According to the results of a recent study carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), despite being a significantly wealthier nation than we were in the fifties, we are also more stressed out.

Figures from the CIPD report have shown that since 1952 the UK workforce has increased by six million, an increase thought to be largely related to the rise in the number of female workers.

Whilst the number of workers has increased significantly, the number of working hours has actually stayed the same largely due to an influx of the number of individuals who work part-time.

Nevertheless, despite working hours having stayed the same on average, according to CIPD our stress level as a nation has actually increased.

Whilst there could be a number of reasons behind the rise in stress levels, job uncertainty is thought to be partly to blame. Post recession and many companies are still struggling to make a profit and this means that for many workers, their future hangs in the balance.

According to the same CIPD report, whilst the overall number of individuals in employment has increased during the past few decades, unemployment levels have also risen. Measured by the number of individuals claiming job-seekers allowance, unemployment has jumped to 5.5% of the workforce today, from 2.2% of the workforce in 1952.

The report also found that the percentage of households in which there was no earner has increased from 4% in 1952 to 18.8% on the most recent figures.

Commenting on the study results Dr John Philpott, chief economic advisor for the CIPD said: “With the threat of unemployment an underlying concern even in good times, people do not seem much happier about their working lives and many exhibit the symptoms of work-related stress,”.

If you are concerned about your job security and are exhibiting signs of workplace stress then you may benefit from talking to career coach. A career coach could help you to establish ways of developing in your current role, and can also help individuals who are looking for a complete change in career.

For more information please visit our fact-sheet on career coaching, or use the search tool on our homepage to find a career coach near you. 

View and comment on the original BBC News article. 

You can find them on the train typing furiously on precariously balanced laptops, or by the pool on holiday, emailing with a blackberry in one hand, applying sun-cream to a grumpy spouse with the other.

Workaholics have always been lambasted for their bad social habits, but now experts are wondering if ‘workaholism’ is such a bad thing after all.

The Career Development International has recently published an article arguing that negative portrayals of wokaholism are counter-productive for society.

According to the papers’ author, Professor Yehuda Baruch, an addiction to work can lead to positive outcomes for both society and individuals. Although we tend to associate workaholism with high levels of stress, depression and desintegration of domestic relationships, empirical research has shown that workaholics are more likely to display drive and ambition, rather than negativity and exhaustion.

Professor Baruch draws a comparison between workaholism and chocolate. Although chocolate can make us fat and be bad for our teeth, it has the social benefits of energizing the eater and generating a good feeling. Similarly, workaholics, although perhaps damaging their physical health, reinforce a stronger sense of well-being through their dedication and vigour.

The professor recommends that workers choose how much work they can reasonably carry out, because everybody is different.

If you feel like you need to address your work/home life balance, a life coach could help. To discover more about life coaching, please visit Life Coaching Areas.

View and comment on the original Independent article.

Though Christmas is a time for happiness and cheer, unfortunately alcohol means that tis the season for red faces after we embarrass ourselves in front of friends and colleagues after a few too many.

If you have decided you want to avoid the yearly office party embarrassment or you just don’t fancy a throbbing head or a stomach that’s doing so many turns it could churn butter, then read on for some useful tips on the do’s and don’t of Christmas drinking:

1. Don’t drink on an empty stomach

This is the cardinal rule if you wish to avoid a hangover. Food helps to moderate the absorption of alcohol and also reduces the chances of any stomach irritation.

2. Choose your drinks wisely

According to the brains behind alcohol, congeners – which are impurities produced by the fermentation process are a contributing factor in the severity of a hangover.

Dark spirits such as red wine and brandy contain a higher level of congeners than clear spirits such as vodka and gin, so are preferential if you wish to avoid feeling terrible the day after. The same goes for any alcohols that have been distilled, as they will have been purified to a greater extent meaning lower congener levels.

3. Don’t mix your drinks

Mixing up different drinks with different congener levels and impurities could result in a worse hangover than if you stick to the same tipple all night.

4. Drink water

Alcohol dehydrates the body so stock up before hand so that you will be less dehydrated at the end. Ideally you should also alternate between water and alcohol throughout the night, which not only keeps you hydrated but also means you may end up drinking less alcohol.

It is really important that you know your limits when drinking alcohol, especially when in a working professional environment. If you are concerned about your behaviour when you are under the influence of alcohol then the most sensible option is not to drink at all.

View and comment on the original All About You article.

According to scientists, those of us who have a positive, happy outlook to life have a lower risk of premature death.

