Category: Employee Insight

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The Power and Pitfalls of Artificial Intelligence in Our Everyday Working Life

Posted on by Wesley Clough

In the age of rapid technological advancement, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force that impacts our everyday working lives in profound ways. This blog will delve into what AI is, how it affects our daily work routines and the potential issues that come along with its integration into various industries.

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence, often referred to as AI, is a field of computer science that focuses on creating intelligent machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning from experience, understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions. AI systems can be classified into two categories: narrow or weak AI, which is designed for specific tasks, and general or strong AI, which has human-like cognitive abilities.

How AI Affects Our Everyday Working Life

  1. Enhanced Efficiency: One of the most significant advantages of AI in the workplace is its ability to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. This allows employees to focus on more creative and strategic aspects of their jobs. For example, chatbots can handle customer inquiries, and machine learning algorithms can analyse large datasets, providing valuable insights.

  2. Personalized Experiences: AI enables businesses to offer personalized experiences to customers and clients. Recommender systems, such as those used by streaming platforms or e-commerce websites, use AI to understand individual preferences and suggest content or products tailored to each user.

  3. Predictive Analytics: AI-powered predictive analytics can forecast trends, customer behaviour, and market changes. This information empowers companies to make data-driven decisions and adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

  4. Improved Safety: In industrial settings, AI-driven robots and drones can perform dangerous tasks, reducing the risk to human workers. AI algorithms can also monitor workplace safety and identify potential hazards.

  5. Healthcare Advancements: AI assists medical professionals in diagnosing diseases, analysing medical images, and developing personalized treatment plans. This technology can lead to more accurate diagnoses and better patient outcomes.

Potential Issues with Using AI

While AI offers numerous benefits, it also raises several concerns:

  1. Job Displacement: As AI automates tasks, there is a fear of job displacement, especially in industries heavily reliant on routine tasks. Workers may need to adapt and acquire new skills to remain relevant in the job market.

  2. Bias and Fairness: AI systems can inherit biases present in their training data. This can lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes in areas like hiring, lending, and criminal justice if not carefully monitored and addressed.

  3. Privacy Concerns: The vast amounts of data AI systems require for training and operation raise concerns about data privacy and security. Unauthorized access or misuse of sensitive information can have serious consequences.

  4. Transparency and Accountability: AI algorithms can be complex, making it challenging to understand their decision-making processes. This lack of transparency can be problematic when decisions have significant societal impacts.

  5. Ethical Dilemmas: AI raises ethical questions, such as the use of autonomous weapons or the potential for AI to manipulate public opinion. Ensuring ethical AI development and deployment is an ongoing challenge.

In conclusion, AI has become an integral part of our everyday working life, offering incredible advantages in terms of efficiency, personalization, and safety. However, it also comes with its set of challenges, including job displacement, bias, privacy concerns, transparency issues, and ethical dilemmas. As AI continues to advance, it is essential for businesses, governments, and individuals to navigate these issues thoughtfully and responsibly, ensuring that AI benefits society as a whole.

Peter Hedges with Blockchain Blog Image

Unravelling the Mysteries of Blockchain: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on by Wesley Clough

In the fast-paced world of technology and finance, few terms have generated as much curiosity, excitement, and sometimes confusion as “blockchain.” If you’ve found yourself pondering questions like, “What exactly is blockchain?” or “How does it work?” you’re certainly not alone. The landscape of blockchain technology is vast, evolving, and often shrouded in jargon, making it challenging for even the most tech-savvy individuals to grasp its full scope.

But fear not! In this blog, we embark on a journey to demystify blockchain, peeling away the layers of complexity to reveal its core concepts and real-world applications. Whether you’re a curious newcomer eager to understand the basics or someone seeking a deeper comprehension of this transformative technology, we’ve got you covered.

Understanding the Essence of Blockchain

At its heart, blockchain is a decentralised and immutable digital ledger. Imagine it as a chain of digital “blocks,” each containing a set of transactions or information. These blocks are linked together in chronological order, forming a continuous chain—hence the name “blockchain.”

