You may have read that the word chosen by the Collins dictionary to sum up 2022 was 鈥榩erma-crisis鈥�.1 The definition of a perma-crisis, is the state of being in a permanent crisis 鈥� reeling from social, political, economic and environmental disruptions, creating a fertile space for further disruption and discontent in a cost-of-living crisis. It鈥檚 the backdrop for our lead article, which explores how strike action by workers across the country could impact on therapists working with employees, employers and EAPs.
Talking to counsellors for the article, some told me that: 鈥楾he strikes won鈥檛 affect me or my business鈥�, which may, of course, be true. Then again, the only certainty in a perma-crisis is that there will be more disruption, and it isn鈥檛 always happening in obvious places. In December, over 500 workers at the housing charity Shelter staged a two-week strike, and also last year, Amazon workers were balloted for strike action.听
So, what does this mean for our profession? Spoiler alert, as a non-unionised workforce, we鈥檙e not likely to be joining striking workers any day soon, but, like it or not, the issue of 鈥榳hat to do about the strike鈥� is already cropping up, in our therapy rooms. It鈥檚 a new and knotty issue for our profession and I hope the article helps start a conversation about how workplace practitioners respond. I鈥檇 love to hear your thoughts.
Shifting the frame, Helen Kewell starts her new series, 鈥楾alking menopause鈥�, and considers whether this time in a woman鈥檚 life could be one of growth and regeneration. And, I have the pleasure of speaking to two different pioneers about their work. Firstly, Laura Clifford-Jones tells me in 鈥楳y workplace鈥� how she learnt to see strengths in her dyslexia and found her inner business woman. Regular 鈥楥yberwork鈥� columnist Sarah Worley-James talks to me about her new book, Online Counselling: an essential guide. I must confess, after three years now of working online, I wasn鈥檛 sure how much I鈥檇 learn from reading it. Having read Sarah鈥檚 book, I can鈥檛 believe I ever thought that.
Before I sign off, I鈥檇 like to share with you that this issue marks my 10-year anniversary as editor of 香港六合彩精准资料 Workplace. As anniversaries should, it鈥檚 made me pause, take stock and reflect on the last decade, which for reasons you鈥檒l no doubt understand, has also become known as 鈥榯he lost decade鈥�. Apparently, a 10th anniversary is symbolised by tin, so as we enter what鈥檚 already being called a second lost decade,2 I鈥檒l be raising a toast to you and the incredible work that you do.
Nicola Banning
Editor, 香港六合彩精准资料 Workplace
workplaceeditor@bacp.co.uk
