November 29, 2021
Whilst driving through Zürich in a hailstorm I passed a Mercedes with a plastic bin liner taped over a missing window. Two thoughts struck me. First: this must be the result of the owner locking himself out of the car, as car crime is a fictional event in Switzerland (bike theft is preferred). The second was how utterly pointless this flapping piece of plastic served as an attempt to seal the broken window. More →
November 23, 2021
At the end of April, New York magazine’s cover feature was headed ‘Remember the Office?’ The article reminisced about a world of cubicles and water-coolers, coffee points and staff parties. Its tone was elegiac, implying that it wasn’t just the enforced distance of 13 months of COVID-19 restrictions that lent enchantment to communal workspace, but the possibility that offices had gone for good.? More →
November 18, 2021
The Josh Bersin Company a research and advisory company focused on HR and workforce trends and issues, has released its latest report based on insights from its ongoing Big Reset executive working groups. The report, The Big Reset Playbook: Deskless Workers, focuses on the recommended practices needed to create optimal work experiences for “deskless” employees in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, and other sectors. More →
November 17, 2021
Despite having to get up earlier, commute, and the heightened risk of Covid-19 transmission in the office, almost five million UK employees are considering ditching working from home this winter, due to concerns around rising energy costs. More →
November 3, 2021
New research by Totum Partners, claims that the majority of firms now have hybrid working policies in place, as worker preferences and economy-wide recruitment pressures drive increased demand for flexible working. This includes 50 percent of firms which have implemented a company-wide policy, while the remaining 50 percent have published guidelines that can be interpreted by location or individual team. More →
October 29, 2021
Pressing the ‘reset’ button is never easy. But I’m a firm believer that, once we do, we become much less averse than we perhaps expected to the change it inevitably brings. This is particularly true of the past eighteen months. From all of the sadness and hardship endured, we are beginning to emerge into a new, changed way of living. One that is both familiar and altogether different. The dichotomy is particularly evident in our workplaces. For many sections of the economy, the office was the ecosystem of our daily working lives. Initial questions of whether the office would survive quickly fell by the wayside, and a more interesting, nuanced, debate of what we want the office to be began. More →
October 25, 2021
Lucid and Vitreous World, have launched the results of new research that surveyed individuals across the UK to analyse employee sentiment and the impact of flexible work as a direct result of the pandemic. More →
October 22, 2021
Employee experience has never been so high on the corporate agenda; with recent figures finding that over 69 percent of businesses are currently concerned about talent shortages and difficulty hiring. With this in mind, organisations that want to grow must provide a market leading experience in order to remain competitive and attract and retain new talent. Companies that invest in their unique employee experience make four times more profit than those who don’t. More →
October 21, 2021
Millions of British workers face uncertainty as a snapshot of the nation’s work practices claims that one in five employees are unsure whether they’ll be expected to work remotely, onsite, or a mix of both in the future. Without having a clear decision from their employer, some employees are unsure about their organisations’ return-to-office plans. More →
October 15, 2021
Over a third (37 percent) of Brits say they have felt more stressed since the lifting of lockdown restrictions in July, and one in five (21 percent) still aren’t ready to get back to normal life – and that includes the office – claims a new study for World Mental Health Day. More →
October 14, 2021
Remote workers in Ireland will now enjoy increased tax relief on the cost of heating, electricity and broadband, following the government’s latest budget announcement. Those working from home will see income tax deductions of 30 percent of the cost of certain expenses, which the Minister for Finance claims will help to offset some of the expected increases in energy costs. More →
December 1, 2021
There are thirty-eight ways to win an argument, but this ain’t one
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Flexible working