New challenges of the new term
There’ll be sighs of relief across offices this month as children – young and old – go back to school or return to their university campuses.
We all look forward to our summer holidays whether it’s going away or just having a few days off at home to sort stuff out. But, let’s be honest, the summer can be very stressful both at work and at home trying to juggle everything.
As a parent – single or living in the same home with a partner – the challenges are the same. What will the children be doing today? Who can look after them? How much is the kids club (no, seriously, how much!?). And finally, how many days are left until school begins?
The same is very much true at the workplace.
People, quite rightly, are taking their holiday entitlement which leaves others to pick up extra work. Even with the best planning being two or three colleagues down is hard to cover for in most small and medium sized businesses.
Everyone chips in and does their bit but it’s never as simple as just adding it on to your to do list. It does, though, give you a new-found respect for your fellow workers that some of their tasks are actually more complex than you first thought!
And then September rolls around.
New uniforms are bought. Pep talks are given about how you really must try harder in English this term. And you finally turn to yourself because you know what will happen when you step foot in the office.
That new school year vibe of eagerness that you’ve been trying to impress on your children will be thrown right back in your face by your boss.
There’ll be new enthusiasm from everyone about projects that need to be completed by Christmas. Yes, Christmas (displays are already up in shops, by the way).
It’s always full steam ahead in September, and for a good reason. Most people have been away and are rejuvenated. The next traditional holiday period is far away at the end of October giving you loads of time to get through mountains of work.
And you thought, after a hectic summer, you were coming back to work for a rest. Good luck!
Team spirit key to thriving businesses
One of the pleasures of editing unLTD magazine is being at the centre of business news from across Sheffield City Region.
We receive hundreds of press releases a week from companies eager to tell the world about their latest success or new recruits.
The common theme from the vast majority of them is about how companies are greater than the sum of their parts.
So, here’s a shout out to everyone who is part of a team, whether it’s just working closely with a colleague or part of a bigger group where it takes just one slip up for an entire project to come tumbling down.
And not forgetting sole traders who provide expertise in so many areas. They may work for themselves, but the service they give is to keep bigger organisations ticking over.
Often people are too busy to get a pat on the back so if you’re reading this, take a second and say well done to yourself. From this chair it appears that there is so much good work happening across the region and that should be commended.