What sets blockchain apart is its core principles:

  1. Decentralisation: Unlike traditional systems where a central authority (like a bank) maintains a single ledger, blockchain operates on a network of computers (nodes). Each node has a copy of the entire blockchain, and there’s no central point of control. This decentralisation makes it resilient to censorship and tampering.
  1. Security: Data stored on a blockchain is secured using advanced cryptographic techniques. Transactions are verified, and once added to the blockchain, they become extremely difficult to alter, ensuring the integrity of the information.
  1. Transparency: In most cases, blockchains are public, allowing anyone to view and verify transactions. This transparency enhances trust among participants in the network.
  1. Immutability: Once data is recorded on the blockchain, it’s considered final and unchangeable. This immutability is achieved through consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work (PoW) or Proof of Stake (PoS).
  1. Smart Contracts: Beyond simple transactions, blockchain can execute smart contracts—self-executing agreements with predefined rules and conditions. These contracts automate processes, reducing the need for intermediaries.

Common Mistakes When Talking About Blockchain

  1. Assuming All Blockchains Are the Same: One common mistake is assuming that all blockchains are like Bitcoin. There are various types of blockchains (public, private, consortium) with different use cases, consensus mechanisms, and levels of decentralisation.
  1. Overhyping Its Capabilities: Blockchain is not a magical solution for all problems. It’s often overhyped as a universal remedy, but it has limitations, such as scalability issues, energy consumption concerns (in PoW systems), and regulatory challenges.
  1. Ignoring Privacy Concerns: While blockchain provides transparency, it may not be suitable for all applications, especially those requiring data privacy. Public blockchains make all data visible to anyone.
  1. Thinking It’s Completely Trustless: While blockchain reduces the need for trust in intermediaries, it doesn’t eliminate trust entirely. Users must trust the underlying technology, the network participants, and the smart contracts themselves.
  1. Misunderstanding Energy Consumption: Some blockchains, like Bitcoin’s PoW, consume significant energy. People may criticise blockchain for its environmental impact without considering alternatives like PoS or private blockchains, which are more energy efficient.
  1. Ignoring Legal and Regulatory Aspects: Many blockchain projects operate in a legal grey area or face regulatory challenges. Ignoring these aspects can lead to legal issues and setbacks.
  1. Expecting Immediate Adoption: Blockchain technology is still in its early stages, and widespread adoption takes time. Unrealistic expectations about rapid adoption can lead to disappointment.

In essence, blockchain is not just a technology; it’s a new way of organizing and verifying digital information. It has the potential to revolutionize industries ranging from finance and supply chain to healthcare and beyond.

International Women’s Day: Women in Leadership.

Posted on by Beth Ridley

Today is International Women’s Day 2023! 

At Zenith, we want to showcase women’s achievements and recognise how far society has come to accept and acknowledge them. Our own Managing Director of both Zenith People and Zenith Training, Angela Anderson, is a perfect case study and celebration of women excelling in business, especially in her leadership role.

But first…

A (Very) brief history of International Women’s Day.

The history of International Women’s Day dates back to 1908; Theresa Malkeil first proposed it on February 28th (Note that this is different from the international women’s day date we know today- more on that later!). As the years progressed, so did the advancement of women’s rights. The demand for women’s rights grew, and movements at the time gained notoriety. A significant year for women’s rights and feminism was 1967; this generation of feminists demanded change.

They called for preventing violence against women, equal pay, equal economic opportunity, reproductive rights, equal legal rights, and subsidized child care. These women did not want more; they fought for gender equality. In 1977, the United Nations proclaimed March 8th International Women’s Day and the UN Day for Women’s rights and world peace.

Above is a very brief snippet of the history of International Women’s Day; for a more thorough timeline, follow this link. Equality – it’s about time: Timeline of women’s rights 1866-2016 | The Fawcett Society

Women in Leadership: Angela Anderson.

