1 in 4 people will experience some sort of mental health problem, each year, in England alone. Each year, around 1 in 8 men experience a common mental health problem – such as anxiety or depression. It is vital that we understand men and their mental health by debunking societal myths and learning how to support them.

In this article, we will discuss men’s mental health and why it is so important, why men often don’t talk about their mental health, tips on looking after yourself and those you know, as well as exploring the importance of International Men’s Day in light of such a vital topic. 

Why is Men’s Mental Health Important?

According to the Mental Health Foundation, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. Of the suicides reported in 2020/21, three-quarters were men. These chilling statistics have been the case since the mid-1990s.

Everyone experiences mental health and will likely face mental health problems at some point in their life and it’s important to take all cases seriously. However, just a brief look over statistics, or even into media and society, highlights the importance of talking about men’s mental health.  There are many different types of mental ill health that people can be affected by and understanding some key signs and symptoms can be a great help in understanding what many people experience. To learn more take a look at our article, here. 

Suicide is the largest cause of death for males under 50 and unpacking this, as well as many other distressing statistics is vital in helping men through mental health struggles. Thus, the importance of men’s mental health is prevalent now more than ever and for a multitude of reasons, such as:

• Societal pressure. There is often tremendous pressure on men to withdraw and not speak up when they are struggling with their mental health. We will look into this in more depth later on in the article. 
• Signs of mental health. Whilst mental health will present itself to the individual in, often similar, symptoms – the way in which people present signs of mental health problems can vary drastically. This difference is particularly seen in men and women, with some men exhibiting angry or aggressive behaviours which may often be dismissed. 
• Cases of mental health. As we have touched on already, statistics for men who experience mental health problems are high, and this doesn’t account for all those who do not speak up – which we know is also a large number. 
• Suicide rates. Samaritans reported that, of the 5219 people who died by suicide in 2021,15.8% per 100,000, were men.

Some who suffer from mental health problems may self-medicate and men may be more likely to use alcohol and drugs to cope with stress, depression or anxiety – rather than talking about it. 

For more information on the signs of drug and alcohol abuse, take a look at our article here, or consider taking our Drug and Alcohol Awareness Training.

Although a common trait of those experiencing troubles with their mental health is to shut off and not talk about how they are feeling,  this is especially common in men and a dangerous reason as to why many struggle so much.

Why Men Don’t Talk About Their Mental Health

Unfortunately, a huge reason behind the thousands of people, particularly men, who suffer in silence is societal stigma and pressure. Expectations and traditionally prescribed gender roles that are still influential today, generations after their formation, lead many men to believe that they cannot, and should not, speak up when they are struggling with their mental health. 

Some reasons why these beliefs still exist may include:

• Feeling they must conform to traditional gender stereotypes such as ‘men don’t cry’.
• Men may also feel they need to be viewed as strong, dominant and in control of their emotions.

All such factors can become suffocating. Some people may naturally shut down and not express their feelings. Pressures inflicted by society push down on this tenfold, damaging people’s views from a young age.  

This notion that men should not talk about their feelings can also be damaging in other, more outward, ways. Some research suggests that men who can’t speak openly about their emotions may be less able to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves and others. Here, they may be less likely to reach out for support or may not be able to recognise underlying symptoms in their peers.

Debunking many of these societal myths is a step in unravelling the unjust gender stereotypes that often still prevail on a day-to-day basis. We have listed some common myths below and unpacked them.

• Myth: Men are less likely to experience struggles with their mental health. 
• Fact: Superficially, men may often present as though they are not struggling with mental health. But the truth is you never know who may be struggling with mental health problems – it can affect anyone – any gender, age, race or sexual orientation.
• Myth: Unlike women, men are good at managing their emotions. 
• Fact: An ugly, baseless gender stereotype, that harmfully impacts all involved. This notion harmfully impacts men as it perpetuates the idea that holding in their emotions, internally, will allow them to be viewed as strong. We must encourage everyone – particularly young boys and men – to talk about their feelings.
• Myth: Men don’t need to seek help for their mental health.
• Fact: This may be largely connected to the pressure on men to not speak up when they are struggling. They may not want to be seen as ‘weak’ – but seeking help is far from that. It takes courage and strength and can provide huge guidance.

Looking to Learn More?

Our Mental Health Awareness Course aims to increase your understanding of common mental health conditions and of your own mental health, including how or when it might suffer, and what you can do about it.

The stigma around mental health is one of the greatest challenges we face. To debunk more myths about mental health, take a look at our article here.

Facilitating open conversation is key to breaking down these societal barriers. In fact, more and more in recent years are we starting to see great role models coming forward and being honest about their mental health. Figures such as Roman Kemp, Stormzy and even the likes of royalty, Prince Harry have spoken up about their experiences and struggles with mental ill-health. All such conversations are vital in encouraging others to do the same and showing them that they aren’t alone.

How to Facilitate a Conversation Around Mental Health

Encouraging conversations around mental health may often be the first step in breaking down barriers. However, this can be a challenge and often easier said than done.

If you are concerned for someone you know, or simply wish to check in on a more regular basis consider approaching the conversation with the following guidance:

• A first step to take can be to simply reach out. A text message, phone call or 10-minute conversation over a coffee. A conversation about mental health doesn’t need to feel formal or critical. A conversation with loved ones is certainly a good place to start.

• Understand that you do not need to be a trained expert to talk to someone about their mental health. Opening doors to conversations is simply the first step in helping those close to you. Of course, professional help should be sought out in cases where treatment and assessment are concerned.  

• Actively listen, try not to interrupt and avoid generalised clichés. Remember that you are talking about mental health with this person and if they decide to open up, let them.

For more information on how to talk to people about their mental health take a look at our article, here.

Tips on Looking After Your Mental Health

There are many preventative measures you can take to look after your mental health, just as you would with your physical health.  

Below we have listed eight ways to look after mental health and wellbeing:

• Be open and talk about your mental health – the good and the bad.
• Keep as active as you can – even one or two short bursts of getting outside a day can be beneficial.
• Eat well – nourish your body. Enjoy a well-rounded and balanced diet.
• Keep in touch with loved ones, even if it is just a message or phone call.
• Seek help when you need it – from those around you, or via helplines such as Samaritans, SANEline, National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). 
• Care for others, and keep relationships strong – just as you would want others to do with you.
• Find something you enjoy doing –  it could be cooking, art, a team sport – anything you love.
• Practice mindfulness – pay attention to the present moment. Try not to dwell on the past or future.

Mental health does not have one set meaning. Rarely will two people’s experiences of it look the same. Because of this, it is important to understand that what works for one person, may not work for you or someone else. It is important to only try what feels comfortable and give yourself time to figure out what is right for you, there is little point in forcing yourself into a certain routine simply because you have been told to, or because it worked for a friend. Take some time to work out what routine and actions make you feel better. 

Positive mental wellbeing doesn’t mean you’re always happy or unaffected by your experiences – we are all human and experience emotions differently. However, mental ill health and wellbeing can make it more difficult to cope with daily life.

International Men’s Day

International Men’s Day aims to offer a worldwide celebration of the positive value that men bring to the world, their families and communities. The day seeks to highlight positive role models and raise awareness of men’s well-being.

Celebrating International Men’s Day is important because it acts as a catalyst for starting essential conversations about men’s mental health. Formed by Dr Jerome Tuluck Singh to commemorate his father’s birthday, the day was first celebrated in 1999, in Trinidad and Tobago. The day is now widely celebrated across 80 countries to raise awareness of the physical and mental struggles that many men face. The spotlight is placed on positive male role models, raising awareness of men’s health and wellbeing.

In 2022, it was celebrated on the 19th of November and the theme was ‘Helping Men and Boys’. The celebration coincides with the yearly event of ‘Movember’, which sees people growing moustaches and raising money to support men’s mental health and wellbeing across the globe. 

You can get involved any time of year by visiting the International Men’s Day website, where they offer a range of resources, talks and contacts to use for yourself or your loved ones.

We hope you found this article useful and encourage you to check in on the men in your life – no matter the time of year. The importance of encouraging men to talk about their mental health is paramount. Events such as International Men’s Day can help raise awareness of men’s mental wellbeing and are an excellent resource to use. 

Further Resources:

• Mental Health Awareness Training
• Stress Awareness in the Workplace
• How to Mark International Woman’s Day in the Workplace
• How to Talk to Someone Who is Suicidal: Raising Awareness Through Myths and Facts
• How to Get a Job in Mental Health
• How to Talk About Mental Health

The post Why is the Relationship Between Men and Mental Health So Important? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article will explain the primary responsibilities of a photographer, some of the different types of photography you may choose to specialise in, and what you need to get started. We will outline how you might secure a role or career, in a profession which gives you the freedom to be creative in so many ways.

What Does a Photographer Do?

In layman’s terms, photography is a profession which creates permanent visual images out of how we live and experience our day-to-day lives. Photographers are responsible for capturing moments on camera and telling stories through imagery and this is why so many people choose to hire them for big life milestones such as weddings and birthdays. People love to look back at memories and re-live them, photographers help us do just that.

No two days for a photographer will look the same, as you can start to understand from the quote above. There are many fields of photography and within this, there is a huge scope of tasks and responsibilities that encompass the role. This is one of the reasons why the career is so appealing to so many. A few examples of jobs you may find yourself doing are:

• Taking photos, using specialised techniques and materials where needed.
• Editing images, using software such as photoshop.
• Photoshoot/concept planning. 
• Working with clients to set themes or create briefs.
• Developing images.
• Portfolio development/self-marketing. 
• Scheduling people, locations and equipment. 
• Preparing the photoshoot location, as well as obtaining releasing forms and permits if needed. 
• Sourcing and hiring props.

Clearly, photography is an exciting career choice, with many different skills and responsibilities, you will certainly be kept on your toes! Now you have set your sights on photography, there are many more avenues within the wider role for you to explore.

Looking to Learn More?

Photography is a great career choice for those who would like to set up their own business. To learn more, take a look at our Starting a Business Course.

Types of Photographers

There are a wide variety of photographic styles and techniques, so it’s important to explore different types to figure out what is best suited to you and your career. The best way to achieve this is by lending your hand to a multitude of different jobs that require different styles. Also, this is an excellent way to learn different styles from other photographers. You may naturally take to a certain style, or there may be one which you find challenging but enjoy regardless. 

Whatever the outcome, it’s useful to have an area you specialise in. This is not to say you can’t enjoy and occasionally work in different ways and styles but it is good to have grounding and experience in a particular field. Some notable areas of photography include:

• Fashion photography.
• Wedding photography.
• Food photography.
• Sports photography
• Landscape photography.
• Family photography. 
• Wildlife photography. 
• Commercial photography. 
• Real estate photography.
• Medical photography.

