Search Results for: government

Carbon emissions from buildings fall, but more to be done

Carbon emissions from buildings fall, but more to be done

Despite a fall in carbon emissions from buildings as a result of the lockdown, businesses can do much more to cut carbon and save costs during the COVID-19 lockdown reveals latest data from Carbon Intelligence which tracked and analysed energy usage from 300 buildings during this period. (more…)

An optimistic take on the future of work

An optimistic take on the future of work

Setting aside the drastic personal tragedies, the financial devastation and the strain the virus has placed on government infrastructure, business, finance, and healthcare systems worldwide, the coronavirus has been able to achieve what legions of workplace strategists and change managers have been unable to do: encourage middle managers to give remote working a try. (more…)

Intense pressure on HR teams to cope with new demands

Intense pressure on HR teams to cope with new demands

HR professionals are now moving beyond the immediate crisis stage in dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic as home-working, furloughing and heightened workplace health and safety measures bed in, research by XpertHR suggests. (more…)

Half of self-employed fear they cannot cover basic living costs

Half of self-employed fear they cannot cover basic living costs

self-employedNew research by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) claims that almost half (45 percent) of the self-employed fear they will not have enough money to cover basic costs like rent and bills during the Coronavirus crisis, despite the government support on offer. Overall, two thirds (66 percent) also say they are worried they will burn through all their savings in the next three months. (more…)

Sleeping habits improve under lockdown, but conspiracy theories abound

Sleeping habits improve under lockdown, but conspiracy theories abound

One of the surprising consequences of the current lockdown for many people is that they are sleeping more soundly. A new study claims that nearly two thirds of people are getting the same amount or more sleep than they were before the UK went into lockdown on March 23rd. However the report also uncovered some troubling attitudes amongst groups of people, even though the majority are informed and behaving as advised. (more…)

Finnish consortium creates new global smart buildings standard

Finnish consortium creates new global smart buildings standard

A consortium of Finnish companies backed by government funding have launched a smart buildings platform that they hope will will enable the collection, analysis and automatic application of data in building maintenance and design worldwide. (more…)

When it comes to the future of work, we only know what we don’t know

When it comes to the future of work, we only know what we don’t know

As the threat and reality of COVID-19 simultaneously sweep the earth, the only certainty is the uncertainty, which is the least favourable place for businesses and individuals. The complexities of this situation cannot be underplayed, with multiple layers to consider, from human health both physical and mental to world economies. Whilst COVID-19 may be a great equaliser in terms of its indiscriminate contagion, the response from governments has varied widely. (more…)

Microsoft Teams data shows how the way we work is changing

Microsoft Teams data shows how the way we work is changing

?In light of the numerous changes in daily behaviour across the world because of the coronavirus,?Microsoft has published the first edition of its?Work Trend .?It uses the Microsoft Graph of usage data to analyse productivity trends and observe how remote working scenarios are changing the way we connect with each other.  (more…)

Finance leaders gear up for life after lockdown

Finance leaders gear up for life after lockdown

As the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic becomes apparent, and the vast majority of workers are now remote working, CFOs are working closely with their real estate teams to re-assess workspace costs both now and in the future. (more…)

Working parents still not getting enough support to deal with pandemic

Working parents still not getting enough support to deal with pandemic

A new report from work-life balance charity Working Families claims that there remains a pressing need for increased support for working parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report is informed by queries to the charity’s free legal advice helpline, which the charity says have quadrupled since the start of the pandemic. Since mid-March, over 36,000 people have accessed the charity’s coronavirus-focused legal advice web pages. (more…)

Two thirds of SMEs confident of prospects after restructuring

Two thirds of SMEs confident of prospects after restructuring

Nearly two thirds (62 percent) of UK small business owners remain confident about their business prospects despite the coronavirus crisis, according to a study from Bionic. The government’s response to the pandemic has forced many SMEs, particularly in the retail, hospitality and leisure space, to close their doors to customers. Responding to the lockdown, 78 percent of small businesses have pivoted the way their business operates to continue trading through the crisis.

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Most workers not productive while working from home, report claims

Most workers not productive while working from home, report claims

working from homeNo more than 15 percent of healthy workers confined to their homes will work productively, argues new research from right leaning think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs. Government restrictions on social interaction designed to slow the spread of coronavirus have led to a rapid increase in the number of people working from home. But a new briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) suggests this is unlikely to be maintained in the long term. (more…)