United Kingdom

UK 2024 Page Executive Salary Guide

Phoebe French — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:26:01 +0000

UK 2024 Page Executive Salary Guide

Phoebe French Wed, 05/01/2024 - 16:26

Download our Page Executive's 2024 salary guide edition which entails compensation ranges and industry relevant trends that can inform your executive-level hiring strategy.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/united-kingdom/salary-guides

Embracing Workplace Equity: International Women's Day

camly — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 10:18:34 +0000

Embracing Workplace Equity: International Women's Day

camly Mon, 02/13/2023 - 10:18

What does workplace equity really mean, and why is it so important for a high-performing workforce? Find out by joining us in our upcoming International Women’s Day webinar.

/webinar/embracing-workplace-equity-iwd

How to stand out as an employer of choice

camly — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:42:30 +0000

How to stand out as an employer of choice

camly Tue, 01/31/2023 - 10:42

What is an Employer Value Proposition? And why is it important for your business? Find out in our upcoming webinar ‘How to stand out as an employer of choice’.

/webinar/stand-out-employer-of-choice

Workplace resilience: Building a thriving team in a changing market

camly — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 12:11:03 +0000

Workplace resilience: Building a thriving team in a changing market

camly Tue, 01/10/2023 - 12:11

Workplace resilience is more important than ever, so join our upcoming Michael Page webinar to ensure your business is doing all it can to be 2023 ready.

/webinar/workplace-resilience-building-thriving-team-changing-market

The cost of living crisis: How to support your employees

camly — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:36:43 +0000

The cost of living crisis: How to support your employees

camly Wed, 11/16/2022 - 15:36

Michael Page is hosting a masterclass on how employers can support their people during the cost-of-living crisis. Register today.

/webinar/cost-of-living-crisis-how-to-support-employees

How to Build a Sustainability Function in Your Business

Phoebe French — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 11:33:25 +0000

How to Build a Sustainability Function in Your Business

Phoebe French Fri, 10/28/2022 - 12:33

Access exclusive data on career paths in sustainability and guidance on building your sustainability function.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/ebook/how-build-sustainability-function-business

Mental Wellbeing: The key factor for a successful workforce

camly — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:26:25 +0000

Mental Wellbeing: The key factor for a successful workforce

camly Fri, 07/29/2022 - 10:26

Mental wellbeing in the workplace is just as important as ever, so join our upcoming Michael Page webinar to ensure your business is doing all it can to support its employees.

/webinar/mental-wellbeing-key-factor-successful-workforce

How your business can stand out as an LGBTQIA+ ally

camly — Fri, 27 May 2022 14:31:55 +0000

How your business can stand out as an LGBTQIA+ ally

camly Fri, 05/27/2022 - 15:31

In this on-demand Pride month webinar, PageGroup will be hosting speakers from top employers and to discuss what a truly LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace looks like in 2022.

/webinar/business-stand-out-lgbtqia-ally

Implementing an ESG strategy: Primark

camly — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:12:56 +0000

Implementing an ESG strategy: Primark

camly Wed, 04/20/2022 - 16:12

In our on-demand PageGroup webinar, we host ESG leaders from Primark to share actionable insights from their journey.

/webinar/implementing-esg-strategy-primark

How neurodiverse talent can boost your business in 2022 and beyond

camly — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:54:18 +0000

How neurodiverse talent can boost your business in 2022 and beyond camly Thu, 03/03/2022 - 12:54

In this webinar, we explore the value of neurodiversity in the workplace, discuss lived experiences, and reveal how to implement a neurodiverse workplace effectively.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/neurodiverse-talent-boost-business-2022-beyond

ESG and D&I strategy - separate, or align?

camly — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 08:58:22 +0000

ESG and D&I strategy - separate, or align?

camly Wed, 03/02/2022 - 08:58

In our on-demand PageGroup webinar, we reveal why you need separate ESG and D&I strategies to drive meaningful change in your organisation.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/separating-esg-di-strategies-how-why

Register now: Cultivating true trans-inclusivity: Expert advice

Phoebe French — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 09:36:44 +0000

Phoebe French Wed, 01/05/2022 - 09:36

Join our expert led webinar on how to cultivate a truly inclusive workplace for transgender and non-binary employees.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/cultivating-true-trans-inclusivity-expert-advice

Watch on-demand: Is your finance team ready for UK SOX?

Phoebe French — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 09:33:52 +0000

Watch on-demand: Is your finance team ready for UK SOX?

Phoebe French Mon, 11/15/2021 - 09:33

Join our UK SOX webinar, where we host experts from KPMG to discuss the new financial reporting framework, and how your organisation can prepare.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/finance-team-ready-UK-SOX

Watch on-demand: How ESG drives success in the new business landscape

Phoebe French — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 09:05:25 +0000

Watch on-demand: How ESG drives success in the new business landscape

Phoebe French Tue, 10/19/2021 - 10:05

What is ESG? And why is it important for your business? Find out in our upcoming PageGroup webinar ‘How ESG drives success in the new business landscape’.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/how-esg-drives-success-new-business-landscape

Register now: Navigating the new commercial and financing landscape

Phoebe French — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:13:21 +0000

Phoebe French Wed, 10/13/2021 - 13:13

Our expert-led webinar explores the emerging challenges facing UK business leaders, including supply side disruption, the financing landscape, and more.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/navigating-new-commercial-financing-landscape

Register now: IR35: Key learnings from the first six months

Phoebe French — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:07:35 +0000

Phoebe French Tue, 08/31/2021 - 11:07

Listen in to our review of the first six months of IR35, where we’ll be discussing key trends in the contractor market and providing insights into what the next six months will hold for businesses.

