October 29, 2019

Workplace values matter more than career progression to young dads

by Han Son Lee • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

With recent research showing that over half of young dads (58 percent) are more actively involved in day to day parenting than ever before, it is increasingly important that employers put health and wellbeing and other workplace values at the heart of their offer to employees. In particular, they should be able to offer flexible working options in order to retain their best staff. Our research looking at the Millennial Dad at Work also highlighted starkly that some business sectors are more accommodating than others when it comes to flexible working. Perhaps surprisingly, the construction industry came out of the research very well with 48 percent requesting a change in working hours since becoming a father of which 78 percent of those were successful. The retail sector and the pharmaceutical industry also did well. More →

October 29, 2019

Tenth of people have considered change of job because of its environmental impact

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Workplace

A new survey commissioned by Perkbox Insights claims that 89 percent of adults experience ‘green guilt’ – a phenomenon stemming from the extensive environmental consequences of modern life, which brings moments when you know you could, and should, be doing more to help the planet. The study also suggests that this phenomenon strikes most commonly at work, as 61 percent of adults feel guilty for the environmental impact of the industry or job they work in. This isn’t just causing people to live with these feelings, it’s also making people rethink their careers and consider a change of job. The findings revealed that over 1 in 10 (12 percent) have considered changing their jobs due to the effects that their work has on the environment. More →

October 25, 2019

How office design trends in different countries feed off each other

by Steve Elliott • Comment, Workplace design

The term Global Village has passed into general use to describe many of the phenomena we associate with the modern globalised world. But it actually dates back to 1962 when coined by Marshall McLuhan to describe an emerging, electronically contracted world in which cultures converge alongside political, business and legislative frameworks. These forces have been instrumental in bringing nations and organisations closer together and yet each nation continues to be shaped by little differences and residual cultures and conditions. More →

October 25, 2019

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace design

A new report (registration) claims that companies with a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace design is failing to meet the needs and expectations of a multigenerational workforce. Published by Chargifi with in put from WeWork and other firms, the study polled more than 2,000 employees about their experience of workplace culture and office design and how mobility affects their day-to-day lives. More →

October 25, 2019

The push and pull of the workplace for parents

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

The experiences and attitudes of working parents are explored in two new reports which offer contrasting views on what happens to the careers and skills of mothers and fathers. The first from CWJobs uncovers the fears parents have of being left behind by technology while they take time away from their careers to care for children, while the second looks at the ways in which parenthood might improve people’s skills and ability to deal with complex roles. More →

October 23, 2019

Mental health at work addressed by new consortium of firms

by Mark Eltringham • Legal news, News, Wellbeing

Lloyds Banking Group, Unilever the CBI, Bupa and the John Lewis Partnership are among the major firms and other organisations that have signed up to an agreement that aims to transform the approach to mental health in the workplace. The Mental Health at Work Commitment is a promise to adopt six standards which have been developed with mental health charities, large employers and trade organisations. More →

October 22, 2019

Many flexible office users would prefer to work in conventional space

by Mark Eltringham • Coworking, News, Property

Joint-research from Gensler and the British Council of Offices (BCO) on the rise of flexible workspace in the UK corporate sector claims that 40 percent of flexible office users would rather work from a conventional office. According to the report, while the future of coworking is increasingly being explored as part of academic and industry research, there has been limited focus on what it means for large corporate occupiers. The 2019 Rise of Flexible Workspace in the Corporate Sector Report (choir members only) aims to identify the drivers of and the barriers to – the use of flexible space and coworking by large corporate occupiers. More →

October 21, 2019

Menopause at work addressed in new CIPD manifesto

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing

To help ensure women get the right support when going through the menopause transition, necessary public policy measures need to be put in place and the subject should be discussed openly in organisations, according to the CIPD which has published a manifesto for menopause at work at an event at the Houses of Parliament. More →

October 17, 2019

Competitive sport is a game changer in the workplace

by Neil Franklin • Business, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A new report by The Institute of Leadership & Management called Leaders at Play claims that participating in competitive sport gives people an advantage in their working lives, which in turn gives men an advantage because many more have competed in sports. The report also claims that people are often aware of the link because three quarters of workers who play competitive sport believe it gives them skills and capabilities that provide them with a workplace advantage. More →

October 16, 2019

Women still face broken rungs on the career ladder

by Jayne Smith • News, Workplace

More women than ever before occupy senior executive positions, but true gender parity hasn’t yet been reached and women continue to face unique challenges in their careers according to the latest Women in the Workplace Report from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company. This year’s study—which is based on data and insights from 329 companies employing over 13 million people and more than 68,500 employees—identifies a key point on the corporate ladder where women lose the most ground: the first step up to manager. If companies fixed this broken rung, it could add one million more women to management in corporate America over the next 5 years. More →

October 16, 2019

Two thirds of people would trust a robot more than their manager

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Following the recent report that people would prefer to be replaced by a robot than a human, a new survey from Oracle suggests they also have more trust in robots than their managers. According to the second annual AI at Work study conducted by Oracle and researchers Future Workplace. The study of 8,370 employees, managers and HR leaders across 10 countries, found that AI has changed the relationship between people and technology at work and is reshaping the role HR teams and managers need to play in attracting, retaining and developing talent. More →

October 15, 2019

Four in ten people close to breaking point at work, study claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new study by CABA, a charity supporting the wellbeing of chartered accountants and their families, claims that 4 in 10 adults in the UK are close to breaking point at work. Research polling 2,000 professionals working across multiple sectors in the UK suggests that the average working adult feels stressed for almost a third of their entire working day. The study also claims that in an average week, employees spend 31 minutes complaining about their boss and 2 hours 45 minutes moaning about their job. Employees lose 5 hours of sleep each week because of the pressures they face at work, while 3 in 5 respondents said that they feel stressed whilst on holiday due to the thought of being behind on work and organising a handover. More →