Global Well-Being Survey Where Does Your Country Rank

Global Well-Being Survey Where Does Your Country Rank Britons’ sense of personal well-being has declined sharply over the past three years as financial pressures mount and put a strain on family health, new research from  Cigna International Markets  reveals. The findings, part of the 2017  annual Cigna 360 ° Well-being Survey, reveals that well-being has deteriorated in the UK compared to the 13 countries surveyed. The UK’s ranking in Cigna’s 360 well-being index has fallen from 3rd place in 2015 to 5th in 2016, with the UK ranking in 8th  place in the latest survey released today. In terms of well-being, Britain now ranks behind India, Thailand, China, Spain, UAE, Indonesia and New Zealand in the global rankings.   More than 14,000 people were surveyed globally, including over 1,000 in the UK. The research looked at five main components of people’s sense of well-being:  their physical health, their family lives, their social lives, their finances and their work. On each of these criteria, people in the UK said their position had declined during 2016. Family life suffered the biggest fall, with more than half of Britons surveyed said they felt they didn’t spend enough time with their family. The increasing pressures of working life were also highlighted, with many people feeling their workplace health schemes should do more to contribute to their overall well-being.  Over half (54%) of respondents said their company did not value their work-life balance, and only a third (32%) felt their workplace wellness programme matched their needs. Furthermore, half (50%) of those surveyed said that the current economic environment is having a negative impact on their financial situation. The UK scored poorly on every single financial measure including current finances, provision for retirement, meeting medical needs and maintaining the standard of living. Commenting on the findings, Peter Mills, Medical Director at Cigna Global Health Benefits, said that he was not surprised: Today, people are faced with an uncertain political and economic environment, and concerns about the future are inevitably taking a toll on their well-being. People feel that they are not spending enough time with their families, and they’re also worried about the future for their children, for themselves and for their parents. Britain’s fall in the global rankings is not only a concern for families, but for businesses as well. It is a clear early warning sign that employers need to start thinking more deeply about how to better support employees’ work-life balance. With half our waking hours spent at work, it will require a combined work-life solution in order to improve the nation’s overall well-being. Family well-being falls to an all-time low All family health indicators have declined sharply since 2015, with people in the UK feeling worse about every aspect of family life this year. The biggest falls in well-being were seen in people’s perceptions of their ability to look after their children’s financial needs; only one-third (38%) of respondents feel that they can take good care of these needs. In addition, parents are feeling the increasing strain of modern life, with more than half (53%) worried that they are not spending enough time with their families. Long-term care for elderly parents is also a major concern, with only one in four (26%) saying they felt they would be able to take care of their parents’ financial needs,  and less than two in five (38%) saying they could take care of their parents’ health and well-being. Averil Leimon, leadership psychologist with the White Water Group said: Uncertainty and anxiety undermine well-being. In earlier eras, you might believe you knew where you were: you had got a job, a final salary pension that you knew about a long time ahead, and a mortgage eventually paid it off as security. Now nothing feels as clear-cut. One of the most stressful factors is a sense of being out of control, or not having the knowledge that can make it easier to make decisions about your future. Young at heart Britons and financial well-being The survey indicates that the Brits are ‘young at heart’; when asked at what age people reach old age, respondents cited 70, higher than the response given in every other country except Spain and New Zealand. However, with the world’s population over 60 expected to double in the next 30 years, this is a dangerous attitude. Cigna’s research shows that just one fifth (20%) of people in the UK think they will have sufficient money in retirement. This lack of provision is in part because Britons perceive old age as far off, even when they are over 50, creating an “age trap” where they put off saving enough towards retirement. An equally low number of respondents, only 20% believe they would be financially secure if they were unable to work.Perhaps not surprisingly, those aged 18 to 24 are the age group most concerned about their financial situation if they were unable to work. Work well-being The survey clearly showed that people feel their employers should be providing more support for their overall well-being.Unfortunately today, most employees in the UK are not provided with a workplace wellness programme. Of those that were, more than half said that employer sponsored wellness programmes led to positive health outcomes (58%) and increased employee engagement (54%). However employers still need to go further, with only a third (32%) saying their current workplace wellness programme matched their needs, and more than (54%) of respondents saying their organisation didn’t value their work-life balance, In addition, some 19% said employer health plans should support well-being by making health checks more widely available, whereas currently only 7% of plans offer this facility, and  18% wanted hospitalization benefits, against 5% of plans that provide them. In other countries, this type of employer support for well-being is greatly valued by employees. Internationally, 66% of people regard their workplace insurance as an important part of their employment, with 59% saying their workplace wellness programme is an important decision-making factor in whether to leave a current employer. A clear shift in this area demonstrates that well-being is moving from a ´nice to have ´ to a ´must have ´ benefit for employers to support them in retaining and acquiring talent in their organisations. This compares to only 34% of Britons who value their workplace insurance, and only 30% saying it would influence their decision to change jobs. Peter Mills, continues: The UK not only lags behind many other countries in terms of well-being, it also falls behind in the prevention and awareness programmes offered by employers to promote long-term health. To remedy this, we need both support from employers  and  demand from employees to create the optimum package which will deliver a better work-life balance and improved well-being.

