About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

Posts by Neil Franklin:

If you want people to feel fulfilled at work, you’d better cough up

If you want people to feel fulfilled at work, you’d better cough up

According to a new poll from United Culture, salary is what makes most people feel fulfilled at workAccording to a new poll from United Culture, salary is what makes most people feel fulfilled at work. More than half of employees (55 percent) ranked it as their key consideration, ahead of ‘softer’ factors such as doing something worthwhile (41 percent), or working with people they like (39 percent). It also ranks significantly higher than opportunities that will play out over the longer term, such as having a clear sense of career progression (37 percent). More →

Council employees working from home are committing fraud with second job

Council employees working from home are committing fraud with second job

The UK Government’s National Fraud Initiative is looking into a number of local authority employees who have been caught ‘moonlighting’ while they were supposed to be working from home for the councilThe UK Government’s National Fraud Initiative is looking into a number of local authority employees who have been caught ‘moonlighting’ while they were supposed to be working from home for the council. The NFI considers this a form of fraud because it is seen as working multiple contracts without the knowledge of employers and contrary to their terms of employment. Multiple contract working is seen as fraud when people who are paid to work full time, split their days between two or more employers without their knowledge. More →

Appetite for hybrid working shows no sign of letting up at large firms

Appetite for hybrid working shows no sign of letting up at large firms

companies have been posting hybrid working related roles in record numbers, according to a new report from GlobalDataThe ongoing advancements in technology have made remote collaboration more feasible and seamless than ever before. Collaboration tools have become essential in ensuring the coexistence of the digital and physical workplace, both internally with employees and externally with clients. And in 2023, companies have been posting hybrid working related roles in record numbers, according to a new report from GlobalData. More →

Business leaders who screw up struggle to own up and learn from their mistakes

Business leaders who screw up struggle to own up and learn from their mistakes

Leaders making mistakes can be costly not only to the organisation, but also to their own job security, which makes it difficult for them to admit when there’s been an error. However, new research from emlyon business school shows that there are some techniques CEOs can use to frame these mistakes, in order to ensure they keep their jobs, but also make changes in their organisation. When there is this clear trade-off between admitting a mistake and potentially losing power and control in the organisation, it is important that CEOs use their language effectively to create a safe space for themselves in the organisation – but how can they do so? More →

Most business leaders think generative AI will be a boon for employees

Most business leaders think generative AI will be a boon for employees

Four out of five (81 percent) business leaders in the UK say Generative AI will benefit their employees, according to new research from LinkedInFour out of five (81 percent) business leaders in the UK say Generative AI will benefit their employees, according to new research from LinkedIn. The top ways that UK executives believe Generative AI will benefit employees is by removing boring, repetitive tasks (64 percent), increasing productivity (52 percent) and freeing up time for bigger and more creative thinking (59 percent), according to the poll. One in three (31 percent) also believe that the rise of Generative AI will create brand new roles at their organisation. More →

People seconded from other roles come up with the best ideas

People seconded from other roles come up with the best ideas

Seconded employees - employees temporarily assigned to a different role, organisation, or department - choose more innovative ideas and influence permanent staff to do the sameSeconded employees – employees temporarily assigned to a different role, organisation, or department – develop more innovative ideas and influence permanent staff to do the same, according to new research from ESMT Berlin and published in the Strategic Management Journal. Despite the motivation to select new ideas, individuals and organisations often still reject or overlook them. These ideas can be difficult to understand, risky, and challenging as their inherent uncertainty makes it harder to predict reception and usage. More →

Most women say menstruation symptoms have a negative impact on their work

Most women say menstruation symptoms have a negative impact on their work

more than two thirds (69 percent) of women have a negative experience at work because of their menstruation symptomsThe latest findings from the CIPD’s report Menstruation and support at work, which surveyed more than 2,000 women, found that more than two thirds (69 percent) of women have a negative experience at work because of their menstruation symptoms. In response, the CIPD is calling on organisations to create awareness, tackle the stigma associated with menstruation and train managers to be confident, comfortable and inclusive when talking to employees about menstrual health. More →

The Workplace Cocktail Hour with Jo Sutherland and Esme Banks-Marr

The Workplace Cocktail Hour with Jo Sutherland and Esme Banks-Marr

Mark Eltringham is joined for a glass of red wine (or two) by Esme Banks-Marr of BVN architects and Jo Sutherland of Magenta. They discuss the joys of shared space, when people should tell AI to FO, the limits of workplace design, how to create a great culture wherever people work and much more. More →

Half of people say they are less productive in coworking spaces

Half of people say they are less productive in coworking spaces

According to a new survey from software marketplace Capterra, 83 percent of UK coworking and other flexible office spaces are currently occupied. Companies say they are drawn to coworking spaces for cost reductions (38 percent), flexibility (30 percent), and shared amenities (27 percent). However around 53 percent of people who work in flex space say they are less productive in such spaces, 35 percent of respondents appreciate the collaborative atmosphere and the locations and facilities these spaces can provide and 38 percent say they are  concerned about confidentiality and privacy. More →

Anger is an energy when it comes to getting things done

Anger is an energy when it comes to getting things done

Anger may have the public image of a negative emotion, but it can also be a powerful motivator when it comes to achieving important goalsAnger may have the public image of a negative emotion, but it can also be a powerful motivator when it comes to achieving important goals, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. To better understand the role of anger in achieving goals, researchers conducted a series of experiments involving more than 1,000 participants and analysed survey data from more than 1,400 respondents. In each experiment, researchers elicited either an emotional response (such as anger, amusement, desire or sadness) or a neutral emotional state, and then presented participants with a challenging goal. The research was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. More →

People spending more time in offices in search of social interaction

People spending more time in offices in search of social interaction

Office workers now spend more time in the office, with the average creeping up to three and a half days per week compared to three days in 2022, according to a new report from international law firm, Gowling WLG. The report, titled Strategic moves: why the office is now a business-critical decision [registration], surveyed senior representatives responsible for making office lease decisions in companies, and a selection of office workers. It identifies that a more permanent approach to office usage is now emerging, as the shadow of the pandemic recedes, as well as demonstrating the changing metrics being applied by occupiers to decisions relating to premises requirements and the more complex environment for landlord asset management. More →

Firms make lots of noise about social mobility but don’t always act on it

Firms make lots of noise about social mobility but don’t always act on it

Social mobility: UK employers disproportionately focused on outreach to working-class candidates rather than recruiting and retaining them A new report on social mobility, conducted by the charity Making The Leap, claims that only a third of employers (35 percent) took any action on the retention and inclusion of job candidates from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds (LSEB) candidates this year. This is down from 53 percent in 2022, showing a significant decline in prioritising a key element of social mobility, and significantly lower than those that say they are focussed on recruiting candidates. More →