The pivotal role of remote working in the journey to jab the nation

The pivotal role of remote working in the journey to jab the nation

At 6.31 a.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, the UK became the first country in the world to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Just over five months earlier, I had been deployed to the NHS England and NHS Improvement COVID-19 vaccination programme to help drive the highly complex design and planning needed to bring the nation to this point. My role involved leading the set up and embedding of the Estates, Equipment, Consumables and Logistics workstream. The purpose of this was to establish and combine the new and existing infrastructure required in England to manage the distribution, regulation and administration of multiple vaccines so that all systems would be ready to vaccinate on the ‘go-live’ date. More →

People working from home might now be subject to a visit from the Pensions Regulator

People working from home might now be subject to a visit from the Pensions Regulator

working from home and the new pensions lawThe Pensions Regulator might now have the power under current UK pensions legislation, to enter the private homes of employees when it is investigating their employer, if those employees are working from home. The current law has been in force since 2005 and it allows the Regulator to enter some premises at any reasonable time. This power is restricted to use only in relation to some limited statutory investigations. However, though currently limited, these regulatory powers will soon be widened and extended by the Pensions Schemes Act 2021 which is due to come into force in Autumn 2021.

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UK business leaders pave the way for a hybrid working future

UK business leaders pave the way for a hybrid working future

workingNew research by Applaud, claims that UK business HR decision makers are paving the way for a new era of work post-pandemic, with organisations across the country looking to close or downsize their offices and focus instead on hybrid, remote working. More →

The workplace industry needs to think outside its ever-shrinking boxes

The workplace industry needs to think outside its ever-shrinking boxes

People are outgrowing the boxes the workplace industry offersIs the workplace industry stuck in the past, in a 20th century model of how and where work is done? The separation of work and the rest of life during the Industrial Age has shaped the structures of modern life: the houses we live in, the offices, factories and shops we work in, and the transport networks that shuffle us from one location to another for different activities. It has also shaped the planning system, the institutional and financial structures of how places are designed and built, and perhaps most of all the mindsets of just about everyone involved in creating places to work and live. More →

Use of flexible working hours has dropped during the pandemic

Use of flexible working hours has dropped during the pandemic

flexible workingWhile working from home has surged in recent months, the use of flexible working hours – such as part-time, flexi-time and compressed hours – has fallen over the course of the Coronavirus pandemic, according to new CIPD analysis. More →

European businesses leading the charge towards progressive office models

European businesses leading the charge towards progressive office models

IDL TIFF file

New research conducted by Locatee claims that employee wellbeing is the top priority for CRE managers over the next five years. The research details the opinions of corporate real estate managers (CREMs) from across Europe, outlining the changes they have seen during the pandemic, and how their businesses will adapt for the future. More →

Why some people are more productive working from home than others

Why some people are more productive working from home than others

working from homeHas working at home during lockdown made people more productive or not? This has been the subject of some lively debate recently. Many companies do not routinely measure productivity. A large number will have traditionally assumed that they get the highest output when staff work longer hours or under close supervision, but remote working is clearly causing some to re-evaluate this. Major firms, for instance professional services group PwC, have been sufficiently impressed to make remote working a permanent option for their staff. More →

UK businesses improve their work culture to focus on wellbeing and flexibility

UK businesses improve their work culture to focus on wellbeing and flexibility

flexibilitySlack, a messaging app for business, has released new research looking into how UK businesses can change their approach to employee experience as lockdown eases, in order to help uphold culture, create flexibility, and maintain productivity. More →

The hybrid workplace sagas, part two. Valhalla

The hybrid workplace sagas, part two. Valhalla

“Wow, Dougie, they’ve remodelled our office while we were away!”

“Fantastic. Did you know about it?”

“No, they said the surprise was a key part of the change programme.”

“So what’s different?” More →

The hybrid workplace sagas, part one. Ginnungagap

The hybrid workplace sagas, part one. Ginnungagap

An image of Odin to illustrate the hybrid workplace saga“Hi Dougie – how’s the new hybrid workplace going?”

“Morning Clara. You mean the Team-Rostered Attendance Programme. It’s fantastic – we have control at last!”

“Wow, I’m jealous. I guess you all just fell into it?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“Just a hunch. So how does it work?” More →

Business leaders lose touch with remote working employees

Business leaders lose touch with remote working employees

EMEA business leaders are out of touch with what employees want in the hybrid workplace experience, and 66 percent of organisations plan to adopt a different operating model than they had before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey from Unisys Corporation. More →

Relationships with colleagues are harder to build while remote working

Relationships with colleagues are harder to build while remote working

relationshipsNew research by employee engagement and culture app, Totem, claims that 54 percent of workers feel it has been harder to build relationships with colleagues while working from home. The results demonstrate the difficulty many have faced over the past year, with 58 percent also saying that remote working has made joining a new company harder. More →