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EU approves major funding increase for new circular economy and clean energy projects

EU approves major funding increase for new circular economy and clean energy projects

The European Commission has approved more than €380 million of funding for 168 new projects across Europe as part of its LIFE Programme for the environment and climate action. As part of the European Green Deal, it believes that the projects funded can help the EU become climate-neutral by 2050 and reach climate, energy and environmental goals. They aim to support biodiversity, nature restoration and a circular economy while contributing to the clean energy transition across the continent. More →

Half of small business owners have no fixed working hours at all

Half of small business owners have no fixed working hours at all

A smiling small business owner works at a laptop with coffeeA new report from Samsung suggests that the stereotype of the typical small business owners as a person who work around the clock is outdated. Around half of full-time business owners in the UK say they have no fixed work hours at all, preferring a fluid workday set up. One-third (31 percent) of business owners also said they commit to fewer than 7 hours as a typical core working day, preferring to work when optimal to their businesses. More →

HR profession should rebrand and shift its focus, claims a new report

HR profession should rebrand and shift its focus, claims a new report

A group of people bump fists to illustrate the challenges facing the HR professionThe time has come to re-brand the human resources profession and shift its focus from processes to people, a new report from Sage claims. The authors claim the study emphasises the scale of the challenge facing teams, with 92 percent of executives believing the perceived value of human resources is a challenge for the profession.  The poll of more than 1,000 HR and C-suite leaders working in SMBs across six of the world’s largest economies also highlights that 81 percent of human resources professionals are feeling burnt out and 62 percent are considering leaving the industry.  More →

People become dysfunctional in the face of restrictive management controls

People become dysfunctional in the face of restrictive management controls

A wooden mannequin to illustrate the issue of management controlsEmployees who perceive management controls to be restrictive and punitive will develop dysfunctional and negative responses to the organisation where they work, according to a new study involving the University of East Anglia (UEA). These responses might be observed through what the researchers call ‘workplace deviance’ – for example absenteeism, reducing effort, daydreaming, taking longer breaks – and turning a blind eye, also referred to as ‘deliberate ignorance’ by the research team from the UK and Spain. More →

Vast majority of unemployed over-50s planning to return to work

Vast majority of unemployed over-50s planning to return to work

An exclusive survey of over 50s by the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library, claims that an overwhelming 91 percent of inactive workers in the age bracket intend to return to work.  The Office for National statistics (ONS) recently revealed that the number of people aged 50-64 who are economically inactive has increased by 3.6 million, a rise of 10 percent since before the pandemic and the survey results support this with 41.5 percent reporting that they either left a job or have been out of work since then, but a turnaround looks imminent. More →

Plans for largest datacentre in Europe approved by London council

Plans for largest datacentre in Europe approved by London council

A rendering of the plans for the datacentre in HaveringHavering Council has agreed to move forward with the £5.3bn East Havering project, which will bring Europe’s largest datacentre to the borough in Greater London, delivering a major piece of national infrastructure. The Cabinet agreed for the council and its prospective partner, Digital Reef, to continue to develop the proposals to bring forward the site. This decision means the Council in its capacity as Local Planning Authority can begin to take a view on the appropriate planning route for this project. More →

Two thirds of employees are now worried about paying for essentials

Two thirds of employees are now worried about paying for essentials

As real time pay fails to keep up with rising costs and soaring inflation, employees are increasingly anxious about their financial situation. And employers are failing to keep up according to a new survey from Personio. The poll suggests that over two thirds (69 percent) of employees are worried or stressed about their ability to pay for essentials if the economy worsens over the coming months. A further 22 percent are concerned about losing their job whilst a fifth (20 percent) are worried they will need to take on a second job to support themselves. More →

Younger workers turn to friends rather than colleagues for career advice

Younger workers turn to friends rather than colleagues for career advice

A painting of two people sharing a drink and some career adviceA new poll from Right Management, claims that British office workers aged 18-24 years are much more likely to turn to friends in similar jobs for career advice, than to seek guidance from their immediate manager or any other colleagues (older or younger) in their team. After two years of remote and hybrid working impacting on office life, younger workers who need career guidance are more likely (38.1 percent) to turn to their friends in similar jobs for advice, whereas all other working age groups (those aged 25+) prioritise getting their career advice directly from their immediate manager. More →

Flexible working takes a step back in face of economic certainty

Flexible working takes a step back in face of economic certainty

A woman working at home to illustrate flexible workingAs economic storm clouds gather, the flexibility and freedoms introduced during the pandemic that employees benefited from are now at risk according to a new study conducted by LinkedIn. It claims that in the UK, the current economic and business climate is causing concern among business leader that companies will be forced to wind back progress on important areas of working life such as flexible working (75 percent), skills development (76 percent), and employee wellbeing (83 percent). More →

Digital skills shortage costs the UK economy £12.8 billion

Digital skills shortage costs the UK economy £12.8 billion

digital skillsWith more than 5 million Brits unable to carry out simple online tasks like sending emails or using the internet, new research reveals UK workers are missing out on additional earnings of £5.69 billion due to a lack of digital skills according to Virgin Media O2 and economic modelling from Cebr. As the UK faces ongoing economic instability and with an uncertain jobs market, the research claims that a lack of adequate digital skills could exacerbate problems being faced by cash-strapped Brits struggling to make ends meet. More than a third of Brits (34 percent) feel a lack of digital skills training has held back their earning potential already, and almost a third say they need digital skills so they can shop around for deals and save money – amid rising anxiety over the cost of living.   More →

Working habits are changing in response to cost of living increases

Working habits are changing in response to cost of living increases

commuters in London to illustrate changing working habitsThe so-called cost of living crisis is having a fundamental impact on people’s working habits, according to Beamery’s latest Talent Index – Sixth Edition. Almost a third (29 percent) of workers polled for the report are now avoiding the office because of the increasing cost of travel whilst another third cited (31 percent) they were considering leaving their jobs completely due to lack of salary increases. More →

Office utilisation in US returning to pre-pandemic levels, but structural changes remain

Office utilisation in US returning to pre-pandemic levels, but structural changes remain

office utilisation returning to normal?A new report from JLL claims that utilisation rates of US offices are returning to something closer to those of the pre-pandemic world, although hybrid working remains a far more widespread working practice than before. In addition, the focus of the market is shifting away from major city centres towards smaller, regional towns and cities. The US Office Outlook Report [registration] also suggests that higher quality office space is essential as lower grade offices are more likely to remain abandoned. More →