Rum

Bacardí Raspberry & Lemonade

2 parts Bacardí Raspberry 4 parts lemonade

Build all ingredients in a highball glass over cubed ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

By infusing citrus and raspberry fl avours to a white rum base, Bacardí Raspberry offers a mouth-watering mixture of sweet and tart

created by the Maestros de Ron that provides a light base for Bacardi Coconut. The rum and fruit fl avours are left to marry and purifi ed water is then added to bring the product to bottling strength. Before bottling, the product

Bacardí Coconut delivers an intense fl avour of creamy coconut with refreshing aromas of coconut water

is fi ltered to create a well-rounded and balanced fl avour.

Bacardí Raspberry Rum: Made with allnatural fl avours, Bacardí Raspberry Flavoured Rum infuses citrus and raspberry fl avours to a white rum base creating a mouth-watering mixture of sweet and tart.

Bacardí Spiced: This is blended with natural fl avours and spices for a bold, yet smooth taste. A caramel-like vanilla fl avour with subtle notes of almond and dried, dark fruits rounded out by cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of honey creates a balanced rum with a hint of smokiness.

Bacardí Spiced Rum: A rum rested for a minimum of one year in specially selected charred American Oak barrels to impart a hint of smokiness, then shaped through a secret blend of spices.

*(Source: Nielsen and CGA Trade data to December 2021 including discounters)

Bridge between heritage and new ways

Plantation Rum and its iconic raffi a-wrapped bottles are found at the world’s most prestigious tables and bars. Each expression showcases the fl avours of a specifi c heritage and terroir whose double-ageing technique has become a trademark. As per centuries’ old tradition, Plantation Rum is fi rst aged in the tropics, then further aged in French Oak casks in Cognac, France.

A bridge between rum’s heritage and new ways, Plantation Rum’s home at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados is the epitome of resurrecting ancestral techniques to preserve rum excellence.

Thanks to its originality and quality, the Plantation range has won the hearts of rum lovers around the world. Expressions like Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple (named three times the best spirit in the world) and Barbados XO 20th Anniversary have become classics.

Alexandre Gabriel, Plantation’s founder and master blender, is a committed perfectionist, and his near-constant research unearths historical production techniques that he shares with his equally committed team. Today, Gabriel is recognised as a standard bearer among the great distillers and cellar masters.

Plantation Rum is imported in Ireland by Intrepid Spirits and distributed by Classic Drinks and Celtic Whiskey Shop. It can be found at Celtic Whiskey Shop, Irish Drinks Shop and Molloy’s Liquor Stores.

Apple pie in a glass

Award-winning Symphonia Apple Rum takes white rum from the sun-kissed islands of the Caribbean and infuses it with local Jonagold apples grown in the orchard of Ireland. To this heavenly mixture, Symphonia adds the essence of a local botanical that imparts the spicy fl avours of nutmeg and cloves to the apple, making this golden spirit taste like apple pie in a glass.

By doing this, Symphonia believes it perfectly captures its vision: to remain true to the purity of science and nature by capturing fl avours and fragrances of botanicals to make the besttasting spirits in the most eco-effi cient way.

For more information, visit; www.symphoniaspirits.com.

Distilling the heart of the Caribbean

The Wild Geese premium spirits collection features multi-award-winning rums including; Untamed Non Chill Filtered Cask Strength, Golden Caribbean Spiced, The Wild Geese Golden Rum and the Wild Geese Premium Rum, voted World’s Best Golden Rum at The World Rum Awards and double gold at the Madrid International Rum Conference.

Made with Jamaican pot-still and rums from Barbados, Trinidad St. Lucia and Guyana, The Wild Geese rum collection distils the heart of the Caribbean into every bottle. Subtle spice comes from Barbados, with Jamaica adding a robust note and rich, sweet depth coming from Guyana. Rums from Trinidad and St. Lucia perfect the blend, adding hearty, spicy soul and fl oral fl avours to this uniquely versatile range of rums which are aged between fi ve to eight years in ex-bourbon barrels.

