Jan 13, 2014 | IT
Langley James IT Recruitment Market Summary – December
Key points
- Strongest rise in permanent placements since March 2010
- Contract requirements at fastest pace in over 15 years
- Permanent salary growth highest since October 2007
Stronger rises in permanent and contract appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent jobs continued to increase in December, with the rate of expansion accelerating to the sharpest since March 2010.
Vacancy growth holds near 15-year high.
Demand for staff continued to increase strongly in December.
Permanent salaries rise at fastest pace in over six years…
Average starting salaries for people placed in permanent jobs increased further in December with the rate of growth the strongest since October 2007. Contract staff pay rates rose at a solid pace that was slightly slower than in the previous month.
…amid declining availability of candidates.
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles continued to fall in December.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, Digital Marketing, General IT, Java, PHP, Web Developers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Business Intelligence, Digital Marketing, .Net, PHP, Web Developers.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants signalled further growth of staff appointments in December, with both permanent and contract requirements increasing at faster rates. In fact, the latest increase was the third-strongest since the start of Langley James IT Recruitment in 1999.
Our IT consultants commented that growth of temp billings reflected a combination of greater demand from existing clients and the securing of new contracts.
Vacancies
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 14.9% on an annual basis in the three months to November. Latest available data signalled that internet-based recruitment spending rose by 4.6% in the second quarter of 2013.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with Executive/Professional moving into the top spot. IT & Computing remained in third place.
Contract staff – IT & Computing posted the fastest growth with Nursing/Medical and Accounting/Financial completing the top three placed in the demand for staff league table.
Staff Availability
Permanent staff availability fell at a sharp and accelerated rate in December. The sharpest reductions in permanent staff availability was shown in London and the Midlands.
The availability of contract staff fell for the sixth month running in December. Although easing slightly from November’s nine-year records, the rate of decline remained marked.
Remuneration
The rate of inflation of permanent staff salaries quickened further in December with our IT consultants reporting that these frequently attributed to shortages of quality candidates.
Rates of pay for contract employees increase for an eleventh month in December. Strong demand for staff was reported to have driven the latest growth of temp pay.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 9, 2013 | IT
Key points
- Permanent salary growth at six-year high amid declining candidate availability
- Overall vacancies increase at fastest pace since July 1998
- Permanent and contract appointment rise at strong, albeit slower rates
Slower but still marked growth of staff appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent and contract roles continued to rise in November.
Vacancies rise at strongest rate in over 15 years.
Overall demand for staff increased at a faster pace in November. Private sector demand for staff continued to show a much stronger trend than public sector demand.
Permanent salaries increase at fastest pace in six years…
Growth of permanent staff salaries accelerated further, reaching the strongest rate since November 2007. Contract staff pay rose at a solid pace that was sharper than October.
…as decline in candidate availability gathers pace
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles fell further in November, with the rate of decline quickening to the sharpest since July 2007. Contract staff availability meanwhile fell at the fastest pace in nine years.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, C#, C++, Developers, Java, PHP, Software Engineers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Developers, Infrastructure, .Net, SAP, SQL.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants reported a further increase in the number of people they placed in permanent jobs in November. Strong growth of available job vacancies underpinning the latest rise in placements.
Billings received from contract workers continued to rise in November. The rate of growth was strong due to increased client activity levels.
Vacancies
Demand for staff increased further in November for both permanent and contract. The rate of growth was considerable, having accelerated to the strongest in over 15 years.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 12.6% on an annual basis in the three months to October.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with engineering remaining the most sought-after category and IT moving to third place.
Contract staff – A shift in the market with Blue Collar sector showing the highest level of demand. The IT sector stays strong in 4th place.
Staff Availability
The availability of candidates to fill permanent job vacancies continued to fall in November. Moreover, the rate of decline was the sharpest since July 2007 with strong IT professionals in short supply.
Contract candidate availability declined for a fifth successive month in November – the sharpest for nine years.
