October 2017 - Blog - Principal People

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posted about 1 month ago

by Jess Bullock

IOSH and Principal People Webinar – Your transition from Veteran to a second career

IOSH and Principal People Webinar – Your transition from Veteran to a second career - August 19th at 19:00 - Register here: https://bit.ly/30xPnLp Calling all Veterans! If you are at the stage in your life of transitioning from military to civilian life and considering a career change, join us as we discuss the challenges of beginning what will be a new experience in Occupational Safety and Health. During the webinar, we will hear insights and advice from guests within OSH who have either made that transition or can offer advice on where to start. Find out how to maximise your prospects of a second career, whether you are considering employment or setting up on your own. Josh Huggins, Director at Principal People will be joining Host James Quinn, President Elect at IOSH and ex Veteran as well as: Marc Roberts – ex Royal Engineer to OSH professional. Louise Hosking, Managing Director, Hosking Associates. Sarah Jones, Leadership, Team & Career Coach. Register for free using this link https://bit.ly/30xPnLp.

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posted about 1 month ago

by Jess Bullock

Safety4Good webinar 19th August 2020 - 1.00pm via Zoom

Safety4Good are excited to reveal to their community an upcoming webinar - The future of organisations beyond Covid-19: A positive perspective from Safety professionals. Topic covered: The use of space - working from home, return to office, flexible working safely, creative and collaborative space Technology applications in safety and leadership - Zoom, Teams, AI etc The "Human effect" - how changes will effect how people interact, manage flexible and agile working Date and Time: Wednesday 19th August at 13:00 Panellists include: Dr Andrew Sharman - President of IOSH, Managing Partner RMS Consultancy Louise Ward - Director of Health Safety & Environment Siemens Nick Wright - Group Health, Safety & Wellbeing Manager Vodafone Host Simon Bliss - Trustee and Founder Safety4Good and MD Principal People The webinar is interactive and attendees will be able to submit questions to our panelists on all of the subject matter. Click here to register to attend!

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posted 2 months ago

by Jess Bullock

COVID-19 WEBINAR - HAPPENING TODAY!

HAPPENING TODAY - COVID-19 WEBINAR! Our Director Josh Huggins is joining IOSH on their next Covid-19 webinar, today at 12:30. During this webinar, you’ll hear insights and advice from guests representing different sectors and stages of their careers. Their stories reflect OSH from several national and international perspectives and span the armed forces, construction, retail and logistics and specialist recruitment. Register for free today: http://orlo.uk/T6xxS and share with your HSEQ network.

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posted 2 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Principal People and IOSH - COVID-19 WEBINAR!

Our Director Josh Huggins is joining IOSH on their next Covid-19 webinar on Thursday 16th as they investigate the importance of community, volunteering and building your profile within the OSH profession as we all continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. The webinar is on Thursday 16 July at 12:30 and is FREE. Register today: http://orlo.uk/T6xxS

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posted 2 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Principal People - Inside Safety

Principal People - Inside Safety Form ID:5628 Across the past few months, Principal People have held numerous interviews with Health, Safety and Environmental professionals to understand their thoughts and approach to leading Health and Safety, within the 'New Normal'. These interviews have allowed us to create focused peer to peer networking, sharing of knowledge and experiences, along with wider information for the HSE community. Following the above discussions and the survey, we are creating four sector specific reports to share with you. Our video trailer for the content is below:

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posted 3 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Webinar – Mental Health in the work place and why we must not waste this crisis – view now!

