Employers overlook flexible working alternative to redundancy

by • News, Workplace

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Only 22 per cent of UK managers believe their companies are very effective at redeploying employees rather than making redundancies. And according to new global research it’s a worldwide problem, with almost three in ten employers believing their organisations are “not effective”. Mark Hodgson, practice leader of Talent Management in Right Management UK & Ireland said: “The results suggest that businesses aren’t seeing redeployment as a feasible way of making savings and keeping staff. Businesses can’t afford to underestimate the importance of a flexible workforce in this tough economic climate.” (more…)

Sodexo Workplace Trends report covers familiar ground

by • Environment, Facilities management, News, Technology, Workplace

sodexo workplace trends editThe latest annual Workplace Trends Report from workplace services provider Sodexo claims to reveal the crucial role the built environment has in organisational performance. The report emphasises the growing strategic role of facilities management and the importance of sustainability as an element of corporate culture as well as a trend toward designing offices to attract and retain top talent by emphasising productivity and quality of life. The report also identifies the importance of social media in attracting prospective employees instead of traditional e-mail campaigns and other media.

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Report reveals wider impact than ROI for wellness programmes

by • News, Technology, Workplace

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The Return on Investment of workplace wellness programmes goes way beyond cost savings a major new report reveals. Making the Right Investment: Employee Health and the Power of Metrics found smoking cessation incentives help increase productivity, nutrition and exercise drives and centralised programmes which utilise the latest technology leads to increased employee engagement which helps reduce staff turnover. Said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman World Economic Forum “Over 50% of the working population spend the majority of their time at work, so the workplace provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness, as well as guide and incentivise individuals to develop healthier behaviours.” (more…)

A train that symbolises the clash of old and new ways of work

by • Comment, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

Today we’ll all be hearing a lot more about the plans for HS2, the Government’s flagship construction project and all-round Keynesian boot in the pants for the UK economy. Most of what will pass for debate will involve some light class warfare about the route through Tory constituencies, seasoned with a dash of NIMBYism, some chest beating from Labour who started the whole thing but can’t be seen to support it fully and various other bits of pointless to-ing and fro-ing. But what is most remarkable about the scheme as far as Insight is concerned, is how its business case completely and deliberately ignores the way we work. (more…)

Happiness levels in UK workplaces growing, says Government.

by • Knowledge, News, Public Sector, Workplace

smiley faceThe general level of satisfaction in the UK’s workplaces has increased significantly in spite of ongoing economic uncertainty according to a report from the Government published yesterday. The study of more than 21,000 employees, found that job satisfaction levels actually increased in 2012 with a fifth (20 per cent) of employees either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with all aspects of their job, compared to just 16 per cent in 2004 when the survey last appeared. The report also showed that levels of commitment to individual employers had also increased over the same period, with the proportion of employees who said they shared the values of their organisation up from 55 per cent to 65 per cent. (more…)

Global Gen Y survey highlights national differences

by • Environment, Knowledge, News, Workplace

Gen Y NotNever has a generation of humans been so much talked about as Generation Y. As this millennial army marches into the world’s workplaces and takes the reins of power (or at least control) for the first time, there has been a lot of agonising about how to manage a whole generation of people who are the first to have been nurtured in a digital world. Now a new report from Deloitte into the attitudes of millennials from around the world has confirmed that this is a complex generation of individuals with many universal ideals but with regional characteristics too.  (more…)

Third of businesses see flexible work as main Olympic legacy

by • Knowledge, News, Technology, Workplace

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Flexible working facilities brought in for London 2012 are the most important legacy of the Olympic Games for a third of businesses, according to a new BT legacy survey. The survey of 600 large private and public sector organisations across the UK found 34% are continuing to enjoy the benefits from flexible working facilities (34%), with sales/revenue for 37% higher than before the Games. When asked what they have learnt about their organisation’s capabilities, 36% think that when they are pushed they can do a lot more business, 26% are more resilient and 25% feel they could increase their margins.
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Global trust demands business acts as force for good

by • Knowledge, News, Workplace

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Government trails business, media, and non-governmental organisations as the least trusted institution worldwide. The 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals trust in government fell a record nine points to 43% globally, and in 17 of the 25 countries surveyed, government is now trusted by less than half. “Business is now better placed than government to lead the way out of the trust crisis,” said Richard Edelman, President and CEO, Edelman. “But the balance must change so that business is seen both as a force for good and an engine for profit.”

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A more decentralised office inevitable for world’s workers

by • Facilities management, Knowledge, News, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

The changing nature of work and the workforce continues to transform offices around the world. And nowhere more so than in the United States  According to a recent report from McKinsey – called Preparing for a New Era of Knowledge Work – not only are we seeing the final stages of the transition to a knowledge economy with all that entails, demographic inertia means that there may be a huge shortfall in the number of skilled graduate workers needed to service it. This pattern will be evident around the world, especially in rapidly developing economies such as China and India.  (more…)

Wellness linked to job satisfaction and engagement

by • Knowledge, News, Workplace

Did ‘Blue Monday’ really get you down, or are you happy in your work? If you are engaged with your work, research suggests you’re most likely to have a healthier lifestyle. The findings from Gallup Daily tracking found that engaged employees are deeply involved in and enthusiastic about their work, those not engaged may be satisfied, but are not emotionally connected to their workplaces and are less likely to put in discretionary effort. And employees who are actively disengaged are emotionally disconnected from work and workplace and jeopardise their teams’ performance. (more…)

French stick: Parisians favour USB’s to filch corporate data

by • News, Technology, Workplace

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Parisians are more likely to take corporate data than their UK counterparts, an “Insider Threat Survey,” by Imperva, supplier of data theft, insider abuse, and fraud solutions reveals. When those, questioned across a number of business sectors about their view on confidentiality were asked if they would personally take corporate data, 78% of respondents in Paris admitted they had, with 63% in London also confessing to the same practice. While the Parisian respondents prefer to use a USB stick (23%), in London, smart phones the favoured method (41%).
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Hidden depression amidst Blue Monday hype

by • News, Workplace

DepressionToday is ‘Blue Monday’, allegedly the most depressing day of the year. The case against the beginning of the third working week in January includes an inability to keep up New Year resolutions, lack of daylight, and giving us something to gripe about. However it also presents an opportunity to discuss the hidden problem of depression amongst the workforce. One in four will have some kind of mental health problem this year which is why Business Disability Forum has today announced a new guide for line managers on how to manage mental health at work.

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