February 24, 2020
Acas publishes advice on handling coronavirus at work
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Acas has published new advice to help employers understand their workers’ rights and how to handle the impact of the virus. The guidance includes tips on how to deal with sick pay, staff in quarantine and staff who do not want to come into work due to fears over catching the coronavirus. It also looks at what to do if the virus spreads widely in the UK or if a business needs to shut temporarily. More →
Today is the first productive day of the year for UK employees, according to new research which claims 38 working days were lost, on average, by each employee last year due to physical and mental health related absence and presenteeism. The study puts the cost to businesses and the economy of these lost days (which in reality are of course spread out across the whole year) at £91.9bn in 2019, an increase of more than £10bn on 2018. 
A new analysis of the UK’s job market claims there were 52 percent fewer available jobs listed for professionals with technology skills at the end of 2019, compared to six months earlier. 
The European Commission has put forward a strategy to promote the development of AI and robotics while putting people first and defending European values and rights. The strategy acknowledges that AI can open up new opportunities for businesses and bring solutions to challenges such as climate change. However, it aims to address the social, legal and ethical impact of new technology. 
Nine in ten freelancers in the UK feel the move to freelancing has improved their quality of life, a
Insider data breaches are a major concern for 97 percent of IT leaders, according to new research. About three quarters believe that employees have put data at risk in the past 12 months accidentally (78 percent) or intentionally (75 percent). When asked about the implications of these breaches, more than two in five said financial damage would be the area of greatest impact. 
Employees use just 38 percent of their knowledge and expertise at work, meaning organisations are failing to unlock even half of the brainpower of their people, research has claimed. According to the survey of more than 1,000 UK and US “knowledge workers” by 
Global spending on smart cities initiatives will total about $124 billion this year, an increase of nearly a fifth on 2019, a new 
Each flexible coworking space created in a smaller town or suburban area reduces carbon emissions by an average of 118 tonnes a year thanks to shorter commutes, an international 
Slow progress is being made towards more women on boards across Europe and less gender pay disparity, a study has suggested. According to 
Rents for new, Grade A office space are likely to rise in many parts of London this year, a property consultancy has predicted. According to 
