Search Results for: safety

No financial incentive to tackle climate change for 90 percent of CEOs, study claims

No financial incentive to tackle climate change for 90 percent of CEOs, study claims

No incentive to tackle climate change?Fewer than 10 percent of UK CEOs have financial incentives in place to be environmentally friendly in their business practices and thus tackle the climate change emergency, according to new research from Vlerick Business School. In fact, the researchers found that only 6 per cent of UK CEOs have in their bonus a KPI focusing on the environment, and less than one per cent have long-term incentives focused on this area. More →

Do emails outside of work hours breach employment law?

Do emails outside of work hours breach employment law?

<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128408/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />It is common for many employees to send, read and reply to work emails at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. This change in work culture developed in recent decades and has accelerated with the advent of smartphones. But is this a breach of employment law? The short answer is that “it depends” and we need some test cases to clarify the situation, not least in the UK. Some workplaces have a culture of long working hours and it can be difficult for an individual employee to go against it. The contract may refer to a 40-hour week but the reality may be very different. Smartphones and other digital devices have contributed to a culture of “digital presenteeism”. More →

What you need to know about paying wages in cryptocurrency

What you need to know about paying wages in cryptocurrency

Not all of your employees will prefer to have their hard work rewarded with often volatile cryptocurrencies. However, for those already investing in it, having some or all of their salary given as a digital currency may be more appealing and convenient. Below you can find the details of what you will need, some examples of people already doing it and the obstacles you will face.

To make paying your employees a reality, both you and your workers will need to have some additional things. The first is everyone will need a secure wallet to pay the cryptocurrency in. Making sure the best wallets are chosen is vital because there is no backup to the funds stored in them like there is at a conventional bank. Anyone considering their options should not forget to check out the Luno Bitcoin wallet with exceptional safety and stellar reviews.

The other help you will need as a business is a dedicated team of bookkeepers who know how to track payments in Bitcoin – more on that shortly.

 

Companies already paying in Bitcoin

There are some firms already making the leap to paying employees in cryptocurrency. Notably, a Japanese firm has started using Bitcoin to pay staff. At the moment, this is rare as most firms find the process difficult due to some legalities and taxation issues.

Another way people have been getting paid in cryptocurrency is through freelancing work via apps. There are many apps on the market that will pay freelance workers to complete projects in exchange for Bitcoin and alike. Earn.com is one of the most established, but many similar apps are available.

 

Legalities and tax 

One of the reasons that some of the most trendy fintech startups are not paying in crypto as of yet is because it is an overly complex procedure. For some, it is just not possible as it is against the law to do so, including in many South American and Asian countries. Even in those that do not make it illegal, the taxation and invoicing practicalities of doing so put them off.

For example, in the USA you can legally pay in crypto, but all forms need to show values in US dollars and sophisticated and specialist accountants and bookkeepers would be required, which adds to business expenses.

 

Will the rules change?

It is possible that as cryptocurrencies become even more mainstream and accepted – as well as regulations are implemented upon them – the idea of paying in crypto will become not only legal, but more feasible. That day may come, but the wait until it is easy to do may be long.

For now, employees may be better swapping their fiat salaries for crypto with a trusted exchange platform and a reliable wallet.

Image by Icons8_team 

Seeing red about the only home we will ever know

Seeing red about the only home we will ever know

Somewhere in the Utah desert, there is a small living pod designed to emulate conditions on Mars for a group of scientists keen to explore how we might colonise that red planet after messing this blue one up. This came as a surprise to me as did the news that Ikea has been on site recently installing some of its furniture for the occupants. Next up perhaps, an installation of Billy bookcases on the International Space Station as scientists explore the effects on people of a lost screw in zero gravity. I am Jack’s unconstrained rage. More →

First Mats launches new range of cable protectors

First Mats launches new range of cable protectors

First Mats is delighted to announce the launch of a brand-new range of floor cable protectors to complement the company’s existing selection of floor matting safety products. The new range of floor cable protectors is specifically designed with floor safety in mind to protect workers from trip hazards, as well as preventing damage to expensive IT equipment.

“A big part of the First Mats mission is to help improve safety in workplaces, and I believe that this range of floor cable protectors is a fantastic addition to our established range of floor matting products,” said Richard O’Connor, Strategic Marketing Director.

Loose, trailing cables present a dangerous health and safety hazard to workers, and First Mats’ new range of floor cable protectors can improve floor safety and prevent workplace accidents. IT equipment is also vulnerable to damage when cables are accidentally yanked out.

As well as performing a vital health and safety at work function, First Mats’ new range of floor cable protectors has another important role to play in any workplace environment. Floor cable protectors help to keep office premises, warehouses, commercial kitchens, and factory floor areas tidy, preventing tangles of cables from collecting dust that could present a fire hazard or harbour gnawing pests and insects.

