Hello and welcome back to Working It.

I talk to a lot of leaders, in a bid to stay “ahead of the curve” and hear what’s on their minds. These meetings are not just about good ideas and premium biscuits 🍪. I also enjoy the unexpected ways that life comes full circle.

In 2022, I went with my Most Successful Friend (as her “plus one”) to a new event: Anthropy at the Eden Project in Cornwall. It was an invigorating experiment: a coming-together of leaders from business, charities, government and beyond, to work on a blueprint of positive changes for Britain after Covid. Think Davos, but in a biome. And without the tiered ticketing structure/crazy egos.

I was in at the start (such a trendsetter 😎). Many more people have since got involved — if you’re interested, the next, much bigger, Anthropy conference is in March 2025. This week, I finally met its founder, John O’Brien, to talk about leadership and connection. (No biscuits, though).

Read on for the many benefits of younger people joining boards (PSA: “young” in board terms is 40 something.) And in Office Therapy we advise someone feeling left out at work. We’ve all been there 😥.

Send your stars out to shine as Neds (or become one yourself) 🙋🏽‍♂️

Why not encourage your talented executives to become non-executive directors (Neds) in another organisation? That’s the most original staff retention and career development idea* I’ve heard in a long while. It comes from Warren Partners’ Sally Dunwoody**, a specialist headhunter for leaders in financial services companies.

Sally told me: “If you offer someone who has an executive role the chance to be a non-exec in an organisation that does not compete with what they are doing, it is a great development opportunity for them and you will keep them. You will retain them, they will be trained in a whole range of skills that will be very useful to your business, and you won’t be paying for that training — someone else is.”💡

Even better, Sally said: “[Neds] immediately have access to, say, six other people from the board they are serving on, plus the rest of the company they are working with, plus their resources. All that brings a ton of extras to your business and access to people and places who can coach, mentor and help.”

Generally, serving executives will only have the time to take on one Ned role. What sort of person, I asked Sally, is likely to be a candidate for a Ned role? “You’d be in a broad business role — probably starting to be a functional specialist, so you are probably in finance or marketing, business development or HR. Tech in particular is good — anything to do with tech or data — or a general manager.” For the new generation of Neds, you’re probably at the stage of “ExCo or ExCo minus one”.

The biggest barrier to executives taking on a role elsewhere might not be an unsupportive boss, but age. According to the latest (2023) Spencer Stuart Board Index, the average age of Neds in the UK is 60.9 years: “Female Neds are slightly younger on average (59.3 years) than their male counterparts (62.5).” Boards are proving surprisingly stubborn about recruiting younger people — even those with relevant experience. The very youngest Neds are likely to be in their mid-40s.

It’s something that needs to change, especially now that many companies have four or five generations in the workplace (as discussed here last week). As Sally pointed out: “You need people who are younger round the board table as they can help shift the debate away from ‘this is how we have always done it’ and also they can help ‘get the customer in the board room’. Think about a payday loan business, for example — how many of their board members have ever been in the situation of needing that service?”

There are also plenty of programmes aimed at supporting people into board positions — Warren Partners, for example, has a Board Fellowship Programme that connects FTSE 250 companies with talented people from minority backgrounds. Women on Boards offers networking and training opportunities. And, *declaring an interest*, the FT Board Director Programme offers a diploma for aspiring Neds in the UK and Asia. (Tell me any others you have taken part in, or run, and we will mention them here.)

What can you do to improve your own chances of finding a non-executive position? Thinking several years ahead will help — whether you’re thinking of doing it alongside a corporate job, or as part of a transition to a portfolio career. Becoming a school governor, or a trustee of a charity, are good first steps. Sally’s advice: “Do something that speaks to you, so you lean into it properly and give it the energy and passion it deserves.”

*Got more ideas for expanding the Ned pool 🌊? Email me: isabel.berwick@ft.com

**I first met Sally many years ago, on a campsite in France ⛺️. We reconnected recently, creating another “full circle” moment.