Photography captures everything, all walks of life – if you can see it, you can photograph it. This fact is a rather optimistic one if you love photography but don’t know what area to go into. It may help to think about your day-to-day life and work out which elements of it you love and would want to capture, or think outside the box and wonder what you might like to see more of. These little moments of inspiration can be the door to your photography career.

On top of the many different areas and styles of photography you may choose to specialise in, there are many different ways you can work. For example, you could choose to be a freelance photographer, a photograph editor, a photography assistant and many more. 

What Do I Need to Be a Photographer?

There are many factors to consider when looking to become a photographer. On top of your desired field of interest, there is, of course, a certain level of skill required for the job. This is not to say that you need a master’s degree in photography, however, some degree of prior knowledge, interest and desire to learn are essential.

Photographer Skills

Some general skills and attributes to gain knowledge and experience in include: 

• Attention to detail. As a photographer you need to be aware of all elements of one photo – the lighting, composition, subject and many other factors all play together to create the whole image. If one is off balance, the rest will fall out of place. 
• Effective communication. Photographers need good communication skills so they can effectively stay on top of all the people and factors involved in a shoot. To learn more about communication, take a look at our article, here. Knowing what you want to get across and delivering that in your images is another key method of communication that you need to develop. 
• Time management. Managing your time is, of course, essential in any job role. This is especially true within photography as there are so many elements to the role. Shooting your initial images to your deadline is one matter, making sure that you have the time beforehand to prepare and the time after to finalise and edit images, is another task entirely. You don’t want to let your clients down by delivering work late, so it is essential that you manage your time to take all tasks into account. 
• Organisation. In a similar vein to time management, being organised is essential in photography – especially as two days will rarely be the same. You must prioritise staying on top of your work in an organised fashion. 
• Good planning. Planning is a key part of the role. Your clients may have briefs that you will need to work with in advance when planning your shoot. On top of this, there is a lot of planning when finding models, shoot locations and more to consider.  
• Resourcefulness. Inevitably at work, things don’t always go to plan. In a role where the fate of your images can be influenced by so much, you need to be able to react quickly and problem-solve with what you do have available. For example, weather, models, technological issues and more can impact your shoot days. The mark of a good photographer is one who can think on their feet and use what they have.

Photography Equipment

Photography equipment that you might consider looking to buy or hire includes:

• Camera. Getting a camera doesn’t necessarily mean having to get the most expensive and high-tech one on the market. Each make and model of a camera will give you a different experience when taking photographs, you may have several you use regularly for different subjects. If you are just starting out, you can even use your mobile phone camera. 
• Lighting. Natural light is, more often than not, an asset to photographers. However, it can be hard to keep it consistent, so artificial lighting is often the next best thing. There is a wide range of equipment you can use to help such as screens, softboxes, flash and daylight lamps. Having good lighting that you can control, guarantees consistency across your images. 
• Different lenses. There are many different lenses for different types of photography, and the different types of images within your chosen field. 
• Props. Having a good selection of props can make a photo, they can transport you to the south of France, Morocco and back to London with just a few quick changes. Think about colours, patterns and styles of props in relation to your brief or the type of shoot you are working on. You can often rent props to avoid having to buy niche items that you will only use a handful of times. Alternatively, charity shops are a great place to look.
• Accessories. Depending on the style of photograph you are after, there are many helpful accessories you can buy to help you get the perfect shot. Tools such as tripods, and overhead pole rigs will give your images another dimension. 

Whilst we have listed a few bits of equipment you might find useful, these are by no means absolute. You don’t need to start with a huge kit as it can prove to be incredibly expensive. Photography gear can be something you acquire over your career. This is also a good way to do it, as instead of going in blind you can get recommendations from other photographers on the best equipment to go for. 

How Do I Get a Job as a Photographer?

It might seem daunting to enter the world of photography. There are so many avenues and roles it can seem overwhelming. However, take the fact that there is a constant stream of opportunity in the industry as a positive. Everyone has to start somewhere, look for a shoot to assist on and work your way up from there.

Get Experience

Assisting on a shoot for a day will allow you to not only learn a lot but also make contacts with others in the industry. Networking can be really useful as it’s often the case that photographers need an additional pair of hands when visiting larger clients or bigger jobs i.e. wedding photography. 

There is also a wide array of free resources and courses online where you can educate yourself on the basic theory and tips within photography. You can even take small steps, like visiting photography galleries, getting a feel for different styles and then you can see what you are more drawn to, here you may also meet other like-minded people who can offer experience or help. 

For those that are completely new to the world of photography, you could start by doing some voluntary work or securing a placement as this can help you to practice while building your portfolio. These types of jobs offer invaluable experience though will often be unpaid – which is something you will need to consider.

Build Up Your Portfolio

Ultimately having a bank of good quality and well-presented images that show your style and passion is key. Buy a camera and take it everywhere with you, you never know what you might catch in the seemingly ordinary walks of everyday life. Also, be sure to engage with social media, it is a great resource to share your work with huge numbers of people for free. Having a presence online is incredibly useful for any new business starting out. Take a look at our Social Media Marketing Training to learn more.

Develop your Business Skills

If you are looking to eventually start your own photography business, you will need to advance your knowledge on how to set up your own business. Take a look at our Starting a Business Course, which guides you through the skills and personal qualities that will be helpful when starting and running a business, including how to structure a business and the importance of financial planning, marketing and operations. 

It might seem daunting but following your passion for photography could be the door to a new career, and even your own business. As Clare says:

So why not take the leap, follow your passion and kick-start your career in photography?

We hope you found this article helpful in showing you how you might turn your love for photography into a career or even your own business. For any more information get in touch at 0333 006 7000 or email sales@highspeedtraining.co.uk. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• Starting a Business Course
• What is the Importance of Digital Skills in the Workplace?
• How to Improve Active Listening in Communication

The post How to Become a Photographer appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

It is important to provide the best possible education for each individual child, no matter what their needs may be. A key part of this is having the means to support all children and their families. SEND is common in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) and spotting signs and symptoms early is key to helping the child. 

In this article, we will explain what SEND in early years is, how it fits into the EYFS framework, and how to support children with SEND in early years.

What is SEND in Early Years?

SEND is defined in the SEND Code of Practice (2015) as “A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age.
• Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream-post 16 institutions.”

The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as “A person has a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act if they have a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.” a disability can arise from a wide range of impairments. It is not always necessary to identify a child as having a specific or diagnosable condition. This can be difficult, because the underlying cause of their symptoms may be hard to establish. Instead, we must consider the effect the impairment is having on them. Under the Equality Act 2010, settings are also required to make reasonable adjustments to support a child.

Recognising SEND in early childhood is pivotal, as these are the years in which children are more impressionable and start to develop. This is why SEND is such an important topic to be knowledgeable on as an early years practitioner. As someone who works with children, you should be alert and aware of difficulties that some children may face in relation to SEND. In doing so, you can respond to early concerns to assist in the support of children with SEND.  

For children aged two or more, special educational provision is giving access to education that is additional to, or different from that of other children of the same age. Alternatively, if a child is under the age of two, the special educational provision refers to the educational provision of any kind. Having such measures in place is important for children who have greater difficulty in learning than their peers, or have a disability that makes it harder for the child to make use of certain facilities and learning approaches. 

All children have the right to an education which gives them the tools to achieve their goals and become confident young children. Early years education is especially important in providing young children with the means to transition into compulsory education as they get older. In light of this growing need, it is vital that education professionals in all education settings understand how to support children with SEND to achieve their best possible outcomes.

Looking to learn more?

It is important for those working with children of any age, to be aware of SEND. To learn more, take a look at our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the Classroom Training.

Delay in learning and development, or behavioural issues in the early years may not necessarily indicate that a child has SEND and you, as an early years practitioner, should not diagnose them. However, having the knowledge can help you support the child and offer guidance to their parents or carers. 

However, it is still useful for you to be aware and have knowledge of signs to look out for, so you can pass on any concerns or observations you may have to those who can help. You should follow the graduated approach, as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (2015). We will look at this in more detail, later on in the article. 

In England, during the academic year of 2021/22 there were just over 170,000 children aged 5 and under receiving support for SEN, either through EHC or SEN Support. It is recognised that children with SEND are impacted in their ability to learn. Some children may lack the skills to access and engage in the curriculum. Having SEND can affect their: 

• Reading and writing skills.
• Mathematical ability.
• Ability to process information and understand things.
• Social skills.
• Cognitive skills, such as concentration or organisation. 

A Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) is especially important in situations where you may not be in a position to act further, as they can coordinate provision for children with SEND and provide professional guidance and support to colleagues on SEND.

There are many types of special educational needs and the SEND Code of Practice (2015) defines four broad areas of need, as follows:

1. Communication and interaction.
2. Cognition and learning.
3. Social, emotional and mental health.
4. Sensory and/or physical needs.

While some children have difficulties that fit clearly into one of these areas, others have needs that come across two or more areas, also be aware that their needs may change over time.

It is because of these areas in need of support, that SEND is so important during a child’s early years and education. Combining the governing principles of the EYFS with the requirements of the SEND Code of Practice (2015) is an essential part of ensuring all children are met with equity in their opportunities for education.

How Does SEND Fit Into the EYFS Framework?

All children deserve a supportive and fulfilling environment to help guide them to the best possible start to their life and education. The EYFS sets the standards that all early years practitioners must follow to ensure that children under their care can learn and develop in a safe and healthy environment. The EYFS requires all early years providers to have arrangements in place to support children with SEND and provide parents with information on this.

To learn more about the EYFS framework, take a look at our article, here. 

SEND and EYFS are intrinsically linked. In order to provide children with care, education and support, you must follow what is set out in the EYFS guidelines. They also state that those who work with young children must be knowledgeable about, and aware of potential difficulties a child may be facing. This means early years practitioners are able to respond early to concerns and work with parents and doctors or GPs.   

The EYFS framework requires non-maintained providers to have arrangements in place for meeting children’s special educational needs. These settings within early years must promote equal opportunities for children. All providers funded by the local authority, to deliver early education places must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice (2015). The EYFS also states that maintained nursery schools must identify a staff member to act as SENCo to assist this and expects that other providers do the same. 

The role of a SENCo within an Early Years setting includes:

• Ensure all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN.
• Provide advice and support to colleagues.
• Ensure parents and carers are closely involved throughout and that their insights inform action taken by the setting.
• Liaising with external professionals or agencies.

Local authorities are responsible for statutory functions in relation to children (0-5) with SEND. Part of this responsibility is providing guidance and information to support children with SEND, and signposting practitioners, parents and carers to what is available through the ‘Local Offer’. The Local Offer is an information directory where you can go to find out what support or provision is available in your local area. It will include information on specialist teachers, therapy services such as speech and language therapy, Health Visitors and the Area SENCo. Click here to find out more about the Local Offer.

