tdm newsletter: september
When people feel seen and valued, they’re empowered to bring their full selves to work, unlocking their potential and driving innovation. Our latest thought leadership report, ‘representation matters’, shows how embracing authenticity attracts top talent and encourages a culture where everyone can succeed. With insights from Working Families , Yoo Capital , and Stonewall , we explore how to create workplaces that offer equitable opportunities for all.
Working Families
Working parents make up a significant portion of the UK workforce, yet many find themselves held back by the lack of flexible work options that accommodate both their career and caregiving responsibilities, in fact, over half of UK parents would consider leaving their job if they found another one that offered more flexible options.
“One significant hurdle is the ‘part-time penalty’, which disproportionately affects parents, especially women, who work reduced hours. There is a common, but unfounded assumption that part-time employees are less ambitious or less committed, which often results in them being overlooked for promotions and career development.”
On top of this, the high cost of childcare, with many parents going into debt over these expenses, forces them to accept lower-paying jobs or even step back from their careers. By advocating for more flexible roles and employer-supported childcare, Working Families highlights how organisations can tap into a valuable yet often overlooked talent pool.
Yoo Capital
Yoo Capital believes that diversity is key to unlocking better decision-making and driving growth. As part of their commitment to inclusion, Yoo Capital implements policies that promotes equity through initiatives like unconscious bias training and regular salary reviews to ensure fairness.
“We aim to promote a healthy working environment and do this notably through the benefits we make available…”
Their benefits packages are designed to support a healthy work-life balance, offering family-friendly policies, private medical insurance, and flexible working arrangements. By fostering open discussions about race, ethnicity, and background, Yoo Capital aims to create a workplace where everyone feels empowered and valued, enhancing both employee satisfaction and the company’s long-term success.
Stonewall
Stonewall champions the importance of representation, particularly for LGBTQ+ people, because more than a third of LGBT staff have hidden their identity at work due to fear of discrimination. Through their Diversity Champions programme, Stonewall works with employers to create inclusive environments where everyone feels safe to be themselves.
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“By allowing staff to be themselves in the workplace, employers can create an inclusive, supportive environment and get the best from everyone.”
Stonewall advocates for HR policies that explicitly support LGBTQ+ relationships and families, and they encourage peer support networks. They also emphasise the importance of visible LGBTQ+ role models in leadership, showing that when employees feel seen and supported, they can contribute more effectively to the workplace, benefiting both the individual and the organisation.
Together, these contributions show how creating inclusive and supportive work environments can help close the talent gap and unlock potential, benefitting everyone. We want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to our fantastic contributors, Working Families, Yoo Capital, and Stonewall for helping to bring this report to life and lead the way in this important discussion. If you’d like to see the full report, please click here.
Our most recent blog explored the current shifts in the UK’s mortgage market, where rates have dipped below the 4% mark, sparking hope in buyers, sellers, and market experts alike, for what has been a challenging period for the housing market. As big lenders compete and inflation shows signs of easing, the mortgage market is changing, but what does this mean going forward and how might upcoming policies affect the housing industry?
As we look ahead to the remainder of the year, all eyes are on the upcoming Autumn Budget. With a newly elected Labour Government, there’s speculation of some bold moves, such as lowering the stamp duty threshold to £300,000 next year. This could result in higher stamp duty costs, for example, first-time buyers would be paying £8,750 on properties costing £425,000, making the already challenging task of saving for a deposit even harder – it already takes 10 years to save up for a deposit on average, and the additional stamp duty costs could set aspiring homeowners back even further. First-time buyers in the South East and London will be hit even harder, with average property prices at £480,108 and £536,300. Sir Keir Starmer has warned that the budget will be “painful”, including potential tax increases, despite the government pledging not to raise income tax or national insurance.
Another area to watch is the potential for increased government support to drive new housing developments, especially since they’ve bought back mandatory planning targets to deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years. With demand still outpacing supply in many regions, any policies that encourage new builds could stabilise the market and create affordable options for buyers.
However, broader economic factors will continue to play a critical role in shaping the mortgage market. While rates have dipped, factors such as inflation, employment levels, and global economic trends could all shift the balance once again. The hope is that the downward trend continues, but it’s wise to stay cautious and keep an eye on how the market evolves in the months ahead.
As we move through the rest of the year, the UK housing market could see further shifts but one thing is clear – the recent dip in mortgage rates could very well be just the start, and the landscape may continue to evolve rapidly. For now, there’s a sense of cautious optimism, but much will depend on what happens in the Autumn Budget on October 30th.
As always, we’ll keep you updated. For now, check out our other insights on the housing market here.
At tdm towers, we’re growing fast and right now, we’re all about finding talented recruiters to join our team. This year’s been especially exciting as we’ve welcomed three new recruitment consultants to our ever-expanding team, and we’re not slowing down yet. If you’ve got a background in recruitment or sales, we’d love to hear from you. As we celebrate our 15th anniversary this year and keep expanding in the housebuilding and property world, there’s no better time to get involved. But enough about us, let’s talk about what we can offer you:
You’ll be working with a small but mighty team who are all about collaboration and championing individual and collective wins. Working for us also means:
If this sounds like the kind of environment you’d enjoy, check out the job description for becoming our next recruitment consultant here. Join us as we continue to expand and take your career to the next level.