Men have historically populated the world of business. In the past, even industries that you’d assume are female-dominated, more often than not, have been headed by men. Even though it’s not quite the case anymore, female business leadership used to be a rarity; rewind even twenty to thirty years ago and the comparison to today is significant.

Our feature below illustrates Angela’s success in starting and running her two businesses, proving gender has been no setback!

Profile:

Name: Angela Anderson

Title: Managing Director of Zenith People and Zenith Training.

Female role models: 

  1. Queen Elizabeth 1st. Why? Queen Elizabeth 1st ruled at a time when women had hardly any power. If you were a female royal, you were seen as disposable. ‘In an era that saw women as weak, inferior, and unfit to rule. She overturned convention and de-fled prejudice, resisting all pressure to marry and risk losing power to a man. – Russell Davis (Evil Genius).
  2. Her best friend. Why? Angela describes her best friend (A fellow woman in business) of many years as ‘very determined, very strong, very strategically minded, very creative and very disciplined.’

Humble Beginnings:

Starting work as an apprentice and then going into recruitment herself, Angela decided to start a business of her own. Nobody in her family owned a business of any kind; her dad was a sheet metal worker, and her mam a part-time data inputter; her grandfather worked on the railways; and her gran didn’t work.

Angela initially joined a colleague who had started her own business to help her out. After some time, and after Angela brought all her clients over, Angela’s colleague decided that she no longer needed help within the business. At this point, Angela could have either gone and worked at another recruitment business or continued on her own. Since she’d already proven to herself that she clearly had the capabilities while helping her friend, she thought….’ If she can do it, I can do it. I borrowed some money from my gran, my sister’s boyfriend, my mam and dad, and some of my own, and set up this place’.

‘If she can do it, I can do it’.

Angela set up Zenith People in 2001, starting with just two people; Angela herself and one other person. As time progressed, Zenith rapidly grew; during the earlier years, the business dealt with many recruitment areas such as Engineering, Industrial, commercial and construction, with Manufacturing and IT now officially on the list! Zenith Training was started and developed, slowly but steadily, in 2011 as an internal apprenticeship programme and officially became a separate business in 2016.

Today both Zenith People and Zenith Training have a combined staff of over forty!

‘Misogyny in business’ 

Throughout her business journey, Angela’s gender has thankfully not brought any setbacks for her. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist; over 8.2 million employees in the UK feel like they are discriminated against because of their gender.

Misogyny is sometimes concealed in business and stereotypes enforced; the person executing may not even realise they’re doing it, but that’s not an excuse to not become more aware of your behaviour. An example of this is expecting female staff to ‘clean up’ or ‘run errands’ when they wouldn’t ask their male counterpart to do the same.

Even body language and where attention is directed can be unknowingly gendered; Angela retold a story of when she and our Commercial Director, Alan, attended a business meeting. Throughout the meeting, the male client directed his attention to Alan instead of Ang, despite Ang being Zenith’s MD (In charge!). Unfortunately, this is common practice; people may not even realise they’re doing it but are instead conditioned to have these views of women as a reflection of their upbringing and societal norms.

Gender inclusivity and misogyny have drastically improved over the years. But it’s not perfect. This international Women’s Day, we want to celebrate how far we have come and recognise how far we have got to go.

A significant step forward is to educate yourself. 

Want an easy, accessible way to learn about equality? Watch a documentary; documentaries make big complex topics easier to understand and digest. 

Some include: 

– Feminists: What were they thinking?

– Period, end of sentence.

– She’s beautiful when she’s angry.

– Saudi Women’s driving school.

Books to read on gender equality: 

– Hood feminism: Notes from the women that a movement forgot.

– A room of one’s own.

– Rad women worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and other revolutionaries who shaped history.

Podcasts: (We know… they’re all the rage)

– The history of chicks

– Girl Boss Radio

– Our Body Politic

– Encyclopaedia Womanica.

‘Courageous feminism means no woman is left behind’. 

Regardless of whereabouts you consume information this International Women’s Day, always strive for inclusivity. For more information about how you can recognize and push inclusivity, look at this article!

Inclusivity On International Women’s Day | Urban List (theurbanlist.com

What are electrolysers, and how do they work?

Posted on by Beth Ridley

There’s evidence that manmade global warming is having an impact on the global climate. From 2011 to 2020, weather-related losses increased by almost 50% compared to the previous decade to $2.5 Trillion. The world has accepted that manmade global warming needs to be limited to prevent catastrophic damage to our planet and humanity occurring. Therefore, reducing or eliminating global warming gases that are emitted into the Earth’s atmosphere, such as Co2 and Methane, is required.

Hydrogen energy is not only a solution that can positively impact the future of our planet but also fits perfectly into a green economy and the green jobs and industries within it. A sustainable solution allows us to have just that: a solution, something the world can use to create power and drive awareness around the importance of green energy and its uses.

Hydrogen energy is produced through systems called ‘Electrolysers’; an electrolyser is a system that uses electricity to break water into Hydrogen Gas and oxygen. The hydrogen produced is an energy source that can power Hydrogen fuel cell applications within trains, and buses, be used in internal combustion engines (ICE) and have zero carbon eFuels. The oxygen produced from the process can be used in other products, such as steel, used by hospitals, microelectronics and other industries.

Producing hydrogen through electrolysers creates a significant effect when compared to alternatives that negatively impact our environment and pollute our atmosphere. Various types of electrolysers, such as Alkaline or Proton Exchange (PEM), help execute the energy process; they differ depending on how they have to be scaled to meet a variety of input and output ranges. The range of size and function of electrolysers are produced to suit various circumstances, from small industrial plants to production factories that deliver hydrogen on a larger scale.

The form of power, Hydrogen Gas that is produced from the process within electrolysers, is a highly sustainable source of energy. While they’re not the cheapest form of energy now, their sustainability and the hopeful prospect of it costing less in years to come is worth the interest and investment; hydrogen energy is a realistic way to generate green energy. An additional benefit of using electrolysers to generate hydrogen is that it allows countries to become energy independent and, therefore, cannot be held for ransom. Energy prices should thus become decoupled from the price of oil and gas.

We will hopefully see the use of electrolysers and hydrogen energy more frequently as the years progress. Fuel costs are the most significant cost component, as this is often a result of technical and economic factors.

Electrolysers, a central component in producing hydrogen ‘clean’ energy, play a role to some degree in the execution of ‘green jobs’ within ‘green industries’. Green jobs are ‘jobs that have a direct, positive impact on the planet and traditionally involve renewable energy, electric transport, energy efficiency, or nature conservation. But right now, as more sectors transition to low-carbon models, every job has the potential to become ‘green’. (The Guardian, 2020.). Green industries, as a whole, are economic activities that exist and hope to minimise the environmental impact. Green industries include Manufacturing, Transport, Energy, Construction, Farming, Finance, and many more.

While not everyone may have heard of electrolysers and the hydrogen energy they produce, the hope of their positive impact on the environment and relevant industries are strong as awareness continues to develop.

If you’re a Hydrogen Engineer or of a similar discipline and are interested in the number of Hydrogen roles we have available, please don’t hesitate to visit our jobs board Jobs – Zenith People or give us a ring on 0191 428 6444.

Workplace Accessibility: 5 ways to boost inclusivity within the office.

Posted on by Beth Ridley

Some disabilities are visible; some aren’t. Regardless, a workplace should always be inclusive and accessible to every individual (Take a look at this article to help understand what it means to be ‘accessible’ What does it mean to be accessible? – Alteristic). Thankfully, ‘Between 2013 and 2019, the disability employment gap has reduced; with the latest data showing roughly half of disabled people were in employment (53.2%) compared with just over four out of five non-disabled people (81.8%) (Labour Force Survey, LFS.

This blog post will outline how we all can boost inclusivity within the office to continue to reduce the disability employment gap! 

1. Take into consideration a person’s needs throughout the interview process.

A job description should never exclude a person with a disability from applying for the role*; the interview process and the advertised position should be accessible for everyone to view, whether they have a disability or not. Some adjustments that can be made throughout these stages of the recruitment process include:

  • Being clear and concise about the job, including the job title, salary, location and duties.
  • Pushing the role in disabled spaces (Online or at places like the job centre).
  • Consider your physical applications or job boards getting printed in Braille.
  • Don’t bombard job descriptions with an overload of unnecessary content.
  • Wheelchair users are to have their interview on the ground floor.
  • Candidates are to complete any compulsory written tests using a computer.
  • Any other reasonable adjustments a person may ask for.

*It is, however, important to state that some jobs may have an essential requirement that can not be met with any reasonable adjustments made in the workplace. If you reject a disabled candidate, it must be performance-based at the interview stage rather than having to make reasonable adjustments. For more information, visit Gov.org Recruitment and disabled people: Job specifications – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

2. Office Environment

It’s hard to create the perfect environment within the office to accommodate everyone; however, when office accommodations aren’t available, other accommodations should be made in their place. An example of this is allowing someone who may be on the autistic spectrum to have hybrid working conditions to stop any overstimulation. This may come from several places, such as noise (people talking over each other in the office), bright fluorescent lights, or sensory issues that could come from the feeling of objects or clothes etc.

The office being physically accessible is also an essential step in boosting inclusivity; examples not only include the obvious, such as providing an accessible toilet, but ensuring that other areas of the office do not exclude any individual. It’s a good idea to consider whether other resources within the office are also inclusive. This could include placement/type of office snacks, access/types of cutlery, whether or not particular forms of entertainment within the office are accessible, and whether social events (such as office Christmas parties) are accommodating.

Most offices aren’t equipped already for every type of disability; however, adjustments should be made on an individual basis.

3.  Physical accessibility. 

When everything is already accessible, you never really think about others’ accessibility issues within the workplace; work buildings should always have ways for people who don’t have 100% psychical accessibility to enter the building and work without any problem. These accommodations could be through elevators (lifts), wheelchair ramps and automatic doors. Suppose any of these aren’t available for a particular reason. In that case, alternatives such as working on a lower level in the office should always be made available, as well as any help navigating around the office as a person needs.

4.  Technical help must be available. 

Most of us probably take for granted how we can use technology such as our mobile phones daily without any issue; however, that is not the reality for people with a disability. Some people find it challenging to utilise technology how it is meant to be used daily; it may take a person with a disability slightly longer to understand and learn how to use it. It’s essential that if this is the case, people get the chance to understand new technology at their own pace, when possible,

 Suppose a person is Autistic or has ADHD. In that case, the software is available to block out distractions/overstimulating bright lights on your computer screen while at work, allowing a person to concentrate more manageable and not get overstimulated by the screen.

 Employers should try to accommodate individuals by supplying technology that helps them do their job more effectively while improving their life in other aspects.

5.  Do not assume

Assuming a person’s ability to do something is never helpful, keep an open mind regarding mental and physical needs; many disabilities and illnesses are invisible. Having the processes within the office just in case you need them is more accommodating than not. For example, if someone is neurodivergent, sometimes it’s not apparent at first glance or all; many individuals who are autistic or have ADHD spend most of their time within the workplace masking their symptoms.

 Why not look at our other blogs if you need more help applying for jobs and understanding the recruitment process? News – Zenith People We outline various topics such as ‘How to dress for a Job interview’, ‘How to accept a job offer, ‘How to ask for a pay rise’, and many more. 

Everything you need to know about Probation Periods.

Posted on by Beth Ridley

You have probably heard of a probationary period and what Probation Periods are; you’ve more than likely come across the term probationary period when reading your contract or throughout your probation meetings. You know that you have to ‘pass’ your probation to progress and continue in your role, but have you ever thought about why a probationary period is so essential for an employee and a business?

Probationary periods help protect the business in the first few months of a new hire and are also put in place to benefit the employee. Want to know more? We’re going to outline why probation periods should not be overlooked!

1. Make sure employers have made the right recruitment decision.

Even if an employer has interviewed a person a few times and is set on them for a role, probation periods help ensure they have 100% made the right decision in their recruitment. Interviews are often too short to gauge a person’s true persona and intentions within the business. Hiring someone is usually based upon first impressions; the actual guesswork when it comes to a new hire is during their probation period (typically a few months long). During the initial few months of an employee’s time within the business, employers get to know the employee below the surface level, and an employer gets to watch them carry out their job and the roles within it!

2. Probation periods hold the right to protection in the case of unfair dismissal.

Just because a probation period has less notice doesn’t mean an employee is not protected against unfair dismissal from an employer. Employees are still protected against dismissal for reasons such as disability, age, gender, ethnicity, religion and cultural background, and any harassment that may have occurred. An employee is protected during the probationary process when an employer does not follow the contractual dismissal procedure correctly.

Employees are often dismissed within their probation period for reasons such as:

  • An employee not delivering the skills or performance they promised in the interview.
  • Are a bad fit in terms of the business’s organisational culture.
  • Consistent poor attendance and time-keeping skills.

3. Employees only have to give a weeks notice if they decide the role isn’t for them.

The typical probation period is around two weeks to a month; however, a probation period could be up to three months or even longer, depending on the level of your role and the skills you may have. For example, if a role encompasses many skills at a high level, then a probationary period may be longer to ensure the employee is the best for the position. However, a probation period can be extended depending on circumstances; this must be communicated in writing before the end of the probation period, as well as explaining why the probation period has been extended and what is extended and what is expected of the employee going forward.

If an employee makes the decision that the business isn’t right for them and they want to leave, then during the probation period they only have to give the employer a weeks notice unless stated otherwise within their contract.

 

Are you an employer unsure how your business’s Probationary Policy should look? Have a look at this valuable template for an idea Probationary Period Policy Template | Workable

4 Reasons you should upskill right now

Posted on by Beth Ridley

It doesn’t matter whether you are an employee looking to gain new skills or you are an employer looking to upskill some of your workforce, a myriad of benefits come with upskilling. What is upskilling exactly? In a nutshell, upskilling is about gaining a new skill(s), no matter the reason. In a more specified sense of the word, upskilling is a way to acquire more advanced skills through additional education and training.

There are so many reasons to upskill; we’re going to take you through 4 reasons why:

1. Gain better experience within your current career

Maybe you want to gain more skills and experience within your current career; upskilling can be the perfect way to do this- maybe you want to learn a specific skill within your role. This could be as simple as doing a short course to learn a new skill; even learning one new skill could help you greatly excel in your career. At Zenith Training, we have a variety of training courses- Training Courses – Zenith Training

2. Climb the corporate ladder

Always wanted to lead or manage a team? Or even gain seniority status within a business? While experience may be an essential factor to some businesses when it comes to their management staff, sometimes, to climb the corporate ladder, you need to gain some kind of formal qualification or gain a new skill to carry out a role successfully. Upskilling can provide countless opportunities to bag that senior position you’ve worked hard for in your career!

3. Stay a relevant worker in the current climate

We’re all aware of the significant effect the Covid19 pandemic had on the world; the pandemic saw thousands out of jobs as businesses struggled to keep up with the constant pressure of the economy. We also saw a large number of people change careers, and the demand for changes in the workplace has grown more than ever. These significant changes came in the way of higher demand for remote and agile work conditions and people changing careers to something that suits them better or for a higher salary. What came in the aftermath? Skill shortages across multiple industries, if you already possess a sought-after skill, then you are one of the lucky ones. However, if not, this is a better time to consider learning a new skill or reskilling to stay relevant in this candidate-driven market. For more information, read this article exploring the significance of upskilling and reskilling to overcome the covid19 crisis.

Significance Of Upskilling & Reskilling To Overcome Covid-19 Crisis (analyticsindiamag.com)

4. Upskilling can be fun!

Learning something new doesn’t always have to be tedious; if done right and you have a genuine interest in it- learning can be fun! Courses to upskill are often engaging and contain various learning elements throughout their duration, so they’re not boring!

Thinking of upskilling yourself or for your business? At Zenith Training, we offer a wide range of upskilling opportunities, suck as bespoke workshops, distance learning courses and apprenticeship opportunities. Please have a browse of our options to upskill!

How to get a Work Permit in the UK

Posted on by Beth Ridley

Before applying for a job of any kind, it’s important to understand all the necessary paperwork and forms you need. This is especially important when it comes to legal documents such as work permits. In the UK, there are a variety of different Work-Permits and Visa Options for non- UK residents, this depends on various factors, including your intended work and nationality.

Different Types of UK work permits/Work Visas:

  • Long-term visas (Skilled Worker), (Intra-company- Trainee or Graduate Trainee)
  • Temporary (Seasonal worker, Graduate, Creative and Sporting)
  • You are also able to gain a work visa if you are self-employed

How to apply:

When you’ve chosen what kind of Work Permit/Visa, you’ll be able to apply and pay for it online. The earliest you can do this is 3 months before your employment start date, so it’s good to do it well in advance and give yourself enough time to apply!

You may also be instructed to go to an appointment or a visa application, this is all depending on where you’re from and the type of passport you hold. Alternatively, there is also an option to use the UK Immigration ID Check Smartphone app to prove your identity. Something to take into consideration- the wait time for a decision to be made on your visa typically takes 3 weeks. (For work visas)

For an in-depth breakdown of everything work permit/visa related, visit the government website Browse: Work in the UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Cost:

The cost of Work Permits/ Visas can differ greatly depending on the type you require, and the length of time, they are required. Check out this page outlining all the prices and requirements UK work permit: requirements, how to apply and cost (2021) – Wise, formerly TransferWise

If you would like any friendly advice surrounding a work permit when applying for a job, contact our team at Zenith People, they will be happy to give you some friendly and professional advice.

 

How To Prepare For A Job Interview

Posted on by Beth Ridley

Job interviews can be highly nerve-wracking; it’s normal to sit twiddling your thumbs the night before the big day because you imagine where you might slip up, or what if they don’t like you?

‘Just relax’, well, that’s easier said than done. The best thing you can do to calm those pre-interview nerves and come across as your best self is to prepare as much as you can.

Prepare, then prepare again.

Preparing for the interview not only allows your nerves to calm down a little but also helps to build your confidence pre-interview.

Suppose you don’t know what you’re going to say in the interview; jot down a few key points about what you expect to come up with (think classic interview topics),  have a browse of the most common interview topics over at Indeed, 31 Common Interview Questions and Answers | Indeed.com UK. In that case, you can even prepare some questions to ask in the interview beforehand. Check out our blog post about what to ask in an interview: https://www.zenithpeople.com/what-questions-should-you-ask-in-an-interview/

Prepare and take an ‘Interview Cheat Sheet’, AKA your notes. To remind you of some key talking points you think you will forget throughout the interview.

An excellent tip to help build your confidence (especially if you think you may stumble over your words), is to speak these questions aloud, role-play if you will. You could do this online or even ask a friend to help out and conduct a mock interview. Mock interviews are also a good way for you to practice how you naturally display your body language. Positive body language is essential in an interview as sometimes we don’t realise how our body language is being portrayed to others.

Eat, sleep, and…plan your commute?

Try to eat a good breakfast before the interview, as well as a good night’s sleep the night before. Not only will this make you feel more refreshed and less groggy, but it will also help to ease some of those feelings of anxiety, stress, and dread for the next day.

Also, make sure you plan your commute! Work out how you are going to get to the interview, whether you are going to drive, walk, or use public transport. It’s also a good idea to work out how long the commute will take, and allow extra time if the interview location is slightly farther afield than you’re used to.

