February 2017 - Blog - Principal People

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posted 3 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Australian Bush Fires - Support us today!

Safety4Good have a new fundraising campaign for a worthy cause that is causing both a human and environmental tragedy in Australia. The Bush Fires have so far caused 30 deaths, 2000+ homes lost, approximately 1.25 Billion animals lost alongside the 10.7 million hectares burnt. They’ve engaged their Australian Safety4Good Ambassador, Alligator Dundee, to kick off the campaign and he has flown over to the UK to head up the fundraising. They have two brilliant charities to support equally, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Red Cross, who are directly supporting the homeless and misplaced persons. Click on this link to be directed to the Safety4Good website and the Virgin Money fundraising page: https://bit.ly/2NA7B88 Also, they are working with the WWF more on a project which enables you to become a “Koala Protector” and you will receive a certificate to reward you for your support. This will cost £25 and could be a good idea for companies and teams who want to share their contributions. More news on this soon. Get clicking and support this worthy cause! www.Safety4Good.com Watch their video below!

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posted 3 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Australian Bush Fire Crisis

Australian Bush Fires – help our Antipodean friends and their “critters” by supporting our Australia day fundraising event On Friday 24th of January, Principal People will be raising money for WWF and The Red Cross equally through our Safety4Good programme to support the catastrophic bush fires in Australia, by celebrating Australia day (Sunday 26th). Shockingly, statistics read that there have been over 28 fatalities, 3,000 homes destroyed and 7.3 million hectares have been burned and the fires show no signs of stopping. As well as this, it is estimated that over one billion animals have been affected nationwide across South East Australia. Principal People will be holding a Cake Sale and a BBQ at their offices in Farnborough in an effort to raise money for the two charities with a hope to achieve £1,000. They are also asking their neighbouring offices to sponsor a Koala and are hoping that each office will be able to participate, which could total 45 adopted koalas! If you would like to help us in raising money to help the people and animals of Australia, please follow the link to our Virgin Money Giving page by clicking here.

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posted 3 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Christmas and New Year - Office Opening Hours

Please note that from December 24th until January 2nd, the Principal People team will not be in the office. Your Consultant, however, may still be available via their individual email addresses and telephone numbers so we recommend trying these if you would like to get in contact. If your matter is urgent please email info@principalpeople.co.uk which is a guarded mailbox which will be monitored frequently or alternatively call our Director Josh Huggins on 07595289937. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Safety4Good's next event - "More than Mental Health"

Safety4Good event “More than Mental Health” What works with workplace mental health? Introducing our speaker - Tom Oxley, Workplace Mental Health Strategist TEDx speaker Tom specialises in evidence-based Mental Health Strategies for Workplaces, and creates outstanding training for leaders, managers and frontline staff. He’ll give you the real inside story about mental health at work, drawing from his work from clients including TFL, Exxonmobil, Cambridge University, East Anglian Air Ambulance and Cadbury. Our lively, fun and engaging session will show you what works (and what doesn’t) using real stories, statistics and uplifting examples that you can take away and use immediately. EVENT AGENDA AND DETAILS Date: Friday 7th February 2020 Address: Aviva, The Ryley Factory, 28-30 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NN Agenda: 09:00 - Meet & refreshments 09:30 - Introduction and welcome from Simon Bliss, Trustee Safety4Good 09:40 - "More than Mental Health" from Tom Oxley, Director Bamboo Workplace Mental Health 10:20 - Question and Answer session 10:30 - Thank you from our hosts - Aviva Corporate Responsibility team 10:40 - Safety4Good update and future events - Simon Bliss 10:45 - Refreshments and networking 11:30 - Close of event. Click here to confirm your attendance Facts surrounding Mental Health 6000 people per year complete suicide - 75% men and 25% women. As a man under 35, you are more likely to die of suicide rather than physical injury or illness. Cost for UK business - £100billion per annum* Deloittes audit commissioned by Government. 300,000 people lose or leave their job every year due to mental health. The campaign says 1 in 4 people will experience poor mental health in any one year – the reality is we ALL have mental health. Only 7% of people say that work alone is the sole cause of their poor mental health. Life (non-work factors) play a role in 93%.

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

The importance of fire safety in the workplace

The importance of fire safety in the workplace Fires can happen at any time and can affect any business. As an employer, you're responsible for the safety of workers. You’re also responsible if you’re: The owner The landlord Or occupier Of non-domestic premises. There are a variety of regulations in places to protect employees on or off-site. And the body responsible for enforcing these rules is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). As an employer, you have a duty of care to your employees. They’re legally entitled to a working environment free of risks and hazards. This relates to everything from their physical to their mental health and wellbeing. This piece focuses on fire safety in the workplace. In it, we’ll explore the HSE regulations in place to protect employees as well as the importance of carrying out regular and adequate fire drills at work. The law on fire safety The main regulation that addresses fire safety in the workplace in Ireland is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The first and most important requirement from this legislation is for a fire safety risk assessment. This aims to help identify areas within the workplace that could cause a fire and the people who’ll be at risk. For example, identifying all possible sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen. Or recognising that your kitchen staff are more likely to be at risk of being exposed to fire. It applies to anyone responsible for workplaces and buildings to which the public has access to. The legislation requires all premises to reach the essential criteria. It also requires all employers to ensure their employees receive adequate safety training. This should be on the procedures they need to follow during a fire, including fire drills. Use the result of the assessment to take adequate measures to eliminate, control or minimise the risk of injury or death in an emergency. Other elements to consider in the assessment include: Providing and maintaining general fire-fighting equipment such as alarms, extinguishers, fire blankets etc. Planning for emergencies. Regular review and update of risk assessment. Marking fire exits and ensuring they’re unobstructed at all times. Separating sources of ignition and any flammable substances. The importance of fire safety According to the Home Office fire-related fatality statistics for the year 2016/2017, Fire and Rescue Services in England attended to over 15,000 fires in non-dwelling (commercial) buildings. The one thing that’s for certain in this report is that fires can affect any type of building. Apart from industrial sites with high risks of fires due to the nature of the work, the report also accounts for fires in hospitals, schools, and shops. As well as fulfilling your legal obligation, fire drills are important to know how your staff will behave in high-pressure situations such as fires. As the saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect’. Carrying out regular fire safety checks provides you with an opportunity to identify any weak spots in the process and improve on it. The legal obligation is to conduct these drills at least once a year but it’s advisable to carry them out more often than that. Especially if your workplace is one with various fire risk factors. It’s worth noting, to prevent instances of chaos and panic you should inform all employees of the upcoming fire drill. Protecting off-site workers Because not all emergencies happen whilst staff are on office premises, your remote workers could also be at risk. For the year 2013/2014, the department for Communities and Local government found that 80% of all recorded fires were domestic. Under the health and safety legislation, you could be at risk of prosecution if you don’t know where they are when an accident happens. This means that you also have to consider the safety of your employees working off-site. It’s important that they know how to respond if they find themselves at risk whilst off-site or travelling for work. Of course, it’s much more difficult to ascertain who’s at risk when employees aren’t located in the office. Advancements in technology are allowing businesses to take advantage of the lone worker devices to monitor and protect staff. Various apps have made it so that during times of emergencies such as terror attacks and natural disasters, you’re able to locate and protect your employees working offsite. With it, you’re able to fulfil your duty of care by identifying who is in or near an incident area and collecting real-time information from those in affected zones. Other tips for ensuring the safety of off-site workers include: Providing thorough training to equip staff to recognise and avoid hazards. Determining any possible risks field employee may face when they’re off-site. Developing a procedure to communicate with an assigned member of staff at predetermined intervals. Conclusion Because risks may vary depending on the job, it’s important to consider every role and how they could be at risk. For those in the office, prevention steps such as ensuring fire safety equipment are kept clear and holding regular drills can make all the difference during times of emergencies. For remote workers, as well as providing them with training, personal protective equipment and taking advantage of the latest in lone worker devices, remember to review supervision arrangements and make use of dynamic risk assessments as the dangers they’re exposed to can change depending on their situation.

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

How to Become a Health, Safety and Environment Officer

How to Become a Health, Safety and Environment Officer A health, safety and environment (HSE) officer is responsible for promoting and maintaining the health and safety (H&S) culture within the company. Also, they make sure that everyone in the company follows safety policies under the law. Furthermore, an HSE officer can work with various organisations ranging from small companies to multinationals. Job description Many government agencies and private companies require the services of HSE officers. Based on the work requirement, you might work either full time or per project. Also, you might work either in an office or in the field. Furthermore, the job may entail frequent travel, safety investigations and checking incident reports. So, if you’re interested in this kind of work, here are some more details. Health, safety and environment defined It’s a discipline or speciality that studies how to implement the practical promotion and maintenance of a worker’s physical, mental and social well-being. It’s what organisations must do to protect employees from becoming ill caused by poor working conditions. The importance of the Health and Safety Executive The Health and Safety Executive is the UK’s regulator, whose goal is to prevent illness, injury and even death in the workplace. To accomplish this mandate, they are authorised to visit businesses and: Make inspections. Conduct investigations. Provide advice and guidance. Enforce the law. Receive reports or complaints. HSE also needs to ensure that every company has: A clean workplace The workplace plays a significant role in workers’ productivity and well-being. So, by maintaining a clean working environment, the company keeps its employees efficient, healthy and safe. While it’s easy to put off cleaning a busy workplace, companies risk accidents or illness. If that happens, a sick or injured employee won’t be able to work productively. Also, a clean environment can reduce a worker’s health cost while boosting or maintaining efficiency. A safe and healthy environment Ideally, employees should work without fear of injury or death. However, accidents and injuries do occur. Fortunately, an HSE officer can reduce such risks by recommending or implementing safety programmes and procedures. It may require cost and adjustment, but the benefits far outweigh them. Legal cover and responsibility The Health and Safety Act 1974 is the primary UK law that covers workplace H&S. There are also other rules enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities. Other environmental and safety regulations include: Agriculture Act 1956 – Safety, Health and Welfare Provisions Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 Explosives Act 1875 Factories Act 1961 Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 Offshore Safety Act 1992 Daily duties An HSE officer can expect to do the following tasks: Conduct risk assessments and list all the possible ways to reduce them. Set up safety operational procedures that will identify any hazards in the workplace. Regularly inspect the work area to ensure that company policies and procedures are followed. Make sure that the company supports safe work practices and complies with the law. Help the company develop H&S strategies and plans. Conduct in-house H&S training for managers and employees. Make a note of review findings and suggest improvements. List all workplace accidents and incidents for reporting and statistical purposes. Keep up to date with H&S legislation that will affect the company. Help write management reports, including bulletins and newsletters. Make sure that all equipment is installed and operated safely. Ensure that the company disposes of all waste and hazardous substances safely. Provide advice with regards to particular topics, such as occupational illnesses, safeguarding company equipment and fire risks. The first step in your H&S career H&S is viewed as a second career by those who hold degrees in other academic fields. Often, overseeing workplace safety is considered as an additional role. To qualify as an H&S professional, you’ll probably need to undertake some post-graduate study. Qualifications If you’re interested in becoming an HSE officer, you’ll be likely to need at least a 2:2 degree or its equivalent. Also, a basic knowledge of H&S will help. Consider taking any of the following courses: Certificate in Applied Health and Safety from National Compliance and Risk Qualifications (NCRQ). National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety from NEBOSH. Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health from the British Safety Council. Level 5 (NVQ) Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Practice from City & Guilds. Level 6 Diploma in Applied Health and Safety from NCRQ. Other ways to become an HSE officer You can still become an HSE officer, even without a degree. However, you’ll need a combination of a suitable H&S qualification and experience. You can also undertake short introductory courses that can advance your career as an HSE officer. However, you’ll need either the Certificate in Applied Health and Safety (NCRQ) or the National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH) as a minimum requirement. It’s also useful to have a background or experience in industries such as: Construction. Risk assessment. Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Engineering. Manufacturing. Skills and knowledge required You’ll need to convincingly exhibit the following: Skill in both written and spoken communication: you’ll need to explain H&S concepts and procedures to a variety of audiences. Negotiating ability: you’ll need to convince supervisors and managers to implement safety standards that can affect the speed and efficiency of the company’s operations. Diplomacy: the job requires patience to secure everyone’s cooperation. Analytical: you’ll need to understand complex ideas while presenting them in simple but accurate terms. Inquisitive. Attention to detail. Skilled in IT. Flexible with working hours. Ability to comprehend H&S law and regulations. Physically fit: this is a requirement if you’re working on outdoor sites or in large-scale work environments. Ability to drive: this is essential if the role involves travelling between work areas. Work experience If you’re interested in working in a specific industry, it pays to gain useful H&S experience. For example, if you want to work in the construction industry, gain some expertise in their H&S department. Typical employers/industries You can gain employment in various industries, such as: Chemicals or related fields. Transportation. Construction. Education and training. Engineering. Fire, rescue and the emergency services. Restaurants and catering. Hospitals and clinics. Hotels and inns. Manufacturing, industrial and processing facilities. Large corporations. Government and regulatory agencies. Oil and gas companies. Telecom companies. Training and advancement You can gain valuable learning while working and can complement that with in-house and external training courses. In the UK, if you still don’t have the professional qualifications, consider obtaining training from: NEBOSH. NCRQ. City and Guilds. British Safety Council. Any qualifications from the institutions listed above can meet the academic requirements for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) graduate membership. You can also advance to IOSH chartered membership (CMIOSH) by completing a two-year initial professional development (IPD) course. Afterwards, you’ll need to continue your studies through continuing professional development (CPD). Membership with IOSH or the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) can help advance your career and CPD studies. You’ll also have opportunities for networking and meeting new people. Furthermore, many UK-based HSE officers are either members of the British Safety Council, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) or both. If you want to specialise in a particular industry, such as offshore oil and gas or nuclear safety, ensure that you obtain the necessary experience. Afterwards, you can move to a managerial position or head up a team of officers. You may also choose to be a consultant handing out advice. Professional bodies To advance your HSE career in the UK, you may interact with the following groups: Health and Safety Executive. IOSH. NCRQ. NEBOSH. British Safety Council. City & Guilds. IIRSM. RoSPA. Conclusion HSE officers play an essential role in various organisations and industries. The role’s main objective is to ensure people’s safety in the workplace. In countries such as the UK, there are various ways to become an HSE officer. This includes academic qualifications, certification or both. You can choose to specialise in particular industries, such as offshore oil and gas or nuclear safety. However, you’ll need to obtain the necessary experience. Afterwards, you can move to a managerial position or head up a team of officers. You may also choose to be a consultant handing out specific advice to a particular industry.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

