February 11, 2020

Freelancers` motivations explored in new report

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Flexible working, News

Freelancers value the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss but their happiness is most closely correlated with how much money they earn, a survey of 7,000 freelancers has claimed. According to the report from Payoneer (registration required), the worldwide average hourly rate charged by freelancers is $21, up from $19 two years ago. This is significantly higher than the average salary in many of the 150 countries surveyed. Those who work exclusively in freelancing earn a higher rate and are more satisfied with their lifestyle than those who split their time working for a company. (more…)

February 10, 2020

Aloof bosses should change their job title to chief elusive officer

by Neil Franklin • News

The bosses of many of Britain’s biggest businesses are so disengaged from their workers and the company hierarchy so embedded, that they should start calling themselves Chief Elusive Officers. That is the key finding of a survey of companies across western and northern Europe and North America into what employees think of their chief executives carried out by HR software firm Unit4. (more…)

February 7, 2020

IR35 pushes freelancer confidence to six-year low

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Flexible working, News

Two surveys have highlighted continuing fears among freelancers about the changes to the IR35 rules due to take effect in April. The reforms will shift the responsibility for defining contractors’ tax status from the individual to the employer to crack down on so-called ‘disguised employment’, where off-payroll workers are able to pay less tax than employees. However, concerns have been raised that the rules could force organisations to bring genuine contractors and freelancers on to the payroll, reducing flexibility for both parties. (more…)

February 7, 2020

Digital sector worth £400 million a day to UK economy

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Technology

According to new government figures, the country’s digital sector contributed £149 billion to the UK in 2018, accounting for 7.7 percent of the economy. This is up 7.9 percent on the previous year, meaning growth in the sector is nearly six times larger than growth across the economy as a whole, which increased by 1.4 percent. (more…)

February 6, 2020

Executives feel more pressure making a big decision at work than in their personal life

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Working culture

Executives in small and mid-sized businesses in the UK are more anxious about major decisions at work than critical decisions at home that affect their family, a new study has claimed. The new study by Oracle NetSuite, Unlocking Growth, which provides insights from more than 1,000 business executives in the UK, France, Germany, UAE, Benelux and the Nordic countries, found that 92 percent are overwhelmed by data when making decisions. A third of UK executives are putting risk mitigation ahead of potential success to avoid damaging their career, while 23 percent rely on gut feeling to make critical decisions. (more…)

February 6, 2020

End of Brexit uncertainty boosts London commercial property market

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

London is set for an increase in commercial property investment in 2020 as international investors target the capital’s high-yielding office market, following the decisive 2019 UK General Election result. According to the latest research from Knight Frank, investors have increased the total capital targeting London commercial assets to £48.4bn, a 21 percent rise on 2019 and £2bn higher than 2018. However, with just £2.3bn of buildings for sale, investors will face strong competition, which is expected to drive values higher in 2020. (more…)

February 6, 2020

UK’s most hated office jargon is a no-brainer

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Working lives

‘Touch base’ and ‘no-brainer’ are apparently the most loathed pieces of office jargon in the UK, with ‘outside the box’ and ‘go the extra mile’ following closely behind. According to a survey of 2,000 people by Premier Inn, almost one in five people say they can’t stand one of these four pieces of corporate speak. (more…)

February 5, 2020

Bridging the gap between the reality and perception of engagement

by Callum Gill • Comment, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace

Organisations are currently operating against a backdrop of environmental, social, political and technological upheaval. Changes in the way people work, buy, communicate and live their lives abound while the communications narratives become ever more complex. The zeitgeist dictates how an organisation’s purpose and communications should match the growing expectations placed on it by its identity and need to address its engagement with staff and the outside world. (more…)

February 5, 2020

Flexible working and an always on culture can be bad for health

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Technology

Employees believe flexible working allows them to do their best work yet they also feel permanent connectivity is damaging their health, an international survey of more than 1,000 workers has suggested. In the study conducted by Quartz Insights in partnership with Citrix Systems, Inc, respondents ranked flexible working as the third most important factor – behind salary and leadership – enabling them to do their best work. However, two thirds also believed the “always on” mentality has a significant negative impact on their health. (more…)

February 5, 2020

AI will transform financial services in two years

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Technology

Nearly two-thirds of financial services leaders expect to be mass adopters of AI in two years compared to just 16 percent harnessing it today, a survey from the World Economic Forum and the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) claims. This is despite fears around AI, with 58 percent of the 150 senior executives surveyed expecting it to worsen discrimination in the sector and the same number expecting privacy breaches to increase. (more…)

February 4, 2020

“Top employers” in UK and Ireland announced for 2020

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Working culture

More than 600 business and HR leaders gathered at London’s Hilton on Park Lane on 30 January 2020 as the Top Employers Institute, an international certifier recognising excellence in employee conditions, revealed its list of certified UK and Ireland top employers for 2020. The host, comedian Ed Gamble, congratulated the 92 certified employers (82 in the UK and 10 in Ireland). There were 10 newly certified organisations, including Reckitt Benckiser, a consumer goods company, clothing and retail brand Puma and Charles Hurst, a Northern Irish new and used vehicle dealer. (more…)