Whether you are for the monarchy or a republican in principle, every one of us in the UK is living through a momentous moment in history, since the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
For everyone of working age, the Queen has been the constant backdrop of our lives. Her death and the proclamation of King Charles III, represents an enormous background shift in the fabric of our daily lives and our society at large.
Over the coming weeks, there will be more information coming out about the changes that this means at the higher level. There will no doubt be debates on the money brought into the UK and the economy as a result of the heightened profile of state events and whether it offsets the cost of a lost working day (without the usual benefit of bank holiday income). But right now, we as individuals have the opportunity to use the Queen’s passing as a chance to take stock – on things such as work ethic, commitment, service and respect.
Our nation is currently united in respect for the monarch just passed. Even the staunchest republicans acknowledge that this Queen, our Queen lived a life of remarkable service. There are lessons for us all to learn, especially for our working lives and careers.
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Big moments in history are a time to reflect
The working population doesn’t easily get the chance to reflect. Fundamentally, many of us get stuck on a treadmill of ‘doing’, busy with the actions and daily tasks of business life.
Use the present moment as an opportunity to reflect on your own career and your own life, and whether it’s heading in the direction you want. It’s important to take time to reflect as reflection enables you to make change.
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Acknowledge your sense of uncertainty
Many of us have been feeling uncertain for quite some time. Every day the media is filled with reports of the cost of living crisis and impending recession. The problem with uncertainty is that it can predetermine its own outcome.
Now is still a candidate-orientated jobs market – candidates should feel excited about opportunities. As such, acknowledge the uncertainty, but don’t let it stall your career.
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Unite with others
Over the last 8 days, we’ve once again seen how our nation can pull together with a greater sense of community. It is important that we grow from this point, putting respect at the forefront – respect for differing opinions, respect for others and respect for ourselves. We can do more when we work together and respect each other and that applies to businesses, politicians and the individual employee.
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We are each part of building the future
Queen Elizabeth II was head of state through enormous change. There are many ways to put that in context, but an impressive one is that the Queen had already been on the throne for 23 years before the current Prime Minister (her fifteenth) was even born!
Things change, and while the Queen’s steadiness and constancy has been there through it all until now, we each have a part to play in building the future we want – as individuals and collectively as a society. From what we choose to do in our careers to how we dedicate voluntary hours, now is a chance to reflect on how we want to be part of the UK’s future.
The Queen leaves behind a void it’s unlikely we will be able to fill. If your reflections spur you on to make changes in your career, F1rst Commercial Recruitment is here to help. We are proud to be with you at this moment in history. Please get in touch.
Our next article will be published in October. In the meantime, keep abreast of industry news and discussion on LinkedIn with our short burst videos/posts. You can sign up to the F1rst Commercial Newsletter and find out more about what we do and how we do it on our website www.f1rstcommercialrecruitment.co.uk. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