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/ir35-key-learnings-first-six-months

Watch on-demand: Being Fit to Thrive in a Covid World

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 09:29:14 +0000

Watch on-demand: Being Fit to Thrive in a Covid World

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 02/24/2021 - 09:29

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/being-fit-thrive-covid-world

Watch on-demand: World Menopause Day - Building awareness and understanding

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 11:32:10 +0000

Watch on-demand: World Menopause Day - Building awareness and understanding

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/01/2020 - 12:32

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/world-menopause-day-building-awareness-and-understanding

Watch on-demand: The ethnicity pay gap

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 13:19:17 +0000

Watch on-demand: The ethnicity pay gap

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/29/2020 - 14:19

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/ethnic-pay-gap

Watch on-demand: IR35 is coming, is your business ready?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 13:13:29 +0000

Watch on-demand: IR35 is coming, is your business ready?

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/24/2020 - 14:13

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/IR35-is-your-business-ready

Watch on-demand: Building a diverse workforce for the future

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:11:19 +0000

Watch on-demand: Building a diverse workforce for the future

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/14/2020 - 16:11

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/building-diverse-workforce-for-future

Webinar: How to use data to drive business growth

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 11:48:26 +0000

Webinar: How to use data to drive business growth

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/11/2020 - 12:48

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/use-data-to-drive-business-growth

Survive, Revive and Thrive - Procurement and Supply Chain

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 15:55:05 +0000

Survive, Revive and Thrive - Procurement and Supply Chain

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/27/2020 - 16:55

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/survive-revive-and-thrive-managing-global-impact-covid-19-procurement-and-supply-chain

Watch on-demand: The future of leadership post-Covid-19

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 13:01:33 +0000

Watch on-demand: The future of leadership post-Covid-19

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/23/2020 - 14:01

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/future-of-leadership-post-covid-19

Register now: Let's talk about race

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:27:53 +0000

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/16/2020 - 16:27

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/lets-talk-about-race

Watch on-demand: Exploring the key people questions

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 12:52:17 +0000

Watch on-demand: Exploring the key people questions

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/01/2020 - 13:52

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/key-questions-when-coming-out-of-lockdown

eBook: The seven core traits of inclusive leaders

Anonymous — Tue, 26 May 2020 12:45:40 +0000

eBook: The seven core traits of inclusive leaders

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/26/2020 - 13:45

https://www.pageexecutive.com/ebook/seven-traits-inclusive-leaders

How can leaders drive their career during a time of uncertainty?

Anonymous — Wed, 20 May 2020 12:18:26 +0000

How can leaders drive their career during a time of uncertainty? Anonymous (not verified)

At this time of global change, and with many of us working remotely in response to sensible social distancing measures, it is important not to lose sight of your career goals. While it is natural that many will be cautious when it comes to considering a job change, there are ways that you can continue to drive your career forward.

There are three core elements of effective career building: networking, a strong LinkedIn profile, and a great CV. While the way you network will have evolved, two fundamentals remain unchanged, so be sure you are taking the time to get them right.

What to do differently: Make the most of virtual networking

A strong networking strategy should be at the heart of all executives’ career plan. With social distancing measures in place, many live events are not taking place, but should not mean networking stops. There is a plethora of virtual social networking opportunities and they are more accessible than ever. Opportunities for virtual networking include:

Webinars – Join to share challenges and ideas with third parties.
LinkedIn - Use this time to connect and reconnect with past and present colleagues.
Existing contacts - Utilise technology and time to reach out to your network.
Online conversations - Get involved with industry articles and relevant press.

Career steps to continue: Make your LinkedIn profile and CV work for you

Getting the most out of your LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn is not just a place to be noticed by recruiters, but a powerful and important channel to help professionals generate deep insights into market conditions and trends as well as share advice and expertise. Developing a professional, well-crafted profile is important.

1. Upload a suitable photograph

This may seem like an obvious start, however, it is important to recognise that this will help potential employers recognise you as a friendly and approachable candidate from the outset of their search. The picture does not need to be taken by a photographer, it simply needs to be a good quality, professional image of you.

2. Keep your profile updated

Updating your profile regularly is a great habit to get into. It may be just a small change, like adding in a published article or even uploading a new picture. By keeping your profile as up to date as possible, you ensure that it most accurately highlights your organisational skills and demonstrates professional enthusiasm to potential employers.

3. Share your organisation’s content

Even if you are considering roles elsewhere, it is a good idea to share your current company’s content to your profile. This shows that you are active on your profile and that you are proud of your current organisation's work.

4. Write and publish your own articles

Writing an article each month is a great way to highlight that you are invested in your industry and that you have your own mind when it comes to speaking on matters that are important to you. These articles can also spark up conversations with your following and allow you to begin build relationships through the platform.

5. Do not be too descriptive

People want to read a succinct overview of your professional history and personal interests. It makes sense to assume that your resume and LinkedIn profile should contain the same kind of information, and to a certain extent, they should. The way this information is conveyed via these two platforms, however, should be considerably different.

6. Request recommendations from colleagues

Endorsements from other professionals are a great tool to utilise on LinkedIn. It is not unusual for people to request recommendations from their colleagues, and it is a good idea to do so. Aim to request endorsements periodically throughout your career.

Building a strong executive CV

Your CV forms a central part of any job application and it is important that it is an accurate representation of your employment history and achievements, as well as your overall career objective. When you need to update your CV, it is important to dedicate the time to get it right.

1. Keep the length to as close to two pages as possible.
2. Start with a personal statement or executive summary. Use it to highlight your key points, but make sure that it is personal, relevant, and not clichéd.
3. Do not create a CV that simply lists each role. The most important roles are your most recent and most senior positions. Focus on your space and add detail on these as a priority.
4. Avoid superfluous personal details such as age, religion, and sex.
5. Do not write in the first person - start sentences with verbs.
6. List your career history in reverse chronological order, explaining any gaps.
7. Use bullet points to list achievements and responsibilities.
8. Include language skills and any relevant training.
9. Keep your hobbies and interests brief but do include this section to add colour to the person behind the professional.
10. Focus on your relevant skills and experience to ensure you position yourself as a strong and suitable applicant to give yourself the best of securing the job.

