Guest contributor Andy, a participant of our latest Supporter Network Coffee Chat, speaks on his own experiences with mental illness. These last 18 months have certainly been interesting for all of us for many reasons. For some it has meant the loss of income, loss of jobs, a new start, finding ways to cope with change, taking extreme measures, being trapped indoors, worrying about being isolated and coping with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Guest contributor Stewart Lucas from Mind speaks on mental health throughout the pandemic, and what people can do to look out for each other. It is fantastic having a high-profile Mental Health Awareness Week, but like a dog being for life and not just for Christmas, we should actually be aware of our and other people's mental health all the time and not just a few days in May. Mental health is still seen largely as someone else’s problem, and that is because we subconsciously stick the word illness after those two words. 

Guest contributor Clive Memmott, Chief Executive at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, speaks on the future of flexible working for office workers. A year ago, many of the perceived efficiency savings that organisations thought would result from remote working were in reality cost-saving opportunities. 12 months on, companies are struggling to manage a dispersed workforce and achieve these efficiencies. 

The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, in partnership with CIPD and Acas, have developed a paper. It discusses the importance, implementation and effect of positive people management skills.

This paper invites employers to explore short and longer-term strategies to enhance the people management skills within their organisation. It also contains several key relevant resources, which will help guide these plans even further.

Guest contributor Chris Dabbs, Chief Executive at Unlimited Potential, speaks on the disability gap in employment - and the benefits of becoming a more inclusive organisation. As an employer, what would you think to having more staff with focus, different thinking and diligence? If you are interested, please read on… Many employers yearn to find talented people who are productive, committed and loyal. Yet, there are parts of the population that remain little known or untapped by many organisations.

In collaboration with the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter is working to promote how to take care of health in the workplace.

The Mental Health Toolkit for Employers includes information and key approaches employers can take to address Mental Health and Wellbeing in the workplace. This resource is applicable to SMEs and larger firms.

Guest contributors Gemma and David Sole, Partners at School for CEOs, speak on their recent research into the impact of Covid-19 on business leaders. In April 2020, at the beginning of lockdown, School for CEOs invited our Faculty of over 100 CEOs and Non-Executive leaders to share their insights on leadership through a crisis. Above all, the prevailing piece of advice was the one thing that leaders forget in the melee – to look after themselves. 

Head of the Good Employment Charter, Ian MacArthur, speaks on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on Good Employment practice. The Scottish Bard, Robert Burns once said “There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing”, and I’m certain as we raised our glasses and toasted-in 2020, we all had hopes and plans for the year ahead, - but as Burns also said – "the best laid plans…"!

Guest contributor Donald Moore, Chair at Rowlinson Knitwear, discusses a recent decision to introduce lateral flow testing in the workplace. We were lucky to have the chance to establish lateral flow testing in our workplace, and are very grateful to Stockport Council for providing this for us. In fact, we are the first manufacturing organisation to do this in Stockport with the help of the council.