How to Ask About Next Steps in the Interview Process

How to Ask About Next Steps in the Interview Process How to Ask About Next Steps in the Interview Process After Your Interview / https://www.edenscott.com/blog If youre looking for how to ask about next steps in the interview process, youre in the right place.Im going to walk you through how to ask about next steps in the hiring process at the end of your interview, and via email if you forget to ask face-to-face.Lets get startedFinish Your Interview by Asking About Next Steps in the ProcessIts smart to ask about next steps in the interview process right at the end of any job interview.Dont worry if you didnt do this, in the next section Ill show you how to ask about the next steps in the hiring process via email.First, heres how to ask about the next steps in the hiring process in an interview:It was great meeting with you! Thanks so much for your time. What are the next steps in the process, and when can I expect to hear from you?Thats a nice, simple way to ask about the next steps after the interview.If its a phone interview, just say, It was great speaking with you instead of It was great meeting with you .Note that you should ask this at the very end of your interview. It should be one of the last things you say.Asking About Next Steps in the Hiring Process After the InterviewMaybe you already finished your interview. Its still okay to follow-up with the employer to find out about next steps.You can call the HR department or whoever has been scheduling your interviews for you, or you could ask about next steps in the hiring process via email.Heres a script you can use, whether you want to call or email to ask about next steps in the process:Hi Name. I hope youre doing well. I wanted to follow up with you to ask what the next steps in the process will look like for the Job Title position that I interviewed for on Date. Any update you can share would be appreciated.Thank you, Your name3 More Things You Should be Doing While Waiting to Hear About Next Steps1. Be PatientSometimes things take longer than expected after an interview.Sometimes youll be the last person to interview for the job, and they send feedback that same week. However, its possible that theyre interviewing a few other candidates over the coming weeks, so the soonest youd hear feedback is 1-2 full weeks.This is why you want to ask about next steps in the interview process, because its better if you know where the process stands.Employers wont always give you these specifics, but simply asking how the process will look from this point onward often provides you with a lot of insight in terms of what to expect.It also shows interest on your end!Its always better to seem interested after a job interview even if youre not sure its the right fit. If they make an offer and you dont want the job, you can respectfully decline and say that you didnt feel it was the best fit.However, if you dont seem excited after an interview, its hard to recover if you do decide that the job is attractive after you digest all of the information gained during the interview.Asking about future steps is just one way of seemi ng engaged and interested after your interview, which can only benefit you.2. Send a thank you emailThis is another way of expressing interest after an interview, but it is also simply considered polite and professional to thank the interviewers for their time spent with you. Skipping this step can cost you the job offer.If you spoke with multiple people, send a slightly customized email to each. Its not very time consuming, but its nice to have slight differences in the messages in case they compare the emails.Heres an example of what to send:Dear Mary,Thank you for spending time interviewing me on Monday. I really enjoyed learning about the Scientist position and how it would fit into the larger organization. The information you shared about the career progression is very exciting. Im eager to hear about the next steps, and dont hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns in the meantime.Warm regards, Your NameYou can get 3 more interview thank you email examples here.3. Apply for more jobsOne of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is relaxing and reducing their effort once theyve secured one or two job interviews. If you just completed a job interview, resist the urge to stop all other efforts, no matter how much you want that particular job offer. Going on more interviews will only improve your perspective and decision-making ability when it comes time to evaluate job offers. Having multiple offers also provides you with leverage to negotiate with.And most importantly, if you stop all other efforts and then are not offered the job you were waiting for, youre back to square one. This is a huge mistake that job seekers make quite often. Until youve accepted an offer, continue your job search with full effort. You never know what could happen.Now you know how to ask what the next steps are after an interview, whether its in the interview itself or via email or phone.Its never too late to ask, and finding out about the next steps in the hiri ng process will help you stay relaxed and calm while waiting.

