Oldbury Community Portal

1. How to build a high-performing team. Great teams don’t just happen - they’re built with intention. If you want your team to consistently deliver exceptional results, it’s not about strict rules or top-down control. It’s about creating an environment where individuals thrive together, adapt quickly, and stay connected to a common purpose. READ MORE

2. Leadership, ethics, and the lure of wealth. Now back in the White House, Donald Trump remains focused on personal fortune. Forbes estimates his wealth has more than doubled to $5.1 billion in the past year, driven by crypto, media, and real estate ventures. Unlike every president since Lyndon B. Johnson, Trump hasn’t placed his assets in a blind trust. Control sits with his sons, who are actively expanding the brand. Last week, Eric Trump promoted a Trump-linked crypto coin in Dubai and a $5.5 billion golf resort in Qatar. Don Jr. unveiled a new hotel in Belgrade. Conflicts of interest abound - especially as Trump has moved to weaken enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, effectively greenlighting bribery abroad. In leadership, ethics matter. When power and profit collide, the real test is whether we lead with principle - or with self-interest. As Anthony Scaramucci put it, this may be “the golden age of corruption in America.” Editor

3. Remote work is for highly skilled. While remote working surged after the pandemic, it is still mostly concentrated among older, highly skilled workers in major UK cities. According to new research, 52% of all UK workers never work from home, but that figure drops to 29% for highly skilled workers. Earlier predictions that remote work would revitalise struggling regions as people relocated to cheaper places also did not bore out, researchers said. Most professionals who are able to work from home still have to commute part of the week, keeping them tied to major cities. In-office days are also set to increase by 2030, a separate study found. At least 56% of businesses plan to require more staff days in the office, while 61% said they're focusing on increasing office utilisation. The Guardian

4. Awe's simple power to heal. Brief moments of awe can play a surprisingly powerful role in improving mental health and emotional wellbeing. According to researchers, individuals who took time just a few times each day to pause and notice things that inspired a sense of amazement - such as the intricate design of a leaf, the colours of a sunset, or the delicate sound of birdsong - experienced measurable benefits. The study revealed that these small, mindful acknowledgments of beauty or wonder led to a 17% decrease in symptoms of depression, a 12% reduction in stress levels, and a 16% increase in overall wellbeing. These findings suggest that cultivating moments of awe, even briefly and informally throughout the day, may offer a simple yet meaningful way to support emotional resilience and mental health. Yale University

5. Leading through distraction. In a recent study by Perspectus Global for The Times, 40% of 15 to 18-year-olds admitted to being constantly distracted by their mobile phones while trying to study for exams. Another 50% said they are sometimes distracted, and only 10% claimed to be fully focused. On average, they reported being able to concentrate for just 14 minutes before picking up their phone. While this data focuses on students, the challenge is just as real in the workplace. The constant ping of notifications, the lure of social media, and the habit of multitasking can chip away at deep focus and meaningful productivity. As leaders, we’re not immune - and nor are our teams. So, how do you help your team stay focused in a world full of digital distractions? Please share your thoughts in our latest poll. VOTE HERE

6. Employer confidence at all-time low. The UK's employer confidence levels have fallen to an all-time low, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said, with one in four employers planning on making redundancies in the next three months. Higher employer national insurance contributions and the rise in the living wage, along with global economic uncertainty have led to job cuts and hiring freezes, the CIPD reported. The retail sector has felt the most impact from those factors, and only 11% told the CIPD they expected to increase their staff numbers in the immediate future. The Guardian

7. Children back in family home by 26. Almost a quarter (23%) of parents with adult children have had them move back in after initially leaving home, with the average return period lasting around two years, new research shows. The average age of children moving back home is 26, however more than a fifth (21%) are over 30, the UK survey of 2,000 people has found. Some parents said their adult child had moved back in along with a partner or their own children. The Times

8. Sales surge despite the consumer gloom. Consumer spending rose sharply in April, with retail sales up 7% – considerably above the 12-month average of 1.4% – and card spending climbing 4.5% year-on-year, the biggest jump since June 2023. The boost was driven by warm weather and a late Easter, according to analysts. However, a PwC survey revealed a growing disconnect: consumer sentiment has fallen to -12, its lowest since Autumn 2023, with 70% of respondents planning to cut spending in the next three months amid rising financial pressure and economic uncertainty. The Independent

9. Former Royal Marine completes ‘world’s longest triathlon’. Thousands of people have reached the top of Mount Everest. A former Royal Marine decided to make the challenge harder – by including it as the final part of the world’s longest triathlon. Mitch Hutchcraft started his journey by swimming across the Channel to France. He then cycled 7,456 miles to Digha, India, ran 559 miles to Kathmandu, and trekked the 223 miles to Everest Base Camp, before ascending to the roof of the world aided by the Nepali mountaineer Gelje Sherpa. This journey took eight months – and he hopes to raise £500,000 for SAVSIM, a charity that supports veterans and wildlife conservation. BBC

10. The bottom line. Unemployment in the UK rose 0.2% in  the first quarter to 4.5%, the highest level since the summer of 2021, data from the Office for National Statistics shows. Retail and hospitality saw the biggest falls in employment. The higher joblessness rate comes amid rising wages and higher employer national insurance payments. In other news, in 1961, there were roughly four working-age people in Britain to every older one; now there are 3.6, and in 50 years, there will be 2.5. Editor