Consistency in the quality of early years settings is essential to ensure no child is left behind, struggling as their peers progress. Equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices put in place by The Equality Act 2010 and reiterated by the EYFS Framework, must make sure that every child is included and supported to help them achieve their best. The benefits of inclusive practices within early years are tenfold but of course, show the most reward to the children that it supports. 

For more information and training within the education sector, take a look at the wide array of courses we offer at High Speed Training, here.

Once you understand how SEND fits into the EYFS, it’s important to learn how you can support children with SEND in their early years.

How to Support Children with SEND in Early Years

Supporting children with SEND in early years is essential. Early identification, followed by providing effective provision, improves a child’s long-term outcomes. Effective provision includes high-quality teaching and making reasonable adjustments in order to remove barriers a child faces. Having a SEND can impact a child’s mental health and early identification can reduce consequences such as low self-esteem, frustration and behavioural challenges. Early diagnosis and action moving on from this increases awareness and understanding of a child’s difficulties and adds an extra legislative aid.

Some ways of supporting children with SEND will simply be an extension of your general good practice as an early years practitioner. However, other, more specific strategies will be required. 

Some key ways you can support those in early years who may have special educational needs are:

• Create a positive and supportive environment for all pupils, without exception. 
• Build a holistic overview of the children under your care, their needs, personalities and potential signs of SEND.
• Communicate with both parents and child as well as your SENCo. 
• Consider your space, ensuring it is organised in a way to support children with SEND.
• Have high expectations of children.

The graduated approach is a key part of supporting children with SEND, and should be led and coordinated by the SENCo. It involves four steps:

1. Assess – use a range of assessment strategies to analyse and identify the specific support needs of the child.
2. Plan – starting from the assessment, co-produce and share a plan detailing the provision to be put in place. There should be a clear date to review.  
3. Do – implement the agreed provision.
4. Review – monitor the child’s progress and evaluate the success and impact of the support given. 

In Early Years, most assessments will be carried out by observing the child. Use this time to really get to know the child and understand their needs. Observations should be clear, factual and precise. Describe interactions the child has with other children. Keep an accurate record of anything a child says, for example, if a child says ‘I taw a tat’, write it as they say it, rather than ‘I saw a cat’. 

Your analysis of the assessments should provide you with an indication of where the child’s strengths and difficulties lie, their interests, the progress that they are making, and identify any barriers to learning they might be experiencing. In the case of children who have, or are suspected to have, SEND, the focus then needs to be pulled even tighter, and the assessments should dig deeper.

During assessments, you should aim to gather as much relevant information as possible to build a complete view of the child. Supporting children with SEND exists outside of the learning environment. It is a collaborative process by yourself, the SENCo and the child’s carers or family. You can assist by providing as much information as possible. 

To learn more about the graduated approach, take a look at our article, here. 
SEND support extends past early years, to schooling, and into post-16 institutions, so it may be useful for you to understand how support might look later on. To learn about supporting children with SEND in the classroom, take a look at our article.

Strategies for Helping Children with SEND in Early Years

Having strategies in place is an essential part of supporting children with SEND. Examples of some tips, activities, strategies and resources you can use are: 

• Keep your knowledge up to date – be aware of different types of SEND, and how to support children based on the best advice and evidence. 
• Develop high-quality universal provision – this is essential for children with SEND, but also hugely benefits all children. This covers the learning environment, high-quality teaching and interactions, questioning, planning, differentiation, and personalised learning. Developing high-quality universal provision reduces the need for future targeted provision (such as interventions). 
• Focus on inclusive practice – a learning environment which makes changes and modifications will reduce barriers to learning. Children will need different levels and types of support in order to achieve their potential. Ensure that children with SEND are included with other children who do not have SEND. 
• Interactions with the child – allowing the child to take the lead ensures they feel their efforts are valued and important. Show them that you will always respond – even if they’re not saying any words you can understand. Use descriptive commentary, to provide a gentle running commentary on what the child is doing and what is happening in the situation. 
• Responding to concerns – if you have concerns, look at the child’s development in more detail and compare with typical development ages and stages. 
• Develop effective and supportive partnerships with parents – communicate regularly, involve them with decisions about support and signpost parents to further support. 
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) are the most prevalent, and increasing type of need in Early Years. Here is an article outlining some key strategies for supporting SLCN within Early Years, along with some resources.  

Below you’ll find two scenarios briefly outlining how the graduated approach was used to provide support. Consider how the graduated approach was applied here, and how you can use it within your setting. 

Four-year-old Noah finds it difficult to sit comfortably on a chair. Observations show that he also struggles with climbing and catching a large ball. You plan activities which encourage development of core strength, such as soft play and riding a tricycle, whilst also looking at the classroom furniture to see if the table and chairs are the right height for him. You continue to follow the graduated approach to review the outcome.   

Two-year-old Mae isn’t responding to her name or following simple instructions. She also prefers playing alone. You speak to her parents and agree she needs to see her health visitor about organising a hearing test. Tests show she has ‘glue ear’, which is monitored to see if it clears up. Meanwhile, the listening environment of the setting is assessed and improved, and communication cards are used to help Mae to express herself and understand instructions. You continue to follow the graduated approach to review the outcome.   

Every child deserves the best possible education and this stands true in early years. As an early years practitioner, awareness is essential. You need to monitor and observe the children in your care so that they can get the best possible support and thus, education as soon as possible.

Further Resources:

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the Classroom
• How to Become a SEN Teacher
• Supporting Pupils with SEN in the Classroom: Guidance for Teachers
• Summary of the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan
• How to Support Children with Disabilities to be Active
• 7 Creative Classroom Exercises for Teaching SEN Children

The post What is SEND in Early Years? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

This article will detail how to prepare, cook and store food for your guests as safely as possible. We will explain the different foods that you might want to consider making in advance, provide recipe ideas for inspiration, and most importantly discuss our top tips to ensure you feel confident in preparing your make-ahead meals safely. 

Throughout the article, there are helpful tips in bold, these indicate specific food safety factors to consider for the corresponding preparation or cooking tip at the bottom of the article. Keep reading to learn about our top food safety tips.

What Food Can Be Made in Advance?

Many people choose to do a large portion of the food preparation and even cooking before guests arrive, and for good reason. However, you need to be aware of which foods can be safely prepared or cooked in advance without compromising the quality, flavour and texture.

One option is to make your food ahead of time and freeze it until ready for use. Great examples of this include soups, stews, meat sauces and even some assembled recipes such as pies, lasagne or a fruit crumble. For more information on how to freeze food safely, take a look at our article.

Freezing is a great example of making food ahead of time. You can freeze certain ingredients to be used whenever needed or, as stated, you can even freeze completed recipes that will simply need reheating. 

Take a look at this recipe for turkey & courgette meatballs in a roasted red pepper sauce. This is a great example of how freezing can cut down your time in the kitchen once guests have arrived. 

Turkey & courgette meatballs in a roasted red pepper sauce

For more recipes like this and information on the importance of nutrition and healthy eating in the diet, take a look at our Nutrition and Healthy Eating Course. 

Another factor to consider when deciding what to make for a dinner party is making foods that can improve over time, for example, marinades, stews, sauces, curries or broths. You can make these a few days before and store them in the fridge until ready to use. Many of these dishes can be a little time-consuming to make, but you’ll get great-tasting food and a fraction of the effort when you come to safely reheating and serving it to your guests. 

Marinating is another step you can take ahead of time and it can measurably improve the taste of the food you cook. Including salt in a marinade is one of the reasons this is such a useful step. Salting foods, such as cuts of meat before you cook them, will give you moist and juicy meat, which has been seasoned all the way through. For best results, season or marinate with salt, herbs and spices at least 2 hours before you intend to cook. 

Looking to Learn More?

Food hygiene is essential in order to keep everyone who eats your food safe. We offer a wide range of courses, suitable for all levels. For more information on food hygiene and safety, including how to prepare food safely, take a look at our Food Hygiene Training.

Make-Ahead Meal Ideas for Entertaining

Below we have provided a few recipes to inspire you, or for you to use. Two of the recipes are vegetarian, with easy substitutes to make them vegan and one is a meat-focused dish. Considering your guest’s dietary requirements is an important part of hosting. Be sure to check if any of your guests are allergic to any of the ingredients you will use, if so you will need to take extra care around preventing allergenic contamination. To learn more about how to do this, read our article on the 14 named allergens, here.

Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

Soup is an excellent choice for a starter at a dinner party. It can be made in advance and either stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen and stored for up to 3 months. It’s recommended that you freeze your soup in a reusable, sealed silicone pouch or large sandwich bag. If you freeze a flat, thin layer of soup, it will defrost faster.

Leek and potato soup

However, if you choose to cook a soup that contains pasta, it will not keep well in the fridge or freezer. This is because the pasta will end up soaking up too much liquid, leaving you with an overly thick soup and soggy pasta. To avoid this, freeze your soup without the pasta in. When you come to reheat a portion, you can cook smaller pasta shapes, like orzo, in your soup until it is al dente. 

Chicken Marbella Recipe

Chicken Marbella is a dinner party classic and justifiably so when 90% of the hands-on cooking can be done long before your guests arrive. And it will even taste better the longer it marinates. Simply pop it in the oven to cook whilst you entertain your guests.

Chicken Marbella

Slow-Cooked Aubergine and Tomato Sauce Recipe

For a vegetarian option, we have included a delicious pasta sauce recipe, which can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for 6 months until you need to use it.

Slow-cooked aubergine and tomato sauce

We hope that you try out some of the above recipes when you next find yourself hosting. It is essential that you follow them safely. To be sure of this, pay attention to the safety tips provided in each recipe.

Food Safety Tips for Make-Ahead Food

As mentioned, it is essential that all food you prepare must be done in a safe and hygienic way. This is especially important when preparing food in advance, as there is more opportunity for things to go wrong. The rest of this article will look at the specific food safety factors you need to consider for each of the different stages of food prep mentioned above.

Reheating Food

Reheating food is a useful way to cut down on the time you spend cooking as your guests arrive. However, you need to make sure that you are reheating food safely. Reheating food incorrectly can allow harmful bacteria to multiply because the food is at a higher risk of entering the food danger zone. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) sets the danger zone between 8 °C and 60 °C and bacteria multiply rapidly between these temperatures. To find out more about the temperature danger zone, take a look at our article, here. 

Furthermore, you need to make sure that the food you reheat reaches a core temperature of 70 °C for two minutes or 75 °C for 30 seconds. You can do this by using a probe thermometer. Take a look at our article on safely reheating food to the correct temperature to learn more.

In terms of food safety, as long as you reheat the food at the correct temperature and for the correct duration of time, it can be safely reheated. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that food is only reheated once, so follow this guidance wherever possible. For example, if you have a large batch of sauce, take out only what you need for that serving and reheat as needed.  