This week on the Working It podcast

Burnout is a huge issue, but very ill-defined — and there’s even more confusion about how to prevent and treat it. Into this void comes the expert voice of this week’s guest on the Working It podcast, Dr Audrey Tang. Audrey is a psychologist, coach and award-winning author. We recorded our talk earlier this month, live on stage at the FT Weekend Festival.

Listen in for tips on spotting early warning signs of burnout in yourself, and in colleagues, and learn how to keep yourself afloat when you are working in a dysfunctional organisation. Lots of great audience questions, too 🏆.

Office Therapy

The problem: I recently found out by chance that I had not been invited to a select workplace dinner. When I heard, I felt like I was in the playground and nobody wanted to play with me. It was pure humiliation and later I was furious. I’m over it but I’m curious: why was my response physical — and how best to deal with “bruises” to our status🤕?

Isabel’s advice: I decided not to answer this myself because my reaction was visceral. It took me back to that moment when I realised my daughter was the only one in the friendship group not invited to the Alpha Girl’s birthday party. It sucks 🤬.

Here’s the rather more impartial (and more impressive) Ben Tye, CEO at digital transformation consultancy Gate One, and also a psychotherapist and executive coach:

“Ouch, I feel for you. Rejection hurts, and being excluded is a powerful form of othering that can bring up feelings of shame, impotent anger and rage.

“It’s telling that you describe an intense physical reaction and feeling like you were back in the playground with no one wanting to play with you. We all carry what’s called our ‘inner child’ within us. It’s a way of describing the younger parts of ourselves that can sometimes emerge during stressful or traumatic situations. In psychological terms, it’s a form of regression when an experience can suddenly take us back to feeling very young and vulnerable.

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“Be good to yourself, acknowledge the pain of being excluded and find a way to be kind to yourself on the day of the dinner. Maybe have one of your own with friends, family and people you love, who love you in return? Finally, if you experience this regularly, you might consider working with a psychodynamic coach or a psychotherapist to work through what is happening and address whatever is there.”

*Got a workplace problem for Office Therapy? Big, small — we tackle them all. Send to isabel.berwick@ft.com. We anonymise everything.

🚨 Office Therapy will be alternating here with the extremely popular “Dear Jonathan” careers advice column by Jonathan Black. Send your career dilemmas to dear.jonathan@ft.com.

Five top stories from the world of work

1. Uber’s next act: taking on Amazon. Newly profitable Uber is in the business of expansion — a great case study on corporate ambition from Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu and Camilla Hodgson. Is it really going to turn into the “operating system for your everyday life”?

2. The office is not the only solution: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sent the “return to office” debate into overdrive when he announced that he wanted workers back at their desks five days a week. Emma Jacobs asks how something as boring as the office ended up being such a hot topic.

3. Young women are starting to leave young men behind: Women are making strides in education and workplaces, but the more startling thing is that some young men are actively disengaged — and their prospects are going backwards. A worrying data trends piece from John Burn-Murdoch.

4. Get a grip: why has the UK’s Labour government been so bad at politics? A classic tale of dysfunctional office politics, except this time they are governing the UK. Jim Pickard and Lucy Fisher investigate.

5. PwC average UK partner pay falls to £862,000 as sales growth stalls: No further commentary needed, but PwC is the first of the Big Four to report results, says Simon Foy.

One more thing . . .

If you’ve ever wanted to look more “put together” in your clothing choices, or have felt you don’t really “get” fashion 🤷🏼‍♀️, please read “How I Lost (and Found) My Style at 67“, by Cathy Horyn in The Cut. What will make you feel instantly better is that Cathy is a fashion critic. If she has been uncertain about what to wear, what hope for the rest of us? It’s also a great example of positive ageing — embracing change and making the most of it. (Yes, this is a piece aimed at women — but there are many universal lessons.)

