Scan Magazine | Business | Column/Calendar
Towards nirvana in the workplace 60 per cent of UK employees work longer hours than they want to. 24 per cent find it hard to relax outside the office because they are thinking about work. These are the depressing findings of the annual UK Working Lives survey from Britain’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Most British employers are paying no more than lip service to the notion of good work-life balance for their people. Their inflexible approach to staff presence contributes to employee overwork, stress and physical exhaustion. Workers need time and space to manage stress, and companies should help with this. If you’re a manager, do you know how your team members (would) like to get going in the morning, and to unwind? Jogging, walking the dog, playing the piano – we all have different ways – but too few bosses do anything to encourage their staff to start and end the working day in a way that promotes wellbeing. My day starts with some yoga. I’m a relative beginner and my new knee means I can’t
kneel properly, let alone sit in lotus position. However, the more I practise, the more obvious the benefits become. And there are several of these. First, it’s a great way to wake up the body: stretching bits that would otherwise stay dormant forever makes one feel brighter and more alert. Breathing regularly and deeply gets the lungs working and has a calming effect on the relentless mental buzz. Staying still in a favourite pose helps with mental control and relaxation, too. Other positive outcomes for me include weight loss, improved posture and the disappearance – touch wood – of an old back problem. You may loathe the idea, but I can’t help be-
Business Calendar
By Steve Flinders ing a yoga evangelist. Somewhere in a parallel universe, people are starting their working day with a yoga class provided by their benign employers, leaving them serene and focused until home time. If only we could find a wormhole through to that better place.
Steve Flinders is a freelance trainer, writer and coach, based in Malta, who helps people develop their communication and leadership skills for working internationally: steveflind@aol.com
By Sanne Wass
Scandinavian business events you do not want to miss this month Nordic Chambers’ Business Forum For over six years, the Nordic Chambers’ Business Forum has brought together senior business people to celebrate Anglo-Nordic business, share expertise and discuss timely topics. In light of a growing focus on climate change and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, this year’s forum will explore the strategic opportunities that sustainability carries for companies and investors across industries. Speakers include experts from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, DNB, SAS and Grundfos, among others. Date: 28 October 2019, 6-9pm Venue: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, One Exchange Square, Spitalfields, London EC2A 2JN, UK www.eventbrite.co.uk
Nordic Banking 2019 MoneyLive Nordic Banking is the Nordic region’s leading banking innovation conference. It will bring together retail banks, challengers and fintech companies from across the Nordics to discuss themes revolutionising the bank140 | Issue 129 | October 2019
ing landscape, including open banking, digital identities, personal data and customer experience. Among the speakers are executives from the region’s leading players, such as Danske Bank, Nordea, DNB, Klarna and Lunar Way. Date: 21-23 October 2019 Venue: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Amager Blvd. 70, 2300 København, Denmark www.marketforcelive.com
Sales pitching for Finnish companies This one-day workshop will seek to assist Finnish companies in selling effectively to UK customers. Organised by the Embassy of Finland in cooperation with Business Finland, the Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce and the Finnish Institute in London, it will be an interactive event moderated by a team of international consultants who have first-hand experience in the field. They will cover concepts such as the anatomy of a sale, knowing your customer, building client empathy, pitching techniques and closing a deal. Date: 7 November 2019, 9.30am-16.45pm Venue: The Finnish Institute in London, Unit 1,
3 York Way, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AE, UK www.fbcc.co.uk
Brexit-proofing your business Faced with growing uncertainty around Brexit, small businesses are finding it increasingly challenging to assess their own exposure and take appropriate measures to minimise possible risks. This event, which is part of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Running a business’ series, will help business owners take the initial steps to Brexit-proofing their business, with experts providing practical advice on subjects such as importing and exporting, immigration, as well as tax and contractual issues related to Brexit. Date: 12 November 2019, 6-9pm Venue: TBC, London www.scc.org.uk