Majority of small business bosses support potential right to disconnect law

Majority of small business bosses support potential right to disconnect law

A new poll claims that the vast majority (85 percent) of British SME bosses with HR responsibilities support proposals to give staff the “right to disconnect”A new poll claims that the vast majority (85 percent) of British SME bosses with HR responsibilities support proposals to give staff the “right to disconnect”, with 4 in 5 (80 percent) believing the Employment Rights Bill is a positive step forward for employees. The survey was conducted by Breathe HR to uncover sentiment towards new workers’ rights amongst bosses who will be steering through new rule changes at SMEs, ahead of the Employment Rights Bill being laid in parliament. This is expected to take place in the coming weeks, although the implementation of rule changes in practice may be delayed following pressure from certain business leaders. More →

Employers not doing enough to help the long term sick get back to work

Employers not doing enough to help the long term sick get back to work

A new poll from YuLife suggests that there are significant gaps in the ability of employers and the NHS to support the long-term sick in their recovery and rehabilitationA new poll from YuLife suggests that there are significant gaps in the ability of employers and the NHS to support the long-term sick in their recovery and rehabilitation. The survey of UK employees conducted by YouGov sets out to explore workers’ experiences of recovery after long-term illness or injury as well as the overall state of workplace wellbeing. According to the report, a majority (52 percent) of employees who have experienced an illness or injury lasting more than two weeks said that their employer did not help with their recovery and return to work. Around one in five UK employees (21 percent of the workforce) has experienced a long-term health-related absence from work with no recovery or rehabilitation assistance from their employer. More →

Two thirds of people struggle to disconnect from work

Two thirds of people struggle to disconnect from work

A new poll claims that two-thirds of workers feel powerless to disconnect and fully manage the blurred boundaries between work and life, leading to stress, burnout, and anxiety.A new poll claims that two-thirds of workers feel powerless to disconnect from work to fully manage the blurred boundaries between work and life, leading to stress, burnout, and anxiety. On average, this results in five days of sick leave per employee each year. The UK government’s planned ‘Right to Switch Off’ for employees is just the beginning for organisations aiming to tackle the negative effects of ‘unboundaried’ work on both businesses and employees. According to the report titled The Work-Life Boundary Gap – Why it Matters and How to Fix it [registration], published by Protime UK, work-life balance is critical for overall wellbeing. The report, based on a survey of 2,000 UK employees, found that 93 percent of respondents believe maintaining this balance is vital. However, 67 percent of employees feel they are unable to fully switch off or maintain their own work-life boundaries. More →

You get what you give at the CoreNet Global Summit 2024 in Berlin

You get what you give at the CoreNet Global Summit 2024 in Berlin

CoreNet truly embraced its theme of ‘People Power’, emphasising the vital but often overlooked aspect of workplace strategy: connectionHave you ever attended a conference and been asked to gaze deeply into a stranger’s eyes for several minutes, standing just a metre apart in silence? No? Neither have I – until this September at the CoreNet Global Summit in Berlin. Gone are the days of handshakes and small talk. Today, it’s all about relationality, empathy, and hugging it out. For some, the summit’s emphasis on fostering human connections was a joyful opportunity to bond and share meaningful moments with fellow professionals. For others, it felt like being trapped in a never-ending therapy session nobody signed up for. More →

A new approach is needed to tackle ill health and economic inactivity, report argues

A new approach is needed to tackle ill health and economic inactivity, report argues

A ‘whole-of-government approach’ is needed to tackle the causes of ill health, increase economic activity and reduce NHS demandA ‘whole-of-government approach’ is needed to tackle the causes of ill health, increase economic activity and reduce NHS demand, a new report from the NHS Confederation and Boston Consulting Group claims. According to the report, “Improving our Nation’s Health: A Whole-of-Government Approach to Tackling the Causes of Long-Term Sickness and Economic Inactivity”, reintegrating between half and three-quarters of people who have dropped out of the workforce for reasons of ill health since 2020 could deliver an estimated £109-177 billion boost to the UK’s GDP (2-3 per cent in 2029) and unlock £35-57 billion in fiscal revenue over the next five years. More →