FIND MY WHY

We partner with FIND MY WHY, a leading behavioural profiling company who have designed excellent tools for guidance on the following: Presenting your CV - today getting noticed is half the challenge. 80% of all candidates do not present themselves well via their CV Understanding what your REAL motivations and drivers are - only apply for roles and organisations that will really motivate you Providing you and potential employers with a full report on your motivations and strengths that will outstrip other candidates See FIND MY WHY - this link gives you 20% discount. Reports start at just £8. For information, we were offered commission from FIND MY WHY but negotiated the discount and have passed this on to all our candidates. These people are amazing; they will truly help you focus on what's right for you and we can then find you and prepare you for the next role in your career path. Please see our Vacancies Page for all our current opportunities or CONTACT US to discuss your career today

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Reminder - Anker and Marsh Safety, Health and Wellbeing Workshop is NEXT FRIDAY!

There are still a few places left at our event on the 15th, so if you are looking to attend contact Jess on info@s4g.org.uk to book your seat. Event details: On Friday 15th of November, Safety4Good are holding a Safety, Health and Wellbeing Workshop led by HSEQ Leaders, Jason Anker and Tim Marsh. This workshop is useful for HSEQ practitioners at all levels – from Graduates to Director / Head of positions. Event Details: Date: Friday 15th November Time: 09:00 – 12:00 Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, The Lecture Theatre, 70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH More info about our hosts: https://ankerandmarsh.co.uk/about-anker-and-marsh/ RESERVE YOUR PLACE TODAY BY CLICKING HERE ! EVENT OVERVIEW In recent years, the world of safety and health has changed dramatically with unanimous agreement that a holistic and integrated approach needs to address wellbeing and mental health as well as safety if true excellence is to be achieved. This applies to individuals, safety and health culture and to organisational culture generally Human error reduction often falls under the banner “holistic risk management” and errors are simply less likely if an individual is flourishing “You but on a good day” as the adverts would have it. More than that, latest research shows that “ can upgrade no matter how old you are. Tim and Jason have worked with around 1,000 organisations. Tim has written several best selling books on the subject and presented at major safety events around the world describing how this can be practically applied by individuals and organisations (It’s really all about blue pies) Jason, long regarded as Europe’s pre-eminent inspirational safety speaker, has recently addressed the world of positive psychology and wellbeing with a new talk “it’s not about the fall, it’s about the bounce” Jason describes how his mental health suffered badly after his fall eventually leaving him in a coma from which he was lucky to recover. His description of his recovery, based on adopting positive thinking and habits, is utterly inspirational. First, he learned to breath properly... Whether you’re a director charged with developing a global Human Error reduction / HSW strategy or just a young person starting to make their way in the world we promise you’ll find this session useful, indeed inspirational. FREE for all under 25 ’s For others, please contribute 20 to Safety4Good’s charity choice MIND via our website link https://www.safety4good.com/charities/mind

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Protecting the health and safety of employees working with dangerous substances

Protecting the health and safety of employees working with dangerous substances A dangerous substance is any gas, solid or liquid that poses a risk to employees’ health and safety. Although more common in some workplaces than others, they can be found in almost all organisations; in fact, in 2015, 17% of staff in the EU said they’d been exposed to chemical substances or products for at least 25% of their working time. 15% of workers also said they’d breathed in fumes, dust or smoke whilst working. The health and safety of your staff should be your number one priority. While it may be difficult to avoid dangerous substances completely, this article will talk you through what the risks are and how to protect your staff when working around them. Common dangerous substances Dangerous substances are commonly found in a number of agricultural, medical and industrial workplaces. Those used frequently include: Acids, such as carbon monoxide, ammonia and chlorine Solvents, such as benzene Corrosive substances, such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulphuric acid Petroleum products, such as kerosene, gasoline and diesel fuel Disinfectants, such as bleach, formaldehyde and thymol Pesticides, such as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides Glues, such as those used in leatherwork and furniture repair Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, aluminium and cadmium If your business uses any of the above substances, you need to ensure you’re taking the right measures to prevent your staff from facing serious health risks. Health risks There are many risks to working with hazardous substances, ranging from mild health problems to more severe cases. No matter your habits for healthy ageing, some effects are acute, whereas others can cause long-term damage. Examples of the most common dangers are: Allergic reactions Poisoning Skin diseases Respiratory problems Cancers Reproductive issues and birth defects It’s also important to bear in mind that some dangerous substances present risks to safety, as well as health. For example, certain substances are flammable and cause risk of fires or explosions, whilst others can cause suffocation. But how do you stop these issues from arising? How to protect employees from harm from dangerous substances The first step in protecting your employees’ from harmful substances is to carry out a risk assessment to highlight any areas that could be problematic to the health of your workforce. Once the risk assessment is complete, you’ll need to take all actions necessary to remove or reduce the risks to the best of your capability. Hazards in the workplace should be monitored regularly to ensure you’re always taking the most effective steps to ensure proper health and safety for your employees. You’ll also need to consider any vulnerable groups among your staff, such as young workers or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. These groups legally require special protection in the workplace. As an employer, you should also take into account untrained or inexperienced staff and contractors, as these groups will need to have prevention techniques tailored to their needs. According to European worker protection legislation, there is a hierarchy of measures you should take when it comes to controlling risks from dangerous substances. The hierarchy is as follows: At the top of the hierarchy is substitution and elimination. Where possible, remove dangerous substances by changing the products or processes in which they are used. If you can’t eliminate the substance, you must substitute it for a non-hazardous (or less hazardous) substance. If you can’t eliminate or substitute the substance, you’ll have to prevent or reduce the employee’s exposure to it by using technical or organisational resolutions. For example, you could reduce the number of workers exposed to the chemical and make sure that the duration of the exposure is limited. If you’re unable to control exposure to a dangerous substance using the above solutions, you should use personal protective equipment (PPE). However, by law, this is a last resort when it comes to preventing risks from harmful substances. As well as following the measure hierarchy, it’s important to communicate with your employees to ensure their safety in the workplace. This includes keeping them informed about: Emergency and first aid procedures The results of risk assessments Preventive measures currently being taken Any hazards they’re exposed to and the risks involved The results of any health surveillance or exposure monitoring How to keep themselves and their colleagues safe Who they should report issues to How to spot problems and check that the workplace is safe Conclusion You have a duty of care to your employees to make sure they remain safe at all times during their working day. Whilst the above is by no means an exhaustive list of measures, it’s important to cover the basics if your industry involves the handling of dangerous substances. Read more about hazards in the workplace by clicking here.

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posted 6 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Safety, Health and Wellbeing Workshop led by Anker & Marsh - reserve a seat today!

On Friday 15th of November, Safety4Good are holding a Safety, Health and Wellbeing Workshop led by HSEQ Leaders, Jason Anker and Tim Marsh. This workshop is useful for HSEQ practitioners at all levels – from Graduates to Director / Head of positions. Event Details: Date: Friday 15th November Time: 09:00 – 12:00 Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, The Lecture Theatre, 70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH More info about our hosts: https://ankerandmarsh.co.uk/about-anker-and-marsh/ RESERVE YOUR PLACE TODAY BY CLICKING HERE ! EVENT OVERVIEW In recent years, the world of safety and health has changed dramatically with unanimous agreement that a holistic and integrated approach needs to address wellbeing and mental health as well as safety if true excellence is to be achieved. This applies to individuals, safety and health culture and to organisational culture generally Human error reduction often falls under the banner “holistic risk management” and errors are simply less likely if an individual is flourishing “You but on a good day” as the adverts would have it. More than that, latest research shows that “ can upgrade no matter how old you are. Tim and Jason have worked with around 1,000 organisations. Tim has written several best selling books on the subject and presented at major safety events around the world describing how this can be practically applied by individuals and organisations (It’s really all about blue pies) Jason, long regarded as Europe’s pre-eminent inspirational safety speaker, has recently addressed the world of positive psychology and wellbeing with a new talk “it’s not about the fall, it’s about the bounce” Jason describes how his mental health suffered badly after his fall eventually leaving him in a coma from which he was lucky to recover. His description of his recovery, based on adopting positive thinking and habits, is utterly inspirational. First, he learned to breath properly... Whether you’re a director charged with developing a global Human Error reduction / HSW strategy or just a young person starting to make their way in the world we promise you’ll find this session useful, indeed inspirational. FREE for all under 25 ’s For others, please contribute 20 to Safety4Good’s charity choice MIND via our website link https://www.safety4good.com/charities/mind

Read more
posted 6 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Saunders Family Complete the Guildford 10k Run!

Last Sunday, Daniel Saunders alongside his family ran the Guildford 10k to raise money for Cancer Research UK (CRUK). To make the already difficult 10k run harder, the weather was dreadful with constant rain and freezing winds. However, Dan and his family persevered and completed the challenge in good time. Cancer Research is a charity very close to the hearts of the Saunders Family. Many of their family members have fought cancer, their Aunty Lisa who has defeated breast cancer, was a runner on the day. Unfortunately, a few loved ones did not make it through their battle, and this inspired the family to push themselves forward and take on this challenge in their memory. It's not too late to donate to Cancer Research through #Safety4Good, here is the link to donate - http://bit.ly/Dannys10k

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Principal People Dream Catcher programme – supporting Safety4Good Charity

I’m Alex Gover, an Associate Consultant at Principal People and I am traveling to Peru to support impoverished children and families by teaching in the local school for 2 weeks. Principal People are playing a big part in facilitating this by sponsoring me via their annual Dream Catcher programme. Whilst in Cusco Peru, I will be aiding the local community and teaching English as a foreign language in the local school. Cusco’s economy relies on tourism as a major contributor and the locals need to speak English as a minimum to get the highly desirable jobs as tour guides. This class will help provide the next generation with the needed education to support and teach their families moving forward. This enhances their monthly salary from the equivalent of £284.00 without an English Language education to around £1000.00, which is of course life changing for the entire family. This trip has been a goal of mine for years, ever since I learnt about the local situation there through friends who had made the visit. However, the journey has been financially out of reach until Principal People introduced their Dream Catcher Programme. This programme is made to grant a team member the chance to achieve a life goal through various means of support. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity to support another culture as they grow and develop and cannot wait to share my journey! More updates from Peru over the next 2 weeks. I am aligning the trip with the Safety4Good movement by Health & Safety leaders and have chosen one of their charities to encourage donations too. This is the Shooting Star Chase Children’s Hospice in Guildford. For more information see here and donate direct to them via the Virgin Money link. I have kicked off the donation myself so please donate to this wonderful cause whatever you can. www.safety4good.com/charities/shooting-star-chase

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Dan's 10k run for Cancer Research

Dan's Journey On Sunday the 13th of October, Daniel Saunders, a Consultant at Principal People, is taking part in the Guildford 10k alongside a few members of his family. They will be raising money for Cancer Research, which is a charity very close to their hearts. Read their story below: We are Lisa, Jemma, Harley & Daniel Saunders and together we are raising money for Cancer research by running the Guildford 10k on October 13th. Our family has had to battle through many forms of cancer over the years. Just last year our Aunty Lisa (fellow runner) and our mother Jo, defeated breast cancer. But sadly there are some loved ones that didn’t make it through their battle. We have had to say goodbye to our Grandmother (Mary), Jemma’s Father in-law (Nick), Lisa’s Mother in-law (Dorothy) & Daniel’s Girlfriend Jessica, who recently passed away shortly after her 22nd Birthday. Cancer is still one of the top causes of death in the world, so we are raising money to help fund more research and development. Any donations and support is very much appreciated. Support them in raising money and awareness by sharing their story and donating today. Link to donate - http://bit.ly/Dannys10k About Cancer Research Cancer Research are the world’s largest charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Over the last 40 years, cancer survival in the UK has doubled. In the 1970's just 1 in 4 people survived their disease for 10 years or more. Today 2 in 4 survive. Their ambition is to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 patients surviving the disease by 2034.

