November 13, 2020

Mental health continues to deteriorate as a result of the pandemic

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Morneau Shepell has published its monthly Mental Health Index report, which claims there is a a consistent trend of negative mental health among Britons at the seven-month mark of the pandemic. The Mental Health Index for October is -13.4, suggesting that Britons’ mental wellbeing continues to be at risk, with declining workplace productivity and the need for support adding to the continuing strain of the pandemic. (more…)

November 12, 2020

Covid-19 crisis has created unique challenges for working single parents

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

New research published by Gingerbread and the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) highlights unique challenges for working single parents including for those who will lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 Crisis. As the country experiences a second Lockdown, and with growing unemployment and continued childcare restrictions, it is vital that the government provide better support to single parents. (more…)

November 11, 2020

Burnout, stress and disconnection are now our most urgent workplace mental health issues

by Catherine Flynn • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

This has been a tough year all round, particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to cause seismic shifts in how we live and work. Surveys across various countries indicate that employees are experiencing more feelings of burnout, stress and disconnection as the pandemic is taking a toll on people’s mental health. What’s causing this and what can we do to combat it? (more…)

November 6, 2020

Furlough schemes are leaving isolated staff down in the dumps

by Steven Buck • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace

Since March, Glint has been creating a dataset which now consists of 7 million survey responses from employees around the world and across a broad range of industries. Our aim is to take the pulse of the global workforce to see how it’s faring with our ongoing global health crisis and to understand its effects on work. The recent August report shows that pandemic-related layoffs and furloughs have hit employees hard. 56 percent of respondents report feeling less happy at work after seeing co-workers furloughed or laid off. Half of respondents say their organisation’s layoffs or furlough plans have had a negative impact on their workload (50 percent) and their sense of belonging or community at work (47 percent). (more…)

November 3, 2020

Employees are twice as motivated and productive if they’re resilient

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working lives

Aon plc, has released new research that highlights the impact on employee motivation and productivity if they are resilient. The data, gained across five European countries, including the UK, claims that employees are nearly twice as likely to be motivated and therefore productive, if they are resilient. (more…)

November 2, 2020

Massive increase in numbers of self-employed people on universal credit

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new report from IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) suggests that there has been a massive increase in the number of self-employed people on Universal Credit since 2019. (more…)

October 22, 2020

Everybody needs to be prepared for a new digital workplace

by Simon Hayward • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

Graduates today are largely considered to be the ‘net generation’. Growing up whilst social media accelerated, their years in higher education have been synonymous with digital literacy, even before COVID-19 turned their studies entirely virtual. This monumental move into a digital workplace also echoed throughout the job market. As offices closed in Spring and millions were furloughed across hospitality, retail and travel, demand spiked by 36 percent for roles advertised in the digital tech sector. (more…)

October 21, 2020

Future of work has arrived sooner than expected, WEF report claims

by Neil Franklin • AI, Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

The Future of Jobs 2020 report from the World Economic Forum claims that COVID-19 has caused the labour market to change faster than expected. The research suggests that what was recently considered the future of work has now arrived. By 2025, automation and a new division of labour between humans and machines will disrupt 85 million jobs globally in medium and large businesses across 15 industries and 26 economies. (more…)

October 21, 2020

Commercial rental prices fall in the UK as pandemic continues to bite

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Property

Commercial real estate rental prices are continuing to drop in all the UK’s main business centres according to the latest quarterly figures by national office agent FreeOfficeFinder.com. Office rental prices and those for coworking spaces at the UK’s major cities are all feeling the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with predictions that they will slump even further as a result of the new lockdown measures announced by the government. (more…)

October 19, 2020

Ten pandemic related responses with highest business impact

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

The Josh Bersin Academy, a development academy for HR professionals, has announced the release of its newest research-based report, Business Resilience: The Global COVID-19 Pandemic Response Study. The 38-page complimentary report is based on a survey conducted in August 2020 of 1,349 HR leaders and professionals across the globe and all industry segments. (more…)

October 16, 2020

Younger people most affected by disconnect of remote work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

Over a third of younger office workers forced to work from home feel remote, unfocused and less committed to their employers, posing a real threat to businesses in the medium and long term, new research from Oktra claims. Of 1,500 people surveyed, who used to work in an office full time but have been working at home for the last six months, the experience has changed the way that 71 percent of them feel about their employer; 85 percent have struggled with the experience of remote work. (more…)

October 15, 2020

The wellbeing needs of men and women can be very different

by Alaana Woods • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

There are currently 15.6 million women in work in the UK, and each of these women is likely to have differing wellbeing needs which must be supported to help retain talent and enable them to meet their full potential in the workplace. In short, business leaders need to do more to recognise and address women’s health. This will have both short-term and long-term positive effects on their business and employees. A McKinsey study found that gender diverse businesses are 25 percent more likely to financially outperform their counter parts. A separate report published in the Harvard Business Review found that such an approach can also increase innovation revenues by 19 percent. (more…)