This week’s giveaway

OK, I lied, not a giveaway . . . but a big NY-based future of work conference that’s free to join online. Charter’s Workplace Summit 2024 is on October 8. Register here and join Charter co-founders Kevin Delaney and Erin Grau and other top names on leadership and the future of work. Sessions that caught my eye include JPMorgan’s head of AI on how humans and AI can best work together.

A word from the Working It community . . . 

The newsletter on the benefits of journaling about working life brought in interesting replies, including a couple of readers who questioned the ownership of such artefacts. If you are writing down who said what in meetings . . . does it belong to your employer as evidence if something goes bad 🤢? I will investigate (do send me your expert thoughts).

But my favourite email came from Trigvie Robbins-Jones, known as Trig, a director at PwC. He wrote: “I do something similar in cartoon form because work is too funny to be taken seriously”. I agree, but Trig actually draws his thoughts. And they are brilliant. He’s got a blog, or follow him on LinkedIn, where he posts professional-life-adjacent strips that will lighten your feed when it gets bloated with earnest posts from self-promoters and overcaffeinated conference attendees 😱.

THOUSANDS of borrowers who claim they are ‘mortgage prisoners’ have been ruled against by a high court judge.

The case was brought forward by former Northern Rock mortgage holders who claim TSB Bank charged them unfair interest rates on their “Whistletree” mortgages.

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The borrowers claim they have been stuck paying a standard variable rate (SVR) 2.29% higher than TSB’s own rate, in some cases for up to eight years.

The bank opposed the claims, and said that charging borrowers different rates is a basic feature of the mortgage market.

In the ruling, Judge Nicholas Thompsell said TSB has not breached the terms of the borrowers’ mortgage contracts.

The case, led by borrowers’ lawyer Tim Lord KC, focused on Northern Rock customers whose mortgages were transferred to TSB after the bank collapsed in 2008. 

Lord argued that many customers were unable to switch to cheaper rates or move to another lender because stricter mortgage rules introduced in 2014 meant they couldn’t pass new affordability checks. 

He claimed this left them mortgage prisoners, with TSB “disproportionately profiting” from the situation.

But TSB, represented by Sonia Tolaney KC, said the bank offers different products to customers with varying risk profiles, and that this was “neither surprising nor unfair.”

In his 49-page ruling, Judge Thompsell agreed, stating that TSB was following the same SVR Northern Rock had previously applied. 

He ruled that the rate, now called the ‘Whistletree SVR’, is simply a continuation of the original rate and that TSB was acting within the terms of the mortgage contracts.

Following the ruling, a TSB spokesperson said: “We welcome the court’s decision today, which recognises that TSB acted in accordance with the terms of Whistletree mortgage contracts.”

TSB added that more than two-thirds of affected customers had switched to a new mortgage product or settled their mortgages since 2016.

The borrowers lost this round but their legal team isn’t giving up. 

Matthew Patching, a partner at law firm Harcus Parker, said: “Our clients are disappointed with the result, but are looking forward to progressing their claims to the next stage.”

A further hearing is expected to take place in the case.

What is a mortgage prisoner?

A mortgage prisoner is a homeowner who is unable to switch to a better mortgage deal, even though they are keeping up to date on their payments. 

Mortgage prisoners are often trapped with their existing mortgage, paying more money than they need to. 

This is because when an introductory mortgage rate ends, the borrower typically moves on to the lender’s SVR, which is usually more expensive than the previous rate.

In 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimated that there were 47,000 mortgage prisoners in the UK.

LEGOLAND Windsor is open for almost half the year, before it eventually shuts for the winter.

However, the park opens back up in October to welcome guests for Brick and Treat. Here’s everything you need to know about the event.

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What is Legoland Windsor?

Legoland Windsor is part of the Lego group and operated by Merlin Entertainment.

Initially opened on March 17, 1996, the much-loved attraction has more than 55 rides and attractions inside.

Ideal for families with children between the ages of 2 and 12, the theme park even has Lego-themed hotels and live shows and entertainment.