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

TWO DAYS TO GO! EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar

EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar – Safety4Good With two days to go until the EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar, Simon, Bruce and the team at Safety4Good are really excited and honoured to be adding value to the wider HSE network. If you haven’t registered yet, take a look at the details below and follow the link to listen in! When – Thursday 12th September at 13:00 UK local time Duration – 30 minutes What is it? – A free webinar based around creating a safe space for EHS professionals to grow, share knowledge and support each other. Overview - As EHS professionals we can stretch ourselves trying to help everyone else, often leaving our own needs at the bottom of the pile! Due to the language and perception that can be attached to EHS, many EHS professionals carry self-doubt about how they fit in to the wider business, how people really perceive them and how much value they actually deliver. This engaging and interactive session will give you some excellent ‘high impact’ psychological tools to use immediately, which may enhance your current thinking around what you ‘do’ and how you ‘do it’. Purpose – To support and enhance EHS professionals to be a better version of themselves. Benefits of session - Be a happier and more confident EHS professional, see your real value within the wider business, be more impactful with your communications and action. Register today by clicking the LINK HERE, which is where you can also view the background of the award winning EHS professional delivering the session, Bruce Durham.

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Safety4Good EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar

EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar "Be the ‘best version’ of you" 12th September - 13:00 - 30 minutes Purpose To support and enhance EHS professionals to be a better version of themselves. As EHS professionals, we can stretch ourselves trying to help everyone else, often leaving our own needs at the bottom of the heap. Lots of EHS professionals carry doubt about how they fit in, how people really perceive them and how much value they actually deliver. This session will give you some excellent ‘high impact’ psychological tools to use immediately, which may enhance your current thinking around what you ‘do’ and how you ‘do it’. This will be really valuable for a team CPD session as well! What can you gain from the session? How to be a happier and more confident EHS professional Understanding your real value within the wider business Being more impactful with your communications and actions Webinar Presenters Simon Bliss - Founder of Safety4Good and MD of Principal People - LINKEDIN Bruce Durham - Professional Coach and Trainer specialising in HSE - LINKEDIN Please register by clicking the LINK HERE, which is where you can also see the background of the award winning EHS professional delivering the session, Bruce Durham.

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Beach Clean Up 2019

A snapshot of our beach clean up. Today some of the team spent their day helping out the environment by picking up as much rubbish as possible from the beach at West Wittering.

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posted 8 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Millionaires Club New Members

Principal People is absolutely delighted to confirm two further members of our growing Management Team have become members of our exclusive Millionaires Club! Welcome to Aleks and George for helping grow Principal People into the organisation it is today! Aleks joined Principal People in September 2013 as an Apprentice and now leads one of our largest teams, having helped establish our new brand Social Housing Recruitment. This team is going from strength to strength with expansive growth plans over the next 2-3 years, whilst working in a sector which fulfils our purpose of helping to shape a more sustainable world for people to live and work within. George joined Principal People in January 2014 as a Resourcing Partner and now leads another of our largest teams, Team Infrastructure. Having worked closely with a number of civil engineering and utilities clients over the past few years, we are now branching out into wider infrastructure sectors, placing the best HSEQ talent available. Thank you both for your hard work, dedication, late nights and your commitment to re-establishing Principal People as the leading HSEQ and sustainability recruitment organisation in the UK. I can’t wait to celebrate this achievement with you early next month!

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posted 9 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Cycling to support Mind

Paul Haxell, a chartered Health and Safety Practitioner and IOSH Councillor, is cycling the 1200km Paris Brest Paris between 18th & 22nd August using the opportunity to raise funds for Mind under the Safety4Good umbrella. This epic cycling event traces its origins back to 1891 when only a hand full of French cyclists where allowed to ride. Today as an organised event it is run once every for years attracting thousands of riders worldwide. In its current form riders complete the 1200km inside a 90 hours’ time limit. That’s a cumulative 90 hours covering riding, eating, sleeping and all other eventualities. Not only is the event physically demanding it is mentally taxing with long periods in the saddle and not enough sleep. Often riders report issues with hallucinations and can resort to sleeping rough in hedges and fields on route. There are basic facilities on the route with mattresses and basic catering available, however they tend to be both cramped and noisy; not conducive to a good night’s sleep even if time allowed. Paul is currently putting considerable time in preparing for this event and is riding about 300 km each week with occasional long rides up to 600km (in 40hours) thrown in for good measure and of course continuing with a full work diary. Paul has selected Mind as his charity as “I am fortunate to have good mental health and have used sport as a form of relaxation and stress release over the years. The ride is known as a challenge in cycling circles, but the mental challenge is very significant. In the dead of night when its wet and cold you need to keep going when the sensible thing (what most people would do would be to stop) you just need to ignore those voices and keep going. I’m hope that through doing what has help me I can raise a good some to help others who are less fortunate.” Best of luck Paul from all of us at Safety4Good HQ- as Winston Churchill said "If you're going through hell, keep going!" Simon Bliss and the team at S4G. If you would like to support Paul please follow this link: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/PaulHaxell2

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posted 11 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Principal People Team Incentive - Spanish Holiday!

Last weekend the team jetted off to Spain once again as a celebration of an incredible quarter. Everyone had a tremendous time relaxing in the sun with one another, creating memories around the villa and pool. Well done everyone, it was a very well deserved holiday! We're hopeful that we can excel our performance even further to ensure we get to go away to that lovely villa again. Well done team!

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posted 11 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Shakira's Testimonials - Interim Specialist

Comments from our Clients “I have nothing but good things to say about Shakira and her colleagues at Principal People; they have been excellent. The customer service has been first class and they found the perfect Health & Safety role for me which has led to a permanent position. I am thankful for their support, guidance and the follow up calls to see how I was getting on. I would recommend them to anyone.” Interim H&S Manager - London-based College “Principal People provided the most professional of services. Shakira and Naz guided me through the contract negotiations with excellent advice. I would not hesitate in recommending Principal People for your next contract or permanent role.” Interim H&S Manager - Manufacturing Organisation "I recently had the pleasure of Shakira’s help in finding me a new role. Throughout the whole experience I was supported and kept in the loop. I have not had an interview in over 20 years due to working my way up in my previous company so moving to a new company was very daunting. I was contacted by Shakira and the process began, I cannot recommend Shakira enough and I have now landed my dream role this was all down to Shakira’s support and going above beyond to get me to this point." Health and Safety Advisor - Animal Charity

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posted 11 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Tough Mudder - Completed!

What a challenge and what a fun experience! Well done to our brave team members who displayed tremendous teamwork, support and perseverance around the difficult course. An extra-special mention goes out to Steve Pettitt who took part in the muddy obstacle course alongside the PP team. Steve is the Director of Safety at L&Q and is someone who regularly participates in marathons in his spare time, although, he did mention that this one was very tough! His efforts were definitely heroic, and he worked brilliantly as an integral part of our team. We have raised almost £1,000 for Great Ormand Street Hospital through Safety4Good, please continue to support us in raising as much as we can! Here is the donation link: https://bit.ly/2LisLZy. Thank you for all of your support so far!

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posted 11 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Tough Mudder 2019 - THIS SUNDAY!

The Principal People team are raising money for Safety4Good this Sunday through the gruelling, muddy and labour intensive adventure that is the Tough Mudder! Having previously tackled the Tough Mudder in 2018, we have almost doubled the number of team members participating this year. A charity that we are specifically supporting thorugh Safety4Good is Great Ormand Street Hostpital. Get behind us by supporting GOSH through Safety4Good. See in the picture our bright white shirts that we will be wearing on Sunday - stay tuned for an update as to what they look like afterwards! SUPPORT US TODAY VIA DONATION TO OUR VIRGIN MONEY GIVING PAGE BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK WHY TOUGH MUDDER? Not only is it an intensely fun challenge and a great team event, but it is a perfect situation to support and lend a helping hand to team members. On reflection from 2018, every participant mentioned they experienced a moment where they didn't think they could succeed an obstacle if it were not for the assistance of a colleague. GREAT ORMAND STREET HOSPITAL Last year we based our challenge for our Operations Directors son, Oscar, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy type 1. SMA is a rare genetic disorder which causes muscles to atrophy over time. Very sadly, this devastating disease is the biggest genetic killer of infants in the UK. SMA type 1 affected children, have historically had a 5% chance of survival past the age of 2. Most type 1’s are never able to sit unsupported and never develop the ability to crawl or walk. Due to Great Ormond Street and the incredible work they do, Oscar along with many other children across the world, has had access to the first drug of its kind as a treatment for the symptoms of SMA. In November, he turned 3, sitting for 12 minutes unsupported on his birthday! Not only are Great Ormond Street hugely personal to us at Principal People, but the work they do as world class health professionals for children is unprecedented. Great Ormond Street Hospital for children need to raise £90 million each and every year to contribute to life changing research, vital equipment and facilitate much needed redevelopment.

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posted 11 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride

On Sunday 7th July 2019, Macmillan hold their annual Dorset Bike Ride event. The challenge was started in 1989 by Peter Smith-Nicholls and typically attracts 700 cyclists who are all passionate about raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Since 1989, the Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride has raised in excess of £1,000,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, all of which has gone towards supporting people living with cancer. One of our ambassadors, Martin Hall, who is Head of Safety, Health and Environment at Morgan Sindall is taking part again this year to support in raising money and awareness for the charity. Visit the Macmillan Bike Ride website to find out more info. Good luck Martin and to all of those who are participating!

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posted about 1 year ago

by Jess Bullock

How to improve occupational health during the cold winter months

How to improve occupational health during the cold winter months We’re at that time of the year where we’re swapping our tee-shirts for thick jumpers and flip flops for solid winter boots. Ideally, this time of the year would be spent in bed with a hot cocoa and Netflix. But, as adults, we have to work to feed ourselves and contribute to society so a majority of us will be at work through the winter season. In terms of the workplace, health and safety is a major source of concern for businesses, especially those that require working outdoors. Not only can low temperatures affect the morale of your employees, also comes with some serious health hazards that you as an employer would need to address. Occupational health and safety advisors can advise you on your responsibility to your employees as well as steps to take to avoid accidents and near misses at work. This post is going to go through some of the health & safety issues that might arise during the winter months and how to handle them. Trips, slips and falls The main accomplices when it comes to accidents at work are trips, falls and slips. RIDDOR estimates the percentage of injuries caused by slips, trips and falls in 2017/18 accounted for almost 31% of the overall percentage of injuries that occurred in the workplace, these accidents can happen at any time of the year but it is more common during the winter seasons. Employers should be making a conscious effort to prevent ice build-up on walkways and anywhere else with pedestrian access. It might be worth investing a professional de-icing equipment to clear roads and walkways. Tips for avoiding slips, trips and falls: Keep walkways and other work areas clear Use signs to mark hazardous areas around the workplace Address spillage immediately Use two or more people when moving heavy loads (to secure your surroundings) If your work requires time outdoors – wear footwear with heavy threads to increase traction. Frostbites and hypothermia Frostbites and hypothermia are a common consequence of working outdoors in the cold weather. Both can have long-term effects if not addressed immediately, some signs to look out for include: Shivering Shaking Lack of coordination Drowsiness Slurred speech Blisters Numb skin Joints and muscle stiffness Tips for avoiding frostbites and hypothermia: Layer clothing Eat and drink hot or warm foods and liquids Wear eye protection Cold and Flu Colds and flus are probably the most common consequence of the winter season. They're caused by viral infections and tend to spread more in the colder months with closed doors and windows as well as limited ventilation. Employee wellbeing The winter months bring with it morale problems, stress and depression issues. Investing in the wellness of your employees means that employers and managers are trained to respond to signs of stress. If you would like any additional advice as to how best to keep yourself or your workforce safe and healthy during the winter months, please contact Peninsula.