What we should learn from the sad story of Denise Prudhomme

What we should learn from the sad story of Denise Prudhomme

Denise Prudhomme died alone at her desk, disconnected from colleagues, but also everybody elseI was chatting to somebody last week about the person in the US who died, alone and ignored at a desk, unnoticed for over four days. Their instinctive and understandable response was to ask whether the story was apocryphal. Sadly, not. Sixty-year-old Denise Prudhomme had clocked into work at the Arizona office of Wells Fargo at 7 am on Friday, August the 16th. Her death some time that day went unnoticed until the following Tuesday afternoon, when a colleague discovered her body slumped over her desk in a cubicle. More →

The Active Office – enhancing workplace wellbeing with innovative office furniture

The Active Office – enhancing workplace wellbeing with innovative office furniture

As experts in ergonomic workspaces that improve productivity, efficiency and employee wellbeing, AJ Products offer a wealth of innovative Active Office solutionsThe working environment profoundly affects how we feel at work. But can the right office furniture and layout also boost creativity, efficiency and collaboration? AJ Products, a leading furniture solutions provider and workplace wellbeing specialist, decided to find out. They collaborated with University Academy 92, a higher education institution co-founded by the Class of ’92 and Lancaster University, to test their Active Office concept. More →

Millions of parents face work struggles due to children’s mental health challenges

Millions of parents face work struggles due to children’s mental health challenges

Millions of parents across the UK are finding it increasingly difficult to balance work responsibilities with the demands of caring for children who suffer from mental health issuesMillions of parents across the UK are finding it increasingly difficult to balance work responsibilities with the demands of caring for children who suffer from mental health issues, according to a new poll. In the UK, approximately 2.5 million children are grappling with mental health issues, a statistic that has significant repercussions for their families. The study of 652 parents commissioned by the charity Parenting Mental Health offers a detailed look into how these challenges affect the lives of parents. More →

Arts and crafts boost personal wellbeing more than work, study finds

Arts and crafts boost personal wellbeing more than work, study finds

A new study suggests that engaging in arts and crafts activities can significantly enhance personal wellbeing, offering greater benefits than traditional employmenA new study suggests that engaging in arts and crafts activities can significantly enhance personal wellbeing, offering greater benefits than traditional employment. The research, conducted by a team from Anglia Ruskin University and published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, found that activities like pottery, painting, knitting, and woodworking can increase life satisfaction, happiness, and the sense that life is worthwhile. These findings suggest that arts and crafts, often seen as mere hobbies, could be a powerful tool for improving mental health and wellbeing on a broad scale. More →

Vast majority people on zero hours contracts don’t want to be on zero hours contracts

Vast majority people on zero hours contracts don’t want to be on zero hours contracts

A new poll makes the perhaps obvious point that a significant majority of workers on zero-hours contracts prefer stable, regular working hours.A new poll makes the perhaps obvious point that a significant majority of workers on zero-hours contracts prefer stable, regular working hours. Commissioned by the TUC, the survey found that 84 percent of zero-hours contract workers would prefer consistent work schedules, while only 14 percent are content with their current arrangements. The poll also highlighted the financial difficulties faced by these workers due to underemployment. Seventy-five percent reported not receiving enough hours to cover their living expenses. Despite this, more than half (58 percent) of requests for additional hours were turned down by employers. More →

NHS to offer workplace health checks to middle aged staff

NHS to offer workplace health checks to middle aged staff

The NHS is set to launch a comprehensive initiative aimed at preventing heart attacks and strokes by conducting health checks in workplaces across the UK. Over the next six months, more than 130,000 middle-aged employees will be offered free workplace health checks in their places of work. This national drive, known as Health MoTs, is designed to identify individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes or heart disease through a 20-minute evaluation that includes weighing staff and measuring their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

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Information overload and FOMO are major risk factors for remote work

Information overload and FOMO are major risk factors for remote work

While remote work has its advantages for most people, a new academic study found that there are at least two under-discussed risks  While the shift to remote work has reportedly brought about numerous benefits for many people, such as increased flexibility and autonomy, a new study published in SAGE Open by researchers from the University of Nottingham claims to reveal significant downsides that are often overlooked. More →