Indoor air quality needs to be talked about far more than it is

Indoor air quality needs to be talked about far more than it is

An open window indoor air qualityOne of the unintended consequences of the pandemic has been to focus attention on the issue of indoor air quality. But as Sarah Zhang points out in a recent piece in The Atlantic, this is an issue that we have long understood, and not just as a way to reduce the risks of infection. It is essential for our wellbeing. More →

Not waving, but drowning: why we need to take languishing more seriously

Not waving, but drowning: why we need to take languishing more seriously

A becalmed boat faces a storm to describe the problem of languishingThe word ‘languishing’ is being bandied around in the media as the world tries to recover from the pandemic and is experiencing many struggles resuming a semblance of ‘normal life’. Recent articles in The New York Times and The Guardian have detailed languishing as an inability to focus, being off peak performance, feeling joyless and aimless and having a sense of stagnation and emptiness. More →

Half a million employees could be made to return to the office before they’re ready

Half a million employees could be made to return to the office before they’re ready

returnMore than a half a million UK employees could be made to return to their normal workplaces before they are comfortable doing so, according to new research from Benenden Health. More →

Employees consider leaving jobs if health and sustainability expectations go unmet

Employees consider leaving jobs if health and sustainability expectations go unmet

healthReturning to the office is causing a growing rift between workers and managers according to a new report from NEXT Energy Technologies, Inc. The report claims most employees (74 percent) are willing to leave their jobs if existential issues like health and sustainability are not adequately addressed in the workplace. More →

The new era of flexible working and knowing when to lie flat

The new era of flexible working and knowing when to lie flat

flexible working and knowing when to lie flatWhen people first started working from home in large numbers for the first time in the Spring of 2020, one of the most talked about issues was how the productivity of most stayed the same or improved. This shouldn’t have been that surprising given all that we have learned about remote and flexible working over the years, but it certainly drove the debate for a while. More →

The rise of the loveable leader: pandemic inspires new generation of compassionate leadership

The rise of the loveable leader: pandemic inspires new generation of compassionate leadership

leaderHeralding the age of a more compassionate type of leader, almost eight in ten (76 percent) UK business leaders consider their employees to be friends, not just colleagues, with three quarters (74 percent) admitting they want their employees to like them, claims new research from Michael Page. More →

Insecure income, boredom and physical health impacted employee wellbeing most in lockdown

Insecure income, boredom and physical health impacted employee wellbeing most in lockdown

physical healthHaving an insecure financial situation, being bored in both work and free time, and worsening physical health were the biggest factors affecting employee’s wellbeing, during the first covid-19 lockdown, according to new research from emlyon business school. More →

Three quarters of people returning to the office are actively seeking new ways to travel

Three quarters of people returning to the office are actively seeking new ways to travel

travelThe commute as we knew it may be gone for good, claims new research conducted by DASH Rides. DASH and Sapio Research surveyed over 2,000 city-dwelling, full-time workers, who used to work primarily in the office and now work primarily at home and discovered that three quarters of those returning to the office will be actively avoiding public transport or seeking new ways to travel. More →

Scottish homeworkers struggle with work-life balance and excessive workloads

Scottish homeworkers struggle with work-life balance and excessive workloads

ScottishThe significant shift to homeworking as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed deep differences in job quality across the Scottish workforce, according to CIPD Scotland’s annual Working Lives Scotland report. More →

Is it time to ban out-of-hours emails?

Is it time to ban out-of-hours emails?

The global pandemic has blurred the lines between home and work for millions of people around the world. Where once there was a clear distinction between being on and off duty, the demands of remote working and ever-presence of smartphones has created an ‘always on’ culture in many organisations. The trend has led to a number organisations in the UK to now call for a ban on out-of-hours emails in order to alleviate pressures on employees mental health. But is this really necessary, or even logistically possible, for the new world of work? We asked four leading experts for their thoughts. More →

Working from home has increased UK working hours, but at what cost?

Working from home has increased UK working hours, but at what cost?

hoursResearch from Ezra claims that UK employees are working longer hours than ever thanks to remote working. However, the lack of structured office hours is having a detrimental effect on employee work-life balance and wellbeing and, therefore, the quality of their work. More →

Mental health is now biggest crisis for business

Mental health is now biggest crisis for business

mental healthA new research report Dräger Safety UK, which assesses the impact of Covid-19, Brexit and workplace culture on health and safety in UK workplaces, warns of an impending crisis as a result of soaring mental health issues and compromises on investment. More →