Half of freelancers planning to stop contracting in the UK after IR35 reforms

Half of freelancers planning to stop contracting in the UK after IR35 reforms

freelancers

Half (50 percent) of freelancers are planning to stop contracting in the UK after the changes to IR35 come into effect in April – unless they can get contracts unaffected by the changes – according to new research by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed). Instead, they are planning to seek contracts abroad (24 percent), stop working altogether (12 percent), seek an employed role (17 percent) or retire within the next year (11 percent). (more…)

Frontline workers overlooked in employee engagement strategies

Frontline workers overlooked in employee engagement strategies

employeeNew research from Opinion Matters, commissioned by SocialChorus, claims there is a stark disparity between desk-based/wired and frontline workers when it comes to Digital Employee Experience (DEX) with a fifth of HR and Internal Communications (IC) respondents admitting to focusing on employees in the office, and just 12 percent prioritising deskless workers. (more…)

International investors are dominating the London office market

International investors are dominating the London office market

marketThe latest London Office Market 2021 report by property consultants Bidwells, claims that investor interest in London based offices are starting to peak, with the market having a strong rebound from 2020. (more…)

A shift from competition to community has never been more important

A shift from competition to community has never been more important

Now, more than ever, both at home and at work, we need to be surrounded by people we can rely upon and trust as we ride the waves of uncertainty. Over the past year, we have learnt that priorities and targets can be shifted in the blink of an eye which has increased the importance of flexibility, support networks and relying on each other. This is just as relevant in business, including who we choose as strategic partners and how we contract with those partners. (more…)

Half of employers don’t have a financial wellbeing policy

Half of employers don’t have a financial wellbeing policy

financialDespite the financial hardship wrought by COVID-19, half of employers (49 percent) don’t have a financial wellbeing policy. This is according to the latest Reward Management Survey from the CIPD (which 420 employers responded to). (more…)

London crowned the most desirable city in the world to work

London crowned the most desirable city in the world to work

LondonA new study on recruitment and workforce trends has crowned London as the world’s most desirable city to work in, with the UK capital holding onto the top spot, despite uncertainty around Brexit and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. (more…)

Highly educated entrepreneurs rarely want to grow their firms

Highly educated entrepreneurs rarely want to grow their firms

entrepreneursHighly educated solo-entrepreneurs value the autonomy of their work above everything else and as a result do not want to employ people, according to new research from Trinity Business School. The researchers used a survey to interview solo entrepreneurs as they started their business to investigate their hiring plans. They claim that only one third of solo entrepreneurs intend to hire employees later on. (more…)

Two thirds of small businesses predict return to business as usual in 2021

Two thirds of small businesses predict return to business as usual in 2021

businessesThere is real optimism amongst small businesses owners that their businesses will return to pre-COVID normality by the end of the year, claims Tide. In a study conducted amongst small business leaders (of up to 50 employees), over two thirds (64 percent) agreed it was likely that with the successful vaccine roll-out their businesses could get back to normal before the end of 2021. (more…)

People with meaningful jobs try to improve their companies

People with meaningful jobs try to improve their companies

meaningfulEmployees who find their job meaningful increase the likelihood of better performance reviews by suggesting ways of improvement for their companies, claims research from Trinity Business School. According to the study, undertaken by Amanda Shantz, Associate Professor and MBA Director at Trinity Business School, finding your work meaningful increases the likelihood of receiving a better performance review because it improves your ‘promotive voice behaviour’. (more…)

Employment intentions at their strongest in a year

Employment intentions at their strongest in a year

employmentUK employers are reporting their strongest employment intentions in a year, the latest CIPD/Adecco Labour Market Outlook claims. The survey’s net employment intentions figure, which measures the difference between the proportion of employers expecting to add jobs and those planning to cut positions, rose to +11 this quarter – its highest in a year. This compares to -1 in the previous quarter. (more…)

‘Zoom rooms’ and breakout space top of the agenda for post-COVID offices

‘Zoom rooms’ and breakout space top of the agenda for post-COVID offices

officesNew data from real estate consultancy OBI claims that 70 percent of business leaders surveyed across Manchester have said they need to permanently change the design of their offices in order to suit the longer-term needs of their businesses and teams. (more…)

Two million people in the UK have not worked for at least six months

Two million people in the UK have not worked for at least six months

Almost two million workers were unemployed or fully furloughed in January – and had been for at least six months – highlighting the scale of lasting damage to the UK’s labour force that will need to be addressed in the Budget, according to major new research published today by the Resolution Foundation. Long Covid in the labour market – supported by the Health Foundation – examines the state of the labour market during the current lockdown, the cumulative impact of the longer than expected crisis so far, and workers’ prospects for the months ahead as the economy starts to recover. (more…)