If you dress the part, you will feel the part, dress accordingly as per the role/business you’re applying for, and wear clothes you feel comfortable in. Take a look at our article about what to wear to a job interview for some helpful tips, https://www.zenithpeople.com/what-to-wear-to-an-interview/

If needs must, picture them naked.

Your interviewers are human; just like you, there is no need to type them up to be these giant, scary monsters that just interviewing you to catch you out somehow. You have landed the interview because you’re qualified, and the employer clearly thinks you and your skills would potentially be a good fit for the role. They just want to get to know you better.

The age-old ‘Picture them naked’ trick seems to work in finding people less intimidating- so it’s worth a shot. Oh, and don’t be scared of other candidates; they’re also human and probably will not give a completely flawless interview.

Building your confidence is one of the best things you can do before a job interview; you may not feel 100% confident (nobody ever is), but you will be able to display enough confidence for the interviewer to pick up on this, furthering your chances of landing the job.

 

 The Importance of Mental Health Awareness within the workplace

Posted on by Beth Ridley

In England, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year, with over 792 million people being affected by a mental health condition worldwide. Ignorance often dominates mental illness, as people who are not educated in mental health awareness are quick to dismiss conditions as they don’t fully understand them. 70-75% of people with diagnosable mental illnesses receive no treatment at all, usually going about life masking their symptoms, often not seeking treatment as they are unaware they have a diagnosable mental health condition themselves.

Having reasonable adjustments within the workplace to accommodate mental health conditions is an excellent step in the right direction by not only helping to relieve the impact of mental health conditions but also helping to combat chronic stress within the workplace (which can lead to burnout). 1 in 5 people take a day off due to stress, yet 90% of people cited a different reason for their absence due to stress and mental health-related reasons not being fully understood.

A shocking 9% of employers who disclosed mental health issues to their line manager reported being disciplined, dismissed, or demoted. Which is no surprise considering 69% of UK line managers say that supporting employee wellbeing is a core skill, but only 13% have received mental health training.

Zenith Training offers a free* distance learning course in ‘Mental Health First Aid & Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace’ More info at Health and Safety, First Aid & Fire Safety Training – Zenith Training.

How can the workplace make reasonable mental health adjustments? 

Having these adjustments in place also makes sense from a business perspective, as ill mental health is responsible for 72 million working days lost, which equates to £34.9 billion each year nationally. It is also the law, under The Equality Act 2010, it is a requirement that an employer makes reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities to do their jobs. The act states that a person is disabled if: they have a mental or physical impairment, which has substantial and long term adverse effects on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

Reasonable adjustments include: 

  • Adjusting the recruitment induction stage by allowing more time for tests, inductions, and interviews. This can help individuals on the neurodivergent spectrum, such as those with Autism or ADHD.
  •  The potential to adjust working hours and patterns. Allowing variations in working hours or flexible working enables people to work and function at their best and most productive time of day. Similarly, splitting a more extended break or adding shorter breaks throughout the day would benefit someone who cannot concentrate for long periods.
  •  A change of workplace environment. Some people may not be able to work effectively in noisy environments with endless distractions.
  • Making the office a bright, airy environment may also be beneficial.

Alongside reasonable adjustments, the workplace must be a mentally healthy environment; this can be implemented by establishing a health-conscious mental culture by promoting good mental health practices all year round.

Mental health is just as crucial as physical health, so it is vital that it is looked after, and we all take the time to do so.

We are fortunate to live in a society that is now more open to change than ever; as the stigma around mental illness, especially more severe diagnoses, decreases, more people recognise the signs and symptoms of mental illness and can seek help for themselves and others. We exist in a world where TikTok and YouTube are able to provide educational resources that compete with official mental health services. Advocates for mental illness exist on all platforms, both online and in real life; it is up to us to continue to fight the stigma around mental illness, both in the workplace and out.

For further information, take a look at these educational, mental health resources below:

Local Minds – Mind

resource1_mentally_healthy_workplacesfinal_pdf.pdf (mind.org.uk)

Your Stories – Mind