July 14, 2017
Large majority of working mothers cut short maternity leave over job fears
New research claims that just 12 percent of working mothers take a full year’s maternity leave and almost one in five (18 percent) take four months or less. The research claims that almost half (44 per cent) of working mothers were unhappy with how they had been treated by their employer during their pregnancy and after their return to work. While many mothers return for financial reasons or simply because they want to, many worry about being side-lined, edged out or feel pressure from their boss to go back. The survey of 2,000 working mothers by law firm Slater and Gordon found that almost a third (30 percent) felt their managers wouldn’t have supported them staying off for any longer, and thirty-nine per cent weren’t sure their job would be waiting for them when they went back.
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality and cloud computing, will transform our lives and how we work over the next decade; and by 2030 every organisation will be a technology organisation. As such businesses need to start thinking today about how to future-proof their infrastructure and workforce, according to a report published by Dell Technologies. The research, led by the Institute for the Future (IFTF) alongside 20 technology, academic and business experts from across the globe also offers insight on how consumers and businesses can prepare for a society in flux. ‘
Companies in the tech and media (TMT) sector have accounted for the greatest proportion of City take up so far this year new figures from Savills suggest. This is the largest amount of take up ever by this sector in the first five months of a year, representing a 20 percent share of the market, ahead of the professional services sector at 17 percent and insurance and financial services sector at 14 percent. TMF firms took 517,069 (48,036 sq m) of space out of a total of 2.25 million sq ft (208,699 sq m) to the end of May 2017. Key deals to complete in the City recently include visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (owned by the Walt Disney Corporation) taking 47,010 sq ft (4,367 sq m) at Lacon House in the City fringe (Theobalds Road, WC1), joining other tech companies Argus and Exterion Media in the building.
Perhaps it’s something to do with the housing issues many people from the younger generations now have to deal with; i.e. either live with parents or endure an overpriced house share, but those under 35 are reported to actually prefer working from the office to remote or home working. This differs from baby boomers, who would rather work from home. According to the survey by Maintel there are differing preferences between the multi-generational workforce, with those aged under 35 feeling they are most productive in the office (48 percent), while only 19 percent of those above 55 agree. Another reason why younger workers cling to the office is due to the fact that they require the face-to-face support of experienced co-workers. The survey also discovered that 28 percent found getting hold of colleagues or managers a challenge when working remotely. And it may also be down to the social aspects of office life and when seeking promotions – ensuring the visibility of hard work. On the other hand, older employees have responsibilities at home, and remote working allows them to be more efficient with their time.
Three quarters (75 percent) of businesses expect to increase the number of high-skilled roles over the coming years, but 61 percent fear that there will be a lack of sufficiently skilled people to fill them. This is according to the 2017 CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey which highlighted that 62 percent see strong competition for candidates with appropriate qualifications as the most widespread cause of skills shortage, followed by a lack of candidates with appropriate qualifications (55 percent). According to the report, while the Brexit debate generates plenty of heat, ‘it’s the white heat of technological change that will mean huge change to the jobs of 2030’. Add that to the obvious question about what skills we’ll need to ‘home grow’ in the absence of free labour movement, and the skills gap is brought into sharper relief argues the report.
