If you have something to say—whether it’s a comment on a news story, an article, latest legislation or just to let off some steam—we would like to know
Jane Simms is right ("Hours to wonder why", April). The power gap that divides women and men at work will not be solved by tinkering at the edges. It is time to accept that attempts to shoehorn women into workplaces designed by men, for men, have failed.
The paucity of senior flexible roles and the long working hours culture shuts women out of the boardroom and forces them into lower paid, lower status jobs when they have children. We need wholesale transformation. By making all roles flexible at every level and putting an end to the unproductive long working hours culture, individuals, businesses and the economy will all reap the benefits.
I was interested to read Jane Simms's article on country branding ("Lands of Hype and Glory", April). In 2005, I organised a trip to Malta of the Worshipful Company of Marketors livery. The then Lord Mayor hijacked our visit and asked us to help the country with rebranding.
We gave a presentation covering branding for tourism, entrepreneurs and the financial market. As a result they took action in a number of areas, I think for the better.
Arguments about the importance of looking after staff well being are well rehearsed and compelling ("A pressing engagement", April). But most employers struggle to manage the well being of staff.
In particular, the scale of mental health issues must be acknowledged. Research shows that individuals absent from work due to mental health feel they get a raw deal compared to those with physical complaints. Many line managers admit they find mental health issues difficult to deal with.
Employers need more evidence on why they should be doing something about these issues, but they also need ideas on what it is they need to be doing.
Claire Tyers Institute for Employment Studies University of Sussex, Brighton
It is very encouraging to read the views of the SME entrepreneur, as succinctly expressed by Alex Pratt ("Taxing Times for Small Firms", April). The disaster constantly looming over SMEs in particular, and thus the economy as a whole, is bureaucracy in myriad existing and yet to be imposed forms. Politicians consistently fail to understand the difficulties that small firms experience in complying with social employment regulations. For example, can an eight-person company survive the temporary loss of two key workers on parental leave? Alex Pratt does a good job of stating it from the still enthusiastic but exasperated entrepreneur's point of view.
Directors reading the March cover story ("The Art of Survival"), should heed an important note of caution about leadership in a downturn.
Boards should not approach the coming months with the misplaced confidence that managerial skills will be sufficient to ensure survival of any vulnerable companies during the turbulent phase that is ahead of us all.
After 15 years of growth, most boards are unfamiliar with the characteristics of corporate distress and how to deal with them. Boards determined to survive must understand their company's vulnerability and be prepared to recruit expertise to deal with the kind of events they have probably never encountered before.
