My blog

Category: Opinion

  • Global education faces the ‘largest disruption in modern history’

    Global education faces the ‘largest disruption in modern history’

    Johanna Mitchell

    I worked as a career civil servant in Whitehall before moving into education consultancy.  My opposite numbers at the Russian and Chinese embassies liked to speak with me about their children’s education, eager for advice on selecting schools, or universities.  I’d sit in meetings thinking, “We’re supposed to be in a bilateral discussing UK/China science policy.  But here I am explaining the British education system.” After a spell as head of a small private school run by the Lawn Tennis Association, I set up my own company.

    Education consultancy combines a love of people, travel, languages with a desire to share my education expertise.  A careers advisor may not have this as an obvious choice. I have to be a counsellor, psychologist, diplomat and problem-solver all rolled into one. There is also instinct involved. Where would the family be happiest, thrive and achieve their potential?  People need to trust you.  

    Our clients often feel beleaguered, especially during the pandemic, and need help navigating UK and global education systems.  It feels good that we are able to mitigate this stress.  It is fascinating to see what drives another person, the life path they have chosen and what led them to this place – whether it be parental influence, inherited wealth or a childhood which may have been characterised by early hardship. Our experiences are primarily formed by the culture and political situation in which we and our nearest ancestors lived. 

    For instance, I have an enduring memory of a Russian client, now a dear friend, at the Lotte in Moscow saying ‘Johanna, what is it with you British? When you’re in your 20s and 30s, you just want to have a nice life and be happy.  In Russia, we work hard in our 20s and 30s.  And if we’re miserable, so what?  But when we’re 40 and have achieved the pinnacle of financial success, only then can we relax and enjoy it.”

    Covid-19 has changed our view of global mobility. Since my business is so international in flavour, working with families based from London, to New York to Azerbaijan, I’ve had to adapt. We have three distinct client groups: London-based families; families with homes in multiple jurisdictions; and those relocating to the UK for work or education. For the two latter groups, especially, we’ve overcome fresh challenges, negotiating changing travel corridors, specific visas and a combination of online university lectures, schooling and specialist tutors.  

    Despite the pandemic, British education is still in great demand, especially for families who are able to move easily to the UK. For instance, with US schools closed for a long period in 2020, we saw a rise in relocating US families. One family moved to Kensington prior to the US election, with their four young children. As one spouse worked from home as a stock trader, the family could live anywhere with reliable internet. London, with its top schools, was an attractive proposition.  Another US couple have enrolled their daughter in a London school for a year, while they take time to enjoy the city and study for an MA in Art History at UCL. 

    With several families moving from Europe, we also trained one firm’s senior management team to recognise differences in British and French work culture. The company is delighted with their new employee, who keeps them well-stocked with French wines and cheese. Our next challenge is to support a group of families from Hong Kong who will be taking advantage of the British National (Overseas) visa to settle in the UK. They will access UK schools and universities for their children. Pastoral care and access to nature now feature highly on wish lists of relocating families.

    I’ve been consistently impressed by how well the schools and universities with which we work have adapted to organisational and economic challenges. They have embraced EdTech and adjusted to offer an inclusive community – both in person and online – to combat the social isolation experienced by both students and their parents. Parents, more than ever, are looking for a high quality mix of one-to-one tutoring and school-based learning.  

    We are living with the largest disruption to the global education system in modern history.  The pandemic has been a catalyst to education change in the UK. While we are not yet in a position to see exactly where the cards will fall, I am certain that schools and universities will continue to evolve to provide outstanding education opportunities for both UK and international students.  

  • Diary: John Bercow on Joe Wicks, The Crown and ‘fascist’ Donald Trump

    Diary: John Bercow on Joe Wicks, The Crown and ‘fascist’ Donald Trump

    The former Speaker of the House tells Finito World about his life under Covid-19 and reacts to recent political developments

    Since coronavirus struck, millions of words have rightly been written about the damage to children’s education. In particular, commentators have highlighted the stark growth of inequality between students from independent schools and those from the most disadvantaged state school families. Yet precious little has been said about the 11-plus and it is time to shine a light on the subject.

    The test has long been explosively controversial but surely it should be open to the same type of scrutiny as every public exam. This is currently not so. Over 70 different 11-plus exams are taken by over 100,000 pupils every year and the results are not recorded or linked to pupil records. This extraordinary omission in an age of transparency means that we don’t know many pupils take the test every year and how many pass; the gender, ethnic and socio-economic make-up of entrants or the proportions and profiles of pupils who access grammar schools through appeals, taking a 12-plus or succeeding in a 13-plus test.

