Search Results for: risk

Remote work one of the emergency measures that could cut energy use, says IEA

Remote work one of the emergency measures that could cut energy use, says IEA

remote workIn the face of the emerging global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, practical actions by governments and citizens in advanced economies and beyond can achieve significant reductions in oil demand in a matter of months, reducing the risk of a major supply crunch, according to new analysis released by the International Energy Agency. These efforts, including the uptake of remote work, would reduce the pain being felt by consumers around the world, lessen the economic damage, shrink Russia’s hydrocarbon revenues, and help move oil demand towards a more sustainable pathway, the IEA claims.

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ESG objectives now a priority for quarter of organisations

ESG objectives now a priority for quarter of organisations

ESG businessNew research from Cloudera claims that more than one quarter (26 percent) of business decision makers are now putting increasing investment into environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) initiatives, ahead of developing new products/services (24 percent) or accelerating financial growth (21 percent). Additionally, knowledge workers believe as much as 49 percent of the data their business uses on a day-to-day basis should be focused on doing good for the communities it serves. This is a sentiment 52 percent of business decision makers agree with — a clear indication that profit and ESG are no longer mutually exclusive pursuits. More →

Levelling up agenda failing to address city imbalances

Levelling up agenda failing to address city imbalances

The UK’s smaller towns and cities are expected to show stronger economic growth than those that are larger and more metropolitan and there is an increased focus from the public on wellbeing, the environment and income distribution, according to PwC’s annual Good Growth for Cities report. Areas such as Bournemouth, Exeter and Plymouth, are expected to see the strongest gross value added (GVA) growth rates for 2021 and 2022, with cities in the North and Midlands continuing to lag behind despite the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. More →

Technology and talent should be main focus for business leaders now

Technology and talent should be main focus for business leaders now

Technology and talentBusinesses are investing in technology to expand online operations and facilitate remote work during the pandemic. But many of those same businesses are also eager to see their employees return to the workplace in greater numbers over the long term. Those are among the findings of a new survey of small and midsized business leaders conducted by The Harris Poll and sponsored by CIT, a division of First Citizens Bank.  More →

Younger workers say the pandemic has held back their careers

Younger workers say the pandemic has held back their careers

younger workersBusinesses risk losing a whole generation of talent as nearly half (49 percent) of 18-34 year olds plan to quit their jobs in the next twelve months. That’s according to new research from Personio, which is calling on businesses to urgently re-engage this generation of workers – or risk even more problematic talent shortages as they navigate the year ahead. The research, which surveyed HR decision makers and workers in SMEs across the UK and Ireland, finds that 59 percent of younger workers (18-34 year olds) feel they’ve missed out on promotions they felt they were due. In addition, two thirds (66 percent) feel the pandemic has held them back in their career – suggesting that serious concerns around their career development and progression are influencing their decision to move on. More →

Retrofit offers the greatest opportunity for a commercial property market beset by uncertainty

Retrofit offers the greatest opportunity for a commercial property market beset by uncertainty

Retrofit an opportunity for commercial propertyIn the context of a second major economic shock from war in Ukraine and continuing inflationary concerns, the PWC / ULI report Emerging Trends in Real Estate Global Outlook 2022 focuses on the global outlook for the real estate industry increasing pressure for finance to support the decarbonisation of real estate. The industry challenges lenders and their regulators to provide debt for the retrofit of existing buildings and the scale-up of the ‘climate tech’ needed. More →

Many workers worried that revealing mental health concerns could result in job loss

Many workers worried that revealing mental health concerns could result in job loss

mental health and wellbeingA new study claims that there are increasing issues around reporting employee wellbeing whilst hybrid working, as 95 percent of UK employees feel that their company doesn’t do enough to identify and support those with mental health concerns. One in six UK employees feel worried that raising  concerns with their company could put them at risk of losing their job, the new report into employee mental health and remote working suggests. Throughout the UK, 86 percent believe that their workplace is not a safe space for employees to be open about mental wellbeing. More →

Wellbeing, skills and diversity data absent from majority of FTSE 100 firms’ annual reports

Wellbeing, skills and diversity data absent from majority of FTSE 100 firms’ annual reports

wellbeing, skills, diversityNew analysis of FTSE 100 annual reports finds that while workforce reporting has improved in the past two years, the quantity and quality of disclosures still varies significantly and remains very poor in places. The new report, How do companies report on their ‘most important asset?, from the CIPD, the PLSA and Railpen, analysed the quality of workforce disclosures in the 2021 annual reports of FTSE 100 companies against seven key themes: Workforce cost and composition; employee relations and wellbeing; reward; voice; skills, capabilities and recruitment; and response to COVID-19. More →

What really happens when we start using offices again?

What really happens when we start using offices again?

officesShould I stay or should I go? – we have all faced that dilemma in recent weeks with our offices opened by hopeful employers versus the enticement of a warm kitchen, fresh coffee and swerving a long commute also on offer. It is a decision we are all having to make and, which seems loaded with potential, previously unimagined outcomes. More →

Sustainability doesn’t have to depend on high-tech solutions

Sustainability doesn’t have to depend on high-tech solutions

sustainability and low tech solutionsIt’s a popular idea that the path to sustainability lies in high-tech solutions. By making everyday items like cars electric, and installing smart systems to monitor and reduce energy use, it seems we’ll still be able to enjoy the comforts to which we’ve become accustomed while doing our bit for the planet – a state known as “green growth”. But the risks of this approach are becoming ever clearer. Many modern technologies use materials like copper, cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements. These metals are in devices like cell phones, televisions and motors. Not only is their supply finite, but large amounts of energy are required for their extraction and processing – producing significant emissions. More →

Building workplace resilience in a changing environment

Building workplace resilience in a changing environment

workplace resilienceFor decades, it has been agreed that change is a constant. So, doesn’t it stand to reason that before a change or crisis happens, an organization should have the ability and resilience to transform? In the McKinsey report, The resilience imperative: Succeeding in uncertain times, resilience is defined as, “the ability to withstand unpredictable threat or change and then to emerge stronger.” In other words, it is the ability to sustain and endure. And it applies just as much to workplace resilience as any other element of the organisation. More →

A third of businesses plan to scrap self-isolation for workers

A third of businesses plan to scrap self-isolation for workers

self-isolationNew research suggests that many British employers won’t require staff who test positive for Covid-19 to self-isolate at home now that the remaining legal restrictions have been lifted. A poll of 250 business owners, CEOs and senior managers, by HR software provider CIPHR, claims that less than half (48 percent) are planning to keep staff with Covid at home and away from the workplace. One in five (21 percent) of those surveyed are still unsure how they’ll deal with the imminent easing of self-isolation restrictions for positive or asymptomatic people. More →