When reheating food from frozen, you must make sure that the food has been thoroughly defrosted in the fridge before you do so. This ensures that you get an even temperature throughout the food and that you don’t get any frozen spots in the centre whilst the outside of the food is hot. For more information on the safe reheating of food, read our article, here. For guidance on what foods you can safely reheat, read our article, here.

Marinating Food

As mentioned, marinating food is a great way to impart lots of flavour into a dish and it can all be done long before people arrive. Firstly it is essential that you keep your fridge set to the correct temperature of between 1 °C and 5 °C. It should never be higher than 8 °C.

You should aim to marinate in the fridge if you are doing so for a prolonged period of time such as overnight. Furthermore, if you are marinating your food for a long period of time, you must make sure you cook the food before its use-by date.

However, if you only plan to marinate for 2 hours or less, you can leave the food outside of the fridge. In fact, many cuts of meat will cook better if they are first allowed to come up to room temperature. If marinating outside of the fridge, you must keep the food covered to avoid the risk of physical contamination. 

If you are marinating raw meat in the fridge, then it is essential that you make space in your fridge and store it on the bottom shelf of the fridge to avoid any raw juices dropping down and contaminating other foods. You should have separate refrigeration areas for raw and ready-to-eat food. This is essential for preventing food from becoming contaminated with pathogenic organisms and this stands true when marinating your food.

Freezing Food

Making your food ahead of time and freezing it until ready for use is a massively helpful tool when cooking for a crowd. However, there are a number of factors to consider:

• Your freezer should be set to the correct temperature of -18 °C and -22 °C because bacteria cannot grow at these temperatures.
• You must not put warm food into the freezer as you risk increasing the temperature of the freezer thus, potentially creating an environment where bacteria could grow. 
• You must make sure to defrost and reheat food safely. You must defrost slowly in a cold environment, such as a fridge. See above for how to safely reheat food from frozen.
• You should still separate raw and ready-to-eat foods, as you would in a fridge. 
• You should label the food containers that you freeze so you know what they are and what date they were frozen on.

Washing Produce

Before you even begin cooking, there are some key safety factors to consider when handling fresh produce. 

Ready-to-eat and raw foods, such as salad vegetables, fruits and pre-prepared vegetables, may be contaminated with soil, insects, pesticides, bacteria and viruses that could all cause illness, even if there are only a few present. To reduce these risks, it is essential to wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly under clean running water before eating.

Use-By and Best Before Dates

Use-by dates are generally found on high-risk, perishable foods that require refrigeration. They state the date up to which the food is safe to eat. After the use-by date, food is unsafe and should not be consumed, cooked, or frozen. When preparing food in advance, it is important to be mindful of the use-by dates of the food you intend to cook. Make sure you do not serve any foods past their use-by date.

Best before dates indicate the length of time for which a food will be at its best quality. There is a little more leniency in using foods which have gone past their best before date. For example, using older, stale bread to make croutons is fine if it is past the best before date. In fact, making croutons from stale bread tends to work better than fresh bread. Although, you should still check for any signs of mould or contamination before using. Take a look at our article on the difference between use-by & best before dates.

We hope you enjoyed this article on the safe preparation, cooking and serving of make-ahead foods. We would love you to have a go at making some of the recipes featured in the article. If you do, be sure to post your recreations to your social media and tag us. Above all, it is essential to follow food hygiene rules when doing any preparation or cooking. Make sure to apply the food safety tips we have provided, to host your guests safely and confidently. For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• How to Start a Catering Business
• Safe Temperatures for Food Storage: A Free Guide to Cooling and Chilling Times
• A Healthy Eating Plan for Fussy Eaters
• Online Food Hygiene Courses

The post How to Prepare Make-Ahead Meals appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

However, this does not mean simply treating everyone the same. Equality, diversity and inclusion are all about promoting and accepting the things that distinguish us from those around us and making others feel safe and welcome. It is about ensuring that you are receptive to the needs of those with unique characteristics; that you are supportive and inclusive of them. This is what an EDI policy should represent. 

This article will feature a downloadable equality, diversity and inclusion policy example, to help you understand where to begin when writing your own policy for your company, and how to develop and maintain it.

What are Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policies?

This is a written document that solidifies your commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace. It sets out your obligations in areas like recruitment, training and pay. It indicates that you value every individual; that you are willing and prepared to fulfil their needs; that you will stand by them and combat discrimination. EDI policies aim to uproot prejudice and discrimination, taking protected characteristics into account at the heart of disputes. 

The equality, diversity and inclusion policy will state that the company aims to safeguard those who may face inequality or harassment due to one or more of the 9 protected characteristics. These are protected from discrimination under equality legislation – the Equality Act (2010).

The 9 Protected Characteristics are:

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Sex
4. Sexual orientation
5. Race
6. Religion or belief
7. Gender reassignment
8. Marriage or civil partnership
9. Pregnancy and maternity

You may also want to extend those safeguards beyond the 9 protected characteristics to include other characteristics that may result in a person becoming under-represented, marginalised or minoritised for example; socio-economic status or caring responsibilities. 

Every workplace should have an EDI policy and apply it to every aspect of employment – whether it be recruitment, pay, access to facilities, benefits, discipline procedures, and everything in between, right up to the end of their employment and beyond. A policy can guide how you should manage a situation in which someone has been treated unfairly or disrespectfully within your business.

It is not the law to have an EDI policy. However, it is strongly recommended in order to create an inclusive workplace, committed to celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion. An HR team will be best suited to developing, monitoring and actioning an EDI policy. However, this does not mean they are strictly limited to interacting with and contributing to the policy. 

Why are EDI Policies Important in the Workplace?

Having an EDI policy is important for a number of reasons, it makes sure everyone knows:

• The ways in which the business supports employees and ensures all are treated fairly and with respect.  
• The attitudes and behaviours expected from employees. 
• Important information surrounding discrimination, the law and what is not acceptable.
• Where to go and what to do when seeking to report or resolve problems – your own or not. 

EDI policies may also point to staff networks or employee assistance groups/programmes for external support.

A workplace that celebrates equality, diversity and inclusion has greater opportunities for productivity, innovation and collaboration. On top of this, the greater diversity in an employee pool allows for a larger mix of skills, ideas, experiences and perspectives to draw upon. Employee engagement and satisfaction in such workplaces tend to be far more positive. 

In taking EDI policies seriously you can ensure, from the get-go, that all employees understand and are committed to making the workplace a positive environment. Furthermore, having an EDI policy in place can help to highlight areas for improvement in your business, for you to then continually build a more inclusive company culture.

Ensuring EDI policies set boundaries and expectations on people’s conscious behaviours is clearly very important. However, often many discriminatory ideologies and behaviours are more deep-rooted in people, to the point that they may not even realise they are unintentionally causing offence. Therefore, it is important to know how to identify biases you may hold. To find out more, take a look at our article on unconscious bias, here.

Want to Learn More?

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training Course has been designed to help learners understand more about their responsibilities for promoting equality and diversity in the workplace. It aims to help you promote a fairer, more tolerant and more diverse working environment.

How to Create an EDI Policy

When creating an EDI policy, there are several key steps to take. Firstly, get an idea of the business starting position in relation to EDI. Talk to your employees and get their opinions on where they feel the company currently lies and what they would like to see kept the same, improved or reconsidered. This policy will chiefly affect your employees and will have the greatest impact when it is informed by the opinions of all staff, so consulting with them and understanding what they feel should be represented is important.

It is also important to get feedback from members of staff who may typically be under-represented, marginalised or minoritised because of the protected characteristics they possess, as the policy will do a great deal in supporting them.

To be authentic in your approach to EDI, it’s essential to listen to employees. To learn more about listening with focused intent, take a look at our article on Active Listening.

Furthermore, it is important to educate those in senior positions within the business. An EDI policy will do no good if negativity continues to be practised at the senior levels of an organisation. At all levels, it is important that there is a base level of knowledge and training for people to understand EDI and the commitments it takes to ingrain it into the workplace. 

Writing an EDI Policy – 7 steps

1. To begin the policy, write a statement that outlines your organisation’s commitment to equality; explain that your aims are to create a workforce that is diverse, promotes positivity, and allows everyone to thrive, no matter their background or characteristics.
2. Following this paragraph, identify that your employment will not discriminate on the grounds of any protected characteristics. This demonstrates your understanding of the protected characteristics; that you are able to identify them; that you will not be biased or have reservations based on them. Explicitly state that you oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.
3. Then, outline the type of work environment your establishment aims to create, i.e., one free of discrimination and prejudice, and one that allows everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. Make it clear that everyone will be treated fairly, with respect, and will be given equal opportunity in every aspect of their working role.
4. State that, when selecting for employment, promotion, training, or anything of this nature, it will be based on the individual’s own capability and potential. Their attitude and capability will determine their suitability for the role; it will not be affected by any of the protected characteristics.
5. You could then give a list of bullet points that sum up your main attitudes, values, and aims where equality and diversity is concerned, such as one stating that you aim to create an environment in which individual differences and the ways in which everyone contributes is recognised and valued.
6. Reinforce your sentiments and your intolerance towards discrimination – including the fact that disciplinary action will be taken against those that breach your policy.
7. And lastly, state that the policy is active; that it will be monitored and reviewed regularly. Over time you can get feedback from employees via surveys, diversity data, equality reviews and such – all are important in keeping your EDI policy relevant and up-to-date.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Example

The guidance provided in this article will make it much easier to understand where to begin when writing your company’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, and how to develop and maintain this. To assist you in producing your policy, we have created this EDI Policy Example PDF. You can use this as a base on how to construct your own EDI policy and make it relevant to your workplace.

Download Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Example

This example PDF template covers all the basics of what your policy should include. It will need expanding and tailoring to your company’s requirements but should prove to be of use to you.

Further Resources:

• Unconscious Bias Quiz
• How Equality & Diversity Improves Your Workplace: Examining the Benefits
• Equality & Diversity Quiz
• Am I Being Bullied at Work? 12 Signs of Bullying in the Workplace
• Workplace Bullying and Harassment Quiz
• Disabled Access Requirements for Restaurants
• Disability Awareness Quiz
• How to Help Others Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
• How to Promote Equality and Diversity in Customer Service
• How to Promote Inclusive Communication in the Workplace
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training

The post Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policies in the Workplace: Free Template appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

In this article, we will explain what flavour is and why it is important to the food products you make, We’ll also issue guidance on understanding flavour profiles and provide you with a free downloadable food pairing chart to help you better understand and put into practice what you learn from this article. 

Starting a Home Food Business?

If you’re looking to master your flavour combination skills and enhance your own food creations, why not consider our Starting a Home Food Business course, and learn how to successfully start your own food business from your home.