    Crucially, education researchers cannot evaluate 11-plus results against children’s SATs and GCSE grades and young people’s A levels without study of vital 11-plus data. Inclusion of this data in the National Pupil Database is of national importance and urgently required. That is not merely my view but the view of more than 20 distinguished academics specialising in education research. Led by Dr Nuala Burgess, Chair of Comprehensive Future, they have written to Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, urging him to publish the information without delay. Come on, Gavin, let’s see your reply and, most importantly, the missing material. After all, as your old boss, David Cameron, once said, sunshine is the best disinfectant!

    If school pupils have suffered, so too have university students. I wear two hats in the sector as Chancellor of my alma mater, Essex University, and a part-time Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway College, London University (to the enormous amusement of our children). Both universities are naturally doing all they can to adapt their teaching and learning models to mitigate the disruption to students’ keenly sought education. Yet the rupture – educational, social and cultural – is obvious and undeniable. I don’t have a solution beyond superfast roll-out of the vaccine but make no mistake: my generation were lucky. I paid no fees, had a full maintenance grant and benefited from outstanding teaching and the multiple opportunities of a great campus university. Today’s students have a raw deal by comparison.

     Since time immemorial a principal British preoccupation has been the weather. Since last March friends have been asking each other ‘how are you surviving lockdown?’ Well, I own up. Until the pandemic hit the UK, I, a disgraceful technophobe, had never heard of Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Now they have become part of my life as most of my commercial and academic work has been done by that means. Sure enough, it is good to see more of one’s own family but the inability to play or watch outdoor sport for long periods I have found severely stultifying.

    Two new routines have helped me no end. First, Joe Wicks has been a lifeline. I have never met him but he is a legend. I have been doing his 20 minute workouts five times a week since 24 March 2020. He is utterly motivational. If it had been 60 minutes or even 40, take-up would have been tiny. Twenty minutes’ exercise, with our three children or sometimes alone, but always coaxed, encouraged, willed on by Joe, has made me a lot fitter. Thanks Joe. You have worked wonders for so many people who need no equipment to follow your lead and you have supported the NHS, the country’s best-loved institution, in the process. Second, since August 2020, having never been a jogger, I have taken to jogging for 45 minutes four times a week. I am now hooked on the routine and the exposure to fresh air is both refreshing and invigorating. Where our eldest child led, I have – yes, more slowly – followed.

    Netflix has over 200 million subscribers world-wide, our household included. Yet I rarely watched any of its series. In the last eleven months, I have watched several, cherishing The Stranger, The Queen’s Gambit and, above all, The Crown. Critics have carped about the latter for historical inaccuracy – it is advertised as drama, for goodness sake – but it is brilliantly acted and a first- rate, graphic and thought-provoking introduction to post-war British history. On top of drama viewing, I have read more books than as Speaker I ever had time to do. Novels, histories and biographies have all captivated me but none has surpassed my favourite political biography, Robert Caro’s four volume biography of Lyndon Johnson, a masterpiece truly jaw-dropping in scope, analysis and page-turning interest from start to finish.

    I shall sign off with reference to a triumph and a trial. The triumph was that of American democracy in evicting the most rancid, racist and repellent occupant of the White House in my lifetime. Donald Trump has been a disgrace to his country and an embarrassment on the world stage. As Speaker, believing that he exhibited fascist tendencies, I signalled vociferous opposition in 2017 to him addressing our Parliament and was condemned by reactionaries and stuffed shirts. Nothing has happened in the last four years to change my mind on the subject but much has happened to reinforce my conviction that he had not earned the honour and should not be invited.

    Joe Biden and Kamala Harris face huge challenges but they are motivated by the spirit of public service, not the service of themselves, and they will enjoy global goodwill. The trial is the misery and privation faced yet again by the people of Burma. After more than half a century of brutal military dictatorship, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won a landslide election victory in 2015. Daw Suu made big mistakes. She suffered major damage to her reputation. She should learn from the experience. That said, she won overwhelmingly again in the November 2020 election. Her detention, and the theft of the election by the military from the people, is an absolute scandal. It is time for the Biden Administration, eloquently backed by the UK, the European Union and freedom-lovers everywhere, to challenge, expose and isolate the Burmese generals until they face trial. Let them do so, answering for their thuggery to the International Criminal Court.  

    Photo credit: Ieva Ābele, Saeima

  • Uber Supreme Court ruling: Is this the end for the gig economy?

    Uber Supreme Court ruling: Is this the end for the gig economy?

    Alice Wright

    The Supreme Court has today ruled that Uber must class its drivers as workers, not as self-employed. 

    The case – brought by James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam, both former Uber drivers – is a victory for workers’ rights. Although not a surprise ruling, since Uber had already lost three former rounds in the courts, it is a significant one. It means that all drivers working for the firm are now entitled to employment rights such as the minimum wage and holiday pay.  

