How to Support Transgender Employees in the Workplace

With the Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based only on biology, there has never been a more important time to support transgender employees in the workplace. The new ruling has caused a major upset for the transgender community who will now have issues accessing single-sex services and spaces. Whether you agree with this ruling or not, it is important that, as an employer, you take steps to protect transgender employees in the workplace.

Educate Employees

The new ruling does not mean that employers can discriminate against transgender employees. The opposite is true. The ruling means that transgender people need support more than ever, especially from their employees. You should focus on creating a trans-inclusive workplace. To educate employees and ensure acceptance, you should support transitioning employees, employ a transitioning at-work policy, and set up an LGBTQ+ network, where possible. A transgender person does not expect you to know everything about it, or even to understand it, they just expect you to give them support as they need it. Employees should receive transitioning in the workplace training.

Provide Unisex Toilets

One of the main aspects that led to the Supreme Court appeared to be the use of toilets by nonbiological women. It is the aspect of the ruling that has caused the most concern to transgender people, with many feeling that they no longer know which toilet or changing facility to use. To accommodate transgender employees and avoid confusion, you may want to provide unisex toilets, as well as single-sex toilets. In this way, it can make your transgender employees feel more comfortable.

Flexible Dress Code

In some cases, an employee might begin the transition process while at work. You must support them and allow a flexible dress code. Give them the option to dress in the way that makes them feel most comfortable to support transitioning in the workplace.

Provide Time Off

If an employee is not fully transitioned, they may need time off for appointments. For example, hormone treatment, surgery, and counselling. It is important to take time to understand their needs and allow for time off for these important aspects of their life. Your transitioning at work policy should include potential time off that may be needed.

Offer an Ally

The word ‘ally’ is often overused when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, but in the workplace, it is important that transgender employees feel that they have someone to talk to and confide in. If there is anyone who can offer that support to them, it will make life a lot easier. It should be someone either in the community or with sympathy for the community. You might even set up a small community in the workplace if there is the ability to do so.

Ensure Confidentiality

A Transgender employee should feel comfortable speaking to their manager about their experiences and the process they are undertaking, without it being spread across the organisation. It should be up to the employee to decide who they want to know and when; their confidentiality should never be breached.

At Inspired CVs, we can provide CV writing workshops and interview support to candidates. If your organisation is looking for support in these areas, particularly within a diverse group of people, we can help. We ensure sensitivity and fairness across any groups we support. You can contact us to find out more about our services.

How to Handle Being Managed Out of Your Job

In previous blogs, we discussed signs you are being managed out of your job and why you are being managed out of your job. In this article, we will discuss how to handle being managed out of your job. If you are in this situation, it can make you feel a whole range of feelings, from dreading going to work, anxious at work, and feeling lonely and isolated. If you are in this situation, these are some steps to take.

Document Everything

When you are being managed out of the workplace, it is a wholly unpleasant experience. It is not illegal as such to manage an employee out of their job, but it is a cruel thing to do. However, it could also violate the employment law, so you should document everything that occurs during this process. You may claim constructive dismissal if your employer violates your employee contract. For example, if they change your working hours, discriminate against you, or employ bullying tactics to get you out the door. It can almost be worse than being fired from a job.

Speak to HR

Your employer is responsible for treating you fairly at work, and if you feel that you are being unfairly treated, you should speak to HR. If relevant, you may be entitled to start a grievance process against your manager. The employment law protects employees, and if your manager is not adhering to it, you are entitled to take formal steps to deal with it.

Get Support

The feeling of being managed out of a job can make it difficult to keep going, and if you are struggling at work, you should reach out to someone you trust for support. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your manager directly, reach out to a colleague or anyone else that can offer advice and support.

Reach Settlement

If you have decided that you would rather leave than take any other steps, you might be able to settle with your employer. If your employer wants you to leave, they will probably be glad to reach an agreement, rather than drag out the process of being managed out of a job.

