This Carers Week 2025, we’re reflecting on the often invisible reality facing millions of working people in the UK - those who balance paid employment with unpaid care for a loved one. The theme, #CaringAboutEquality, couldn’t be more timely or more urgent.
If you’re a business looking to explore the benefits of hiring part time employees, then this article is for you! We share a case study of what smart hiring looks like in a challenging economy: keeping experience in your business while saving money and staying flexible.
If you have ever felt lost or questioned who you are, then here are some of Becky Hogan’s tips for building your confidence and self-belief back up.
It won't have escaped your notice that today is International Women's Day. Perhaps, as you made breakfast this morning, the radio was full of declarations of solidarity and high hopes for progress. Perhaps your colleagues are full of renewed vigour and enthusiasm this week about the importance of gender equality in your organisation. Perhaps you took an extra moment today as you waved your daughters off to their swimming lessons to think about how their lives were going to unfold. Whether you're feeling fired up or concerned about the work still to be undertaken, International Women's Day is a time when we all pause, look back over our shoulders at the breakthroughs we've already made, and look forward at the path stretching out towards the horizon.
Some of us might feel that we spend a disproportionate amount of our waking hours talking about sharing. Usually to our offspring - sharing toys, sharing snacks, sharing with siblings. You know the drill. We rather assume that by the time we reach adulthood, we've cracked sharing. But what if we told you that there were many more benefits to sharing than even you had realised?
The post-maternity-leave return to work is not an experience which is widely known for its relaxing qualities. I mean, it's true that I spent the last two weeks of my own maternity leave joking to my friends that the workplace would feel like a spa weekend in comparison to looking after a small child 24/7…
Last Spring, I went to the gorgeous, glorious wedding of a friend who works in AI. The bride was radiant, the groom beaming, and the vicar performed a heart-warming service. In many ways, it was a very traditional occasion. But when we came to the wedding breakfast, the Best Man's speech had a very modern twist. It had been written by ChatGPT.
This week, for the first time, we realised that it was light when we awoke. It's funny how such a small thing can lift your heart so much, isn't it? And in our newly-cheery state, we've noticed other tentative suggestions that winter might finally be drawing to a close. The cherry blossom at the school gate is cutting a dash through the grey afternoons. When the sun does come out, the March sky is so intensely blue - so sharp and crisp - that it almost hurts to look at it. They're tiny, incremental steps, but every day feels a little brighter here at 9-2-3 HQ. We're looking forward with renewed excitement to the months to come.
