Member News

One of East Anglia’s largest independent recruitment agencies is embarking on a Summer vacation – to help people into work and offer career advice along the way! To celebrate Norfolk Day, Contract Personnel, who have offices in Norwich, Thetford and Great Yarmouth are launching the ‘A-Z of Norfolk – The Summer Vacation’. The initiative will see their recruitment experts travelling to different places in Norfolk – using each of the letters of the alphabet! To carry out their journey across the county, Contract Personnel will be using their brand-new interview job bus – which comes fitted with an area specifically for interviews and registrations. They are now asking for readers to get in touch with some potential locations to visit – during the Summer Holidays – to offer expert career tips and knowledge to people who may be looking for work. Sarah Hooper, Director at Contract Personnel, said: “This year, we wanted to celebrate Norfolk Day in style with our biggest expedition yet – in our interview job bus. “Our team are looking forward to heading out across the county and helping as many people as possible to find work. We would encourage anyone to get in touch with us about where we should stop on our ‘Summer Vacation’.” The team at Contract Personnel plan to take photographs at each location and will be handing out goodies and treats along the way. If you spot the bus at any time during the Summer Holidays, you can message Contract Personnel on their social media pages – using the hashtag #CPLSUMMERVACATION. And be sure to follow them on Facebook for the full itinerary and details of their epic holiday adventures. Photo credit – Contract Personnel

A Greater Anglia podcast series which takes people on an audible journey around East Anglia has won a top national award. ‘Lives On The Lines’ – developed by Greater Anglia and its community rail partnerships – received a Bronze Award for the Best Branded Podcast at the British Podcast Awards. The series – which can be found at smarturl.it/livesonthelines – invites listeners to take an audible journey to discover majestic coastlines, the phenomenal wildlife of broads and fens, breathtaking cathedral cities and magical market towns of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk – and meet the people that make them such unique and special places to live, work and visit. Special guests include Hugh Somerleyton, who discusses his ambition for rewilding a large area of the region through the WildEast movement, Laura Howarth, Archaeology and Engagement Manager at National Trust Sutton Hoo, who explains how the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial on the site revolutionised our understanding of early England, Dr David Waterhouse, Senior Curator of Natural History & Geology at Norfolk Museums Service who reveals the secrets of North Norfolk’s fossil-rich deep history coast, and Mark Bills, Director of Gainsborough’s House Museum, who sheds light on the life and work of one of England’s greatest landscape painters, Thomas Gainsborough. They are joined by local tour guides, museum curators and some of Greater Anglia’s volunteer station adopters, who share their experiences of living and working in the region and help to tell the story of each county’s unique landscape, culture and history and divulge some of its secrets. Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, Alan Neville, said, “We teamed up with our community rail partnerships to make this podcast because we wanted to showcase the amazing people and places that make this region so special. We are delighted it has been recognised with an award and hope that it will inspire people to come aboard and discover the wonders of East Anglia for themselves sustainably by train and could even be used like a guided audio tour as the scenery rolls by.” “On behalf of Greater Anglia and our community rail partnerships, I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who helped to make this series possible, especially all the guest collaborators who have helped to build a fascinating insight into our region.” There are six episodes in total covering six of Greater Anglia’s branch lines that are supported by a community rail partnership. They are the Hereward Line between Ely and Peterborough, the Bittern Line between Norwich and Sheringham, the Wherry Lines between Norwich and Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft, the East Suffolk Lines between Ipswich and Lowestoft / Felixstowe, the Gainsborough Line between Marks Tey and Sudbury and the Mayflower Line between Manningtree and Harwich. The podcasts were created by Fresh Air Production and are produced and narrated by Katherine Kerr. Greater Anglia has another podcast series, Life on Rails, which gives listeners a behind the scenes look at the company with interviews with members of staff and a special guest in every episode who is sent on a rail journey in East Anglia. Life on Rails, also produced by Fresh Air Productions, can be found on all podcast platforms and at greateranglia.co.uk/podcast. Photo credit Greater Anglia