Mental Health in the work place and why we must not waste this crisis We recently held an interactive webinar on the effects of the COVID19 pandemic and managing mental health in work and from home alongside Tom Oxley - Tedx Speaker, Ruth Denyer - Risk Director at ITV, Darren Bentley - Global Director HSE at DHL, Tara Waterman - L&D Director at Principal People and Simon Bliss - Founder & Trustee of Safety4Good. The webinar was a hit with lots of engagement from the health and safety community including viewers, questions asked and feedback. For the viewers weren’t able to attend due to work commitments or diary resettlements, those who did attend and want to view it again and for those who are just hearing about it now, we are releasing it for you! Please find below our recorded webinar – we hope you like it. If you have any questions or if you would like to give us any feedback, please email Jess via j.bullock@principalpeople.co.uk. If you would like to register to receive our other Insights, please fill out the below form. Form ID:5537

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posted 3 months ago

by Jess Bullock

An Interview with Andrew Sharman

An Interview with Andrew Sharman As many businesses begin to focus on recovery in an everchanging environment, Principal People are pleased to be able to bring clarity, help and advice to our valued HSEQ community through insightful releases of information. This blog focusses on our second insight, which is an interview with Andrew Sharman. Simon Bliss, MD of Principal People and founder of Safety4Good, recently interviewed Andrew Sharman, a highly renowned leader in the world of Safety and President of IOSH. In this 47-minute interview, Andrew answers many questions including his ideas around the industries viewpoint and recovery ideas on the COVID19 pandemic. We hope that you enjoy this interview and get an insight from a leader’s perspective as to what the future could look like for Safety. If you are interested in viewing more of our insights, see the list below and subscribe to be sent the content by completing our registration form at the bottom of the page: Managing your mental health in the new working world with Tom Oxley and Ruth Denyer (held on Thursday 4th June at 13.30 – we will send you the recording) An interview with Andrew Sharman – we will be speaking to the president of IOSH to understand his perspective following the pandemic Reviewing the structure of your workforce following the Covid 19 pandemic, and identifying necessary changes to ensure organisational resilience for the future Click the video below to watch the interview: If you would like to subscribe to receive our other Insights, please fill out the below form. Form ID:5537

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Mental health in the work place and why we must not waste this crisis - Webinar

Acknowledging and managing pressure during the COVID19 period Join us this Thursday at 13:30 - 14:30 to join our interactive webinar on the effects of the COVID19 pandemic and managing mental health in work and from home alongside Tom Oxley - Tedx Speaker, Ruth Denyer - Risk Director at ITV, Darren Bentley - Global Director HSE at DHL, Tara Waterman - L&D Director at Principal People and Simon Bliss - Founder & Trustee of Safety4Good. This webinar is interactive so you can ask the panel questions and add your own commentary too. During the webinar they will be addressing the below alongside other relevant topics: Locking down: Human behaviour, working at home, coping with the mental health ‘coronacoaster’ Staying alert: stories and case studies from safety professionals in the ‘new front line’ The new normal: positive adaptation for you and your organisation (panel interview) Fill in the below form to register to attend the webinar. Form ID:5548

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Weekly Insights from Principal People

Weekly Insights As many businesses begin to focus on recovery in an everchanging environment, Principal People are pleased to be able to bring clarity, help and advice to our valued HSEQ community. There are two parts to what we are offering to both our clients and candidates. The first is a range of insightful weekly releases over the coming months, to provide understanding and perspective for those working within the HSEQ industry. Throughout the course of June and July, Principal People are pleased to provide weekly insights across a range of subjects. We have included below an overview of what to expect from the first four weeks. Managing your mental health in the new working world with Tom Oxley and Ruth Denyer - Thursday 4th June at 13.30 Inside Safety results – we will be revealing the opinions, advice and answers provided by industry figureheads as to what the future of Safety looks like An interview with Andrew Sharman – we will be speaking to the president of IOSH to understand his perspective following the pandemic Reviewing the structure of your workforce following the Covid 19 pandemic, and identifying necessary changes to ensure organisational resilience for the future To register for more information on the above Weekly Insights, please fill out the below form and choose which subjects you are interested in. Form ID:5537

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Supporting health & safety professionals through COVID-19 and beyond