MI5 Recruitment University of Manchester Careers Blog

MI5 Recruitment University of Manchester Careers Blog Shhhhh…..   MI5 is currently recruiting for a number of different roles. Roles include language specialists, intelligence analysts and more technical IT positions. Have a look at their recruitment website for a full list. MI5 safeguards the UK against threats to national security such as terrorism, espionage and cyber-attack. For this reason you will have to have the highest form of security clearance and therefore the recruitment process is a little different to the standard ‘civilian’ jobs you may also apply for. I thought it might be useful to try to explain the process and how your circumstances might affect the application process. Eligibility To be eligible you must meet certain residency criteria  if you do not your applications will be unsuccessful. To meet the criteria you must:                     Be a native British Citizen                   Be a naturalized British Citizen (have taken British Citizenship)                   One of your   parents must be a British citizen or have substantial times to the UK Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for 9 out of the last 10 years. If you have studied abroad, spent a year living abroad with your parents or have served in HM Forces you will still be considered. MI5 welcome applications from graduates from any degree discipline as long as you can show you have the right skills and qualities to fulfil the role. Obviously If you were to apply to become a language specialist having certain language skills would be essential. Application Process All jobs are advertised via  the website with suitable graduate level roles being advertised throughout the year. You can apply for roles as soon as they are live on the site.  Due to the sensitive nature of the work you may be carrying out you will have undergone a vetting process (known as Developed Vetting). This vetting process is designed to ensure that your character and personal circumstances are such that you can be trusted with sensitive government material.  All information provided and obtained will be confidential and held separately from your application. Due to this vetting process the application procedure takes around 6 months to complete. You will therefore need to think about what you will do during this time. Perhaps an MGIP role or other opportunity advertised on Careerslink may be appropriate.   If you are considering time abroad think carefully about this would you be willing to travel back to the UK for any recruitment activities you may be asked to take part in? You may only submit one application at a time so you will need to  think carefully about which role you are most interested in, and most suitable for. Read the job descriptions carefully and use the employability skills section of our website to help you think about the skills that you have already developed and how you could develop more. You shouldn’t apply for the same role more than once in a 12 month period â€" Therefore you will need to have a Plan B’. Search on Careerslink for other graduate opportunities or come in to the Careers Service for a guidance appointment  to discuss your options. For more information on the reruitment process see the Mi5 website and read this useful graduate careers guide.   All Graduate

