By David Solomon, co-founder of Blueprints
History has a habit of looking unfavourably towards individuals and corporations who don’t hold up to the scrutiny of modern morality. This is evidenced by the demonisation of all slave traders, colonisers and sexual exploiters of history, who often were simply doing what was ‘perfectly legal’ in their period of history.
It’s difficult to tell how history will look back at us now, but the signs are there. Our descendants will be astounded by our generation’s wasteful nature. They will be horrified that we’re so destructive …

I’m Neha and I’m the owner of Sonality, a baby and children-wear company which takes personalisation to a whole new level. My husband is Dipe and we have a 2-year-old daughter called Mia. Baby number 2 is due at the end of May.
Sonality is a clothing company like no other. Yes, we’re fun, original and creative. But we also have a serious side which drives us to be who we are. Our core belief is that everyone is unique (especially kids!) – and we love the fact that from the …

Most people will have experienced being in an unnecessary meeting at some point in their working lives. Some may have traveled across the country to attend a one hour meeting which could have been a much more efficient conference call. But have you ever considered how much these meetings could be costing your business? One study revealed that the average worker in the UK spends 10 hours 42 minutes each week preparing for and attending 4.4 meetings. Another survey revealed that employees found 56% of meetings unproductive, with 66% admitting …

We live in a materialistic society. Social media accounts offer a tantalising glimpse of another world, one that we would love to be in. If you check out the feeds of some of the Rich Kids of Instagram, it’s hard not to be seduced by endless images of fast cars, luxury mansions, and gratuitous displays of wealth. Sure, we’d all love to own a Ferrari and spend a month in the sun on Mustique. Sadly, life isn’t quite like that, yet many people are determined to live a lifestyle they …

With studies concluding almost as many women with children (74.1%) participated in the labour force as women without, in 2014, women who are juggling careers and motherhood benefit from flexibility at work the most.
Recent research from Catalyst shows Women account for 40% or more of the total labour force in several countries, making flexible working hours, extended maternal leave, breastfeeding rooms, free education and free healthcare just a few of the ways that some countries build the best working environments for mothers.
Instant Offices has looked countries with the most progressive approaches into …

Sometimes, good employees leave. It’s a normal part of running a business, and usually, it’s for the best. People you respect leave on good terms and head for greener pastures, while you replace them with new and enthusiastic staff members.
But when staff are leaving en masse, employers need to look inwards to realise there may be an internal problem. High staff turnover is often a symptom of deeper issues within your company, whether it’s outdated management practices or a toxic work culture.
Gemma Harding, Head of Client Services at call outsourcing …

Women have higher success rates at crowdfunding scientific projects than men, according to new research from ESMT Berlin.
The study suggests that the ‘crowd’ may apply different decision-making criteria than traditional funding agencies, says Henry Sauermann, lead researcher and associate professor of strategy.
Alongside fellow researchers, Chiara Franzoni from MIP Politecnico di Milano and Kourish Shafi from the University of Florida, Sauermann analysed data from over 700 campaigns on the largest dedicated platform to crowdfunding scientific research, Experiment.com. They found that students and juniors are more likely to succeed than senior scientists, …

Have you thought of taking the family to the Hay Festival? This year’s line up features a rich strand for children and families, HAYDAYS and #HAYYA and a free programme for schools.
A village of just 1,600 people on the banks of the River Wye, Hay welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors to Hay Festival every year, with festivalgoers travelling from over 40 countries to attend in 2018. Nestled beneath the stunning Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park, it’s a special place to visit at any time – if you haven’t yet been, …

Employers should consider including supporting returners in management goals and financially rewarding these as well as sharing best practice on returners with their supply chains and clients, according to a workingmums.co.uk roundtable on returners.
The roundtable discussion, hosted by FDM Group, forms the basis of the workingmums.co.uk White Paper on Returners.
Diversity and HR leads from 20 employers from a diverse range of sectors took part in the roundtable and spoke about issues relating to hiring people who have taken a significant career break.
They emphasised the quality of the returner candidates they were …

A SHOCKING number of UK adults don’t know how to manage their finances in a responsible manner, according to new research.
A survey of 1,000 UK adults, carried out by Creditfix, the UK’s largest personal insolvency practice, found that only 34% of Brits admit they feel ‘in control’ of their finances. An overwhelming number (57%) said they couldn’t even confirm the amount of money in their bank account at that current time.
The research also reveals that only 1 in 5 (20%) British adults log their outgoings each month to keep track …