The conversation around mental health in the workplace has only grown in recent years as people continue to face a range of challenges in their personal lives, and accessing mental health care is becoming increasingly difficult. It’s therefore crucial that managers prioritise worker wellbeing and mental health - and empowering them to bring their authentic selves to work plays a significant part in this.
No mind left behind
Nicole Bello
According to Mind, one in four of us will experience mental health challenges, so leading from a place of empathy, openness and authenticity is crucial to ensure every person in the workplace that experiences mental health problems feels heard, says Nicole Bello, Group Vice President EMEA, at UKG.
This year, the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week is "No mind left behind". It can be easy for employees to mask feeling burnt out, anxious, or depressed. This can be detrimental to their overall well being – and severely impact their work life – if they don’t get the support they need. Managers must therefore put the mental health and well being of their people high on their list of priorities when it comes to both the day to day and wider business decision making, to create a culture where people are able to share their struggles in a safe, non-judgemental way.
Individual employees also have different mental health needs. For some, work may be a trigger for stress and anxiety, and need to be able to work in a way that mitigates this. For others, it may be home life that is impacting their mental health. Managers must therefore not only ensure that no mind is left behind, but must support each employee based on their individual needs and challenges.
Bringing your authentic self to work
There’s an opportunity for businesses to embrace the individuality of their people, which can contribute to overall well being and job satisfaction. UKG recently launched research into the different personality types in the workplace, each with their own preferred ways of working, communication and collaborating. Many workplaces employ people from different backgrounds, cultures and age groups too, and each person wants to feel appreciated, heard and encouraged to bring their full self to work.
Not only does this give people the space to share any struggles with their managers so they can be properly supported, but it also means that they feel embraced, listened to and will instil a culture of acceptance.
This in turn can improve mental health, because work is a significant part of our lives after all, and if we’re unable to be open and receive the support we need – whether it be shift swapping to allow for a mental health day or having clear lines of communication to reduce anxiety – it can only make things worse. HR tech has an integral role to play in this, as it can be a crucial tool for managers to better support their people, while improving the employee experience for their teams.
The power of people and technology
The latest workforce management solutions offer an opportunity for employers to listen to the needs of their people. Personalised surveys are one way to enable employees to share their experiences privately with management, so they can directly influence change in the workplace to improve their own experience and that of their colleagues.
Once businesses are armed with insights from their employees, leaders and managers must then implement change. For some people, this might be increased flexibility and taking control of their own schedule so they can accommodate for mental health days or improve their work life balance.
This can be delivered through an HR portal, accessible remotely via a website or app, where staff can self-service actions that permit them to update schedules and book time off. For example, employees could arrange shift cover without consulting their manager via the portal, giving them the autonomy to decide when they work.
Now is the time for businesses to assess how they support their employees’ mental health and well being, and to take stock so they can better understand people’s needs – creating a more inclusive, open working environment that invites everyone to bring their authentic selves to work.
Half of people believe that it is acceptable to steal food from a store in case of starving, a poll has found, highlighting the mixed attitudes of Britons towards shoplifting, with a majority saying it is excusable in some circumstances.
According to a recent YouGov poll of more than 2,000 adults, 51 per cent said it was acceptable to steal food if they were starving, but this fell to 40 per cent if they were simply short of money. About 30 per cent said it was acceptable to steal toiletries if they could not be afforded. This dropped to 20 per cent for clothes.
The survey found people were most narrowly split on the question of whether stealing baby products was acceptable if parents could not afford them; 44 per cent said it was acceptable and 47 per cent said it was not.
The latest annual survey by the British Retail Consortium found there were 16.7 million incidents of shoplifting in the 2023-24 financial year, equivalent to 45,750 every day. Retailers say shop theft adds 6p onto every transaction.
Less than half of cases reported are resolved- 56 per cent of cases lead to a suspect being identified and 17 per cent to a suspect being charged. Not to overlook the fact that the vast majority of offences are not recorded by police or reported to them.
The recent YouGov poll found a consensus on police’s response to the crime. Three quarters of the public said police dealt with shoplifting badly. Just 8 per cent said police were handling it well. Most people view shoplifting as a serious crime, with one in five describing it as “very serious”, although a quarter said they did not think it was serious.
There was a clear age divide in attitudes, with 93 per cent of those aged over 65 saying it was serious but only 30 per cent of 18-24 year olds agreeing.
This comes days after a House of Lords inquiry released its report highlighting that shoplifting was seriously under-reported and the problem so urgent that police forces needed to take “immediate action”. Retailers needed to be able to report crimes more easily and called on the government to introduce regulations to crackdown on online marketplaces where sellers are able to sell stolen goods anonymously. The report also said there should also be a focus on prevention, with more funding made available for rehabilitative programmes to halt prolific shoplifters who steal to fuel an addiction, for example.
