, you’re already increasing your chance of success.

 

Why You Should Schedule Time to Read

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As we get older, we tend to either read less or completely stop reading books altogether.  Of course, in the modern world, we’re always ‘reading’ and inhaling information through social media, whether that’s seeing a funny tweet or liking your friends Facebook status. However, going back to the basics and reading a couple of pages (or chapters!) of a book every day can have serious benefits to you and your future. Therefore, Prestige Recruitment Group have created a list of the top five reasons why you should be scheduling time into your week to read a good book!

 

1) Reading Supplies Mental Stimulation and Improves Memory

In the words of Joseph Addison, ‘reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.’ It’s true! Scientific studies have shown that reading makes you smarter – it increases blood flow and improves connectivity in the brain.

Other studies have also shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of Dementia as keeping your brain active prevents it from losing power. When you read a book, you have to remember characters and their backgrounds as well as subplots that weave their way through the story – doing this is great for your memory in the long run! Every new memory you create forges new synapses and strengthens existing ones and so assists in short-term memory recall.

 

2) Reading Reduces Stress

Reading is a great way to relax and ease tension in your body while stimulating your brain and letting it wander to new ideas and places. No matter how much stress you are feeling at work or in your personal life, being able to pick up a book and escape to another world can help you forget about your worries and chill out, even if just for a little while. 

 

3) Reading Makes You a Better Writer and a Better Conversationalist

When you take the time to sit down and read a book, your brain will absorb writing techniques and vocabulary, even if you’re not aware of it. New words will appear in their natural context and you are able to figure out what they mean by reading the words around it, and so your vocabulary will increase.

 Basically, the more you read, the more words and writing techniques you will gain exposure to, which will make their way into your everyday writing and speaking style. By reading and increasing how you articulate, you can seriously aid your career as managers are always looking for individuals with great communication skills!

 

4) Reading Increases Analytical Thinking Skills

When you’re reading, you are often trying to solve and understand the plot before you have even finished the book. By doing this, you are putting your critical and analytical thinking skills to work. This ability is also used when you review a novel and think about whether you liked the characters, and whether the plot developed well. The more you read, the more you use and develop these skills.

 

5) Reading Increases Your Knowledge

Depending on what your reading, reading can teach you politics, cultures, economics and history. When novels are set in the past, even if they’re fictional, they are often submerged into truth with historic dates and facts. As well as this, if a novel is set in a different country, you will pick up information about that country and further expand your knowledge on different cultures across the world. This is particularly true in regard to non-fiction books. There are tonnes of books that exist, such as self-help books which not only increase your knowledge, but also your motivation and determination.

 

With all of these great benefits in mind, what will your next book be?

Our other blogs can be accessed here.

Why a Messy Desk is Bad For You

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Do you ever find yourself getting distracted at work and aren’t too sure why? Do you ever feel that you’re not being as productive as you could be?

One of the reasons for this could be your messy desk.

Do you often find yourself spending ages searching through all the paper on your desk and in your draws to find the stapler you had earlier or the file from this morning?  If the answer is yes, you’re not being as productive as you could be! That’s why Prestige Recruitment Group have compiled this list on why a messy desk is bad for you as well as offering you advice on how to get on top of things and clean up that desk!

 

Here are 3 reasons why a messy desk is bad for you:

1) It Creates Stress

A messy desk is a sure way to increase stress in the workplace. If the first thing you come into work to see is your desk which is sprawled with paperwork and notes, it’s human nature that you’re suddenly going to feel much more stressed than you felt when you went home on the Friday!

If you do have a lot of tasks you need to focus on, having a messy desk just isn’t great for your productivity and stress levels. When it comes to actually getting through that to-do-list, little things like finding that stapler or the file from the morning will be harder than it needs to be as you sprawl through other documents, which decreases productivity and increases stress levels!

As well as this, if you start the day feeling like you’re already behind and need to tidy up, you’re already beginning the day feeling deeply discouraged!

  

2) It’s Actually Unhealthy

Did you know that the average office keyboard has almost 8,000 bacteria on it? When you have more things out on your desk, whether that’s paperwork, mugs, pens, pencils or folders, you’re increasing the bacteria on your desk! A messy desk can have a real impact on how often you’re sick or feel unwell in the office, so it’s absolutely vital that you take the time to clean it. Taking care of yourself also includes taking care of your work surfaces too.

 

3) It Affects Your Reputation

At the end of the day, if you have a shared workspace where other people can see your messy paperwork and mugs, they are going to judge you.

If your colleagues think you’re messy, they are also likely to think that you’re unorganised as tidiness and organisation are two features that tend to go hand in hand! If you’re colleagues think you’re messy, they are unlikely to take you seriously in the workplace and this can seriously affect your reputation!