Remuneration
Average starting salaries awarded to people placed in permanent jobs rose further in November. The higher salaries attributed to a combination of strong demand for staff and shortages of skilled candidates.
Daily rates for contractors also continued to increase in November.
Household Finance Index
The latest HFI survey provided a positive signal for the UK labour market, as workplace activity increased for the tenth successive month and at a solid pace.
IT was the strongest performing sector for workplace activity, followed by construction and manufacturing.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
A practice first coined at Hewlett Packard in the 1940’s and subsequently embraced by Steve Jobs, even in the current technological age, Managing By Wandering Around or MBWA has been proved to deliver far greater dividends than computer processing or watching the pennies.
It is all too easy to get embroiled in worrying if your company is doing well and forgetting about the people on the ground that make it happen and why those people chose to work for you.
How often do you say ‘hello’ to employees on a regular basis? Do you let them know how important they are to the success of the company? Do you know every employee by name?
You may be aware of the Hawthorne effect – the increase in productivity in the workplace when people feel that they are cared for. This doesn’t mean spending hours, chatting aimlessly about their weekend, or their holiday plans, but simply remembering to take the time to ask “how are you?” When employees are happy, loyal and engaged they miss less work, perform better, are more supportive of change and this results in profits being higher.
As managers and directors, we achieve success by leading a group of individuals to meet goals. A recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management revealed that 82% of managers said that their teams knew exactly what was expected of them. However, employees were not so sure with only 58% knowing what they are supposed to do.
MBWA is a smart approach to making sure that these goals are being communicated and helps you lead a team by keeping your ear to the ground on developments and issues, as well as ideas. Identify individuals as Human Beings, not Human Resources and identify those who are living the values and making a difference and let them know it isn’t going unnoticed. At a time of intense competition and rapid change, it is vital to maintain close connections with your team to make change happen.
Most days in the office can be seen as simply routine by employees, but enjoyment has been sited as the single most effective motivator, with 59% rating it as one of the top 3 in the ILM study, it is more important than ever to ensure that you not only have a productive, driven workforce but also a happy one.
You may have been among the thousands that watched the recent BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary into Iceland. The series trained the lens on everyday life at the HQ, with singing, dancing and all sorts of high-jinks. Even though fun can be seen by some as an odd concept within the office environment, Iceland boast impressive staff retention figures and are regularly named among the best employers in the country so they must be doing something right.
Your people are your business – a happy work environment attracts good people and helps the people who work for you do the best for the company. And remember, company culture doesn’t just happen, it is something that is earned. Now, where’s that gorilla costume?
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
Results from a recent report conducted by IT security firm TrendMicro reveals a shocking culture of carelessness among the UK population with regards to their attitude towards their work devices.
Out of the 2,500 UK Citizens that took part in the report, a shocking 52% reported losing a phone or other mobile device that contained sensitive work data with 27% having lost up to 3 work devices.
Compare those figures to only 11% of those surveyed losing their personal smartphone device and it indicates not only a careless attitude, but also a lack of awareness around the reputation and financial cost to businesses when sensitive data is stolen. In fact, 47% don’t worry much or at all about losing client or customer details and 55% don’t worry much or at all about losing intellectual property.
Over half were out drinking when their devices were lost or stolen and with Christmas around the corner and the festivities already underway, surely this is set to increase over the coming weeks.
26% of devices were lost or stolen on London Underground with 25% of those using Central and District lines.
And it doesn’t stop there!
- 25% of people have emailed sensitive work data to the wrong person
- 31% use WiFi hotspots regularly with 56% never or rarely checking security levels
- 57% didn’t even set up a password lock on their device
Should IT departments be concerned? Absolutely!
The report highlighted that 29% were not even sure what to do to protect their data if the device was lost or stolen and only 10% said that they would notify the IT department if this happened.
This careless culture is endemic to UK businesses, leaving them vulnerable to intrusion from cyber-criminals looking to acquire data for financial gain.