The research, which was conducted by scientists from the University College of London studied almost 4,000 people between the ages of 52 – 79. The results of the study showed that those with higher contentment levels stood a 35% reduced risk of premature death than those with a less sunny disposition.

Professor Andrew Steptoe who was lead researcher on the study has said that these findings provide good reasoning as to why positive well-being should be promoted as a remedy for stress.

This is also not the first study to suggest that a ‘glass-half-full’ approach’ to life could be beneficial, with scientists also revealing in the past that positive moods can reduce the production of stress hormones as well as helping to strengthen the immune system.

During the past few years, positive psychology has seen a significant increase in popularity, with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy being made available to NHS patients in a bid to reduce the cost of depression and anxiety to the UK economy.

Many individuals find that dissatisfaction with their personal life, relationship or job role result in a downtrodden everyday approach to life. A life coach is a person who can help you to address areas of your life in which you see room for improvement, and will help you to set attainable goals so you are able to move forward with a more positive outlook.

If you would like to find out about the areas in which a life coach may be able to help you, please visit our life coaching areas page to find out more.

View and comment on the original Daily Mail article.

Who ever said it’s the young ones who want to have all the fun? – According to results from a recent study, 35 – 44 year olds are far more likely to embark on steamy office relations than their younger colleagues

Eyes meeting over the water cooler, lips locking in the stationary cupboard – office affairs always sound so utterly thrilling don’t they? Perhaps that is why a third of office workers have had an affair in the workplace, with 35 – 44 year olds more likely to do so than their younger colleagues.

The survey of 2,000 high flying IT, Law, Finance, Marketing and Management professionals was commissioned by Sony. The results revealed that contrary to popular belief that it is younger colleagues who engage in office affairs more frequently, in actual fact senior members of staff are five times more likely to have been fired for being romantically involved with another colleague than their 18 – 24 year old colleagues.

The bad behaviour of senior members of staff does not end there, the 35 – 44 year old age group were also three times more likely than their younger colleagues to have gone to a meeting whilst hung-over from the previous night, or in some cases whilst still under the influence of alcohol.

This age group was also found to be the worst for fuelling the rumour mill, with one in four respondent’s admitting to sparking a rumour about a colleague – a higher percentage than that of 18-24 year olds.

Despite the initial excitement and attraction of an office affair, many inevitably end badly and there are consequences to consider – being treated differently by your boss for instance, could make you the target of comments from colleagues.

If you are concerned about your office relations and have found your passion and enthusiasm for your job role has diminished, or that you are seeking excitement in the workplace in a bid to fill a void in another area of your life, it may be that you need to re-evaluate your career and life goals.

If you would to find out how a life coach could help you to do this, please visit our Career and Personal Development fact-sheets for more information.

View and comment on the original Telegraph article.

A new report has highlighted the troubling extent of unhappiness in the UK workplace.

According to the study by recruitment company Badenoch & Clark,  just over a third of the 1000 workers surveyed were happy with their current jobs and 1 quarter confessed that they felt ‘distinctively unhappy’ at work.

Happiness at work is currently high on government agenda in light of the Prime Minister’s research into UK happiness levels earlier this year. Due to the economic impact of ill-health caused by stress and unhappiness, workplace happiness has become a top 5 concern in the UK and is recognized as a ‘critical business issue’.

According to Nicola Linkleter, managing director of Badenoch & Clark, the emerging lack of happiness in the workplace can be attributed to a number of factors, including longer hours, additional financial strain at work and at home, and a lack of tangible job security.

“Organisations must now take action to create a working environment where employees are able to develop a sense that their work is both valuable and valued. Failure to do so may result in loss of talent, which in turn may lead to loss of potential revenue”, Nicola stated.

If you are one of the 2/3 of unhappy workers in the UK, a Life Coach could help you. It is estimated that a staggering 1/3 of our lives will be spent in the workplace, highlighting the severity of this UK-wide issue. A Life Coach educated in business coaching can help set goals, iron out problems and help individuals realise their potential in the workplace. Please visit the Life Coach Directory homepage and use the search tool, or for more information, visit our page about business coaching. 

Visit the original Press Association article.

Worrying statistics from the Office for National Statistics show a sharp rise in UK unemployment rates at the beginning of 2011.

Recent figures revealed that the number of unemployed people increased to 2.51 million in the first three months leading up to July this year. This is an overall rise of 80,00, representing an increase of 7.9%.

