Working parents yearn for more flexibility in their jobs

Working parents yearn for more flexibility in their jobs

over three quarters (77 percent) of working parents remain passionate about their job, but in a bid to establish more flexibility in their working lives, nearly 9 in 10 (88 percent) would be interested in more part time or flexible opportunitiesResearch commissioned by the Department for Education’s Teach in Further Education campaign claims to set out the top three factors working parents consider when looking for a job. Work life balance came out on top (70 percent), while flexible working hours (43 percent) and a job where they can use their existing skills (26 percent) also ranked highly. More →

People from ‘Gen Z’ expect to change career at least three times during their working lives

People from ‘Gen Z’ expect to change career at least three times during their working lives

While 73 percent of people from 'Gen Z' are willing to take a pay cut to pursue more fulfilling opportunities, two thirds of Gen Zs plan to quit their current job by 2025While 73 percent of people from ‘Gen Z’ are willing to take a pay cut to pursue more fulfilling opportunities, two thirds of them plan to quit their current job by 2025, according to a new poll. Perceptions on careers and how often employees need to reskill and alter their career route has evolved significantly for the newest generation of workers, reveals the national survey of 2,000 working adults by Resource Solutions. The results suggest Gen Zs expect to change industries at least three times throughout their working life – once more than any other generation before them.  More →

Prime office rents in London’s West End continue to rise in response to growing demand

Prime office rents in London’s West End continue to rise in response to growing demand

BNP Paribas Real Estate has predicted that super prime office rents in London’s West End could hit £300 per sq ft by December 2024, as it says demand continues to outstrip the constrained supply of spaceBNP Paribas Real Estate has predicted that super prime office rents in London’s West End could hit £300 per sq ft by December 2024, as it says demand continues to outstrip the constrained supply of space. The prediction has been made on the basis of evidence shared by an expert at the firm. BNP Paribas Real Estate West End office agent Simon Knights claims that lettings could see rents for super prime office stock reach highs of “up to £300 per square foot by December 2024” as demand continues to outstrip constrained supply. More →

Firms are throwing resources at AI knowing they are likely to fail

Firms are throwing resources at AI knowing they are likely to fail

three quarters of UK businesses are gearing up to invest in AI over the next 12 months without really knowing what they are doingDespite a recent track record of failure when implementing digital strategies, more than three quarters of UK businesses are gearing up to invest in artificial intelligence over the next 12 months without really knowing what they are doing. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) admit to being ill-prepared for the integration of the technology into their operations, according to new survey. The report [registration] from tech consultancy Infinum  suggests that over two-thirds of UK businesses that invested in digital products over the past five years have faced failure and are about to invest in AI knowing of their own poor track record. More →

Half of people would reject a job with no flexible working

Half of people would reject a job with no flexible working

According to a new poll, a lack of flexible working would drive almost half of UK workers to reject a job offerThe latest report outlining how the lack of some or other workplace feature would lead to mass resignations and job rejections arrives from recruitment firm Robert Half. And yes, we do wish PR companies and their clients would knock it off now. If we added up all these polls, nobody would stay in or accept any job. According to the poll, a lack of flexible working would drive almost half of UK workers to reject a job offer. More →

Works Magazine issue number 8 lands

Works Magazine issue number 8 lands

The new digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read, download, print and share right here.The new digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read, download, print and share right here. In this issue: we report on the inaugural Works Place event at Material Matters in London in September; visit three new offices in London that show how outstanding offices are retaining their role in making the capital a great place to work; we speak to Andreu World about their partnership with design legend Philippe Starck; and catch up for a drink with our friends Rawside who are maintaining Clerkenwell’s reputation as a new design powerhouse. More →

Working while unwell doesn’t necessarily make it presenteeism, new report argues

Working while unwell doesn’t necessarily make it presenteeism, new report argues

A new report from wellbeing consultancy Robertson Cooper claims to have debunked the accepted wisdom which classifies all instances of working whilst unwell as ‘presenteeismA new report from wellbeing consultancy Robertson Cooper claims to have debunked the accepted wisdom which classifies all instances of working whilst unwell as ‘presenteeism’. The authors argue that this paves the way for a change in how organisations manage employee ill health and its relationship with productivity and absence. The research, which included consultation of the existing research on presenteeism and analysis of new data collected by the firm, categorises three types of working whilst unwell, only one of which it says should be classed as presenteeism and eradicated from businesses. More →

Hybrid working and technology are key drivers of change for organisations, claims report

Hybrid working and technology are key drivers of change for organisations, claims report

A new CIPD report says that technology and hybrid working have had a significant impact on people professionals and organisationsThe latest findings from the CIPD’s People Profession 2023: UK and Ireland survey report, which surveyed 1,456 HR and workplace professionals across the UK, show that technology and hybrid working have had a significant impact on their roles and organisations. The report found that rapidly evolving technology, like generative AI, is having an impact on people teams as well as the wider business. Over half of UK people professionals, 55 percent, surveyed believe that advancing technology is transforming the way HR teams operate and deliver in their role.

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Not even a third of employees say they feel engaged at work

Not even a third of employees say they feel engaged at work

Less than one-third of employees report they are engaged, enthusiastic and energised by their work, according to a new report from Gartner. The survey was showcased during the Gartner ReimagineHR Conference, which took place this week. Gartner defines engagement in three ways: employees feeling energised; employees finding purpose in their work; employees feeling empowered to do valuable work. More →

Manufacturers have sustainability strategies in place but progress remains slow and patchy

Manufacturers have sustainability strategies in place but progress remains slow and patchy

Two-thirds of board-level executives at UK-based manufacturing companies agree that sustainability is a high priority and a third have decarbonisation plans in place, but according to new research conducted by management consultancy, Vendigital, progress in decarbonising products, processes, and supply chains is patchy at best, and this could cause UK industry to fall behind global competitors in the race to net zero. More →

People who work full time from an office now outnumber hybrid workers

People who work full time from an office now outnumber hybrid workers

British workers who come into the office every day to work now outnumber those who spend part of the week working from homeBritish workers who come into the office every day to work now outnumber those who spend part of the week working from home, for the first time since the end of pandemic restrictions, according to a new survey from recruitment firm Hays. Of nearly 15,000 white-collar staff and employers who took part in the poll last month, around 43 per cent said they were now working entirely from the office, up from 36 per cent a year earlier. Meanwhile the proportion of people who said they spend some time working from home, fell to 39 per cent from 43 per cent in 2022. Fewer than one in five now work entirely remotely. More →

Many people would take a pay cut for more flexible working and shorter hours

Many people would take a pay cut for more flexible working and shorter hours

Two thirds of British workers would be prepared to take a pay cut for an overall better job according to a poll from the hiring platform Indeed. A survey of over 5,000 workers for its Better Work 2023 report found a desire for greater flexibility and less time at work is driving this trend, with a four-day work week (28 percent), a better work life balance (25 percent) and more flexible working opportunities (17 percent) the most likely factors to encourage Brits to take a pay cut.  The mean pay cut workers surveyed are willing to take is 9.2 percent. Given the average salary for UK workers is £33,000, that means the average worker is willing to take a pay cut of £3,036 per annum for a better job. More →