February 26, 2020
Three quarters of organisations say access to market opportunities is their key motivation for international expansion, according to a report. Businesses also named access to specialist skills as one of the main factors that influence their international growth ambitions (cited by 67 percent), alongside proximity to suppliers and resources (66 percent) and access to affordable labour (55 percent). More →
February 26, 2020
Two thirds of UK business leaders expect developments in technology to lead to an increase in the number of permanent jobs created this year, a survey has suggested. The South West and Wales region is the most confident about the impact of new technology, with nearly three quarters of businesses anticipating jobs growth, compared to 56 percent in the least optimistic region, the North of England. More →
February 21, 2020
A new analysis of the UK’s job market claims there were 52 percent fewer available jobs listed for professionals with technology skills at the end of 2019, compared to six months earlier. Accenture’s UK Tech Talent Tracker analysed data from LinkedIn’s Professional Network. This shows 78,000 job vacancies advertised that require skills in emerging technologies, down from 162,000 last June. This decrease was driven by a 64 percent reduction in the number of advertised jobs for data analysts. More →
February 20, 2020
The European Commission has put forward a strategy to promote the development of AI and robotics while putting people first and defending European values and rights. The strategy acknowledges that AI can open up new opportunities for businesses and bring solutions to challenges such as climate change. However, it aims to address the social, legal and ethical impact of new technology. More →
February 20, 2020
Nine in ten freelancers in the UK feel the move to freelancing has improved their quality of life, a survey has claimed. Almost half of those surveyed by Dinghy stated that the best thing about freelancing is the flexibility – the ability to work when, where and with whoever they want. On the downside, almost all respondents (98 percent) admitted checking emails and projects in their time off. Many felt they have to work above and beyond what is called for to make a good impression, with nearly a third saying they “overserve” all their clients by consistently overworking and undercharging. More →
February 19, 2020
Employees use just 38 percent of their knowledge and expertise at work, meaning organisations are failing to unlock even half of the brainpower of their people, research has claimed. According to the survey of more than 1,000 UK and US “knowledge workers” by Starmind, 90 percent of employees want more opportunities to share knowledge and expertise and three quarters believe their organisation would benefit from accessing more of their expertise. More than 6 in 10 respondents feel they could contribute more but don’t know how, while nearly two-thirds say they have knowledge their organisation isn’t aware of or doesn’t capitalise on. More →
February 14, 2020
Eastern European businesses have benefited overall from EU membership but, for local firms, the promise of joining does not always live up to expectation or improve productivity, a report has warned. On the plus side, EU membership results in a significant increase in foreign investment, the report from IZA World of Labor suggests. More →
February 13, 2020
From start-ups to well-established companies, organisations thrive or fail on motivating employees. It’s mission-critical. Motivated employees are easy to spot – they tend to align their purpose to that of the company, are more innovative with their problem-solving and have a greater impact. Organisations must actively work to motivate and engage employees, giving them a sense of purpose. Otherwise, there’s a real risk of the company falling behind the competition and staying there. More →
February 12, 2020
I speak with senior workplace leaders daily and those conversations, coupled with our research and that of other people, offer us a striking perspective on the trends and changing nature of the workplace and in particular the impact of technology. Some themes are cropping up time and time again in these conversations and research and point to a new technology-led reality that we must all address. More →
February 11, 2020
Freelancers value the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss but their happiness is most closely correlated with how much money they earn, a survey of 7,000 freelancers has claimed. According to the report from Payoneer (registration required), the worldwide average hourly rate charged by freelancers is $21, up from $19 two years ago. This is significantly higher than the average salary in many of the 150 countries surveyed. Those who work exclusively in freelancing earn a higher rate and are more satisfied with their lifestyle than those who split their time working for a company. More →
February 10, 2020
More than half of the people in the UK classified as living in poverty are members of a working family. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s state of the nation report on poverty in the UK, poverty has risen for children and pensioners over the last five years. Although employment has increased, in-work poverty has also gone up because often people’s pay, hours, or both are not enough. More →
February 19, 2020
Look beyond the perks and reviews to get a clear view of an employer
by Delaney Kline • Comment