August 23, 2013
Conference goers can get on their bikes to hold business meetings
The treadmill desk is designed to help workers fight the flab, now those attending business meetings and conferences at one hotel can keep fit while also helping to combat global warming. A “Pedal Power” trial at Qhotels’ Forest Pines Hotel and Golf Resort near Lincolnshire will require users to continuously pedal with a bicycle generator to convert 100 watts of energy, which powers enough electricity to charge a laptop – the equivalent to a gentle race up a hill. The initiative comes following a recent survey of QHotels’ delegates which found that 55 per cent deem environmental credentials important. The pedal power generator was deemed a simple and fun way to power a conference presentation – though whether those forced to do the cycling will agree is debatable. More →
August 16, 2013
UKIP quip that women not competitive enough for business obscures real debate
by Sara Bean • Comment, Legal news, News, Workplace
The comment by UKIP treasurer Stuart Wheeler that women are not competitive enough to merit a place in the boardroom grabbed all of the headlines from an important debate on the introduction of gender quotas on City boards. The news broke on the same day that employment body the CIPD issued a warning that businesses will continue to lose talented female workers if they don’t offer them a better work-life balance. With research showing that around half of female managers choose not to return to work following maternity leave, how far should employers be going to retain female talent and encourage workplace diversity, and does gender equality really require a legislative stick? More →