Loose cables can easily be damaged and abraded by foot traffic and vibration. Still, First Mats’ floor cable protectors can prevent that, saving firms from the cost of cable replacement and the expensive production downtime that can be caused by catastrophic equipment failure. Floor cable protectors can also be used to shield outdoor cabling at events, festivals, and the like, preventing damage by the elements and from foot traffic, as well as protecting people attending the event from trip-related accidents.

First Mats’ cable protectors are made from super-strong PVC material for excellent durability and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The whole range of floor cable protectors is made with a seamed backing that keeps cables and wires snapped firmly in place. There are several grades of durability on offer, from general-purpose floor cable protectors that are ideal for use in offices and computer rooms, through to a heavy-duty version that can withstand impact from heavy vehicular traffic and vibration from adjacent machinery.

For more information, please contact First Mats on 0121 702 1659, email info@firstmats.co.uk or visit the First Mats website (https://www.firstmats.co.uk/).

Office design can be a vehicle for equality and change

Office design can be a vehicle for equality and change

workplace design for inclusionThe way companies design physical environments is a direct reflection of their values and beliefs. Inequality is hardwired into the “standard” office layout, with perimeter offices and fixed desks offering limited settings for unstructured collaboration and recreation, further perpetuating the issue. Modern office design often favours extroversion and emphasises a hierarchy with values that benefit only a small portion of the overall workforce, contributing to organisation-wide imbalance. So how do we create more inclusive workplaces that can be leveraged as vehicles for change? More →

The agile workplace: try to catch the wind

The agile workplace: try to catch the wind

Wheatfield with Crows depicts the pointlessness of trying to capture agile workIn the chilly hours and minutes, of uncertainty sang Donovan in ‘Catch the Wind’. That’s us, arriving at the agile workplace. We are all Donovan. The comment was recently made on Twitter that agile is “as natural as the wind”. Seemingly however, the anxiety and frustration generated by our experiences are proving as impossible as catching it. Change programmes issue us with a metaphorical bag to catch it in. Where the problem seems bigger we get given a proportionally bigger bag, forgetting the problem of mass.

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Uber Works may not be as good for workers as it is for businesses

Uber Works may not be as good for workers as it is for businesses

<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125519/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />Uber is still best known as a ride-hailing platform but it has been branching out into other industries. Food (Uber eats), electric scooters and bicycles (Jump), and now shift work with the launch of Uber Works. It is being trialled in Chicago, with plans to launch elsewhere soon, and enables casual workers such as cleaners, bar staff and warehouse workers to find work. More →

Smart cities must develop in surprising ways to meet new challenges

Smart cities must develop in surprising ways to meet new challenges

Siemenstadt in Berlin is one of a new generation of smart citiesThe new generation of smart cities should embrace new technologies and fresh approaches to combat their growing list of challenges, claims a new report from ABI Research. In its new whitepaper, 5 Ways Smart Cities Are Getting Smarter (registration), ABI suggests that digital twins and urban modeling, resilient cities, circular cities, micro-mobility, and smart spaces as the five new urban strategy shifts that will make smart cities smarter in the new ways they need. More →

The best smart cities focus on people rather than technology

The best smart cities focus on people rather than technology

The best smart cities such as Buenos Aires focus on peopleCities are fast becoming “smart”, and the impact on people’s lives can be immense. Singapore’s smart traffic cameras restrict traffic depending on volume, and ease the commute of thousands of passengers every day. In Kaunas, Lithuania, the cost of parking is automatically deducted from the bank accounts of drivers when they park their cars. In many cities, the timing of public buses is announced at each stop with almost perfect accuracy. And free WiFi is now accessible across entire cities, including Buenos Aires, Argentina (pictured) and Ramallah, Palestine. More →

Gallup survey concludes that work is mostly harmless

Gallup survey concludes that work is mostly harmless

work is mostly harmlessWhen asked about thirteen specific aspects of their jobs in a new Gallup study (download), U.S. workers reported that they are most satisfied with their physical safety in the workplace, their relations with coworkers, the flexibility of their hours and their job security. At the same time, they are least satisfied with work related stress, the retirement plans offered and the money they earn. More →

Wellbeing issues dog growing number of men unable to find work

Wellbeing issues dog growing number of men unable to find work

wellbeing issues for unemployed menA new IZA World of Labor report suggests that the number of prime-age males who exist outside the labour force is increasing worldwide. The report claims that this development goes hand in hand with a decrease in wellbeing for the men themselves driven by higher levels of stress and has a wide range of economic and social consequences. More →