What is Flavour?

In a recent article – What is Taste and Why is it Important in Food Products? – we discussed the 5 different types of taste. The idea of taste is more objectively set in stone, whereas flavour is a concept which is seemingly limitless – 5 tastes, limitless flavours. Taste refers to the five basic tastes humans are able to perceive and it comes into play when understanding flavour whereas flavour is an attribute of a chemical substance, produced by the senses of smell, taste, and touch perceived within the mouth.

Flavour is a package that combines taste, smell, memory, personal experience and so much more. It fills the gaps where taste cannot. Through flavour alone, we can describe subjective experiences such as the taste of a summer’s first strawberry or a greasy burger after a night out.

What are the different types of flavour?

When looking at food and beverage regulations, flavours are typically broken down into three main categories:

1. Natural flavours – This refers to processed ingredients derived from plants, essential oils, proteins, yeasts, etc. These ingredients can be classified as a GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) ingredient or as a food additive as defined by the FSA depending on the ingredient composition. Examples of natural flavours can include citruses such as lime, lemon and orange, vanilla, lavender and rose.
2. Artificial flavours – These are chemically composed ingredients and they are usually regulated as a food additive – these require additional rigorous safety assessments before being available on the market to ensure they are safe for human consumption. To find out more on food additives, read our article here. 
   • While most artificial ingredients are considered additives, there are some artificial flavours are that are classified as GRAS ingredients, and include many different commonly found flavours such as strawberry, cinnamon, vanilla, and more.
3. Spices – Spices are primarily aromatic vegetables or plants that can be found in many forms, such as dried and ground, broken, or whole – they include ingredients such as pepper, rosemary, basil etc. These ingredients are typically considered GRAS ingredients.

These three core categories of flavour essentially make up the food and beverages we consume. They make up a vast field of different flavour combinations and thus new flavours and profiles. 

Looking to learn more?

It’s all well and good creating food that tastes good, but if this same food poses a threat to your customers’ health, word will spread and your business will suffer. To learn more consider taking a look at our Food Hygiene training courses.

Why is Flavour Important?

Flavour is, of course, an essential component in food and drink products as both natural and artificial flavours play an important role in how we make our food and beverages taste. Whilst flavour is notoriously subjective, we can all agree that flavours are important no matter how you taste them. 

Flavour not only drives new product taste trends, but is also a critical success factor for any food or beverage product. Without the intrinsic network of flavours and combinations that we experience and can work with, it would be near impossible to create foods as delicious as humans do. 

Flavour, in its artificial form, also plays a key part in the development and enjoyment of processed foods that so many of us eat and enjoy on a daily basis. For example, imagine the flavour of a British summer time strawberry – nothing beats it right? Now think about eating a strawberry in the UK in February – can you taste the difference? This is where artificial flavours come into play and let you enjoy flavours such as strawberry all year round without racking up the air miles involved in flying strawberries from halfway around the world. 

To learn more about food processing, check out our article – What Are Ultra-Processed Foods and How Do We Recognise Them?

Why is Flavour Important to Customers?

Flavour plays a huge role in our food habits, and how we taste food plays into many key areas of food consumption, production and purchasing. ‘Flavour trend’ is a term which has cropped up more and more in the past decade, with customers continually setting the standard for the foods that they enjoy and wish to continue purchasing/consuming. The customer is the backbone of the food and drink industry, it is their standards which are often sought to meet and their beloved flavours which are seen consistently across chain restaurants and home food business alike. 

Today’s modern consumer defines flavour on how all the components of a product work together, including:

• Brand ethos – for example if they encourage fair pay, equality and a positive work environment. 
• How it was made – think artisan, environmentally friendly, etc.
• Packaging aesthetics – such as colouring, fonts and illustrations.
• Aroma – this refers to the smell that a product gives off which likely contributes to the eating experience. 
• Texture – which also plays a part in the overall eating experience. 
• Flavour and taste – unsurprisingly the most important factor in customers deciding whether or not they like a product.

Why is Flavour Important to Businesses?

Many food producers look to optimise their products in order to satisfy your taste buds. If you are looking to create food products to sell, it is important to understand the different types of flavours, and how you can pair them together to create tasty and exciting combinations, as well as understanding the classics that people will always love.

A bold marketing scheme and a flower wall in your cafe will only do so much in drawing in and keeping customers – the flavour profiles and the enjoyment from customers will ultimately be the deciding factor for many. Therefore, flavour should be a key focus when developing any food product, no matter how small or large the business.

High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) restriction laws are something to consider when developing new food products. Whilst largely aimed at larger food manufacturers, the law comes from a wave of health concerns surrounding the UK and our eating habits.

Understanding Flavour Profiles

Flavour profiles are the combination of elements and their subsequent flavours used within a dish or food product. It can also refer more specifically to the set of common spices, seasonings and aromatics used to emulate certain cuisines. Flavour profiles allow you to create more complex and delicious food.

Understanding flavour profiles can also be key to enjoying a healthy and balanced diet, or essential for those creating food products to sell. To learn more about a healthy diet, consider taking a look at our Nutrition and Healthy Eating course.

Artificial flavours can be split into profiles, such as:

• Menthol is the mint flavoured ingredient often found in chewing gum. It has been found to provide long-lasting, high-intensity and high-quality mint flavour
• Ethyl vanillin is an artificial vanilla which is actually 3.5 times stronger than vanilla itself. It is used in chocolate, ice cream and some beverages.
• Amyl acetate is used as banana flavouring.
• Benzaldehyde is used to create cherry or almond flavour.
• Ethyl butyrate is used for pineapple flavours. 
• Methyl anthranilate is used to replicate the flavour of grape.
• Fumaric acid adds tartness and acidity to dry foods.

Flavours of the World

Generally there are key ingredients – and flavours – that we associate with different cuisines. This isn’t limited to countries, either. We can identify regions, or even cities, by the ingredients used and flavours created. For example, regions within India and the different ways they use particular herbs, spices and other ingredients available from their geographical locations. 

Furthermore, various regions in Italy cook differently based on the landscape. In the south where there are lots of olive trees, lots of olive oil is used as a primary cooking fat. In the north, where animals are raised in the mountainous fields and farms, butter is widely used. One consistent cooking fat used in Italy though, is pork fat. This is because all across the country they can be reared successfully and bountifully. 

‘Global cuisine’ is a term often used to distinguish this style of cooking from more familiar foods to our own. It is a cultural experience that is difficult to recreate when removed from the nuances of the land, ingredients, and people that know the food’s origins.

Flavour profiles define cultural foods prepared in a particular style. Ethnic flavours are created by the combination of primary and secondary ingredients, herb and spice combinations, and indigenous cooking techniques. Different cuisines from around the world can be an excellent way to understand flavour pairings and how this can change the building blocks of food. Using garlic as an example, it can be paired with a wide array of ingredients which will then change the flavour profiles of the dish. The different ways you pair simple ingredients can completely alter the backbone of a dish, and so it is an essential skill to understand and practice. 

When looking at flavour profiles as descriptors of cuisines, some loose examples of natural flavours can be:

• Southeast Asian – ginger, fish sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass, Thai basil. 
• Mexican – chilli, coriander leaf, lime, avocado, tomato, peppers, corn, black beans.
• Indian – turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, ginger, garlic, lentils.
• Mediterranean – basil, rosemary, dill, oregano, mint, lemon, cucumber, chickpeas, coriander.

It is always essential that you are respectful when exploring, cooking and eating foods from different cultures. Recognition should be displayed to the food’s origins and history – particularly if it is to be sold on – such as in a home food business or on social media. Cultural appreciation of food can be a wonderful way to share new flavours and respect their origins.

Free Downloadable Food Pairing Wheel

Some foods are just undeniably meant to be eaten together – the soulmates of the food world that will continue to be paired up together over years, cuisines and food trends. Think strawberries and chocolate, mint and lamb and tomato and basil. But why do these foods pair so well together? 

We have included a free downloadable flavour wheel for you to download and use when looking to pair flavours in food products and meals. Examine the flavour wheel and see if you can pair or group together ingredients from the different categories – for example, strawberry from ‘fruity’ and chocolate from ‘roasted’. Now see if there are any other ingredients for these two categories that you think would pair nicely together, and so on. 

This is by no means a flawless system, due largely to the subjective nature of flavours and our enjoyment of them. However, trial and error, as mentioned earlier, is essential  in understanding flavours and pairings. 

Flavour Wheel

There are classic flavour combinations which any quick google search will list out for you. However, the only true way to understand flavour pairings – both common and not – is to fully immerse yourself into all manners of food. Eat, cook, smell and read as much as you can. The more you understand about the ingredients, your own taste sensations and your own preferences, the more you will be able to understand what would enhance – or hinder – an ingredient. 

Some flavours balance other flavours, meaning they counteract or soften that flavour to achieve a more harmonious taste. For example, spice balances out sweet and vice versa. Flavour pairings can also enhance one another – for example, salty flavours enhance sweet flavours and vice versa. Think salted caramel and generally the use of salt in baking. On the other hand, sugar can also be added to savoury tomato sauces to make them richer.

We hope you found this article useful in understanding flavour and its importance. Whether you are running a meal prep business from your kitchen, or developing food products for your bakery, flavour is a key part of the creative process behind making delicious food and meals which will set you apart from the competition.

Further Resources:

• Starting a Home Food Business
• Level 2 HACCP Training For Catering & Retail
• What is a Nutritionally Balanced Diet and Why is it Important?

The post What is Flavour?: Guidance on Food Pairings appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

There are many different factors that come into play when you tuck into and enjoy the taste of your food – it is something that most of us experience every single day. As a result of this, it also plays a huge role in our food habits. Ultimately, how we taste foods plays into many key areas of food consumption, production and purchasing. There are many factors which can affect your taste, and so many food producers look to optimise their products in order to satisfy your taste buds. If you are looking to create food products to sell, it is important to  understand the different types of taste.

In this article, we will explain the importance of taste in multiple areas of food and drink. We will give an overview of the different types of taste and how it works, guidance on understanding taste perception and a look at why we taste to begin with!

Why do we Taste?

Taste is one of the five senses and is one whose importance dates back millions of years. Speaking from an evolutionary standpoint, taste was a key defence mechanism for animals and early humans navigating a wilder food offering than we may be used to nowadays. Taste was often what helped distinguish between safe and harmful foods, with toxic and poisonous plants giving off a more bitter and unpleasant taste as opposed to the sweeter taste of safer, nutrient and energy dense plants essential for survival. 

The gustatory system is the sensory system partly responsible for our perception of taste and flavour. In humans it is spread across cells in our mouth and on our tongue, nerves and a region of the brain known as the gustatory cortex.