A public consultation on Norfolk County Council’s Norwich Western Link project will launch in August, with people being invited to give their views on proposals before the planning application is finalised and submitted. The Norwich Western Link is a new 3.9 mile dual carriageway road that would connect the A1270 Broadland Northway to the A47 west of Norwich. As well as improving travel between these two major routes, the new road would tackle traffic congestion and delays on the local road network and in communities, and prevent them from worsening due to planned housing and job growth in Greater Norwich. The Pre-Planning Application Public Consultation will launch on Monday 15 August and will close eight weeks later, at midnight on Sunday 9 October. Cllr Martin Wilby, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure at Norfolk County Council, said: “This is our fourth public consultation on the Norwich Western Link and it will provide more details on the design of the route, including the viaduct over the River Wensum, as well as complementary measures being proposed as part of the project. “This is a vital piece of infrastructure for Norfolk that will bring in national investment and make a huge positive difference to local residents, businesses, emergency services and visitors to our county. We want to submit the best possible planning application for this project and getting people’s feedback at this point will help us to do that. I hope anyone with any interest in the Norwich Western Link will look through the information contained in the consultation and give us their views so we can consider them as we finalise our proposals.” Four consultation events will be held during the consultation period, with information on display and members of the project team available to discuss the proposals and answer questions. These events will be held at:

• Barnham Broom Village Hall on Friday 2 September (12-8pm)
• The Costessey Centre on Friday 9 September (1-8pm)
• Weston Longville Hall for All on Thursday 15 September (12-8pm)
• Felthorpe Village Hall on Thursday 22 September (12-8pm)

There will also be opportunities for people to speak to members of the project team about the proposals via bookable online and phone appointments. Once the consultation launches, people will be able to view information on the proposals via the Norfolk County Council website at www.norfolk.gov.uk/nwl, and fill in an online questionnaire. Email and postal responses will also be accepted. The planning application for the project is due to be submitted next year. Subject to gaining necessary statutory approvals, construction of the Norwich Western Link is scheduled to get underway in late 2024 with the road open for use in late 2026. Images provided by Norfolk County Council

A recent poll looking at Menopause in the Workplace (commissioned by Koru Kids), found that 18% of women in UK workplaces are currently experiencing menopause or perimenopause symptoms were considering leaving their job. When you consider that women (within the menopausal age range) are the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce – 4 million women aged 45-55 in work (ONS 2021), it is clear that unless businesses start to reflect on how they support their employees, they are at risk of losing a vital part of their workforce which could have been unavoidable. Here’s five tips for a dedicated workplace approach to managing the menopause:

• Encourage Education. Move sharply away from the idea that only women of the menopausal age need to understand how menopause affects an individual. Look to feature resources on your intranet, in lunch and learn opportunities, or even as part of the induction and line management training process.
• Create Change Champions. Whether you label a small group of people as your dedicated team on the menopause or not, it can certainly help to have the reflections and insights of a number of professionals who may want to help you shape that workplace approach. Remember to include those who are partners of those experiencing the menopause, and those who are yet to reach this point in their life.
• Risk Assess and Identify Adjustments. Once you have greater knowledge about the symptoms and the likely impact on an individual of the menopause, it’s time to look at how you risk assess the implication on certain roles. Are there things which a person experiencing the menopause may now find more difficult to do? Equally, look at what reasonable adjustments could be applied for someone who is going through the menopause. What tasks could be tweaked or swapped out, without it causing that person embarrassment or frustration?
• Strengthen a Communication Culture. All employees should feel they have the ability to speak up about how they are treated or what they are feeling. Ensure that it is clear to your staff – at all ranks – that their views will be heard, respected, and treated confidentially. Let them know what options there are for having a conversation with a professional other than the immediate line manager or head-of-business.
• Reflect Menopause Experience in Performance Management. How you would normally evaluate a staff member’s performance or effectiveness may indeed change during a period in which they are experiencing the menopause. Consider this in your existing performance management activity, and ensure all line managers and leaders are aware of such factors.

For more information and to get key tools to help you go the MAD-HR Menopause toolkit. Image provided by MAD-HR