Education is required to help employees understanding the importance of protecting corporate data and also the protocol for notifying you should a breach occur.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Nov 10, 2013 | IT
The Last Great Recruitment Taboo
Social media: Should you look?
92% of recruiters look at potential employees’ social media profiles according to a survey by Jobvite.
It’s no surprise that so many employers are using social media to screen prospective employees. These days an online presence is practically expected and it’s not just for the youngsters – 79% of LinkedIn users are over 35. When you add Facebook, Twitter and Google+ into the equation with just a few clicks you can easily summon the good, the bad and the ugly of a candidate’s professional and personal lives, thanks to all the digital records they, their friends and their family leave behind in social media. But should you look? And if you do, what information can you actually use?
Look for the positives
A social media search should not be seen as a negative screening technique, in fact sometimes it’s better not to look at all until you have met the candidate face to face. But for an insight into their professional presence check out LinkedIn and look for positive attributes such as:
- A professional online presence
- Good spelling and grammar
- Consistency between their job history and their CV
- Insightful statuses and posts
- References to your industry
- Following relevant organisations
- Creativity
- Positivity
- Memberships of organisations
- Endorsements from other professionals
Beware the Negatives
Social media checks cannot be used as part of the hiring decision. When looking at social media the temptation can be to make snap judgements based on what you see. Social media is complex: being tagged without permission is common and inappropriate comments can be posted by others without representing the candidate’s point of view.
Statuses and photographs can also be taken out of context and cannot be taken as solid evidence. Judgements on what is appropriate will also certainly vary – interestingly, the majority of employers have a dimmer view of poor spelling and grammar than photographs of binge drinking. Most importantly, ensure you are looking at the correct profile.
However, there are warning signs. These ‘red alerts’ should be treated in the same way as if you had gleaned the information during interview. These include:
- Bigoted or racist remarks
- Overly sexual language
- Excessive profanity
- Threatening language
- Poor grammar and spelling
Taboo Areas
Just as in the interview, there is taboo information that you CANNOT use to discriminate for or against a candidate under any circumstances. These include:
- Age
- Marital status or sexual preference
- Children
- Political status
- Place of birth, ethnicity or religion
- Lifestyle choices
- Disability & illness
It’s our opinion that social media is an extremely valuable source of information – but one that should be used with caution. What do you think? We’d love you to join the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Ready to recruit?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented pforessionals available. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can find you the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs call us on 
0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com
Oct 7, 2013 | IT
Sickness absence has risen to 7.6 days per employee per year
Sick days cost UK businesses £29bn each year
The UK has the worst sickness absence rate in Europe
The average worker has faked sickness 4 times in their life
Employers are suspicious of over ½ of sickness claims
The cost of fraudulent sickness absence is too great to ignore. In addition to the financial strain these liars place on your business, those left covering the work of their unscrupulous team mates are put under strain, ironically, increasing the risk of genuine illness due to stress. However…
Presenteeism an Ever Present Danger
At the other extreme are the employees who always turn in no matter how ill they are. As well as spreading illness to the rest of the team, these martyrs remain unproductive far longer than those who simply take a day off to recover.
- Presenteeism costs UK businesses twice as much as absenteeism each year
- Employees coming in to work ill are far more likely to make a costly mistake
Weed Out the Liars
Spotting the liars while keeping the genuinely ill safe at home in their beds can be a nightmare. So is gathering the evidence needed for disciplinary action. Fortunately we have some tricks to help you.
Pattern Spot
Review a suspect’s absences over the last few months. Are there any patterns? Are Fridays or Mondays more prevalent showing a penchant for long weekends? Software is also available for businesses to spot trends in absenteeism behaviour that may be missed, such as time taken off during school holidays.
Are the reasons given for absence weak or repeated? Poor excuses are not as hard to spot as you might think. What’s the best one you’ve been given?
Social Media Secrets
Many fakers have been caught out by updates on Facebook or Twitter revealing they are at the beach or a theme park when they are supposed to be at home in bed. If you are suspicious it may be worth a look. After all, even if the perpetrator doesn’t post a status themselves, they could still be tagged by someone else.
