Would you and your team benefit from learning about and committing to experimenting with new ways of working? If so, join my online course in July – BCI members receive a 10% discount đ¤
In a nutshell, weâll focus on the common challenges and tensions felt by teams (the perfect inspiration for your experiments); what Harvard, MIT and Google research tells us about great teams; healthy meeting structures; helpful mindsets; power; encouraging a culture of feedback; and techniques for better decision-making.
I love delivering this course. The first seven have been full houses, the feedback has been fantastic, and I canât wait to go again!
100% of participants âfeel more comfortable experimenting with new ways of workingâ & âwould recommend the course to colleaguesâ đŻ
The course objectives are for you to enjoy your job more and to be an even better member of your team. Youâll learn collaboration and leadership skills, how to facilitate meetings that donât feel like a chore, and how to make better decisions by quickly seeking and integrating the wisdom of the group. Youâll learn how to give âbrain-friendlyâ feedback, recognise whatâs getting in the way of being a great team (tensions), and understand the mindset and power dynamics that help or hinder change.
To do this we’ll borrow from the best sources. These include agile, self-management, organisational psychology, and the most progressive companies on the planet. Thereâs more detail below in the âCourse overviewâ section of the course page, including whoâs been attending, eligibility, and course feedback scores.
– By far one of the most useful, practical, engaging, interesting courses I’ve been on. Hats off to you, super well thought out, from a practical, mental and emotional perspective.
– The experimenting methodology gives me the opportunity to not only “take a course” but actually practising in the “real world”.
– The benefits to the business have been tangible and resulted in me thinking about work in a very different way.
– I loved having another colleague on the course and would totally recommend others try to do the same⌠I loved the organisation of the course, it all felt incredibly “slick.” ⌠I loved Marks humble approach, he listened to us all intently and was patient with us when we needed more time on certain things.
– The experiments each week really helped me grow my comfort towards experimenting further. They gave me the perspective of how much needs to be a done, and an eye for what might be ‘bite-size’.
– I loved Marks generosity, he clearly spends a lot of time preparing and introduced me to very cool tools that we are now using in the organisation.
– The depth of experience and further research Mark has done to curate bite sized resource for us to cover weekly, in a number of mediums, was incredibly satisfying to absorb and kept me engaged over the 5 weeks.
– As a facilitator, you do add quite a bit of magic sauce to holding the space, and your curation of materials is unbeatable.
Your New Ways of Working journey will be more impactful if you have colleagues along for the ride, so you are advised (and incentivised) to bring one or two along.
To secure your place please double-check the eligibility criteria on the course page then send a note to confirm ([email protected]) and thatâs it, youâre enrolled!
Now that people are venturing out in person to Industry events Like to let all BCI memebers know I will be attending footageMarketplace on behalf of Science Photo Library (SPL) on the 21 June, and it would be great to meet some of you while I’m there. Â
I’m sure allot of you would have dealt with SPL before , but if you haven’t Science Photo Library (SPL) is the worldâs leading source of science and medicine images and video.
Register now and meet me there: footagemarketplace.com
As Generation Z (aka Gen Z) talent becomes an increasingly important part of future-proofing your business, so does the conversation around how and where to find them.
At a recent BCI keynote event, Mae Yip and Sam Hornsby, co-founders of career guidance platform ERIC, shared strategies for attracting and recruiting Gen Z employees. Dan Martin summarises their brilliant advice.
Gen Z is the generation of people who were born between 1997 and 2012.
Having grown up with digital technologies, they are the internet and smartphone generation. They will make up 27% of the workforce by 2025.
The first step to attracting Gen Z talent is doing your research on who they are.
Sam shared some stats:
“You will never be able to attract young people if you have no idea what they’re thinking,” Sam said. “You need to deep dive into understanding this generation because your Gen Z strategy will be dictated by how well you know them.”
To help with your research, ERIC has a resources hub with stats and studies about Gen Z.
If you ask a 16-year-old what would be their dream employer, they are likely to name companies such as Netflix, Apple, Google and TikTok. “They are aware these brands exist from a very young age through advertising,” Sam said. “They end up becoming superfans who would give their right arm to work for them. That is the kind of employee spirit we’re all looking for.”
You may not be a massive consumer brand that directly appeals to young people but you can still attract their interest by harnessing similar creative messaging.
“Employer branding is showing young people that working for your company is an aspiration and a desirable thing to do,” Sam advised. “You need to communicate that your jobs aren’t just jobs, they are lifestyle choices.”