Is it possible to feel lonely, even when you’re interacting with dozens of colleagues every day? Absolutely it is – particularly since Covid and the move for more employees to work from home. According to data from the Department of Digital Culture, Media and Sport (2021), the cost of loneliness to UK employers is an eye-watering £2.5 billion every year. Loneliness is just one of the wellbeing issues increasingly reported among employees who work remotely, and it is vital that businesses respect this reality and do all they can to ensure staff are supported. As with so many things we suggest here at MAD-HR, it starts with ‘culture’. Whatever your scale of business, you can set the tone for how staff feel and experience their daily lives. Emphasising connection, relationship-building, collaborative working and frequent team engagement, can all prove a dramatic benefit in limiting the way in which loneliness is felt (if at all). There are key points in an employee’s work cycle, where one could easily expect there to be more vulnerability to loneliness and low well-being. This might include at the point they join the firm, that they return from a period of sickness or maternity, or because of something entirely unrelated to work. Leaders should work hard to ensure that person is mentored, supported, and has the opportunity to relay how they are feeling at all times. Some businesses also address well-being issues with directly appointed ‘champions’ within the company. These champions might be trained mental health first aiders, and would be primed to support their peers with conversation wherever needed. Other ways of enhancing well-being, might include regularly changing which staff are ‘teamed’ together for particular initiatives or projects. Tackling a task with different remote-working colleagues can spark new conversation and debate, and allow individuals to shine where they might not have felt it possible alongside other peers. Remember that even where your staff are continuing to ‘work remotely’, there are many ways of using technology to ensure that person is frequently part of the daily worplace conversation, and that they can be involved in social activities. Post-covid, do remember that it’s possible, and appropriate to add in ‘in person’ socialisation too. You could have frequent team days, walk and talk opportunities, or all attend key business networking events together. Finally, always encourage your own staff to contribute on what they feel would aid the reduction of loneliness in your particular workplace. They know its people, its culture and its routine. Their insight can help you develop a prevention policy which supports all your current and future employees, and aid you in providing a shining example to other business peers. Image and video provided by MAD-HR

It’s all very well for a business to have a marketing strategy, a financial strategy, and even a business development strategy, but there’s one kind of strategy that every business (large or small) should commit to – a unique Well-Being Strategy. It doesn’t take a genius to know that if employee well-being is low, we risk reduced productivity or losing employees from their roles; let’s face it, employee turnover is incredibly expensive. If you really want to aid recruitment, and retention, and breed a culture where staff feel valued and cared for, then a Well-Being Strategy is your absolute must. Here’s what to consider:

• Know what it is that your staff want. Too many firms create wellbeing strategies without really understanding how employees feel and what might benefit them. Have discussions, create feedback, and truly commit to producing a strategy which speaks of the very issues which your staff face everyday.
• Consider what health and wellbeing benefits are in place already. Before you completely chuck the bath water out, look with brutal honesty at what is working and what is not. Assess any existing Employee Assistance Programmes. Make sure that what you have in place serves people better than simply at crisis stage.
• Share and compare. Don’t be afraid to chat to peers in the business community about what they do and don’t do. Rely on your established network for insight. Turn to other leaders you admire.
• Bring in external specialists if you feel it would be of longer term benefit to succeed at this task. Sometimes, our own PAYE employees may not have the specialist skills to create such strategies from scratch. External consultants can give you a healthy new perspective.
• Embed what you agree. Ensure that all staff understand that time and commitment will be put into bringing your strategy into play. Communicate those changes internally and allow staff to share their views at all stages of the process.
• Assess and amend as needed. Don’t make a strategy and think you’ve ticked the box. Continually reflect on whether it still works or whether elements need to change. You might even appoint ‘ambassadors’ or ‘champions’ to repeatedly report back on what is working well or less well.

Image and video provided by MAD-HR

It has not been an easy road for independent agencies over the past 20 years, with uncertainties such as a recession and the more recent Covid-19 pandemic. Coming out stronger than ever is Naked Marketing, proudly celebrating their 20th anniversary this July 2022. 

With a purpose of helping organisations be the very best they can be by exposing their greatness through on and offline, branding, design, and marketing, Naked, a creative marketing agency, has transitioned with the developments in technology to incorporate the rise of social media and digital platforms. Proud advocates of Norfolk businesses, Naked have built up an impressive client roster over their 20-year history including Midwich, Hadley & Ottaway, and Allen & Page, and, more recently, AF Group, Gasway and Roarr! Dinosaur Park. A key value of Naked’s is  ‘Once naked, stay naked’; more than 50% of their clients have been with them for over five years and 20% have been naked for nearly the full duration.

Although a focus on awards isn’t their primary objective, Naked were honoured to have received EDP Small Business of the Year and runner-up Business of the Year Awards in the same year.

Naked started their 20th anniversary year strongly, announcing the appointment of James Hale as a new Director and the Head of Marketing and Digital. Experiencing strong digital growth, Naked reported their 2021-22 revenue increased by 86% in digital and marketing services alone. 

David Lloyd, Managing Director at Naked Marketing has been with the firm from the outset as co-founder. With over 20 years experience in the creative industry, David, a graphic designer, has co-lead the design team with Dan Bradfield and managed Naked’s design studio. He stepped up into his current role as the UK moved into Covid-19 lockdowns and has steered the team to triumph in their 20th year.  

Reflecting upon the success they have achieved over the years, their ethos of keeping it simple, with a no-nonsense, stripped-back approach to marketing continues to enable their growth supporting local businesses. 

