January is the time of year where people sit in two camps.

One side sets resolution’s, kick off fitness regimes and are on day 4 of dry January. The flip side, dismiss all these and may just set a few good intentions and by the summer realise they have done none of them!

I have seen a few people on LinkedIn stating this year they are ‘anti goals’ and many more people talk about wanting to build in consistency, so whatever camp you sit in maybe this is something to consider.

At P&M we have set the intention of a feeling- we are looking for a ‘sense of stillness’ as the last few years have been a turbulent period for many. Economically and politically, we have seen so much change in the workplace and as a HR consultancy we have felt the ripples of that through the work we deliver for our clients.

I can’t guarantee we won’t see hostility within the workplace, but I can guarantee that if you have set your foundation of managing people, explored and challenged your culture and ways of working, considered what happens in the worst-case situations, that you will be able to manage things effectively. Being proactive is so much less stressful than being reactive.

In fact, I feel so passionate about getting the nuts and bolts right that episode 1 of Playing with Hire is dedicated to this subject.

If you haven’t listened yet, then why not grab a coat, take a break and walk for 30 minutes and let me know your thoughts.

At the end of 2022, I was also a guest on Speeki (one of Peony & Magnolia’s partners) podcast, Hear all Voices where we only just begun to scratch the surface on why HR professionals are so key to the ESG agenda.

Did you know only 20% of adults listen to podcasts for an hour a week, I honestly thought more people would as it is a great way to absorb new information, listen to conversations and make connections.

In fact, a COO in the USA recently listed her favourite podcasts on LinkedIn, which included Playing with Hire alongside some big players like As We Work- The Wall Street Journal, Women at Work- Harvard Business Review. This begun a thread of people recommending a whole range of podcasts to listen to and a whole new set of connections.

Discussing this experience recently, we concluded that it wasn’t about the validation from a stranger, it is the sense of gratitude that someone has gone out of their way to do this for others.

That is why I have set a feeling as the intention this year- if I can create ripple effects of stillness and stability to others, as well as within P&M world, then surely this a bonus for many!