October 26, 2023

Hybrid working and technology are key drivers of change for organisations, claims report

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The latest findings from the CIPD’s People Profession 2023: UK and Ireland survey report, which surveyed 1,456 HR and workplace professionals across the UK, show that technology and hybrid working have had a significant impact on their roles and organisations. The report found that rapidly evolving technology, like generative AI, is having an impact on people teams as well as the wider business. Over half of UK people professionals, 55 percent, surveyed believe that advancing technology is transforming the way HR teams operate and deliver in their role.

October 25, 2023

Not even a third of employees say they feel engaged at work

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Less than one-third of employees report they are engaged, enthusiastic and energised by their work, according to a new report from Gartner. The survey was showcased during the Gartner ReimagineHR Conference, which took place this week. Gartner defines engagement in three ways: employees feeling energised; employees finding purpose in their work; employees feeling empowered to do valuable work. More →

October 23, 2023

People who work full time from an office now outnumber hybrid workers

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

British workers who come into the office every day to work now outnumber those who spend part of the week working from home, for the first time since the end of pandemic restrictions, according to a new survey from recruitment firm Hays. Of nearly 15,000 white-collar staff and employers who took part in the poll last month, around 43 per cent said they were now working entirely from the office, up from 36 per cent a year earlier. Meanwhile the proportion of people who said they spend some time working from home, fell to 39 per cent from 43 per cent in 2022. Fewer than one in five now work entirely remotely. More →

October 20, 2023

Many people would take a pay cut for more flexible working and shorter hours

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Two thirds of British workers would be prepared to take a pay cut for an overall better job according to a poll from the hiring platform Indeed. A survey of over 5,000 workers for its Better Work 2023 report found a desire for greater flexibility and less time at work is driving this trend, with a four-day work week (28 percent), a better work life balance (25 percent) and more flexible working opportunities (17 percent) the most likely factors to encourage Brits to take a pay cut. The mean pay cut workers surveyed are willing to take is 9.2 percent. Given the average salary for UK workers is £33,000, that means the average worker is willing to take a pay cut of £3,036 per annum for a better job. More →

October 19, 2023

Books, smiles and house plants make the best impression on Zoom calls. But maybe not that particular book

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

A new study by psychologists at Durham University claims that the best way to create a good first impression on Zoom calls or in any virtual meeting, is a visual background of house plants and books, especially when they are real. In the recent paper published in the Journal PLOS ONE, Associate Professor Paddy Ross and colleagues from Department of Psychology, investigated what really matters when it comes to making the best and worst first impressions in a virtual meeting environment. More →

October 17, 2023

Successful startup founders exhibit similar personality traits, but they rely on variety in teams

by Neil Franklin • Business, News

New research from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the University of Melbourne suggests that start-up founders have distinct personality traits, and they’re more important to the success of their companies than previously thought. While good fortune and circumstances can play a part, new research reveals that when it comes to start-up success, a founder’s personality – or the combined personalities of the founding team – is paramount. More →

October 12, 2023

Remote workers and working mums can kiss promotion at work goodbye

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Remote and hybrid workers are being excluded in the workplace, according to a new poll from workingmums.co.uk. Figures from the organisation’s annual survey suggest that 43 percent of mothers who work remotely feel they have been overlooked for promotion and work opportunities, whilst almost a third (29 percent) say they don’t feel fully included at work. The research also reveals that whilst pay is now the biggest retention driver for mums, flexible working comes in a close second, significantly more important than both benefits and rights. Almost three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) say flexible working is a deal breaker in taking a new job, and over half (52 percent) have turned down a position due to lack of flexibility. More →

October 10, 2023

Half of workers are either bored or knackered

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Almost half of employees are either bored or exhausted and many are both, according to new research from emlyon business school and published in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour [paywall]. The study, conducted by Lotta Harju, Professor of Work and Organisational Psychology at emlyon business school, investigated the prevalence and persistence of boredom and exhaustion manifest among Finnish and UK workers. Nowhere in the paper do the researchers use the term ‘knackered’. That’s down to us. More →

October 10, 2023

Employers struggling to keep pace with AI adoption

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology

While the use of AI tools in the workplace is rapidly increasing, many organisations are lagging in providing guidance and training in the use of these technologies, according to new survey commissioned by Ricoh Europe. This governance gap comes amidst growing interest within companies to implement automation solutions. The poll of 6,000 workers across Europe, conducted by Opinium, suggests there is a gap between workers’ use of emerging technologies and organisations’ efforts to support and manage that usage. More →

October 9, 2023

Organisations routinely undervalue and overlook talent of older workers

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New data from Generation, an employment non-profit, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), claims that employers need to radically rethink how they approach midcareer and older workers. The Midcareer Opportunity: Meeting the challenges of an ageing workforce report outlines insights from OECD data and from an eight-country survey of thousands of employers, job seekers, and employees in Europe and the US. The research in Europe was funded by Google.org, and in the United States by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. More →

October 9, 2023

SMEs turn to AI and acquisitions to navigate an uncertain future

by Neil Franklin • AI, Business, News, Technology

More than half of all business leaders (55 percent) believe that the overall economic conditions in the UK and Ireland have worsened compared to a year ago. Yet, 58 percent of SMEs anticipate an increase in their firm’s sales revenues over the next 12 months; while nearly half (47 percent) expect profitability to improve within a year and 47 percent of SMEs are confident that their firm’s total number of employees will grow in the next 12 months. Business leaders are planning to invest more in AI and acquisitions to help them navigate an uncertain future. More →

October 5, 2023

New study reveals deteriorating employee wellbeing and eroding trust in employer efforts

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing • Tags: Wellbeing, Workplace

A new study from Alight reveals that 64 percent of the UK workforce would rate their overall wellbeing as low. This comes at a time where economic headwinds, budget cuts and remote work has created a feeling of uncertainty in the UK workforce, heightening the urgency for employers to act fast or compromise employee wellbeing.