Welcome Back Chat
Many companies utilise a ‘Back to Work Interview’ for those returning after a sickness absence. While checking those who have been genuinely ill are safe to recommence work, it also offers an opportunity to check ‘Fit Notes’ and delve a little deeper into any suspicious excuses.
Need to Cover Illness?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented people available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between. Many of these candidates are available for short term contract work with the flexibility to help cover medium to long term sickness absence.
Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Sep 24, 2013 | IT
Security, trust and your business on the line
80% of employees are now utilising ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) in the workplace according to a survey by MobileIron. This means that even if you have the latest in security across your network, unless you have a BYOD policy in place, 50% of the devices used within your business are out of your control.
Even if you don’t officially allow personal devices to be used for work purposes, an individual’s preference for a certain device means that employees are likely to attempt to work around this. This leaves your business open to a plethora of threats.
Sweep Those Threats Aside
When implemented and monitored correctly, BYOD can:
- Reduce capital expenditure for hardware
- Reduce support costs
- Increase employee satisfaction
Follow our quick guide and take back control.
Issue: Security
Devices are unlikely to have the same antivirus and firewall protection as the computers in your office. This, coupled with the risk of loss or theft makes BYOD a volatile component of your business. If data is exposed to an unauthorised person, it is your company that will be fined, not the employee at fault. Are you leaving your business open to data-theft and hacking?
Solution: You should ensure that all devices are logged with you and that appropriate security software is installed on each one. Never allow a jail-broken or rooted device to access your network: ensure a ‘minimum device requirement’ is written into the BYOD policy. Check that your end-user is ‘tech-savvy’ enough to use the device safely: if not, provide training.
Ensure that all ‘apps’ used for business purposes are licenced and that all team members have a secure locking system on their phone. Are procedures in place should a device be lost or stolen? For instance, ‘apps’ are available that will delete data if the incorrect passcode is entered too many times or locate a lost or stolen device and remotely erase sensitive data.
Issue: Social Media Meltdown
It’s difficult to restrict access to social media on a team member’s personal device. After last week’s Silk Road revelations, you may also have concerns about employees utilising the ‘dark web’ for illegal purposes via their devices, putting your business and reputation on the line.
Solution: Put a Social Media Policy in place, outlining what is authorised on the device. Alternatively, set up a specific Wi-Fi network for devices to connect to that restricts access to certain websites during the hours of work. It is then possible to unblock certain websites for users who require access to perform their roles.
Issue: Mixing Business & Pleasure
Devices are likely to be used for both business and personal purposes. A device is likely to hold personal photos, emails, videos, text messages, emails and ‘apps’ which may be inappropriate or unlicensed, placing your company at risk. There is also the danger of emails being sent without appropriate legal disclaimers at the bottom.
Solution: Communication and education on the safe use of devices is crucial. Implement a BYOD policy stating exactly how business should be conducted on the device and make staff aware of particular issues surrounding the use of devices. Emphasise the need to keep company and personal data separate. Don’t forget to check that your HR and legal policies allow for the storage of personal and business data on the same hardware: they may need amending.
Issue: Trust
Just 30% of BYOD users trust their employer to keep their data private according to research by MobileIron. Mistrust mainly arises from confusion about what an employer can see on a device with the biggest worry being that employers are monitoring their text messages or photos.
Solution: Your BYOD policy should include details on exactly what the company has access to on each device. Unless an individual is conducting personal business via a company email account, you should not need to access their personal data. In fact you would need specific permission from the employee to do so, which can be revoked at any time.
The problem arises when a team member leaves your employment and you need to erase company data for security reasons. However, there are ‘apps’ available which allow you to isolate company data and erase it remotely without accessing personal files.
Who’s Paying?
Who is paying for call and data costs for these devices? Ensure there is a transparent and user-friendly policy in place for claiming back appropriate expenses.