Unfair Dismissal Claim

Depending on the circumstances, you might decide that the best step is to claim unfair dismissal at a tribunal. You would usually need to have two years’ service before being able to claim a tribunal, so this will depend on your length of service. This will be a last resort, but if your employer breaches the employment contract, you have the right to take this step.

If you have decided to leave your job and you are ready to commence your job search, the next step is to get a professional CV designed. Our CV writing services near Glasgow are available to candidates throughout the world. We offer online appointments and CV writing services and can help support your job search. To find out more about our top-rated CV writing services, you can contact us or order your CV here now.

Why You Are Being Managed Out of Your Job

When an employer is displeased with your performance in the workplace, they may decide to manage you out of your job. As an alternative to firing you, being managed out of your job refers to the process undertaken by an employer to make life difficult so that you decide to leave of your own accord. It can take as long as six months to fire someone from their job, which is why many employers try to manage employees out of their jobs instead. If this is happening, you will probably notice some signs that you are being managed out of your job. There are many potential reasons why you may be experiencing this.

Poor Attendance

One of the reasons that an employer might decide to manage you out of your job is if your attendance is poor. If an employer went through the correct processes regarding poor attendance, it could be lengthy, and this is why they might decide to manage you out of your job instead. If you have poor attendance and notice danger signs of being managed out, you are probably in the process.

Incompetence

In any job, there is a level of expectation, and if you fall below the required standards, your employer might decide to manage you out of your job. If your manager is doing their job correctly, they should take time to identify problem areas and provide training to help you improve. Some managers will find this process too time-consuming and will prefer to manage you out of your job.

Negative Behaviour

If you are being constantly negative at work, it can affect your performance and the culture of the organisation. One person moaning day in and out about their work, can lead to others feeling down. If you have a negative attitude, the company may decide that you would be better off working elsewhere. Negative behaviour is not in itself a reason to fire someone, so your employer may decide to manage you out of your job instead.

Undermining Manager

Your manager may feel you are undermining them and not meeting their expectations. In this case, they may decide they have had enough and may attempt to manage you out of your job. Management makes the final decision, and they don’t like feeling they are not being taken seriously.

Personality Clash

If you are being managed out of your job, the reason might be as simple as a personality clash between yourself and your manager. If you don’t get on with your manager, they may decide that the relationship won’t work, and it will be better to manage you out of your job instead.

Alternative Option

In some cases, your manager might decide that there is someone else they would prefer for the job. Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t require as much training, and consequently, it will make their life easier if they can slot into the role.

The feeling of being managed out of your job is not pleasant. Instead of enduring it, you may decide that the best option is to leave of your own accord. In this case, you should consider a professional CV so you are ready to face the job market. You can contact us to find out more about our top-rated CV writing services or, you can order directly here.

10 Signs You Are Being Managed Out of Your Job

Bad management is commonplace, with 1 in 3 employees quitting their jobs because of their manager. When a manager decides they no longer want you in the job, they may use tactics often referred to as ‘quiet firing’, which means they are taking steps to try and remove you from the job. You might notice changes in your job and the interactions with your manager and colleagues, and you may even feel like you are being paranoid. However, being managed out of a job is more common than you might think.

Managed Out of a Job Vs Being Fired

You might wonder why a manager would try to manage you out of a job rather than fire you, and quite simply, it makes their life easier. If they manage you out of a job, they make the circumstances uncomfortable for you, so you decide to leave of your own accord. If the organisation fires you, it can become more complex, and could even land them in a tribunal. They need to follow strict procedures, so it might just be easier to manage you out of the job instead. These are signs that you are being managed out of your job.

Your Workload Has Changed

If your workload has gotten significantly heavier or lighter, without any good reason, it could be a sign that your manager is preparing for your exit. They may be giving you too much work to overload you to the point where you want to leave, or if it has gotten lighter, they may be delegating your work to colleagues, in preparation for you leaving. It is a cruel way to treat employees, but unfortunately, it is common. The process of being managed out of work is a type of bullying.