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jess Bullock

Thank you!

Thank you to the lovely staff at Arena for supporting us with our cycling challege too!

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jess Bullock

We did it! Cycling Challenge Completed

After cycling a jaw-dropping 900 miles, the virtual journey from Lands End to John O'Groats has been completed! The team delivered excellent performance and are so happy to have completed the challenge within the expected time. The team have raised almost £500 from this challenge and are hugely thankful to everyone who got behind us and supported us in raising money for Safety4Good. The Principal People team are soon to reveal their next challenge to raise money and awareness for Safety4Good, a cause dedicated to heightening the positive profile of the health and safety industry. Check out the Safety4Good website via www.safety4good.com Watch our video to find out about why we are supporting Safety4Good by clicking here

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jess Bullock

Our Virtual Cycling Mission

And we are off! Today is the start of our 900 mile journey cycling the distance of lands end to John O'Groats on our exercise bike! This virtual tour is our first fundraising activity for Safety4Good since the launch of the website on Friday. Stay tuned for updates as to distance cycled and how we are doing. Please support us by donating to our Virgin Money page https://bit.ly/2Qapj5t and by visiting the website www.safety4good.com.

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

A reflection of our exceptional team holiday

A few weeks ago as a result of significant overachievement of our Q2 target, the Principal People team jetted off to Spain on a sensational company-wide trip for a long weekend, courtesy of our Managing Director Simon Bliss. The team had a great time and it was truly a holiday to remember!

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

Business Partnering - Senior Leadership Event

Last Thursday we held a Senior HSE Leadership event which was focused on the concept of business partnering within HSE. Delivered by Taylor Clarke, the presentation challenged our participants, along with expanding their thought processes and opening network opportunities in discussing the issues with likeminded peers. We would like to say thank you to the HSE leaders who attended, who each brought a unique opinion to their table and participated in educated and knowledgeable debates. We believe in providing thought provoking sessions for industry leaders to continue their professional development and feel that they were all able to take something away following the event. If you would be interested in attending similar events, please get in touch with the team on 01252 759 162!

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

A snapshot of our day - Senior HSE Leadership Event!

A snapshot of our excellent Senior Leadership event today. A big thank you to all who attended and also to our presenters at Taylor Clarke.

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

Working for Principal People - What are the benefits?

The culture our team have nourished is the most important factor to the health of our business. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a high performing, hardworking team who do everything they can to exceed our candidates and client’s expectations. When you are earning great money in a job that you love, it can often be the little things that make all the difference to boost you even further. Recruitment can be very tough and is a demanding job, therefore, it is critical for us to give back to our team. The picture above shows in detail our benefits package that we are very pleased to offer.

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

Fran's First Lunch Club!

We hold lunch clubs every month for the team members who have hit their targets. Last month, we were very pleased to announce that Francheska hit target and experienced her first lunch club! Fran and her fellow team members ate at a luxury, five star restaurant all courtesy of Principal People as a big thank you for all of their efforts. This year, we have been overwhelmed with the efforts of our team and especially from our newer team members. We have had more new team members experience lunch club in 2018 compared to any year before. Well done team!

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

Cycling Competition

Principal People have set themselves the challenge to consecuatively cycle 10 miles per week as a team. We aim to do this from now - right up until the end of the year. We will be noting the measurable outcomes from the challenge, such as if it boosts performance and if team members feel generally fitter. Evaluating wellbeing and setting fitness goals is useful to our team as we try to influence happier, fitter lifestyles as much as possible. Can you recommend us a challenge / new fitness goal?

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posted over 1 year ago

by Nicola Klein

Beach Clean Project- Success!

Principal People team have enjoyed a fantastic couple of days down at the Witterings. As well as having two well-earned days out the office, we were “doing our bit” for the environment and community by clearing the beach of plastic and many other waste items. The team were fantastic, committing many hours in the heat to clear the beach after one of the hottest weekends in years and in preparation for the school holidays. Once the hard work was done, and the many bags of waste and recycling disposed of the team were rewarded with BBQ and refreshments and were even able to fit in a game of football and dip in the sea before it was time to head home. As a business we’re committed to making a difference; to our candidates, our clients, each other and the environment. Each team is pledging 3 positive changes to their working day to help the environment and we’re already having exciting discussions to see where we can help next quarter. Wellbeing is extremely important to all of us, and nothing aids this more than helping others too!

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posted over 1 year ago

by Jessica Bullock

PP Beach Clean-Up Day 1!

PP team members set off today incredibly determined to tackle the ever-increasing issue that is plastic waste and rubbish along our coastlines and in our oceans. They piled up bags upon bags of thrown away items which were discarded into the sea or left behind on the beaches, carefully selecting recyclables as well as the non-recyclable waste. We hope to make a small difference towards a big problem. Tomorrow, more team members from PP embark on their journey to the beach to collect rubbish and we hope to have an equally, if not more, successful day.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Beach Clean-Up - Tackling Ocean Pollution

The Principal People team are on a mission to make a difference. During the early hours on the 9th and 10th of July the team are travelling down to Wittering beach to collect the litter and rubbish that has collected upon the shoreline. We hope to make a small difference towards a very big problem to which we only hope to inspire other people to help to tackle. In three decades, the world's oceans will contain more discarded plastic than fish when measured by weight. It’s not just Oceans either, the link attached shows how bad the plastic and waste has become in a canal in Southall, London. We rely on the ocean heavily, it produces over 70% of the earths oxygen and we are killing it with plastic. Follow us over the next few weeks on Linkedin where we will show you an insight as to the problems we are facing caused by ocean pollution as well as some of the dramatic case studies linked to it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-43580287/the-rubbish-floating-on-london-s-grand-union-canal

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

A snapshot of our day - The Guards Polo Club

A great photo from the Queens Cartier Cup yesterday - thank you again to all who attended.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Queens Cartier Cup

Yesterday we invited a selection of our Senior HSE Leaders to the Guards Polo Club for the Queens Cartier Cup. We had an excellent day networking and watching the unusual yet phenomenal sport. Thank you to all who attended, it was wonderful to talk to you and understand you and your motivations in more depth both professionally and personally. It was certainly an excellent day!

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Team Incentive Flashback!

Or should we say, splash back! It was an excellent day at the aqua park and a fantastic team building exercise for our newest team members. Great to have you on board.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Celebratory Lunch Club

Last Friday we held a Lunch Club to celebrate the previous months success in a glorious fashion. At Principal People, we applaud hitting targets, overachieving, amazing effort and hard work. Once a month we treat the top target hitters to a delicious fine dining experience. After the celebratory meal, we then return to undertake the monthly meeting which always leaves a phenomenal energy within the room. This is our way of saying thank you for the teams continued dedication, support and motivational presence within our fantastic company.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Work hard, play hard

Principal People certainly caused a splash at their team incentive last Friday! On the 1st of June we held our team incentive activity as a celebration of the phenomenal work that the team delivered in the months before. Consistently, the team have smashed their targets and overachieved enormously. Client and candidate relationships did not just remain maintained but instead improved continually. Unbeatable performance clearly showed huge successes. Our activity on the day was an inflatable assault course at Thorpe Lakes Aqua Park - which was absolutely incredible! Team members let their hair down, enjoyed some fun in the sun and had a fantastic time laughing at everyone falling into the water from the obstacles. After the activity we then enjoyed a three-course luxury meal at a restaurant in Chertsey, washed down with exotic cocktails and sumptuous drinks. After all of the hard work the team had put in, it was absolutely wonderful to relax in the company of each other and enjoy spending time in the presence of such determined, successful and incredible individuals.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Mental health and wellbeing

Last year at the Safety and Health Expo, we openly encouraged safety professionals to share their knowledge and tips as to how to maintain wellbeing both personally and of that in an organisation. We wanted to know their secrets as to keeping themselves fit and healthy and their minds proactive and happy. Many of the people we asked had 'wellbeing' in their job title - so we knew we were asking the experts. Writing all of their thoughts down in a little yellow book, we managed to collect over 150 entries. Below you will find a few of my handpicked favourites. "Offer employees extended lunch breaks once a week to allow them the opportunity to keep fit and boost productivity" "Remember to smile" "Work with your staff, consult and include them regarding wellbeing. Always feedback to them and do what you say you are going to do" "Provide free fruit and cereal to all on site in the morning to deter from the traditional fry up!" "Take an hour for lunch. Sleep for 8 hours. Take an annual holiday (with no calls and emails!)" "We put ping-pong tables outside of our hospital so that everyone can come and play" "Implement a behavioural based safety system for how people work / play outside of the workplace. I.e. encouragement to step back and think twice. Provide incentives for home use and eat your 5 a day." "Make the link between Corporate Responsibility, HR and H&S so you can provide activities, support colleagues and provide proactive interventions - multidisciplinary groups are more likely to get things done. Sharing the load" "Work life balance" "Mindfulness classes at lunch time" "More monitoring for mental illness, especially in the construction industry." "Have a wellbeing champion who is approachable in each area with knowledge of health and first aid" "Giving people the time and confidence to voice their opinions. This could be achieved by engaging the workforce and creating a H&S approach that is user friendly"

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Maintaining fitness - circuit training

Following on from last month’s wellbeing week, we are maintaining our weekly fitness rota's nicely. We now have yoga sessions and circuit training on alternating weeks which all staff can attend. Today’s activity is circuit training and we have a fantastic variety of our team confirmed for participation. We have made the team aware that this is not a competition, nor do we have any performance expectations for any involved, our motive from running these sessions is purely so that they can challenge themselves and smash their own personal goals in relation to keeping fit. "A healthy body partners a healthy mind."

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Mental health awareness week

This year, the focus is on stress. By tackling stress, we can go a long way to tackle mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, and, in some instances, self-harm and suicide. We will look at how we can tackle stress and help improve our mental health. Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes, and stress is a key factor in this. Principal People are participating in MHAW 2018 by raising awareness of stress and how we can manage it and its effects. This week we will be participating in relief yoga, group discussions, 1-1 chats and stress busting activities throughout. Watch this short youtube video to understand more about stress and what this week can bring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eZ0xtxdVOA&feature=youth.be

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Senior leadership and coaching sessions event - May 1st

On Tuesday 1st May, we held an exclusive event in London for senior leaders within health and safety around the topic of self-awareness, leadership and influencing. We are pleased to say that the event, which included psychometric profiling and communication styles questionnaires, was a huge success. We have received feedback which states that participants learnt aspects about themselves that they have never identified or targeted before, but now that they are aware of these traits, they can tackle them head on or use them to their advantage. The seminar was led by our affiliated executive business coach, Roger Evans in conjunction with our MD, Simon Bliss. Our attendees were engaged and shared personal stories throughout the day, which aided other participants in the room to gauge an understanding of the people around them both personally and professionally. Our aim was that all attendees could take something away from the day – to further their knowledge and the awareness of themselves and others in their day to day working lives. We have an exciting array of events planned for this year including the Safety and Health expo, Safety Leadership Programmes and additional networking events. If you’re interested in attending any of our events or if you would like to see our full diary of events, please contact Jess on j.bullock@principalpeople.co.uk.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Thank you, USHA

Last week we exhibited at an USHA conference, assisting in raising awareness of health and safety and promoting the industry alongside likeminded individuals, inspiring leaders and aspiring future leaders. We had an excellent time networking with a wonderfully diverse and incredibly intelligent variety of people. It's fair to say, USHA conferences are hugely renowned to be a marvellous celebration of the industry and we certainly experienced that. As always, our purpose at Principal People is to seek out the best health and safety professionals for our clients, which in turn makes the world a safer place. We are driven to help and develop our candidates to shape their own career paths - their success is our success.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Teamwork

"Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people." - Steve Jobs The above quote always springs to mind whenever I glance at this photo of a few members of our team enjoying a celebratory day out on a boat - a reward for overachieving their targets. We hold monthly celebrations for overachievers to show our appreciation of all the hard work they have shown in the previous month. Teamwork is so important at Principal People - it is the wheel of success for us which keeps us going with such determination, power and strength. Well done team.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

USHA 2018

All set up and ready to go! If you're attending, come and visit our stand. We'd be delighted to talk to you!

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Exciting news!