Our extensive experience working with people at different stages within their careers gives us a deep understanding of the challenges that professionals face during a job search. Our specialist partners can provide more detailed advice for your career by assessing your unique skills, qualifications, and experiences.

If you would like to discuss how we can support you, your team, or your business at this time, please do not hesitate to get in touch for a confidential, non-obligatory discussion.

Nicola Wensley
Partner, Page Executive

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Get in touch with one of our consultants now to discuss your leadership talent requirements.

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Watch on-demand: Webinar - Shockdown: The Economics of COVID-19

Anonymous — Mon, 18 May 2020 12:00:34 +0000

Watch on-demand: Webinar - Shockdown: The Economics of COVID-19

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/18/2020 - 13:00

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/shockdown-economics-covid-19

Watch on-demand: COVID-19 Webinar – Emerging from Uncertainty

Anonymous — Tue, 12 May 2020 10:00:34 +0000

Watch on-demand: COVID-19 Webinar – Emerging from Uncertainty

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/12/2020 - 11:00

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/covid-19-risk-emerging-uncertainty

FREE WEBINAR: Page Executive in partnership with Vercida Consulting

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 16:27:43 +0000

FREE WEBINAR: Page Executive in partnership with Vercida Consulting

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/20/2020 - 17:27

https://www.pageexecutive.com/webinar/why-inclusive-leadership-matters-crisis

Boosting the UK economy and your career: NED opportunities in education

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 09:57:53 +0000

Boosting the UK economy and your career: NED opportunities in education Anonymous (not verified)

The role of a non-executive director (NED) is fundamental to business success in today’s market. Not only do these professionals bring a wealth of unique insights and experiences to the organisations they work with, but they also build skills and gain broader perspectives for their careers. Looking at the public sector, and focusing on education particularly, there are some key differences in the role, but professionals from a more corporate background should not underestimate the value they can add or the experience they can gain from contributing to this space.

For those choosing to enter the public sector as a NED, it is both a rewarding experience and enriching career opportunity.

To further explore the benefits and opportunities that come with taking on the role of a non-executive director in the public sector, we spoke with David Ross, Founder of The David Ross Education Trust. Best known for co-founding The Carphone Warehouse Group plc, David is also chair of New Schools Network and a Trustee of Cathedral Academies Trust.

The importance of NEDs in education

As we have previously explored in articles focusing on redressing the gender balance of NEDs, non-executive directors should bring creative solutions and fresh perspectives to help organisations navigate the challenges they face. Through constructive feedback and objective insight, NEDs can use their expertise and personal experience to support decision making.

Looking at the education sector, David highlighted that it is one of the greatest challenges facing the next generation. He continued: “If you are in the business world, without a well-educated workforce, we faced fundamental challenges. If you believe that - as I do - you can't help but visit schools and become quite passionate about what it takes to create young people who will make a great contribution to their community and to their workplace in five or 10-years’ time. And there's no greater privilege than to facilitate and support children in taking on that opportunity for themselves.”

Quite often, those operating in the not-for-profit sector, including teachers, art gallery curators and even those who run charities, don’t understand some of the commercial and financial requirements that are placed on businesses. This is why non-executive directors with knowledge and experience in dealing with and navigating these challenges are so valuable.

“There are always challenges in doing these roles and there's always going to be an issue between the ways that the business world thinks about challenges versus the way that the education world thinks about challenges,” David said. He expanded: “But actually, what has been proven over the last 10 years is that successful education is being delivered by a marrying of business practice and best teaching practice in order to create schools that are absolutely driven by a desire to create great opportunities for young people as they move out of school and into the workplace.”

Is a NED role in education right for you?

Professionals in the business world possess a wealth of knowledge that can be contributed to the sector. Considering this opportunity for professionals to contribute to the sector, David highlighted that those going through the process of becoming a NED are not only making a worthy contribution to that organisation and the people that will benefit from their input, but they also benefit themselves as well.

There are numerous approaches to education, which might fall across multi-academy trusts through free schools. To ensure that the relationship is mutually beneficial for both the professional and organisation, it is important to make sure that the particular school or trust you are considering working with is taking an approach which aligns with your beliefs.

Ask yourself: “Am I really engaged with this company or organisation?” and “do I really believe in the product or the mission?”

To determine this, David suggests familiarising yourself with the numbers and financial stability of the organisation but that it is also important to identify the organisation’s direction of travel.

“If during that due diligence process, you work out that the organisation itself is heading in a direction that you are not comfortable with or that is not consistent with your values, then you must really think seriously about whether that's the right opportunity for you.”

Getting involved as a NED in the public sector

“If you want to have a successful step into the space, you need to make sure that your interests and the organisation's interests are closely aligned so that everybody is heading in the same direction.” David reiterated.

When assessing NED roles, he also urges professionals to look at two or three different opportunities. Consider which one inspires and engages you, which one has an environment you would like to work in, and look at whether you have a shared understanding with the people in the organisation; do you feel as though you can help deliver value there?

In summary, David shared his three top tips for becoming a NED:

1. Be passionate about the organisation

2. Commit time to the role

3. Be engaged with the mission

“Support the organisation and the people within the organisation. You must mitigate the challenge and you mustn't take the challenge as a personal issue. Challenge is a professional issue and that is the route to a better understanding by all parties of how the organisation can move forward,” he concluded.

If you would like to learn more about opportunities becoming a non-executive director in the education sector, visit https://www.academyambassadors.org/ or call 0161 638 8604.

Mark Lawson-Jones
Associate Partner, Page Executive

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Dialling in on holiday: How important is a work-life balance?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:28:32 +0000

Dialling in on holiday: How important is a work-life balance? Anonymous (not verified)

Many senior executives are likely to have made significant sacrifices when managing their work-life balance, particularly when it comes to taking holidays. However, everyone’s priorities are different. It is also worth noting that today, it is much more accepted for professionals to take the time off that they are entitled to. This means not logging in to check work emails or joining calls while on holiday.

Of course, this is not always possible and sometimes urgent projects do come up, but how important it is for senior executives to ensure that they are taking work-free breaks?

