Tranquil Times at Brompton -National Trust Cookery School  Do you feel guilty when relaxing-uneasy if not on the go? Do you feel you have a lot on your mind and have difficulty concentrating?  Do you constantly feel tired?  These could be the signs of stress and if not dealt with may result in physical illness or just plain “burn out”

 We may not have all the answers, but our Tranquil Times workshops may help you in identifying why you react to certain situations, which others take in their stride.  Once this is established we will help you work on the root causes and give you tools and techniques to use on the day and  take away with you.  We will then follow up with you the simple actions you have  personally agreed to which will help you embed the changes.

Your wellbeing is vitally important-both at work and at home. This investment will help you identify what needs to be done to gain a balance between, work, rest and play, in order for you to cope with the many stresses of modern day living.

We would love you to join us on the day and reap the benefits.

 The venue is the National Trust’s first cookery school at Brompton, Nr Atcham , ShrewsburySY5 6LE.

www.bromptoncookeryschool.co.uk

Date is:  2nd October 2010

Time:  9.30am – 4.30pm

Price: £95.00 which includes a two course lunch, tea and coffee and all the workshop materials.

Our course facilitators are fully trained.

Follow the link  below for further details or simply contact us on: carol@alwaysconsult.com

Tranquil Times details

 How many times do we hear the words-”  Stress related absenteeism in the workplace “?

I recently heard of a public sector organisation who conducted an expensive survey with their staff, only to find morale is low, people feel undervalued, stressed out, feel that whatever they do, it’s not good enough and will leave the organisation as soon as the economy picks up and there is more choice on the job front. 

As a result of the pressure, it will often lead to poor performance, low productivity and increased absenteeism, which in turn means  increased pressure on those remaining at work and consequently less profit for the business.

The Shropshire Star states “Nearly 8,000  working days were lost at Telford & Wrekin Council in a 12-month period due to stress, a report revealed, it also showed the authority spent about £30,000 of taxpayers’ money on counselling sessions for those affected.”

The Institute of leadership and management (ILM) also states workplace stress is on the increase.

“A new survey  from the mental health charity MIND is urging UK employers to show more understanding about mental health problems after an increase in work during the recession.”

Improve the atmosphere in the workplace and give employees clear and honest feedback on a regular basis will help “clear the air” and reduce pressure which can lead to stressed out staff.

Tranquil Times is a workshop aimed at helping anyone and everyone understand why they respond like they do to some situations while others take the same situation in their stride. Without first understanding themselves they will not be able to solve the issues surrounding the pressure they are feeling which left unattended may lead to stress.

In these difficult times it’s vitally important leaders, managers and business owners take some responsibility and invest in wellbeing for the benefit of the employees, themselves and their business.

A good robust performance management system and regular appraisal reviews will help increase morale and wellbeing if managers are fully trained and know how to conduct an effective review.

Getting to know the people who work for you is vital and all part of good leadership skills.

Leaders and Business Owners should:-

• Be aware of any changes that could indicate they are feeling under pressure
• Spend time listening, rather than talking
• Invest in a training for managers to ensure they know how to conduct an effective appraisal review
• Invest in wellbeing
• Show you care about your people
• Invest in a robust and fair appraisal system

The ILM says “Business owners and managers must have the confidence and training to deal with employees under pressure.

Contact Always Consult  for more information on our training, coaching and mentoring.

 *Your business may be eligible for a Business Link £500 funding if you employ 5 people or more.

* terms and conditions apply

Reduce stress related absenteeism in the workplace by conducting effective performance appraisals.

Unlock The Potential

Performance appraisals are an important part of performance management. They are one of the tools used to manage performance in the workplace. usually carried out by line managers.

Most businesses should implement performance appraisals but many still do not see the benefits to their organisation-believing it to be a waste of time and money with little value.

In 2009 the CIPD carried out a survey and found 81% of organisations used individual appraisals.

The performance appraisal can be seen as a stick by the employee if not carried out sensitively and positively. it should link business goals, people development, individual and team performance. Effective, timely and constructive appraisal systems can motivate, give clear vision and objectives and will make staff feel valued and rewarded. therefore, increasing productivity and profitability for the business. Stress related absenteeism is then reduced which in turn creates less stress and pressure in the workplace.