Uncomfortable Vibe

When things aren’t quite right, you can often get a sense of it from the vibe in the workplace. For instance, everyone stops talking when you arrive, your manager isn’t speaking to you much, or there is just a shift in the general atmosphere. Of course, it might not always be down to being managed out of the job, but if there are several signs, you are probably right in feeling that something isn’t quite right.

Exclusion from Meetings

If you are no longer being invited to meetings, it could signify a change in how your manager feels about your role in the organisation. It shows that they no longer see you as part of the organisation or the team and is one of the signs you are being managed out of work.

Sudden Micromanagement

If you notice signs you’re being watched at work, it may signify that you are micromanaged. If you are suddenly micromanaged, it may be a sign that your manager is trying to get you to a point where you are so frustrated that you leave. No one feels comfortable with being micromanaged, and it is a surefire way of encouraging staff to leave. 

Focusing on Minor Mistakes

A sudden behaviour change may include your manager suddenly picking up on minor mistakes in your work. If you feel you can’t do anything right, it might be a sign that the manager already has you out the door.

Change in Working Hours

Another tactic employed by managers is to change your working hours so they no longer suit you. For instance, they might decide to change your part-time role into a full time; or no longer offer the flexibility you know you need. This is one of the signs you are being managed out of work.

Lack of Training

If your manager is saying that you are not meeting their expectations, but they are not taking any steps to identify gaps in your training to support you, it may be a sign that they would rather you leave the organisation.

Verbal Communication

Employers often only communicate issues verbally, so there is no paper trail if they do get you out of the organisation. They don’t want anything to fall back on them, so they ensure they don’t put anything in writing. This is one of the danger signs of being managed out.

Exclusion from Social Events

If you are no longer being invited to social events, it signifies that your manager no longer views you as part of their team, and this is a sign they are trying to get you to leave.

Lack of Support

In cases where you know you are no longer wanted in the organisation, it is understandable that you will feel a lot of negative emotions. If your manager is not making any attempt to support you, it is a sign that you are being managed out of work.

If you are noticing danger signs of being managed out, it may be time to get a professional CV ready. We offer top-rated CV writing services and you can order your CV here or contact us to find out more.

How to Stay Motivated During Your Job Search

When you are searching for a new job without success, it can be difficult to keep going and easy to give up. However, it is crucial to recognise that finding a new job is not always easy, and you need to stay motivated to achieve success. You can guarantee that if you don’t give up, you will find work. These are some tips for how to stay motivated when applying for jobs.

Maintain a Routine

Consistency is key when achieving anything in life, and the same applies to securing a new job. Therefore, it is important to set a routine for your job searching. Make a plan to apply for at least a couple of jobs each day, and then get on with your day. There is only so much you can do yourself when you are trying to find a new job, but ensuring you keep applying for jobs is essential.

Update Skills

It can be easy to stand still when you are looking for work, but this won’t help with your job search or when you do secure a new role. While looking for a new job, it is a good idea to acquire new skills. There are many free courses on websites such as Udemy, where you can learn new skills and improve your chances of securing a new role. You may even want to branch out into areas you hadn’t considered before.

Personal Growth

It is also important to invest in personal growth while you are looking for a new job. The more positive your mindset is while you are looking to secure a new job, the easier it will be to stay motivated. For instance, focusing on personal development, including reading, journaling, and exercise will help in achieving your overall goals. If you need motivation to apply for a new job, you should take time away from it as well.

Recognise Achievements

One of the job search motivation quotes is, ‘You may only be three feet from gold.’ You might feel that you are putting in a lot of work and effort to secure a new job, but you are not getting anywhere. What if your dream job is just in front of you, but you give up? This is why you should recognise small achievements. If you set goals for the number of jobs you will apply for and you achieve this, give yourself a small reward. You deserve it!

Talk to Friends

If you are feeling despondent during your job search, you should get support from friends and family. Talk about how you are feeling and get advice if you need it. It is important to maintain relationships while you are job searching and to take your mind off the task at hand by spending time with friends. You never know, you might get home to a job interview offer or, at least, find motivation to apply for a job.