Changing attitudes towards annual leave

As highlighted above, the traditional role of C-Suite execs and the always working mentality is shifting. As a result, most professionals feel comfortable taking their entire holiday allowance. There is now perhaps a more European attitude towards taking holidays, particularly in August. It is now almost expected that companies, clients, and key contacts are going to be less accessible during this period due to time out of the office.

There are more reasons to take a well-deserved holiday each year than simply to go abroad or away with the family. As the focus on mental health has grown significantly in the UK over the last few years, it has become clearer that throughout the working year people need to take a break to recharge and refresh their minds. This ensures professionals are able to maintain positive mental wellbeing and reduce stress through a good work-life balance.

At the executive level, many of the daily tasks and responsibilities can and should be delegated to reports. This can be difficult if a role is very hands-on, and a lot of people seek guidance from those that are taking a break. Be sure to work out where the pain points in your organisation are in terms of resource and responsibility. From here, work on resolving these so that your executive team members can step away from work confident that everything will be managed in their absence.

The benefits of logging off on holiday

There are clear tangible benefits to ensuring that you and your team are taking work-free breaks throughout the year.

Wellbeing – For executives, taking time off to recharge batteries is good for wellbeing. Recognising that you and your team have worked hard, and deserve a break is important.

Open dialogue – Although it can be difficult when teams are low on resource, encouraging your teams to take time off when they need it creates a culture of open dialogue. This also highlights that it is okay to discuss when they are feeling stressed.

Energising – Having time off undoubtedly allows the body to get back up to full-strength, and helps professionals to feel more energetic when they return to the office.

Is technology enabling work responsibilities to intrude on holiday time?

The ever-evolving technology that now facilitates dynamic working has created endless possibilities for businesses right across the globe. It also means that professionals are almost constantly contactable. This helps facilitate more flexible working arrangements and supports those who need to better manage their work-life balance. On the other side of this, always being available to discuss work or be asked questions often means that professionals are at an increased risk of work-related stress.

Further to increased stress levels, there are other detrimental knock-on effects to employees being interrupted during their time off:

They end up logging in in the evening or after their children have gone to sleep. This might mean that they don’t get enough rest and can’t fully embrace their time off of work.
Employees may be unable to sleep and are likely to be tired when they return to work from their break, and less productive.

Leading by example

Many executive level professionals would expect to be contactable around the clock in case something crucial happens. The key is recognising when something is business-critical or not, and ensuring that people are not contacted on holiday unless it is necessary.

Being contacted while on holiday may make professionals feel as though they need to check-in and keep an eye on mundane things, when it would be best not getting involved. Professionals at every level need to take a break.

For some people, work is life, but not necessarily for all. There have been several very public examples of CEOs suffering from fatigue due to being overworked or work-related stresses. Holidays allow people to relax and recharge, key for longer-term work productivity and performance.

The leaders within every organisation should be setting the standard for other members of the business. Not only in terms of values and workplace culture but also attitudes towards taking time off. Regardless of whether a senior executive or any other professional feel as though they need to take a break, taking holiday time is key to wellbeing and productivity in the workplace. Leading the way and setting the example is equally important.

If you would like to have a confidential discussion about how we can find the right role for you or source the right senior executives for your organisation, get in touch with your local Page Executive office.

Simon Nolan
Senior Partner, Page Executive

Looking to hire your next leader?

Get in touch with one of our consultants now to discuss your leadership talent requirements.

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Looking to build a Sustainability function in your organisation? Download our free eBook now.

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What does it take to become a CEO?

Anonymous — Tue, 14 May 2019 11:35:11 +0000

What does it take to become a CEO? Anonymous (not verified)

The role of a CEO is highly coveted by motivated and career-driven professionals, right across the world. Considering the ever-evolving global market, the growing CSR responsibilities and expectations placed on organisations of today, what does it take to become a CEO? What are the challenges and the pressures of this role, and what are the essential skills that professionals need in order to excel in these leading positions?

Of course, with great responsibility comes great reward, but CEOs today are navigating an increasingly challenging landscape. Ultimately, these professionals are 100% accountable for the effective and profitable running of an organisation that may employ thousands of professionals and service huge economic markets. The network of people that a CEO has to answer to is huge, particularly in a global blue-chip company. However, the role of a CEO is one that can also be quite lonely.

The level of dedication, determination, and focus, that these professionals possess is very similar to that of elite athletes. Often quite single-minded in their ambitions to achieve their goals with a fierce drive to excel, this mindset is exactly why they do so well.

The challenges facing CEOs of today

Ultimately, within a large organisation, CEOs are faced with a plethora of conflicting priorities and challenges to overcome. The pressures that these professionals face can be quite easily overlooked by those who have not considered the scope of their responsibilities, but it is important to understand the extreme resilience that is required when operating at this level.

Business strategy and success

At the very core of a CEO’s role, their number one objective is to ensure the overall effective running and profitability of an organisation. They are responsible for the direction of the company, strategic decisions, and are accountable for the financial results of the business, making them answerable to shareholders.

Transformation and change

People, technology and organisational changes, are inevitable. In today’s rapidly evolving society, the pace of change means that if a business is not going forward it is going backwards. Ultimately it is the role of the CEO to determine the requirements for transformation and to steer the direction of these projects to drive a successful outcome.

Corporate social responsibility

Organisations have long been judged on their environmental impact, commitment to create change, and the way they engage with the communities they operate within. This image and the interaction that an organisation has with external stakeholders is crucial. There is an enormous amount of pressure from everyone who works for an organisation, from shareholders of the business to the consumers of the brand.

For example, in an extreme case, following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill whereby an estimated 3.19m barrels of oil leaked into the ocean in 2010, the CEO was accountable to everyone from fishermen to the president of the United States. While this is the most extreme, it highlights the importance of businesses to adhere to high levels of corporate social responsibility. Including supporting local charities through to minimising the environmental impacts of daily operations of the business.