When does Legoland Windsor close in 2024?

Legoland Windsor normally opens in March to welcome guests for the summer, before it winds down operations for the winter.

In 2024, the park opened on March 15 before closing up for the winter period on September 25.

However, the park reopens to welcome guests for special events and festive activities over the winter.

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What is the Brick or Treat Festival and when is it?

One event that the park reopens for is Legoland Windsor’s Brick or Treat which takes place between October 1 to November 3rd, 2024.

The event sees Legoland Windsor undergo a spooky transformation and features attractions that are unique to Brick or Treat.

Monster Street and The Monster Jam Show are particular favourites for guests.

Monster Street is a walkthrough experience, which features LEGO monsters and ghouls.

The Monster Jam Show is a thrilling concert experience, filled with costumes and music.

Brick and Treat isn’t the only event at that Legoland Windsor reopens for.

The park reopens on certain dates in December to welcome guests for Christmas.

What is the address for Legoland Windsor and how do I get there?

The much-loved resort is located in Windsor, just west of London.

Its full address is Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 4AY.

For those travelling by car, these are the best routes:

• M3: exit at Junction 3
• M25 Northbound (Clockwise): exit at Junction 13
• M4: exit at Junction 6

Parking is not included in the ticket.

Legoland Windsor is well-connected by public transport, with trains taking half an hour from London Paddington to Windsor via Slough, or from London Waterloo in under an hour which goes direct to Windsor.

Legoland Windsor Factbox

Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Legoland Windsor in 2024:

• Legoland Windsor will be officially open from March 15, 2024, to September 25, 2024
• Located in Windsor, just west of London, the theme park’s full address is Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 4AY
• Trains take half an hour from London Paddington to Windsor via Slough
• Trains from London Waterloo take around an hour and go directly to Windsor
• Tickets should be booked in advance online
• An online saver ticket costs £35 per adult, saving you £33 if you purchased the same ticket at the gate
• Parking is not included in the ticket, and you’ll need to pay £8 for a ticket, although booking in advance will save you £1

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When Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri told journalists before the show that the performance artist and archer SAGG Napoli would be shooting arrows along the catwalk, there was a flicker of concern. Would the front row have to duck for cover?

Fortunately, though Napoli opened the spring/summer 2025 show in dramatic fashion by taking to the catwalk in a one-shoulder leotard and gladiator-like skirt made of strips, accessorised with a huge bow and quiver of arrows, she fired at her target down a clear plastic tunnel along the middle of the catwalk.

Of course, Dior owners LVMH were never going to let someone practise archery unfettered, not least when the front row included Brigitte Macron and Queen Sonja of Norway. Still, it made for an impressive spectacle, and enabled Dior to eke out a little more of the Olympic feelgood factor from the summer’s Paris games, for which LVMH were sponsors.

The Dior show on Tuesday marked the first major day of Paris Fashion Week, along with Kering-owned Saint Laurent in the evening. Both heritage houses were reflecting on womanhood. At Dior, Chiuri said she was inspired by “the mythology of the Amazon woman and how it’s part of our culture”, hence the archery, while at Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello was exploring who the Saint Laurent woman is.

Pinned to the moodboard backstage at Dior were images of an asymmetric 1951 day dress by house founder Christian Dior called the Amazone, a vintage picture of Wonder Woman, a statue of Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, and a graphic Dior Sport logo from 1962.

These different strands of inspiration were woven together in a collection that explored strength, the ways in which femininity is performed, and rethinking classic Dior looks to allow for more freedom and movement. Chiuri said: “The relationship with the body is the work of design.”

It was a largely monochromatic collection, with a sporty focus. One-shoulder tops appeared frequently, presumably in an allusion to the notion that Amazon warrior women cut one breast to make archery easier. Leotards, blazers and shirts came with a single shoulder strap or an exposed shoulder, while leotards with glittering fringes were worn with gladiator-boot trainers. Other utilitarian designs included wide black cargo pants, little bomber jackets with straps and buckles, and jogging bottoms with stripes down the side, but it was a shame not to see more of the elegance and structure with which Dior is synonymous.

