Search Results for: communication

Lack of skills, work ethic and too many demands deter firms from employing candidates

Lack of skills, work ethic and too many demands deter firms from employing candidates

Many UK employers are continuing to struggle to fill vacancies, with new research revealing a sharp disconnect between candidate expectations and employer requirements for a work ethicMany UK employers are continuing to struggle to fill vacancies, with new research revealing a sharp disconnect between candidate expectations and employer requirements. A recent poll by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) claims to shed light on why so many applications are being rejected despite a strong demand for workers across key industries. According to the CMI, a significant number of organisations are turning away applicants who they believe lack the necessary ‘attitude’ or ‘work ethic’. The poll, which surveyed over 1,000 managers, found that around four in five employers had rejected candidates on the basis of soft skills, rather than qualifications or experience. This emphasis on attitude over aptitude reflects a broader trend in recruitment, where cultural fit and interpersonal qualities are increasingly valued – and, often, missing from the applicant pool. (more…)

British workers now entirely unproductive, claims report

British workers now entirely unproductive, claims report

The overwhelming majority of UK workers don’t do anything productive at all, according to a new report published today. The study of available research into the illnesses, injuries, distractions, wastes of time, procrastinations, productivity drains and paralyses that afflict British workers found that the annual cost to the British economy is around £1.8 trillion, equivalent to 98.9 percent of GDP.

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The full stop emerges as a major point of contention in the workplace

The full stop emerges as a major point of contention in the workplace

The humble full stop has emerged as one of the major sources of friction when people communicate in the workplaceA new poll from The Adaptavist Group claims that there is a growing generational divide in workplace communication, with emojis, punctuation, and AI use emerging as key areas of contention. The study, which surveyed 1,000 UK knowledge workers, reveals how different age groups interpret digital communication tools in the workplace, affecting collaboration and productivity. The Workplace Communication Atlas suggests that nearly half of workers (46 percent) struggle with misinterpreting tone or phrasing, making it the most significant communication challenge. Differences in response time expectations (also 46 percent) and lack of context (31 percent) were also cited as common issues. The findings build on previous research from The Adaptavist Group, which showed that 56 percent of workers find generational collaboration difficult. (more…)

New research claims there is a lack of support for many neurodiverse employees

New research claims there is a lack of support for many neurodiverse employees

nearly one in three neurodiverse employees are dissatisfied with the support they receive from their employerA significant proportion of employees feel unsupported in the workplace when it comes to neurodiversity, according to new research from City & Guilds. The organisation’s latest annual Neurodiversity Index 2025 reveals that nearly one in three neurodiverse employees are dissatisfied with the support they receive from their employer, while over a third of neurodivergent respondents reported that they had no onboarding support when starting their jobs. (more…)

Genuinely unmissable workplace events are thin on the ground. The Workspace Design Show is one of the best

Genuinely unmissable workplace events are thin on the ground. The Workspace Design Show is one of the best

We’ve been here before, of course. We’ve been here many times before – for a variety of workplace events. What’s more, we like coming here. We like the Business Design Centre. We like Islington. And we very much like the Workspace Design Show.For some unknown reason the Business Design Centre was once derided, disliked and generally dismissed by many in the workplace sector. We never really understood this. Why would an industry with a hub just down the road in Clerkenwell not like the idea of visiting an exhibition centre that is so local? Why would they not be happy to come to Islington, with its enviable array of restaurants bars cafés etc? It’s not as though anyone’s being forced to head out to a slightly random, innocuous residential area of London. For those not based in and around Clerkenwell and the City, communications in and out of Islington are extremely good, unlike some of those more problematic destinations to the west of London. (more…)

Employment law five years after COVID: what’s changed?

Employment law five years after COVID: what’s changed?