For the second successive year TOVARITCH! Vodka is supporting Save the Children by supplying drinks to The Arora Ball, a major fund-raising event for the charity.
The event is on Saturday 9 November 2024 and is taking place at The Intercontinental London. Save the Children has been chosen as one of the beneficiary charities.
The Arora Ball was started by Surinder and Sunita Arora of The Arora Group and is a flagship event in the charity sector. The event is attended by some 800 guests. Since 2010, this annual event has raised millions of pounds for a variety of charities. Previously the event raised around £1million for charities.
TOVARITCH! has supported Save the Children since 2016 and consistently supported events since 2017 by providing various produce to serve to guests or to raise money. In one year, for example, the company donated a package that included its multi-award-winning vodka alongside its premium fresh caviar and a luxury mountain stay in St. Moritz, raising over £20,000 as a result.
“We are delighted to support such an important event in the charity calendar," said Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO and founder of TOVARITCH! Vodka (owned by TSI SA)."Our brand name, TOVARITCH! translates as ‘friend’ and our ethos is based on creating supportive friendships wherever we can. We are therefore delighted to once again support this worthy cause.”
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB (CCEP) has reached a new milestone of providing seven million surplus soft drinks to food redistribution charity FareShare since 2017.
The milestone coincides with FareShare’s 30th anniversary and marks seven years of the partnership with the GB Coca-Cola bottler.
CCEP aims to maximise the impact of its surplus drinks, ensuring that products which might otherwise go to waste are instead diverted to support the many charities in FareShare’s network. Redistributing surplus drinks also aligns with CCEP’s wider sustainability target to reduce food waste in its operations by 50% by 2030 in GB. As a longstanding partner of FareShare,
CCEP’s donations have reached more than 7,000 charities and community groups. These include supporting over 500 homeless charities, and nearly 400 charities working with community groups supporting elderly people.
Beyond surplus stock donations, CCEP expanded its support for FareShare this year through a collaboration with Tesco. For every 24-pack of 330ml Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar cans sold, 20p was donated to FareShare – enough to redistribute one meal (as per WRAP’s guidance). The initiative raised £35,000, equivalent to 175,000 meals.
Looking ahead to Christmas, CCEP will partner with grocery and wholesale partners on further in-store promotions to boost awareness and donations for FareShare.
“At CCEP, we’re committed to giving back to the communities we work in, whether that’s through donating stock or our time, to help us deliver a more positive and meaningful impact in society," said Holly Firmin, Senior Community Partnerships Manager at CCEP.
“It’s fantastic to reach such a large milestone and especially to coincide with FareShare’s 30th birthday. I look forward to continuing this successful and important partnership for many years to come and helping those who need it most.”
Polly Bianchi, Chief Income and Engagement Officer at FareShare said: “We’re very grateful to Coca-Cola Europacific Partners for their support of FareShare over the last few years. Their generosity in providing seven million drinks that may otherwise have gone to waste has helped support the 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK, including older people’s lunch clubs and community centres, all working harder than ever to strengthen communities up and down the country.”
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Seema Misra (L-4) and Vijay Parekh (L-5) receive Ramniklal Solanki Editor’s Award at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Sub-postmasters and mistresses caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal have been honoured at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards, conferring them with the Ramniklal Solanki Editor’s Award.
The Award, instituted in the memory of the founder of Asian Media Group and Asian Trader Ramniklal Solanki CBE, is presented to a person, or group of people, who have made an outstanding contribution the convenience retail sector.
Seema Misra and Vijay Parekh represented the postmasters at the event held on 5 November at London's Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel.
Wrongly convicted due to bugs in the Post Office's computer system, both Misra and Parekh were sent to prison in 2010 – Misra while two months pregnant. Their conviction finally overturned in 2021.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds attended as chief guest at the ceremony, which celebrated excellence in convenience retail across the UK. The event marked its 35th anniversary this year, continuing its tradition of recognising outstanding achievements in the sector.
Jonathan Reynolds speaks at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Speaking at the event, Shefali Solanki-Nair, associate publisher of Asian Trader, highlighted the crucial role of convenience retailers in local communities, amidst the many challenges facing the sector.
“With rising energy costs, inflation, and changes in taxation, many retailers are feeling the pinch more than ever. It’s a tough environment for convenience retailers who are already working with narrow margins while striving to offer exceptional service and products,” she said.
“These challenges are daunting, but the ability to adapt and innovate speaks volumes about retailer’s character and dedication.”