David comments ‘Working with businesses of all shapes and sizes, it’s an organisation’s ambition or story that turns us on rather than their budget – we have to add more value than we charge. This concept helps us create long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial. We get to know our clients better. We want to create a marriage. It’s been the recipe for 20 years of success!’

Looking to the future, Naked are moving forward with a focus on brand marketing led by Dan Bradfield, Creative Director, Head of Design and Branding. Their ultimate aim is to take away over-complicated ambiguous definitions and jargon, and help small to medium businesses present themselves to their audience.

To mark the prestigious monument, Naked celebrated in style, with a grand birthday bash held on 15th July 2022. Clients new and former were invited to the festivities with the Naked team.

Images provided by Naked Marketing

Captain Fawcett has received many requests to augment his renowned Hair Styling range and as such is delighted to present his simply magnificent and entirely new product line of most efficacious Hair Pomades. Created with old school panache, the Captain’s Patent Pomades will ensure the discerning gentleman goes about his business with ne’er a hair out of place. Unless, perchance, one prefers a more dishevelled style! Sculpt all manner of looks from slick and super glossy to tousled and texturised with a no-shine matt finish. Malleable texture, maximum volume, strong control all delivered with a rather sophisticated fragrance of verdant wood and subtle spice with a citrus spike to keep things sharp. And, may I add, Captain Fawcett’s Patent Pomades work really rather well for adding a pert polish to Pin-Up kiss curls. One for the glamour gals! I say! The fragrance is subtle and sophisticated combining verdant wood notes and a hint of spice sharpened with citrus. Presented in handsome, highly collectible and environmentally friendly reusable tins, classically styled in 4 complementary colours with luxurious gold embellishment. Perfect for displaying as a set, smartly lined up on the bathroom shelf or dressing table. Award winning Barber and Educator Sid Sottung says; ‘The packaging is bloody brilliant. The container is easy to grip so they’re incredibly barber friendly to use. It’s also very large so you really get your money’s worth. Fantastic both for barbers and for clients to style their hair at home.’ Hair Dressing at its very finest…no less!  Huzzah! SHOP HERE: www.captainfawcett.com/collections/pomade   Images provided by Captain Fawcetts

Whether you work from home or in the office or a bit of both, we all need to remember to take care of our wellbeing. It is too easy to forget about looking after ourselves when we are engrossed in our work. Just stop for a moment and have a look at some of these simple and easy self-massage techniques. Stress Headache Depending on what is more comfortable for you, choose your thumb, your fist, or a tennis ball. Find the tender spot in front of your ears (which is on the same level of your eyebrows). Once you find the tender spot, rub in circular motions applying constant pressure for 2-3 minutes. Move up towards the top of your head, one inch at a time and repeat. Taking deep slow breaths will also help you to relax. Scalp Massage There is nothing more relaxing than a scalp massage – it helps to stimulate blood flow and ease the tense muscles around your head. Place the heel of your palms under your hair on either side of your head near your temples. Push your scalp up towards the ceiling, hold a few seconds and release. Work in sections, until you have covered your entire scalp. Also, massaging your scalp with your fingers as if you are washing your hair is very comforting. Jaw Clenching A high majority of us tend to tense our jaws without thinking. Relax the muscles in your face by placing your fingers just under your cheekbones, gently applying pressure, with circular motion, as you drag your fingers down towards the corner of your lips. Repeat several times, finally pulling down to a spot next to your lips. Smile! This is a good way of relaxing your jaw and face muscles and if no-one is looking pull all sorts of faces mouth open or shut! Neck and Shoulders Probably the most common complaint we see – neck and shoulder pain as a result slouching over a computer. As human beings we are not designed to sit down for hours at a time. Start off with taking a deep breath, drop your shoulders and slowly tuck your chin to your chest, this will gently be stretching your neck. Please be aware to do this gently and stop if it ever feels uncomfortable. Then place your fingertips to the back of your neck where your shoulder begins. Press in firmly and hold for several moments, releasing when the muscle feels more relaxed or after ten long seconds. Finish with rolling your shoulders forward and backward several times. Hand Massage Our hands often get forgotten about – time to give them some TLC. Place your thumb in the centre of your inner wrist, rub gentle circles across that spot on both wrists. Next, take your fingers and move to the heel of your palm, apply pressure in a gentle circular motion. Take your thumb and rub at the first knuckle of your thumb, and rub in a circular motion for twenty seconds, move to the next knuckle and finally move to the nail and repeat the motion, then gently pull the finger to stretch the joint. Remember to repeat on each finger. Make a point of taking regular breaks and practice these simple techniques, you will soon feel so much better. Image provided by Hands On At Work

It may be perks such as private medical insurance, gym membership, activities such as yoga classes or massage sessions, all of which are commendable but are you starting from a good place? For any wellbeing strategy to be successful, staff need to feel comfortable with what is being offered and that comes from being in a supportive, open and honest environment.