    In considering his ruling Lord Leggatt looked at how much control Uber has over drivers’ earnings, control of contract terms, and their ability to penalise drivers. This helped him to reach the conclusion that Uber drivers are indeed workers and not self-employed. Lord Leggatt states that the firm must consider drivers an employee from the moment they log on to the app to when they log off, not just when they are driving. 

    Since the ruling is likely to be expensive for Uber, and sets a precedent that will make competing companies nervous, this may be a warning shot to the exploitative practices of the gig economy that keeps labour so cheap and corporate profits so high. 

    Alongside the costs of employment the firm may also be considered eligible to pay VAT as a transport provider rather than simply a booking agent. The gig economy is expected to be worth £140 billion by 2025, and HMRC will be looking at ways to update tax to incorporate such businesses, especially as it is feeling the pressure of the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. 

    This ruling is also not auspicious for Uber at a time when they are also starting their fight against the incoming suit from black cab drivers. London taxi drivers, represented by Mischon de Raya, are suing Uber for unlawful practices surrounding hailing cabs on the street, between 2012 and 2018. 

  • Is the DofE award still worth it?

    Is the DofE award still worth it?

    The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, known as DofE, is an award for young people aimed at developing skills outside of academic learning. It was founded by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 1956 for school age boys in the UK. It has morphed and expanded exponentially since then, available to anyone 14-25 and delivered in 144 countries around the world. 

    It is enduringly popular, with around 300,000 young people starting the award each year. The awards are split up into levels Bronze, Silver and Gold. All those who achieve their Gold Award are invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace, where they are presented to the recipients, usually by a member of the Royal Family. 

    Each stage of the award requires the participant to take up challenges in four different areas: physical, volunteering, skills and an expedition. These areas are chosen to enrich academic learning with new experiences and boost young people’s confidence by showing them that they can do more than they initially believed. 

    The organisation describes the award as “a tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers.” Indeed the DofE Award is about commitment to a challenge and developing teamwork. Whether that be in the challenges of volunteering or putting up a tent together in the sleeting rain. Perseverance and an ability to work constructively with others is essential for the world of work. Yet the award is also a lot of fun, a chance to get out and see parts of our beautiful country with one’s friends.  

    Young people have been cooped up inside away from their friends on and off for the best part of a year. Of course, when they are allowed to return to the classroom academic catch-up will be essential. Yet so will plugging the ‘soft skill’ gaps and boosting mental health in the great outdoors. The DofE Award can help with all of that. 

    Photo credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

  • Bulletin from the Pandemic Front Lines

    Bulletin from the Pandemic Front Lines

    Liam Beadman

    My role working for a London Clinical Commissioning Group during 2020 has been dominated by COVID-19. Responding to the first wave of the pandemic we enabled our local GPs to continue to be able to care for their patients by rolling out phone and video consultations and worked with clinicians to make sure that appropriate infection control procedures were in place to ensure that those that needed to be seen face to face, either in the surgery or at home, could be seen safely. The summer saw a shift to ‘recovery’ – trying to catch up with all the people who had not been in touch with their GP during the first lockdown, either through not wanting to be a burden or simply from fear of catching the corona virus.

    From October and into November the anticipation that vaccines would be approved before Christmas started to become a reality and so my days since then have been spent trying to work out how we can administer life-saving vaccines to as many vulnerable people as quickly and safely as possible. I’m fortunate to work with some really brilliant people at all levels within my organisation and also at the local GP surgeries. The oft-maligned ‘NHS management’ has performed its role well in allowing clinicians to convert policy into a clinical model and then doing everything possible to ensure the model could be mobilised. Everyone has pulled together, working over and above already long hours, with a spirit of “we must do this for the good of our patients and the whole country”.

    At the start of December, we were written to by NHS England stating that they would give us 10 days’ notice of our first delivery of vaccine and low and behold on 4th December an email pops up in my mailbox – 975 doses of Pfizer vaccine will be delivered to our first site on Monday 14th December. This was closely followed by an email three days later stating that we would be getting the same delivery to our second site. The small details like taking delivery of a fridge, syringes, needles, computers, sanitiser etc. would be communicated to us in the coming days. Time to start calling staff and patients!

    975. This magic number would consume all of our thoughts for the following weeks. The high tech, mRNA vaccine from Pfizer must be stored at minus 70 degrees centigrade. It is then defrosted en route to the vaccination centre and upon delivery, we have around 3.5 days to get it into the arms of nearly 1,000 octo- and nonagenarians. Speed would be of the essence to ensure good patient ‘flow’ through the premises and enable us to maintain social distancing and infection control procedures to keep these vulnerable people as safe as possible. Many of them hadn’t felt able to leave their homes since March and most would not have been around so many people at one time since then either.

