Search Results for: flexible working

Average UK working parents now spend more on childcare than mortgages

by • Flexible working, Legal news, News, Workplace

© Family and Childcare Trust

© Family and Childcare Trust

Last month we questioned the financial wisdom of going to work for Britain’s working parents. Today the question became even more vexed as it emerged they typically pay childcare costs equivalent to over a quarter of the UK average salary. A report from the Family and Childcare Trust says that to have one child in a part-time nursery and another in an after school club would cost £7,549 each year. Not only does this represent 28 percent of the average salary of £26,500 and is more than an average mortgage which is £7,207 per annum. For those with full time childcare the costs are typically £11,700 per year. The report also notes that childcare costs have increased by over a quarter over the last five years and even the Government’s ongoing commitment to childcare is failing to alleviate the situation.

(more…)

Working from Home Week: good idea, but it doesn’t suit everyone

by • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace

Meeting the management challenges of caring for home workers

Yesterday was hyped as the most depressing day of the year, but it also marked the beginning of Working from Home Week (20-26 January 2014). The idea will resonate with anyone struggling to get out of bed and join the January commute. There are many advantages to home working; but depending on your personality and personal circumstances there are also disadvantages. Yes, you’ll avoid traffic jams/crowded trains, take the dog for a walk when you fancy and can concentrate on a project without annoying interruptions. But working from home has its disadvantages too; including feeling isolated and finding it difficult to remain motivated. Rather like those who decide to move to the country but find it’s too quiet – for some people the buzz of the workplace is vital to their productivity and wellbeing. (more…)

Majority of British ex-pats working overseas now work flexibly, claims report

by • Flexible working, Technology

Sunburned Simon CowellThe majority of British expatriates who work overseas embrace flexible working arrangements, according to a survey commissioned by NatWest International Personal Banking. More than two thirds of those surveyed have exported their preferred working practices as well as themselves as they seek a better lifestyle and work-life balance overseas. Flexible working is most common for ex-pats in English speaking countries such as Australia (85 percent), New Zealand (79 percent), USA (78 percent) and Canada (76 percent).  However the survey of 1,800 ex-pats also reveals that flexible working is even prevalent for Brits working in other countries such as China (53 percent), UAE (48 percent) and Singapore (47 percent).

(more…)

Flexibility doesn’t equal insecurity suggests new report into casual working

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Flexibility doesn't equal insecurity finds new report into casual workersFlexible working and part time working tend to conjure up different images, with the former perceived as the preserve of the professional/management class and the latter associated with administrative/semi-skilled workers. That impression has been reinforced by trade unions’ complaints over the increase in the use of casual or Zero Hour Contracts that allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. Yet new data shows that a significant share of those on casual contracts (43%) are in the top three occupational groups (managers, professionals and associate/technical staff), just a fifth (17%) are in manual skilled or semi-skilled jobs, only one in ten are unskilled and one in ten in administrative; and just 18 per cent are looking for a new job. (more…)

Unilever extends BT partnership to further more sustainable ways of working

by • Company news, Environment, Flexible working, Technology

Unilever extends BT partnership to further sustainable and flexible working plan

Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, which includes Wall’s Ice Cream, Dove beauty products, Lipton and Knorr brands has announced a three year extension to its IT outsourcing contract with BT. It’s part of the firm’s Sustainable Living Plan to grow its business, while reducing its environmental footprint and increasing its social impact. BT, which first won its first contract with the Anglo-Dutch company in November 2002, delivers a fully integrated network providing voice, data, video and mobility services to the company’s 173,000 employees across nearly 100 countries. This includes the delivery of collaborative services such as audio-conferencing and video-conferencing, which is helping Unilever introduce more sustainable ways of working. (more…)

New research from China highlights benefits of working from home

by • Facilities management, Knowledge, Workplace, Workplace design

CTripA new report from researchers at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Guanghua Management School at Beijing University looking into the experience of working from home at one large Chinese firm has found that the practice led to a 13 per cent increase in productivity. The research also found that workers reported increased levels of job satisfaction and half elected to continue working from home when the choice was given to them at the end of the study period even though it was evident that their chances of promotion on the basis of performance had reduced as a result of the experiment.

