News & Updates

Commuting can take so much out of the day, so it really needs to be taken into account when thinking about work-life balance. 🚗 Long journeys eat into family time, hobbies, and make the working day much longer than it really needs to be. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re bring the subject of commuting to the table because it needs to be an important part of the conversation. Think about a really bad day you’ve had at work. Then consider whether you’d have felt better having a quick journey home, or one that took ages. 🥴 In a world where we’re expected to meet the demands of parenting and our careers simultaneously, shorter commutes can make a huge difference to stress levels and overwhelm. This is one of the reasons why we love filling roles in our northern postcode. We don’t want people to miss out on family life, lighter evenings and other commitments and obligations. There are of course, situations when longer travel times are necessary, but if you’re ready to look for a new opportunity closer to home, we’d love to help. 🤎 

“What is your most common cause of stress at work?” The results are in… 👉 Unrealistic workload - 26% 👉 Poor work/life balance - 37% 👉 Lack of support- 32% 👉 Conflict with colleagues - 5% When we talk to people who are interested in finding a new role, we always take the time to get to know them properly. Success is subjective, so it’s important we understand what it means to each individual, and if they want to discuss any causes of stress in past roles. Poor work/life balance comes up time and time again, so the results weren’t a big surprise to us. However, the fact ‘lack of support’ came in at second place is really disappointing. 🙁 Everyone deserves to be supported at work and people won’t stick around if they feel their needs will be met elsewhere. 🤎

‘Hiring for culture fit’ sounds safe, but it might be holding your business back without you even realising. 😕 For years, recruitment has focused on finding people who fit the existing culture. People who will slot in seamlessly and act like the team members you already have. But if everyone fits, nothing changes. Which is where ‘culture add’ comes in. 🤩 Culture add is about hiring people who enhance your business, rather than blend into it. New hires who will bring fresh perspectives, new ideas, and different experiences that challenge the status quo (in a good way). This doesn’t mean you need to ignore your core values or go rogue. 😂 Instead, open your mind to hiring someone who aligns with your culture, but who also brings something extra to the table. 👉 Culture fit = Will they fit in here? 👉 Culture add = What will they bring that we don’t already have? The best teams aren’t built on comfort because growth doesn’t happen when things stay the same. So next time you’re hiring, ask yourself: Are you protecting your culture… or evolving it? 

Over the last few years, hiring fast was the norm because demand was high and roles filled quickly. But now the cracks are showing and we’re beginning to see who hired the most people, and who hired the right people. These are the businesses who didn’t just care about making sure desks were empty because they recruited with intention. They looked beyond ‘can they start quickly and hit the ground running,’ and focused on long-term potential and the energy people led with. ✨ Unless you’re lucky, a ‘quick hire’ can be one of the most expensive decisions you’ll ever make. You might not feel the cost straight away, but it will kick in at some point down the line. If you need help building a team who can withstand change and hiring someone who will add to your business culture, we can help you. Send a message to suzie@harte-consulting.co.uk or call 07540770679 for a chat. You can also find out more about Harte here https://www.harte-consulting.co.uk/ 

New insights from CV-Library are giving a ‘glass half full, but keep an eye on it’ sort of vibe. 🔍 Vacancies are up 7.6% year-on-year, but March reminded everyone not to get too carried away (like when you get a few days of sun in spring, but then it snows ❄️). Here’s what’s happening: 📈 Hiring demand is back (and that’s a good sign) 📉 But confidence dipped slightly towards the end of the quarter 💰 Most roles are still sitting in the £20k–£40k bracket 🔍 Salary transparency is improving slowly but surely 📊 Key sectors are still driving growth This means that businesses are still hiring, but being a lot more particular, and people are open to interviews, but asking more questions. Buckle up for quarter 2! 

Here are some of our favourites 👇 🚫 MYTH 1: ‘There aren’t any good candidates out there.’ ✅ REALITY: The best candidates aren’t applying to your job ad because they’re already employed and being selective. 🚫 MYTH 2: ‘A strong CV = a strong hire.’ ✅ REALITY: A CV shows experience. It doesn’t show attitude, personality, culture fit, or long-term potential. 🚫 MYTH 3: ‘Recruiters just send CVs.’ ✅ REALITY: The right recruiter saves you time, filters out the wrong fits, and protects your business from costly hiring mistakes. 🚫 MYTH 4: ‘If someone wants the job, they’ll take it.’ ✅ REALITY: Top candidates are interviewing businesses just as much as they’re interviewing them. 🚫 MYTH 5: ‘Filling the role quickly is the priority.’ ✅ REALITY: Filling it right is what actually matters. Feel free to add any more you can think of 👇

If you’re struggling to retain people in your team, it’s worth asking: ‘Are you offering them a career? Or just a job that gets them by?’ You can’t expect people to stay loyal to: 👉 Basic salaries when the cost of living is sky high 👉 Commission structures that feel unpredictable 👉 Long hours with very little flexibility 👉 ‘Culture’ that’s really pressure dressed up nicely Yet when someone leaves, the narrative is that they ‘just weren’t committed.’  The truth is that employment is a two-way street, and if you want loyalty from your team members, you have to earn it. We talk to people about their career every day, and have seen first-hand that loyalty doesn’t come from pressure, but from feeling valued enough to stay. ❤️

It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your career history is, or what you want to try… It’s never too late to start. 🙌 One of our core values is to ‘own it,’ so own your goals, own your experience, own your skills, and own what you’re capable of. 🤩 If you want more out of life, and you know the world has more to offer you, please get in touch because we’ll support you every step of the way. ❤️ You can contact us by suzie@harte-consulting.co.uk or by calling 07540770679. Alternatively, find out more about us here: https://www.harte-consulting.co.uk/ Start now. 

They’re bombarded with posts on Insta about weight-training, hitting protein goals, taking collagen, creatine, getting 10k steps in, etc, etc, but what are they up against in the workplace? According to the Office of National Statistic, women in the UK still earn around 12–13% less than men on average. This gap is often larger later in careers due to taking time out for childcare, working part-time or turning down promotions due to family commitments. The issues they’re faced with are: 🖤 Slower career progression for women 🖤 Fewer women reach leadership positions 🖤 Men dominating higher-paying industries 🖤 Women receiving significantly lower pensions So, while it’s nice to be reminded that it’s important to inhale protein at a vast rate, what would be a whole lot better is a workplace structure designed for flexibility, and to not have professional opportunities and earning potential reduced for having children. 👊