November 4, 2020

UK tech skills gap set to narrow as half of UK workers consider a career change

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

New research from CWJobs claims the UK tech skills gap is set to narrow. Surveying over 2,000 professionals, comprising of 1,120 tech workers and 1,026 non-tech workers, the report suggests that over half (55 percent) of non-tech workers contemplating a career change have considered or have begun the process of moving into a tech-based role, with almost one in 10 (8 percent) having already made the move. More →

November 3, 2020

Government urged to give regions greater power over skills and employment

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Working culture, Working lives

The Government must give UK regional economies greater autonomy over skills and employment to develop grassroot recovery strategies – or risk levelling down the chances of millions, according to a new report published by City & Guilds Group. More →

October 29, 2020

Oslo tops list of cities with the best work-life balance

by Jayne Smith • Business, Flexible working, News, Working lives

Cloud-based access control company Kisi has released their 2020 work-life balance city index, highlighting how major cities from the 2019 edition have since been impacted by the global pandemic. While every city in the index suffered economic, social and structural consequences, the results of this year’s edition claim that having a safety net in place for workers made a large difference in how a city navigated the crisis. More →

October 28, 2020

COVID-19 driving top talent migration to rural parts of UK

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Working lives

Over half (52 percent) of UK workers think we will see a “reverse brain drain” of talent migration away from big cities like London and Manchester towards regional areas as a result of COVID-19, according to latest research from the Adecco Group UK and Ireland. More →

October 28, 2020

Businesses feel more vulnerable to cyber-attack due to the increase in remote working

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

Research conducted by NFU Mutual, a commercial insurer, claims that 47 percent of businesses feel more vulnerable to cyber-attack since the increase of remote working. Despite increased concerns, 45 percent of businesses have not taken any action to protect themselves from cyber-crime. Of those who have not taken action, 79 percent think that because their business is small, the threat of cyber-attack is low. The remaining 21 percent were not aware of, or did not understand, the protection measures available to them. More →

October 21, 2020

COVID-19 accelerates Milton Keynes tech transition

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Property, Technology

As the tech sector and associated businesses rise to the pressures and opportunity presented by the reality of COVID-19, Sue Foxley, Research director at Property Consultants Bidwells delves into the impact of the virtual change within the Milton Keynes office market. More →

October 21, 2020

Commercial rental prices fall in the UK as pandemic continues to bite

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Property

Commercial real estate rental prices are continuing to drop in all the UK’s main business centres according to the latest quarterly figures by national office agent FreeOfficeFinder.com. Office rental prices and those for coworking spaces at the UK’s major cities are all feeling the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with predictions that they will slump even further as a result of the new lockdown measures announced by the government. More →

October 19, 2020

Ten pandemic related responses with highest business impact

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

The Josh Bersin Academy, a development academy for HR professionals, has announced the release of its newest research-based report, Business Resilience: The Global COVID-19 Pandemic Response Study. The 38-page complimentary report is based on a survey conducted in August 2020 of 1,349 HR leaders and professionals across the globe and all industry segments. More →

October 19, 2020

Frontline leaders blocked from strategic decision making

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Working lives

New research commissioned by Workplace from Facebook claims frontline managers are being shut out from making strategic decisions, due to a prevailing disconnect with leaders in HQ. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting the importance of the frontline and its leaders, managers in this environment have not been empowered to make decisions. More →

October 14, 2020

Uncompetitive companies pose threat to future prosperity

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

A new model of competitiveness devised by academics at Goldsmiths, University of London in partnership with Microsoft scores almost half (46 percent) of UK firms in the lowest quadrant, posing a threat to Britain’s prosperity as organisations rally from the impact of COVID-19, and prepare for Brexit as UK-EU negotiations reach their conclusion that such uncompetitive companies pose a serious threat to the country’s future prosperity . More →

October 1, 2020

Businesses favour the commercial brain over the creative one, study claims

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

Businesses in the UK are disproportionately made up of logical and rational thinkers, over intuitive and expressive ones, claims a new study. The study from Genius You, involved more than 2000 individuals across 10 different sectors and highlights a trend that could be impacting creativity and innovation in the UK. More →

September 29, 2020

One in twenty premises remain closed following lockdown

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

New data released by facilities services provider phs Group claims one in 20 premises remain closed after 43 percent were shut down during the coronavirus lockdown. In London, the impact is even more pronounced with the city failing to attract people back in the aftermath of stringent COVID-19 lockdown measures. More →