An evidence review led by the University of Warwick has concluded that the increase of zero hours contracts over the last 20 years has created significant risk for workers. They found that unreliable work can result in a sudden loss of hours and earnings, and an inability to access legal advice for unfair or potentially unlawful employment practices. Along with colleagues from the ReWAGE expert advisory group, academics at the Institute of Employment Research at the University of Warwick examined the legal and workplace practices associated with zero hour contracts, along with data covering flexibility, pay insecurity, workers ability to assert their rights and workers health and wellbeing. More →

Over half of UK based ‘deskless’ workers (51 per cent) say they’re viewed as expendable by their employer. Plus, almost a third (32 per cent), feel that their corporate, desk-based colleagues regard them as inferior.  These are the findings from O.C. Tanner’s 2024 Global Culture Report which gathered data and insights from more than 42,000 employees, leaders, HR practitioners, and executives from 27 countries worldwide including 4,818 from the U.K (of which 1,734 are deskless). More →

British workers who come into the office every day to work now outnumber those who spend part of the week working from home, for the first time since the end of pandemic restrictions, according to a new survey from recruitment firm Hays. Of nearly 15,000 white-collar staff and employers who took part in the poll last month, around 43 per cent said they were now working entirely from the office, up from 36 per cent a year earlier. Meanwhile the proportion of people who said they spend some time working from home, fell to 39 per cent from 43 per cent in 2022. Fewer than one in five now work entirely remotely. More →

Remote and hybrid workers are being excluded in the workplace, according to a new poll from workingmums.co.uk. Figures from the organisation’s annual survey suggest that 43 percent of mothers who work remotely feel they have been overlooked for promotion and work opportunities, whilst almost a third (29 percent) say they don’t feel fully included at work.  The research also reveals that whilst pay is now the biggest retention driver for mums, flexible working comes in a close second, significantly more important than both benefits and rights. Almost three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) say flexible working is a deal breaker in taking a new job, and over half (52 percent) have turned down a position due to lack of flexibility. More →