November 29, 2023

One year on from generative AI hype, people are scared and excited about its use

Nearly one year after ChatGPT burst into the public consciousness, generative AI (GenAI) has left employees and their organisations both excited and uneasy. According to a recent study [registration] commissioned by Betterworks and conducted by Propeller Insights, over half of employees are using GenAI at work for complex activities and believe it has the potential to reduce bias across a swath of HR processes, despite the fact that only 41 percent of organisations are actively evaluating it or have made GenAI a priority. At the same time, many employees are concerned about the potential impact of GenAI on both their roles and the possibility of unintentional amplification of bias. More →

November 27, 2023

If you want people to feel fulfilled at work, you’d better cough up

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

According to a new poll from United Culture, salary is what makes most people feel fulfilled at work. More than half of employees (55 percent) ranked it as their key consideration, ahead of ‘softer’ factors such as doing something worthwhile (41 percent), or working with people they like (39 percent). It also ranks significantly higher than opportunities that will play out over the longer term, such as having a clear sense of career progression (37 percent). More →

November 20, 2023

Most women say menstruation symptoms have a negative impact on their work

by Neil Franklin • Wellbeing

The latest findings from the CIPD’s report Menstruation and support at work, which surveyed more than 2,000 women, found that more than two thirds (69 percent) of women have a negative experience at work because of their menstruation symptoms. In response, the CIPD is calling on organisations to create awareness, tackle the stigma associated with menstruation and train managers to be confident, comfortable and inclusive when talking to employees about menstrual health. More →

November 15, 2023

People spending more time in offices in search of social interaction

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Office workers now spend more time in the office, with the average creeping up to three and a half days per week compared to three days in 2022, according to a new report from international law firm, Gowling WLG. The report, titled Strategic moves: why the office is now a business-critical decision [registration], surveyed senior representatives responsible for making office lease decisions in companies, and a selection of office workers. It identifies that a more permanent approach to office usage is now emerging, as the shadow of the pandemic recedes, as well as demonstrating the changing metrics being applied by occupiers to decisions relating to premises requirements and the more complex environment for landlord asset management. More →

November 15, 2023

Firms make lots of noise about social mobility but don’t always act on it

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

A new report on social mobility, conducted by the charity Making The Leap, claims that only a third of employers (35 percent) took any action on the retention and inclusion of job candidates from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds (LSEB) candidates this year. This is down from 53 percent in 2022, showing a significant decline in prioritising a key element of social mobility, and significantly lower than those that say they are focussed on recruiting candidates. More →

November 14, 2023

Republished: The brain-dead megaphone of work

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Working lives

There is nothing new about any of this. And yet it’s all new. I’ve spent months talking to people who really know their stuff about work and workplaces and underlying nearly all of those conversations is the following paradox. They know about flexible working, the under-utilisation of space, the twenty minute neighbourhood, the work ecosystem, universal basic income, the digital workspace, the office as club, all the rest of it. Heard it all before, often many times, over many years. Some of them have been living it too, and yet… More →

November 6, 2023

One in ten working mothers quit jobs because of childcare pressures

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

The ongoing challenges that come from balancing childcare with work have forced over 249,124 working mothers of children aged 4 or under to leave their employer due to a lack of childcare support, according to new research. The new report from Totaljobs and the Fawcett Society, Paths to parenthood: Uplifting new mothers at work, claims to demonstrate the disproportionate impact childcare responsibilities have on women and their careers. More →

November 2, 2023

Working parents yearn for more flexibility in their jobs

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Research commissioned by the Department for Education’s Teach in Further Education campaign claims to set out the top three factors working parents consider when looking for a job. Work life balance came out on top (70 percent), while flexible working hours (43 percent) and a job where they can use their existing skills (26 percent) also ranked highly. More →

October 30, 2023

Half of people would reject a job with no flexible working

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News

The latest report outlining how the lack of some or other workplace feature would lead to mass resignations and job rejections arrives from recruitment firm Robert Half. And yes, we do wish PR companies and their clients would knock it off now. If we added up all these polls, nobody would stay in or accept any job. According to the poll, a lack of flexible working would drive almost half of UK workers to reject a job offer. More →

October 17, 2023

CIPD announces programme for 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition

by Freddie Steele • Company news

The CIPD has revealed its programme, including an exciting line-up of speakers, for its Annual Conference and Exhibition 2023, taking place at Manchester Central and online across 8-9 November. This year’s event will focus on supporting people professionals to create a bolder future for the profession. The event will provide insights into the changing world of work and key challenges facing the profession, helping HR, OD and L&D practitioners to take decisive action when confronted by these challenges in their own organisations. More →

October 17, 2023

Why your business needs to invest in embedded BI

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Technology

In this day and age, businesses are constantly searching for strategies to enhance their operational capability. With the advent of technology, numerous tools have emerged that aid companies in achieving a significant edge in the competitive business environment. One such essential tool is embedded business intelligence (BI), which is pivotal in making informed business decisions. Keep reading to learn more about embedded BI. More →

October 10, 2023

How digital platforms are revolutionising the outplacement experience

by Freddie Steele • Company news

For the first time since the 2008/2009 financial crisis, redundancy rates have risen, and this trend looks set to continue throughout 2024. Just over 42 percent of employers (HR Director) are planning to make redundancies in a year that has already seen a string of high-profile companies announce job cuts. Businesses are reorganising, considering ideas such as outplacement, and the market landscape is changing in more ways than one. With a new wave of Gen Zs raising the bar for issues that matter to them, employers are now facing expectations that are different to that of Boomers. More →