The CIPD says there are five key elements of the performance appraisal:

1. Measurement
2. Feedback
3. Positive re-inforcement
4. Exchange of views
5. Agreement

There is no right or wrong way to conduct an appraisal-but all managers who are expected to carry out the appraisal reviews should have some training.

Effective appraisals designed for your company needs, along with a platinum, gold or silver package can be obtained and provided by www.alwaysconsult.com

we are experts in designing and implementing appraisals in the workplace, with many years experience of performance management in global businesses. Contact us in the first instance and we can help you unlock your team’s potential. carol@alwaysconsult.com or 07981 182531

Say no to stress in the work-place.

In these interesting but potentially stressful times it is vitally important employers are committed to tackling stress in the workplace.

Many employers are now aware of their responsibility within The Management Standards and are committed to tackling work-related stress issues by good stress management principles.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at work Regulations 1999 the law requires employers to assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities.

Also, under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974, employers are required to take measures to control that risk.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)  expects organisations to carry out a suitable risk assessment and sufficient risk assessment for stress. The standards are intended to help and encourage you to do this and to show you have done so.

Employers need to recognise that tackling stress in the workplace and having a good stress management policy will have multiple benefits for both employer and employee.

Research is ongoing and has already shown work-related stress has adverse effects for organisations in terms of:

• Employee commitment
• Staff performance and productivity
• Staff turnover and intention to leave
• Attendance levels in the workplace
• Recruitment and retention of staff
• Customer Satisfaction, brand, image and organisational reputation
• Potential litigation

The impact is huge on any size organisation and could  have a long term damaging effect .

By taking actions to tackle the causes of stress at work these adverse effects can potentially be limited and substantially reduced.

Always Consult prides itself on running  Stress Management workshops which help tackle and reduce stress related illnesses and improve morale and motivation in the work-place.

For more details we can be contacted on +44 07981 182531 or e-mail Carol@alwaysconsult.com

 What a great evening!

 The Young Enterprise Celebration of Achievement Dinner on Wednesday 5th May. The event was held at the Pro-star stadium, home of Shrewsbury Town Football Club. 

It was a grand finale after nearly a year of hard work by so many young people aged 15-19-starting, forming and running their own business-with all the highs and lows that go with it.

Nineteen teams took part with fourteen  awards on the night. The hands were sore from clapping and the eyes red from lack of sleep - at 11 pm we were still awarding the prizes-but it was all worth it.

Always Consult was delighted to sponsor an award. I am passionate about customer service, so our award  had to be linked with customer service and the ability to interact with customers and judges.  As such we came up with:

“The Always Consult  Best Customer Interaction award.”

This was awarded to the team who not only interacted with passion and enthusiasm about their products with the judges, but with the customers who came to their stall at the fair trade events in Telford and Shrewsbury.

After careful consideration and much deliberation by all, it was decided that “SelfScribe” from Shrewsbury Sixth Form College would take the prize.  Their business was - self scribing on colourful hoodies.

SelfSribe winning the Always Consult Best Interaction award

Always Consult look forward to sponsoring the event in 2011.

Very best wishes to you all,

Carol

TRANQUIL TIMES

A NEW APPROACH TO MANAGING STRESS WORKSHOP

Join us for an interactive day long workshop on:

Saturday June 26th 2010.

During the day we will explore what happens to the body, mind and spirit when stress occurs. We will look at tools, techniques and ideas-designed to encourage life-style changes in order to enjoy the benefits of reducing stress and boosting health and well being.

The location is the glorious Medieval, Ruthin Castle, set in the heart of Denbighshire, 22 miles west of Chester. Known as the Red Fort, it sits by the River Clwyd amongst acres of landscaped gardens, parkland and woods. A fantastic setting for an intuitive and relaxing day long workshop. Check it out at: www.ruthincastle.co.uk

The day opens at 9.30am when tea and coffee will be served. The workshop style is informal and interactive with an emphasis on fun while learning. The day closes at 4.30pm unless, of course, you opt to extend your stay.