Noted impressionist Rory Bremner hosted the event, which also saw 16 retailers being honoured in different categories, including Shaan and Arshan Chaudry of Costcutter, Triple A Foodstore in Nuneaton, who won the top prize, Asian Trader of the Year.
Bestway Sher Depot, Kilbirnie Street, Glasgow won the Wholesale Depot of the Year award. Six new product launches from the last year, voted for by the retailers, were also feted.
The event also raised funds for Lepra, a charity that support people affected by leprosy.
Attendees at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Despite decades of selfless service running businesses that serve as local community hubs, the victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal endured extraordinary hardship.
The implementation of a new computer system turned hundreds of conscientious and hard-working retailers into criminals almost overnight. They were accused of theft and fraud, when it was actually the new software that was faulty.
Despite protestations of innocence, they have been slandered, abused, prosecuted, imprisoned, bankrupted and perhaps most hurtful of all, ignored – by the justice system, by the government and by the public, who had been kept in the dark about this greatest miscarriage of justice our country has ever seen.
Asian Trader and a handful of other publications shed light on this injustice, thanks to the bravery of our winners who continued to campaign in a David and Goliath battle as they took on one of the country’s largest organisations and the State itself.
Then, at the beginning of this year, an ITV drama series, Mr Bates versus the Post Office, finally stamped that tragic tale front and centre on the national consciousness, where it has remained.
Winners of the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Winners List
Ram Solanki Award For Excellence in Convenience and Wholesale: Sub postmasters and mistresses caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal
Product and Manufacturer Awards
Snack Brand of the Year: McCoy's Epic Eats (KP Snacks)
Soft Drinks Brand of the Year: Coca Cola Lemon (CCEP)
Confectionery Brand of the Year: Cadbury Starbar Duo (Mondelez International)
Vape and Next Generation Brand of the Year: Blu Bar Pod (Imperial Brands)
Lager, Beer and Cider Brand of the Year: Birra Moretti Sale di Mare (Heineken)
Grocery Brand of the Year: McVitie’s Signature (pladis)
Asian Trader Awards 2024
Responsible Retailer of the Year supported by Imperial Brands: Priyesh Vekaria, One Stop Carlton Convenience, Salford, Manchester
Wholesale Depot of the Year supported by Tilda: Bestway Sher Depot, Kilbirnie Street, Glasgow
Convenience Chain of the Year: Kashif Jaffar, Southern Co-op Bromham Stores, Bromham, Bedford
Best smokeless alternatives Retailer of the year supported by VELO: Prashant and Trupti Patel, One Stop Brockworth in Gloucester
Bakery Retailer of the Year supported by Warburtons: Jess Read and Gary Hunt, Budgens of Holt, Norfolk
Next Gen Award: Harman Puni, HP Convenience Premier, Chesterfield
World Food Retailer Award supported by Tropical Sun: Reji Thomas & Siddique Chenganakattil, Essentials Supermarket, Bedford
Independent Retailer of the Year supported by Booker: Jenarthen Saravanamuthu, Premier Rassau Stores, Ebbw Vale, South Wales
Food to Go Retailer of the Year supported by KP Snacks: Priyesh Patel, Londis, Stoke Newington, London
Spirit of the Community Award supported by Mondelez International: Amarjit Singh Rakhra, Budgens Pomeroy Street, London
Symbol Retailer of the Year supported by Bestway: Kersheaup Vagadia, Costcutter Kearsley, Bolton
Off Licence of the Year supported by Molson Coors (Cobra): Pradeep Thangaraj, Wine Rack, Bicester, Oxford
Impulse Retailer of the Year supported by pladis: Bharat Khunti, Shivom Convenience Go Local, Nuneaton
Tobacco Retailer Award supported by JTI: Suresh Arulanantham, My Costcutter Murco, Rye, East Sussex
Local Hero Award: Nathalie Kaur, One Stop Partick Convenience Store, Glasgow
Businesswoman of the Year supported by Philip Morris Ltd: Sue Nithyanadan, Costcutter, Epsom, Surrey
Asian Trader of the Year: Shaan and Arshan Chaudry, Costcutter, Triple A Foodstore, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
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Shahzad Malik (third from left), of Bestway Wholesale, receives Wholesale Depot of the Year award at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Bestway Glasgow Sher deport on Kilbirnie Street, Glasgow has won the Wholesale Depot of the Year award, supported by Tilda, at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards ceremony held on 5 November at London's Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel.
Bestway Sher is a dynamic and innovative depot that invests in its staff and new technology to ensure the very best service for its more than 3000 customers.
Using the latest digital technology and social media, the depot targets individual customers with special offers based on precise differential criteria. The depot is well merchandised with numerous branded bays dedicated to specific suppliers to highlight the category, their best deals and fast or new product lines.
