February 24, 2022

Location pay doubts are now rife amongst organisations

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Workplace

The latest data from XpertHR suggests that 44 percent of UK organisations are ‘unsure’ about the future of their location pay arrangements following the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent shift to hybrid working. Location pay is currently offered by more than half of UK organisations (55 percent). Its most common form is a London allowance on top of basic pay (offered by 40 percent of organisations),with inner London employees receiving a median location payment of £3,775 (£3,250 in outer London). 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 →

February 23, 2022

Employers offering flexible working reap recruitment and retention benefits

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Employers who have embraced flexible working policies have seen a 20 percent improvement in employee recruitment and retention compared to two years ago, according to new global research from Targus. According to the poll, seventy percent of senior business decision-makers say flexible working policies and working environments are positively impacting recruitment and a further 76 percent say it’s positively impacting employee retention. More →

February 22, 2022

A third of businesses plan to scrap self-isolation for workers

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Workplace

New research suggests that many British employers won’t require staff who test positive for Covid-19 to self-isolate at home now that the remaining legal restrictions have been lifted. A poll of 250 business owners, CEOs and senior managers, by HR software provider CIPHR, claims that less than half (48 percent) are planning to keep staff with Covid at home and away from the workplace. One in five (21 percent) of those surveyed are still unsure how they’ll deal with the imminent easing of self-isolation restrictions for positive or asymptomatic people. More →

February 21, 2022

Employee mental health not a priority for a quarter of managers, report claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A new poll claims that than one fifth (21 percent) of managers based in London believe that supporting employee mental health is not a priority for their company this year. The research commissioned by the South Westminster Business Alliance with Kings College London suggests that over three quarters (78 percent) of managers admit they struggle to spot the signs of poor mental health amongst employees. More →

February 21, 2022

ORGATEC TOKYO premiere already fully booked

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

As an spin-off of the leading trade fair ORGATEC in Cologne, ORGATEC TOKYO promises a full-flavoured start to the ORGATEC year 2022. More than 80 leading brands will be showcasing their products and services at the inaugural ORGATEC TOKYO event, which runs from 26 to 28 April. Around six weeks before ORGATEC Tokyo opens its doors, the trade fair has already chalked up its first success: the entire Tokyo Big Sight, South Halls 1+2 exhibition space set aside for ORGATEC Tokyo is now fully booked. Leading brands such as Kokuyo, Okamura, Itoki, Uchida, Plus, Karimoku, Knoll, Wilkhahn, USM, UniFor, Kvadrat, Arper (pictured), Cassina and Häfele have confirmed they will be present. More →

February 20, 2022

The rise of DBS checks in the modern workplace

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are becoming an increasingly common requirement. More and more industries are realising their utility, for important functions such as increasing the safety of the workplace, and protecting the broader interests of the brand. In this article, we take a closer look at some of the causes behind the rise of DBS checks, to help employers and employees alike better understand their importance. More specifically, we outline the importance of such checks in a modern work environment, and their place in a society which is ever-conscious about the role of privacy. Let’s explore further. More →

February 20, 2022

How to convey company culture instantly while hiring

by Nicky Garcea • Jobs, News, Workplace

Thirty-eight million American workers left their jobs last year. While better pay and more flexible working conditions typically top the list of reasons for leaving an employer, workers need a bit more than that to seal the deal. To be sure, in a recent Cappfinity /YouGov survey, 80 percent of job seekers said it’s important to understand a company culture before accepting an offer. Company culture, in fact, has played a key role in the pushing and pulling of workers from and to jobs. Some job seekers are motivated by the escape from a toxic work environment. Others are looking for companies that have figured out how to support more social interaction across teams. If you can’t authentically convey your own company’s culture to job candidates, they won’t be able to determine whether the job is right for them. More →

February 18, 2022

Hybrid working now just a fact of life for those people able to work flexibly

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Hybrid working has become commonplace for those employees able to work from home, a survey of firms has suggested. More than 80 percent of people said their employers had adopted hybrid working, most of them since the pandemic, according to the survey for the Chartered Institute of Management (CMI). However a majority of business are also actively encouraging employees to return to the office as part of their new working culture. More →

February 15, 2022

Office still important for nurturing friendships and inclusivity, report claims

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Workplace

The physical office remains vital for nurturing friendships, and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce, according to O.C. Tanner’s 2022 Global Culture Report which analysed the perspectives of over 38,000 employees, leaders, HR practitioners and executives from 21 countries around the world, including over 2,500 from the U.K. Around two thirds (63 percent) of U.K. workers admit that it’s more challenging to form new friendships with colleagues when working remotely, and 58 percent of workers state that the office is where most of their new friendships are formed. More →

February 15, 2022

Despite the talk of the Great Resignation, most people actually enjoy their jobs

by Neil Franklin • Jobs, News, Workplace

While many people may be busy considering their career options as part of the ‘Great Resignation’, a new poll claims that the majority of Brits actually enjoy their jobs. According to data from HR software provider CIPHR around two-thirds (65 percent) of the 1,031 employees polled said they either love or like their current jobs (19 percent and 46 percent respectively). CIPHR took the findings of how people feel about their jobs and grouped people with related job titles together (using the Office for National Statistics’ standard occupational classifications) to compile a list of the UK’s best-loved – and also least-liked – occupations: www.ciphr.com/uks-favourite-jobs. More →

February 15, 2022

The opportunities and challenges of new technologies for AML

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Technology

Back in 2021 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put out a paper on the opportunities and challenges that new technologies are bringing to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) efforts. If you are unaware of who the FATF is it may be worth your while to investigate farther into it. For now, though, let it be known that they are an independent inter-governmental body that defines the rules and procedures that need to be in place to prevent these two criminal activities. More →