Search Results for: business

No rush to get back to the office despite easing of restrictions

No rush to get back to the office despite easing of restrictions

Why rush back to the office?Restrictions may have been lifted but there is no major rush for everyone to head back to the office. Many firms are being cautious about bringing employees back and the official government guidance is for employers to plan a gradual, safe return to places of work. Official guidelines aside, this doesn’t even start to factor in employees’ own attitudes to being back in the office. Certainly, there are plenty of people itching to be in and amongst the buzz of an office, popping out somewhere different each day for lunch and having that commute to distance work and home life. More →

Freespace appoints Perry Braun as new Marketing Director

Freespace appoints Perry Braun as new Marketing Director

Freespace, a workplace technology solution, has appointed Perry Braun as its new marketing director. Perry brings over a decade’s worth of experience in senior marketing roles, both agency and client-side, and this appointment is a significant part of Freespace’s global growth strategy. More →

Shared parental leave pioneered by Nordic and Eastern European countries

Shared parental leave pioneered by Nordic and Eastern European countries

shared parental leaveThroughout the pandemic many workplaces have offered their employees more flexibility. Flexible working options such as adjusting hours, days, or place of work, are attractive to many employees. New research by Bupa claims that 27 percent of working parents want to see more flexibility at work, too. One area that’s surged in popularity over recent months is shared parental leave. This is where both parents can take time off in a more flexible way during a baby’s first year. The new research claims there has been a 33 percent increase in Google UK searches for ‘shared parental leave’ over the past year, too. More →

Majority of people would cycle to work if their employer offered better facilities

Majority of people would cycle to work if their employer offered better facilities

cycleEmployers should be doing more to encourage staff to start commuting into the office by bicycle, suggests research from Graham Coffey & Co.Solicitors. Ahead of Cycle to Work Day (August 5th), the law firm surveyed more than 1,500 people to better understand attitudes towards cycling safety and what can be done to make cycling a more attractive prospect for employees. More →

Indoor air quality guide published by BESA

Indoor air quality guide published by BESA

indoor air qualityThe removal of most Covid restrictions in the UK has increased calls for clearer practical guidance and the setting of specific indoor air quality (IAQ) contaminant targets to support the health and wellbeing of building occupants. The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has, therefore, produced a concise guide to good practice: ‘Indoor Air Quality for Health & Well-Being’, which is designed to help building owners, managers and engineers interpret IAQ data and turn it into useful strategies for improving the indoor environment. More →

Technology is the great enabler for employee wellbeing programmes

Technology is the great enabler for employee wellbeing programmes

employee wellbeingTechnology is now integral for short and long-term employee wellbeing following the dramatic changes to working life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Thomas Woods, Vice-President of Enterprise for Virtuagym, the global fitness technology provider.  The argument was made during a keynote presentation at the Virtual Engage Employee Wellbeing Conference, a case study led solutions event addressing the important challenges and opportunities relating to the mental, financial and physical health of people in the workplace. More →

Employers believe the way we work has changed forever

Employers believe the way we work has changed forever

working After more than a year of remote working, the majority of UK workers are well-versed in office-free employment. We’ve had plenty of time to think about how the experience has affected our working habits. Gazprom Marketing & Trading surveyed 1,000 employees across a range of sectors, asking participants about their working hours, mental health, and the challenges they’ve encountered along the way. More →

Inclusive workplaces will be focus of new disability strategy

Inclusive workplaces will be focus of new disability strategy

two people talking to illustrate inclusive workplacesA new strategy from the UK government promises more inclusive workplaces, easier commuting and better job prospects for millions of disabled people. The strategy sets out 100 immediate commitments supported by £1.6bn of funding alongside an ambitious agenda for future reform. As well as inclusive workplaces, the strategy covers a range of other areas including accessible housing and better access to justice, culture and the arts. More →

Half of SME employees put recognition and more flexible working options top of their wellbeing needs

Half of SME employees put recognition and more flexible working options top of their wellbeing needs

employeesAs SMEs emerge from the pandemic and with further changes to restrictions, it seems they have another challenge to face – the refreshed interest in and demand from employees to work in a company that meets their wellbeing needs, according to Legal & General. More →

Firms continue to underestimate employee turnover threat, study claims

Firms continue to underestimate employee turnover threat, study claims

employee turnoverA new study from communications agency Zeno Group claims that businesses continue to underestimate the chances of an increase in employee turnover as a result of changing attitudes towards work. According to the survey, while companies often focus on addressing their disengaged or disgruntled groups, the study finds that 58 percent of satisfied employees in the UK now report being open to new opportunities, with many actively searching. In addition, those surveyed report their employers do not recognize this reality, with just 20 percent of respondents saying their employers think many workers are looking for new roles elsewhere. More →

The carbon saving from just one virtual conference could power seventeen homes for a year

The carbon saving from just one virtual conference could power seventeen homes for a year

carbonResearch from Ezra, claims that UK businesses can seriously reduce their carbon footprint by maintaining some form of virtual practice within the workplace in a post-pandemic landscape. While we all may be a little sick of daily Zoom meetings, the prospect of returning to big corporate conferences that often require a few days away from home may also bring on a cold sweat. More →

Older workers at risk of being ‘thrown on the scrap heap’

Older workers at risk of being ‘thrown on the scrap heap’

older workersIn face of growing skills gaps in the UK – post pandemic and Brexit – City & Guilds Group is urging businesses to stop the silver talent drain from the workforce by investing in upskilling valuable older workers – or risk further productivity shortfalls during the recovery period. More →