Assess yourself Should you launch a startup

Assess yourself Should you launch a startup I fired Melissa. We were bickering all the time. And she was saying I’m impossible to work for and I was saying she’s impossible to manage. The problem is Im a mad raving lunatic about making sure that people who work for me like working for me. When Ian, the guy who I was going to do a company with but then ended up not doing a company with, asked Ryan Healy and Ryan Paugh for references for me, they said I was loyal and caring and they both gave me so much credit for helping their careers and it just made me really really happy. I want to know I am making peoples’ lives better. So when I told Melissa I was going to launch a company, she asked what her job would be, and I said, “Nothing. You are not in my company. If youre wondering if you’re going to be a good startup founder, ask yourself if you are able to fire friends. Right now most of you are thinking, “Oh. Then I couldnt do it.” But some of you are big enough jerks to be startup founders, so here are more things you need to have up your sleeve: 1. Ability to make difficult decisions quickly. I couldnt totally fire her because she does an amazing job with the photos on this blog. So I fired her from everything besides that. I am largely heartless about firing people, which is why I’m a good startup founder, so I just moved on, right away. I didnt know Melissa was crying. 2. Ability to put together scrappy solutions to big problems. So when I asked her for the login information for the Start Your Own Company  webinar, she ignored me. That was a problem because tons of people have been buying the on-demand version and for a few days there, I couldnt find it.  But eventually I got most of the information I needed. Then I went to New York to lock down funding for my startup, and Melissa moved to New York because her laid-back Austin boyfriend suddenly became her high-flying financial industry New York boyfriend. I brought her flowers. Hydrangea. She said, “What is this?” “It’s a housewarming present. And a let’s-be-friends present.” “That is so awkward.” “Why? Don’t you like the flowers?” “No. I don’t want to be your friend. You don’t have any friends. You just have people you work with, so I want to work with you because I love being part of your life.” I said no. I held firm. I am not having people who don’t like working for me working for me. Melissa pushed until I apologized for being rude and inconsiderate and then before I knew it, we were shopping for an outfit for me to wear to meet the investors. Which is good, because who knows how I would have picked one by myself? 3. Ability to sell an crazy idea to a cynical audience. I got funding. I am a rock star, okay? I funded my company with two phone calls and two meetings. Okay. Well, you could say it that way, or, you could say that I have actually launched three companies in the past three years that sucked and were unfundable and died the day I showed someone the deck. The moral here is that if you have a good startup idea, it gets funded. 4. Ability to handle financial insecurity. The farm bank account has been funding the company, but Matthew has to buy cattle and we are approaching a disaster because I did things like buy a domain name instead of pay my phone bill. (And like ten other bills too because domain names are not cheap.) So the day after my meetings where I am dressed very well I tell Melissa I can’t hang out with her because I need to open a bank account so the investors can wire the money so that I do not fall into financial ruin. But it was too late for that. 5. Ability to recognize a good hire and a bad hire. Melissa decided to tag along on the trip to the bank. We get to the bank and I can’t open an account because I don’t have a New York address. So she gives me hers.  Then I can’t open an account because I don’t have a $100 check to deposit into the account. So Melissa writes a check.  And then, it turns out I cannot open a bank account because my other account at Wells Fargo is overdrawn. So Melissa is not fired anymore. Instead she is opening my company’s new bank account. And I am documenting it. 6. Ability to be transparent in order to instill trust. The bank guy, who told us 400 times please do not use his name on my blog, said that it looks like I work for Melissa now. Melissa said, “Yeah. It’s my company. And you’re fired.” I tell the bank guy we are in a rush and he needs to open another teller window or something. Melissa tells me to shut up. I tell him I meant it in a nice way. I take his picture but he ducks. I say, “Don’t you want to be on my blog?” He says, “I think the Internet today is often demeaning of our privacy.” Melissa says, “Penelope doesn’t do privacy. Well, she does. She sells her own. And mine.” That pretty much ruined any chance of me getting his picture. But you’ll have to just trust me that he was very excited to be helping us launch my company. 7. Ability to experience wild mood swings. I decide I will do work while Melissa opens my account. And then I drop all my stuff on the floor. And then I am losing my phone and I am yelling to her from under the desk that I can’t find my phone and she is taking pictures of me using my phone. I love Melissa for caring so much about me that shes taking pictures and opening a bank account. I want to hug her, but she’s the size of a seven-year-old girl, so it’s better to just do intellectual banter with her. And to her, thats like a hug. While we wait in the bank guy’s office Melissa tells me it’s frustrating that I either love her or I’m screaming at her. I tell her it’s how I’m supposed to be. I search my phone for  this link  about entrepreneurship. Look, read this. It’s a present for you, I tell her. She reads. The money quote is People who are on the energetic, motivated, and creative side are both more likely to be entrepreneurial and more likely to have strong emotional states. Those states may include depression, despair, hopelessness, worthlessness, loss of motivation, and suicidal thinking.” She says, “This is a present for you, not me. You think this justifies your erratic behavior.” “Hm. You’re right. And I think it lets you know why you are so lucky to be a part of it.” I show the article to the bank guy. He is our friend now. “Would you ever do a startup?” I ask him. Melissa says, “Of course he wouldnt do that. He’s too nice. He is pleasant. He has social skills.” He does not know if this is a compliment or an insult, but in any case, he says the account is done. The wire transfer will be available in an hour. We go out to lunch to celebrate the new company. I still have no money, so Melissa pays, and I take a picture.