One brand that does this very well is Heineken. It has created a careers website with humorous videos of employees that communicate the personality of the business. Here’s an example:
Among your greatest assets for recruiting young people are your existing Gen Z employees. “Get your Gen Z staff to create recruitment content and share it on social media for engagement from other Gen Z people,” Sam said.
There’s more advice on employer branding on the ERIC website.
Sam argued that businesses shouldn’t just focus their recruitment on university graduates.
“Gen Z are active learners regardless of whether or not they went to university,” she said.
“Their natural instinct is to self-teach through Google, YouTube and TikTok which means that university no longer separates the wheat from the chaff. They’ve been trained by technology to consume large amounts of information at hyperspeed whenever they want.
“Unless a job really requires a degree, think about the skills that you actually want a candidate to show. Do you want them to demonstrate a thirst to learn? They can demonstrate that through learning on YouTube.
“Do you want them to have to ability to apply themselves? Self-teaching three different coding languages in a summer break could be seen as more of a demonstration of an ability to apply oneself than learning throughout a three year degree.”
In the past 10 years, we’ve seen the launch of Snapchat, Uber, Twitch, Amazon Alexa, 4G, TikTok and many more. These are the tools and platforms that Gen Z use because they have grown up with them.
The platforms that you might be using to try and recruit Gen Z, such as LinkedIn, are more than double the age of the platforms that Gen Z are using.
As mentioned above, only 4% of Gen Z use LinkedIn which means, Sam said, “you are not using your recruitment budget effectively.”
You need your recruiters to reflect the talent you are looking for so to reach Gen Z talent, use Gen Z platforms. As well as ERIC, examples include Otta and BYP Network.
Research has shown Gen Z to be the most curious generation, they prefer learning from YouTube rather than books and they value personal development over pay.
“Young people are telling us not just how we can attract them but how we can make them happy and keep them”, Sam said. “Be the employer that nurtures curiosity and prioritises personal development.
“You could provide online therapy services, an investment fund for them to play around with, confidence workshops or side hustle lessons.”
46% of Gen Z have applied for an internship or job via a mobile device so you need to make sure your application process is ready for that.
Test your job application experience and make sure it’s mobile friendly.
The career journey doesn’t start when young people first apply for jobs, it starts in schools when they are choosing their GCSEs aged 13.
“Young people want more companies to tell them that about their business as a career option,” Sam said.
“Don’t underestimate how little they know about the world of work. It is up to you to put your industry and your company on the map with young people as early as possible.
“The companies that appear earlier have the best chance of getting the best talent. If you are only appearing at the last hurdle, you’re not just competing against your direct competitors, but every company in every industry.
“To get young people’s attention and interest, you have to give them a reason to connect with you. You have to invest in being part of their career education.”
To sign up for future Bristol Creative Industries events, visit our events diary.
Congratulations to our CFO, Andy Brown, and chairman, Chris Thurling, who have both qualified with the Institute of Directors as Chartered Directors. With fewer than 2,000 Chartered Directors worldwide, the qualification demonstrates their commitment to investing in continual development, as well as the business’s dedication to corporate and social governance.  Â
Chris Thurling comments: âWe understand that strengthening our skills as chartered directors should mean we are able to better serve Armadillo, supporting sustainable, long-term growth. A company director is a profession (as much as an accountant for example) therefore why shouldnât we be qualified for the role?âÂ
Andy Brown adds: âIâm really pleased that Chris and I have been able to complete this training and qualification together. As well as learning more about strong leadership, governance and strategy, weâve had the advantage of the shared experience of completing this together and bringing ideas back to enhance Armadilloâs Board effectiveness.âÂ
Chris and Andy will also be joining the South West chartered directors network. With members representing agriculture, aerospace, tourism and manufacturing, IoD South West reflects the vibrant and innovative sectors in the region. The Institute of Directors (IoD) is a British professional organisation for company directors, senior business leaders and entrepreneurs. It is the UK’s longest running organisation for professional leaders and is an extremely prestigious qualification to hold. Armadillo are really moving forward and prioritising career development, so for our directors to represent this is great for our employees to see. Thereâs always an opportunity to develop your career, no matter what position youâre in. We are very proud of Andy and Chrisâ dedication to improve their role as part of Armadilloâs board of directors.Â
Employee engagement is an efficient business strategy. Happy, engaged, and resilient staff is the ultimate goal, but itâs easier said than done.
There isnât a one-size-fits-all solution to employee engagement. Itâs a mix of rewards, recognition, wellbeing, and community-building. Yuup provides a bespoke solution to each of these concerns surrounding employee engagement:
Employees are the heart of your business and the reason you exist. They’re also a significant investment, so it makes sense to invest in them as well.