Need someone new to take on the challenge?
Do you need a new team member, perhaps to take on new project such as implementing a BYOD policy? Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented IT professionals available. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can find you the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Sep 10, 2013 | IT
Risk of data being washed away
What happens when clouds burst into thin air?
Chaos was rife over the last fortnight as Nirvanix, a reputable, 6-year-old Cloud Provider gave clients 14 days to find a new supplier or lose their data.
In 2 weeks the companies involved had to:
- Source a Cloud Provider with a similar environment
- Transfer all data to the new supplier
- Arrange and pay for supervised overtime for teams to complete the task
- Shut down and lose business as data was locked due to transfer
- Test the accessibility of all the data
Data STILL at risk
At massive cost, the companies involved managed to transfer their data to a new provider by 30thSeptember… but the problems haven’t even stopped there. Nirvanix still has to dispose of the data they have held. As the leased servers are returned to their owners, if the hardware is not destroyed, there is a risk that data may not be erased completely leaving the companies open to data theft.
Unregulated and high-risk
The ‘Cloud’ industry is completely unregulated. Anyone with spare space on their server can start a Cloud business. A company may appear to be British but your data could be held anywhere in the world, putting you at risk of breach of data protection laws. As the last fortnight’s events have shown, your data is at risk with even the most reputable of companies. You may have a contract with a Cloud Provider, but once that company ceases to be, the contract is null and void.
Safe as houses
The safest place to keep your data is in-house. You are in charge of its protection and maintenance. Any changes, for instance due to advances in technology can be dealt with on your timescales. IT professionals working within your team have a personal investment in protecting and caring for your company’s data. After all, if something were to go wrong, it would be their reputations (and jobs) on the line.
Thinking of bringing it home?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented IT professionals available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between. Not only can we help you add the latest superstar to your ranks, we also have experience of in-sourcing, including recruiting whole new teams.
Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Sep 7, 2013 | IT
The future is here: and it’s you
The masses are panicking: you’re taking their jobs. Technology is taking over the world, from Supermarket Self-Service Checkouts to Smart Phones.
Should you feel guilty? Of course not! Now is the time to feel pride: Information Technology saves lives, increases safety, educates people, enhances communication and has revolutionised healthcare. Let’s celebrate the bright future of IT by looking at just a few of the amazing developments that are happening right now.
Robotic pack mules
These tough, bullet-proof robots can carry 400lb of supplies over 20 miles (or up to 24hrs). This innovation has the potential to significantly ease the physical burden on the military. $10,000,000 has just been invested in developing a silent model for use in stealth missions, as well as increasing defences to the head area of the mule, where the majority of the sensors are.
Driverless cars
Thanks to developments in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), driverless cars are becoming a reality. They are already being tested (under engineer supervision) and could be seen on the roads by 2020. Imagine a car that could drop you off at the shops, and then pick you up when you instruct it to with your smart phone app. Potentially, traffic accidents could be eliminated as this technology advances. Could 1st line support take over from the AA?
Self-Healing machines
The emergence of Industrial Internet has made it possible to develop machines with Artificial Intelligence, capable of interacting with data, other machines and end users, to self-diagnose and correct themselves. A report issued by GE predicts that this technology could add €2.2 trillion to European GDP by 2030.
Robotic surgery
The precision of robots has made medical surgery an ideal area to develop their use. However, human decision-making is still superior to a robot’s when it comes to surgery. At Imperial College, London, they are solving this problem by developing a technique called “perceptual docking”, where the eye movements of the surgeon are tracked to teach robots the cognitive and decision-making processes involved in surgery. This has exciting implication for the future of surgery.
Massive growth in IT but where are the people?
All these developments mean that there will be increased demand for IT professionals for a long time to come. In addition to the superstars needed to develop the technology, experts will be required to maintain and care for the systems as well as train others in their use. This means you will need to work hard to secure the talent you need.
Here at Langley James we know how to find the most talented, vibrant IT professionals available, from Developers and Designers to Project Managers and IT Directors. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate to help your business grow. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
What are you excited about?