 

So how can you change?

1) Create a Weekly Cleaning Habit

Every week on a Friday afternoon, take the time to clean through all of the documents that you may have accrued over the week. Organise them into a certain place where you will know exactly where everything is on the Monday morning when you get into the office. By doing this every week, you start the following week in a positive, organised way.

 

2) Purge Based on Frequency

If you’re not really too sure where to start when it comes to cleaning your desk, you should purge by frequency and look at how often you use certain items. Anything that you tend to use everyday can stay on your actual desk (or inside the top draw), anything you use once a week can be put into a bottom draw and anything you don’t use can go straight in the bin!

 

3) Treat Yourself

A great way to become organised and clean up your office space is to treat yourself to some new organising tools. Folders, coloured pens, stationary and stickers – anything that will help you label the paperwork or other documents you have clearly which will make it easier for you to stay away from the messy desk!

 

For more advice on how to organise you and your office workspace, check out our other blog here.

 

 

How to Promote Work-Life Balance in Your Office

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In the modern office, the work-life balance is something that is vital to everyone’s experience. However, as society is more social media dependent and technology makes it so easy to work from home, sometimes it can be difficult to separate work from our personal lives.

Undercover Recruiter recently conducted a global study to discover which countries ranked the best for overall work-life balance and cross-compared the findings with the last World Happiness Report. The study found that two-thirds of the world’s happiest nations were also rated the highest for work-life balance. Unfortunately, the UK only ranks 28th in the world for work-life balance and 19th for overall happiness. This illustrates that there is room for improvement.

So how can employers improve the work-life balance in the office?

1) Ask Them

The first thing you should do is ask your employees what they think would improve their work-life balance. It’s all well and good thinking about what allows you, as their manager to get a break, but it’s vital that you actually ask them to fully understand your team and what’s important to them. Even by asking your employees about what they want and need in the office is a massive positive – it shows that you value them as people and not just a number.

 

2) Encourage Time Off

For most people, work isn’t their entire life. Your employees have friends, partners, families and a tonne of other things they love doing outside of the office. When your employees have plenty of time off work in order for them to enjoy these things, their work-life balance is improved heavily. Time-off isn’t a luxury, it is vital to your staff’s well-being and mental health. It’s also vital that when your staff do have time off, you try not to disturb them. Allowing them to switch off and have that break from work allows your employees to recharge, which increases focus when they do return to the office.

 

3) Encourage Breaks

Some people will refuse breaks, choosing instead to work throughout the day non-stop. In order to increase the work-life balance, it’s important that you do encourage your employees to take a break from their job in order to meet friends for lunch, or pop out for a walk. Giving your employees that much needed break will increase their happiness at work and breaks up their day. If you can, you should install a social area in your office where your employees can talk and take their minds off work for a little while.

 

4) Don’t Expect Overtime

Some members of your team may do overtime occasionally, but it should never become the norm within your office environment. When employees are working more hours than average all of the time, they are less likely to be happy in the office – even if they adore their job. Everyone’s human, and everyone experiences burn-out. Sometimes, if there’s a project or something that is really time-sensitive, employees may need to work overtime – which is fine, as long as you show your appreciation and make sure they understand that it is not a normal expectation for every day work life.

 

5) Make Sure You Do Too

When you’re telling all their employees to take time off and to take their breaks, it’s also important that you do it too.  Everybody needs to find the right work-life balance, and even as a manager, you need a break. If you don’t need to, don’t send emails out of work hours and try not to bother employees when they are trying to find that right work-life balance! You will also find that by doing the same things you are encouraging your employees to do, you will be happier in the office as well. 

 

What would make you happier at work? Have you found the right-work life balance? Leave us a comment and let us know. If you’re after a new job, please get in touch. You can find our other blogs here.

Is it Time to Rethink the 9 to 5?

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The ‘9-5’ has always been the standard when it comes to working in the UK, however, as more Millennials make it into the workplace, attitudes and opinions to the 9-5 are beginning to change. With businesses across the world offering alternative working options, and with increased importance on employee satisfaction, do you think it’s time to rethink the 9-5?

 

UK Workers

According to the recent results of a ‘Global Attitudes to Work’ survey, UK workers believe that over 36% of their time spent at work is unproductive. These insights were gathered after questioning 6,250 employees in different countries and found that European workers rated themselves as more productive than those in the UK.

With technology advancements, it is estimated that the possibility of a four-day work week is likely to happen in the UK by 2100 – which is still quite a way away. However, countries like Germany, Norway, Sweden and France are already showing that you don’t have to work eight-hour days to be more productive.

 

Other Countries

In other countries, the 9-5 is pretty much dead:  

  • Germany works the shortest hours with a weekly average of 26.37 hours.