There was more of an emphasis on tailoring this season at Saint Laurent, where Vaccarello said backstage that he had listened to an interview with Yves Saint Laurent himself from the early 2000s, in which the late founder said that the Saint Laurent woman is him. So Vacarello took this literally, reinterpreting the kinds of suits, trenchcoats, shirts and ties worn by Yves, for women. The backstage moodboard was covered in photos of Yves, including one in the same pose as a sketch by Andy Warhol, and even fabric samples of tie prints.

This wasn’t the slinky tuxedo tailoring synonymous with Saint Laurent, but more an early ’80s business look. Models walked around an open-air circular catwalk slicked with raindrops, wearing oversized jackets, many double-breasted, with wide-leg trousers in shades of charcoal, sand and beige, teamed with striped shirts and patterned ties.

The ties had an endearingly retro feel to them, recalling everyone from Wall Street execs to less ambitious office workers, and were crying out to be accessorised with huge cordless 1980s phones. This was power dressing, yes, but giving off inner confidence rather than “greed is good” vibes. The styling was key to making this look feel fresh: cuffs were rolled up to reveal blingy bangles, and aviator-style glasses and visor sunglasses added some je ne sais quoi.

But behind the catwalk gloss and a front row that included Catherine Deneuve, Carla Bruni, Gwyneth Paltrow and Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who plays Sylvie in Emily in Paris, the figures have been less convincing recently. Saint Laurent’s revenues were down 7 per cent on a comparable basis at €1.4bn in the first half of the year, part of an overall slowdown at parent company Kering. But this was a strong show and underlined that Saint Laurent has a coherence to its image that many brands can only dream of.

Vaccarello was keen to reflect the different facets of the Saint Laurent woman, naming each look after one of the brand’s muses, and the final section took an about-turn with “an explosion of crazy colours” such as tangerine, sunflower yellow and emerald green, as he referenced the house’s maximal designs from the early 1990s and questioned notions of taste. “I saw a Saint Laurent look in 1993 where at the end of the show the model had a green shirt with black lace,” Vaccarello said. “We think of the 1990s as Helmut Lang and Ann Demeulemeester and minimalism but he [Yves Saint Laurent] never gave up that overdressed woman.”

So short metallic brocade jackets in borderline garish shades of violet and peony pink with gold, and featuring jewelled buttons, were updated with tiered jacquard miniskirts, and models’ hands were jammed nonchalantly in their pockets. Very different from the suiting, but with a common thread of attitude, power and sex appeal that defines the house. It’s not that Vaccarello didn’t already understand who the Saint Laurent woman is, it’s more that he wanted to get to know her even better.

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NOT only is mould damaging for your health to have in your home, it is also an eyesore and can be costly to fix if the issue spreads.

With energy costs still relatively high, it has become a balancing act between avoiding big bills, and heating your home enough to keep the green stuff away.

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So, what is the right temperature to avoid mould building up in your home?

Ideally you will want to maintain a consistent room temperature of around 20°C, and avoid letting it drop below 16°C. 

You should also aim to keep your humidity levels between 30% and 60%, any higher and there is too much moisture in the air.

You can use a thermometer and hygrometer to monitor the temperature and humidity in your home.

While these may sound expensive, in a pleasant surprise you can pick up one of each for a collective total of around £20 from Amazon.

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch, said: “The Energy Saving Trust recommends that people in good health heat their home to between 18 and 21 degrees celsius.

“They also estimate that people can save 10% on their energy bills for every degree they turn down their thermostat, so if you’re trying to keep costs low then do bear this in mind.”

That means if you have your temperature set at the higher end, you can still turn the thermostat down and save cash while keeping mould at bay.

How to prevent and stop mould?

