Search Results for: employers

Whinging Poms? Why the UK workforce is one of the unhappiest in Europe

Whinging Poms? Why the UK workforce is one of the unhappiest in Europe

Nearly all UK workers (90 percent) are not enthused by their work and workplace, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report.Nearly all UK workers (90 percent) are not enthused by their work and workplace, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report. The UK workforce rate of engagement at work (10 percent) remains one of the lowest in Europe, ranking near the bottom among peer countries (33 out of 38) with countries like the US reporting triple the number of engaged employees (31 percent). The poor state of disengaged workforces is not unique to the UK, with just 13 percent of employees across Europe feeling engaged at work, and the lowest rates of engagement reported in France (7 percent) and Italy (5 percent). More →

People now less engaged, less fulfilled and more stressed in their working lives

People now less engaged, less fulfilled and more stressed in their working lives

New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work.New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work. The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2023 claims that most people like their work and find it satisfying. However, as many as 6-9 million workers, experience poor-quality work in some major respects. CIPD’s survey indicators show that there has been no significant improvement in job quality in the past four years and, in some respects, job quality has gone backwards. Compared to 2019, workers today are less enthused about work, less likely to perceive their work as useful and more likely to simply see work as purely transactional – simply for the money. More →

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

The Covid lockdowns have left a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, according to recent polling and an academic studyThe Covid lockdowns have left a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, according to recent polling and an academic study. Events company Hyve Group has partnered with Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, to uncover the ways in which the pandemic has transformed our brains and how it has impacted our working lives. The study claims to highlight the significance of in-person professional social interactions and their essential role in rebuilding lost connections. More →

Flexible working means large firms plan to work with less but better office space

Flexible working means large firms plan to work with less but better office space

Around half of the world’s larger multinationals are planning to cut back on their office estate in response to the rise of hybrid and flexible workingAround half of the world’s larger multinationals are planning to cut back on their office estate in response to the rise of flexible and hybrid working, according to a new report from Knight Frank. According to the study, 50 percent of employers with more than 50,000 staff worldwide will reduce their office space by between 10 and 20 percent over the next three years. However smaller firms are set to increase their demand for office space according to the real estate advisor. More →

People don’t trust artificial intelligence on decision making ability in recruitment

People don’t trust artificial intelligence on decision making ability in recruitment

The vast majority of British workers (88 percent) are happy for artificial intelligence to be used in the recruitment process but draw the line when it comes to human decision makingThe vast majority of British workers (88 percent) are happy for artificial intelligence to be used in the recruitment process but draw the line when it comes to human decision making, according to a new poll from Totaljobs. The survey, which asked 2,002 UK workers about their thoughts on how AI will impact their working lives, found that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) believe that full disclosure of how the technology is used in the hiring process should be mandatory. More →

Resenteeism. Destructive, contagious and in your workplace right now

Resenteeism. Destructive, contagious and in your workplace right now

Don’t ignore it the phenomenon of resenteeism. It can destroy new initiatives, progression and development in a heartbeat. You measure absenteeism. You are aware of presenteeism. But what are you doing about the new kid on the block – resenteeism? This occurs when employees stay in a job despite being fundamentally unhappy. They don’t want to be at work and when they are there, they actively resent it. Increasingly employees are fed up, across varying sectors, and showing some common threads or ‘symptoms’ of resenteeism. One of the most noticeable, and frustrating for employers, is employees resenting being asked to do their job. More →

Office refurbishments rise to all time high in London

Office refurbishments rise to all time high in London

The volume of all London projects including both office refurbishments and new space is up by almost 80 percent, with the West End continuing to lead the wayAccording to the latest London Office Crane Survey from Deloitte, London has seen the highest volume of new office refurbishments since records began in 2005, with 37 new schemes covering 3.2 million sq. ft. The volume of all projects including both office refurbishments and new space is up by almost 80 percent, with the West End continuing to lead the way. The report claims that over 10 million sq. ft. is now projected to be delivered during 2023, with this year on track to catch-up after several years of disruption. More →

UK workers spend less time in the office than any other country, but still think it’s too much

UK workers spend less time in the office than any other country, but still think it’s too much

Workers in the United Kingdom spend less time in the office than any other country, however they want to further reduce their days further.Workers in the United Kingdom spend less time in the office than any other country, however they want to further reduce their days further. That is according to a new study from Unispace. The report, Returning for Good [registration], combines the results of a poll of 9,500 employees and 6,650 business leaders from 17 countries worldwide – found that just 34 percent of employees in the UK are in the office four or more days a week, less time than workers in any other country. More →

Surge in employee turnover suggest that the ‘Great Resignation’ is still with us

Surge in employee turnover suggest that the ‘Great Resignation’ is still with us

A new report claims that the level of job turnover suggests that the so-called Great Resignation may be far from overOver the past year, 55 percent of working adults have either started a new job or are looking for one, according to a report [registration] published by insurance firm YuLife. The poll  suggests that a further 35 percent of working adults say it is likely they will consider changing jobs within the next year.  The report claims that these findings suggest that the so-called Great Resignation may be far from over. The report also claims that high levels of stress characterize the modern workplace, and businesses which proactively address employees’ concerns around stress and invest in their wellbeing benefit from reduced churn and turnover. More →

Mandatory use of AI technology dampens people’s enthusiasm for the stuff

Mandatory use of AI technology dampens people’s enthusiasm for the stuff

Teams with a positive inclination towards artificial intelligence experienced a dampening effect on their enthusiasm to collaborate when forced to use AI technologyTeams with a positive inclination towards artificial intelligence experienced a dampening effect on their enthusiasm to collaborate when forced to use AI technology, a new study has found. Researchers also found that teams with initial negative views about AI were in fact more likely to collaborate with AI when forced to use it. The research, which has been published in the academic journal Group & Organization Management, underscores the importance of trust in AI and how employers should introduce the growing technology into their businesses. More →

Four million UK employees have changed careers due to a lack of flexible working options

Four million UK employees have changed careers due to a lack of flexible working options

New research from the CIPD suggests that an estimated 4 million people have changed careers due to a lack of flexible working optionsNew research from the CIPD suggests that an estimated 4 million people have changed careers due to a lack of flexible working options, while an estimated 2 million have left a job in the last year for the same reason. As a result, the CIPD is warning that businesses may face a talent exodus if they fail to offer more flexible choices to people. The CIPD’s latest report, which explores employee and employer perspectives towards flexible and hybrid working practices, highlights that offering them is key to retaining and attracting staff, addressing the current skills shortage and fostering inclusive workplaces. More →

Hybrid working, work from anywhere and the evolution of the Third Place

Hybrid working, work from anywhere and the evolution of the Third Place

Two people working separately in neighbouring booths in an office to illustrate the principle of third place facilities in hybrid working cultures. The restrictions brought about by COVID-19 altered where we work and thus also how, when and through which channels we do work related activities. These changes radically altered the way previously office-based workers thought about ‘work’ as an activity. This new era of hybrid working had a significant impact on traditional models of workplace provisioning. One could argue that pre-COVID-19 the ‘work mindset’ was almost an afterthought because there were distinguishing markers that indicated when you were expected to work and when you were not. If you were in the office, then you were expected to be doing work-related tasks. Then, at the literal end of the day, you switched off your computer and went home and mentally ‘turned-off’ until you returned to work the next morning. More →