Diversity and inclusion

Organisations within every sector face the challenge of building more diverse and inclusive working environments, which not only attract the best talent in the market, but also inspire loyalty and longevity amongst employees. Gender pay gap reporting and the movement to create gender parity in the business world has pushed D&I up on many CEOs’ agendas. Despite this however, PageGroup research has found that just 34% of C-level execs say that their company has a D&I policy and know what it is.

Work-life balance and self-care

In addition to the needs of the organisation and the wellbeing of stakeholders that the business interacts with, CEOs also need to ensure that they are taking proper care of themselves – just like everyone else. When competing to get to this level, work-life balance is often pushed to the wayside in order to beat the competition. Ultimately, many sacrifices are made by these individuals, and it is still important to ensure personal health and wellbeing.

What key skills and attributes do CEOs possess?

Despite the core differences in the levels of pressures and responsibilities amongst CEOs today, the individuals in these positions need to possess these core skills.

CEOs are able to remain calm under pressure.
They have the ability to see the longer-term view.
These professionals are very strategic.
Individuals in these roles are highly intelligent, ambitious, and focused, with a high drive to succeed.
CEOs need to be inspiring to ensure that employees rally behind them and support their vision.
Professionals need to be great at team building and this means bringing in the right expertise at the right times.
CEOs are usually quite competitive and will push to make things happen.

In order to reach the top, it is likely that a professional at this level will have made significant sacrifices. Reaching the CEO role in any industry, for any business, will take hard work, dedication, and sheer determination. CEOs are elite professionals and bring a wealth of knowledge, and experience to the organisations that they lead. This is why it is so crucial to make the right choice when searching for and hiring CEOs.

If you would like to discuss your career options as a CEO, or you are searching for the right CEO to drive success in your organisation, get in touch for a confidential discussion.

Simon Nolan

Senior Partner, Page Executive

T: +44 1932 264056

E: simonnolan@pageexecutive.com

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Getting women on boards: Female NEDs give their advice

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 10:36:42 +0000

Getting women on boards: Female NEDs give their advice Anonymous (not verified)

Effective non-executive directors (NEDs) are able to constructively challenge the status quo of an organisation – they bring the outside in and offer fresh perspectives on business challenges. For this reason, NEDs are a vital component of any board of directors – and talented operators are always in demand. Of course, it’s important to remember that diversity of thinking can only come from a diverse group of people – and the spotlight has recently been turned on this from a gender perspective.

As the drive for gender parity at senior levels continues, it is positive to see that despite the slight fall in women in executive roles, the number of women in non-executive roles within FTSE 100 companies has risen, from 27.7% in October 2017 to 29% in June 2018.

To gain further insight into how the role works and how to attain this sort of position, we spoke to a number of senior female business leaders and non-executive directors at our fourth Page Executive Women in Business event in Birmingham recently. Angela Seymour-Jackson, a highly experienced portfolio NED, mentioned that taking on the role helped her to take a different approach in her work. She stated: “You don’t know the assumptions you work with until they’re challenged.” However, once a NED is aware of those constraints, they can begin to move away from them and bring new practices to their business.

A NED should provide creative input, challenge decisions and offer objective insight, and critique. However, it is not the role of the NED to make the decisions. It’s better for them to focus their efforts on the topics most relevant to their expertise. Typically, executive directors know the ins and outs of a business. It’s the NED’s job to maintain a level of distance and be able to offer impartial advice.

Jane Whitlock, Midlands Practice Senior Partner in Assurance and Advisory at Deloitte, explained: “We’re operating in an ever-changing world. New risks seem to emerge on a very regular basis and being able to interpret those in the context of the business that you’re working with is really important.”

Why you should consider becoming a NED

As part of a board of directors, a NED will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in different working practices. Fundamentally, all businesses face similar challenges, but the response to these can often be dictated by the industry that the business operates in, or the experience of its leadership team. For example, a NED who works in the telecoms industry may sit on the board of an aviation company alongside a fellow NED from a finance sector background. In this hypothetical example alone, the opportunity for new approaches to emerge is clearly vast – and there is no reason that the NED cannot invoke these in their day-to-day work, benefitting their employer.

Lesley Jackson, current Interim CFO at Water Plus and Non-Executive Director at Trackwise Designs PLC, had this to say about why women might consider a NED position: “What is really attractive about a NED role is your ability to bring the full force of your experience to the benefit of the organisation. It affords you the luxury of spending some time reflecting on the business, on the strategy, on the direction they are going in. And you’re there to provide support to the executive management team.”

As a benefit of the role, NEDs create a broad network of esteemed colleagues from a range of industries and backgrounds. These connections are invaluable, not only for identifying further NED roles, but also for career progression.

NED status also creates the potential to explore new career paths, guided by practical experience, rather than skill sets or ‘on paper’ potential. When this is combined with an ever-growing network of business connections, the long-term career benefits of becoming a NED significantly add to the appeal of the role.

Have you got what it takes to become a NED?

When it comes to the core skills needed to become a NED, Angela believes stakeholder management is absolutely crucial. “An effective board needs everyone to be able to work together. So, the ability to work closely with other non-executive directors but really critically the CEO and CFO,” she explained.

Lesley concurred, adding: “I think you have to be open-minded, I think you have to be a good listener, but you also have to be there to challenge and ask the right questions.”

When an executive board is looking to appoint a non-executive director, there are a number of factors that organisations search for:

A point of difference such as an emerging skill set or knowledge of a particular topic that would be of benefit to the business.
Genuine interest in the company or industry in which the business operates.
A complementary style and attitude to how the board operates.
Personality fit, considering how an individual positions themselves in the boardroom, how they ask questions, and how well they gel with different people.

Chair of St Modwen Properties PLC and seasoned Non-Executive Director, Danuta Gray, believes that the core of a NED’s role is getting the execs to sit back and think about the longer-term perspective. “What could take this plan off track? What’s happening in terms of the political environment, what’s happening with technology and who could come along, and disrupt our business model? Good non-executives will help position these questions in a way that makes the execs stop and think,” she concluded.