Giving back to the community - training webinars Principal People want to help the H&S community as much as possible through these uncertain times and have arranged a sequence of webinars as to how to improve, gain skills and be the outstanding candidate. These insightful webinars are designed to support you as you navigate through both the immediate and long term future. Register your interest today by completing the below form to be invited to our weekly webinars, running throughout the course of June. Our sessions will focus on the following topics: Building your tool kit for developing your personal brand, CV and LinkedIn profile - Friday 5th June Preparing for a virtual interview - Friday 19th June Preparing for a competency based interview - Friday 3rd July Developing your personal development plan beyond Covid-19 - Friday 17th July Identifying the right mentor - Friday 31st July Form ID:5529

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Mental Health Awareness Week - Day 3

Mental Health Awareness Week - Day 3 Today a few of the Principal People team shared the acts of #kindness that they have been sharing with friends, families and charities so far this week. One I would like to share shows how much a call can improve someone's happiness. "I heard an old college friend who I haven’t spoken to in ages had been furloughed, she lives alone after just breaking up from a long term relationship. I was on a group text when I learned this and that she had been having some real down days. I reached out and called her last night, and we spent a good couple of hours having a chat and catching up. I’ve promised to stay in regular contact and plan to call her again next week."

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Mental Health Awareness Week 2020

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week next week and this year’s theme is ‘kindness’. One thing that we have seen all over the world is that kindness is prevailing in uncertain times, especially with the pandemic surrounding 2020. The Mental Health Foundation are the home of Mental Health Awareness Week and are an organisation with a vision for good mental health for all. Their mission is to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health. What is Mental Health Awareness Week? Mental health problems can affect anyone, at any time. Each May, The Mental Health Foundation build a campaign around a specific theme for Mental Health Awareness Week. Since their first campaign in 2001, they have raised awareness of topics such as body image, stress and relationships. Hundreds of schools, businesses and communities have started to open conversations around mental health and that change can save lives. The campaign reaches millions of people every year. With the current situation of COVID-19, now is a better time than ever to get involved and raise awareness of mental health and this year's theme, kindness. Getting involved is extremely easy. You can either share the campaign to make other people aware or you can participate, ideally both! You can do as little or as much as you want in participating - for example, you could send a text to a friend which motivates them. Alternatively, you could host an online fundraiser with your team at work. The PDF below gives many examples of what you can do - it doesn't have to cost you anything. View the Mental Health Awareness Week Supporter Pack by clicking here!

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posted 4 months ago

by Jess Bullock

CPD - subject matter experts

Studying hard Over the last few weeks, we have been keeping in contact with the furlough team to make sure that they are staying happy, active and sane during the isolation period. We were pleased to hear that a few of our team members have enrolled themselves on CPD courses, enabling them to become subject matter experts. Two of our members from the Environment and Sustainability team have been studying industry related courses with the aim of being able to understand the needs and requirements of their candidates and clients in greater detail. As well as this, they want to be able to express opinions and thoughts in relation to Environment and Sustainability across their network of professionals, opening up conversations and being able to add value. Well done Katie and Greg, I'm certain this dedication of your time will prove to be beneficial and will only provide opportunity for you to explore your candidates needs and wants even more. Hannah from our Sales Support Team is undergoing her CIPD qualification, which broadens her understanding in the world of HR. Keen to take steps into this industry, Hannah has been thinking about studying this qualification for a while and she started it before the COVID-19 crisis, however, being on furlough has meant she can spend more time on her studies. Good luck Hannah! One of our newer team members, Ella, has been studying a qualification in Nutrition. Ella loves fitness and was an avid gym go-er before the lock down. Ella's partner works for her local gym and during the lock down has been offering free gym classes to our team. Ella's course is a level 5 qualification made up of 12 different modules. Ella chose to study this course as it is something that interests her and it is something that is useful to know in day to day life. It's quite a long course, so now is the perfect time for her to be putting her head down and studying. Well done team, continuing to keep your brain active and increasing your knowledge and awareness in these areas during this tough time is amazing.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Tough Mudder - 1 year ago today!