If you are looking for work and failing to secure any interviews, it may be that your CV is not up to scratch. At Inspired CVs, we provide the best CV writing service CVs, with graphic and traditional formats to choose from. We can also update your LinkedIn profile and create a cover letter to help introduce you to employers. To find out more, you can contact us or order your top-rated CV writing services.

How to Create a Chef CV

Just as you would when preparing a meal, you must have the right ingredients for your chef CV to whet the appetite of recruiters. Chefs are always in high demand and an integral part of the hospitality sector. However, only 17% of professional chefs in the UK are female and 8% have Michelin-starred restaurants. Chefs are not only experts in culinary delights; they have many other crucial skills that help keep kitchens and restaurants running smoothly. If you are applying for a chef role and wondering how to write a chef CV, these are some tips for creating the perfect chef CV.

CV Structure for Chefs CV

Your cook chef CV should be around two pages in length. Sometimes, it might be a little longer but you should try not to go above three pages. If you are a trainee chef, you are more likely to find two pages sufficient. A Head Chef CV or Executive Chef CV may span three pages.

The standard structure of a chefs CV includes:

  • Name and personal details (including telephone number and email address)
  • Profile Summary
  • Key Skills
  • Work Experience
  • Education
  • Achievements (optional)

Chef CV Summary

Your summary is situated at the top of your cook chef CV and it is a brief introduction to who you are and what you have done so far in your career. With the summary, you want to make an impact straight away. As standard, you would usually mention how long you have been working as a chef, in what position and type of restaurant. For instance, ‘10 years of experience as a Head Chef in the Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay Restaurant.’ 

Key Chef CV Skills

The key skills section is where you detail the skills you have which are relevant to the role. It is important to use some keywords from the job advert so you have a better chance of passing through the ATS (Applicant Tracking System.) For instance, if you are creating an executive chef CV and applying for a similar role, you would be expected to have skills in people management and may be responsible for budget management. If the role is working in a pizza parlour and you have this experience, you will want to highlight this in your key skills when creating your pizza chef CV. Other keywords may include creativity, working with fresh produce, and understanding food safety. You can use bullet points to describe your key skills.

Experience for Cook Chef CV

Your work experience on your chef CV should be in chronological order and contain the name of your employer, your job title, and the dates of the employment. You can use bullet points to detail the main aspects of the role, while also keeping keywords from the job spec in mind. For example:

  • Working in a busy restaurant with a footfall of around 500 customers per day
  • Managing a team of 20 servers, ensuring that meals were served promptly
  • Responsible for preparing creative meals using fresh produce

As in the example above, it is a good idea to quantify your experience so that the recruiter understands your abilities. For example, stating the number of employees you manage, the standard of the restaurant, and the daily footfall. 

Chef CV Education

Your education should be situated below your experience unless you don’t have much experience and want to highlight the education section. In general, the education should be in chronological order and should cover your most recent/most important qualifications. It may also include professional courses you have completed if you feel these are relevant to the role. For example, if you have a sous chef CV but you want to apply for an executive chef role, you may want to focus on the training you have completed to take you to the more senior position.

Achievements for Chef CV

You can choose whether or not to include an achievements section on your chef's CV. If your CV is already over two pages long at this stage, you may decide to omit it. However, if there is something you are keen to highlight, this would be the best section. For example, ‘awarded employee of the year for 3 consecutive years in chef role in the Ivy’ Again, it is important to quantify your achievements.

If you need a professional chef's CV, we can help at Inspired CVs. We provide traditional and graphic CV options through our online CV writing services. You can order your CV here or contact us to find out more about our CV writing services.

5 Signs Your Interview Went Well

It is impossible to fully know how an interview has gone unless you receive an offer outright. Interviews are a chance for the recruiter to get to know you and understand how your skills and experience align with the role. They also allow you to find out more about the organisation and the role and to decide if it is something you wish to progress with. Whether you receive a job offer or not, there are usually some telltale signs that an interview went well. It is important to remember that even if you do not receive a job offer, it does not mean the interview went badly. The decision often comes down to margins. These are some signs your interview went well.

