Search Results for: pandemic

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 →

The return from isolation presents us with an opportunity to rethink work

The return from isolation presents us with an opportunity to rethink work

It all seems like it was years ago. The calm mornings, the deep breaths of fresh air, the din of a happy, productive office. In fact, it’s been just a few short months since the COVID-19 pandemic upended just about every aspect of life: our schedules, our roles as parents, our certainty about the future. Millions of workers are feeling this strain, if not on their physical health and bank accounts, then surely on their mental status and ability to focus on simple things like sending emails or making small talk. 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 →

How workers are adapting their homes into offices

How workers are adapting their homes into offices

According to the results of a recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Citrix Systems, work has a completely new look as employees around the world adapt to the realities or working from home. Beds have become desks, bathrooms serve as conference rooms, kids and pets crash virtual meetings and cameras thought to be off capture awkward moments and sounds. Yet, workers remain as, if not more, productive and engaged. More →

Two-thirds of US workers are working in isolation

Two-thirds of US workers are working in isolation

Two-thirds of US based employees are currently working remotely at least part of the work week as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey from Clutch, a B2B ratings and reviews platform. The report claims that 44 percent of all workers are currently working from home 5 or more days per week, up from 17 percent before the pandemic. More →

Half of workers think the new normal will be the old normal

Half of workers think the new normal will be the old normal

Research commissioned by people analytics provider Visier claims that the vast majority of UK workers (77 percent) forced to work remotely due to Covid-19 feel their employers have done a good job of handling the urgent transition to remote working, but fear a return to the status quo. The poll analysed the remote working experiences of more than 1,000 people who are either not normally allowed to work from home or who do so no more than once per week on average. More →

Picking through the workplace chatter

Picking through the workplace chatter

The Universe is a noisy place. Countless bodies chatter to each other against the backdrop of distant echoes from the Big Bang. Because we are curious, we have developed the technology to listen in and record the din and convert it from the electromagnetic vibration it really is into something we can sense with our ears. NASA has even produced a playlist of the noises from our own solar system and some of the objects we have propelled into it, which you can listen to here.   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 →

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.

More →

New task force to reduce health burden of COVID-19

New task force to reduce health burden of COVID-19

Task force

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has announced that it is setting up a task force to reduce the enormous health burden from COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. Its goal is to define the critical role buildings, organisations and communities play in prevention and preparedness, resilience and recovery. The task force’s work will take a broad approach, considering both new and recurring infectious agents that can affect large populations. More →

Nudges do not change the behaviour of commuters

Nudges do not change the behaviour of commuters

The use of nudge theory in the UK government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has raised some fresh questions about the applicability of the idea. The idea – that people can be encouraged to make significant changes in their behaviour with small interventions – has gained widespread acceptance around the world. While some have argued that the use of nudge theory in the initial response was questionable, other analysis has suggested it did have an effect. More →

Third of workforce expect role to vanish within three years

Third of workforce expect role to vanish within three years

WorkforceA new study by Mercer claims the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent uncertainty are accelerating changes in the way organisations around the world are working and will continue to work into the future. Particularly in challenging times, employers are focusing on their workforce, specifically fostering healthy lifestyles, supporting financial wellness and providing skills and training as careers change due to AI and technology developments. More →