Mould forms because the air holds moisture, which is something anyone who owns a dehumidifier will have seen first hand. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold.

If moist air is cooled by contact with cold surfaces, such as walls, windows or mirrors, the moisture condenses into water droplets, known as condensation.

The result of this condensation is often mould, which primarily affects the airways and lungs, but also has an impact on your eyes and skin. 

In fact, the respiratory effects of damp and mould can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death.

Don’t worry though, preventing mould and removing mould are simple enough processes.

A hack to remove mould involves mixing one part bleach with four parts water, and applying the solution to the mouldy area with a cloth or brush. 

Scrub gently until the mould is gone, then wipe away the bleach and dry the area.

Another tip is to mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bottle and spray the mouldy area. 

Vinegar is a natural mould killer that can help loosen mould from fabric. 

To prevent mould, you want to reduce moisture levels, so simply opening windows and doors to let fresh air in can do the job.

If you are still worried about mould potentially building up in your home, a sure fire way to help prevent it is the use of a dehumidifier.

While these do vary in price, you can pick up a small one from Amazon for within the £40 to £50 range.

Gallizzi said: “As winter arrives, many people dry wet clothes on radiators or airers, but this releases moisture into your home. 

“Try to avoid this where you can or consider using a dehumidifier to remove excess water from the air. This helps to combat condensation and prevent mould growth. 

“As well as plug-in dehumidifiers, you could also try moisture absorbing tabs, which can minimise condensation from building up on your windows.”

Energy bills are set to go up again, so brace yourself

The average household’s annual gas and electricity bill under the July to September 2024 price cap is £1,568, according to government data.

That’s a big drop from the peak of £2,380 we saw between October 2022 and June 2023, but it’s still 29% higher than what we were paying in Winter 2021/22.

But there’s more bad news, the price cap will jump by 10% to £1,717 from October 2024, and experts say it’ll rise another 3% in early 2025.

Right now, gas costs 5.5p per kilowatt hour (kWh) and electricity is 23.4p per kWh, with standing charges at 31.4p a day for gas and 60.1p a day for electricity. 

From September 2024 however, gas prices will climb to 6.2p per kWh and electricity will go up to 24.5p per kWh, with a slight increase in standing charges too.

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Skirted furniture might sit with the “grandmacore” aesthetic, but in recent years it has moved out of the country cottage into more contemporary settings.

Nicholas Jeanes, co-founder of design studio And Objects, points to its Otterbourne Slipper Chair, which is dressed in a geometric Christopher Farr Cloth Fresco fabric. “Fabric choice and colour instantly changes the look and feel of a traditional upholstered chair,” he says of the eye-catching design. Designer Rachel Donath agrees, and recently added fringing to her velvet Allard Ottoman – for a modern twist.

Rachel Donath velvet Allard Ottoman in Jewel Merlot, £610

And Objects Otterbourne Slipper chair in Christopher Farr Cloth fabric, £5,500

But why have skirting at all? “Not only does it eliminate the dead space underneath your furniture,” says Jeanes, “an upholstered skirt provides flow and softens the transition from the main body of the furniture to the floor.” Longer and looser fabric creates even more fluidity – see the lengthy skirt on Trove by Studio Duggan’s Skirted Seven chair that flares out in a voluminous fashion, or Alice Palmer & Co’s pendant wrapped in linen that hangs down in diaphanous folds. Nicola Harding includes a floor-grazing ruffle around the base of her Curtain Call sofa as a decorative detail that finishes the piece beautifully.

But skirts don’t have to be flouncy. Pierre Augustin Rose’s white Froufrou ottoman features neat, flat pleats lending simple elegance, while Ceraudo completes its footstools with a cute frilly flourish available in checks, dots, stripes and a diamond pattern. Co-founder Victoria Ceraudo has always loved skirting. “It breaks up the overall form of the furniture,” she concludes, “and creates a warm and inviting interior to cosy down in.”