Gary Parsons

Do you find you often compare yourself to others and feel you are failing somehow? I know I used to but have got much better at acknowledging my own strengths and avoiding self criticism. Here's my latest blog with a few tips to help you do the same. #avoidcomparison #confidence #selfbelief https://lnkd.in/e7Jk9yMB

10

2 Comments

👉 “The “values” of a care provider are one thing – but its teams behaviours are another!” Larry Grady is Chief Executive of Purley Park Trust Limited an organisation that supports adults with learning disabilities. Larry was my guest on the latest episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast. Listen (and watch!) the full episode here:

3

2 Comments

Did you know that disabled people have to apply to 60% more jobs than non disabled people before securing employment, and over a third of disabled people are worried they'll be seen as a 'risky hire' because of their disability? Becoming a Disability Confident organisation can be a proactive step towards getting those numbers down. The upcoming Disability Confident webinar linked below is free & open to all (including non-BDF members!).

11

Get up-to-date with the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill! ⚖️ Menopause isn’t a niche issue; it’s a workplace priority. With the right steps, reforms in the 2026 Employment Rights Bill could mark the beginning of a long-overdue transformation in how employees going through menopause are supported when they need it most. Check out our latest blog 👉 Menopause in the Workplace: Key Employment Law Changes Every Employer Must Know 🫵 #employmentlaw #employmentrightsbill #menopauseintheworkplace #menopauseandqwork #menopauseatwork #employers

2

HR Roundtable; Parental Support Strategies Hey all 👋 I’m hosting a roundtable focused on the importance of parental support strategies in the workplace. We’ll cover the challenges organisations face, insights and strategies you can implement to better support parental transitions and working parents. If you are free 17th July at 10am and would be interested in joining please let me know. Last time we did this our Roundtable turned into a 50 person mini conference so I’m super excited for this one! #parentalsupport #maternityreturners #workingparents

16

4 Comments

Regular HR policy reviews are essential for staying up to date, maintaining compliance and fostering inclusivity in your workplace. I work with NHS organisations to: ✔️ Review and update policies to ensure they are to date with legislative changes ✔️ Implement best practices for inclusive HR management ✔️ Support leaders in creating fair workplaces Need a policy refresh or a fit for purpose policy template to quickly adopt ? Let me help ensure your HR policies reflect the highest standards. Contact me today to enquire about a policy refresh. #HRPolicyReview #ComplianceSupport #InclusiveLeadership

6

🧠I recently sat down with the brilliant Louise Brown to talk about a topic super close to my heart - neurodiversity in the workplace. On this episode of We Need to Talk About HR, we discuss how personal experiences shape our understanding of neurodivergence and the HUGE missed opportunities for SMEs if they don't actively embrace inclusion. From redefining HR policies to cultivating leadership that truly understands the neurodiverse spectrum, this episode has it all - hit the link in the comments and share your thoughts! 🎧 #neurodiversity #podcast #inclusion #smes

35

12 Comments

Not long left to book on to my FREE Interviewing Workshop!! 22nd November at 9am - 10:30am via Zoom I will talk you through how to structure your interview, how to create competency-based interview questions for a deeper interview process and ensure that you're aware of the key areas you cannot ask about - let's keep you out of court!! ⚖️😉 This workshop is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses without HR or internal recruitment of larger businesses who are keen to understand more about what I can deliver to your leadership team. To book your FREE space, see the comments below for the link. #successfulinterviewing #recruitment #talentattraction #leadershipdevelopment #compliantcrecruitment #protectedcharacteristics

6

4 Comments

A previous mediation client has put their faith in me to carry out an important piece of work with their senior leaders and trustees, based on their positive experiences of working with me so far. So I’m making the trip and sleeping out tonight so I can be with them first thing tomorrow. Using a transformational model of culture we’ll be looking at how communication builds shared organisational meaning, to help them to make values based decisions together; and I’ll be giving them the tools to make themselves heard and understood when emotions are running high. There’ll be lots of peeling back the layers to reveal their core needs and unacknowledged organisational values; lots of reflection about where things have gone wrong; and hopefully accountability taken and agreements made about how to work together better in future. #culture #values #ConflictResolution #WorkplaceMediation Maybe I’ve spent a bit too long in the car but she looks like she’s talking back at me 🙄

6

Got to deliver a presentation? Here are 10 tips to help you smash it brought to you by The Presenter Studio... https://lnkd.in/eNhvmjb7

3

Employment Law – Hints, Tips and Surgery So important to get it right. Another invaluable webinar from OxLEP Business. https://lnkd.in/e-krKiuD

