July 31, 2019

CIPD offers new guidance on non-traditional work roles

Following the recent government consultation on improving the rights of variable hours workers, the CIPD has published new employer guidance to help ensure that ‘atypical working arrangements’ benefit both the organisation and individuals. The guidance, Atypical Working: A guide to successfully implementing atypical work in your organisation, defines atypical working as practices which include the self-employed, temporary workers, agency staff and people on zero hours contracts.

July 26, 2019

Self-employment might be good for mental health

by Mark Stabile • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

The general picture of self-employment, the gig economy work and mental wellbeing is not a pretty one. Around the world, Uber drivers face wage and security worries. Deliveroo workers have too much competition. Airbnb owners face legal problems in Paris and other cities. But while these headlines suggest a dark cloud over the heads of gig economy workers, recent data I’ve looked at unexpectedly shows that they are about 33 percent more likely to self-report positive mental health traits.
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July 16, 2019

Government sets out plans to reduce work related ill health

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

The UK government has opened a consultation on ill health in the workplace which looks at issues such as workplace modifications, the right to request flexible working and interventions from employers. It claims that more could be done on the issue, especially for people with disabilities or long term health conditions. The consultation will focus on what employers can do to help employees and how they could be supported with advice and information, better access to occupational health resources and financial help, especially for small businesses and the self-employed. More →

July 12, 2019

UK adults prioritise workplace culture over salary

by Jayne Smith • News, Workplace

Glassdoor has released a new survey that claims to measure sentiment around mission and culture in the workplace, along with the level of importance of both. Glassdoor surveyed over 1,000 adults in the UK (and a further 4,000+ in U.S., France and Germany) and, among key findings, claims 77 percent of people would consider a company’s mission and purpose before applying for a job there, and 57 percent say workplace culture is more important than salary when it comes to job satisfaction. More →

July 9, 2019

Fifth of people do not last a year in self-employment

by Neil Franklin • News

One-fifth of sole traders in self-employment don’t survive one year, and the majority don’t survive five, according to a new study from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The analysis of HMRC tax records by researchers at the IFS was funded by the Office for National Statistics through the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) and the Economic and Social Research Council. More →

July 8, 2019

Meetings ruined by late arrivals and setting up tech

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace design

A report from Moo claims that people are wasting time by waiting for all attendees to arrive at or dial-in to meetings. Engaging in small talk with colleagues and tackling technology followed closely behind. The findings include the claims that nearly half of British workers spend up to ten minutes trying to find a meeting room on average, and around the same number spend up to 15 minutes waiting for other attendees to arrive or dial-in.

July 3, 2019

Gig economy and freelance workers would prefer secure work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Freelancers, the self employed and workers in the so-called gig economy may like the flexibility but they would prefer a steady job, according to new research from the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP). The rise of non-traditional work arrangements is not due to workers wanting or demanding these jobs, but rather because they have no other choice the report concludes. What’s more, workers would agree to earn less in order to increase their employment security. The results come from analysis of data from over 4,000 UK and US workers, who were surveyed on their current work arrangements and the job attributes they most want. More →

July 3, 2019

Getting a sense of productivity and motivation

by Jeff Revoy • Comment, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace design

When business operators are planning their company’s office, price is often chief among their priorities. Keeping the fixed cost of real estate low helps companies project—and increase—their expected income. Price is not just a consideration when it comes to rent; assets such as office furniture are often purchased en masse and for purely utilitarian reasons. Sure, a business is saving money by designing a no-frills, utilitarian office, which some Feng Shui experts would agree with, but what they are ignoring is how space affects productivity, motivation and enjoyment. More →

June 20, 2019

Peace and quiet at work? Here are ten of the best and most far out solutions ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Features, Furniture, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Any survey that sets out to establish what people believe cuts their productivity and annoys them most about their workplace almost invariably throws up the same result; the noise and distractions generated by other people. So it will come as no surprise to learn that the same surveys usually find that employees believe that peace and quiet and freedom from distractions is the most important factor when it comes to getting some decent work done. More →

June 18, 2019

Freelancers project economy now larger than creative sector

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Freelancers working on projects now contribute more to the economy than the creative industries, new research from the CRSE (Centre for Research on Self-Employment) claims. The ‘project economy’, made up of freelancers brought in for individual projects such as new products, innovation and infrastructure, contributes approximately £104bn to the UK economy every year, according to the CRSE’s Freelance Project and Gig Economies report. That is more than the £100bn of the creative industries and close to the £110bn contributed by the construction sector. The ‘project economy’ accounts for 73 per cent of the UK’s skilled freelancers – nearly five times the 15 per cent working in the so-called gig economy. More →

June 17, 2019

Worker confidence in the UK jobs market falls

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

The Monster Jobs Confidence Index, published for the first time by jobs board Monster.co.uk and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), claims that workers and job seekers confidence in the UK labour market has dropped by 10 percent, from 77 percent to 67 percent. The report defines confidence as how an individual feels about their ability to find a suitable job in the short-term, realise their career potential and build a better future for themselves.

June 12, 2019

Women and older workers drive record employment

by Marie Hillen • News, Workplace

The number of people in employment in the UK increased by 32,000 to a record high of 32.75 million in the three months to April 2019, according to the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). This was driven by women whose numbers increased by 60,000 on the quarter to a record high of 15.46 million.