    After the first few clinics had bedded in and we had a better idea of the staffing requirements – use fewer doctors and more pharmacists to do the jabbing; make use of all the local people willing to volunteer – I decided that I would volunteer at the sites as often as my day job would allow. Expecting to do some stewarding, I was immediately thrust into the role of operational lead, which was a bit of a shock, but I took inspiration from the people around me and got stuck in.

    Throughout the sessions I’ve worked I’ve really been struck by the gratitude of all the residents who have attended for their vaccine. There’s a real sense of hope pervading the building accompanied by the occasional, very British, suppressed shout of “YESSS!!” from our particularly outgoing patients. I hear that in New York they have spontaneous applause, tears and whoops of joy, but the quiet gratitude and good humour of all of our patients is enough for me.

    Working at the vaccination hubs is thankfully, generally, uneventful. The early shift normally brings a few patients arriving at 7:15am for their booked appointment at 8am, happy to wait for 45 minutes until we’re ready to start. We have been let down only a couple of times by the National IT system for recording vaccinations, frantically writing down peoples’ details on paper forms to stop the queue outside in the snow from getting too long. The late shift at one of our sites culminates in a race to shut the doors before the local fox decides she wants to spend the night in the building. 

    I found myself doing a stint on the reception desk recently with one of the regular volunteers, Spirit. She had been working in a very sociable shop before the pandemic and had only been able to go back there when restrictions allowed. I could tell that she was really feeding off the energy of all the patients and we confided in each other that that was one of the many reasons for volunteering. In a selfish kind of a way it’s been really good for me too. I’m fortunate to be of an age and in good enough health that COVID-19 is less of a worry for me, but I have been confined to my house and the surrounding parks with my young family for 9 months now. It’s fantastic to be around lots of people again and to be able to have a chat with strangers (remember that?).

    Writing this shortly after the 15thFebruary target has been met to offer the vaccine to the 15 million people over 70 years old and the clinically extremely vulnerable gives me an enormous sense of pride. The government’s handling of the pandemic can only be properly assessed in the fullness of time. There have been elements that they probably could have done better, but the vaccination programme has been a massive success. New data coming out of Israel is giving firm evidence that the decision to delay the second dose of the vaccine to 12 weeks was indeed the correct one, allowing the maximum number of people to get a good level of protection against the virus. There was also very welcome news with the government’s recent announcement that surplus vaccines would be donated to Covax for use in developing countries, showing that the United Kingdom is still a respected leader in the international community.

    Having spent many long hours and expended large amounts of energy on inoculating our most vulnerable with a first dose of the life-saving vaccine, the programme continues. Those aged 65 to 70 years old and adults with underlying health problems are next, along with planning for the second doses for the 15 million vaccinated already. Uptake so far has been really good, but I’d like to finish with a call to action for our friends, colleagues and fellow citizens from black and ethnic minority backgrounds (BAME) to come forward for your vaccinations too. Uptake in these groups, particularly in people with African and Caribbean heritage is much lower than for the rest of the population, whereas they have disproportionately suffered the ill effects of COVID-19. It’s down to all of us to encourage our friends, parents and grandparents to take up the offer of vaccination in order to save lives and end the pandemic.

    Photo credit: CDC on UnSplash

  • Keir Starmer is right to put his foot down about dress codes

    Keir Starmer is right to put his foot down about dress codes

    Alice Wright

    A recent leaked memo from within the Labour Party says “the use of the flag, veterans, dressing smartly at the war memorial etc. gives voters a sense of authentic values alignment.” 

    This new strategy, reportedly led by Keir Starmer himself, has met with a mixed reception and reopened a conversation about the importance – or not – of dress codes. Starmer’s vision, which aims to enact a smartening up of his parliamentary party after the shaggy appearance of the Corbyn years, amounts to much more than just an ephemeral concern about aesthetics. 

    The Leader of the Opposition, irrespective of party, should be seen as a Prime Minister in-waiting. A smart presentation that adheres to an unofficial dress code demonstrates a respect for both the role of opposition, but also the high office they hope to fill. It is about respect for institutions and values that are bigger than anyone who inhabits an office at any given time. 

    Dominic Cummings’ slovenly appearance was a purposeful mark of disdain for the establishment and the institutions that govern us. A dress code around public office is not antiquated; it is a physical symbol of continuity. Politicians, their aides, advisors and civil servants work for the people. They have worked to serve them before, and those that fill the same roles will do so after them. An adherence to the same dress represents this consistency of purpose. 