5

Last week I had the pleasure of presenting EDI training for the Royal Osteoporosis Society, thank you so much Wendy Henderson Chartered MCIPD, Head of People and Culture, for the invitation. It was really great to see an organisation focussed on improving EDI and to have your leaders appreciate the importance of this. The Royal Osteoporosis Society has already made massive leaps forward on embedding inclusivity and equality, with anonymised recruitment, accessibility checklists and regular staff surveys. But the ROS is also thinking outside the box and having their Marketing Department and People and Culture Department work together side by side to ensure cohesion in messaging internally and externally. I feel an analogy to the Rhumba coming on💃 and a 10 paddle looming. This was the first training I have presented where I have been able to incorporate the new sexual harassment guidelines which come into play on 26th of October. It was great to talk these through with the leaders at the ROS and discuss just how important these subtle changes are. The guidance really set outs out that employers need to be proactive not reactive to prevent sexual harassment - no more mopping up after the event. I hope everyone yesterday felt it was a valuable and open discussion on how this can be achieved in reality. And of course the dance analogies were in full cha cha!😂💃🪩 If you need guidance or training on the Equality Act, or are looking to improve your EDI focus amongst your leaders, take a swing over to the website and peruse the workshops and drop me a DM ⬇️ #HRTraining #EDI #Equality #Diversity #Inclusion

26

2 Comments

What are the warning signs of burnout or other mental health crises, in yourself or others? How can you spot the signs and intervene before you hit the wall? I explored these questions yesterday in a mental health keynote with the team at Stephenson Harwood LLP. Lawyers work in high-pressured, high-stress, competitive environments. They work long hours and it can be hard to switch off from the demands of clients and managers and practise self-care. I can relate to this from my time working for Reuters and Bloomberg as a news and political journalist. The stakes were high. The news didn't sleep. Nor did I. 😴 But if we neglect our mental and physical health, we are at risk of losing everything we have fought and worked for. 💔 I know this from experience. In my presentation, I shared tools to support people to take a breath, to take time out, to move their bodies, to regulate their nervous system (I recommend cold water therapy) and to get to bed at a reasonable time (which can be a huge challenge for busy lawyers). We also explored the emotional and psychological barriers that get in the way of us doing what we know we're supposed to do in the interests of our health, and ways to overcome those hurdles. Thank you to Liz Cope at Stephenson Harwood LLP and to Laura Hayes and Edwina Turner at Champions Speakers for pulling together this timely session and for inviting me to speak. We can work to our potential and stay healthy and well. It's not easy - especially not for driven, A-type personalities in demanding, high-stakes professions - but it is possible. And the small steps we take every day to prioritise our wellbeing will pay off in the long term. 💪 Pic: Mental health speaker smiles broadly after taking a dip in the English Channel to regulate her nervous system, focus her mind, relieve stress and fill herself up with positive energy. 🌻 🌻 🌻 🎙 I'm a motivational speaker and TEDx speaker specialising in mental health, wellbeing, burnout, inclusion and healthy relationships with self and others 🏆 I was Runner-Up and 'Highly Commended' at The Speaker Awards in the Positive Impact & Sustainability category and have delivered talks to Cisco, AVEVA, Sage, Valor Hospitality Partners, Valuation Office Agency, with Pavelka and more. 💚 I'm an ex-Reuters journalist with first-hand experience of burnout, breakdown, an eating disorder and addictions 🌼 I'd be delighted to share the wellbeing tools I have amassed over a 20-year healing journey with your organisation #wellbeingspeaker #eventprofs #mentalhealthspeaker #burnout #femalekeynotespeaker

7

An article in CIPD Magazine caught my eye this week - about a trend in people pulling sickies to escape toxic workplaces. A whopping 77% of the workforce grapples with some form of workplace toxicity. Yet, many employers remain inactive in addressing these issues, even as retaining and acquiring top talent becomes increasingly challenging. * 44% of employees experiencing toxicity have used vacation/personal leave to avoid it. * 35% would take a pay cut to work somewhere less toxic! Manager and leader behaviours play a significant role, including: * Favoritism by managers. * Unethical and unfair treatment by leaders. * Ignoring employee feedback. But the vast majority of managers and leaders don't intend to be toxic. Often, they haven't been taught the skills to communicate well and build a #HappyHealthyHighPerforming culture. Are people pulling sickies to avoid toxicity where you work? Are your managers and leaders equipped to build a healthy workplace environment? #ToxicWorkplaces #EmployeeRetention #Leadership #HR #WorkplaceCulture #CIPD Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash

18

5 Comments

My goals for 2025: 🟣 Launch my product that will change the way school pupils learn about job applications. 🟣 Find more outplacement work. This is really impactful for the participants – often with immediate impact. So, if you know any businesses that are making redundancies and continuing to trade, please put me in touch. 🟣 Build my profile as the person that professionals go to when they are changing jobs. I’m not setting a target on this – just building for the long term. #JobApplications #CVwriting #ProductGoals

9

2 Comments

Boost your productivity with the two hour workday hack Welcome to day 11 of the MPC Advent Calendar and today I share a business tip that could be a game-changer as you prepare for the new year particularly if you are prone to falling into the busyness trap. Today’s tip is to practice the two-hour day solution. We’ve all been there: the day flies by, and somehow, the most important tasks remain untouched. This simple technique flips the script by treating your workday as if it only lasts two hours. Imagine knocking out your biggest priorities by 11 AM. How would that change your productivity, your mindset, and even your schedule? In today’s video, I’ll break down exactly how to apply this powerful strategy. Check it out and let me know: Could you leave work at 11 AM feeling accomplished? 👇 Share your thoughts in the comments, 💬 Like if you agree, 🔄 Share to help others,

7

2 Comments

Owning and running a business is never easy but the hard work is worth it with the right partners by your side.

4