We’d love to hear what excites you about the future of IT. We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Aug 10, 2013 | IT
What the end of support for Microsoft Windows XP means for you.
Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP as of 8th April 2014. If your business is still operating Windows XP after this date you are risking the following:
- Invasion of your PC or network by viruses and other malicious software
- Loss of system reliability
- Theft of data
- Lack of hardware driver updates
Despite this announcement many companies are still running Microsoft XP. Now is the time to act to ensure the safety and integrity of your IT infrastructure.
As you in the IT department know, for many businesses, upgrading to later versions of Windows is not as simple as choosing between Windows 7 and Windows 8 and upgrading: a significant number of older pieces of software are incompatible with the new operating systems and as a result CIO’s have often, reluctantly had to stick with the 12 year old version of Windows until now.
With April 2014 fast approaching, now is the time to ensure you have the numbers needed in your IT department to cope not only with the upgrade itself, but with the integration of existing IT systems into the new operating system as well as the inevitable training needed for other departments who may struggle with the significant changes made to the user interface of Windows 8. Complete audits will be needed of every piece of software used across the company, including those on individual employee’s BYODs. I’m sure you’ll agree it is a mammoth task.
Many IT specialists have said that even if migration to a newer version of the operating system begins today, it is unlikely to be completed before the deadline of April 8th 2014 unless you have people in place with the top-notch skills and experience needed to get the job done. Worryingly, many of our clients have reported a significant shortage of the in-house talent needed to complete the upgrade.
WE CAN HELP
Our talented and specialised IT Recruitment Consultants have access to the best IT talent in the UK and beyond. With over 14 years of experience we can help you find the superstars you need to complete every aspect of the migration to the new operating system, from Project Managers to Post-deployment support and everyone in between.
The talent to be found in the contract market has never been of higher quality but employers need to act quickly if they want to hit the deadline: both IT contract workers and permanent candidates are in demand and are being snapped up at a moment’s notice. Call us today on 0207 788 6600 to ensure you have the staffing and skill levels you need to complete the upgrade in time.
Jul 17, 2013 | IT
Beat every shade of the ‘post-holiday blues’
You all know the scenario: you’ve spent a week soaking up sun, sand and sangria and now after a day locked in a flying bus being served sub-standard cuisine you are back in the office staring at the beads of rain rolling down your office windows against a backdrop of grey London cloud. The additional five pounds you gained eating gelato are doing nothing to atone for the hundreds of pounds missing from your wallet. Depressing isn’t it?
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to keep that holiday spirit alive? While we can’t promise you a desk on a beach, we can supply you with some fantastic tips to lift your mood and transfer that holiday feeling into the office.
- Relive your bliss: Simply take some time each day to close your eyes and relive some of the experiences you had whilst on holiday. You’ll be amazed how that holiday feeling of tranquillity will wash over you.
- Accept your feelings: Recognise that feeling down after a holiday is entirely normal.
- Time out: Taking time out to have quiet thinking time about anything is fantastic for you. Try to set aside at least ten minutes a day just for you.
- Unpack and de-clutter: Tripping over your suitcase on your way up the stairs every night will only depress you further. Refreshing your living and working space by reorganising and de-cluttering will improve your mood no end as your environment will seem new and fresh.
- Reassess your goals: Goals that seemed feasible before you went away may now seem daunting and unrealistic. Take an honest look at your targets and reassess them to ensure they are in fact achievable.
- Get help: If you need help to hit your targets after your break, get help in the form of a contractor. Here at Langley James we are experts in finding the perfect IT professional to help you out of a tight spot at short notice.
- Connect: Holidays are great opportunities to spend quality time with friends and family but when you are busy with everyday life it’s easy to send your social life to the bottom of your list of priorities. Don’t! Work-life balance is essential for your well-being and simply getting together with friends is a great mid-week boost.
