May 23, 2022

Coworking workstation price jumps nine percent

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

Between January 2021 and January 2022, the average price for a monthly hot desk rental at a coworking space increased by 9 percent globally, according to the latest report from Coworking Insights, a news source for analysis of the flexible workspace industry. Coworking Insights’ 2022 Hot Desk Price Index Report [paywall] compares pricing from 19,500 coworking spaces in 172 countries across six continents to provide evidence of the demand for shared workspace. (more…)

May 16, 2022

Competition for talent is fierce, but employers edge away from pay to attract people

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New CIPD research claims that almost half (45 percent) of UK employers report having vacancies that are hard-to-fill, and almost two thirds (65 percent) anticipate problems filling vacancies in the next six months. The most common response made in the past six months by employers with hard-to-fill vacancies has been to increase pay (44 percent). However, only a quarter (27 percent) of organisations plan to raise wages in response to the competition for talent in the future. This suggests that organisations may be approaching their limit on this ‘quick win’ strategy and are exploring alternative options, such as upskilling people and flexible working, to attract and retain people. (more…)

May 12, 2022

Small business owners continue to struggle with mental health

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Two out of five (40 percent) small business owners believe that their emotional recovery from the pandemic will take much longer than that of the financial disruption. And, according to a new study by Xero those investing in wellbeing initiatives were more likely to hold on to staff and grow revenues. Nine out of 10 (92 percent) small business owners experienced symptoms of poor mental health over the last two years, according to the study with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and Opinium. Professional responsibilities played a significant part, with more than half (52 percent) said that running their business has contributed to those symptoms. (more…)

May 2, 2022

Why the over 50s are leaving the workforce in huge numbers

by Carlos Carillo-Tudela et al • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace

The UK economy has a problem with its over 50s: following the COVID pandemic, they have been leaving the labour force en masse, causing headaches for businesses and the government. Roughly 300,000 more workers aged between 50 and 65 are now “economically inactive” than before the pandemic, leading a tabloid paper to dub the problem the “silver exodus”. Being economically inactive means that these older workers are neither employed nor looking for a job. Of course, it could simply be that workers saved more during the pandemic and can now afford to retire in comfort earlier than planned. (more…)

April 6, 2022

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

by Simon O'Kane • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

Wellbeing has been one of the largest challenges to the UK workforce over the last several years. A recent study by the Mental Health Foundation and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), states that mental health problems cost the UK economy at least £117.9 billion every year – around 5 percent of the UK’s GDP. Companies recognise the urgency to help: British employers planned to increase spending on employee mental health and wellbeing by 18 percent from 2021 to 2022. But the long and short of the issue is that this progress is being outpaced by accelerating burnout rates among workers. (more…)

March 29, 2022

The Great Resignation and what is really happening

by Carlos Carillo-Tudela et al • Features, Workplace

The ‘Great Resignation’ is a buzzphrase that first appeared in May 2021, and has struck fear into the hearts of employers ever since. Coined in the US, the term refers to the unprecedented rise in the number of workers resigning from their jobs following the pandemic. There has since been a huge amount of research trying to work out why this has happened. Are workers quitting work entirely, as the pandemic makes us re-evaluate our priorities? Or are they quitting to pursue their dreams in a different career? (more…)

February 23, 2022

Flexible working takes a back seat to salary as inflation bites

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, Jobs, News, Workplace

Salary is now the most important factor (40 percent) for those looking to make a move as cost-of-living crisis squeezes budgets, claims a new survey from Michael Page. In a week in which UK wage growth was shown to still lag behind the cost of living, the poll suggests that salary is now the number one priority for workers, with flexible working seen as less important. The survey of 2,000 UK office workers claims that over a quarter (28 percent) are currently on the hunt for a new job, rising to 43 percent among those aged 18-34. This points to hopeful times ahead for businesses seeking talent, with recent ONS figures showing that open job vacancies hit a record 1.3m between November and January. (more…)

November 23, 2021

An emerging crisis of trust at work fuelled by remote work

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

Qatalog has published a survey of 2,000 knowledge workers which uncovers a crisis of trust within the modern workplace, fuelled by a chronic lack of visibility within companies. The study claims that remote work is feeding a chronic visibility problem within the modern workplace. When working remotely, two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents reported that they lack visibility of what colleagues are working on and how it fits into the bigger picture. (more…)

October 7, 2021

London ranks 78th in the top destinations to work remotely

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

Remote, has released a first-of-its-kind Best Destinations for Remote Work report that showcases the top 100 global destinations for remote workers, along with unique insights into location-specific incentives. The report is paired with an interactive tool and database with information on hundreds of cities across the world for users to create personalised rankings on where to work remotely based on their individual preferences. (more…)

May 28, 2021

Helsinki, Oslo and Zurich are cities with the best work-life balance

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working culture

Mobile access company Kisi has released their annual study examining which cities around the world promote the most holistic work-life balance. With the goal of enhancing an individual’s personal and professional life through technological innovation, Kisi has endeavored to find out which coveted metropolises worldwide are meeting their residents’ lifestyle demands to make their city a more attractive place overall to work and live. (more…)

May 17, 2021

Employer hiring optimism leaps to eight year high, claims research

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

UK employers are the most optimistic about hiring in eight years, according to the latest CIPD/Adecco Labour Market Outlook report. The survey claims that all sectors are experiencing a jobs recovery, alongside an improvement in pay prospects. (more…)

April 29, 2021

More than half of international tech professionals looking beyond London

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

A recent survey by Frank Recruitment Group, claims that more than half of tech professionals thinking about moving to the UK would consider choosing a city outside of London. Conducted by Frank Recruitment Group’s Salesforce recruitment arm, Mason Frank International, the survey asked over 1,800 IT professionals from around the world for their opinions on the tech jobs market, salaries, and benefits. (more…)