If you would like to discuss how we can help source the right talent to your non-executive board of directors, or for more information about our events, please get in touch for a confidential discussion.

Helen Schwarz
Partner, Page Executive
T: +44 121 634 6927
E: helenschwarz@pageexecutive.com

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The outlook for retail: Q4 and beyond

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 15:02:22 +0000

The outlook for retail: Q4 and beyond Anonymous (not verified)

In the wake of a series of high-street store closures, the ongoing Brexit negotiations and a highly saturated market, how can retailers attract and retain, top industry talent to stay ahead of the curve during a period of uncertainty? What is working and what do retailers need to be doing to evolve with the retail sector?

These are some of the key challenges that were discussed during our Page Executive Retail Leaders Breakfast event on 25th September 2018. We highlighted key hiring trends and were joined by Maureen Hinton, Retail Research Director for GlobalData plc for interesting insight on the current issues in the market and her forecast for 2019 trading based on GlobalData’s unique market research on the UK retail market.

Growth in the UK retail sector

Insight from GlobalData has revealed that although many believe that the biggest hindrance of growth in the UK retail sector is the shift online, this is actually not the case. While online channels give consumers more choice, the main thing is that there is overcapacity in the market. There is much more competition than there is demand, which is restricting growth. When combined with the ever-changing marketplace there are a number of challenges at play.

Global competition – Not only is the UK market highly competitive but consumers now have unlimited access to products from around the globe.

Demographics - Consumers are changing. Millennials are more considered about the products that they are buying, opting for entertainment and travel experiences over objects. Baby boomers have also shifted their spending to such activities.

Geopolitics – Uncertainty surrounding Brexit, trade wars and the introduction of tariffs are all potential changes that will impact supply chains.

Consumer attitudes – The way consumers buy is very different. Mobile devices now allow consumers to buy anywhere, at any time, and their expectations of services are growing.

Technology – New technology has had a huge impact on retail as this has shaped the way consumers spend today.

Challenges and opportunities in the UK market

Redistribution of spend

The highly competitive retail market has seen a number of casualties in the home, electrical, toy, and discount sectors. However, as Maureen highlighted during her presentation, the combined consumer spend of just a few of these retailers, equates to approximately £1.37bn. This is spend that will now be redistributed back to competitors and is driving the market.

Consumer confidence

Looking forward over the next six months, it has been predicted that the UK economy is likely to worsen. Personal finances will worsen and retail spending will be strongly negative. Personal savings are expected to increase during this time. This means that there will be an increased need for retailers to manage costs if the top line is not expanding. The personalisation of product and delivery will also be key.

Growth sectors

Growth in the food and grocery, health and beauty, and electricals sectors is expected to slow down in 2019 while the clothing and footwear, DIY and gardening, and homewares sectors are forecast to produce a slight increase. Following a decrease in expenditure this year, the books, news and stationery sector, furniture and floor coverings, and entertainment sectors are expected to return to growth – albeit for the majority it will only be around 1.5%.

Looking forward: the UK retail sector

If we consider the future of retail in the UK, Maureen highlighted that the retail sector is experiencing continuous evolution and retailers need to have a unique selling point to survive. Physical retail must be relevant and it might also serve businesses to seek new markets outside the UK, in order to grow.

Following our Retail Leaders Breakfast event, we spoke to Maureen for further insight into the future of retail. On the topic of the high streets’ evolution, Maureen had this to say:

“I think the high street is going to be different in that it’s going to be focused much more on being a social space. I’m talking more about local high streets. You’ll have coffee shops but you’ll also have libraries that are community centres, there will be meeting places for people, there will be entertainment and leisure. It is going to be much more about communities and social rather than selling products. Selling products will be something that is peripheral.”

The retail customer experience and personalisation are two other key considerations for retailers looking forward. As the focus on social aspects of high streets grows, the overall experience of retail will become increasingly important. “It can be as simple as what it has always been - investing in your store staff to deliver the service.” Maureen highlighted.

“There is a lot of evidence that if you train your store staff and get them really engaged, they can really help sales. However, the customer experience is about the whole piece - at every touch point. There is a lot of talk about personalisation. Can you personalise your offer to what a specific person wants?”

Understanding your customer and delivering relevant products, at the right time, at the right price, and via the right channels is essential. “It is a case of having an appropriate or relevant experience that will drive customer loyalty,” Maureen explained.

Talented retail executives drive success during times of change and in the face of challenging market conditions. It is their influence, from the top down that pushes a strong and motivated team forward.

If you are looking to hire at the executive level, get in touch with your local Page Executive office for a confidential discussion.

Nicola Wensley
Partner, Page Executive
T: +44 193 226 4059
E: nicolawensley@pageexecutive.com

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How to effectively manage a large team

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:01:21 +0000

How to effectively manage a large team Anonymous (not verified)

As an Irish business leader, you more than likely have experience managing a variety of teams. But how do you manage a larger managerial workforce with a variety of issues and a number of staff beneath them? The step to senior manager and above can bring you face-to-face with challenges when managing a large team of high level professionals.

A director of department or above, may find themselves managing a number of professionals and the managerial decisions made, will ultimately have a knock-on effect to the rest of the business. Managers will look to you when having problems with their wider team and you will need to react accordingly to problem-solve. Ultimately, they will be reporting into you with team updates, reports and statistics, which you will need to analyse to implement positive change across the business.

Use your networking skills

There is no doubt that by now you will have a wide array of solid personal and professional connections that feed into your organisation. Continue to utilise your advanced networking skills to build relationships with as many people as you can.

The team heads that you are managing will benefit from having you on-hand to talk through business related issues, successes and more. If you take the time to develop relationships with the professionals you are managing, they will respect you and your demonstration of investment in them and the wider team. Making an effort to build some report and show you understand their role in the team will go a long way in ensuring that everyone is invested in your wider business goals and begin to pull their teams in the same direction.