- Plan the next one: Start planning for your next holiday. If you can book it and have a date to look forward to, even better. If it’s not possible to book another holiday in the near future make sure you have treats planned and reminders displayed around your work space.
- Budget: Accept that you may have overspent and assess the damage. Work out exactly what money needs to go towards paying off credit cards and overdrafts and what you have spare.
- Treat yourself: If post-holiday budget is an issue plan small treats rather than large extravagances and you won’t feel deprived. Why not have a day at the races or an evening at an art gallery.
- Taste the exotic: After eating a variety of interesting and novel cuisine on holiday you can be left feeling sluggish and unwell as the pressures of real life mean you revert to unexciting, unhealthy convenience food. Make the effort to experiment with ingredients to get that holiday feeling. Forget your boring sandwich lunch – seek out exotic alternatives to give your working day a lift.
- Cocktails: Recreate your favourite holiday cocktail at home or even as part of a Friday evening routine after work to boost motivation in your staff. Just remember to check no one has to drive home.
- Get a check-up: If you are not feeling quite right after your holiday or you have niggling pains then it could be nothing… but equally it’s easy to underestimate pain when you are away and having fun. Make sure you get checked out by your GP just in case it’s something more serious. There is nothing more stressful than having health worries at the back of your mind.
- Get outside: It’s likely that during your holiday you spent lots of time outdoors. It can feel very unhealthy to then be stuck in an office for most of the day. Combat this by trying to at least get out of the office for fresh air at lunchtime for a few minutes. You may even be able to stretch out that holiday tan.
- Healthy eating: After a week or two of escaping the routine it’s easy to forget those healthy habits you were so strict about before you left. Remember your ‘five-a-day’.
- Drink up: Drink plenty of water to make sure you keep hydrated now you are back in a heated or air-conditioned environment.
- Exercise: Don’t let two weeks of relaxation in the sun get you off track. Keep up with your exercise schedule and boost those endorphins. Even 30 minutes of outdoor walking can boost your mood and get rid of holiday pounds.
- Be an adrenaline junky: Remember the surfing class you took in Cornwall? The scuba diving in Barbados? Why only try something new on holiday? Why not try rock climbing or indoor sky diving to get that adrenaline boost you crave.
- Colour therapy: Was there a colour you loved on holiday? Perhaps the deep blue of the Moroccan sky or the rustic terracotta of Italian roofs? A feature wall in your office in a colour that lifts your spirits can bring the holiday feeling into the office.
- Don’t be SAD: Use a ‘broad spectrum daylight’ lamp which is proven to lift mood of those suffering from ‘seasonal affective disorder’ during times of sparse daylight. If you don’t want to buy one you can rent their use in many spas.
- Stay golden: Top up your tan with some time on a sunbed. If you’re worried about the UV rays there are plenty of top quality spray tan treatments available.
- Be selfish: Have one activity just for you each week. Whether it’s a yoga class, taking a vintage car restoration class, or cooking yourself a gourmet meal for one, make it just for you.
- Be unpredictable: Shake your routine up. Alter your route to work or ban TV one evening a week… anything that jolts you out of the predictable will break up the monotony of the working week.
- Take another day: Don’t dash straight back to the office before you’ve had the chance to breathe. Take an extra day’s leave to unpack and enjoy being at home before returning to work prepared, relaxed and ready to roll.
- Clock off: While it’s necessary to work in the evenings at home for the vast majority of managers, make sure you set a strict time for finishing. Having a portion of evening free without distractions will work wonders for your stress levels.
- Prioritise: During the first few days back at work, only tackle your most important tasks. Ticking them off will leave you with a sense of instant achievement while tackling a mountain of mundane tasks can feel like moving a desert with a teaspoon.
- Keep the holiday going: If you enjoyed an activity like swimming or dancing on holiday, there’s no reason not to carry on. Make it part of your week.
- Get up (even) earlier: There’s nothing like a long leisurely breakfast to relax you and set you up for the day (just like you enjoyed on holiday). All it takes is setting your alarm clock 30 minutes early.