    I have never found dress codes to stifle creativity or even individuality: they are instead a basis from which to start from and to work around. Instead of being a source of anxiety and stress, they can be a great relief for people nervous about what to wear to a certain event, social gathering or new job. 

    There is no job more important than representing the best interests of a nation, making decisions on how to aid the vulnerable and care for the sick. Our politicians need to lead by sartorial example: it is the least we should expect of them.

    Photo credit: Ruthson Zimmerman on Unsplash

  • ‘The sacrificial lambs of Covid-19’: self-employed parents

    ‘The sacrificial lambs of Covid-19’: self-employed parents

    Alice Wright

    Many parents filed their tax returns on the 31st January. A fun day for no-one, but for many salt in the wound followed when Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent a letter of support through the letterbox the following Monday. The letter was intended to thank parents for their stellar work in filling the education void left by the closure of schools for the second time in twelve months. Some received this with hostility, others with annoyance, many with exhausted ambivalence. 

    Johnson’s well-intentioned letter changed nothing. Parents have been left to pick up the slack left by online provision from schools and yet there has been no direct financial support from the state for their doing so. Some parents have demanding jobs; others struggle to make ends meet while they’re on furlough. Meanwhile the self-employed are hemorraghing productivity in order to care for little ones. One business-owner described sole trader parents to me as ‘the sacrificial lambs of Covid-19’.

    It’s no surprise then that with the half-term slog now in full swing, it’s not uncommon to hear parents wondering – only half-jokingly – when their salary for half a term’s education is coming. But it’s a more serious issue than many realise. There is a strong government that as Rishi Sunak’s budget day approaches, he should be considering a tax rebate – especially for self-employed parents.

    One self-employed writer, Iris, 40, and who has two children, told me: “For the self-employed, productivity is synonymous with income. The self-employed can’t and don’t claim furlough, and are some of the most affected by homeschooling as they have no work support structure when they are unable to cope.” She continued: ‘They’re by nature entrepreneurial people, the sort of people the Conservatives are meant to admire. In addition they have to pay 150% of annual tax in their first year of moving to self-employed status. Individuals that did this in 2019-20, unknowing of what was to come, are particularly hard hit now.” 

    Freelancing support has indeed been poor from the government, but further to this it also has a gender aspect. The leading charity Pregnant Then Screwed was set up to fight against the discrimination women face during pregnancy and after having children. The organisation recently took the government to court, with the help of law firm Leigh Day and Doughty Street Chambers, to challenge the discrimination inherent in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

    The basis of their argument is that the calculation of the grant does not exempt periods of maternity leave when calculating average earnings, leaving around 69,200 women affected. When questioned, the Chancellor compared taking maternity leave to taking a sabbatical or ill-health. The charity lost their challenge yesterday and are considering grounds for an appeal. 

    While all this unfolds, out there the pain is real. One single mother, Susan, who is also self-employed, tells us: “I feel constantly torn, all I want is to do the best for my daughter, whether that be helping her with her studies or staying afloat financially. Whenever I’m working to do that I feel neglectful of her education and future, when I’m helping with homework I’m anxious to get back to work.” 

    Further inconsistencies include the fact that nurseries are open, yet reception is not. This opens the possibility that a business run by a self-employed parent with a child born in August 2016 would be at a competitive disadvantage to a business run by a self-employed parent with a child born in September of that same year. Such cut-offs are perhaps in the nature of this unprecedented situation, but the government hasn’t so far recognised the disparity.

    The Prime Minister’s letter offers a vague commitment to an education recovery programmes which many feel will be too little too late, if they happen at all. The lobby group UsforThem has a membership base of tens of thousands of increasingly concerned parents arguing for the reopening of schools. The group stress that they support the vast majority of precautionary hygiene measures proposed by the Department for Education but that the damage to children and families of closing schools is too great. 

    Molly King, the organisation’s founder and mother of two, told me that the government must “extend the furlough scheme so that parents can concentrate on their children without fear of losing their jobs. There needs to be explicit acknowledgment that it is impossible to do both well and that children need their parents like never before.” 

    Liz Cole, the other co-founder of Pregnant but Screwed, agrees: “Parents are on their knees. Many are telling us that they are barely keeping their heads above water financially and in terms of their own mental health. Combined with the pressures of juggling homeschooling and employment, a growing number of families are now at breaking point. It is deeply concerning.”

    One such parent is Peta Swindall, a puppeteer and executive director of the Little Angel Theatre, who explains: “It has been a challenging time, particularly for freelance workers, and puppetry is no exception. Where possible we have tried to support our freelance family, with well over 100 employment opportunities and paid representation on the industry wide Freelance Taskforce, but the scale of the work has been much reduced, with many of those we work with losing their whole roster of work overnight.”

