Search Results for: leadership

The sector responds to the Spring Budget

The sector responds to the Spring Budget

Yesterday’s Spring Budget included a number of announcements that affect the various people, place and technology professions in the UK. These include a cut in National Insurance, pension fund reforms, support for working parents, AI, helping people back in to work and more. You can see the Government’s own summary here. The various industry sectors have been quick to respond to the announcements. You can see what some people have had to say below, in no particular order. More →

Hybrid working helps women into senior management roles

Hybrid working helps women into senior management roles

The widespread adoption of hybrid working has opened the door for women to apply for senior positions within their companiesThe widespread adoption of hybrid working has opened the door for women to apply for senior positions within their companies, according to a new report released ahead of International Women’s Day. IWG’s 2024 report Advancing Equality: Women in the Hybrid Workplace, based on research among more than 1,000 female hybrid workers, found that flexible working had allowed over half (53 percent) to pursue promotions or apply for more senior roles  – which, in an encouraging move for advancing equality, rises to more than three in five (61 percent) of women from minority backgrounds. For almost three quarters (73 percent) of women in minority groups, flexible working has opened up new opportunities that they would not have had otherwise. More →

Jennifer Bryan

Jennifer Bryan is a published author, speaker and Director of Change and Leadership, who has worked with nearly 40 different organisations across multiple industries.  She is also a Non Executive Board Member of the ACMP (Association of Change Management Professionals) UK Chapter.  She believes in helping people – in whatever capacity she can – by making sure people are thought of first, last and throughout change projects and programmes. She has created a unique leading change framework, the ABChange Model, and uses her commercial insight to help lead people in change. Jennifer is author of Leading People in Change – A practical guide

A quarter of projects don’t meet their stated goals – but that’s not because of remote working

A quarter of projects don’t meet their stated goals – but that’s not because of remote working

A quarter of all projects do not meet the business goals that their organisations set for them but remote working is not a major factor in outcomesA quarter of all projects do not meet the business goals that their organisations set for them, according to research published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in the 15th edition of its Pulse of the Profession report – The Future of Project Work. The newly released report, based on the responses of over 2,000 project professionals and 300+ senior leaders around the world, paints what the report says is a concerning picture of project outcomes across various industries globally. The report also highlights the reasons for this and excludes remote working as a major factor. More →

People who don’t work at a desk feel much less loved than those who do

People who don’t work at a desk feel much less loved than those who do

The UK’s ‘deskless’ workers feel considerably less valued at work than their desk-based colleagues. Just 43 per cent of UK deskless workers admit to feeling seen, valued and appreciated compared to 61 per cent of desk-based corporate employees. These are the findings from O.C. Tanner’s 2024 Global Culture Report which have been released to coincide with Employee Appreciation Day (1 March 2024). More →

Business leaders struggling to navigate rapid change, report claims

Business leaders struggling to navigate rapid change, report claims

Amidst volatile markets and the rapid technological transformation taking place with AI, business leaders are at an inflection point as they attempt to navigate both new and existing challengesAmidst volatile markets and the rapid technological transformation taking place with AI, business leaders are at an inflection point as they attempt to navigate both new and existing challenges – and it’s taking a toll on executive tenure. According to a new survey conducted by LHH, a talent advisory and solutions company, executives across various industries and countries are grappling with formidable challenges, with technological advancements taking centre stage in their concerns. The survey, titled View from the C-Suite: Bridging the executive gap, reveals some of the key insights and recommendations for senior executives as they begin 2024. More →

University of Warwick receives £1.25 million to research how AI could change the market for real estate

University of Warwick receives £1.25 million to research how AI could change the market for real estate

The University of Warwick has received a £1.25 million donation to launch the FutureFinance.AI Research Group that could transform the way the world purchases, sells, rents and handles real estate over the next five yearsThe University of Warwick has received a £1.25 million donation to launch the FutureFinance.AI Research Group that could transform the way the world purchases, sells, rents and handles real estate over the next five years. Based in the Gillmore Centre for Financial Technology at Warwick Business School, the new Research Group will draw interdisciplinary scholars and thinkers from across the world to redefine and innovate the financial and property technology landscape. More →

Employee wellbeing advocate shortlisted for Veuve Clicquot Bold Awards

Employee wellbeing advocate shortlisted for Veuve Clicquot Bold Awards

Francesca Brady, founder of AirRated who advocates for employee wellbeing and cleaner air in the workplace has been named as a finalist in Veuve Clicquot’s Future AwardsFrancesca Brady, founder of AirRated who advocates for employee wellbeing and cleaner air in the workplace has been named as a finalist in Veuve Clicquot’s Future Awards, the international awards programme celebrating businesswomen. Previous winners include Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, the inventor of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID vaccine and Jo Whitfield, CEO of Co-Op Food. Francesca’s work highlights the dangers of a polluted workplace, as research shows the link between pollution, cognitive decline, dementia and poor employee wellbeing and mental health. More →

We need to talk about loneliness

We need to talk about loneliness

From a business perspective, loneliness can be something that is often overlooked, particularly with the growing trend of hybrid workingLast year the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that loneliness is a pressing global health threat. Research has shown that it poses the same health risk as 15 cigarettes a day. According to the ONS, between January and February 2024, one in four adults in the UK reported feeling lonely. The government estimates the cost of severe loneliness per person is roughly £10,000 per year as a result of its impact on wellbeing, health and productivity. From a business perspective, this issue can be something that is often overlooked, particularly with the growing trend of hybrid working. In a connected workplace, employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to contribute their best. More →

Rejection of flexible working request shouldn’t blind employers to their legal duties

Rejection of flexible working request shouldn’t blind employers to their legal duties

Amy Leech of Shoosmiths looks at a recent case following the rejection of a flexible working request and considers its implicationsFlexible working has continued in many workforces since the pandemic. The most common pattern is a hybrid one where employees split their time between the office and home. However some employees are now looking to work remotely on a permanent basis. This is what happened in Wilson v Financial Conduct Authority 2302739/2023. The Claimant submitted a flexible working application requesting to work entirely remotely using her computer and other electronic equipment and to complete all her work without attending a physical office location. The Respondent’s policy was that post-pandemic, the Claimant was expected to work in the office 40 percent of the time and could work the other 60 percent remotely. More →

Employee turnover will skyrocket if firms monitor office attendance, says former EY leader 

Employee turnover will skyrocket if firms monitor office attendance, says former EY leader 

The so-called Big Four consultancy firms risk increasing their employee turnover and drastically lowering their retention if they continue monitoring office attendanceThe so-called Big Four consultancy firms risk increasing their employee turnover and drastically lowering their retention if they continue monitoring office attendance, says former EY leader and CEO of AM Bank, Dr. Nahla Khaddage Bou-Diab. The intervention follows news that professional services giant Ernst & Young is monitoring UK staff office attendance. More →

Most firms don’t have AI guidance in place for internal comms

Most firms don’t have AI guidance in place for internal comms

Over two-thirds (71 percent) of organisations do not provide guidance on when, where or how to use AI for internal communicationsOver two-thirds (71 percent) of organisations do not provide guidance on when, where or how to use AI for internal communications, according to Gallagher’s 2023/24 State of the Sector report [registration]. Furthermore, the study, which drew insights from more than 2,300 communication and HR leaders across 56 countries, claims that 1 in 10 communicators (13 percent) were unsure if their organisation was using AI. More →