- Eat alfresco: Summer’s not over yet. Make the most of an Indian summer by getting outdoors and making the most of the sunshine. Whether it’s a barbeque or a picnic in Greenwich Park, nothing gives you the holiday feeling like eating outdoors.
- Go for gold: Sometimes everyday life can seem a bit mundane after a break. Work out what you want from your career and go for it. Prepare thoroughly and meet with your immediate superior to make an action plan. Who knows what your next destination could be.
We hope this advice helps you hit the ground running when you get back to the office but we’d love to hear your ideas too. What do you do to get the holiday feeling to carry over into the office. Follow us on Facebook or Tweet us @ITRecruitment.
Jun 24, 2013 | IT
Why collaboration can get you control and expand your business.
Is your marketing department directing the focus of the selection and purchase of new technology while you in the IT department are left to cope, trying to integrate a plethora of inappropriate systems? Does the competition for resources result in a focus on friction between departments and not on the needs of customers? What if while you are busy dealing with these internal battles, your competitors are busy taking your forgotten customers under their wing? Well with integration and collaboration, you can avoid this situation and concentrate on growth.
Technology spreads through every aspect of your company. The task of maintaining and upgrading existing systems designed for so many different purposes is mammoth. Forrester Research Analyst, Peter Burris has reported that when it comes to the IT budget, ‘70% of spending is on maintaining and upgrading existing systems.’ The danger is that the IT Department are people only seen when things go wrong. In addition to this, with technology so endemic in every area of life, everyone thinks they have to be a technology expert. In fact, according to The IBM Power in Data 2013 Survey, 16% of businesses have actually shifted responsibility for the technology budget to the Marketing team. But as we know, there is a massive difference between knowing how to use technology, and actually understanding technology systems and how they work together (or don’t).
It is vital that your Marketing teams remember that your IT department is more than a maintenance department… that you are a group of highly specialised, creative experts who could help revolutionise their performance rather than struggle to make inappropriate systems work in synergy. And the resistance is not as great as you fear. The IBM Power in Data 2013 Survey showed that 85% of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) ‘feel a need for an integrated cross platform marketing strategy’, and 38% of marketing teams have spent time ‘deepening technology knowledge in the marketing team.’ While the responsibility for the selection and use of technology in marketing is increasingly falling to the CMO, it seems there is confusion and a lack of confidence for the task. As Forrester analyst Sheryl Pattek says ‘With this much complexity, it’s no surprise that many CMOs are ill-equipped to provide the vision and strategic direction required to make sound and effective marketing technology purchase decisions.’
The answer is communication and collaboration between the CMO and the CIO. Is the Marketing team aware of all the technology they could utilise that you could provide? And just as important, have you been given a clear vision of what your CMO wants to achieve? With the IT department retaining control of the systems used in your business, imagine how much more time and cost-efficient maintenance and integration of technology would be. How much budget could be freed up for the acquisition of new technologies? Think how much your CMO could gain from specialist advice on systems that could not only achieve their marketing goals, but perhaps provide far more than they had hoped.
The best decisions are made when they are fuelled with data from more than one perspective. As Marketing Expert, Gil Press has recently professed, ‘In organisations where the CIO is expected only to cut costs and “keep the trains running on time,” the responsibility—and purchasing authority—for the tools enabling the digital transformation will reside with other senior executives. In organisations where the CIO is expected to play a key role or even lead this digital transformation, he or she will no doubt help the CMO—and other senior executives—navigate the complex and rapidly-changing landscape of all emerging digital technologies and tools.’
With less revenue wasted on inappropriate technology and the Marketing team exceeding their goals, there will be plenty of resources left for your most important commodity: your customers.
What are your views on this topic? Are you already working in an environment where departments collaborate in ‘multi-disciplinary’ teams to benefit from a wide range of expertise? What are the benefits and disadvantages of working in this way? We’d love to hear your views. Visit us on Facebook or give us a Tweet @ITRecruitment
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