Empower your management team

The management team that you are responsible for, will in turn be responsible for enacting your overall business strategy and are your voice when projects are underway. Over the next 3 years, it has been reported that up to 79 per cent of investors intend to increase their foreign direct investment into Ireland, so the platform for project growth will be there. It is crucial to build strong relationships, as well as empower your employees to excel and have confidence in their own ability whilst at work.

As they are closer to the day-to-day operations of the business they will be overseeing the tasks that you can’t, therefore encouraging them to be decision-makers and to take ownership of these tasks is important, as you are allowing them the space to be able to do their job. A motivated and respected management team are a great asset to any company and to you as their group head.

Communicate effectively

Although we understand that you may not have the opportunity to attend every team meeting and every impromptu catch-up, it is important that you communicate effectively with people within the business. Having an open-door policy may make staff feel more able to approach you, as well as scheduling 1-2-1’s with the managers working beneath you. Both of these small things can open up conversations that staff may feel unable to approach you with when you’re busy throughout the day. Businesses also need to communicate with the clients effectively too as technology changes. The use of social media, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, by Irish businesses has grown from 64% in 2015 to 69% in 2017 and was the second highest in Europe, so good management of the right staff in this area is becoming increasingly important.

Give constructive feedback

All staff deserve and should expect feedback, from managers to executives you should be able to provide constructive feedback to your team or colleagues. As a business leader, you should expect to provide feedback in this way. When giving feedback to your team, allow and encourage them to be honest with their opinions, giving them the chance to respond to your comments with their thoughts. Offering feedback to your team is a great way to ensure they are always developing and improving within their role, as well as giving them a chance to tell you of any ways they desire to progress such as training programmes or different areas of the business that they are interested in learning about.

This will only grow your organisation as people know they can progress with their personal development plans under your management. If you are looking to grow your team by hiring new talent, get in touch with your local Page Executive office today.

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Can Dublin maintain its competitive edge in attracting overseas talent?

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 16:34:20 +0000

Can Dublin maintain its competitive edge in attracting overseas talent? Anonymous (not verified)

Dublin is emerging as the go-to place for large businesses intent on keeping ahead of the challenges that Brexit may bring. More and more workers are being relocated, and two of the largest established tech companies, Facebook and Google, are keen to expand their Irish base. Google presently employs 7000 workers in Dublin and is currently in talks to purchase the Bolands Quay scheme – comprised of three landmark buildings and an apartment block – that will accommodate 2,500 workers. Meanwhile, Facebook appears to be advancing its plans to build a campus in Ballsbridge that can house 5000 staff. An investment such as this from large multi-national companies makes Ireland a lot more competitive, increasing the potential for full employment. However, there are challenges that Ireland and in particular Dublin face, if they are to maintain a competitive edge.

Challenge 1: Tax

At the Irish Government’s Third European Financial Forum, at Dublin Castle, 31st January 2018, the government admitted that the high marginal income tax rate was out of sync with that of other countries and that workers in Ireland are hitting that high tax rate too soon. There’s a determination to change it so that fewer people will pay a lesser amount of their income at the high tax rate. There is also a plan to reduce the cost to people accessing services and for parents who have children between the ages of six months and three years, there’ll be childcare subsidies without a means test. It was confirmed that Minister D’Arcy was working on reducing the cost of insurance; health and motor insurance premiums are already falling, and there is a desire to replicate the insurance reduction in others sectors too. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar said: “The third pillar is raising living standards in a sustainable way for all our citizens. That means real pay rises, but pay rises that are sustainable; an average pay growth in our economy at the moment is in the region of 2-3%.”

Marc Morrow, Business Manager at Page Executive, part of PageGroup, attended the Dublin Chamber of Commerce AGM, 15th February, where he met the Taoiseach. Ireland’s high level of personal taxation and exactly how it could impact the country’s ability to attract talent was discussed and it was acknowledged that it was a problem with no overnight fix. Although it was agreed that reducing the higher level of taxation or raising the top tax banding’s entry point may be one solution in the future, it wasn’t a viable option for Ireland at present. The more obvious and immediate fix may be regarding equity and share-options, where people pay both capital gains tax and income tax.

Mandatory tax contributions include the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) which is made up of social insurance and 0.7% of the National Training Fund Levy, comprised of “weeks of insurable employment”. This is payable by most people over 16 years of age. The Universal Social Change payments (USC) are payable on income over €13,000 and one of the impacts of this is that lower paid workers will see large increases in net income, as well as low income families with dependents. PAYE workers on incomes between €20,000 and €35,000 will benefit the least.

Olivia Buckley, Communications Director, Irish Tax Institute, says: “We have one of the highest personal tax bills globally and we need to get them down, this will impact our ability to keep attracting talent.”

Irish workers can earn €34,550 before a higher tax band is implemented. For married couples the threshold rises from €42,800 to €43,550 where there is a single earner. Yet the constant 52% tax rate for anyone earning over €70,044 does provide a threat to Ireland in attracting global talent. Positive changes to Ireland’s income tax system could perhaps go some way in maintaining the city’s attraction for new talent.

It would seem that a welcomed solution would be to increase the personal income tax breaks for Irish workers. However, in the event that this doesn’t occur, businesses will need to set in place contingency plans. This might mean relocating their HQs to lower tax locations in a bid to attract top talent should Ireland reach full employment to combat the numerous challenges they will face.

Challenge 2: Housing, education, healthcare

Ireland’s demand for residential property outstrips its supply and if more multi-nationals try, as expected, to bring over employees, then they will need somewhere to live. As already mentioned, Google has invested in the Bolands Quay scheme which proves just how important the big multinationals view Ireland in the next stage of their economic growth.

Google’s Director of People Operations EMEA, Brian Kennan says: “Google presently employs 7000 in Dublin, 3500 permanent, 3500 agency and contractors. There are 76 different languages spoken in Dublin compared to 82 in London and 86 in Zurich, and offices in 57 countries. Google loves Ireland due to the culture and talent availability, and we have no interest in looking outside of Dublin.”