We are recruiting... This week is a refreshing and stimulating time for everyone at Principal People. The reason for this is that we are kicking off our recruitment campaign - the search has begun for the very best individuals to join our team. To elaborate on our staff successes and experiences at Principal People, I have compiled a mix of our staff stories and thoughts: Harry Harding, Recruitment Consultant (joined in 2017) “My time at Principal People so far has taught me so much. Coming from a sports coaching background, I was apprehensive about going into an office role. However, there was no need for the apprehension. The people are amazing, I couldn’t have picked a better bunch of people to work with. A stand out memory for me was pulling my first job, a great feeling that has happened twice since! I couldn’t have done it without the expert training given to me and the support from senior management.” Elliott Ralf, Senior Resourcer (joined in 2014) “Initially not knowing if I would be successful when first joining, as I had no recruitment experience, I am overjoyed and proud to say that this is my fourth year at Principal People. I am a Senior Resourcer within the Construction Division and I love my job. I like knowing that there is never a moment that I can’t reach for progression and I am so lucky that there are constantly people around me that will aim to help my development.” Alex Gover, Trainee Consultant (joined in 2017) "Principal People is a fantastic business. I joined Principal People in 2017, with my initial aspirations to train to become an Accountant in a successful business. A few months into my employment, I was pulled aside for a conversation around gaining more responsibilities. Principal People have helped me to grow so much more than I could have asked for. They continue to push me to become the best I can be. I started this journey as an Accounts Apprentice on an apprenticeship scheme, now as a Trainee Consultant, the potentials of where this journey can take me are so exciting. I certainly do not want it to end." Jess Bullock, Marketing and Support Coordinator (joined in 2016) “Two years ago, I was in a position where I didn’t want to go to university and I was unsure about my career path. I had no idea what I wanted to be. I started Principal People as an Administrative Apprentice – it was great, and I learnt and perfected many skills. One of the skills I favoured was Marketing. Principal People adapted a role around my interests and have given me the opportunity to do what I love. This has shown me that if they see potential in someone, they will go out of their way to help them be the best person they could possibly be.” Francheska Johnston, Recruitment Consultant (joined in 2018) “My time so far working for Principal people has been very enjoyable and rewarding in the sense of being a part of helping candidates find their dream job and being a part of a motivational, ambitious, friendly and supportive team who encourage you to achieve your goals and to believe in yourself.”

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week day 5 - small changes that make a big difference

Today our activity was a blind taste test. Our aim was to understand that when blindfolded and unable to see what is in front of you, if your perception of food and its taste changed at all. The message that we wanted to present to the team was in relation to the small changes that we could all make to our diets that wouldn't necessarily challenge our normal routines or food choices. As an example, 80% of our team couldn't taste a difference between the full fat cereal bars and the low-fat cereal bars. Even though the low-fat cereal bar contained half the amount of calories and sugar compared to the full fat ones. Making the choice to eat a low-fat cereal bar instead of the full fat one makes a small but powerful difference towards a healthier lifestyle. The results of the blind taste test were very interesting with most people preferring the low-fat alternatives. On Monday morning, full results will be presented to the team alongside statistics which will show how many calories, grams of sugar and grams of fat they could be avoiding just by choosing a healthier alternative of a food they enjoy.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week day 4 - massages

To celebrate day four of our wellbeing week, we held a fun wellbeing quiz. The prize was a massage from a professional masseuse and only 18 people could win it – so the stakes were high. The questions, topically themed around what we had learnt this week, challenged the team members at times. Nevertheless, it was excellent to see how much the team had learnt in such a short space of time about wellbeing, personal fitness and happiness. There were floods of excitement in the room as soon as it hit lunch time as the winning team members knew that the masseuse was arriving shortly. As the first of the winners walked into the enclosed room with the masseuse, we all waited in anticipation to hear all of the details about the massage and how it felt. Each winner walked out of the room with their hair slightly messed up and their face tinted pink – but with a huge smile on each of their faces. Expectations were certainly exceeded with each person saying that they felt absolutely amazing afterwards. One individual mentioned that they felt like a brand-new person! Well done to everyone who won themselves a massage, it was well deserved. There are more prizes to be won tomorrow as we draw a close to our wellbeing week. It’s been so much fun!

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week day 2 - mindfulness

Following on from an intense circuit training course yesterday, today’s focus was mindfulness. The day was greeted by two yoga sessions in which we exercised our mind and body. Our yoga guru, Cathy Richardson, understood the stresses that recruitment can bring as she had previously worked in the industry herself. Her specialist yoga skills soon took us down the pathway from our office mindset to complete relaxation. The yoga experience tested our physical strength with a series of stretches and balances. After the yoga session, team members were mentioning that they felt a lot more relaxed. Which is what we expected to gain from the workout and we were pleased to see that positive results were noticeable throughout the day. No stresses, only positive energy and lots of movement. As well as yoga, we also had a chiropractor visit the office. Our chiropractor spent 5-10 minutes with each member of staff assessing their general health and posture, all the while, offering advice to reduce the possibility of any symptoms worsening and how to prevent future symptoms. Again, no unhealthy snacks are allowed in the office and water consumption is encouraged. We are not permitted to use the lifts in our office block and our walk/cycle to work scheme is in full swing. Make sure that you look out for tomorrows update in relation to dietary requirements and our food choices.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week day 3 - food and dietary requirements

Food! As a team, we all agreed that we should be making more of an effort to eat a lot healthier, not just at work but at home too. Team members openly admitted that they order takeaway far too often as it’s the easy option, especially if you’re in a hurry. As well as this, only 12 members of our team said that they consistently ate their 5 a day. For our topic of Food, a well prepared, generously-sized and absolutely delicious meal was organised by our in-house chefs - Nicky Klein and Simon Bliss. The meal was based around incorporating fruits and vegetables into our everyday food choices, for example the salad included pomegranate seeds, beetroot, peppers, sunflower seeds, edame beans, apple slices and many more intricate ingredients. Alongside the salad, our chef’s assistant (Alex) barbequed chicken and mackerel. This addition provided the protein that we needed for a healthy, balanced meal. After the meal, Simon presented to the team about why we should be eating healthier and how we can do this with ease. He printed out quick and easy healthy recipes to hand around so that we can prepare meals for lunch at work or for dinner at home. As a team, we have now committed to our rule of eating healthy by expanding the brackets massively outside of this week, toalways. No unhealthy snacks in the office… ever!

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week day 1 - circuit training

Today to celebrate Wellbeing Week, we participated in a gruelling circuit training session held and organised by our Managing Director, Simon Bliss. As a participant, I can tell you that it was difficult. However, the feeling that we all shared of victory after we completed the course was magnificent! We all felt a great sense of achievement. What inspired me the most to keep going during the session was seeing my colleagues around me pushing themselves to their limit. From fitness pros to beginners, the effort shared was monumental, and it really created a proactive and determined atmosphere. The circuit included a notorious warm up of running around the outer premises of our office block twice followed by the circuit of crunches with weights, step ups with weights, press ups, squats, dips, lunges with weights, seated leg extensions, kettle bell swinging, planking and side jumps. Twice repeated followed by warm down stretches. We now have the ambition to undertake a circuit training every Monday following the success we had today.

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posted almost 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Wellbeing week

At Principal People we take pride in maintaining staff wellbeing and we see it as a priority as a responsible employer. Whether this be ensuring plenty of water is consumed to upkeep hydration, enforcing a healthy diet or even an hourly exercise session at desk - it is at the heart of our motives to boost the physical and mental health of our team members. This week, we are engaging in a Wellbeing Week - with an activity promoting wellbeing being the focus every day. For this week there are no unhealthy snacks allowed in the office and we are not permitted to use the lifts in our office blocks under any circumstances. Stairs it is! We have an exciting routine of events fixed in our diaries this week including circuit training, diet recipes and food preparation (and tasting!), yoga, massages and more. Look out for our daily updates which will include what we've done and comment on any other initiatives you think would be good!

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Marketing morning

This morning the Principal People team are fully engaged in a Marketing session. During this time we focus on growing our network, strengthening our brand and cementing our client and candidate relationships. Fuelled with healthy snacks and pastries along with copious amounts of passion and energy - we have high hopes for today! If you are looking for a HSE professional, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01252 759 162, where one of our dedicated Consultants will be able to help.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

CHSG event

Last night Tara, Max, Simon and Elliott attended the CHSG event in London. The event celebrated the successes within the industry and praised all of the exceptional individuals who make up the industry itself. They had an excellent night networking and having well deserved fun amongst all of the incredible attendees.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

6pm cycle

At the end of the day, most people are tired after a busy day’s work. Not Max. As soon as it hit six, Max changed into his cycling attire and set himself a goal to achieve 3 miles on the excercise bike whilst doing additional administration work. This proactive approach to completing work has since inspired other team members to do similar - which is excellent news. Principal People encourage keeping fit and maintaining a healthy team, which Max certainly reciprocated. Max heads up the construction team and is renowned throughout Principal People for creating a fun and energetic atmosphere. He is also incredibly influential in the organisation of Principal People social events - one being Tough Mudder, which we participated in last year to raise money for charity. Well done Max and to everyone else in the office who is supporting the team in becoming ever more active.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Monday motivation

Admittedly, its easy to feel demotivated on a Monday morning. You’ve just had a few days off to relax and now your back to early mornings and a big week ahead – quite a big difference. At PP though, we ensure that our staff are excited to come in. First thing on a Monday morning, we have a companywide meeting which is always fun and requires full engagement. This meeting often involves trivial quizzes, competitions and fitness-based activities. This maximises team energy massively and the team quickly changes from being slightly sleepy to rowdy and competitive. Which creates an excellent atmosphere. Throughout the day, we involve music in our work. Every day we choose a 2pm song to get everybody feeling calm and refreshed. We also play a song every time we achieve something great. We have a jukebox in our office so that every time we celebrate, we do it in style. Occasionally, we all have a bit of a dance too (which involves some very spectacular dancing). We encourage wellbeing in our office. We have wireless headphones so that our staff can walk and talk, we squat as a team twice a day, we’re only allowed to eat healthy snacks at our desk, we have a water tank for unlimited refills and we also have an exercise bike for anyone who is looking do some cardio whilst having a conversation. Our staff benefits also include our wellbeing allowances – this means that we get all get a fund from our company to keep fit and active during our downtime. Every Monday, team incentives are also promoted. These incentives display how much we need to achieve to have a wonderful companywide celebration – such as a luxurious meal and a night out, a holiday, bonuses etc. We are even investing in yoga sessions to keep the team relaxed and stress-free. These sessions will begin shortly and the team are very excited to see the results. A healthy and happy team is what we aim to achieve and maintain every day and by doing this we are seeing positive results and personal happiness increasing.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

International Women's Day 2018

Happy International Woman's Day from all of us at Principal People. We are so incredibly lucky to have such a diverse group of sophisticated, intelligent, professional and unique women working for us at Principal People. We value each and every one of you and we are delighted to celebrate them and the success of each and every woman througout history. In a changing world, it is encouraging to see the amount of support for women and gaining gender equality in not just a working environment, but in every environment.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Thursday fitness

Almost every morning Principal People engage in activities to get our blood pumping and our mind running. This in turn creates a strong proactive energy within the team. This morning, we engaged in a comanywide quiz which tested the new and old team members as to their HSEQ, Social Housing and Principal People based knowlegde. Tension certainly rose when it came to the marking stage as before the quiz started, the team decided that the two individuals with the lowest scores should have to endure disciplinary star jumps. In good spirits, the two with the lowest scores then proceeded and braved the disciplinary star jumps - outside of the office, by choice! When asking them why they chose to do the star jumps outside, they responded to promote fitness and wellbeing to all of the other businesses within our building.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

National Apprenticeship Week 2018 - Jess

National Apprenticeship Week 2018 runs from 5th March to the 9th March. During this time, apprentices come together to celebrate their successful apprenticeship experiences which include their self-development, promotions, increased professional confidence and also the qualifications they have gained. Employers also celebrate during this time - promoting their own apprentices and demonstrating how vital they are for their businesses. Apprenticeships are incredibly important for young people who are looking to obtain experience in a business whilst also gaining their desired qualifications - building pathways for their futures. Principal People are extremely proud of their apprentices - we have had many over the years and we are delighted and honoured that almost all have stayed with us. One of our apprentices is Jess. Jess joined the business in June 2016 as a Business Administration apprentice. Although she enjoyed college and studying Sociology, Psychology and Fine Art, she didn’t see herself going to university and was eager to start earning money and gaining experience through working. Her only problem was her desire to continue learning. So, an apprenticeship was perfect for her. “I started off really shy. Which only makes me astounded when I compare myself as to who I was then and who I am now. Working has helped me develop personal and professional confidence to a level I could have only hoped to achieve” Jess soon realised that she really enjoyed promoting the business through media and marketing platforms and through hard (and excellent) work she has now achieved the position of Marketing and Support Coordinator – which she owns proudly. She is now undertaking another qualification specific to marketing to progress her knowledge and would recommend further education to anyone and everyone. It is never too late to learn! Find what excites you and pursue it. If you are interested in an apprenticeship with Principal People, let us know on info@principalpeople.co.uk.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