This versality means The Wild Geese Rum collection is perfect for both drinking neat or in a host of bespoke cocktails, many of which have been curated by Simone Caporale of London’s world-famous Artesian Bar; several times voted World’s Best Bar. Caporale’s recipes and many more can be found on The Wild Geese – Irish Premium Spirits Collection YouTube channel.

For more information, visit; www.irishpremiumspirits.eu.

For distribution details, visit; www.protege-international.com. ■

CAROLINE REIDY

managing director, The HR Suite

Tackling sensitive conversations

The HR Suite’s Caroline Reidy provides guidance for managers on the best way to conduct conversations with employees who may be experiencing mental health challenges or other sensitive issues

As the years progress and stigmas regarding mental health and other sensitive issues for employees are reducing, managers may fi nd themselves having conversations with their employees which they have little experience or confi dence in approaching. This article aims to provide guidance to managers in tackling sensitive conversations they may face with their employees.

Firstly, it is advisable that all companies have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that an employee can avail of should they require it. An EAP offers support and guidance to employees who may be experiencing diffi culties that impact their work and personal lives. An EAP is a confi dential resource that employers often provide.

Adopt individual approach

It is important when managers are approaching sensitive conversations, they are mindful they are not professionally trained to support or advise an employee should the situation require professional advice or support beyond their capabilities. If the topic being discussed requires professional advice, they should advise employees of the supports available to them or provide guidance on who best to contact. As a manager, you can only control the workplace and provide any support or fl exibility they may require within your control.

When tackling sensitive conversations managers should be mindful that everyone’s experience is different. Two people with the same condition or same issues may have completely different mechanisms of coping, different signs of symptoms and different types of communication methods in expressing themselves. As a result, it is important that managers deal with people on an individual basis and that they don’t adopt a universal approach for all employees.

Maintain approachability

Key in tackling any sensitive conversation is that as a manager you are approachable. Ensuring managers have regular catch-ups with their employees creates the ability to have open conversations and enforces a level of trust where employees feel comfortable in approaching their manager about sensitive issues. Fostering an open and supportive culture within the company or amongst a team ensures the culture and team dynamic is a positive, open one.

It is important that any sensitive conversation is held in a confi dential setting where no other colleagues may interrupt but also a location where the employee feels at ease. You should ensure there are no interruptions or distractions during the conversation, make sure mobile phones are switched off, notifi cations on laptops or tablets are silenced etc. This will ensure the employee is comfortable and is reassured they have your full attention. A good starting point of the conversation is to simply ask “how are you?”. At all times throughout the conversation, questions should be open, simple and non-judgmental.

As a manager, maintaining good eye contact with the employee and speaking calmly at all times during the conversation are both important to put the employee at ease. You should acknowledge their words by way of a simple head nod or verbally in short words to show understanding and empathy throughout the conversation. It is important during any sensitive conversation that the manager is actively listening and fully engaged with the employee for the duration of the conversation. You may not be able to provide professional advice on the issue, however, the employee will feel listened to and supported in their workplace.

Ensuring as a manager you are patient with the employee is very important. As highlighted previously, each person deals with things differently and it may take one employee longer to say everything they need to say. You should gather as many details as possible regarding the situation to establish how best to support or direct the employee depending on the nature of the conversation.

Put supports in place

Your focus should always be on the person and not the actual problem; remember you are not trained to provide professional advice should they require this. Ask the employee what support they feel may help. Ask if there is anything you can do work-wise to help. Actively listen when the employee speaks; if it involves any work-related changes, for example, reducing their workload and it is something which you can do, advise them that you will do this and put the required supports in place. Ask if they have spoken to their GP already. Following this, you may suggest they consult their GP or provide the employee with any additional supports or programmes the company may offer or any public services you feel they may benefi t from.

During such a conversation, the manager should reassure the employee that anything discussed will be in confi dence unless they deem an immediate risk or danger to the employee or any colleagues, based on the information being discussed.