So what is taste? Taste is a two-phase chemical reaction that involves not only your mouth and throat but also your nose for smell. A sensation that encompasses so much and utilises many areas of the body may be described as the sensation of flavour perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance.  It is caused by the chemical compounds of foods which interact with sensory cells in your taste buds, sending information to your brain to help you identify the taste of your food. We will investigate the role that smell plays further into the article.

Engaging our mouths and taste buds is one of the first stages in the process of eating food, before we actually ingest it. Therefore, taste acts as an opportunity to recognise that a food may be dangerous and helps warn us to not consume it before too much harm is done. It is, of course, far easier and less unpleasant to spit out food at the first unsavoury taste rather than digesting and absorbing food that could make us ill. 

Taste, among a surprising amount of other senses, also actually prepares the body to metabolise food. When we smell, taste, see, touch and even hear food, millions of signals shoot from the brain to our stomachs signalling that food is about to be consumed. This kickstarts the digestive system so that it is ready to metabolise the food as it enters our bodies. For example, imagine you are cooking your dinner and tasting a little along the way. You have been smelling all the different foods, hearing the sizzle of them cooking and feeling the ingredients in your hands. All of these senses work together to signal to your body that food is about to be consumed so that it may digest the food more easily. 

Understanding taste and what your customers enjoy, and will come back for more of, is key to creating a successful food product – whether that’s the perfect cookie recipe, dish on your menu or creating a new cocktail combo. As we have mentioned, humans are naturally drawn to sweeter, high energy foods. If you run a food business, think about how you can make foods that people will enjoy based on what people taste, without your products being too high in sugar or fat. Consider other, more natural forms of sugar and less processed versions of the foods you may create. 

If you have or are thinking about starting a home food business, then take a look at our Starting a Food Business From Home course for more information. 

How Does Taste Work?

We have briefly mentioned the role of taste buds in how taste works, but will go into some more detail in this section of the article. Taste buds are the little bumps on your tongue (known as papillae), they are covered in microscopic hairs called microvilli. These send messages to the brain about the taste of a food and if it is sweet, sour, bitter, salty or umami. On average, a person has around 10,000 taste buds which are replaced around every 2 week. However, as you get older, fewer of these taste buds get replaced. This is why foods often don’t taste as strong to adults as they do to children. Think about all those times as a child being told that certain foods were an ‘acquired taste’ that you would enjoy when you were older – think coffee, blue cheese, brussels sprouts or even dark chocolate!

Age is, therefore, a key point to consider when creating food to sell to your customers. You must think about who your target market is and then create food that will likely taste good to these groups. 

Genetics have also been shown to play a role in how we taste. There are certain genetic variations in taste and smell receptors and this may indicate why, within families for example, some prefer sweet over savoury, some may hate the taste of coriander and some may not like the taste of coffee. Infact, studies between identical and non-identical twins have shown that it is not only environmental factors that impact our taste preferences, but also our genetics. 

Did You Know?

The taste of coriander is one that often divides the masses. Many who dislike coriander say that the herb tastes like soap. This can actually boil down to genetics, with the coriander hating amongst us having a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes, which allows them to more strongly perceive the soapy-flavoured aldehyde (a chemical compound) found in coriander leaf. 

Taste and smell are closely linked in how we perceive the food we eat. They are separate senses with their own receptor organs and systems however they are very much linked . Just as chemicals in food stimulate the cells in taste buds, specialised cells in the nose pickup airborne odour molecules. Because this largely happens just before or at the same time as taste, the two senses are often entwined. 

The close relationship between these two senses is apparent in how we perceive the flavours and taste of food. Imagine you are suffering a head cold, bunged up and nasal – to top it all off you can’t properly enjoy the taste of your lunch because your nose is blocked and you can’t smell. What is being affected here is your sensory perception of the food, because your brain is lacking the smells which interact with the taste to create the full ‘picture’ of taste that you are used to experiencing. 

Guidance on Understanding Taste Perception

As we have spoken about earlier in the article, taste perception is key to how we enjoy – or not! – the food we eat and how food is produced. Knowing how different chemical compounds of a soluble stimulus affect different taste buds and areas of the brain is key to understanding food creation – what customers will like, dislike and why. Unsurprisingly, taste is often the most important factor in customers deciding whether or not they like a product. Fancy labels and ethical claims can only do so much in drawing in and keeping customers – how the product tastes will ultimately be the deciding factor for many consumers. Therefore, taste should be a key focus when developing any food product – no matter how small or large the business. 

Briefly referencing our evolutionary taste buds again and thus, our primal desire for sweet and fatty foods, we may explore how this affects food production in modern day. We are naturally drawn to foods with a high sugar and high fat content because foods typically high in these provide more energy. In the days where humans were hunter-gatherers, food was less readily available and so when you found high energy food, you consumed all you could. Fast forward a couple of million years and this instinct is still engraved into us but with one key difference – the availability of food. 

Fat makes things taste better because it essentially carries flavour – enhancing and carrying aromas and when we eat sugar, the brain produces huge surges of dopamine – the feel good chemical in our bodies. These sweet and fatty foods are now more than ever readily available. However, it’s very important to remember that they shouldn’t be all we eat, we should instead look to enjoy such foods alongside a nutritious and balanced diet. 

These factors are key in understanding what tastes people often look for when buying food. When you eat a pack of chocolate digestives or a hamburger, you often find yourself drawn back because you enjoyed the product so much and wish to go back for more. Food manufacturers have long tapped into our love for foods high in fat, salt and sugar to get people coming back time and time again, leading to a rise in ultra-processed foods, specifically designed to both taste and feel good. 

In a move to curb Britain’s obesity crisis, the government is looking to implement landmark legislation. The restrictions of products High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) legislation seeks to place media restrictions on advertising, on volume promotions, and location promotions. Whilst the legislation is currently delayed, it will be a great challenge to the retail food and drink industry. 

Ultimately, the stress on our diet and the foods we eat should never be about restrictions, cutting out entire food groups or never eating a chocolate biscuit again. The key to eating, and enjoying a healthy diet is balance. To find out more on nutrition and healthy eating, consider taking our course here. 

What are the Different Types of Taste?

Humans can experience 5 basic tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Scientists also describe two more tastes on top of those 5 that our tongue is sensitive to, and they are astringent and pungent.

• Sweet – Sweetness indicates the presence of sugar in food. As mentioned earlier in the article, humans are naturally drawn to sweet tasting foods and it is pleasurable to most. Common foods that taste sweet are cinnamon, dill, honey, butter, carrots, avocados and, of course, sugar. 
• Sour – Sour tastes indicate that foods have a level of acidity to them. This stimulates the digestive system, metabolism and appetite. Think about how your mouth waters after eating a sour sweet – that is your body releasing the first wave of digestive enzymes into your saliva ready to break down food! Typical foods that taste sour are citrus fruits, yoghurt, tomatoes, vinegar and some cheeses such as goats. 
• Salty – Salty is the most simple of the tastes – it is the compound sodium chloride, which is necessary for humans as it regulates bodily fluids and creates nerve impulses. Examples of foods with a salty taste are olives, seaweed, soy sauce or celery. Salt, whilst having its own taste, also amplifies the flavour of other ingredients and this is why it plays such an essential role in both cooking and baking. A key example of this is to take two slices of tomato – lightly salt one and leave the other as is. Taste both and you will have sealed proof on the importance of salting your food.
• Bitter – As we spoke about earlier in the article, to animals and early humans, bitterness was an indication of foods to be avoided due to them being toxic or poisonous. Generally humans still tend to avoid large amounts of bitter tasting foods, but this is not to say that it is an entirely unpleasant taste category – think coffee, unsweetened cocoa, citrus peel and quinine (found in many tonic waters). It might be a safe assumption to say that bitterness as a stand along taste can be challenging. However, it invites a multitude of complex flavours when combined with other tastes such as sweet or salty. 
• Umami – This is a Japanese word translating roughly to ‘savoury’ or ‘meaty’ and thus applies to the sensation of savouriness. The taste of umami is often paired alongside saltiness as salt magnifies the flavours and tastes – giving you an intensely savoury sensation. Umami-rich foods include aged cheeses such as parmesan, miso paste, soy sauce, mushrooms, walnuts and some fresh and cured meats. 

Those are the five basic tastes that the human tongue is sensitive to, below is a more in-depth explanation of the taste sensations astringency and pungency.

• Astringent – some foods, such as tea or unripe fruits, contain tannins that cause organic tissue (such as our tongues or mouth) to constrict. Less exact terms which may be used to describe this sensation include rubbery, hard, dry or rough. 
• Pungent – The pungent taste is perceived as dry heat. This includes chillies, ginger, peppermint, horseradish and garlic.

Familiarising yourself with all the different types of tastes we can perceive is an essential first step into cooking delicious food. Once you get to grips with which foods are primarily dominated by a certain taste, or which tastes pair well together – you can cook exciting, complex and flavourful foods. Creating tasty food products is at the heart of any food business and there are many routes you can take with the food you cook. To find out more on different food business options, check out our article here.

We hope you found this article useful in understanding taste, its importance and impacts on the way food products are made, sold and consumed. Whether you are running a meal prep business from your kitchen, or developing food products for huge production lines, taste is an essential part of the creative process behind making delicious food and meals. It is vital to consider how the tastes of food products will be perceived by your customers. 

Keep an eye out for the second article in this series, which will explore flavours and food pairings – this is a second key component to understanding the process behind production of good food that customers are drawn back to. 

For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

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However, many take their food supply at face value, and don’t realise all the essential steps take place in between farm and fork. In this article, we will define what is meant by the food supply chain and explain why it is so important. We will also look at the different types of food supply chain models and look into management strategies and challenges that manufacturers face.

What is the Food Supply Chain?

The food supply chain comprises all the stages that food products go through during their movement from producer to customers and consumers. Now more than ever, food supply chains have seen a huge period of growth. Whilst this may initially be seen as beneficial to food production lines, it does however mean that the chains inevitably become more fragmented. This makes it more difficult for consumers to easily trace their food to its origins, often with food being transported from all corners of the world, over a long time frame. 

There are certain key stages that appear in the food supply chain, including: 

• Production – This is where the food supply begins at a production level, and where the food is sourced. Whether it is grown or developed, the food will follow local and international guidelines to ensure quality and food safety.
• Handling and Storage – This refers to the preparation and last minute steps that food undergoes once the product has been harvested. This step will occur before food is sent to be processed.  
• Processing and Packaging – This is where the food, whether it be from plants or animals, is converted into an edible form. Here it is especially important that the food meets all food safety requirements before it is packaged for sale and distribution. 
• Distribution – This is where, once the food is edible, it is transported and distributed to the necessary retail or supplier.
• Retailing – This is the process used to deliver the products from suppliers to consumers, and involves everything from obtaining the food to selling it on. 
• Consumption – This takes place once the customer purchases a food from a retailer.