National Apprenticeships Week 2018 - Aleks

National Apprenticeship Week 2018 runs from 5th March to the 9th March. During this time, apprentices come together to celebrate their successful apprenticeship experiences which include their self-development, promotions, increased professional confidence and also the qualifications they have gained. Employers also celebrate during this time - promoting their own apprentices and demonstrating how vital they are for their businesses. Apprenticeships are incredibly important for young people who are looking to obtain experience in a business whilst also gaining their desired qualifications - building pathways for their futures. Principal People are extremely proud of their apprentices - we have had many over the years and we are delighted and honoured that almost all have stayed with us. One of our apprentices is Aleks. Aleks joined Principal People on Monday 30th September 2013. At the age of 18, Aleks found himself in a situation with a challenging and potentially life changing decision. This was to go to university, like the rest of his family had, or to dive straight into work and understand what industry he wants to work in. Initially, he applied to undertake a degree in Business Management. However, doubts arose that pursuing this course may delay the career progression and industry experience that he favoured. His next move was looking at apprenticeships. He signed up to a site who contacted him immediately about an apprentice role in a recruitment company called Principal People. Aleks joined Principal People and was enrolled straight onto the academy training programme, which was a six-month intense course with a final view to promote him after the successful completion of the six months. After only 3 months he was exceeding expectations. Aleks got promoted to the position of Resourcer followed by a pay increase of over 50%. Another six months down the line and he was promoted, again, to Trainee Consultant. At this point he was beginning to manage his own clients. Aleks said that at this stage “Although Principal People offer commission from the outset, this is really when I started to understand how much you can earn if you put your mind to it and work hard”. In February 2015 he was promoted again to a Consultant – which means 3 promotions in a year and a half. He stated, “There aren’t many organisations who can offer that kind of progression and development”. During the last few years, Aleks has continued to develop and learn – not only as a Senior Recruitment Consultant but also as an individual. Aleks now heads up the public sector and social housing divisions within Principal People as well as their subsidiary company, Social Housing Recruitment. “I truly believe Recruitment is a fantastic industry to work within – the training, development, progression and commission that Principal people offer is next to none.” Congratulations Aleks, your story is truly inspiring! PIC: Aleks is second to the left. He is surrounded by his public sector and social housing team.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Safety tips for driving in snowy conditions

National Apprenticeship Week 2018 runs from 5th March to the 9th March. During this time, apprentices come together to celebrate their successful apprenticeship experiences which include their self-development, promotions, increased professional confidence and also the qualifications they have gained. Employers also celebrate during this time - promoting their own apprentices and how vital they are for their businesses. Apprenticeships are incredibly important for young people who are looking to obtain experience in a business whilst also gaining their desired qualifications - building pathways for their futures. Principal People are extremely proud of their apprentices - we have had many over the years and we are delighted and honoured that almost all have stayed with us. One of our apprentices is Alex. Alex joined Principal People in January 2017 as an apprentice in our accounts division. He mentioned that 'although he enjoyed college, he wanted real working experience and the opportunity to earn money' - that's why he thought an apprenticeship was the best move for him. Alex was quick to learn the ropes and showed continuous progression throughout - creating processes which enabled more efficient working. When asking Alex what his apprenticeship work was like he replied 'It was excellent. I enjoyed relating the coursework to my personal scenarios - there was always a lot to write about. It was also nice to have time to put aside to do my coursework throughout the week whilst at work." 'I would recommend it for any young person who wants to build their professional confidence and skillset' At present, Alex is now looking to progress his position further with a potential move across departments following the completion of his apprenticeship in January 2018. Well done Alex, you are a significant team member and we are incredibly excited to watch you grow.

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posted about 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoop - out takes constructions

Elliott, Max and Rob

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posted over 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

End of quarter awards

On Friday the 13th of October the team enjoyed an action packed evening at the Namco in Central London to celebrate the end of quarter and awards; it was a great evening of bumper cars, bowling, buffet and some booze!

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posted over 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Big beard boys

Clash of the Big Beard Boys when Jeremy Snell from Zero Entropy Networks visited Principal People for a days training. Our hirsute collegaue Elliott was beaten by the "Bush" that was Jeremy. A fantastic training day once more and the whole team benefited for another injection of the Jezza magic.

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posted over 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Thames Water

It isn’t every day that you have the opportunity to hear and more poignantly; see, how our waste is managed across the densely-populated city of London. Having been invited to join Thames Water at their Wastewater treatment plant in Crossness, East London, that is exactly what Principal People were fortunate enough to do on Friday 16th June. Dominating the area at 70 hectares, this is one of the largest waste water treatment plants in Europe, serving over 2 million people in East London. Standing in the centre of this awe-inspiring, well-oiled operation, I likened it to being in a mini town. Thames Water invests over £1 billion to infrastructure every year in support of serving 15 million customers. The eight2o alliance is a truly ground-breaking project, formed after careful consideration as to how to manage such a significant investment, while protecting the loss of life. This is an incredibly inspiring collaboration, showcasing how a group of businesses can work cohesively to produce astounding results. Forming the eight2o in 2013 to progress towards a different model of working, Thames Water partners with Atkins, Balfour Beatty, Costain, IBM, MWH, Skanska and Black & Veatch. Mike Evans; the Head of SHEQW for the eight2o alliance leads the project; setting the tone with his unsurpassed down to earth approach. “Heading up Health Safety and Wellbeing as well as other support services for the eight2O alliance is certainly challenging. The bigger the alliance the more stakeholders to keep happy so with eight partners within eight2O it was essential from the outset to agree a structure by which we manage HS&W issues. We have a single, bespoke Health and Safety Management System for the alliance that all partners signed up to and a governance structure that includes a Board level committee on H&S and regular meetings with all of the corporate H&S Directors of the partner companies. We seek to draw upon the combined experience, expertise and innovations from all alliance partners and align with Thames Water’s ‘Triple Zero’ vision. On a day to day basis success in HS&W comes from a relentless focus on getting the basics right, day in day out and working in a truly collaborative way with the alliance partners and our supply chain to achieve that.” Mike Evans, Head of SHEQW for the eight2o What struck me immediately is the total absence of ego. It is not a case of Thames Water dictating what needs to be done, but an effortless example of how a group of businesses can take the best from each of their partners, embracing global expertise from multiple sectors. Each organisation across the partnership has put forward their best people, alongside leading practices and techniques to be shared; an incredibly mature approach to modern commercial thinking. Across the eight entities, they have established a formidable alliance. If we consider for a moment that some teams within the same business can struggle to work well together; this is an amazing achievement. Leading our site visit was Karl Simons, a renowned visionary within Health, Safety and Wellbeing. As we walked through a small portion of the site, we began to understand more about the vast processes of how our water and waste is treated. As a nation, some of us admit to preferring bottled water, yet it is thought provoking to consider that it costs £1 to buy a bottle of water from a convenience store, yet Thames Water provide the average family home with 450 litres of water to use daily; for the same price of £1 per day! Thames Water as a whole take an exceptional approach to how safety is delivered. From the Executive level review meetings for every single injury or illness (psychological or physical) that leads to one of their team being unable to return to work (a Lost Time Injury) through to their spearheading approach to wellbeing; Thames Water and the eight2o alliance are a refreshing example of what exceptional looks like. As a group, Thames Water manage a colossal and extreme risk portfolio, from water and wastewater treatment plants such as Crossness, through to elephantine reservoirs and the use of toxic gas. Managing this risk carries challenges unseen by other sectors. Imagine being faced with the need to construct an intricate underground matrix of interconnecting equipment to enable workers to fulfil their duties safely and effectively across multiple storeys underground, navigating around beam engines within grade listed buildings. Couple this with the use of high voltage electricity, gas and countless threats to safety. Construction begins and there are multiple complex issues; perhaps a set of stairs caused a safety problem, or an important piece of equipment used regularly is out of reach for many of the workers. Thames Waters answer? World class digital design solutions, allowing architects and operational employees to view digital augmented reality in 4D design of works; a far cry from the blueprints that would typically be used – made to look archaic in comparison. Those responsible for Health and Safety are required to understand the thought process and psychology of people. The human factor is commonly the largest contributing factor to incidents on sites. Through state of the art digitalisation, Thames Water are able to view their plans in the pre-construction phase and monitor how their employees work. Their team can use a HoloLens view to walk around a virtual model of the plant, providing real time feedback about adjustments need to be made. The same technology is used for training within the business, providing the opportunity to view the work environment and risks they will face interactively, without physically stepping a foot onsite. Outside of the treatment plants, this technology is enabling Thames Water employees to avoid unnecessary excavation, for example, they are now able to scan a road before commencing any groundworks. The business have sourced tunnelling equipment from Holland that we don’t have access to in the UK and have plans to send drones down to sewers to assess risk and prevent human exposure; their hunger for seeking out the very best way of doing things is unprecedented. Thames Water and the eight2o alliance have warmly embraced this pioneering technology with incredible results. It is enabling the group to effectively design out risk and continually identify opportunities for improvement. Karl told us “we have some of the world’s leading designers within our eight2o Alliance working daily on our capital programme and all I ask is they capture and communicate each month the steps being taken to eliminate risk. For example, how many capital programmes do you know of that actually know the volume of design risk elimination they’ve achieved? In eight20 I can tell you that just last month alone our designers evidenced 46 times where extreme construction risks such as high pressure gas or high voltage electricity were eliminated through the design development and review process! Also as part of our suite of Design Performance Indicators (DPIs) I can tell you that there were 129 Designers visits to site last month to engage in Health & Safety discussions with the construction & operational teams.” Technology is not the only method of maximising their resources. Many may not realise that Thames Water is the largest producer of electricity inside the M25. Every part of our waste is used. The water is separated and cleaned through an intricate process and the hard waste matter is currently used as a fertiliser on farmland. Thames Water are now using thermal hydrolysis to produce gas from the hard waste matter. They are implementing thermal drying procedures to produce a fuel-like product which is then used to heat the engines, almost doubling their renewable energy output. They have installed solar panels onto the water’s surface of their reservoirs to maximise the effects of the waters reflection. They are continuing to advance every day and presently are able to demonstrate producing renewable energy which meets 50% of their entire wastewater business energy needs. Digesting this information while walking through the plant, I noted how peaceful it seemed on site. There was no evidence of panic or disengagement; every single member of site staff seemed genuinely interested in their work. After more than 4 hours at the site, it became apparent this wasn’t just for show. Nor is this just by chance. Thames Waters progressive approach to the ‘one team’ thinking is one I haven’t seen before. All contractors on site wear Thames Water PPE. Every single individual has access to their wellbeing programme, the catalyst of which is a confidential personal medical assessment, where for those seconded into the eight20 Alliance, if their parent employer doesn’t provide it, the Alliance will. What is created as a result is a group of valued employees who are all truly working towards a common goal. As Director of Health and Safety for Skanska, Dylan Roberts summarised this way of working; “Thames water eight2o has been an exemplar alliance arrangement with all of the parties working collaboratively in the best interests of the Alliance and their own organisations. Through the process we have developed great relationships as well as getting the opportunity to see and develop ideas and approaches which others have to common issues.” The Thames Water Health & Safety team are leading the way with a pioneering approach to wellbeing. They offer all their employees BUPA style Health & Wellbeing check to every employee, every year and counselling for those who need it. Offering free weight watchers programmes to their teams has boosted self-esteem and productivity. As part of these checks Thames Water offer an annual prostate cancer check to all male employees. Incredibly, this has caught 5 cases of prostate cancer early enough to save their life. They offer bowel cancer screening that has highlighted 2 cases of individuals who are now receiving treatment and they offer thyroid testing for females that has identified 20 cases of abnormality to date. The incredible point is their supply chain parents such as Eight20 and their infrastructure Alliance are now also offering personal medical assessments to their people also. I was astonished by the forward-thinking attitude of this business and the results speak for themselves; just 4 years ago, Thames Water typically were carrying 30-40 employees off work injured at any point in time. Fast forward to 2017 and they have recently celebrated their first working day without anyone being off work as a result of injury across the entire group including contractors. In fact, the business have seen a 60% reduction in lost time injuries and Lost Time Illness and High Potential Incidents, due to their Health & Safety initiatives that have driven a different mantra. The crowning demonstration of what the eight20 alliance has achieved was presented in a single graph which truly showed the impressive impact of what continues to be achieved on this massive programme. They have absolved the typical 16-month spike in injuries seen by many major capital programmes that have gone before. Following their innovative, collaborative approach they have now completed their first 2 years of delivery without such a spike. Putting this into perspective – Thames Water have inducted circa 10,000 employees over the first 24 months of the programme. They have sustained a level of cultural maturity and have in return seen a remarkable shift in absence due to work related injuries. Our visit to the eight2o project was incredibly eye opening, we came away feeling inspired by Karl Simons and his team’s infectious passion, not only for the business, but for their personal responsibility to push the HSE industry forward. This is a business who are simply delivering world class standards and continuously seeking out a better way of doing things without a hint of complacency. It is clear that every individual affiliated with the group is exceptionally proud to be so and it’s no wonder – Thames Water and the eight2o alliance are a best of operation who walk their talk when it comes to putting health, safety and wellbeing at the top of their agenda.