Mid week throwback! Yesterday it marked 1 year since the team completed the gruelling Tough Mudder challenge. The team who took part in the knackering assault course, including the inspirational Safety Leader Steve Pettitt, did a fantastic job and raised a lot of money for Great Ormand Street Charity through Safety4Good. We hope you enjoy these photos as much as us.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Zoom Workout Session

Zoom Fitness Yesterday the team took part in an online workout held by Ella's partner Roberto who manages a local gym. It was a challenging and fun session which we now aim to complete every Tuesday to manage the fitness of our furloughed team and our working team. Staying fit and exercising every day is something we are trying really hard to encourage within our team during this time. If you would like some tips as to what you can do during the quarantine period, check out this useful web page http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-technical-guidance/stay-physically-active-during-self-quarantine.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Finance, housing and unemployment worries during the coronavirus outbreak

Hello everyone. I hope that all readers are safe and well today. Another extremely useful read is this article written by www.mentalhealth.org.uk in relation to finance, housing and employment worries that the majority of the world will be facing right now. It's okay to be uncertain and to worry about these things, in fact it's totally normal during the epidemic, however, becoming overly anxious and stressed out will negatively affect your mental health. For excellent advice on finance, housing and employment worries and how to keep these at bay, read the article below. Finance, housing and unemployment worries during the coronavirus outbreak These are unprecedented times. Many of us are facing daily challenges relating to the coronavirus epidemic – both in terms of health but also in terms of finance, job security, housing and caring responsibilities. Our sense of time is out of shape – events in the news seem to move so fast – and everyday sees another problem or a possible solution. At the same time the days at home, or the nights can seem to drag. Whatever is happening to you, or to us, there is an impact on our mental health. For now, the best thing to do is to focus on the here and now, this minute. We are in the first phase of an emergency – lots of people are coming to terms with a rapidly changing situation. It may seem today that the problem you are facing with your bills, your landlord, your childcare or your job is unsolvable. Everyday there are new solutions – from government, from our communities, and from the businesses in our lives. Sometimes we must find a way to take a breath, look at the issue from a different angle, and reach out. There isn’t always an answer today - but the only way is through. It is OK to feel afraid, scared or desperate. This isn’t your fault. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to Samaritans on 116 123, to CALM on 0800 585858. For a range of advice, you can contact Citizens Advice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Scotland. Adviceline is a national phone service operated by Citizens Advice. You can contact an Adviceline adviser on 03444 111 444 (Text relay: 03444 111 445) Financial worries Use time you are at home to work through your finances Using a budget tool to redo your household budget for being at home could be useful. Remember that you may be saving money by not spending on things like transport and socialising. Factor that in when looking at your budget. Find out what help you might be entitled to The government is offering a range of measures to support people financially. There is a complete list here: under the heading “Employment and financial support”, this includes support for individuals, employers and people who are self-employed. Reach out for help and advice from services like The Money Advice Service (England and Wales), Stepchange or National Debtline – but remember that services may be busy as organisations of all sorts try to manage staff availability. Remember debt and money advice varies across the UK so make sure you find the appropriate service for your nation. For Scotland try Money Advice Scotland and in Northern Ireland Advice NI. Speak to your bank if you are worried about paying your mortgage as many are arranging mortgage breaks. Keep connected and look after yourself Don't keep it in – talk to family or friends if you can. Look after your sleep, your diet, and other basics – try to avoid drinking excessively and if you are a smoker try to give up or cut down – it may help both financially and in terms of making COVID-19 less serious if you develop the illness. Look at what is available in your community Sadly, many food banks have had to close but rapidly services like this will generally find ways of providing services around the restrictions. If you have children, and they are entitled to free school meals, take them – your school will be in touch about how to access this service. Check any insurance policies you have Life cover, critical illness cover, mortgage insurance and even home insurance sometimes offers legal advice or cover that could help. If you have a mortgage or other major commitment, try and speak to your lenders soon, they may help. Think about groups you might be a member of Do you have a trade union or does your sector have a benevolent charity for example – things like Hospitality Action and The Charity for Civil Servants, or the Lighthouse Club for construction. Beware of scams Use a reputable source such as the gov.uk website or organisations linked above. Never respond to unsolicited messages (texts, calls or emails) that ask for your personal or financial information. Unemployment or furlough It can be very hard to lose access to your work – whether you are let go, furloughed (sent home temporarily) or your work drops if you are self-employed. For more information about your rights at work visit Acas. If you aren’t at work try and keep in touch with colleagues – demand will increase again, and you will have a future. If you are isolated and live at home keeping those connections can be so important. If you are used to a very physical job, try and keep up the exercise – because a sudden change can hit your moods quickly. If you run a business, or employ staff, try to hold off making decisions about jobs and pay until schemes being developed to support staff are up and running. If you are self-employed, try and reach out to your normal networks – or see if there's an opportunity locally to connect with others through business forums. It’s an uncertain time but your skills will be needed again soon. As we adjust to a period of living and working differently employers will be looking for staff – think about how your skills transfer – and if you want to help and are able, consider doing something else for a while. Housing In these uncertain times, when we are asked to stay in our own homes, poor housing or difficulties paying for mortgages or rent can be doubly hard. If you have a mortgage and your income is reduced, speaker to your lender about a payment holiday. If you are a tenant in a similar situation, find out your rights by visiting Shelter or Citizens Advice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Scotland and then approach your landlord or agent. It is likely that support for tenants will come on stream in the next few weeks. Remember, these are times that we have not seen before in peacetime. A lot of us will be affected in lots of ways. But keeping calm, checking your options, seeking advice and working through your possibilities will help you come up with a plan. There are helplines available and people willing to support you. We will get through this together.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Joanne's story - Helping the NHS & Key Workers - Safety4Good