 Types of Food Supply Chain

There are 6 models of food supply chains, but they all fit into one of two categories – efficiency or responsiveness. All supply chains will contain both elements in some way, but the main focus will be driven by the businesses supply chain model.

The 6 supply chain models are: 

• Continuous flow –This model is beneficial to use within high demand production as it offers stability. This makes it ideal for manufacturers who make products which do not often change. 
• Fast-chain – These models work well for manufacturers that work with shorter life cycle products as it is flexible and products can easily and quickly be changed out.
• Efficient – In a competitive  market, efficient models are the go-to of all supply chains. They provide high standards at a highly efficient level. 
• Agile – When a food manufacturing business deals with specialty items, they will likely use agile supply chain management because  this allows movement to be increased in necessary cases. 
• Flexible – The ability to be flexible in a food production line is a huge bonus as it allows businesses to meet demand with more ease. 
• Custom configured – This refers to models which are customised. This customisation is set during the assembly and production of the product. It can be seen as a hybrid between the agile and continuous flow models.  

Why is the Food Supply Chain Important?

Once you have an understanding of what a food supply chain is, you may then begin to understand its importance. A solid food supply chain is essential in order to produce food safe products that meet the consumer demand for high quality food. The retail and hospitality industries that buy the products, for example, want to purchase high quality food at a low price from the supplier so they can still make a profit and offer competitive prices. The key to meeting consumer demand for high quality food products starts with a well managed food supply chain, and this will also help to deter problems from arising and causing loss down the line.

Food supply chains are also vital in ensuring food safety and traceability of products, meaning both manufacturers and consumers can easily trace food back to its origins. For manufacturers, this is needed if product recalls or withdrawals are required and for consumers, it means that they can understand the origin of their food and how it has been produced. 

In recent years, people have become more aware of the environmental impact that certain food supply chains may be having. A key takeaway from this is the focus on short food supply chains. There are economic, environmental and social benefits to shorter food chains and the increased connection to where their food comes from, is likely to lead to less waste and increased trust among consumers.

Longer supply chains, on the other hand, result in less understanding of the agricultural processes behind the food we eat, the challenges faced by farmers and the impact of our choices on the environment. In fact, short food chains offer mutual benefits to both farmers and consumers, acting as a model to increase transparency, trust, growth and equity. 

Need a Course?

To learn more about the importance of the food manufacturing supply chain and how to manage the risks involved, take a look at our Level 2 TACCP Training course.

What are the Problems with the Food Supply Chain?

The food supply chain plays a key role in making sure that the food we eat reaches our mouths safely. It is an elaborate system required by the global community to maintain food safety, sustainability and security. Although it is designed and programmed to run without errors, this can’t always be avoided. Whether due to a systems malfunction, human error or cyber attack there is much that can go wrong. 

Just one disruption in the chain, be it short or long-term, internal or external, can lead to shortages, poisoning or increased pricing of products and this will often affect the most vulnerable amongst the population. 

Following Brexit, the farming industry – which is integral to the production stage of the food supply chain –  has seen chronic labour shortages. As such, concern has been raised over a multitude of resulting issues which range from animal welfare, food security, rising food prices and the mental health of workers. This is a key example of how legislations and changes such as Brexit have such a widespread impact with food supply chains often taking the blame. 

As technology evolves, we are able to take a closer look into the complexities of food supply chains, and this is hugely beneficial in allowing communication across various areas of the chain. However, there are still many challenges involving communication amongst the industry as a whole. The supply and food chain are fragmented. Each company has their own unique system based on their roles. Because of this, workers in all areas of the supply chain may face difficulties communicating with one another in a way that suits their different systems. This can result in anything from delayed deliveries, to contamination risk, to food spoilage. 

Technology is an integral part of the food supply chain, and this also comes with risks in the form of cyber attacks. From farm to fork, food is becoming more and more digitised – driven by soaring consumer demand and an inability to keep up based on manual data alone. For example, during the production stages of the food supply chain, technology is used to monitor storage temperatures and much more. If this was compromised, the entire supply of product in these storage areas would no longer be safe for consumption. For more guidance on cyber security in food manufacturing, check out our article here. 

Some more examples of problems that the food supply chains may face are:

• Increased product demand. 
• Restaurants and inventory management. 
• Growing demand and groceries. 

Supply Chain Risk Management Strategies

In recent years, a number of food manufacturing giants have been rocked by unforeseen supply chain disruptions – with the vulnerable areas of their food supply chain targeted. Within the management of food supply chains, to minimise risk, certain areas of production must be documented. For example, these include, but are not limited to:

• The incoming quality of materials.
• Processing methodology.
• Storage conditions.
• Outgoing quality.

Food safety management systems such as HACCP are essential in keeping on top of risks. A food safety management system is the application of policies, systems and processes based on the principles of HACCP which ensures that every possible practical measure is taken to protect consumers from contaminated food. Food safety management is a fundamental requirement for all food businesses within the food supply chain to ensure that the food produced is safe for consumption.

Implementing the plan is much easier if someone from each area and level of the business is represented, as it allows all factors to be considered. Having a food safety management team with knowledge from as many different areas as possible will be of great use. To find out more on food safety management systems, take a look at our online HACCP training, here. 

We hope you found this article useful in understanding the food supply chain, its importance and impacts on our wider society. For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• Level 2 TACCP Training Course
• What Does the BRCGS Grading System Mean?
• Sustainable Food Practices: Choices & Importance
• Who is Responsible for the Traceability of Food?
• Food Fraud: Product Traceability Template
• How to Accept Frozen Food Deliveries: A Safety Checklist
• 17 Ways to Reduce Food Waste in Your Restaurant
• Level 3 HACCP Training for Catering & Retail

The post Food Supply Chain: Importance & Management Strategies appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

T-shaped employees are valuable members to have on your team and as a manager you should be looking out for these qualities. In this article, we will provide a brief explanation as to what a T-shaped employee is, what are considered T-shaped skills, as well as how to create T-shaped teams.

Looking to become T-Shaped?

We offer a range of Business Skills courses and Personal Development training, each designed to provide you with the knowledge needed to help you upskill and grow.

What is a T-Shaped Employee?

A T-shaped employee is someone who has specialised knowledge and skills in a particular area, as well as the desire and ability to make connections across different disciplines. 

The notion of a T-shaped employee is a quickly emerging trend in the world of employment. Now more than ever, transferable skills are invaluable to many companies and those with a combination of expertise and broad ability to learn and develop are at an advantage. To find out more about the importance of transferable skills, check out our article here. 

With the right support and guidance, everyone has the potential to grow and to become more T-shaped. You, as a manager, have the opportunity to educate individuals on the benefits, both personal and professional, of T-shaped characteristics. 

In addition to technical skills – for example proficiency in programming or design expertise – T-shaped people also possess cognitive skills like emotional intelligence and creativity. Those with T-shaped characteristics often have the ability to form lasting relationships and connections, contribute and problem-solve. This makes them high-performers who can boost your organisation’s overall productivity.

With the right resources and attitude, anyone can become a T-shaped individual. If you can see that an employee already has an area of expert skill alone, perhaps consider looking into helping them broaden their knowledge across other avenues. If they have a wider breadth of knowledge in a number of skills, you could work with them to choose one and commit to making it an area they excel in.

What are T-Shaped Skills?

Of course, everyone is born with different skills and abilities. Some people are a one-trick pony, contributing their expertise alone, while others seem to take to a hoard of skills – the jack of all trades. A T-shaped employee falls neatly in the middle of these two opposites. Landing on either side of the spectrum, though, is not necessarily a bad thing and you can provide your employees with the support and resources to become more T-shaped. 

As we have already discussed, T-shaped employees are highly valuable to any company. Examples of skills evident in many T-shaped people include:

• A broad knowledge about a particular topic. 
• A broader context for your specialised skill set. 
• A basic knowledge of how humans and society work.
• Understanding of the industry you work in.
• Basic knowledge of how the business world works.
• Soft skills – sometimes referred to as ‘interpersonal’ or ‘people’ skills. These are subjective and harder to measure – for example:
  • Teamwork.
  • Communication is essential in any team. To find out more, check out our course here.  
  • Time management. To find out more you can take our Time Management Training course. 
  • Basic IT skills. 
  • Tolerance and open-mindedness.

Advantages of Hiring T-shaped Individuals

Employing T-shaped individuals is widely understood as being very beneficial not only on an individual level – perhaps as a manager – but also company wide. Core skills and the ability to learn quickly are just a few reasons why T-shaped employees excel in their main responsibilities, but they also perform other tasks throughout the business effectively. Thus, they contribute to the growth of the business.  

Specifically, they offer these advantages:

• Core skills. T-shaped employees excel in their main responsibilities within their job role. This also means they are great resources. The deep expertise that a T-shaped employee will display to push discussion forward and encourage movement is undoubtedly a huge benefit to the organisation as a whole.
• Better communication. Largely due to their interpersonal skills, they are able to empathise with people and understand their needs – across the company as a whole. 
• Better collaboration skills. This goes hand in hand with an ability to communicate well across the company, as they can discuss matters and work well over the entire organisation. 
• Flexibility. T-shaped employees are flexible enough to take on new tasks alongside their workload without compromising on the quality of work – achieving their immediate goals whilst helping out around the company. 
• They see the whole picture. Those who chiefly possess a very specific skill set (I-shaped employees) are of great value. However, they can often fall into a habit of tunnel vision – drilling down on their own subject area and neglecting other areas of importance. T-shaped employees, on the other hand, are able to apply their specialised knowledge and desire to learn to other areas of the business and projects they may be working on. 

How to Create T-Shaped Teams

T-shaped teams are highly beneficial to companies but they have previously been seen as difficult to create as historically, companies are built from a foundation of specialist individuals. This is no longer the case, especially as it becomes more widely accepted that transferable people and skills are actually synonymous with success. In fact, reports show that a UK worker will change employer every five years on average. 

T-shaped teams add value to the wider company by:

• Providing agile ways of working.
• Becoming more cross functional and balanced – in their formation and growth.
• Increasing team stability and security. 
• Promoting diversity, which is inevitable when you combine skills and expertise from different people and walks of life. 
• Giving employees the ability to rotate their jobs so they don’t get bored in just one rigid role. 
• Providing greater collaboration. More minds with more transferable skills and many areas of expertise breeds innovation. 

Each of these can help your team to become more collaborative and productive which, in turn, will benefit the wider business. But how to work towards building a T-shaped team? Unless by some luck you end up with a team of flawless ‘T-like’ individuals, it may take some time and effort. 

Firstly, you should try to understand what employee types you do have and their given skills. Utilise the positives that you currently have within your team, and build on weaker areas. 

