We can design kindness into working life just as easily as unkindness

We can design kindness into working life just as easily as unkindness

kindnessIf I were to suggest that organisations were designing their processes, policies and relationships with unkindness at the core, you would probably reject it as an illogical proposition, it just doesn’t make business sense. It goes against the grain and against the values that are plastered on the walls of so many organisations. But as counterintuitive as it may seem, in my opinion, many organisations have done just that, designed unkindness into the things they do, albeit inadvertently. But if they can do that, they can also design kindness in too. More →

Job security and flexibility now more valuable than salary

Job security and flexibility now more valuable than salary

job securityAround a half (51 percent) of employees believe job security and flexibility (40 percent) are more important than salary (32 percent) when considering whether to remain at their current employer, according to a new report by UK law firm, Winckworth Sherwood. More →

More than a quarter of the workforce describes itself as depressed since the pandemic

More than a quarter of the workforce describes itself as depressed since the pandemic

pandemicA Gartner, Inc. survey of more than 5,000 employees conducted in the fourth quarter of 2020 claims that more than one-quarter of the workforce (29 percent) described itself as depressed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The same survey claims that nearly half (49 percent) of employees who reported their organisation offers a mental well-being program participated in it in 2020. More →

Graduates concerned about the pandemic’s negative career impact

Graduates concerned about the pandemic’s negative career impact

graduates

New research from graduate careers website Milkround claims almost two-thirds (62 percent) of graduates are concerned that the pandemic will negatively impact their future career development prospects, a sentiment which is shared by 55 percent of HR decision makers. More →

From the archive: Escaping the gravity of the fixed times and places of work

From the archive: Escaping the gravity of the fixed times and places of work

In November 2019, just before that thing happened, there was this… The worst workplace related news story of 2019 is also one of the most widely reported. I’m not linking to it because I don’t want to give it any credibility, but it has been discharged into the ether by Fellowes along with a ‘behavioural futurist’ called William Higham. I will say only two things about it. Firstly, we flatly refused to publish a story about the damn thing and it’s a shame that the mainstream media couldn’t spot it for the utter drivel it is. The fact that they have picked up on it says something about the way such issues are covered in the press. That’s why you’re more likely to see a stress-related story about rats driving cars on the BBC than you are something meaningful. More →

Employers need to “catch up” with the mental health crisis

Employers need to “catch up” with the mental health crisis

employersDuring the pandemic, 1 in 4 (25 percent) employees say they’ve had no wellbeing check-ins from their workplace. The research from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, of 2,000 employees, claims that almost a third (29 percent) of workers never discuss mental health in meetings with their employers. More →

Toxic workplace culture costing UK economy £20.2 billion per year

Toxic workplace culture costing UK economy £20.2 billion per year

cultureThe cost of poor company culture is a staggering £20.2 billion per year, according to research from HR software provider Breathe. The report ‘The Culture Economy 2021’, claims that almost a third (27 percent) of SME employees quit their job due to poor workplace culture, an increase of 6 percent from last year (21 percent). More →

No jab, no job? Can employers enforce a vaccination programme?

No jab, no job? Can employers enforce a vaccination programme?

Can employers enforce a vaccination programme?The UK COVID-19 vaccination programme is underway and it’s only a matter of time before it’s available to the wider population. Although the vaccine could be especially beneficial for those who need to work on company premises some are still sceptical over the vaccine and may not wish to take it. This could potentially be problematic for employers if this prevents employees from fulfilling their roles. But can employers legally ask employees to be vaccinated? More →

Mental health and wellbeing are top of the priority list

Mental health and wellbeing are top of the priority list

healthA new in-depth report by HR and payroll software providers, Natural HR highlights the trends, challenges and priorities facing the HR profession, and the impact of the pandemic. In 2019, the top priority of HR leaders was cited as recruitment and retention, however by the end of 2020 this had shifted to employee health and wellbeing. More →

Workplace anthropology will help us make sense of the now and anticipate what’s next

Workplace anthropology will help us make sense of the now and anticipate what’s next

workplace anthropologyWe are scarcely nine months into the Covid-19 pandemic, after a long spring and harsh summer. Social distancing has led to remote working becoming widespread, leading to doubts regarding the office’s long-term relevance. However, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) argues in a recent report that the office’s traditional domain will expand, with new functions including fostering collaboration, facilitating company culture, and promoting human experience. Similarly, experts increasingly characterise the workplace as a hybrid ecosystem combining virtual and physical elements with geographically-dispersed campuses. More →

‘Thank God it’s Friday’ – Employee behaviour improves throughout the week

‘Thank God it’s Friday’ – Employee behaviour improves throughout the week

behaviourIndividuals with low mindfulness exhibit more uncivil behaviour at work and are least civil on Monday before improving throughout the week, claims new research from BI Norwegian Business School and Maastricht University. More →

Indoor air quality is more important than ever, and Tarkett is leading the way

Indoor air quality is more important than ever, and Tarkett is leading the way

indoor air quality and TarkettThe pandemic has certainly opened our eyes to the importance of constantly washing our hands, sterilising everything in sight and realising just how far germs can travel through the air, causing us to wince at the thought of a time where we huddled on public transport without masks. However, as we contemplate heading back to the office in the near future, businesses need to translate these learnings into workplace design and move indoor air quality to the top of the agenda. More →