Being furloughed affected people’s sense of time and relationship with work

Being furloughed affected people’s sense of time and relationship with work

Between March 2020 and September 2021, millions of workers furloughed under the UK government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme lived what for many of us is a dream: being paid not to work. Through interviews, I’ve researched the impact of this time on 35 people who were furloughed under the scheme. I found that for some, furlough created opportunities for reflection and growth, but for most of my interviewees it was a time of uncertainty and disorientation. More →

Prioritising your phone over your partner affects women’s creativity at work

Prioritising your phone over your partner affects women’s creativity at work

Focusing attention on your mobile phone instead of your partner doesn’t just strain your relationship - it also affects creativity at work, according to researchersFocusing attention on your mobile phone instead of your partner doesn’t just strain your relationship – it also affects creativity at work, according to researchers from the Universities of Bath, Aston, and IESE Business School. The study claims to shed light on the negative effects of ‘phubbing’, the idea of snubbing someone in favour of your phone, which is known for its detrimental impact on relationships and mental wellbeing. Now the study of working couples in the US points to repercussions in the workplace as well, but only for female partners. More →

Flexible working rights stand to benefit millions of people

Flexible working rights stand to benefit millions of people

From today (April 6th 2024), UK employees will have the legal right to request flexible working from their first day in a new job.From today (April 6th 2024), UK employees will have the legal right to request flexible working from their first day in a new job. Under the updated regulations, employers must engage in discussions with employees and consider alternative solutions before declining a flexible working request. Decisions on applications must now be made within two months, reducing the previous timeframe of three months, which includes any appeals. Additionally, employees will be entitled to submit two flexible working requests within a 12-month period, rather than the previous allowance of one. More →

People who work from home are less likely to get pay rises and promotions

People who work from home are less likely to get pay rises and promotions

People who work from home all or part of the time are less likely to get pay rises and promotions, a new study of outcomes from hybrid working suggestsPeople who work from home all or part of the time are less likely to get pay rises and promotions, a new study of outcomes from hybrid working suggests. The survey of 937 UK managers found that they were 11 percent less likely to give a promotion to staff who worked entirely from home than to those who were completely office-based. Hybrid workers – those working partly in the office and partly at home – were on average 7 percent less likely to be promoted. More →

Half of workers say they are ready to take advantage of new flexible working laws

Half of workers say they are ready to take advantage of new flexible working laws

more than half (55 percent) of respondents to a poll are planning to make a new request for flexible working when new rules come into UK law this weekendBusinesses are being advised to brace themselves as a new poll claims more than half (55 percent) of respondents are planning to make a new request for flexible working when new rules come into UK law this weekend. The changes introduced by the Flexible Working Bill on April 6 – allowing workers to ask for flexible forms of work from day one of their employment (previously six months)  – look set to lead to a sharp increase in flexible working requests even though 74 percent of employees report already having some degree of flexibility.  More →

Is working from home creating an epidemic of burnout and loneliness? Spacemade has an answer

Is working from home creating an epidemic of burnout and loneliness? Spacemade has an answer

Many people working from home complain of feeling isolated and burnt out. So could a serviced office be the answerSince the pandemic, 69 percent of UK businesses have adopted a hybrid working model offering employees greater autonomy in their working lives. While this flexibility sounds ideal, it has unexpectedly created a work wellness issue, with employers reporting they have seen a 77 percent surge in mental health issues in 2023, vs 44 percent in 2022.  In a recent survey by Statista, 21 percent of workers said that their biggest struggle with working from home was that they had no reason to leave it. More →

Nine in ten employers of knowledge workers offer hybrid working. Nearly all would like them in the office more

Nine in ten employers of knowledge workers offer hybrid working. Nearly all would like them in the office more

91% of companies have employees hybrid working and nearly all have tried to encourage them to come to the office moreAround 91 percent of companies with a workforce that can work from home currently offer some form of hybrid working, according to a new poll of 500 HR professionals from Towergate Health & Protection. On average 39 percent of the workforce are hybrid working and 27 percent of employers have more than half their workforce hybrid working. The poll also suggests that 30 percent of employees work from home for at least three days a week. Employers stated that 31- 40-year-olds are the age group most likely to want to work from home, and over 60s and under 25s are least likely to want to work from home. More →

FAANGs for the memories: how tech palaces lost their lustre

FAANGs for the memories: how tech palaces lost their lustre

With the downfall of wunderkind Sam Bankman-Fried and the demise of his Bahamas HQ, does this mean that instead of being heralded as inspiration, tech palaces have instead become dated and toothlessI was alerted by the great Jack Pringle during a presentation course he was giving to an unforgettable YouTube clip of Steve Jobs speaking to the local council as part of a planning application for his Apple Park in California, one of the great tech palaces that sprang up in the wake of the digital revolution. Jobs, in familiar black polo neck jumper and wire-rimmed spectacles, took the officials of Cupertino City Council on a journey of opportunity, awe and inspiration. More →

If you want a high paying job, remote work is now less of an option

If you want a high paying job, remote work is now less of an option

According to the latest data from the careers website Ladders, the availability of remote positions with salaries exceeding $200,000 has seen a drastic reduction. The High Paying Jobs Competition Index, a report by Ladders, indicates that only 12 percent of such jobs are now available remotely, a steep decline from the 37 percent recorded in the third quarter of 2022. This trend is evident across both technology and non-technology sectors. More →

Commuter towns becoming main place of work for many people

Commuter towns becoming main place of work for many people

over the past two years workers have significantly increased their use of office workspaces in rural, suburban and commuter townsNew office footfall data from IWG taken from more than 400 locations across the UK, suggests that over the past two years workers have significantly increased their use of office workspaces in rural, suburban and commuter towns, choosing to forgo lengthy daily commutes and work closer to home. More →

Half of people ‘struggle’ with the idea of more face to face meetings

Half of people ‘struggle’ with the idea of more face to face meetings

A new poll claims that half of office workers in the UK, who have experienced an increase in face to face meetings, are struggling to copeA new poll claims that over half (52 percent) of office workers in the UK, who have experienced an increase in face to face meetings, are struggling to cope with the increased demand, as business travel and in person time is on the rise. For many this has resulted in an increase in business travel, with 35 percent admitting the frequency of work related travel has steadily increased over the last two years – in fact 66 percent of office workers have travelled up to 50 times for business in the last 12 months. More →

Most US firms are yet to match their culture to the demands of flexible working

Most US firms are yet to match their culture to the demands of flexible working

most employers have not adapted their working culture and practices  to support the shift to flexible workingA survey of 900 leaders in HR, real estate, IT, and product roles at US based firms suggests that most employers have not adapted their working culture and practices  to support the shift to flexible working. In addition, according to The 2024 Workplace Flexibility Trends Report from TechSmith Corporation in partnership with workplace research firm Global Workplace Analytics and Caryatid Workplace Consultancy three quarters of workers have yet to receive any training for the rise of flexible working arrangements. More →