Self-assessments can be key here; you could ask your employees to rate themselves in how confident they feel in certain topics. After employees undergo this, you must then determine:

• Where you want staff to improve their knowledge and/or ability.
• What level of skill should be maintained. 
• What you want to add to the team by increasing breadth of knowledge.
• Any areas you feel would benefit from specialist expertise. 

Encourage your employees to develop a mix of both soft and hard skills; these are invaluable and allow for greater transferable talents. You should regularly evaluate progress and ensure regular communications and 1-2-1’s with staff to maintain momentum, and be available to assist where you can. 

Encouraging growth in breadth and depth of knowledge will be hugely beneficial for your employees on an individual level in their own personal development, but it will also be of great value to the wider company. For more information on leadership and management, check out our course, here. 

Benefits of a T-Shaped Team

As mentioned above, a team which possesses a mix of skills is far more likely to be successful – lending itself to a more diverse and stable workforce. If your team holds a range of skills rather than one specific skill set, your organisation will be able to:

• Minimise dependencies between teams, resulting in fewer challenges with coordination and differing priorities.
• Reduce handoffs between knowledge silos, avoiding information loss.
• Broaden and deepen the individual team members’ skills over time through collaboration.
• Foster team ownership of the whole solution.

The future world of work is likely to become more T-shaped and transferable skills are widely recognised as holding the same status as technical skills. Utilise our top tips and become T-shaped to get the most out of your job, your team and your company.

For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

• What is the Importance of Digital Skills in the Workplace?
• Transferable Skills: What Are They and Why Are They Important?
• A Personal Development Plan (PDP) Guide & Template
• How to Upskill Yourself
• Why is Continuous Learning Important?
• Time Management Matrix – Free Template
• Business Skills Courses

The post What Does it Mean to be a T-Shaped Employee? appeared first on The Hub | High Speed Training.

People may choose lower or alcohol free drinks for a number of reasons, such as health reasons, lower calorific content and social reasons. In this article, we will explain what alcohol free means and the differences between it and low alcohol drinks. We will provide some examples of low alcohol and alcohol free drinks, whilst offering guidance on the requirements needed to correctly label alcohol free and low alcohol drinks.

What Does Alcohol Free Mean?

Not all alcoholic drinks are the same, they can vary greatly depending on how much pure alcohol is in them. Stronger alcoholic drinks have more pure alcohol in them than weaker ones – this is shown by the Alcohol By Volume (ABV) percentage. 

In the UK, alcohol free refers to a drink or product not containing alcohol, or a drink from which the alcohol has been extracted, if it contains no more than 0.05% ABV. On the other hand, de-alcoholised is a drink from which the alcohol has been extracted if it contains no more than 0.5% ABV. Finally, low alcohol refers to drinks with an ABV of between 0.05% and 1.2%. 

There are many reasons why people may choose to drink alcohol free or reduced alcohol drinks, for example:

• Health – reducing the number of units you consume helps to avoid serious long-term effects of drinking too much alcohol. It can help prevent cancer, mental health problems, high blood pressure and heart disease. 
• Diet – people may choose these options as they tend to have a lower calorific content. 
• Variety – some people may like the option of mixing up what they drink and being able to have the choice to opt for lower alcohol drinks. 
• Social acceptance – some people may want to ‘fit in’ in social settings that are largely centred around drinking alcohol.
• Better sleep – consuming low or alcohol free drinks means you’re likely to get a better night’s sleep and thus, feel fresher in the morning. 

Non-Alcoholic Beer Benefits

A common form of low alcohol beverages is non-alcoholic beer. The market for these products has grown massively in recent years – Waitrose supermarket saw a 29% increase in sales on non-alcoholic beers. The demand continues to grow as people make the change permanently, or simply choose to drink non-alcoholic beers alongside alcoholic ones to cut back. There are many benefits to drinking them over a higher alcohol beverage, such as: 

• Lower calorie content – there are 122 calories in a 330ml bottle of Carlsberg (3.8%) vs 73 calories in a 330 bottle of Carlsberg “0.0” (0%).
• Great taste – brands have taken it upon themselves to develop non-alcoholic beers that people will enjoy the taste of and thus, they will not be deterred from them. 
• Can help to cut down your drinking habits – enjoying non-alcoholic beer means you drink fewer units every week. Even if you just drink non-alcoholic beers throughout the week, you are still cutting back considerably. 
• It won’t get you drunk – some people might enjoy drinking but do not enjoy the feeling of being drunk and what follows this, such as a hangover, tiredness and ‘hangxiety’. 
• Health benefits – not drinking alcoholic  beer can reduce your risk of heart disease, rehydrate the body, promote better sleep and reduce stress and anxiety. 

Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Bad for Your Liver?

It is worth noting that whilst non-alcoholic beer is certainly better for your health than its alcoholic counterpart, it can still contribute to liver damage. It can also be dangerous to those suffering from pancreatitis. Since most alcohol is processed through the liver, even the small amount of alcohol in a non-alcoholic beer can cause further damage for those who are already suffering from issues with their liver.

It is essentially impossible for non-alcoholic beer to make you intoxicated, this is because of how small the ABV percentage is versus how quickly the body can process the alcohol – your body processes it almost as quickly as you drink it so your blood alcohol level cannot build up to a point where you feel drunk. However, it is important to remember that, even though non-alcoholic beer cannot strictly speaking get you drunk, your liver still has to process the alcohol that these drinks contain.

What are the Differences Between Alcohol Free and Low Alcohol Drinks?

It is important to remember that there are key differences between alcohol free and low alcohol drinks – namely this is the ABV percentage. In the UK, alcohol free refers to no more than 0.05% ABV and low alcohol is no more than 1.2% ABV. Whether your reason for drinking low alcohol or alcohol free drinks, you should always check the label to decide which one is right for you. However, across Europe and in the USA, ‘alcohol-free’ means anything under 0.5% so you must be sure to check labels accordingly.

Want to learn more?

Consider our Food Labelling Regulations training course to find out more on food labelling information and requirements.

Opting for low alcohol or alcohol free drinks is something many would now consider. Almost a quarter (23%) of those who drink alcohol said they would consider switching some of their drinking to low alcohol or alcohol free options in the next 6 months. There are many reasons for this such as:

• Less social pressure – there has been a real shift in attitudes surrounding drinking, particularly with younger generations. Research shows that one in ten (9%) of 18-24 year olds had already switched the majority of their drinking to low alcohol options. 
• Increasingly responsible attitudes to drinking – these range across all age groups and cover a range of reasons such as:
  • Being able to drive safely home after social events (31%).
  • Reducing the risk of long-term physical healthy issues (22%).
• To cut back on the amount you may drink through the week – for example someone may choose low alcohol options mid-week and then drink alcohol on the weekends.

Examples of Low Alcohol and Alcohol Free Drinks

There are many different types of alcohol free and low alcohol drinks on the market. If you choose to drink them, you will not be short of options. More innovation, time and effort than ever is going into the production of low alcohol drinks, so that they taste just as good as their alcoholic counterparts. 

There are many options for you to choose from such as:

• Non-alcoholic beer:
  • Big Drop Brewing boasts an impressive range of non-alcoholic craft beers for you to choose from. They are on a mission to make “beers that are big on flavour and personality, but never more than 0.5% ABV.”
• Non-alcoholic wine/sparkling wine:
  • Noughty offer two alcohol free sparkling wines – a Chardonnay and a Rosé.
  • Carl Jung alcohol free wines and sparkling wines have a large range of red, white and sparkling alcohol free wines. 
• Non-alcoholic spirits:
  • Caleño tropical non-alcoholic spirits – this is great for any rum lovers. 
  • Seedlip distilled non-alcoholic spirits – offer three unique flavours of herbal, citrus and aromatic notes. 

It is clear to see that there is no shortage of options when it comes to low alcohol options, and many of these have sprung into popularity in recent years – but why this sudden care for low or no alcohol drinks?

The BBC reports new research from Alcohol Change who saw that, when in lockdown, one in five people (21%)  in the UK increased their alcohol intake. However, this stat is contrasted by the fact that the same report showed that nearly one in three (35%)  reduced their consumption of alcohol or completely stopped drinking. 

People are also increasingly aware of and favouring low alcohol drinks as they become more aware of their health – both short-term and long-term.

How to Label Alcohol Free and Low Alcohol

As we have pointed out, there are many options for those who wish to drink low alcohol drinks and whilst this is of course a good thing, it’s important that you know what to look for on labels when selecting your drinks, how different labels may vary outside of the UK and how you should label alcohol free and low alcohol products. 

Alcohol Labelling Requirements 

According to The Food Labelling Regulations 1996, the definitions and key labelling requirements to remember when looking at the labels for alcohol free and low alcohol products are:

• ‘Low alcohol’ or word(s) having similar meaning – not more than 1.2% ABV. 
• ‘De-alcoholised’ – not more than 0.5% ABV and having undergone a dealcoholisation process.
• ‘Non-alcoholic’ – permitted in the composite name ‘non-alcoholic wine’.
• Any beverage that contains more than 1.2% ABV must show the actual strength by percentage. 
• ‘Alcohol free’ – not more than 0.05% ABV. 

A beer and/or wine producer can have some leeway when producing and subsequently labelling their products. The tolerance depends on the declared volume of the item:

• +/- 0.5% up to 5.5% declared volume. 
• +/- 1% over 5.5% declared volume.

So long as you stay in the UK, the above guidelines are the only ones you need to remember. However this does not stay the same throughout EU regulations. Across Europe and the USA, ‘alcohol free’ means anything under 0.5%, so you must be sure to check the labels of drinks wherever you go.

Before Brexit, this meant that an Alcohol free beer made in Germany for example, could be sold in the UK at 0.5% because of EU trading regulations. However, due to UK laws, an alcohol free beer made in the UK has to be no more than 0.05%. Post-Brexit, this law is still retained and applies for now – due to ‘mutual recognition’. 

Understanding what you are drinking is always important, whether it be for health reasons or convenience, and the labelling of products is a key way for you to understand and determine what you buy and consume. Whilst it is advised that alcohol brands add approved drinking responsibility messages and pregnancy warning messages to their products, this is not a legal requirement. 

We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful in determining the differences between alcohol free and low alcohol drinks, some different types and brands that you can try and the benefits of doing so. Perhaps you are wanting to stop drinking, or even just cut back – this article can help you better understand where to start. For any more information, feel free to get in touch. High Speed Training offers a wide variety of courses and resources that can help.

Further Resources:

Food Labelling Regulations

Licensing Law Awareness Training Course

A Guide to the Different Types of Substance Abuse

Cellar Cleaning and Maintenance Schedule for Busy Pubs and Bars

Essential Tips for Tracking Your Bar Wastage: Free PDF Download

Refusal of Sales Log – Why do I Need One?

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