Search Results for: employee experience

July 21, 2017

Insurance claim data suggests that musculoskeletal disorders dominate workplace health

by Mark Eltringham • News, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace design

According to an analysis of the private medical insurance (PMI) records of over 45,000 UK employees carried out by Aon Employee Benefits with its largest clients, the highest claims are for musculoskeletal disorders- almost double those for cancer related illness. In a study of reports from private medical insurers (PMI), Aon found that 31 percent of claims were for musculoskeletal concerns, while 15 percent were cancer related, 4 percent were for mental disorders and 4 percent for urology. The data forms part of its new report, Wellbeing: Examining the correlation between employee health and financial wellbeing. Among the remaining 46 percent of claims, problems included gastrointestinal issues, diagnostic and treatment planning (equally prevalent), followed by obstetrics, heart, respiratory, head/neck, trauma/injury, nervous system, and eyes, ears and dermatology.

July 21, 2017

Job insecurity fears more than double in aftermath of Brexit vote

by Mark Eltringham • News

A survey of 1,257 British workers claims that job insecurity has more than doubled since the decision to leave the EU, with the percentage of those feeling insecure in their jobs rising from 5 percent to 13 percent. According to the study from Office Genie, for those who felt secure, Brexit has also done considerable damage: job security levels have dipped by 17 percent. Pre-referendum, 70 percent of workers felt secure in their job, now just over half (58 percent) feel secure. Nearly three quarters (70 percent) of the workforce believe it’s an employer’s duty to calm Brexit-related distress. 54 percent of workplaces have experienced such concerns but only 31 percent of these employers chose to comfort staff.

July 19, 2017

Link between offices and wellbeing is too important for landlords and occupiers to ignore

by Neil Franklin • Facilities management, News, Property, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Developers and landlords who invest to create offices that embody the occupier-driven focus on wellbeing will reap their rewards commercially while those that don’t face diminishing returns, according to a new report from Cushman & Wakefield. The Well Workplace report claims to map out the major trends, opportunities and challenges of the future facing owners and occupiers of commercial office space due to the growing emphasis on employee health and vitality as part of the work environment. Improved lighting, layout and use of plants are all known to benefit wellbeing and can increase employee performance. Gains through boosting performance far outweigh potential cost savings through real estate efficiencies – making the imperative for occupiers clear, according to the report’s authors.

July 13, 2017

What we may be missing about IBM’s decision on flexible working ⁰

by Gary Chandler • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Workplace design

In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that IBM had announced that it was obliging a significant number of its staff to give up on remote working and instead move back to corporate offices, many of them regional hubs. Although we had been aware of the change in policy since February, the issue only went viral as a result of the WSJ story. Comparisons were quickly made with Yahoo’s poorly received decision to summon staff back to its corporate HQ in 2013 and commentators expressed dismay that such a major corporation would be willing to return to the command and control structures of a previous era, especially given its sector and track record of encouraging flexible working. What such commentary missed was a particular nuance of the story that might suggest this is more of a continuation of existing IBM policy than they have been given credit for.

July 12, 2017

Remote or home working more of a preference for baby boomers than millennials ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Perhaps it’s something to do with the housing issues many people from the younger generations now have to deal with; i.e. either live with parents or endure an overpriced house share, but those under 35 are reported to actually prefer working from the office to remote or home working. This differs from baby boomers, who would rather work from home. According to the survey by Maintel there are differing preferences between the multi-generational workforce, with those aged under 35 feeling they are most productive in the office (48 percent), while only 19 percent of those above 55 agree. Another reason why younger workers cling to the office is due to the fact that they require the face-to-face support of experienced co-workers. The survey also discovered that 28 percent found getting hold of colleagues or managers a challenge when working remotely. And it may also be down to the social aspects of office life and when seeking promotions – ensuring the visibility of hard work. On the other hand, older employees have responsibilities at home, and remote working allows them to be more efficient with their time.

July 11, 2017

Creativity is the new productivity in the modern era of work and workplaces ⁰

by Serena Borghero • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

Creativity is often thought of as a quality unique to artistic geniuses. When in reality, it is present in all of us, and something that can be enhanced and nurtured, given the right tools and environment. Creativity is the innate human ability to generate ideas, solve difficult problems and exploit new opportunities — it is the fuel for innovation. Many of today’s most pressing business problems require creative thinking to solve them, and creativity is an essential ingredient for business growth. However, 77 percent of CEOs name creativity as their company’s number one skill shortage (20th CEO survey, PWC, 2017). Being agile is critical in a world that is changing rapidly, with disruptive technology, globalisation and an increasingly complex landscape all playing a part. More than ever, supporting creativity at work is an essential part of driving value for both businesses and society. In days gone by, instead of focusing on their organisation’s creative output, most business leaders were obsessed with near-term goals such as productivity, efficiency, cost-cutting and reducing waste. But the landscape has shifted and creativity is emerging as an important dimension of productivity.