1. Organise regular one to one sessions between managers and staff to encourage discussion about the impact of workloads, targets and deadlines which are often the root cause of workplace stress. If staff are feeling anxious or worried, they are less likely to engage in wellbeing activities.
2. Have regular staff forums to find out what staff would like to see in place. Encouraging everyone to be part of the process promotes feelings of inclusivity and being part of a team.
3. Create Wellbeing Champions to keep the conversations going.
4. Create an online anonymous survey, ask what people would like to see or to comment on wellbeing activities already in place.
5. Provide training for Mental Health First Aiders to be a port of call for anyone struggling with mental health issues. This is particularly important following the pandemic where many suffered with their mental health and which is still having an impact on their working lives.
6. Many businesses now have a hybrid model where there is a mixture of staff working from home and in the office. It is important to think of activities that include everyone, for example, something they can take part in online so it doesn’t matter if you are taking part from your screen at home or in the office. It’s important no-one feels excluded.
7. Don’t forget social interactions are just as important as work. Arrange social events, competitions and challenges to improve morale and team building. It shows downtime is part of the culture and wellbeing ethos.

Why is wellbeing at work so important? The days of a good job being defined by a decent salary alone are long gone, people want to know what else can an employer offer, and wellbeing is an important factor. Get it right and you will reap financial benefits with staff retention, better engagement which reflects in great customer service and a motivated staff force. This is a great place to start, build on top of that other activities everyone wants to take part in, and you have the beginnings of a great health and wellbeing programme. Images provided by hands on at work, pixabay

In our everyday lives, most of us have a full mind, so many distractions as our energies and time are pulled in different directions, from work schedules, family obligations, taking in the daily news, conversations etc. All of this creates ‘noise’ around us, it’s difficult to think clearly and make plans when there is so much to think about. We all need to just stop for a moment and take stock, but it is so difficult to allow ourselves time to do that. One way of doing so and to reap the benefits is to practice being mindful. What are the benefits of Mindfulness? It allows us to notice and be aware of what is going on around us now, in the present, and to make decisions on where our focus needs to be. Multi-tasking is not being mindful, it’s inefficient, and often when we are trying to do too many things at once, our mind is not clear and we end up doing less than if we concentrated on one thing at a time.  We are less productive leading to feelings of anxiety and stress because we have not achieved what we want to do or what we perceive is expected of us. Ways to practice mindfulness at work.

1. Plan ahead. Think about the tasks you need to fulfil the following day or for the week ahead. I think most of us have come across a system which is often called the ‘Eisenhower Grid’, a 4 square grid which allows you to compartmentalise tasks of urgency and importance so that you can prioritise accordingly. This is a form of mindfulness as you are allowing yourself permission to concentrate on specific tasks rather than an overwhelming feeling of having to get everything done at once.
2. Turn off email alerts. Allocate a time of day and for a certain period in which you check and respond to your emails. Create your own alert where the person sending you an email will receive an automatic response to say that you will be responding to emails at a certain time of day due to your busy workload.
3. Time blocking. If you need to concentrate on a particular task and you do not want to be interrupted, make sure it is blocked out in your diary and let your colleagues know not to disturb you during that time.

There are also simple ways to practice mindfulness whether you are at work or at home.

1. Focus on your breathing. It’s surprising how restful and peaceful you feel when you do this, so if you are feeling anxious or stressed, take a moment to concentrate on your breathing to help calm your mind.
2. Sit quietly (or stand, it doesn’t matter where you are) and if you feel your mind is wandering, just acknowledge that is what it is doing and try to bring yourself back to the present moment. It’s not easy to start with, but you will get better with practice.
3. Have time for other people and give them your undivided attention to properly listen to what they have to say. Nothing worse than trying to have a conversation with someone when you know they are distracted by their phone or something else going on around them. Don’t be that person!

Make mindfulness a daily habit whether at work or at home and feel the difference! Image provided by hands on at work, pixabay

Providing a safe, welcoming, non-clinical space in which people experiencing poor mental health can receive the support and information they need.   Our REST Hubs, located in Norwich, Thetford and Aylsham are open for anyone to walk in regardless of situation, background and circumstances.   To find out more about our REST Hubs and the service provided please visit https://www.norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk/