February 15, 2022

The opportunities and challenges of new technologies for AML

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Technology

Back in 2021 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put out a paper on the opportunities and challenges that new technologies are bringing to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) efforts. If you are unaware of who the FATF is it may be worth your while to investigate farther into it. For now, though, let it be known that they are an independent inter-governmental body that defines the rules and procedures that need to be in place to prevent these two criminal activities. More →

January 21, 2022

Employment opportunities denied to people from low socioeconomic backgrounds

by Neil Franklin • HR, Jobs, News

Over 50 percent of UK job seekers from low socioeconomic backgrounds miss out on employment opportunities, claims a study of over 2,200 people. The survey (registration), from EdTec startup Forage suggests that employers must refine their social mobility initiatives to achieve a fair recruitment process for all. More →

September 7, 2021

Stronger profit margins and job opportunities as demand for facilities management increases

by Jayne Smith • Business, Facilities management, News

Workloads, profit margins and employment opportunities are set to continue to grow for the year ahead due to increasing demand for facilities management services, according to the latest RICS UK Facilities Management Market Survey. More →

August 10, 2021

Mid-Senior Level jobs offer the best remote work opportunities

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

Scotland and Wales are the two UK countries where the most companies offer remote work positions at 2.96 percent and 2.48 percent respectively, according to a new study by the AA. More →

July 8, 2021

Climate Commission launched to identify green investment opportunities

by Jayne Smith • Environment, News

The new UK Cities Climate Investment Commission begins work to identify Green Investment opportunities across UK Cities. Cities, investment and innovation experts have launched a Commission which begins the process of identifying a transformational programme of Green Growth for the UK’s cities. More →

January 14, 2021

2021 presents the tech sector with once in a generation opportunities

by Uta Dresch • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

The COVID-19 pandemic left businesses in an unprecedented position of having to rapidly adapt workplace practices and implement new processes at a moment’s notice. Of course, those companies that were already accustomed to home office set-ups and flexible hours were in a much better place to adapt to these changing circumstances. However, not all businesses were prepared for the sudden change to work routines. More →

November 4, 2020

Upskilling opportunities during lockdown: UK employers miss the mark

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working lives

According to new research from Pluralsight, Inc. (NASDAQ: PS), the technology skills and engineering management platform, 43 percent of UK office workers are worried they will be left behind as companies seek new skills to cope with the rapid pace of change. Yet, despite these upskilling concerns, 47 percent have neglected learning any new skills since the lockdown began in the UK on March 23rd. More →

March 11, 2019

Northern English cities held back by lack of opportunities for low skilled workers

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News

Despite higher living costs, southern English cities such as Oxford and Exeter lead the country in their ability to provide opportunities for people with low skills. A new report from the Centre for Cities on low-skilled workers claims that employment opportunities are greater for people with fewer or no qualifications in southern English cities than those in the North or Midlands. The report Opportunity Knocks? claims that, despite higher living costs in cities in southern England, their stronger economies create significantly more jobs for people with fewer qualifications. More →

March 5, 2019

Digital transformation offers great opportunities for firms, but at a risk

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Wellbeing

Digital technology can improve our lives but it also poses a major risk of widening social inequality and blocking opportunities for people without the skills to navigate the online world safely, according to a new OECD report. A mix of technical, emotional and social skills is a pre-condition for people to combine their digital and real lives in a balanced way, and to avoid the mental health problems and other risks linked to abuses of online technologies, the report says.

December 5, 2018

The war for talent is over and we need to face up to new opportunities and challenges

by David Corcoran • Comment, HR

The ‘War for Talent’ is a concept which has dominated the industry for the last twenty years and has shaped how many organisations view talent acquisition around the world. But perhaps this war is already over. As initially reported by McKinsey & Company in 1998, the war for talent explored the challenges businesses face when attracting, retaining and developing talent. While talent acquisition is a fundamental foundation for any business looking to grow, after twenty years, recent studies have reported a seismic shift from this ‘War for Talent’ to a ‘War for Skills.’

November 27, 2018

Older workers would like more flexible working opportunities

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, Wellbeing

A survey carried out on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has found that the majority of workers aged over 50 would ‘welcome more flexibility’ in the workplace. The survey, which polled more than 12,000 workers over the age of 50, revealed that 78 percent would like ‘more flexible hours’. A further 73 percent want to see more part-time positions being offered, while 63 percent wish for more training schemes to help them use new technology and gain new skills.

November 21, 2018

Career opportunities with SMEs are growing, but graduates not convinced

by Sara Bean • Cities, HR, News

Small and mid-sized businesses have hired three times more people than larger businesses over the past five years and could overtake large companies by 2030, according to new analysis of the latest ONS data commissioned by Santander Business Banking. However, separate research commissioned by the bank has found that significant numbers of young people are failing to recognise the significant job opportunities that SMEs offer. Just a third (35 percent) of Generation Z and Millennials leaving full time education say they wish to work for an SME, while an even smaller proportion, just one in six (18 percent), want to work for a start-up or micro business. More →