Community Info for Beacon School

EDITION 773
8 JULY 2019

2.      Brits would rather cancel Brexit than leave without a deal. The British public would rather cancel Brexit or hold a second referendum than face a no-deal on 31 October if the new prime minister cannot agree a fresh agreement, according to a new survey. The poll found 43 per cent of voters would opt for revoking the decision to leave the EU over a disorderly Brexit, which was backed by 38 per cent. The Independent
 

3.      Working long hours is bad for our health. A recent study has shown that long days of 10 hours or more increase our risk of stroke, adding another black mark to the list of issues already associated with failing to switch off, such as poor mental health and weight gain. Britons have a longer working week than anyone else in the European Union, clocking up 42.3 hours per week on average. The World Economic Forum points to concerns around automation, slow wage growth, and increasing underemployment. The Times
 

4.      It’s not easy being the “only one” at work. Minorities in the office have fewer role models, lack a sense of community and are under pressure to keep up and outperform their peers. Female employees who are the only women in the office are 50% more inclined to quit their jobs, according to a McKinsey & Company and Lean In survey of 64,000 workers. Some ways to embrace being an “only” in the office are recognising the bias and creating relationships with allies over time. New York Times
 

5.      How can men help women gain equality in the workplace? Champion female colleagues rather than talking over them. A recent study of male managers revealed that 60% were uncomfortable participating in a common work activity with a woman, and many men say the MeToo era has them paranoid about being hauled in front of HR. But the solution is simple: mentor women, support them, and don't harass them. [MORE]
 

6.      For young employees, relocating pays off. For workers aged 18 to 34, relocating abroad boosted their earnings by 35%, according to HSBC’s new Expat survey. The benefits were smaller for older workers, with those between 35 and 54 seeing a 24% bump and those 55 and over gaining just 9% from moving overseas. Switzerland was ranked the top destination to live and work after Singapore held the top spot for five consecutive years. CNBC
 

7.      Obesity causes more cases of cancer than smoking. Obesity is a more common cause of four types of cancer than smoking, a new billboard campaign by Cancer Research UK is warning. The charity says bowel, kidney, ovarian and liver cancers are more likely to be caused by being overweight than by smoking tobacco. The Times notes that 15 million Britons are obese, while six million adults smoke - a reversal of the situation in the early 1990s. BBC
 

8.      Use of high street banks in decline. By 2021, more people in the UK will use apps to do all their banking than visit physical branches, according to research - and within another three years, 71% will opt to bank solely using their mobile phone. The trend comes as digital banks like Monzo, Revolut and Starling [my bank of choice] attract customers with their focus on accessibility and user experience. But are there downsides to this trend? Outside of major cities, high street banks undoubtedly provide a critical service. The Guardian
 

9.      The BBC’s talent bill grows by £11m. While a handful of male stars took a pay cut, Gary Lineker remained the BBC’s highest earner, taking home £1.75m. Radio 2’s Zoe Ball and political editor Laura Kuenssberg were among those to receive pay rises as the BBC’s talent bill topped £158m. Last month, the BBC announced it was scrapping free TV licenses for two-thirds of Britons over 75. Meanwhile, TV licence sales have fallen for the first time in a decade. The Telegraph
 

10.  The bottom line. 340,498 people moved from London to other parts of the UK last year – 103,228 more than arrived in the capital from the regions. Office of National Statistics