Young people are suffering heavily as a result of unemployment rates, with a recorded increase of 78,000, bringing the total to 973,000. Both sexes are contributing to these statistics, with unemployment in men rising by 39,000 and women by 41,000. Although the UK economy experienced a growth of 2% between April and June, it still remains weak following the recession, which is a significant factor in this downturn. A high number of cuts in public sector jobs could also be partly blamed for these regrettable figures.

On the plus side, there has been an increase in employment within the private sector by 41,000. The government hoped that the private sector would pick up a lot of the cuts from the public sector, but the numbers are no where near what they had envisaged. There are now a total of 1.58 million people claiming job seekers allowance, which is a rise of 20,300.

As the coalition government continues to announce more public sector cuts in the UK, it looks likely that more rises in unemployment are imminent in the future. As tuition fees also continue to rise, it leaves young people with a bleak outlook for the future. As private sector companies also continue to suffer as a result of the recent recession, it looks unlikely that they will be able to help with the recovery.

View the original BBC News article.

Successful businesswoman and Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden, offers unrivalled advice on how to find new employment, for those employees facing redundancy.

It is all too easy for people to go into shut-down when the dreaded ‘R’ word is mentioned, but this will do more harm than good. There are so many candidates on the market just now, it has never been so important to be pro active when looking for a job. As soon as you hear the mention of job cuts, it is essential to start making plans towards this, so you are already under way with your search.

Instead of simply sending off the same CV for every job, it is important to adapt it to the specific role you are applying for. This also means transferring skills over from your most recent job, to suit the new role. In addition to this, you need to be willing to look at other roles, rather than being very specific about what you are looking for. Not only will it keep the money coming in, it will always ensure you don’t have unattractive gaps in your employment.

A good network of people is an essential way of improving job prospects. You’ll be surprised at how quickly new doors can open if you start speaking to as many people as possible, from all walks of life.

A positive mental attitude is key to gaining new employment. It can be difficult to keep positive when you receive rejection letters, but an enthusiastic persona will shine through to prospective employers. Don’t worry about your age either, a passionate attitude is much more important.

Instead of viewing redundancy as a negative, take it as a chance to explore new paths.

View the original BBC News article here.

Despite the economic downturn, many large organisations are recording large profits and are exceeding the forecasted figures.

Technology leaders, Apple reached a record profit of £4.6 billion in the three months prior to the 25th June 2011. This was a 125% increase on the previous year. Apple are so shrewd that they even hold a massive £7.6 billion in reserve. The technology industry is the one which seems to be leading the way, with Google and Microsoft also doing very well this year. It seems that the more products and ideas the organisation produces, the more successful they will become. This is certainly true in the instance of Apple, who are constantly inventing new and exciting products.

Other major names with higher profitability this year include BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil. Toyota were also more successful than expected. Oil firms are seeing the benefit of the increase in oil prices, and supermarkets are also doing exceedingly well at the moment. Tesco are amongst the most successful in this field, with very profitable stores and delivery services.

It has been suggested that the reasons these companies have done so well this year is due to the quick action taken during the financial crisis of 2008/09. The organisations which took steps to reduce costs over this time, including pay freezes and staff cuts, are now in a better position than those who failed to deal with these issues. The organisations which moved into other markets in China and India, for example, are now doing better than those which remained static.

There has also been an increase in the dividend payouts given to shareholders and also, many organisations are purchasing their own shares back. The organisations which continue to develop in their market are bound to keep seeing good financial results over the oncoming years.

View the original BBC News article.

A recent study by insurer Aviva has shown that more and more families are struggling to make ends meet as the costs of living rises, savings fall and childcare costs increase.

Aviva conducted a survey on 6,000 families and the results showed that 32,000 people have taken the decision to leave the workforce within the last year, as it no longer became cost effective for them to be in employment. The rising costs of childcare, along with the money spent on work related expenses, such as travelling back and forth, means it is no longer worthwhile for many people to work.

The study revealed that the average woman working part time, with two young children, would be £98 per month worse off than if she was not working at all. The figures are not much better for someone working full time in the same situation, she would only be £120 per month better off.

Startling figures show that couples who are both out working full time, are spending in the region of £385 per month on childcare. If you then take into account that the expense for other child related costs has risen by 6.9% since just last year, it is easy to understand why so many people are choosing to leave the workforce.

The recent Family Finance Report has suggested that working families are facing real financial hardship. Income for families declined by 2% between March and August this year, and there are additional worries caused by debt, fuel rises and general costs of living. The high cost of childcare is becoming an outgoing that many families can no longer justify.

The Department for Education have devised plans, which will hopefully help to support more families and childcare costs in the future.

View the original BBC article.