Search Results for: lockdown

London commercial property market shows some resilience

London commercial property market shows some resilience

market

New analysis by McBains, of commercial property transactions worth £100m-plus completed in London over a 12-month period suggest a fall in the total value and volume of deals, but the market holding relatively strong in the face of COVID-19 and uncertainty over the UKs impending EU exit agreement. More →

People still struggling with shift to remote living

People still struggling with shift to remote living

livingA lack of balance through lockdown has been felt most dramatically by Brits living in house shares according to new research released by Microsoft Windows. The research claims that over 40 percent of people living with house mates, friends or professionals are finding it increasingly difficult to destress and unwind after a long and challenging day; while a further 1 in 5 of the UK population admit that work and play has become blurred in 2020. More →

Several factors impact wellbeing of people working from home

Several factors impact wellbeing of people working from home

wellbeingA new study on work-life balance claims that the COVID-19 crisis is a crucial factor – but not the only one – behind low levels of wellbeing among employees working from home. A research team including Professor Ilke Inceoglu, Professor of Organisational Behaviour and HR Management at the University of Exeter Business School, analysed data from 835 university employees, who completed a baseline questionnaire on wellbeing and took a weekly survey. More →

Digital skills gap poses major economic threat, Microsoft study claims

Digital skills gap poses major economic threat, Microsoft study claims

The UK’s digital skills gap could pose a risk to economic recovery, new research from Microsoft claims, with over three-quarters of UK leaders citing a large digital talent pool as essential to driving UK competitiveness. The study, Unlocking the UK’s potential with digital skills, was conducted in partnership with Dr Chris Brauer at Goldsmiths, University of London to assess the UK’s skills gap and provide practical guidance for organisations on how to tackle it. It predicts the rise of a “Next Gen Worker” that is empowered by low-code and no-code technology, but also finds that a failure to embrace technological skills could leave companies struggling to compete on the global stage. More →

Legal and mental health concerns mount as businesses brace for redundancies

Legal and mental health concerns mount as businesses brace for redundancies

redundanciesDespite the last-minute extension of the furlough scheme, new research conducted among UK business leaders claims that great concern remains around making redundancies and in particular the legal risk. The survey of over 440 UK business leaders, conducted by employment law and HR support firm Ellis Whittam, also claims two-thirds (66 percent) believe the prospect of making redundancies has negatively impacted their mental wellbeing. More →

The workplace to become more human-centric than ever, as priorities change

The workplace to become more human-centric than ever, as priorities change

HumanCompanies are facing complex performance challenges as the COVID-19 resurgence heightens the need to reinvigorate employee engagement. JLL’s new “Human Experience” report explores these changing workforce dynamics and expectations in a post-pandemic world and offers insights for how forward-thinking companies can reimagine their approach to managing their people and workplaces to stay ahead in 2021. More →

HR professionals must seek a new connection with the IT team

HR professionals must seek a new connection with the IT team

HR and ITIt has now been more than eight months since the government first advised people to work from home if possible, due to COVID-19. The shift to remote working happened suddenly in March and quickly became part of everyday life; in April 2020 alone, 47 percent of people in employment did some work at home, compared to just 16 percent in the whole of 2019. IT teams were extremely successful in getting staff up-and-running with the right technology, but there was little time for organisations to fully train users before driving adoption, or personalise the approach based on individual need. This places a new onus on HR teams. More →

Covid-19 is levelling the playing field for disabled workers

Covid-19 is levelling the playing field for disabled workers

two people talking to illustrate the growing number of disabled people in self-employmentAs many of us cope with yet another lockdown, optimism is easy to misplace but, for disabled workers, this could result in monumental change for future employment. On the month commencing the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act and the run-up to International Day of Disabled Persons, could this be the final push for change? As we swing in and out of remote-working, whether you love it or loathe it, one thing is abundantly clear – it can be done. Something that the 2 billion people currently living with disabilities have always known. Life can be accessible anywhere if you put your mind to it. More →

Rising job insecurity during pandemic linked to mental distress

Rising job insecurity during pandemic linked to mental distress

InsecurityEmployees facing increased job and financial insecurity at the onset of the pandemic suffered a wave of mental distress, according to research published by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). Rates of mental distress among employees were 60 percent higher in April than before the pandemic, and 50 percent higher in May, with significant increases both for employees who were furloughed and those who continued at work. More →

Missing that spark? The new hybrid working world

Missing that spark? The new hybrid working world

hybridA new survey by Actus, has uncovered a number of prevailing concerns for employees. These centre around lack of opportunities to collaborate, connect and learn as informal face-to-face interactions are restricted due to Covid-19 enforced hybrid working. More →

Unused office space could cost London businesses almost £13 billion

Unused office space could cost London businesses almost £13 billion

Office spaceUnused office space after coronavirus could cost London-based businesses almost £13 billion according to a new report by Space Three Two, a new office timeshare marketplace born out of lockdown. According to a survey of London office workers, employees want to spend an average of 2.7 days back in the office once all Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted. 1 in 10 workers said didn’t want to go back to the office at all. More →

Mental health continues to deteriorate as a result of the pandemic

Mental health continues to deteriorate as a result of the pandemic

mental health and the black dogMorneau Shepell has published its monthly Mental Health Index report, which claims there is a a consistent trend of negative mental health among Britons at the seven-month mark of the pandemic. The Mental Health Index for October is -13.4, suggesting that Britons’ mental wellbeing continues to be at risk, with declining workplace productivity and the need for support adding to the continuing strain of the pandemic. More →