Joanne has worked alongside Safety4Good on many occasions now, having helped out with their events and marketing. We recently saw that she posted an article on LinkedIn detailing how she has been supporting the NHS and Key Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Joanne is a selfless giver and has been offering her skills and hours to help the people who really need it right now. A real hero! Read below her story: Got up early this morning to speak with Chris Goreham at BBC Radio Norfolk about my experience using my volunteering hours I get whilst working at Aviva to help the hashtag#nhs and hashtag#keyworkers. I explained that I wanted to get involved and help as I know that local hospitals and care homes are crying out for PPE. I had seen that people were starting to make crocheted ear protectors and thought I could use the volunteer hours to make them. Now, I don’t crochet but I’ve had a sewing machine which has been collecting dust for years as I’ve never used it. So, I thought I would dig it out, learn how to use it and have a go at making some ear protectors. I started off by making a couple for my next door neighbour who is a senior nurse in the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital ICU to see if they would be of any use. She asked if I could make a lot more as she could take them in to the wards that need them. So I set to work and have been making them ever since. I’ve had so many people reaching out to me from hospitals and care homes – I’ve made around 100 over the last few days and will continue to make them until they’re not needed. Joanne Frost, Aviva - 29.04.2020 Thank you for sharing this story, Joanne. It is an incredible act of kindness which is helping to SAVE LIVES. If you would like to volunteer to help the NHS or your community, please follow this link: https://do-it.org/

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Disability-inclusive Social Protection response to COVID-19 crisis

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all safe and well. The COVID-19 pandemic and its related socioeconomic consequences magnify obstacles and inequalities. Persons with disabilities are in many ways more exposed to the crisis. Social protection, which, at any point in time, is critical for persons with disabilities, has proven to be a crucial vector of relief in the recent weeks. This brief presents several elements that can help make the most of the social protection systems response to COVID-19 to support persons with disabilities. This under 5 minute video is well worth the watch, providing interesting statistics and methods as to how best approach the obstacles that many who have disabilities may face.