Yuup offers a solution for employee engagement that goes beyond traditional perks such as free lunches or flexible working hours.Â
Based on research into what employees want from their employers, Yuup provides businesses with an innovative way to engage their teams by giving them recognition and rewarding them with things to do that are enriching and personal whilst stimulating the local economy and supporting small businesses.
Yuup is an online marketplace that offers a range of experiences that are perfect for businesses both big and small.
From team-building days to performance rewards and from staff wellbeing experiences to ways to celebrate big wins. Itâs a way for businesses to engage their staff in ways they may not have been able to before.
Rita will talk about how she has found brand thinking not just fundamental to successful businesses of all shapes, sizes and stages, but also how you can apply it to yourself to ensure that you are as valued and influential as you can be. She will:
Tickets are priced at £50+VAT for BCI members and ÂŁ75+VAT for non-members which includes a buffet lunch so thereâll be plenty of opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new connections too.
If youâd like to join the BCI network, read all about becoming a BCI member here.
As a high-profile business leader, acclaimed brand guru and sustainability champion, Rita is able to inspire organisations of all kinds to find new ways to succeed in an uncertain world.
She has been called âBrand guruâ by the Financial Times and âThe doyenne of brandingâ by Campaign magazine. Retail Week commented that she is âA fabulous ambassador for businessâ. Alongside her board chairing and non-executive roles, Rita is a writer, keynote speaker, conference chair & practitioner on all aspects of brands, branding and business leadership.
Her career has included being a Vice Chair and Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, as London CEO and Chair at the global brand consultancy Interbrand and as co-founder of BrandCap. She is now a portfolio chair and non-executive director on the board of businesses including John Lewis Partnership, Nationwide Building Society and Ascential plc. Previous boards have included ASOS, Dixons Retail plc, Emap, Bupa and Populus Group. Her non-profit boards have included WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature), the UK Sustainable Development Commission and Green Alliance. She was recently appointed Chair at Forum for the Future, the leading international sustainability organisation. In the 2014 New Yearâs Honours List, Rita was awarded a CBE for services to the creative industries.
Rita is a regular columnist and media commentator, as well as author of âThe Future of Brandsâ and two editions of The Economist book âBrands and Brandingâ. Her new book on leadership âLove your imposterâ was launched by Kogan Page in September 2020.
Abode PR, the Bath-based, award-winning global B2B technology public relations and content agency, is celebrating its 5th birthday and a record 400% growth in revenue during 2021.
The agency was masterminded by Founder and Managing Director, Jessica Gillingham, a Bath native and former director of Visit Bath. It originally set out to help raise the profile of transformative technology solutions operating within the travel accommodation industry through specialist public relations.
Under the strong leadership and vision of Gillingham, the scope of Abode PRâs work branched from PR into Content Marketing. The team now comprises a team of 10 all based in the South West, with a hub in the centre of Bath.
In the last eighteen months alone, the agency won retained and project work for companies leading in their sectors and was recognised on the shortlist for âAgency of the Yearâ at the Creative Bath Awards 2021. During this time Gillingham, who regularly is invited to speak on travel tech and female entrepreneurship panels, podcasts, and webinars, has been nominated for an award as an industry pioneer.
Jessica Gillingham commented, âItâs very unusual for a UK-based agency to have its entire client base located around the world, and a sign that we have well and truly carved out a niche for ourselves within this dynamic sector. Iâm particularly proud to credit our companyâs success to the talented team we have built, who all hail from within the South West and delighted to celebrate this milestone with them and our clients today.â
For more information about Abode PR, please visit abode-pr.com.
A lot of people ask me where to start with their #newwaysofworking journey. The answer is often frustrating to hear – there is no âone right wayâ – sorry! It is something that teams need to figure out for themselves and build on through constant experimentation, doing more of what works, and less of what doesnât. You are closest to the information, so I cannot tell you where is best to begin, nor can anyone else.
What I can share with you are the patterns found in progressive organisations, and this is what Iâll do with my new series:Â Do try this at work. Iâll be sharing just one at a time, with the hope that you give it a go in your team before the next newsletter arrives in your inbox. First up we have the wonderful circle meetings which are a definite favourite of mine (and the perfect training wheels for consent decision-making!).
Imagine a meeting with no interruptions and no one voice dominatingâŚÂ đ Well, you donât have to imagineâŚ
There is a pretty broad consensus that most meetings are a drag at best and a waste of time at worst – it neednât be this way! Circle meetings offer us an alternative and are super simple. They teach us to become better listeners and to be more vulnerable. Vulnerability requires candour, and people trust this. Good relationships are built on trust, and circle meetings help us to build this. Youâll hear less from the usual suspects and more from the quieter voices, whose fab ideas and contributions will surprise you.