    Molly King is also desperately worried about the mental health of children not in the classroom, as well as increasing concerns about many children’s physical safety. Indeed, a Prince’s Trust report in January 2021 revealed that one in four young people now say that they are “unable to cope with life” since the start of the pandemic. Something King describes as “shaming.” 

    “We are also starting to hear some very troubling things on the safeguarding front,” King continues. “School governors and heads are telling us they are aware of significant increases in safeguarding referrals. Families really are now at the end of their tether and for the most vulnerable children and families this will be the grim result. From what we are seeing, we believe there’s a tsunami of mental and family breakdown ahead.” 

    Liz Cole agrees: “What parents most need from the government is a commitment to reopen schools and keep them open – allowing us to give our children the certainty and hope they desperately need. The combined impact of these current two status quos amounts to a declaration of war on childhood.” The campaign has received the support of 28 MPs so far, and they insist that number is growing each day. 

    According to Kevin Peachey of BBC News, more than five million people have fallen into a fragile financial position during the pandemic. That’s in addition to an estimated 14.2 million people, who are vulnerable to a financial shock. The Financial Conduct Authority data only covers the impact from February to October last year and they estimate that the impact will now be greater, after a further four months of restrictions, and counting. 

    The government must act now to help struggling parents, for families’ sake and for the sake of the next generation. It is true that the strain of this will lift if the schools return on 8th March. Education spending came in at 92.3 billion in 2019/20. Tax-paying self-employed parents traditionally find consolation in the thought that their payments to their Revenue are part of their contribution to the broader social contract.

    It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has radically altered that. The Treasury has been helped those affected in many instances, and his is to be applauded. But it is only right that we draw attention to the self-employed parent.

    But how might the situation be remedied? The reality is that this is an area which isn’t being sufficiently explored by the leading think tanks – a fact in itself symptomatic of an issue which has fallen through the cracks.

    Mark Morrin, Principal Research Consultant at Respublica, said: ‘For years the self-employed have been encouraged to go that way, but when the crisis came they were ignored.’ He added that this gap speaks to the fact that the Conservatives ‘used to be entrepreneurial under Thatcher,’ but that now ‘the Red Wall Tories don’t look at the world that way. There is a major piece of research to be done here. You might not admire Hungary and Poland for obvious reasons but they have more sophisticated approaches to family policy. Singapore is also miles ahead in this area.’

    Parents are tired of being called the ‘heroes of this crisis’ without having any recognition from the government about their contribution in stepping in for the state at this difficult time. And if you’re self-employed that lack of recognition may well go hand in hand without any recognition from where it would most help: the Treasury.

  • How to be productive in the age of Covid-19

    How to be productive in the age of Covid-19

    Robert Peake

    “I must create a system, or be enslav’d by another man’s”

    -William Blake

    In my work as an effectiveness coach, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the brightest and busiest people throughout the UK. Whether they are senior leaders of global companies, cutting-edge academic researchers, top surgeons or hit record producers, I have found that successful people all have one thing in common: they have their own systems to help keep them focused and on track.

    The combination of new remote working practices, huge shifts in marketplace demand, and global economic uncertainty means that focus has never been a more precious commodity than in the COVID-19 era. That is, whether you are just entering the workforce or building the A-list teams of tomorrow, you must be able to navigate change without losing sight of what matters most.

    One of the most popular systems for maintaining focus, and the one that I teach, is called Getting Things Done® or simply “GTD®”. It was invented by David Allen, whose book on the topic has sold more than two million copies and been translated into thirty languages. The methodology is comprehensive to one’s work and life, and I have been practicing it for more than twenty years.

    Yet certain elements of GTD can be implemented right away to great effect. According to a recent survey, 86% of people practicing some aspect of GTD feel that it enables them to be more productive in the current environment despite an explosion of virtual meetings, conflicting priorities, and other challenges to maintaining work-life balance. [ref.: https://www.next-action.co.uk/new-world-of-work-survey/ ]

    The fundamental principle is simple: you need a good system, and your brain isn’t one. Trying to keep and prioritise all of your commitments in your head is both ineffective and stressful. The proof is already in front of you in the form of your calendar. However, while most people acknowledge that they need an external system to manage their appointments, surprisingly few people have equally effective systems to orientate themselves in between meetings. 

    Yet figuring out what to focus on when it is just you and your laptop alone in a room is actually one of the most important parts of your job.

    The modern workplace is one wherein success must be defined and redefined in relation to constant change. Furthermore, many of the traditional company-wide approaches to keeping focus such as open-plan offices and face-to-face meetings have been upended by COVID restrictions. Having a system of your own is therefore key to being able to trust that you are making the right choices–for yourself and for the company–without anyone looking over your shoulder. So how do you get started?