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak

Hello everyone, I hope that you are well today! Today I wan't to reiterate the importance of looking after your mental health and I have found a great set of tips provided by www.mentalhealth.org.uk. Take 5 minutes to read the below notes, it might just really help you or a family member, friend or colleague during these difficult time. Stay safe and well. Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak Infectious disease outbreaks, like the current coronavirus (COVID-19), can be scary and can affect our mental health. While it is important to stay informed, there are also many things we can do to support and manage our wellbeing during such times. Here are some tips we hope will help you, your friends and your family to look after your mental health at a time when there is much discussion of potential threats to our physical health. The government is telling us to stay at home and only go outside for food, health reasons or essential work, to stay two metres (six feet) away from other people and wash our hands as soon as we get home. This will mean that more of us will be spending a lot of time at home and many of our regular social activities will no longer be available to us. It will help to try and see it as a different period of time in your life, and not necessarily a bad one, even if you didn’t choose it. It will mean a different rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. Be in touch with other people regularly on social media, e-mail or on the phone, as they are still good ways of being close to the people who matter to you. Create a new daily routine that prioritises looking after yourself. You could try reading more or watching movies, having an exercise routine, trying new relaxation techniques, or finding new knowledge on the internet. Try and rest and view this as a new if unusual experience, that might have its benefits. Make sure your wider health needs are being looked after such as having enough prescription medicines available to you. Read our full list of tips on staying at home. Try to avoid speculation and look up reputable sources on the outbreak Rumour and speculation can fuel anxiety. Having access to good quality information about the virus can help you feel more in control. You can get up-to-date information and advice on the virus here: Gov.uk Health Protection Scotland Public Health Wales Follow hygiene advice such as washing your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds with soap and hot water (sing ‘happy birthday’ to yourself twice to make sure you do this for 20 seconds). You should do this whenever you get home or into work, blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food. If you can’t wash your hands straightaway, use hand sanitiser and then wash them at the next opportunity. You should also use tissues if you sneeze and make sure you dispose of them quickly; and stay at home if you are feeling unwell. Try to stay connected At times of stress, we work better in company and with support. Try and keep in touch with your friends and family, by telephone, email or social media, or contact a helpline for emotional support. You may like to focus on the things you can do if you feel able to: stress management keep active eat a balanced diet Stay in touch with friends on social media but try not to sensationalise things. If you are sharing content, use this from trusted sources, and remember that your friends might be worried too. Also remember to regularly assess your social media activity. Tune in with yourself and ask if they need to be adjusted. Are there particular accounts or people that are increasing your worry or anxiety? Consider muting or unfollowing accounts or hashtags that cause you to feel anxious. Talk to your children Involving our family and children in our plans for good health is essential. We need be alert to and ask children what they have heard about the outbreak and support them, without causing them alarm. We need to minimise the negative impact it has on our children and explain the facts to them. Discuss the news with them but try and avoid over-exposure to coverage of the virus. Be as truthful as possible. Let’s not avoid the ‘scary topic’ but engage in a way that is appropriate for them. We have more advice on talking with your children about the coronavirus outbreak. Try to anticipate distress It is OK to feel vulnerable and overwhelmed as we read news about the outbreak, especially if you have experienced trauma or a mental health problem in the past, or if you have a long-term physical health condition that makes you more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. It’s important to acknowledge these feelings and remind each other to look after our physical and mental health. We should also be aware of and avoid increasing habits that may not be helpful in the long term, like smoking and drinking. Try and reassure people you know who may be worried and check in with people who you know are living alone. Try not to make assumptions Don’t judge people and avoid jumping to conclusions about who is responsible for the spread of the disease. The coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sex. Try to manage how you follow the outbreak in the media There is extensive news coverage about the outbreak. If you find that the news is causing you huge stress, it’s important to find a balance. It’s best that you don’t avoid all news and that you keep informing and educating yourself, but limit your news intake if it is bothering you. https://mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak

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posted 5 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Helping during the pandemic - Social Housing Recruitment

In a world currently brimming with uncertainty, we have seen so many Health and Safety professionals go above and beyond to help. The charity, Safety4Good, has previously described the Health and Safety profession to be a 'community of selfless givers' and now more than ever we have seen this put into place. We have seen so many stories across our professional network as well as social media platforms describing both the working and furloughed H&S practitioners who are actively looking to help, offering consultative professional advice and getting stuck in with local community based work whenever they can. Again and unsurprisingly, reinforcing our statement solidly. Like the Health and Safety community, the furloughed staff from Social Housing Recruitment have also been keeping busy giving back. Read below about what Becky has been up to so far during her time on furlough BECKY As her colleagues in Social Housing Recruitment are well aware, Becky's brain is automatically wired to help, provide for and encourage people. She is a brilliant recruiter who is praised mostly for taking the time to understand her candidates needs and requirements and showing faith in absolution in the people that she represents. Currently Becky, like many others, is on furlough. Becky has once again illustrated to us how remarkable she is in the efforts she is going to in order to help those around her. Becky has signed up to be an NHS volunteer, meaning that whenever the NHS require someone desperately, she could provide assistance. Making the NHS staff's jobs less pressurised and helping to save time and lives. As well as that, Becky has started a sign language course, has been shopping for her parents and elderly grandparents and she has also kindly been knitting hearts for patients who cannot see their families during the pandemic (as part of this appeal). What an incredible person. There are thousands of ways to help your community and the NHS during this pandemic, whether it be donating to a cause, learning a course, shopping for the elderly or even just spreading positivity to your friends and family on social media - what you can do will make a difference so get involved! Becky Joiner, Social Housing Recruitment

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posted 6 months ago

by Jess Bullock

COVID-19 - Think SMART

How are you coping with COVID-19? It is a worrying and difficult time for everyone, especially for key workers and those on the front line in our amazing NHS. It's really important for everyone, whether working or not, to take great care of their mental health during this time. Most people will be watching the news a lot more frequently than they previously had which is fine, but if it is making you upset or overly scared, reduce it to only a few times a day. A big cause for conern is false news. Normally spread across social media, untrue information can affect a huge amount of people very quickly, causing them to worry and further pass this misinformation on. Try and keep up to date only with reliable sources, such as from the World Health Organisation.

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posted 7 months ago

by Jess Bullock

Principal People Furlough Information - COVID-19 Pandemic

During these difficult and uncertain times, Principal People are hoping that you are all keeping safe and well. Due to the COVID-19 situation, many of our staff are in a period of Furlough leave. This means that they will not have acces to their work emails, phone or any business accounts. However, we do still have a number of people working who are able to help you with any questions or queries. This means that if you are a candidate seeking a new job or career advice or a client seeking help with a vacancy or more information as to how we can help your organisation, we are still able to assist you. You can contact the Principal People team via the main office line 01252 759 162 or by emailing info@principalpeople.co.uk. Or alternatively, you can choose the most suitable contact from the list below to contact. Directors Simon Bliss – Managing Director – simon@principalpeople.co.uk – 07793 802 894 Josh Huggins – Director and Executive Search and Selection Team Leader – j.huggins@principalpeople.co.uk - 01252 954 951 – 07959 289 937 Tara Waterman – Operations Director – t.waterman@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 952 – 07702 010 333 Team Leaders Naz Bhad - Contract and Interim Team Leader – n.bhad@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 964 – 07940 250 006 George Wilson – Infrastructure, Construction and Utilities Team Leader – g.wilson@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 970 – 07899 963 318 Thomas Minshell – Manufacturing and Logistics Team Leader – t.minshell@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 960 – 07527 625 318 Zac Wilson – Corporate Services and Quality Team Leader – z.wilson@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 958 – 07725 711 501 Aleks Smolski – Social Housing Recruitment – a.smolski@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 953 – 07463 682 276 Reece Rowden –Social Housing Recruitment – r.rowden@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 954 – 07557 099 071 Accounts & Finance Team and Sales Support Charlotte Hall – Management Accountant – c.hall@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 913 508 – 07792 650 721 Rosie Perfect – Credit Controller – r.perfect@principalpeople.co.uk – 01252 954 977 – 07427 694 178 Jessica Bullock - Marketing and Support Coordinator - 01252 759 162 - 07505 354 507 Best wishes to all of our candidates and clients and stay safe!

