December 5, 2022
Women are much more likely than men to be in flexible working arrangements that mean they lose hours, and therefore pay, according to new TUC analysis of official statistics. The findings have been published, a year after the government closed its consultation on flexible work, and ahead of the next committee stage of Yasmin Qureshi MP’s private members bill on flexible work. (more…)
November 15, 2022
A new US study conducted by IWG claims that employers view the hybrid working model as an essential part of their toolbox when it comes to recruitment, hiring and retention, with nearly 95 percent of HR leaders saying it is an effective recruitment tool. Released today, the ‘HR Leaders & Hybrid Working Report’ examines findings from a poll of more than 1,000 HR professionals at managerial and board level. (more…)
November 9, 2022
Workers are looking for new jobs, asking for extra shifts, or taking on side hustles to make ends meet as everyday expenses eat up a bigger chunk of their pay cheques. A new Qualtrics study claims that 77 percent of workers say it’s harder to pay for their living expenses than it was a year ago. In the UK, inflation recently rose above 10 percent for the second time this year amid soaring food prices. Compounding the impact of the cost of living, many of the work-related expenses that were relieved by remote work, such as commute costs and full-time childcare, are returning as an increasing number of people head back to the office. (more…)
October 12, 2022
The majority of workers would expect a four-day week to consist of longer working hours with one in seven stating that up to 10 hours per day would be reasonable. According to a new poll from Talent.com among 1,325 respondents, workers believe that a shortened working week would enable them to achieve better wellbeing and mental health. (more…)
September 12, 2022
A recent Oxford University study revealed that levels of stress, anxiety and depression unsurprisingly rose in parents and carers during the pandemic lockdowns. Although social restrictions have now lifted, the recovery from the significant mental impact will continue to take parents some time. Now, more than ever, organisations have a key role in remedying stress and burnout and supporting working parents’ wellbeing. (more…)
August 31, 2022
New data from the CIPD suggests that almost half of organisations support extending statutory paternity/partner leave and pay, with 29 percent of those backing an extension to either six weeks or more. In response, the CIPD is urging the Government to increase statutory paternity/partner leave to six weeks, either at or near the full rate of pay, to help families balance caring responsibilities and provide more financial support for working parents. Currently, under statutory paternity leave, employees can choose to take either one or two consecutive weeks’ leave if they have been employed for at least 26 weeks. Statutory paternity pay for eligible employees is currently either £156.66 a week or 90 percent of their average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. (more…)
August 30, 2022
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…)
August 18, 2022
A new report from Poly warns that hybrid working policies could be destined to fail if organisations do not protect company culture while facilitating “a return to office”. The report claims that getting employees back to the office is a challenge being fuelled by a reluctance to return, with employees citing concerns over work-life balance and productivity. This reluctance is exacerbated by rising bills and spiralling inflation, with the cost of living putting increased pressure on employee finances, causing them to potentially choose between traveling to work or spending that money elsewhere. (more…)
July 14, 2022
A new poll from XpertHR claims that nearly all UK organisations (95 percent) have encountered challenges implementing hybrid working, with reluctance to return to the workplace the leading issue currently faced by employers. Of the 292 organisations XpertHR surveyed, almost all (95 percent) operate a hybrid model. For most (59 percent) organisations, staff generally spend between 2-3 days working from home each week, however, over a third (37 percent) of staff are unhappy with this split and would prefer to spend even less time in the office. (more…)
April 29, 2022
The pandemic has brought with it many different trials and tribulations over the course of the past few years. An area that has impacted teams across the country, and the world, has been working from home and other forms of remote work. Once a necessity imposed by the UK government to stop the spread in the early stages of the pandemic, it has now become a part of working life for many people in many different sectors. It has offered many employees the new luxury of time: no commutes resulting in more time to spend with family and friends and creating a better work-life balance. (more…)
April 28, 2022
Over two-thirds of UK office workers would consider returning to the office full-time if employers covered commute costs, an Emburse/YouGov poll suggests. The survey of 1,000 British employees, of which 724 worked in an office, were asked questions around their new working preferences in order to understand what the ‘future of work’ looks like. Around 68 percent said that they would be likely to consider going into the office full time if transport costs to the office were fully covered. (more…)
December 6, 2022
Flexible working should be the norm for as many people as possibe
by Heejung Chung • Comment, Flexible working