    The first major mindset shift that successful people make is to start capturing their commitments in as few places as possible. For example, anytime they agree to do something, they write it down. I have never met a highly successful person who didn’t take notes in meetings (or have notes taken for them), which they later review not just for content, but to understand who agreed to do what by when.

    Likewise, out of the barrage of emails, texts, chat messages, and Zoom calls that await you at the start of each working day, you must identify what is actionable for you, get it “captured” as quickly as possible, and make sure it ends up in places that you will regularly review (out-of-sight, out-of-mind in a “notes” app on your phone, for example, doesn’t count).

    These basic notes and lists, however, are not enough on their own. Most “to-do” lists, while better than nothing, are incomplete and poorly stated by the standards of the GTD methodology. This is because when you consult them to decide what to do, you have to re-think what the next step is, and what will be true when it is fully done. The same goes for email, where the subject lines almost never read: “Here is your next step and here is what ‘job done’ looks like for you.”

    Instead, those two key elements–what’s next, and what the finish line looks like–are your job to figure out. Once you have done so, GTD suggests that you write it down in a way that won’t require re-thinking when you come back to read it later on. Whether that is done on a paper list or in a sophisticated digital tool is up to you. It is the thinking (and not having to re-think) that matters most.

    More than anything, what I notice about high-performing people is that they are internally motivated, and that they care about doing what they said they would do. This, in fact, is an excellent definition of integrity, one of those character traits that goes hand-in-hand with leadership. By contrast, those who rely on external motivators alone–such as looming deadlines and reminders from the boss–and especially those who think it unavoidable to let things “slip through the cracks”–are often left wondering why they never seem to get ahead.

    Sifting out the “signal” of your commitments from the “noise” of information overload is entirely practical. Yet as a practice, it can take time. Likewise, we are not trained in traditional schooling to define successful outcomes and clear next steps when a problem comes our way. We are often told to think about problems, but rarely told how. 

    The best way I have found is to simply think of problems as projects yet to be defined and done. That is, for every difficult situation there is an outcome on the other side of it that you want to be true. Identifying that outcome, and then taking a next step, is a key to bouncing back from most setbacks.

    Companies are looking for “self-starters” to hire, and managers are looking for “can-do” people to promote. Beyond attitude, though, the reality is that you need tools that work for you to get things defined, organised, and ultimately done. The GTD book is an easy read and, to my mind, a complete manual for staying effective in the COVID age.

    Many people are recognising that how they work needs to fundamentally change in order to thrive in the present climate. They need to work on how they work rather than just working longer and harder. As a result, I have never been busier.

    My hope is that we will all emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger and more capable. What I know for sure is that those who create good systems have the best possible chance of doing just that.

    For practical tips on how to work smarter and live better, and further information on GTD seminars and coaching, visit: next-action.co.uk/working-from-home

    GTD and Getting Things Done are registered trademarks of David Allen Company. Next Action Associates is the licensed partner of David Allen Company for the UK and Ireland.

    Photo credit: Isaac Smith on Unsplash

  • Stuart Thomson: how to break the business echo chamber

    Stuart Thomson: how to break the business echo chamber

    Many organisations like the sound of their own voices but it is only by listening to others that they can really change and stay alive to new opportunities. Breaking this echo chamber needs effort and is a valuable role that new entrants can play but only if they are allowed to.

    As a result of recognising the valuable role that younger employees can play, some organisations have set up ‘shadow boards’ to help capture new thinking and keep them on their toes.  It is also believed that such ‘shadow boards’ help keep newer team members motivated.

    In my experience, however, motivation is not so much the issue.  It has more to do with the disengagement that can come from having no way of feeding ideas into an organisation.  More fundamental still is not being listened to or simply being ignored.

    Most organisations would never admit that this is the case.  Those without a ‘shadow board’ type arrangement may instead have a more traditional committee style system.  These committees may focus on individual aspects, or issues, relevant to the good running of the organisation – environment / net zero, community engagement, inclusion, and, of course, the essential social committee.

    In the first place, these sorts of opportunities need to be grabbed.  It would be wrong to dismiss them without first giving them a go.  Put yourself forward for them.  They can be really effective.  But an organisation should really prove that time spent serving on them is worthwhile. What have they done and achieved? They need to convince team members that the opportunities are real, not just window dressing or, worse still, just a good paragraph on the website or in an annual report.

    What happens, however, if an issue that personally motivates you sits outside of the confines of any committees that exist?  Suggesting something new is always a good starting point but ideally it should come with a ‘business case’.  An idea about the potential benefits of activity alongside an indication that you are not alone, others are interested as well.