The price of £125 includes a two course hot and cold buffet lunch, refreshments throughout the day and all workshop materials which includes comprehensive course handouts and workbook to take away.
Bring along a friend, colleague or partner and reap the benefits of a 25% reduction on the second place.

Places are limited, so if you wish to invest in well being please secure your place(s) ASAP by contacting in the first instance:

Carol Ewels BWY registered teacher on 07981 182531
or e-mail: carol@alwaysconsult.com for further details.

Address: The Old Byre Plealey, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY5 0UY.

www.alwaysconsult.com

Please let us know if you have any special access requirements.

The sky is blue, the sea is green and the breeze is cooling. Am I dreaming? No, I am sitting on a sunbed taking in the views and wishing my stay in Cape Verde could be longer. This is a much needed holiday after seven months working on a contract in Birmingham. Seven glorious months where I met so many people wanting to learn and to develop themselves. Their desire to take in the knowledge and have a bit of banter and fun at the same time was exhilarating. Throughout the seven months I had at least 24 people a week who took on board training in, Anger Management, Diversity and Customer Service. I wish them all well in their new roles within the Job Centre Plus.

Now, back to Cape Verde and that sunbed. The motto of the Island is “No Stress”.

This left me wondering what a life without some kind of stress would be like. It would be like sitting on a sunbed daily with nothing to do but soak up the sun, the sea and the breeze.

Great for a week or two–but how long before the boredom, lethargy and illness set in?

We all need a balance in our lives. Too much stress will lead to illness, depression, loss of weight or increase in weight due to overeating, loss of clarity in thought and mental agility, insomnia – the list goes on.

Too little stress can have similar symptons.

The trick is to get the balance right and work on the middle ground between too little and too much stress. we need to keep stimulated and motivated to keep us on our toes and to have that sense of purpose in our lives. these days though, with so much pressure around from many different outlets it’s not easy to stop the pressure turning into full blown stress.

I’ve seen it so often in the workplace, with employees going off sick and then the pressure mounts for those left doing the extra work. The cycle then continues.

I am convinced more should be done to help managers and employees deal with too much pressure –how productivity would rise through motivated and energised teams who have learned how to manage and handle stressful situations.

Watch this space for my Learning and Development programme on how to manage stress in the workplace and in everyday living, soon to roll out for managers and employees.

In the meantime, please feel free to let me know your views and how you personally manage stressful situations. It will help me formulate the programme to ensure it will add value to organisations of all sizes.

Oh well–back now to that sunbed!

Welcome to the first Always Consult blog of 2010.

A belated Happy New Year to everyone. We hope your personal and professional life brings you happiness, health and success in this new decade.

We are happy to report, Always Consult has gone from strength to strength in our first trading year. After eight months of working with the Job Centre Plus in Devon, Cornwall and Birmingham, we will be taking on new exciting challenges in March. We have enjoyed every minute of working for the JCP, training their many new recruits in customer services and anger management- however, we look forward to working on new adventures and contracts this year.

We are currently developing a stress management workshop for managers and business leaders on all levels. This will be launched in early Spring. Watch this space for more details.

The weather here in Shropshire continues to be very cold, which in turn leaves the roads very icy and slippery. Not good travel conditions. Thank heavens for the rail service! Personally, I have come to rely on trains for early morning commutes to Birmingham to ensure I get into New Street with plenty of time to spare before training commences at 9.30 am each morning. I look forward to Spring and a long awaited holiday somewhere hot and sunny. In my opinion it’s better than any tonic to keep the symptoms of stress at bay. More about that in our next newsletter and blog.

I hope you all approve of our web-site developments. Some small changes, which we hope will make a big difference to the look and style. We have opted for a one- look colour, which ties in with our brand blue. After your feedback, gone are the confusing greens and browns. We hope you approve and agree it’s gives a more professional look to the web-site. All feedback is appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read our first blog.

Always Consult wishes you all every success as we climb our way out of the recession.

Best wishes

Carol