Conversation Flowed

Just like any conversation you have in day-to-day life, you know whether it flows or whether there are awkward silences. It is how we determine the people we have a rapport with and those who are not quite our cup of tea. Within the realms of an interview, a conversation that flows well and lasts longer than expected is a positive sign. If you are already on the bus home within 15 minutes of the interview commencing, it's probably a sign your interview went bad. A lengthy interview indicates that the interviewers want to discover more about you and may be a sign of interview success.

Asking Questions

If people are interested in you, they tend to ask questions, and the same applies to interviews. It is a positive sign your interview went well if the interviewers ask questions outwith the standard scripted questions, such as,Why do you want to work here.' It is particularly positive if they discuss your outside interests. It signifies that you have built rapport with them and is a strong indicator of interview success.

Meeting Colleagues

Although it may be part of a standard process, it is not usual for interviewers to introduce candidates to their potential colleagues if they do not see them as a good fit. If you have been given a tour of the building and introduced to those you would work with, it does not mean you have the job, but it is certainly a positive sign your internal interview went well.

Positive Language

It can be difficult for interviewers to hide their feelings when interviewing candidates. If they are impressed with you and can see you in the role, they may start using language such as 'when', instead of 'if', when referring to you starting the role. This is one of the positive signs that you will get the job after interview.

Explaining the Next Step

Interviewers will often dismiss candidates they have no interest in, whether subconsciously or otherwise. If the interviewer explains the next steps to you during the interview, it shows they respect you and your time, and this is always a positive sign of interview success.

A strong, professional CV is the best way to reach the interview stage when you apply for jobs. At Inspired CVs, we provide both traditional and graphic CV options. You can order your professional CV here or contact us for more information on our CV writing services or one-to-one consultations.

Tips for Working with ADHD

It is estimated that around 2.6 million people are living with ADHD in the UK. It might seem like ADHD is a new phenomenon or a current trend, but it was initially diagnosed as early as the 1980s. At this time, it would have been labelled as hyperactivity, low attention span, or similar, rather than by the diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficiency/hyperactivity disorder.) In the workplace, ADHD can be problematic, but there are ways you can overcome these challenges. 

What is ADHD?

ADHD is usually present in childhood and may include restlessness, inability to concentrate, or acting on impulse. As ADHD can often improve in adulthood, it might go undiagnosed. However, it can present itself in many ways in the workplace. ADHD at work symptoms may include difficulty concentrating on a task, managing time, and focusing on instructions.  These are some tips for working with ADHD.

Speak to Your Manager

If you are concerned about the effects of your ADHD in the workplace, you should inform your manager. Speak to your manager and let them know about the issues you face; so that they can make ADHD workplace adjustments UK to support you. 

Set a Timer

As people with ADHD often have difficulties focusing on tasks for long periods, you could set a timer for tasks for 30 minutes so that you are productive for shorter bursts; but able to complete tasks promptly. After 30 minutes, you may decide to go for a short walk or speak to a colleague as a distraction.

Listen to Music

Someone with ADHD is easily distracted, so it is crucial to make dull tasks as interesting as possible. If you listen to music while you work, it will help make it a little more enjoyable.

Rewards

Focusing on tasks can become a bit easier if you know there is a reward at the end. For example, if you work on a specific task for 30 minutes, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea at the end. Giving yourself something to look forward to as you get through the day can make focusing much easier.

Work from Home

As people with ADHD are often much more easily distracted, it can be difficult to focus in the workplace. One way to combat this is to ask to work remotely for a part of the week; or perhaps in a quieter room. Since the pandemic, employers have become more flexible regarding working patterns, with 28% now working on a hybrid model. Remote working with ADHD can often feel less stressful than working from an office with ADHD

If you are looking for a new job that is more aligned with your needs, it is imperative to have a professional CV. Your CV is the shop window to your skills and expertise, to help you achieve your career goals. At Inspired CVs, we provide CVs in both traditional and graphic formats. To find out more, you can contact us or order your CV online today. We offer top rated CV writing services and can provide online appointments cv writing services.

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