    Any committee of ‘shadow board’ though needs to have power in an organisation. They need the personal buy in of someone on the main Board or leadership team, preferably the CEO themselves. That way recommended actions have a fighting chance of being implemented.  Also be a little wary if there seems too much cross-over between committees, that is one quick-fire of ensuring that nothing ever happens.

    If these are important considerations when thinking about where to work then ask about them in interviews.  They would still be largely non-typical questions to ask so could well stick in the minds of those grilling you which is no bad thing.  But, more importantly, they will tell you about what type of organisation it is and whether it is ‘open’ or ‘closed’.

    Even if they talk a good game, still be prepared to ask them for demonstrable outputs from the Board or Committees.  Such bodies need to reflect the diverse nature of the workforce.  They should not be a talking shop for the less busy or a resting place for those on their way out.  An employer needs to show evidence of their dynamism.

    These discussions would also demonstrate, from the outset, that you are someone who wants to challenge but in a constructive way.  They are talking to someone who wants to play an active role in the future success of the organisation.  If that isn’t attractive to them then maybe you just aren’t right for each other.  It is a useful stage them getting to know you and you getting to know them.  You can then both make informed choices.

    Younger employees may lack the direct experience of the role but their other skills and experiences are extremely valuable to any organisation. Employed properly they can help break echo chambers and open up exciting future prospects.

    Stuart Thomson is Head of Public Affairs at BDB Pitmans

  • Gavin Williamson is right to bolster free speech at universities

    Gavin Williamson is right to bolster free speech at universities

    Georgia Heneage

    Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has introduced a flurry of legislation to bolster freedom of speech at university campuses. This spate of activity is aimed at letting academics, visiting speakers or students who are ‘no-platformed’ – those denied the right to speak – sue universities for compensation. The measures even introduce the appointment of a ‘free speech champion’ to investigate breaches.

    The government’s decision has, ironically, prompted a wave of criticism – including from the Unions, who claim that there’s “no threat” of a freedom of speech crisis at universities. Williamson said that “free speech underpins our democratic society and our universities have a long and proud history of being places where students and academics can express themselves freely”.

    The battle between free speech and students’ desire to cultivate a safe space where their set of values (increasingly polarised between the right and the left) are protected, is part of the wider culture wars which have been raging on for some time. Williamson’s decision almost seems like a logical climax to a series of broiling events: last year Oxford historian Selina Todd was excluded from speaking at an event celebrating women under pressure from trans activists because of her views on transgender rights, and around the same time Amber Rudd was denied the right to speak at Oxford half an hour before her talk was due to start- the reasons are uncertain but most people believe it was because of the part she played in the Windrush Scandal during her time as Home Secretary.

    My time as a student at Oxford was marked by frequent instances of no-platforming: it was a common sight to see students protesting outside the gilded gates of the Oxford Union when a speaker whose views they deemed offensive was due to speak. This would spark heated debate amongst students about the validity of silencing opposing opinions versus the danger of platforming potentially toxic views, the conclusion usually resting on the latter, probably because of the danger that you would come across as ‘anti-this’ or ‘anti-that’.

    I am a supporter of students’ right to protest, and joined a few in my time, but my views have since developed to this key point: you can hold intrinsic beliefs without shutting down the other side, and you can be a fierce feminist without denying a speaker whose views may be at odds with your values the right to share theirs.

    The dominance of social media in the lives of the younger generations has engendered a dangerous echo chamber and defensiveness in debates: it has produced a culture where people are scared to offend and take offense easily; an environment in which, as New York Times journalist Jia Tolentino puts it, “the discourse of righteousness occupies far more public attention than the conditions that necessitate rightenoussness in the first place”. It’s almost as if the battle for ‘doing the right thing’ (labelled virtue signaling in some contexts) overrides the validity of a fierce (and by necessity opposing or inflammatory) argument.

    These culture wars seem particularly fraught at universities because students tend to hold passionate and staunch views and collectively foster revolutionary minds. But real intellect is dependent upon having the open-mindedness to engage with opposing views: silencing them widens the toxic echo chambers which are enveloping younger generations, and risks inflaming not only our sense of self-righteousness but warping our belief in the validity of our own opinions and value judgements against others.

    The cultivation of an interesting mind and of an enlightened view of the world depends upon opposition. A culture of ‘no-platforming’ rests on the false belief that to engage with a speaker whose views may be controversial, inflammatory or even just at odds with our own, is somehow synonymous with endorsing them. It might risk my being cancelled for saying it, but here goes: though Gavin Williamson has made many mistakes this past year, he is right on this.