(more…)

Are you working or shirking from home?

by • Comment, Legal news, Technology, Workplace

Staff ill health

During recent weather-related travel disruption, I was inundated with various pieces of information on software that spies on home based employees to check that they really are working, not shirking from home. As Acas opens a consultation on a draft Code of Practice regarding the extended right to request flexible working; and figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show the number of people working from home in the UK has risen to over 10 per cent – the advent of these systems begs the question: do employers really trust their staff enough to let them work remotely?

(more…)

Third of businesses see flexible work as main Olympic legacy

by • Knowledge, News, Technology, Workplace

300px-Olympic_Stadium_(London),_16_April_2012

Flexible working facilities brought in for London 2012 are the most important legacy of the Olympic Games for a third of businesses, according to a new BT legacy survey. The survey of 600 large private and public sector organisations across the UK found 34% are continuing to enjoy the benefits from flexible working facilities (34%), with sales/revenue for 37% higher than before the Games. When asked what they have learnt about their organisation’s capabilities, 36% think that when they are pushed they can do a lot more business, 26% are more resilient and 25% feel they could increase their margins.
(more…)

The role of local businesses in promoting mental health and wellbeing

The role of local businesses in promoting mental health and wellbeing

by • Company news, Wellbeing

Once seen as an individual responsibility, mental health is now recognised as a shared, community wide issue.Across the UK and over recent years, there has a change in how the general public views mental health and wellbeing. Once seen as an individual responsibility, mental health is now recognised as a shared, community wide issue. Our mental health is both our individual and collective responsibility and requires effort from family members, workplaces and organisations. For many, the workplace is where they spend most of their time. For others, local cafés, gyms, hairdressers, or local shops are their daily social spaces. These are the places that people connect, relax, and interact with other people. It’s in these spaces that local businesses have a unique power to influence how people think and feel as well as their mental health. (more…)

Very few people say they enjoy their work, HP study suggests

Very few people say they enjoy their work, HP study suggests

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Just 15 percent of UK knowledge workers say they have a healthy relationship with work, according to the latest findings from HP’s third annual Work Relationship IndexJust 15 percent of UK knowledge workers say they have a healthy relationship with work, according to the latest findings from HP’s third annual Work Relationship Index [registration]. The poll of more than 18,000 desk-based employees across 14 countries, including 1,300 in the UK, shows an 11-point fall from 2024 and a figure five points lower than this year’s global average. The report suggests that business leaders in the UK influence most of the factors shaping employee wellbeing, yet many workers feel their needs are not being met. Only 14 percent of respondents believe leaders show empathy, and the same proportion say leaders communicate transparently. At the same time, 41 percent feel their company prioritises profit over people, while 61 percent say expectations and demands have increased – the highest level across developed markets. (more…)

BCO pilots new office grading system as industry calls for reform

BCO pilots new office grading system as industry calls for reform

by • News, Property

The UK’s office grading system is no longer fit for purpose, according to new research from the British Council for Offices (BCO).The UK’s office grading system is no longer fit for purpose, according to new research from the British Council for Offices (BCO). A report authored by JLL for the BCO found that fewer than three percent of professionals in the sector support the current system, with almost all calling for change. The report, Redefining the Market: Beyond Grade A, proposes a new scoring-based framework designed to reflect the shifting priorities of occupiers, investors and developers in an era shaped by flexible working. It sets out a 100-point matrix across four categories – physical quality, sustainability, technology and amenity – aiming to provide a more transparent and adaptable standard. (more…)

Growing number of businesses want people back in the office, but not in all sectors

Growing number of businesses want people back in the office, but not in all sectors

by • Flexible working, News

Over two fifths (41 percent) of businesses have emphasised the need for people to work in a physical workspace such as an office over the past year, according to a new pollOver two fifths (41 percent) of businesses have emphasised the need for people to work in a physical workspace such as an office over the past year, according to a new poll from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). While most of the firms (67 percent) who require onsite working say it hasn’t impacted recruitment or retention, one in ten relevant businesses (9 percent) have seen staff leave in response. (more…)

«< 60 61 62 63 64 >»