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posted over 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Principal People celebrate as captains!

To celebrate another record breaking month, our highest achievers were invited on a canal trip with a luxurious lunch and drinks provided. In true PP fashion, attendee's bought matching t-shirts and captains hats in preparation for their celebratory day out. The canal trip was a lovely way for everyone to enjoy themselves, relax and have fun - which they certainly deserved! We love creating opportunities to ensure our high performers know how important they are for PP and our lunch clubs are just one example of that. Here at Principal People, we have a number of outstanding opportunities available for talented individuals, due to the organic growth of our business. Our organisation has expanded by 600% over the past 5 years and we couldn't have done this without the incredibly high performing team we are so lucky to have! If you are interested in working for Principal People, or know someone who might be, please contact Tara Waterman on tara@principalpeople.co.uk or alternatively for a telephone conversation please call 01252 759 162.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Bubble-wrapped at the Safety and Health Expo London

Principal People had a fantastic and very busy day yesterday at the Safety and Health Expo. If you're going to the Expo, please make sure you come and visit our stand either today or tomorrow, where we will be delighted to meet you. We are stand number R80 and we will be there alongside the bubble car until the 22nd.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Lunch club

Principal People are celebrating a great quarter by holding a Lunch Club for high performers. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Congratulations to Daniel and Reece on your promotion!

Congratulations on your promotions from Resourcers to Senior Resourcers! Reece and Dan have been with Principal People under a year, yet are such a vital and important members of Team PP. They are both incredibly driven and successful individuals. They both show true professionalism, dedication and passion towards their jobs and it hasn't gone unnoticed. Thank you both for your exceptional hard work, we hope to share many more years with you both and we beleive that your progression is limitless.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

The Brixtons Beach Party

On Saturday the 27th of May, Principal People attended the Brixton Beach Party They had an excellent time in the sunshine, having a lot of fun as a team.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Congratulations on your promotion, Brad!

Today we heard the excellent news that Bradley has been promoted from a Trainee Consultant to a Consultant! Brad is a much loved and highly respected member of team PP. Known for his suave personality, confidence and exceptional professionalism, we have seen Brad grow into an incredible individual. Congratulations Brad - we hope you enjoy your wine. Cheers to the bright future ahead of you!

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Watch out Amsterdam, Principal People are on our way...

A few members of Team PP have just set off on their exciting journey to Amsterdam! Amsterdam is notorious for its incredible architecture, canals and unforgettable nightlife. I think the team will have an excellent time and we cannot wait to hear all of the stories when they’re back. Have a great time!

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Oscar the office manager!

We love it when Oscar visits the office - he is a little ray of sunshine. See in the picture above, Oscar is sitting in the big boss’s chair!

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Celebrating 14 years with the loveliest lady - Sue!

Principal People are celebrating 14 years with the most admirable, hardworking and absolutely lovely lady who is Sue Sutton. Sue is such a valued member of the PP family and there is no doubt that we would be lost without her. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication Sue, we hope to share many, many more years with you! Happy PP birthday Sue!

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Man of the match!

Write something he On Monday the 1st of May, Josh's team played in the Southern Central Play off final. His team Farnborough FC played fantastically against their rivals the Barton Rovers with an ending result of 2-0. Josh played exceptionally and actually won 'Man of the Match'. And of course, spurred on by our very own PP cheerleaders as seen in the photo - Aleks, Brad, Dan, Zac and Max. Who supported and celebrated in the victory. Well done Josh! Read more on the match here: http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/2017/preview-farnborough-vs-barton-rovers-2/ re...

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Principal People host 'Stress Management in the Workplace' event

On Thursday the 27th of April, Principal People hosted their Senior HSE Leadership Breakfast event on stress management and mental health in the workplace. Held at the Savoy Hotel, London, guest speaker Tom Oxley – Lead Consultant from Bamboo Mental Health gave an informative and compelling speech to a number of HSE professionals from a vast range of industry sectors. Tom informed attendees on how businesses can better themselves, support staff and acknowledge and target key issues on mental health and stress in the workplace. Tom stated, "It may be one in four who experience poor mental health in any year, but in fact we all have mental health all of the time, just as we have physical health". Excellent knowledge was shared throughout the morning, with many offering their own thoughts and experiences. The consensus was that targeting issues head on and early is the most effective way of supporting staff. Principal People have been delighted with the feedback from the event which has been summed up as incredibly successful and informative and we look forward to holding our next one again in the summer. If this is a topic of interest to you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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posted almost 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

Principal People smash the Tough Mudder!

Early yesterday morning team PP set off for one of the most challenging, emotionally and physically demanding, yet fun-filled assault courses in the UK. PP worked as a team tirelessley to make sure that everyone was on track and that no one got left behind which revealed their phenomenal team spirit. Although it was a exhausting, everyone had an exceptional day and wore huge smiles throughout. (Especially when greeted with an ice cold alcoholic drink at the finish line) Principal People completed the course to raise money and awareness for Oscar, Tara's son who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. SMA is an incurable, progressive neuromuscular disease which see's children regress in their physical abilities. Read more about SMA here: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Spinal-muscular-atrophy/Pages/Introduction.aspx Reece (pictured in the lifeguard clothes) went on to run the full tough mudder afterwards - what a hero! "Tough Mudder is a series of hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle race - mud run events designed by British Special Forces to challenge the toughest of the tough" https://toughmudder.co.uk/

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posted about 3 years ago

by jes

Bake sale

Write something here... We had a fantastic bake sale this morning at our offices - Arena Farnborough. I am taken back by the beautiful generosity of everyone who supported us. A very special thank you to Shakira, Jess and Steph for baking gorgeous cakes and completely managing the morning. The generous spirits of everyone we are lucky enough to have in our lives astound me, thank you, thank you, thank you. Lots of love from Oscar and his family xx http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-oscar-who-has-spinal-muscular-atrophy/updates/

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posted about 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP photoshoot - out takes directors

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posted about 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoot - out takes contract

Naz, Jack, Tara, Shakira, George and Steph

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posted about 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoot - out takes corporate

Zac, Reece, Josh, Aleks and Brad

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posted about 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoot - out takes support team

Katie W, Sue, Alex, Katie P and Jess

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posted about 3 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoot - out takes manufacturing

Some of our out takes from our recent photoshoot, involving all the teams at Principal People Stephanie, Dan, Nicky and Tom from our Manufacturing and Logistics Team

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Record promotion for Zac!

Congratulations to Zachary Wilson on his promotion to Consultant within Principal People in record time! Zac joined us in the summer and has already become a true expert within his Food Safety and Consultancy market place, which is completely down to his hard work. Well done Zac, we look forward to seeing your success within 2017. If you work within this space, please get in contact with Zac on 01252 759 162 or z.wilson@principalpeople.co.uk for a friendly and impartial conversation!

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Team PP Xmas Celebrations

What a year! Well done to our amazing team who are getting better as the years go by. Congratulations to all for a record breaking year. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all. Simon Bliss Managing Director

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Secret Santa day at Principal People

Santa turned up in person to help with the secret santa gifts at Principal People. Lots of Seasonal jumpers on show nad by the looks of Santa, too many mince pies!

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Sunsets in Scandinavia

We have been developing new business through our operations in Scandinavia where we have 30+ offices in Norway Sweden Denmark and Finland. Our HSEQ offering is now supporting all these countries for both clients and candidates in those locations and UK based health and safety professionals looking for opportunities abroad. If you have an ambition to work in Scandinavia then contact us to discuss our network.

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Trumpeter swans wanted

We are hiring, and we only want the best. This year we have interviewed 54 potential applicants to join our team and recruited 4 excellent collegeagues who are developing exceptionally well and contributing already to our success. We are now looking for Team Leaders, and Trainee Consultants to join our expandng team. Since joining the Juhler Group in June we are now operating in Europe as Wella as the UK and this has opened up multiple opportunities beyond our shores. If interested in developing a successful and challenging career in recruitment with real development potential in this country and abroad call us now to discuss. 01252 759162 or email tara@principalpeople.co.uk

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posted over 3 years ago

by Simon Bliss

The Red Devils

Last Friday we were lucky enough to watch the Farnborough Air Show and the amazing array of new and older planes and their aerobatics. As we know too sadly Airshow demonstrations can be dangerous and fortunately there were no mishaps but some tremendous flying and stunts too. See the shot of the fantastic Red Arrows flying low overhead with escorting an Airbus 350. Amazing display. Wonder who looks after their Health & Safety? An opportunity for our team....

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

How to find health and safety manager jobs

How do you bring together an experienced Health and Safety Manager and a company with a vacancy to suit that very person? At Principal People, we know how. We have been making this happen for almost 30 years. Whether you’re advancing your career or in need of the right person for your post, we can help you. Health and Safety Managers are experienced practitioners. They are responsible for everything to do with health and safety in their workplaces. Their NEBOSH Certificate, Diploma or Master of Research qualifications are testament to their advanced knowledge. Their IOSH membership demonstrates their commitment to Continuing Professional Development. Companies need Health and Safety Managers of this calibre to take responsibility for health and safety matters within their organisations. Principal People is concerned with ensuring mutual satisfaction by making sure excellent staff are taken on by safety‑conscious employers. Experienced and expert Since we have been matching candidates to positions for so long, we have an abundance of knowledge of the requirements of this sector. We operate exclusively within the Health and Safety and Environmental sectors. This gives us specialist knowledge and an unparalleled understanding of what is required for a position as a Health and Safety Manager in any setting. Candidates are assured of new challenges and clients can be certain that their new starter will hit the ground running. Specialist, straightforward and stress-free Our team of specialist staff matches candidates with suitable posts, so there’s no need to search websites and read endless job descriptions and person specifications, or vet hundreds of application forms. With us, clients can take the pressure off their HR departments and candidates can direct their energies towards preparing portfolios and practising for their interviews. Let our staff take the strain. Nationwide service Principal People works with clients throughout the UK. Whether you’re located in the Scottish Highlands or on the Cornish coast, you can call us about your vacancy. Candidates looking for a position in the same town or county can find the job that’s just right, as they can if they want to relocate in order to fill an appealing Health and Safety Manager position elsewhere. We also help those who fancy broadening their search beyond the British Isles. We often place candidates in jobs outside the UK, so if you want to apply your skills in Continental Europe, the Middle East or Africa, get in touch with us. Beginning your journey It’s easy for clients to register with Principal People and brief us with their requirements for a Health and Safety Manager. All it takes is one phone call or email to register a vacancy. Alternatively, there’s an online form to fill in and upload vacancies. Candidates can register either by filling in an online form and uploading their CV, or via their LinkedIn account. Once they have given us their permission to access their LinkedIn profile, a CV will be created using the relevant information from their account. Everything is kept confidential, of course. Expressing an interest Our website enables candidates to search for Health and Safety Manager jobs through Principal People, and clients to search our pool of suitable candidates. The job-search function is easy for candidates to use. Simply type “Health and Safety Manager” into the Job Title field and click “Find Jobs”. If you wish, you can narrow down your search by location, job type (e.g. permanent) and discipline (e.g. construction). Clients can look for potential Health and Safety Managers on our Candidate Profiles page. Simply click on one of the links (e.g. “Manufacturing Candidates”) to read a selection of anonymised profiles of people who are qualified to do the job. Developing relationships Principal People prides itself on its strong professional relationships. Candidates develop a rapport with their Recruitment Consultants, and clients can deal direct with specialist Candidate Resourcers. Whether you’re looking for one Health and Safety Manager for your small business next month, or are urgently seeking a team of Health and Safety Managers for several departments, we are confident that we can fill your positions. In fact, we offer a Fast Track Service for those in urgent need. As a candidate, perhaps you’re looking for a change of company within the same sector. Maybe you wish to work in another sector in which your skills will be better utilised. Or perhaps you have been working as a Health and Safety Officer and are seeking promotion. Whatever the case may be, we have the right person for you on our team, and they will do all they can to help you match your skills to the positions available. Our candidates’ views We are delighted to help Health and Safety Managers in their quest for excellence, and even more pleased when we receive their feedback. One HSQ Manager in a facilities management organisation praised Principal People for handling their search for a role “diligently and professionally” and making a potentially daunting process “reassuring and straightforward”. We helped one QHSE manager in a consultancy to get their “dream position”. They said of the team member who helped them: “She is very professional and dedicated. She understands the stress that may come with applying for new positions and gives help and advice to ease concerns.” There are more candidate testimonials on our website. Register with Principal People and yours might be the next one up there. Our clients’ views Our clients are also pleased with our performance. One Managing Director of a consultancy summed up our service as follows: “Very prompt, friendly and professional. Acted quickly and kept us informed at all times.” A healthcare sector Compliance Manager was also pleased with our promptness: “The response from Principal People has been extremely prompt and supportive. Candidates CV’s were provided promptly and interviews were scheduled very quickly.” Speed is nothing without standards, of course, and our clients are pleased with the quality of the candidates they receive. One HR Manager said: “Out of all the contenders, your candidates are of the highest calibre...I am super impressed with how you manage recruitment.” Are you a Health and Safety Manager, or are you looking for one? Contact us now on 01252 759 162.