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posted 8 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 8 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 9 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 9 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 10 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 10 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 10 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 11 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 11 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 11 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

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posted 11 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 12 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 about 1 year 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 over 1 year 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 over 1 year 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 over 1 year 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 over 1 year 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 over 1 year 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 over 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 almost 2 years 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 almost 2 years 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 almost 2 years 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 almost 2 years 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 almost 2 years 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 about 2 years 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 about 2 years 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 about 2 years 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 about 2 years 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 about 2 years 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 about 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 2 years ago

by Jessica Bullock

New PP Photoshoop - out takes constructions

Elliott, Max and Rob

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posted almost 3 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 almost 3 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 about 3 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 about 3 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 about 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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 over 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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Blog

IOSH and Principal People Webinar – Your transition from Veteran to a second career

Safety4Good webinar 19th August 2020 - 1.00pm via Zoom

COVID-19 WEBINAR - HAPPENING TODAY!

Principal People and IOSH - COVID-19 WEBINAR!

Principal People - Inside Safety

Webinar – Mental Health in the work place and why we must not waste this crisis – view now!

An Interview with Andrew Sharman

Mental health in the work place and why we must not waste this crisis - Webinar

Weekly Insights from Principal People

Supporting health & safety professionals through COVID-19 and beyond

Mental Health Awareness Week - Day 3

Mental Health Awareness Week 2020

CPD - subject matter experts

Tough Mudder - 1 year ago today!

Zoom Workout Session

Finance, housing and unemployment worries during the coronavirus outbreak

Joanne's story - Helping the NHS & Key Workers - Safety4Good

Disability-inclusive Social Protection response to COVID-19 crisis

Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak

Helping during the pandemic - Social Housing Recruitment

COVID-19 - Think SMART

Principal People Furlough Information - COVID-19 Pandemic

Australian Bush Fires - Support us today!

Australian Bush Fire Crisis

Christmas and New Year - Office Opening Hours

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

The importance of fire safety in the workplace

How to Become a Health, Safety and Environment Officer

FIND MY WHY

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

Protecting the health and safety of employees working with dangerous substances

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

Saunders Family Complete the Guildford 10k Run!

Principal People Dream Catcher programme – supporting Safety4Good Charity

Dan's 10k run for Cancer Research

TWO DAYS TO GO! EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar

Safety4Good EHS Professional Enhancement Webinar

Beach Clean Up 2019

Millionaires Club New Members

Cycling to support Mind

Principal People Team Incentive - Spanish Holiday!

Shakira's Testimonials - Interim Specialist

Tough Mudder - Completed!

Tough Mudder 2019 - THIS SUNDAY!

Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride

How to improve occupational health during the cold winter months

Thank you!

We did it! Cycling Challenge Completed

Our Virtual Cycling Mission

A reflection of our exceptional team holiday

Business Partnering - Senior Leadership Event

A snapshot of our day - Senior HSE Leadership Event!

Working for Principal People - What are the benefits?

Fran's First Lunch Club!

Cycling Competition

Beach Clean Project- Success!

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!

Celebratory Lunch Club

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

Teamwork

USHA 2018

Exciting news!

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

Wellbeing week day 4 - massages

Wellbeing week day 2 - mindfulness

Wellbeing week day 3 - food and dietary requirements

Wellbeing week day 1 - circuit training

Wellbeing week

Marketing morning

CHSG event