  • Netherlands and Norway work the second and third shortest hours, working just 1% less than Germany respectively.

  • Germany can also request a reduction in their hours if they work for a company with fewer than 15 employees.

  • Sweden has introduced six-hour work days to motivate employees to work smarter while having more time to spend at home.

  • Germany offer 30 days off annual leave.

  • Norway offer 21 days each year.

  • In Denmark, the average paid vacation allowance is five weeks. In fact, they’re allowed to use three of these weeks during school vacation periods so that families can spend time together.

  • In Germany, flexibility is a popular working arrangement in larger organisations and is agreed between the company and the employee.

  • In France, a two-hour lunch is allowed. In fact, smaller businesses will shut for lunch.

  • In Germany, there is much a more relaxed atmosphere when individuals clock off for lunch. It wouldn’t be unusual for employees to have a lunch beer.

  • In Germany, management are completely banned from calling staff after hours so that employees can appreciate their time away from work.

  • In France, there are established out-of-work hours where nothing outside of work should impact their day.

  • Norway, Sweden and France take a strong stand when it comes to preventing worker burnout. There are thorough strict paid leave programmes, compulsory vacation time and maternal and paternal paid leave.

 

So, What Do We Want?

Research has found that employers find it easier to attract top talent with flexible working options and a better work-life balance. UK workers state that flexible working is a benefit that they are attracted to – with 35% listing it as their top benefit. Workers don’t just want these benefits for no reason, a 2017 YouGov survey of British businesses and employees found that 89% of individuals believed that flexible working would make them more productive. But how?

 

Less Is More

It appears that employers have traditionally followed the logic that the longer someone is on the job, the more work that they produce. This isn’t always the case. Extra time in the workplace can make people unfocused, especially if there’s no advantage to finishing tasks faster. However, when employees are rewarded for working more quickly, some surprising results emerge.

A study in Sweden investigated two groups of people – some who worked 40 hours and some who worked 30 hours in a week. The researchers found that those who worked fewer hours worked more efficiently.

 

Health

Not only this, decreased working hours improves employee health. The researchers from the Sweden study found that participants who worked six-hour shifts rather than eight actually used 4.7% fewer sick days. The participants stated that working fewer hours made them feel happier, which made them feel less run down.

What do you think? Is it time to rethink the 9 – 5?



Company Culture: The Video Series

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If you’ve seen our previous article 'How Do You Create a Happy Workplace Culture?' you’ll know that we are currently running a series of videos on the company culture here at Prestige Recruitment Group.

Here at Prestige, we understand that having a great company culture has a positive effect on the people that work for us. Although nice, we believe company culture is not all about the flashy perks. Culture comes from how the company is run, with directors and managers really setting the stage for the tone of the organisation. It really all starts with the companies values that are a foundation for everything. Core values tend to drive a business and the culture, so getting these right from the start is key to a successful business.

Our first video was from our Birmingham branch and here is our second video from the Wilmslow crew:

If you did miss it, here is our video from the Birmingham office!

Our third instalment comes in the form of an interview with Senior Consultant Hannah Knight. You can see her video here:


Keep your eyes peeled for future videos in our company culture video series!



What ‘Company Culture’ Means to Us

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In today’s modern workplace, company culture is an integral element to every business and it affects nearly every aspect of a company. Company culture means something different to every person, but without a positive culture, many employees will struggle to find real value in their work. According to Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe that a distinct corporate culture is vital to a business’ success. The survey also found that there is a strong correlation between employees who feel happy and valued at work and those who say their company has a strong culture.  

Thinking about company culture, we asked our employees if they felt company culture was important, and if so why. We also asked them about how they would describe Prestige Recruitment Group’s culture.

Our results found that 100% of respondents believed that company culture is important, with 80% believing it to be ‘very important’. When asked why, 40% of respondents made reference to the amount of time spent at work, responding with comments such as:

‘You spend more time with your work colleagues in the week than anyone else so the culture is vital…’

As well as this, 50% of respondents made reference to how company culture may affect work performance, responding with comments such as:  

            ‘A positive work culture also has a massive impact on performance,’ and  

‘I also think a positive company culture encourages better performance and employee satisfaction.’

Another 40% of respondents also made reference to company culture setting expectations, with comments such as:

‘I feel that culture is important as it sets the pace for how the team works and what the expectations are.’  

When asked to describe the company culture here at Prestige, the most common responses were found to be ‘supportive’, ‘inclusive’, and ‘great teamwork’.

The next most common responses were ‘friendly’, ‘positive’, ‘fun’, ‘flexible’, ‘open’ and ‘honest.’  

Here’s what some of our employees had to say:

‘From my perspective I feel we have a lovely balance of a high energy and a fun environment combined with being surrounded by people who love performing to their highest ability. This is all rounded off with a friendly, supportive and inclusive atmosphere!’  

