March 25, 2024

AI will leave a lot of people with nowhere to go in the job market

by Jayne Smith • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

Non-graduates, ‘silver surfers’ and those in lower socio-economic brackets will be left behind as the rise of AI creates a ‘skills glass ceiling’. That’s according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). The latest iteration of the Robert Half JCI revealed that almost half (45 percent) of the UK workforce is concerned that AI will disrupt their career in the next six to ten years. More →

February 28, 2024

Young people should be the main focus of mental health efforts (and your chance to use free flexible workspace for a day)

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Young people are now more likely to experience a common mental disorder (CMD) than any other age group – a complete reversal compared to two decades ago when they were least likely to. And the economic consequences are greatest for those whose poor mental health comes alongside poor educational outcomes, with one-in-three young non-graduates with a CMD currently workless, according to new Resolution Foundation research. More →

October 4, 2023

Generative AI will outperform humans on traditional recruitment processes

by Jayne Smith • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

A new report from Arctic Shores, a psychometric assessment provider, claims that the use of Generative AI is already common among students, younger workers and job applicants, with around seven in ten of 2,000 respondents to a survey expecting to use ChatGPT while completing a job application or assessment over the next 12 months, and 17 percent already using it. With 72 percent of students and candidates using some form of Generative AI on a regular basis – a number that has increased by 50 percent in just four months – the implications for employers and talent acquisition leaders are profound, the report argues. More →

August 14, 2023

Young Furniture Makers exhibition returns for 2023

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture, News

The Young Furniture Makers exhibition, a special one-day event showcasing furniture, lighting and textile designs from emerging designer-makers to employers and key players in the furnishing industry, returns to the City of London this October. The event, organised by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, will take place on Wednesday 11 October at Furniture Makers’ Hall and the Dutch Church in Austin Friars, London. More →

June 6, 2023

Business leaders don’t think higher education prepares people for the workplace

by Jayne Smith • News, Workplace

Most UK business leaders say that higher education doesn’t fully prepare graduates for the workplace, according to a new poll from Multiverse. Yet the survey also suggests that over half (54 percent) of senior leaders at those companies still require degrees for entry-level roles. The findings, which come as part of a global report into business leaders’ attitudes to on-the-job learning, show just a third (32 percent) believe a graduate’s degree grade is one of the top three indicators of their potential. This comes as almost twice as many (59 percent) say they actually learned more valuable skills during their first two years in the workplace than they did during university. More →

September 1, 2022

Skills gap is the most prominent hiring challenge facing HR leaders

by Jayne Smith • News, Workplace

New research from ECI Partners, a private equity firm, suggests that HR leaders believe the most prominent hiring challenge they currently face is a lack of technical skills and knowledge. Nearly a fifth (18.3 percent) of managers said this was their single biggest obstacle, highlighting the growing concern over the UK’s skills gap. The current labour shortages prompted by a range of factors including Brexit and Covid-19, appear to have further widened the skills gap for recruiters. More →

August 30, 2022

Is the growing number of working mums a cause for celebration or concern?

by Hina Belitz • Comment, Wellbeing

Working mothers are a resilient group, accustomed to juggling work responsibilities and family time with aplomb. Such was the conclusion in a report from McKinsey last year. But the day-to-day challenges they face can severely test that resilience. The proportion of working mums in the UK has just matched the highest ever recorded figure. In the three months to June, 75 per cent of women with dependent children were in employment, according to the Office for National Statistics. By comparison, 93 per cent of fathers were in employment during the same period. More →

May 23, 2022

Younger workers want flexible working, but are sceptical of remote

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

While remote and flexible working roles continue to grow in almost all countries, 20-24 year olds are the age group making the fewest applications to fully remote roles, claims a new poll from LinkedIn. LinkedIn analysed the labour market for career starters in the U.S., U.K, France and Germany – including job applications and hiring data – to understand which sectors offer the most opportunity for Gen Z job-seekers and employers looking to attract them. More →

March 14, 2022

Out of hours work ban would find support among majority of employees

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing

A new poll from researchers Ipsos reveals the majority of UK adults aged 16-75 are in favour of introducing a law giving employees the right to ignore work-related communications, such as emails, texts and instant messages, outside of their official working/on-call hours. Around 60 percent would support the Government introducing an out of hours law, including 34 percent who would strongly support it. Only 1 in 10 (11 percent) indicated they would be against introduction of such a law. More →

January 21, 2022

Employment opportunities denied to people from low socioeconomic backgrounds

by Neil Franklin • Jobs, News, Workplace

Over 50 percent of UK job seekers from low socioeconomic backgrounds miss out on employment opportunities, claims a study of over 2,200 people. The survey (registration), from EdTec startup Forage suggests that employers must refine their social mobility initiatives to achieve a fair recruitment process for all. More →

November 24, 2021

Portfolio careers, side-gigs and flexible working are priorities for the UK’s next generation of workers

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

A flexible work culture is a key consideration for the majority of young workers when choosing a job, with over half (53 percent) of 18-34-year-olds claiming that talented young people won’t join companies that are inflexible about the way their people choose to work. More →

July 7, 2021

One fifth of UK workers do not intend to commute again post pandemic

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

As employees across the UK are to set to embark on their return to the workplace following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, new research by Kura, claims that commuters are reluctant to return to the office in the coming months, mainly due to increased concern over infection control and social distancing on the daily commute. More →