Manager Aftab Mohammed has managed to maintain 97 per cent product availability, with sales split sales split 60 / 40 between foodservice and retail.
At Bestway Sher, new staff are “buddied-up” with an experienced team member and undergo training on all aspects of operational procedure. Above all, the depot works seamlessly with its suppliers, and Mohammed stresses that that the strong relationships and harmonious working with manufacturers really helps achieve depot goals.
Jonathan Reynolds speaks at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds attended as chief guest at the ceremony, which celebrated excellence in convenience retail across the UK. The event marked its 35th anniversary this year, continuing its tradition of recognising outstanding achievements in the sector.
Speaking at the event, Shefali Solanki-Nair, associate publisher of Asian Trader, highlighted the crucial role of convenience retailers in local communities, amidst the many challenges facing the sector.
“With rising energy costs, inflation, and changes in taxation, many retailers are feeling the pinch more than ever. It’s a tough environment for convenience retailers who are already working with narrow margins while striving to offer exceptional service and products,” she said.
“These challenges are daunting, but the ability to adapt and innovate speaks volumes about retailer’s character and dedication.”
Attendees at the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Noted impressionist Rory Bremner hosted the event, which also saw 15 other retailers being honoured in different categories, including Shaan and Arshan Chaudry of Costcutter, Triple A Foodstore in Nuneaton, who won the top prize, Asian Trader of the Year.
Bestway Sher Depot, Kilbirnie Street, Glasgow won the Wholesale Depot of the Year award. Six new product launches from the last year, voted for by the retailers, were also feted.
Ramniklal Solanki Editor’s Award, instituted in the memory of Ramniklal Solanki CBE, founder of Asian Media Group, went to the sub postmasters and mistresses caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal. Seema Misra and Vijay Parekh collected the award, representing them.
The event also raised funds for Lepra, a charity that support people affected by leprosy.
Winners of the 2024 Asian Trader Awards
Winners List
Ram Solanki Award For Excellence in Convenience and Wholesale: Sub postmasters and mistresses caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal
Product and Manufacturer Awards
Snack Brand of the Year: McCoy's Epic Eats (KP Snacks)
Soft Drinks Brand of the Year: Coca Cola Lemon (CCEP)
Confectionery Brand of the Year: Cadbury Starbar Duo (Mondelez International)
Vape and Next Generation Brand of the Year: Blu Bar Pod (Imperial Brands)
Lager, Beer and Cider Brand of the Year: Birra Moretti Sale di Mare (Heineken)
Grocery Brand of the Year: McVitie’s Signature (pladis)
Asian Trader Awards 2024
Responsible Retailer of the Year supported by Imperial Brands: Priyesh Vekaria, One Stop Carlton Convenience, Salford, Manchester
Wholesale Depot of the Year supported by Tilda: Bestway Sher Depot, Kilbirnie Street, Glasgow
Convenience Chain of the Year: Kashif Jaffar, Southern Co-op Bromham Stores, Bromham, Bedford
Best smokeless alternatives Retailer of the year supported by VELO: Prashant and Trupti Patel, One Stop Brockworth in Gloucester
Bakery Retailer of the Year supported by Warburtons: Jess Read and Gary Hunt, Budgens of Holt, Norfolk
Next Gen Award: Harman Puni, HP Convenience Premier, Chesterfield
World Food Retailer Award supported by Tropical Sun: Reji Thomas & Siddique Chenganakattil, Essentials Supermarket, Bedford
Independent Retailer of the Year supported by Booker: Jenarthen Saravanamuthu, Premier Rassau Stores, Ebbw Vale, South Wales
Food to Go Retailer of the Year supported by KP Snacks: Priyesh Patel, Londis, Stoke Newington, London
Spirit of the Community Award supported by Mondelez International: Amarjit Singh Rakhra, Budgens Pomeroy Street, London
Symbol Retailer of the Year supported by Bestway: Kersheaup Vagadia, Costcutter Kearsley, Bolton
Off Licence of the Year supported by Molson Coors (Cobra): Pradeep Thangaraj, Wine Rack, Bicester, Oxford
Impulse Retailer of the Year supported by pladis: Bharat Khunti, Shivom Convenience Go Local, Nuneaton
Tobacco Retailer Award supported by JTI: Suresh Arulanantham, My Costcutter Murco, Rye, East Sussex
Local Hero Award: Nathalie Kaur, One Stop Partick Convenience Store, Glasgow
Businesswoman of the Year supported by Philip Morris Ltd: Sue Nithyanadan, Costcutter, Epsom, Surrey
Asian Trader of the Year: Shaan and Arshan Chaudry, Costcutter, Triple A Foodstore, Nuneaton, Warwickshire