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Finding health and safety advisor jobs

Health and Safety Advisor Jobs A Health and Safety Advisor is looking for a new challenge. An organisation has a vacancy that would suit them perfectly. If only they could come together. Enter Principal People. Where situations like this exist, we fill the right positions with the right candidates — and we’ve been doing it since 1986. Health and Safety Advisors work in a variety of disciplines and carry out a range of tasks including risk assessments, overseeing accreditation schemes, delivering training and communicating health and safety information to staff. Holding a NEBOSH Certificate, Diploma or Master of Research qualification, they possess extensive knowledge and skill. Candidates like these are sought every day by companies looking to expand their Health and Safety teams. It’s our job to match these Health and Safety Advisors to vacant positions, with the result that candidates and employers alike are satisfied. Here’s how we do it: Expert exclusivity First of all, we are experts in recruiting Health and Safety Advisors. We have nearly 30 years’ experience in the field and, during that period, we have built up a large knowledge bank. By focusing our activities exclusively on the Health and Safety and Environmental sectors, we have achieved a reputation as specialists. It doesn’t matter whether a position has arisen for a Health and Safety Advisor in a public-sector office block or a building firm with multiple sites, we know exactly what the employer requires from the candidate. Choosing Principal People means candidates are on the right path to career advancement and clients receive Health and Safety Advisors who will fit into their organisations straight away. Taking the strain out of the process Just as Principal People is a specialist recruiter in the Health and Safety and Environmental sectors, so our team members are specialists. Different consultants have responsibilities for different sectors, so whether the role is in construction or retail, clients and candidates alike will deal with someone who knows exactly what is required. Our staff do all the hard work necessary to get a position filled. Instead of trawling endless job sites for vacancies, candidates can focus on getting their dream Health and Safety Advisor role. Directors and HR personnel are spared the need to mark application forms and contact prospective candidates. Available anywhere It doesn’t matter where you’re located within the UK, because Principal People works with clients from Aberdeen to Ashford. Because of this, we offer candidates the opportunity to seek Health and Safety Advisor jobs where they live, or embark on a new adventure elsewhere. We have found candidates suitable positions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, so whether you’re looking to leave the county or the country, Principal People can help. Getting started with your search We pride ourselves on making the process as easy as possible for our customers from the outset. Clients can call us or send us an email with the details of the vacancy they wish to register, or fill in our online form. For candidates, registration involves either filling in a form on our website and attaching their CV, or allowing us to access their LinkedIn profile. With this secure and confidential option, a Principal People candidate profile is created from the information within the LinkedIn account. Homing in on what’s on offer Candidates can search our website for Health and Safety Advisor jobs, and clients can search for likely candidates. It’s easy to use the Job Search feature on our website. Simply fill in the Job Title field with “Health and Safety Advisor”, click “Find Jobs”, and look through the list of suitable vacancies that appear. You can also narrow the search to a particular place, type (e.g. part-time) and discipline (e.g. facilities management). A similar service is offered to clients through the Candidate Profiles page. Clicking on one of the links will bring up anonymised profiles of suitably qualified candidates. Interested clients can then discuss these possible candidates with our team. Building a rapport When you work with Principal People as a candidate or a client, you will enter into a professional relationship with your Recruitment Consultant or Candidate Resourcer. We make it our business to understand your needs and then work efficiently to ensure those needs are met. Everyone’s requirements are different. One organisation might need a new Health and Safety Advisor to replace a staff member who will be retiring, whereas another urgently needs several new advisors due to expansion. With Principal People, your positions will be filled and, if you need a quick turnaround, why not try our Fast Track Service? Candidates’ needs also vary. Some Health and Safety Advisors want to change companies within the same sector, whether from small to large or vice versa. Others want to take their skillset to a different sector. Your consultant will listen carefully to you and guide you to the perfect post for your skills and experience. What our candidates say When we assist people in their search for their next Health and Safety Advisor job, we love to find out what they think of our service. We were particularly pleased with the comments of one Health and Safety Advisor in a national organisation, whose consultant performed impressively: “George was a pleasure to work with, he identified a great role for me and ensured I was kept informed and supported every step of the way. The role he identified was 100% what I was looking for and I now could not be happier with my current position.” What our clients say Clients are also impressed by the service that Principal People offers. One Head of Health and Safety in the retail sector hired two Safety Advisors through Principal People and said: “The standard of candidate provided for consideration on both occasions was very high and matched very closely to [the] brief provided.” Our clients stay with us because they value our service and know we can deliver the goods. As one Health and Safety Consultancy Managing Director said: “I have used Principal People for our Health & Safety recruitment for the last six years...I would recommend using Principal People to anyone that is looking to recruit into this specialist area to ensure that you are getting the very best candidate for your company.” If you’re a Health and Safety Advisor, or you need one, don’t delay. Call us now on 01252 759 162.

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Innovation ensures future of UK manufacturing safety jobs

People working in UK manufacturing safety jobs set standards that are the envy of the rest of the world, and by innovating, the UK can remain competitive in spite of having such high standards. That was the message from business secretary Sajid Javid in a recent speech to the International Festival of Business - the first in a series of 'Blue Skies' sessions. He spoke out against "governments that are focused on economic success at the expense of workers' safety and wellbeing". In comparison, he pointed out the higher standards and higher wages given to those in the UK workforce. He warned against a "race to the bottom" in an attempt to compete with developing countries, which could see standards slip and quality cut." Instead, he said: "We can do what Britain has always done - we can innovate. We can do things nobody else can do. We can take our skills and our experience and our history and our heritage and can apply it to the challenges of the future." Dismissing claims that UK manufacturing belongs to a bygone era, he pointed out the 90,000 companies manufacturing in the UK, and the millions of jobs they provide. "It accounts for half of all British exports," he said. "The world wants what we are making." https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/international-festival-of-business-blue-skies-and-the-future-of-manufacturing

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Bubble wrapped at the Safety and Health Expo

Charlie-Sue and Nicky Bubble Wrapped in our Isetta Bubble Car on the Principal People stand at the Expo at the Excel London. Really good exhibition and conference; great to see so many candidates clients and friends in attendance.

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

What could Brexit mean for health and safety jobs?

The EU Referendum on June 23rd is unlikely to lead to overnight changes for people working in health and safety jobs in the UK - a Remain vote should continue the status quo, while a Leave majority would not be legally binding on the government, and at most would trigger at least two years of negotiations over the exit plan. However, beyond those two years, a vote to Leave in the EU Referendum - leading to a British exit, or 'Brexit' - could have consequences for those working in the industry, as the TUC have warned. The TUC's work SMART campaign explained that "the right to high standards of safety at work is one rule put in place by the EU which would not necessarily be retained by the British government following Brexit. It ranks alongside other issues that might be relevant to some health and safety jobs, such as protection for pregnant women and new mothers, and a 48-hour limit on the working week. The TUC's Frances O'Grady said "Working people have a huge stake in the referendum becauseworker's rights are on the line.The EU that guarantees workers their rights to paid holidays, parental leave, equal treatment for part-timers, and much more" At the same time, the two-year negotiation period would offer some breathing space for these important rights to be transferred into UK law - and it's unlikely that they would simply be abandoned altogether. However, the fact that the TUC has highlighted them at all is an indication of their importance not just to people working directly in health and safety jobs, but to workers whose daily activities are protected by those individuals too. https://worksmart.org.uk/news/what-could-eu-referendum-mean-our-rights-work

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Mortar board ban 'a myth' in academic safety jobs

There is no ban on throwing mortar boards in the air from people working in academic safety jobs - despite recent news reports to the contrary. In recent weeks, newspapers claimed the University of East Anglia had forbidden students from throwing their mortar boards in the air during photographs. The tradition is a common sight on university campuses following graduation ceremonies - during which the tassel on the distinctive square-shaped hat is symbolically moved from one side to the other as the individual graduates. But UEA stressed that it is still permitted - just not in very large groups of students, and the university's recent experiences make salient reading for anyone working in academic safety jobs. "We have simply asked our photography supplier not to encourage it during large group sessions," the university said in a statement. "We have taken this step because in each of the last two years students have suffered facial injuries. Last year a student needed treatment in A&E." Meanwhile, a statement from the HSE confirmed that there is no specific health and safety reason to outright ban the tradition - and that in past cases, it has found the motivation to be a desire to get the mortar boards back in good condition. http://press.hse.gov.uk/2016/ban-on-throwing-mortar-boards-is-a-tired-health-and-safety-myth/ https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/media-room/latest-news/statements/-/asset_publisher/sM2Ps0KfWwRQ/content/uea-statement-on-mortarboards-18-may-2016

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

Heavy-side construction surge could drive health and safety recruitment

A boom time for the heavy-side construction industry could have knock-on positive effects for construction health and safety recruitment, with a second wave of vacancies still to come as the growth trickles down into the light side of the sector as well. The heavy side traditionally gets involved first in new projects, and this was seen in the first quarter of 2016, when the Construction Products Association reported that 100% of heavy-side firms saw growth in salaries and wages, an indication of greater demand for employees. Within the light-side segment, salary growth was reported by 71% of firms, but in a climate of newly increasing order books this is to be expected, with light-side suppliers usually only entering projects in their later stages. As such, the coming months should see more of those companies contracted to work on projects whose heavier stages are complete - with a 'second wind' for related health and safety recruitment. Each part of the sector poses its own challenges, from the heavy-side risks presented by plant machinery and bulk supplies, to the lighter side where personnel may be more exposed to muscular complaints and manual handling mistakes.

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posted almost 4 years ago

by Simon Bliss

'Open water' warning for people in health and safety jobs

Warmer weather is not universally welcomed by people in health and safety jobs, as the lighter evenings increase the risk of trespass, including by young people seeking expanses of open water to swim in. RoSPA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, has already warned domestic residents to be vigilant where ponds are concerned, especially if they have very young neighbours or there are children in the family who might come to visit. David Walker, leisure safety manager at RoSPA, said: "Children under six are most vulnerable to drowning in the home and garden as they are naturally inquisitive and drawn to water, and at this age cannot get themselves out of trouble if they fall in. Once they reach the age of six this vulnerability disappears." The organisation advises parents to fill in the pond completely - and perhaps make a sandpit for the children to play in instead - but for companies with ponds or outdoor pools, this is not a realistic option. Instead, people in health and safety jobs with such companies should be alert to the risk of younger people gaining access to the water unsupervised - and secure fencing or rigid covers should be considered, especially overnight.

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Protecting the health and safety of employees working with dangerous substances

Safety, Health and Wellbeing Workshop led by Anker & Marsh - reserve a seat today!

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Cycling to support Mind

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Shakira's Testimonials - Interim Specialist

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Tough Mudder 2019 - THIS SUNDAY!

Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride

How to improve occupational health during the cold winter months

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A reflection of our exceptional team holiday

Business Partnering - Senior Leadership Event

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Working for Principal People - What are the benefits?

Fran's First Lunch Club!

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PP Beach Clean-Up Day 1!

Beach Clean-Up - Tackling Ocean Pollution

A snapshot of our day - The Guards Polo Club

Queens Cartier Cup

Team Incentive Flashback!

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Work hard, play hard

Mental health and wellbeing

Maintaining fitness - circuit training

Mental health awareness week

Senior leadership and coaching sessions event - May 1st

Thank you, USHA

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USHA 2018

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Wellbeing week day 5 - small changes that make a big difference

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Wellbeing week day 1 - circuit training

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Marketing morning

CHSG event

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International Women's Day 2018

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Safety tips for driving in snowy conditions

New PP Photoshoop - out takes constructions

End of quarter awards

Big beard boys

Thames Water

Principal People celebrate as captains!

Bubble-wrapped at the Safety and Health Expo London

Lunch club

Congratulations to Daniel and Reece on your promotion!

The Brixtons Beach Party

Congratulations on your promotion, Brad!

Watch out Amsterdam, Principal People are on our way...

Oscar the office manager!

Celebrating 14 years with the loveliest lady - Sue!

Man of the match!

Principal People host 'Stress Management in the Workplace' event