Lather Law’s Post

When a co-worker dies... Something many of us have experienced in recent times. There we are working together every day, doing great work, and then one of us is gone. We look for them. We miss them. We may even call for them. What do we do? What can we do? We can hold space. And others can hold space for us if we allow it. What does it mean to hold space for one another? It is a skill; one to be practiced. There is no fixing but there is something to do. Actively holding space is being there and trusting that we and our co-workers can make decisions, have emotions, and express those emotions or not, to do what is necessary in the moment without anyone fixing anything. It's about not taking away the power of others by giving them what we feel they need like a hug but by being there for a hug if they want one. Horses are Masters of Holding Space As the oldest and only male horse in my herd passed away in the night, I witnessed and participated in this holding space with my mares, the rest of the herd, the ones left behind. All day, they stayed together, grazing, drinking water, and moving together. I don't know what they did at night but every morning when I awoke, they were laying in a circle where their friend and herdmate passed away. This happened for seven mornings in a row. So, for each of us, there may be rituals that are observed. Holding space for those rituals, allows them to evolve as new generations and younger herd members contribute. How do you handle the loss of a co-worker or a member of your herd at work? https://lnkd.in/ekJXVt99 - for events IRL (In Real Life)

Why - I hear you ask - am I posting a picture of a little porcelain elephant in a sort of ‘eau de nil’ colour? Because, in personalising support, inspiration comes from the most interesting places. Yesterday, in my travels around Peterborough as part of our #Lifeways ‘Values In Action’ conversations with colleagues and people we support, I was shown a very unassuming space that is being transformed into a warm, friendly dining room. Brilliant, passionate colleagues working with the people they support to create a conducive environment to perform that most sociable of essentials: having meals together. Or individually. Whatever people choose. And the inspiration for the colour choice (made by people we support)? This little elephant! People we support chose the ornament and their colour choices developed from there. Cue endless tester pots for deliberation. Brilliant! For an organisation like ours that is focussing upon its CHOICE values (an acronym for Caring, Honest, One team, Innovative, Courageous and Equal), it was a simple but fabulous example of choices being made in a really organic way. Food was a recurring theme yesterday - and I was thrilled to hear about it. “Just because your food needs special preparation, doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty” said one colleague, singing the praises of another (Kim) who invests skill and effort in making nice things to eat, that people choose, regardless of how they need to eat it to be safe. No bubbling pots of miscellaneous goop here (anyone who has worked in this sector for some years knows what I’m talking about!). Good food is a fundamental cornerstone of life. My encounter with a twin-trayed ‘one-half-vegan-one-half-not’ air-fryer, later that day, will stick in my memory. Colleagues make innovative use of some eccentric spaces in buildings! It was a brilliant day all told. It’s so energising to see lives being well-led and to meet colleagues who are enjoying careers in social care - something we work hard to promote here at #Lifeways. Best of all I met people who were ready and hungry to move onto the next phase of their lives, facilitated by colleagues that will be sad to see them go but overjoyed at their progress to independence. My thanks to Ashia who invited me and the teams who put up with my endless questions! #CareHomeOpenWeek #ProudToSupport #ValuesInAction

Feeling Chill or Stressed About Labor Day? Whether your Labor Day is as chill as this cat, as hyped as a playful kitten, or as tense as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, we all experience different situations. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, take a moment to find three things to be grateful for today. Gratitude can transform any day, no matter how you're feeling. Stay positive, and happy Labor Day! #laborday #positivemindset #worklifebalance #workplacewellness #careercoaching

Feeling Chill or Stressed About Labor Day? Whether your Labor Day is as chill as this cat, as hyped as a playful kitten, or as tense as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, we all experience different situations. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, take a moment to find three things to be grateful for today. Gratitude can transform any day, no matter how you're feeling. Stay positive, and happy Labor Day! #laborday #positivemindset #worklifebalance #workplacewellness #careercoaching

The holidays are quickly approaching. Have you planned your holiday event!? No Worries. Payneless Party Planning is here to help with all your party planning needs. Big or Small, Payneless can handle it all. 😉🎃🦃🎄🎉🍾 #alwaysapartywithPayne

“Lead a modern day workplace”. I find myself saying that a lot lately. Enter our beautiful Inspiring HR tree as we welcome spring, embrace our core value of understanding and do the hard work necessary to take care of our own culture so we can authentically inspire and influence the workplace culture changes some of our clients are working towards. This week I’ve heard two phrases from leaders in my consideration of playing the infinite game of continuous improvement. “HR should be putting points on the board”. “While leading a workplace and studying all kinds of numbers, when we talk about the people who do the work it all comes down to culture”. If you want to, have or are leading an HR function or team, how do you feel about these phrases? Remember HR peeps….in my opinion, it is our job to caretaker of the infrastructure that supports the culture. Not to be the culture, kill it or do the leaders job for them. #inspiringhr #hrdonedifferently

🎉🌟 Labor Day is a great time to reflect on the value of hard work and take a well-deserved break. Whether it's grilling, spending time with loved ones, or simply relaxing, it's a day to appreciate the contributions everyone makes. Cheers to a well-deserved rest and the spirit of hard work! How are you spending your Labor Day? #LaborDay #HardWork Image by <a href="https://lnkd.in/gh3RX6Hn">Freepik</a>

After we were treated with a few days of sun last week, we thought it would be a good time to share some advice to prepare you for managing your staff through the summer holidays. ☀ Read our blog here: https://lnkd.in/eguF6x88 #AnnualLeave #SummerHolidays #TimeOff #PeopleManagement

Dry January is coming to a close - and we’ve had a few members of the Ciphr team participate in an alcohol-free month. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences. 🍷🙅 ☕ Jessica Scully (Foundation CIPD), talent advisor: ☕ 🗣️ “With my 30th approaching in December (scary!), I am planning a massive trip to Nashville, so I've set a personal goal to be in peak fitness by then. Having a whole year to make it happen, I wanted to kick off on the right foot, especially since the holiday season tends to leave me feeling sluggish - so I thought a break from alcohol was absolutely needed. 🗣️ “This is my first year attempting Dry January and, surprisingly, I'm already feeling a lot more energised! It's helping me stay on track with my gym routine, something I usually struggle with every January. So not only am I gearing up for a milestone birthday, but I'm also using Dry January to ensure a fresh and energetic start to the year, setting the tone for the journey to the big 3-0!” ☕ Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer: ☕ 🗣️ “Technically I am doing Dry January, but that is because I am now dry all year round after making the decision to ditch the booze last summer. There is no big drama behind it. I simply found myself questioning why I drink at all when it fails to bring anything positive to my health, family, work or life in general, and the upsides have been wonderful. I’m far calmer, clearer and better rested, and have a bucket load more energy. 🗣️ “I’m now are hardened Coke Zero addict, but if I do go for the non-alcoholic alternatives I can highly recommend Thomson & Scott Noughty Premium Non-Alcoholic Wine’s sparkling wine, Frizzantea (tea-based sparkles from Marks and Spencer) and Seedlip Drinks’ Seedlip Garden 108 with tonic.” Are you doing Dry January? #Ciphr #DryJanuary #WorkplaceCulture

Our new blog has just been uploaded, “Awards Season: Celebrate Success, Recognition, & Wellbeing.” - read it here - https://lnkd.in/eFMhiTRT