10 Most Effective Ways to Train New Employees - CareerMetis.com

10 Most Effective Ways to Train New Employees Source -Pexels.comHiring a new employee is a cause for celebration. Congratulations!You’ve finally found the perfect person for the job. But before you breathe a sigh of relief and get back to business as usual, ask yourself: Do you have a plan in place to welcome and train your new hire?Busy companies often struggle to manage an effective onboarding and training process. Yet training lays an important role in retention; 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company if they have a good onboarding experience, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.evalIn this article, you’ll learn ten simple strategies for improving how you train new employees so you can improve employee retention too.1) Make a PlanFor something as important as onboarding, you don’t want to just wing it. Before your new hire starts work, make a list of everything you need to cover during training. Put yourself in their shoes, and ask what information will be most valuable.Consider the f ollowing questions as you get started:What knowledge or skills do they need to start their first project?What logistical items do you need to handle right away Adapt their training to best suit their learning preferences. Ideally, your training should incorporate elements of different kinds of learning styles so you can easily adapt your onboarding for future new hires as well.3) Take It SlowOnboarding can often feel like a marathonâ€"for both you and your new hire. Instead of trying to cram a year’s worth of information into a week, make training a gradual, ongoing process.Divide big topics into smaller, more manageable tasks. Give your employment opportunities to test new knowledge in a supportive environment where they can ask questions and get immediate feedback.Remember that they’re absorbing a lot of information all at once. Leave time in between training sessions for them to process what they’re learning. And don’t be frustrated if your new employee needs to be told i nstructions more than onceâ€"in fact, you should actively encourage your employees to ask follow-up questions to ensure they understand what you are teaching them.4) Get Support from Team MembersevalThere’s no rule that says one person has to manage training single-handedly. In fact, it’s beneficial for a new employee to learn from and get to know multiple team members during their onboarding. Each one will share a different set of skills and expertise.Evaluate the strengths and talentsof your team. Match individuals with training tasks where they will shine, but keep the focus of each task narrow and measurable to avoid overload. 5) Use Technology to Your AdvantageTake advantage of technology that makes employee training easier and sets your new employee up for success.Set up ways for new hires to digitally and remotely fill out their HR forms before they start so you can jump into other onboarding processes sooner.Create a video introduction to your company and team that new h ires can refer back to themselves instead of having to ask a coworker.Use a project management tool like Asana, Basecamp, or Trello to give the new hire more control over their own onboarding experience as you have them move through tasks.Utilize third-party learning apps or platforms for additional professional development.Be open to new tools, and find what helps your employees get up to speed.6) Don’t Forget about CultureYou want your new employee to feel engaged and invested in your companyâ€"not only in what you do but also in who you are.As you structure your onboarding, think about what you expect from your new hires as part of your team culture:What core values should they share?What behaviors and attitudes do you want to model?Look for opportunities to integrate cultural fit into the employee training process. If community service is crucial to your mission, for example, you could make a team volunteer project or a pro bono assignment part of onboarding.Be clear with your new employee if there are specific team normsfor them to be aware ofâ€"it can be difficult to grasp those things on their own as a new hire overwhelmed by the work of learning new tasks, people, and processes.7) Assign Group Work It’s intimidating to be the newest member of a team. A new employee wants to make a good first impression and not make any big mistakes while they’re learning the ropes.evalEase the pressure on a newcomer by putting them in a small groupâ€"no more than three to five peopleâ€"to tackle a real-life challenge your company is facing.Ask open-ended questionssuch as “Where should we allocate our marketing budget for Q3?” or “When we open our new store location, what do we need for the launch event?” In a small group, every team memberâ€"whether they are an introvert, extrovert, veteran manager, or new hireâ€"has a chance to bring their ideas and experiences to the table. This atmosphere facilitates critical thinking, builds camaraderie, and encourage s creativity.8) Troubleshoot in Real-TimePay attention to how each step of the training is going. Don’t wait until the weekâ€"or monthâ€"is over to start troubleshooting and adapting your processes.As you go through your onboarding plan, ask yourself these questions daily:evalWhat seems to be clicking right away?What are the stumbling blocks?What do we need to revisit at a later date?Check-in often with your new employee. Ask and answer questions. Make it clear that you don’t expect them to understand everything immediately. Be flexible as you move forward. If part of the training isn’t working, figure out what the problem is, and try it another way.9) Give Prompt FeedbackAs your employee starts to feel more comfortable in the company and their role, give feedbackon their performance. Let them know where they’re doing a great job, and offer help in areas where they can make improvements.Offering specific guidelines early in the process will help set expectations for future w ork as well.Work with the employee to set specific goals for the first few months. What is achievable within the first month? The first quarter? The first six months? Give them ownership over these objectives, but lend support when needed.10) Stay PresentIt will take time for a new hire to feel like a full, integral member of the team. Depending on the person and the position, this transition phase may last weeks or months.Make sure that you and other team members remain available to answer questions, help solve problems, and offer encouragement along the way.Your employees are your company’s most valuable asset. Invest in their training and development from the beginning, and you will reap long-term benefits.