July 7, 2017

Flexible and family friendly workplaces across the UK named in charity’s awards ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Britain’s most family friendly and flexible employers have been recognised in this year’s Top Employers for Working Families Awards. Now in their 8th year, the annual Top Employers for Working Families Special Awards from the UK’s work life balance charity cover 11 categories across a range of work life policies and practices. Four new sector-specific awards are being introduced this year for the private, public and third sectors; as well as a category for small employers. Sarah Jackson OBE, chief executive of Working Families, said: “In many ways, flexible working and family friendly working have never been more part of the bloodstream of British business. We had a record-breaking number of entries this year, showcasing a wealth of exciting approaches to creating agility in the workplace. Congratulations to all this year’s Top Employers for Working Families award winners, singled out because they offer leading flexible workplaces that support the grain of their employees’ lives. I look forward to working with them to make work work, for people, families and the economy, so that families thrive and business prospers.”

July 5, 2017

Minimum wage should be extended to the self employed and gig economy ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News

The government should extend minimum wage legislation to protect some of the UK’s 4.8 million self employed workforce as part of its drive to tackle low pay and insecurity in the modern workforce, according to a new report published by the Resolution Foundation. The Minimum Required? – which forms part of the Resolution Foundation’s submission to the Taylor Review on modern employment practices – sets out a number of proposals to tackle endemic levels of low pay among the self-employed. Its new analysis claims that that while around in one in five employees are low-paid (earning less than two-thirds of typical weekly earnings), last year around half of the full-time self-employed workforce (49 percent) fell below this threshold, earning less than £310 a week.

June 30, 2017

Stress levels at work have grown, while productivity fell, but there is some good news ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Stress and anxiety treatments have doubled over a decade, while 44 percent of workers say the world around them has become more stressful and complex. In the ten years since Bupa launched its first Wellbeing Report; people are working an extra 15.4 million hours every week, but productivity remaining low. However, on a more positive note, more employees than ever are prepared to talk about mental health issues with their employer. The research, which coincides with the launch of the Bupa Wellbeing Edit – a report into the key themes in workplace wellbeing, which includes insights from business and wellbeing experts, shows the number of people receiving mental health treatments has increased by 53 per cent in the last decade. Treatment for stress and anxiety have more than doubled over the last 10 years, which now stand at just under 70,000. However, although working longer hours has contributed to higher stress levels, the analysis based on businesses of all sizes, suggests that employers’ openness towards mental health is also increasing levels of self-reporting.

June 29, 2017

The onus is on employers to create working conditions that attract people ⁰

by Graham White • Comment, Facilities management, Wellbeing

Staff absenteeism is one of the most costly issues facing employers in the modern workplace. Absenteeism is defined commonly as an unscheduled, deliberate or routine absence from the workplace by employees. According to a new study by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), people who regularly take days off are costing the UK economy billions each year, with the toll set to rise considerably over the next decade and potentially rising to £26bn by 2030. The report also found that mental health issues are affecting 30-40 year olds who have to juggle various things such as home life, financial constraint and pressures from their day jobs and respective careers. Another recent study by AXA PPP healthcare found that over a third of employees living with a mental health condition (39 percent) are not open about it in the workplace. These findings highlight a clear disconnect between how employees are feeling and what their employers understand to be their state of mind.

June 26, 2017

Study suggests ways staff could work fewer hours while raising productivity ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Employers can implement simple changes to reduce fatigue while raising worker productivity, a new academic study suggests. Research published by Manel Baucells from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business offers some useful insights for today’s workforce in overcoming fatigue while at the same time raising productivity. The paper “It is time to get some rest”, co-authored with Lin Zhao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, looks at how workers’ efforts can be best distributed throughout the day. The study’s implications affect not only our health and quality of life, but business and the economy too. “The bottom line is, when it comes to rest and managing fatigue, the incentives of companies and workers are perfectly aligned: Reducing fatigue increases productivity, lowers the cost of providing effort, increasing work satisfaction, lowering turnover and absenteeism, and ultimately increasing profits,” said Baucell. “Google seems to have learned this lesson and makes the work environment pleasant, promoting fun distractions, while at the same time encouraging long work hours.”

June 21, 2017

Report sets out costliest cities for mobile workforce of multinationals ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News

In a rapidly changing world, mobility has become a core component of companies’ global talent strategy and as a result, multinational organisations are carefully assessing the cost of packages for their international mobile workforce, claims a new report which sets out the costs of living in the world’s major cities. Mercer’s 23rd annual Cost of Living Survey finds that factors like instability of housing markets and inflation for goods and services contribute to the overall cost of doing business in today’s global environment. Mercer’s 2017 Cost of Living Survey finds Asian and European cities – particularly Hong Kong (2), Tokyo (3), Zurich (4), and Singapore (5) – top the list of most expensive cities for expatriates. The costliest city, driven by cost of goods and security, is Luanda (1), the capital of Angola. Other cities appearing in the top 10 of Mercer’s costliest cities for expatriates are Seoul (6), Geneva (7), Shanghai (8), New York City (9), and Bern (10). The world’s least expensive cities for expatriates, according to Mercer’s survey, are Tunis (209), Bishkek (208), and Skopje (206).