However, homelessness has increased significantly and not enough new homes are being built to meet the demand. This has driven up the cost of residential property and the cost of renting property in Dublin is now higher than it was during the pre-recession economic peak. It’s widely believed that that Irish banks are being cautious and construction costs remain high.

Kennan adds: “Google employees are viewed as preferred tenants due to being well paid and having steady employment.” He acknowledged that this is not an easy thing for the government to resolve but added: “…the government needs to move quicker.

Employees relocating to Ireland will, in many cases, be bringing their families along. Having the right environment for their children will help employees integrate into their new surroundings a lot more quickly. Therefore, there is an argument for more international schools to be built to meet demand. This would also potentially lead to more jobs with an increased need for teachers with the right skill sets. At the moment there are just a handful of international schools such as the International School of Dublin and St. Kilian’s Deutsche Schule Dublin. Nord Anglia Dublin is slated to open in September 2018, but more will be needed to meet the demand.

On this subject Kennan says: “There is a lack of international schools in Dublin, people moving to Dublin from Europe etc. are surprised by this and view it as a negative when compared to other cities. This reduces the chances of foreign nationals making Dublin their permanent home.”

The healthcare system is at breaking point, with people spending an extortionate amount of time waiting to be admitted to hospitals and currently, those with private healthcare tend to be seen quicker than those without, contributing to an unattractive imbalance. Kennan says: “Foreign nationals are shocked by the state of Ireland’s healthcare, this makes Dublin/Ireland a less attractive location for permanent settlement.”

There is however, light at the end of the tunnel. For the first time, Irish investment and planning initiatives have been linked together to help create the Project Ireland 2040 programme. It will address the development issues of Ireland’s rural areas, cities and towns, with a major focus on Ireland’s transport infrastructure and North West regions. The €116bn 2040 programme project is expected a be a major boost in winning the war for executive talent.

Summary

If tax breaks, solutions to accommodation problems, and the opening of more international schools fail to occur, does it mean that businesses will have to offer higher wages? Perhaps it might, but there is also a risk of that strategy impacting their ability to manage sustained growth.

With Ireland being ranked the eighth highest city out of 29 for its inclusive development as an advanced economy, according to the World Economic Forum’s Inclusive Development Index 2018 report, they’ll need to find sustainable ways to continue attracting the right talent without going into the red.

Marc Morrow
Business Manager, Page Executive
T: +353 1 961 9265
M: +353 87 211 4746

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Ethical leadership: Managing a framework for success

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 13:50:53 +0000

Ethical leadership: Managing a framework for success Anonymous (not verified)

A controversial topic that often makes headlines in the news, ethical leadership has been the cause of much discussion. In a world where organisations are under constant scrutiny for the high-level decisions they make and the impact they are having on the wider community, it is important to ensure that the teams and leaders within your business are acting ethically.

In our society, by and large, we have a shared set of values, beliefs and ethics which guide our everyday life choices. A business that is run ethically by its leaders, will be in a positive position to develop an overall culture that encompasses these shared values and beliefs. This in turn, will help create positive perceptions among clients, customers and potential employees.

Ethical leadership ensures good decisions are being made across a business, which improves customer relations, reduces errors and business liability, and ultimately increases profitability.

Ethical leadership in business

An ethical leader is someone who is able to think beyond their own personal interests in order to make decisions that are of most benefit to the organisation as a whole which not only meet the needs of external shareholders but also the needs of the people working within the business. These leaders inspire trust through consistently striving for fairness in all situations.

Strong ethical leadership is important not only for leaders themselves and the people working within a business but also for the growth of the organisation. Ethical companies are much more appealing places to work for and as such, those businesses practising ethical leadership and ethical decision making will attract the best talent and are more likely to retain the talent in their team for longer. With strong ethical leadership, leaders can motivate, inspire and build trust with those who work for them.

However, while there are many benefits of ethical leadership, Baylor University researchers have found that in some cases poorly communicated ethical practices can actually be detrimental. This is particularly true where overly optimistic targets and standards are set that add unnecessary stress to an employee’s workday. Leaders that introduce processes and procedures that are designed to ensure excessively careful practices often create roadblocks for their staff to complete their jobs.

In this same research, it was also highlighted that where ethical practices and standards set by leaders are seen to be too much of a hindrance to an employee’s everyday role, and therefore stressful, there is a significant increase in the likelihood of inefficiencies and ineffectiveness.

So, how can you ensure you are acting ethically as a business leader and ensure that the morale and productivity of your teams remain high?

How to manage an ethical framework

The core framework for ethical leadership in any business relies fundamentally on internal uniformity through consistent messaging, proactive leadership and accountability across the organisation. While senior leaders set the standard for ethical practices, it is key that these standards are filtered right throughout the business and all employees are enabled to perform their roles effectively and ethically.

It is important that the message your business broadcasts about ethics is clear and well-known throughout the business. A robust set of values that employees can relate to is essential, as is the confidence in its leaders to be ethical with intent in every business-related exchange. Ambiguity surrounding the expectations of employees can cause unnecessary stress and hinder business output. In order to sustain ethical leadership within an organisation, the leadership team must be empowered to live by the core values and lead by example.

Robust appraisals and one-to-one meeting systems should be put in place in order to ensure that its leaders behave ethically, and within a clearly defined framework. There should also be systems in place that ensure other members of the business can report any observed unethical behaviour efficiently and confidentially to ensure internal uniformity. In addition to this, employees need to have confidence that their complaints and comments will be dealt with in a professional manner, and that they will receive updates from the person dealing with their issue.

In order to safeguard the future of ethical leadership in their senior management teams, it is pertinent for an organisation to work closely with their HR department to manage the guidelines for ethical business operations, appraisal systems and reporting processes, or to seek outside HR support where needed.

If you would like to discuss how we can help with the recruitment of senior leaders into your business, please get in touch for a confidential discussion.

Beth Horsley
Business Manager Page Executive
T: +44 113 243 7721
E: bethhorsley@pageexecutive.com

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