How to get your dream job The 7 Steps CAREERS Program - Jane Jackson Career

How to get your dream job The 7 Steps CAREERS Program - Jane Jackson Career Follow The 7 Steps CAREERS Program to confidently manage your career change and discover the essential steps to secure your dream role!http://youtu.be/H99bbNYHUrIGoing through a career transition can be an emotional roller coaster and at times you may feel quite daunted by the entire process.   Let me guide your through the process so that you gain the clarity and confidence to take control of your career and get that dream job!Youll learn what really makes you tick, what your transferable skills are and how to create a killer resume and LinkedIn profile.Discover the most effective strategies to attract the attention of the right people and uncover those hidden jobs.   Take control of the interview process by preparing thoroughly so that you will confidently project your most professional image.   Once you receive an offer, learn how to negotiate effectively and transition into your new job.If you need more information email jane@janejacksoncoach.com or call +61(2) 8076 4808 to book in for a 15 minute consultation to find out how you can take control of your career.

How a Free Resume Writer Can Help Your Career

How a Free Resume Writer Can Help Your CareerA free resume writer is someone who offers you a free service for writing your CV. They will take care of all the technicalities for you in writing a short but very professional resume that you can put up on the internet. Some people prefer to have a professional writer to do it for them.If you do decide to use a writer, make sure you get one who is trained to write resumes and cover letters in a variety of fields and has a range of experiences under their belt. You will want a writer who understands the need for layman style resume formats, one who is adept at describing each aspect of your education and work experience. They will not only help you reach the top positions in your field, they will also help you reach them faster.When you hire a professional writer to do your resume for you, make sure you find someone who can be flexible with your needs. They should understand that you have different life situations and different expectatio ns from how you want your resume to be formatted. If they can provide you with a resume format that you might like but one that doesn't meet your needs, they should be able to give you the option of a format that would. They should be able to write to suit your career goals, and should be willing to discuss with you which career paths are the best for you.You might be considering a different career path than the one you thought you were going to pursue. Since this is a free service, it might be a good idea to ask what qualifications the writers have to write a resume that's right for you. You don't want to be stuck in the same position as a few months down the road when you can no longer update your resume and need help writing a new one.Some people get so wrapped up in their careers that they forget to prepare their resumes. Since they are a service offered free of charge, make sure you give them your time and work so that they can develop a format that you can be proud of. This is a chance to show your capabilities and showcase them so your future employer will know you are in the running for a position.It is really a shame if you don't get hired because your resume was not properly presented. You might have to put off updating it because you felt it wasn't up to par. The money you will have saved by using a free resume writer will mean the world to you, especially when you know you are up to par and ready to go.There are many things to consider when you are creating a successful resume. A free resume writer can help you get past that first stage and move to the next step in your application. By using a professional, it will be possible to get your career off to a good start and one that will eventually lead to a full-time position.A free resume writer can be an asset to you. Make sure you take advantage of their service and you won't regret it. Your career is waiting for you, but before you submit your resume, make sure you have taken the time to learn more about the person you are applying to.