As we approach five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it’s a good opportunity to look back on the impact it had on the UK workplace and employment lawAs we approach five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it’s a good opportunity to look back on the impact it had on the UK workplace and employment law. The pandemic was a seismic event for the workplace, but did it fundamentally change employment law in the UK? While COVID brought emergency measures such as furlough, the legal framework underpinning employment has remained largely intact. What has shifted, however, is the prominence of certain legal rights and protections for the employee —especially around health and safety, flexible working. (more…)

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world around us at breakneck speed, unlocking opportunities we could not have even imagined a few years ago. But with its potential comes an immense set of challenges. How we handle this transformation will define the future of our workplaces, economies, and societies. Recent events, including Trump’s revocation of Biden’s executive order addressing AI risks, Labour’s ambitious plans to integrate AI across the UK, and Facebook’s unsettling U-turn on content moderation, highlight the urgent need for businesses to take an ethical, informed, and responsible approach to AI adoption. (more…)

Getting Zoom fatigue? Chances are you’re tired of looking at yourself

Getting Zoom fatigue? Chances are you’re tired of looking at yourself

New research suggests that excessive self-monitoring during virtual meetings leads to dissatisfaction with appearance and Zoom fatigueThe rise of virtual meetings has transformed workplace communication, offering flexibility and global connectivity. However, this shift has not come without challenges, particularly in the form of virtual meeting (VM) fatigue, commonly referred to as “Zoom fatigue.” A new study published in the journal PLOS One examines how facial appearance dissatisfaction, impression management behaviours, and VM fatigue contribute to the adoption—or rejection—of virtual meeting technologies in professional settings. (more…)

Half of people would quit  their job if they thought their boss were spying on them. (And they are)

Half of people would quit their job if they thought their boss were spying on them. (And they are)

More than half of British employees would quit their job if they were subjected to surveillance whilst working, but more than half of UK bosses say they cannot trust their employees without monitoring them, according to a new poll from ExpressVPN. The new study explores the views and experiences relating to the ‘workplace surveillance’ of 1,000 employees and 1,000 employers in the UK. While physical surveillance through the use of cameras and badge/pass scanners in the workplace is more widely known, the increase in remote working in recent years has driven the rise of online surveillance, according to the report. (more…)

Five predictions for how the public sector will tackle challenges and lead digital transformation in 2025

Five predictions for how the public sector will tackle challenges and lead digital transformation in 2025

widespread skills shortages and legacy IT systems within the public sector remain an obstacle to digital transformationThe UK government is committed to modernising and becoming tech-first, but widespread skills shortages and legacy IT systems within the public sector remain an obstacle to digital transformation. While we are seeing steps to digitise, and the £2bn set aside to improve IT across the NHS is a good case in point, capital investment is only one part of the puzzle. As we look to the new year, we can expect the public sector to continue to face challenges in keeping pace with technology innovation, particularly in adopting AI and cloud solutions, combating talent gaps, and modernising workflows. (more…)

If you want to get ahead in your career, get in to the office, report argues

If you want to get ahead in your career, get in to the office, report argues

Businesses are increasingly likely to prioritise workers willing to come into the office for pay rises and promotions, according to new researchBusinesses are increasingly likely to prioritise workers willing to come into the office for pay rises and promotions, according to a new poll from Reed Group. A year ago Reed.co.uk, which deals with over 30 million job applications a year, predicted that employers would increasingly mandate days in the office and would prioritise what it called the ‘in-person premium’. (more…)

Workplace monitoring is a fact of working life in the US. People say ‘whatever’

Workplace monitoring is a fact of working life in the US. People say ‘whatever’

Workplace monitoring is a significant aspect of many American employees’ daily lives but people don't think it's excessiveWorkplace monitoring remains a significant aspect of many American employees’ daily lives, with more than half (54 percent) of non-self-employed workers reporting that their employers track their start and end times, according to Pew Research Center’s recent study into people’s perceptions of their jobs. The report highlights a variety of ways employers monitor their staff and explores workers’ perceptions of these practices. (more…)