Given that most of us are fed up with meetings, most groups are open to trying a new meeting structure when itâs suggested. So pop a brave pill (I know this is scary stuff!) and try a few circles meetings where you work. I bet youâll be surprised by how powerful such a simple structure is.
The more you talking you do in meetings, the more you need to try these!
Below, youâll find step by step instructions on how to hold a circle meeting and underneath those, you’ll find an awesome how-to video demo created by my friend Tim Shand.
Iâd love to hear what you notice after trying these in your team. And donât forget to ask your team what they noticed after using the circle meeting structure. If their feedback is positive – and Iâm sure it will be – then do more!
Good luck! And head here to signup for receiving these by email: https://newwaysofworking.substack.com/
With 81% of people in the UK today saying that creating a well and healthy world is the biggest challenge of the 21st century and 52% of people in the UK saying that they have felt more unwell since the beginning of the pandemic, the immense scale of the task ahead is very clear.
To further explore this growing challenge, last week (April 28th), McCann Bristol and McCann Synergy hosted the second Talks on Toast event of the year, Truth About Wellness.
Hosted by Kathryn Ellis, Managing Partner, Strategy at McCann Bristol alongside Rodney Collins, Director at McCann Worldgroup Truth Central and Chloe Foy, Behavioural Strategist and ACC Coach at McCann Synergy, the event uncovered research based on 10 years of trended global data about the shape, role and meaning of wellness in consumer lives across 26 global markets â uncovering insights around mental, physical, emotional, financial wellness and much more.
Focusing on wellness both today and tomorrow, the research timeline demonstrated huge shifts in consumer behaviour from before the pandemic through to now. A large emphasis was placed on how far wellness has come in the last decade and the importance that is now placed on this for both customers and workforces.
With 74% of people saying theyâre definition of wellness has evolved in the past year, what does it mean to be âwellâ in todayâs world? The insights uncovered suggest wellness remains multi-dimensional, however the definition of wellness we are familiar with needs to expand. Rodney talked through the eight dimensions of wellness including; emotional, financial, spiritual and social, with the focus drawing more now on how a sense of lack in one area can negatively impact another.
Rodney commented: âWeâre really noticing that in the past 10 years what has shifted is that each of these dimensions appeared to exist in a silo, there was no mention about how ones mental health could impact ones physical health, how the bacteria in our stomachs affect how happy we are, how loneliness increases our chances of developing heart problems, or how the hitting costs of urban ride sharing is increasing environmental pollutants, which in turn are driving higher rates of Asthma. So the wellness conversation today has really become expansive, interconnected and networked.â
The discussion continued by identifying the erosion of this siloed approach, delving into the evolution of the wellness conversation and addressing five key additional shifts brands and businesses should foster and strive for to ensure a positive wellness evolution in the workspace.
Talks on Toast is a quarterly event hosted by McCann Bristol, delivering insight and global research at a local level based on key global topics.
đŁ Introducing The MUZA Collective for Bristol & Bath-based Creatives đŁ
Did you know the Creative Industries is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy, contributing over ÂŁ111 billion every year? Thatâs almost ÂŁ13 million every hour! But despite this impressive growth, work in the creative sector can be extremely precarious⌠especially for freelance creatives.
Sick pay? Holiday pay? Income security? IR35? Taxes? etc.
As part of our fourth-year innovation project at the University of Bristol, my co-founder and I (Harry Ellis) set about changing this narrative. We immersed ourselves in the regionâs vibrant creatives communities, collaborated with experts from Nesta, The RSA and Creative UK, and have developed a solution that provides the necessary securities that freelancers typically miss out on. Introducing⌠The MUZA Collective.
đđđ
The MUZA Collective is a social enterprise concept to support Bristol and Bath-based creative freelancers by combining cooperative principles with the protective salaried status provided by a formal employment contract. Importantly, while our freelance members benefit from improved social security, automated tax/insurances and statutory employment rights, our shared enterprise does not sacrifice their autonomy as they are still in control and work on their own terms.
Our unique offerings:
âď¸âď¸âď¸
Sound interesting? Please register your interest today (itâs free, quick & easy!)
In order to move this project from concept to reality, weâd like to invite your support. By expressing your interest today, you can provide us with a valuable proof of desirability, which is vital for the next stage of our project: development!
Please express your interest at: https://www.muzacollective.uk/expression-of-interest (simply your name and email!)
If you have any questions or would like to find out more, donât hesitate to get in touch!
– Harry and Frankie