August 4, 2021
No rush to get back to the office despite easing of restrictions
Restrictions may have been lifted but there is no major rush for everyone to head back to the office. Many firms are being cautious about bringing employees back and the official government guidance is for employers to plan a gradual, safe return to places of work. Official guidelines aside, this doesn’t even start to factor in employees’ own attitudes to being back in the office. Certainly, there are plenty of people itching to be in and amongst the buzz of an office, popping out somewhere different each day for lunch and having that commute to distance work and home life. (more…)








Technology is now integral for short and long-term employee wellbeing following the dramatic changes to working life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Thomas Woods, Vice-President of Enterprise for 
The situation across the world is at hugely differing stages with regards to the Covid pandemic. Many employees have been abroad throughout the pandemic and more will now be going overseas as lockdown in the UK eases.
As SMEs emerge from the pandemic and with further changes to restrictions, it seems they have another challenge to face – the refreshed interest in and demand from employees to work in a company that meets their wellbeing needs, according to 


IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) has responded to the UK Labour Party’s proposal for a single worker status saying that although it is welcome the party is attempting to clear the confusion around worker rights, the party’s proposals fail to grasp the nettle of employment status. The comment comes after Labour announced it would create a single worker status to “replace the three existing employment categories” of employee, worker and dependent contractor. Labour said the category would encompass “all but the genuinely self-employed”. 
In face of growing skills gaps in the UK – post pandemic and Brexit – 
I recently read an interesting little book called 
As increasing numbers of companies offer post-pandemic hybrid working for employees, the challenges it poses to maintaining culture, morale, effective training and staff loyalty have been disclosed in a new survey of senior executives. 
The 

August 5, 2021
We need to take a long term view on workplace sustainability
by Guenaelle Watson • Comment, Environment