About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

Posts by Neil Franklin:

Three quarters of people want to work for a firm with a good reputation

Three quarters of people want to work for a firm with a good reputation

Ethical behaviourOver three quarters of people (76 percent) want to work for firms with a good reputation, according to the latest business reputation survey “Everyone’s Business” by the CBI, in collaboration with Porter Novelli and Opinium. Encouragingly, the reputation of business has improved since the last wave of the tracker in September 2018. Last year a series of events and scandals in the business community had a chilling effect on business reputation, but 2019 has seen this ‘reputational chill’ start to thaw, with a 4-point rise in those thinking business reputation is good (60 percent). More →

One in three flexible working requests turned down

One in three flexible working requests turned down

One in three (30 percent) requests for flexible working are being turned down, according to a new TUC poll published today (Monday). The polling – published as children around the UK go back to school this week – reveals that flexible working is not available to many workers, and that people in working-class jobs are most likely to miss out on it. More →

Diverse workplace is key to attracting freelancers

Diverse workplace is key to attracting freelancers

Diverse workplace reportThe demand for talent is at an all-time high, and companies need to focus on building out robust and effective diversity and inclusion strategies that attract both permanent and contingent talent, according to new data released by Randstad Sourceright. According to results from the firm’s 2019 Talent Trends survey (registration), 72 percent of permanent talent and 71 percent of contingent talent find it important to work with a company that emphasises creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. More →

Workplace jargon should be banned and replaced

Workplace jargon should be banned and replaced

A new survey claims to show the extent to which British workers hate workplace jargon and identifies the words and phrases that they would most like to bin and replace with normal English. The survey from ANNA claims that almost three quarters (73 percent) of workers want to see the term ‘annual leave’ dumped – and named once more as ‘holiday’. More →

Acting like an extravert increases wellbeing (and the reverse is true too)

Acting like an extravert increases wellbeing (and the reverse is true too)

extraversion and wellbeingAlthough researchers have long recognised a correlation between extraversion and general levels of happiness and wellbeing in individuals, the idea that simply acting in more extraverted could make people happier has been a source of contention. Now a new study from researchers at the University suggests that not only does acting in more extraverted ways increase people’s levels of positive emotion, the converse is also true, so merely acting like an introvert can reduce wellbeing. More →

More than a third of UK workers actively looking for job with flexible working

More than a third of UK workers actively looking for job with flexible working

New research among more than 2,000 UK adults, all in full-time or part-time work, commissioned by Nerd Wallet claims to have uncovered the importance of flexible working practices to employees today. Its main finding is that more than a third of full-time workers in the UK are currently looking for a new job because they would like a role with greater flexibility. It also claims that 71 percent of people consider flexible working – in terms of both the hours and location they work – as important to their job satisfaction.  However, half (50 percent) cannot work remotely when they want or need to, and 46 percent have no flexibility in the hours they work. More →

Artificial Intelligence will positively impact accountancy, according to accountants themselves

Artificial Intelligence will positively impact accountancy, according to accountants themselves

Artificial intelligence in the workplaceFor many, the thought of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is a daunting prospect. But it seems that the majority of chartered accountants believe it will, in fact, have a positive effect on the industry. According to research conducted by CABA, the charity supporting the wellbeing of chartered accountants and their families, 52 percent believe this to be the case, with 16 percent either unsure or predicating no impact at all. The same research also found that, more generally, the biggest bugbear for chartered accountants was the amount of work expected to be completed in the time available (41 percent). So, it’s encouraging that nearly 1 in 4 (25 percent) agree that AI will let humans add value elsewhere as robots take on more menial jobs. In addition, 17 percent stated that the adoption of AI/automation will increase productivity, with 11 percent also agreeing that it will reduce errors and improve attention to detail. More →

Coworking continues to reshape property markets worldwide

Coworking continues to reshape property markets worldwide

Epicenter Coworking Space in StockholmAgainst a global backdrop of diminishing business confidence and a weaker outlook for economic growth, a robust labour market in the world’s largest economies continues to underpin demand for office space with high employment levels prevalent across a number of major markets. Demand continues to be driven by the knowledge economy, with the coworking boom continuing to broaden its reach across major markets, forcing traditional landlords to adapt their offering in order to best accommodate existing and potential occupiers. More →

Two thirds of people with fixed hours want flexible working

Two thirds of people with fixed hours want flexible working

Flexible working and coworking spaceTwo thirds (65 percent) of office workers that don’t currently have options for flexible working claim that they would be more motivated and productive in their jobs if given the option to choose their working hours, according to a new poll from coworking company, The Brew by rent24.  The poll also claims that only 18 percent of workers at small and medium-sized businesses already have flexible working arrangements, falling to just 14 percent for 18-34-year olds.

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Freelancers and the self-employed need holidays too

Freelancers and the self-employed need holidays too

Taking time off improves the work performance of freelancers, a new study from IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) claims. The research suggests that almost two-thirds of freelancers believe taking holiday improves their work performance in some way. Asked what advantages came with taking more time off, 63 percent said it improved aspects of their work including productivity, energy, creativity and confidence in their work. More →

Two-thirds of people say work damages their mental health

Two-thirds of people say work damages their mental health

mental healthA new survey from CV-Library suggests that the UK’s professionals have a problematic relationship with work, with three-quarters  (74.2 percent) claiming that their job is damaging their mental health. The research, which surveyed over 2,000 professionals, claims that four in ten (43.9 percent) workers even consider resigning from their job because of this, with a further 52.6 percent stating that their workplace doesn’t do enough to support employees. More →

London demand for tech skills threatens new North-South divide

London demand for tech skills threatens new North-South divide

A new analysis of the UK’s jobs market by Accenture claims that despite growing opportunities in other cities, London has increasingly greater demand for talent in emerging technologies than ten other UK cities combined. According to the report,  there are currently 422,000 UK-based professionals with skills in emerging technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, extended reality and quantum computing.

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