Where possible it is advisable that managers follow up in writing with the employee about any agreed work supports you discussed during the conversation and ensure that there is a follow-through on anything you mentioned in the meeting. As a manager you should regularly check in with the employee afterwards to see how they are doing and if there is anything further you can do going forward. ■

During a sensitive conversation, it is important to maintain good eye contact and speak calmly at all times to put the employee at ease

CONTACT THE HR SUITE:

If you require further information or advice on HR, please do not hesitate to contact The HR Suite’s consultants on (01) 9014335 or (066) 7102887 or email the company at info@thehrsuiteonline.com.

BARRY WHELAN

managing director of Excel Recruitment

www.excelrecruitment.com

Management mistakes to avoid!

Continuing last month’s series on management mistakes, Excel Recruitment’s Barry Whelan outlines 13 more errors managers should avoid in the pursuit of keeping staff members happy, motivated and productive

When candidates come to Excel Recruitment looking for a new role, we zone in on their ‘reason for leaving’. We want to understand completely why the candidate wants to move job, so that we can fi nd the right new job for them. One of the reasons that comes up consistently in the top fi ve is frustration with a manager or poor management. Here are the second set of the top bad management mistakes that can drive an employee out the door.

For all those managers out there interested in improving their ability to manage others, take heart in the fact that you’re only human. I know I for one have made every single one of these management mistakes at some point or another in my career.

Let’s start with another personal favourite of mine!

1) Belittle their team over things, both signifi cant and insignifi cant

When a soft deadline is missed, this manager raises it at a staff meeting by throwing their hands up and remarking about how everyone’s incompetence will ensure the closure of the organisation! The dramatic manager who makes mountains out of molehills is a prime example of a bad manager. While a good manager should never ‘lose it’ with the team, they may be forgiven for doing so in a crisis, but not for something insignifi cant.

2) Passive aggressiveness: Reminding the team of the power they hold over them

This manager does things like often making “jokes” about fi ring people, then laughs it off, like they want to show their team that they have a great sense of humour, but, at its heart, this behaviour is bullying.

3) Active aggressiveness

In a team huddle, this manager makes comments such as: “I know you have all performed really well and the business is performing, but we are only as good as last month and if anyone drops the ball, they will know about it.” Using direct threats and fear as motivation does not have a place in modern professional management.

4) Cross personal boundaries

The risk of crossing personal boundaries arises easily in social occasions involving work. How many employees have woken up the morning after the dreaded offi ce Christmas party with a completely different impression of their manager, who drank too much with the staff or became their pal at the party, before reverting to the previous relationship status come Monday morning as the boss.

5) Physically invade people’s spaces

No physical contact is permissible anymore. If a member of staff is upset in front of their manager, while human nature might illicit a response like a hug, this is a no-no. A bad manager invades an employee’s space. The employee takes a step back and they take a step forward. An employee asks for personal space, and they don’t give it and stand too close when talking.

6) Delegate autonomy, without meaning it

They tell you they want you to make the decision. They don’t want to be involved or indeed need to be, because you have the experience, and you are driving this project. They then take your decision, and go and change everything, without bothering to explain why. This is so defl ating for staff.

7) Play favourites with team members, and make it obvious

This manager takes the same team member out for lunch every week; they make a big deal of their birthday, but not others. They play favourites and do not operate in a fair and equitable manner. This causes resentment and a poor team environment.

10) Criticise team members in front of their team

A critical tool of performance management is to criticise a team member away from their peers. This should be done outside of the process. Criticism should be given one-on-one and should always be constructive. Whilst public humiliation means everyone gets to learn, it is a sure way to make an employee have a browse through job boards.

11) Become defensive at the slightest constructive feedback

The bad manager asks for feedback in meetings and then bullies and belittles everyone who opens their mouth. Then when people don’t contribute to meetings, they act passive aggressive about it: “I guess no-one has anything to add and we’ll just have to go with my plan.”

12) Multi-task while interacting with others

This behaviour of a bad manager is very insulting to the team member. Clearing email while in an important conversation or taking calls midmeeting makes team members feel their input is not respected or indeed needed.

13) Take credit for employees’ ideas and work

No decision is made, or action is taken, that isn’t the idea of the manager. A bad manager will only carry out an idea that they believe is their own. How many managers have you had whereby you had to make them believe an idea was theirs to get it implemented! ■