‘I would say our culture is bright, innovative and has an flexible open door policy.’

‘I would describe our company culture as fun, exciting and challenging.’

‘We have a strong family culture, close knit with an ethical work ethic, loud and vibrant.’

‘I would describe our culture as calm and very supportive in the way that everyone helps anyone if needed regardless of what department they work in.’

‘ We are recognised as an important part of the business not just a number.’

 ‘We all work as a team to achieve the end goal and support each other. They understand my commitments outside of work and offer a work plan that allows me to have the work life balance I need. It is the type of culture where you can be yourself and not be afraid to ask question or speak out.’  

‘Open, honest, family feel and collaborative.’

We are currently in the process of working on a great video all about our company and our culture! It will be released next Tuesday so keep your eyes pealed! Our other blogs related to culture can be found here!



A Day In The Life of a Digital Marketer

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What’s it like to be a Digital Marketer at Prestige Recruitment Group?

We caught up with Jessica Greaney who is our digital marketer based in our head office in Birmingham. Here’s what her role involves:

‘Working as the digital marketer for Prestige Recruitment Group, every day is different. I have a certain routine I try to stick to, but other tasks may be more important so I often have to prioritise.

‘Something I have to do everyday is work through my emails, where I receive candidate consent forms. I then update our Customer Relation Management System to ensure we are GDPR compliant at all times. I will update this system three times a day, as it’s an essential element to my role.

'On a Monday, after I have updated our CRM, I sort through our social media channels. Using a social media management programme, I will schedule relevant content and posts for the week. This takes a lot of time, as I have to read through different types of content to check it is appropriate and relevant to the audience our social media channels have. After I have done this, I often create Instagram posts using Photoshop, which will drive traffic to our website.

'Throughout the week, you can usually find me creating content, content, content! I write blog posts for our website, and create images and photos to post alongside it. This is fun, and I spend a lot of time making sure our content is relevant, unique and targets the right people.

‘Other tasks I do throughout the week include updating the website and doing things like adding testimonials and updating the Meet the Team page. Sometimes, I use programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop to create Newsletters and eBook documents too.

‘I’m currently in the process of training, and I can’t wait to learn more! I’ve only worked at Prestige Recruitment Group since January, and it’s been a great seven months so far. I have enjoyed learning what I have learnt so far, and the atmosphere in the office is very friendly.’

A Fact About Jess: She graduated from the University of Nottingham last year with a 2:1 in English Language and Literature! 

 

Jessica Greaney
Digital Marketer
0121 244 5004

Birmingham and its Tip-Top Tech Scene

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There are frequent articles on social media platforms such as LinkedIn that rave about how wonderful the technological scene is in London and Manchester – but Birmingham, our country’s very own second city, hardly ever gets a mention!

If you don’t know, Prestige Recruitment Group’s head office sits right in the city centre of Birmingham, and so we have a few opinions on Birmingham’s lack of mention! The fact is, Birmingham actually provides an excellent technological infrastructure with a wide variety of individuals with exceptional skills and talent, which create a perfect eco-system for creative agencies, games companies and global technology giants. The presence of major players in the region such as the young and diverse population and innovative linkages with complementary sectors means that Birmingham is quickly becoming a tech hub for the future.

Birmingham’s supply of digital talent, world-class institutions and technological spirit is creating a melting pot of hybrid digital industries. As the rate of innovation develops, tech is becoming increasingly integrated within every sector and industry.

Important Birmingham Tech & Digital Developments

  • In 2014, The University of Birmingham was ranked Number 1 UK University for Computer Sciences and IT. (The Guardian)

  • The Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) at Aston University and the Centre of Excellence for Research in Computational Intelligence and Applications (CERCIA) at the University of Birmingham are large centres of excellence in Birmingham.

  • With over 40,000 people employed in the sector, Birmingham has one of the largest tech clusters in the UK.

  • Of the UK games workforce, 25% are based in Birmingham.

  • When 4G was developed, Birmingham was one of the first UK cities to roll out the wireless network.

  • eBay rates Birmingham as the UK’s hotspot for e-commerce start-ups, with over 1,000 of these new businesses have contributed over £18 million to the local economy.

  • iCentrum – a £35 million Digital Plaza will be one of the first developments within the city centre Enterprise Zone. The development will set the standard for fourth generation science parks and will include a software development playground and a tech incubation facility.

  • The New Technology Institute (NTI), part of Birmingham City University, produces graduates from super-vocational, industry backed postgraduate degree courses in video games development (Gamer Camp), digital marketing (Future Media) and film marketing and distribution (Film Futures).

If you specialise within tech and are searching for new opportunities, get in contact. You can email us at bham@prestigeltd.co.uk.