November 27, 2020
Search Results for: government
A new scheme for rating the operational energy efficiency of UK offices, NABERS UK, has been launched. 
November 26, 2020
WorldGBC and global leaders call for historic Built Environment Day at COP26
The World Green Building Council joins nine international organisations to sign a letter to COP26 President, Alok Sharma, requesting a Built Environment Day at the climate summit in November 2021. The day at COP26 would be dedicated to the action pathways to accelerate the decarbonisation of the built environment, and it will demonstrate how business and governments are catalysing solutions to the climate crisis. More →
November 25, 2020
One in eight firms already use software to monitor remote workers
A large number of British companies companies say they plan to install monitoring software of some kind to keep an eye on employees working from home, according to a new survey. Around 20 percent of employers said their firms have either implemented, or plan to implement, online software which monitors their remote workers. More →
November 25, 2020
Several factors impact wellbeing of people working from home
A new study on work-life balance claims that the COVID-19 crisis is a crucial factor – but not the only one – behind low levels of wellbeing among employees working from home. A research team including Professor Ilke Inceoglu, Professor of Organisational Behaviour and HR Management at the University of Exeter Business School, analysed data from 835 university employees, who completed a baseline questionnaire on wellbeing and took a weekly survey. More →
November 24, 2020
Digital skills gap poses major economic threat, Microsoft study claims
The UK’s digital skills gap could pose a risk to economic recovery, new research from Microsoft claims, with over three-quarters of UK leaders citing a large digital talent pool as essential to driving UK competitiveness. The study, Unlocking the UK’s potential with digital skills, was conducted in partnership with Dr Chris Brauer at Goldsmiths, University of London to assess the UK’s skills gap and provide practical guidance for organisations on how to tackle it. It predicts the rise of a “Next Gen Worker” that is empowered by low-code and no-code technology, but also finds that a failure to embrace technological skills could leave companies struggling to compete on the global stage. More →
November 24, 2020
Legal and mental health concerns mount as businesses brace for redundancies
Despite the last-minute extension of the furlough scheme, new research conducted among UK business leaders claims that great concern remains around making redundancies and in particular the legal risk. The survey of over 440 UK business leaders, conducted by employment law and HR support firm Ellis Whittam, also claims two-thirds (66 percent) believe the prospect of making redundancies has negatively impacted their mental wellbeing. More →
November 20, 2020
HR professionals must seek a new connection with the IT team
It has now been more than eight months since the government first advised people to work from home if possible, due to COVID-19. The shift to remote working happened suddenly in March and quickly became part of everyday life; in April 2020 alone, 47 percent of people in employment did some work at home, compared to just 16 percent in the whole of 2019. IT teams were extremely successful in getting staff up-and-running with the right technology, but there was little time for organisations to fully train users before driving adoption, or personalise the approach based on individual need. This places a new onus on HR teams. More →
November 20, 2020
Hybrid working model is the preferred choice of workers now
A survey issued by architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler suggests that rumours of the demise of the office may be greatly exaggerated. However, over two-thirds of UK workers don’t want to go back to their old working lives either, preferring a hybrid working model, spending between 1 and 4 days in the office each week. More →
November 20, 2020
Men and young people more likely to disregard COVID-19 regulations
Men, younger people, and those with conservative political views are less likely to comply with Covid-19 measures such as social distancing, claims new research from BI Norwegian Business School. The findings also claim that detailed instructions on the virus and health behaviours can help increase adherence to Covid-19 measures. More →
November 19, 2020
Six key factors of productivity for organisations disrupted by lockdown
With a new national lockdown, the situation in the UK remains unpredictable and complicated, and renewed pressure to work from home has forced many organisations to reverse their back-to-work plans, according to a new study from Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA). The study has detailed the matrix of pain that employees may be suffering due to this challenging situation – from those who didn’t want to return to the office when restrictions were eased but had to, to those who are unhappy about working from home. In creating unhappy, disengaged employees, these pain points undermine the six key factors of productivity, defined by the AWA as: social cohesion, trust, perceived supervisory support, information sharing, vision and goal clarity, and external communication. More →
November 18, 2020
Flexible working boosts applications for senior positions from women
A new study by Zurich UK, claims employers who embrace the flexible working revolution post Covid-19 could boost applications for senior positions from women by 20 percent. The data, which is part of a wider study carried out by the government-backed Behavioural Insights Team, claims that applications from women for management roles surged by a fifth after it promoted its own flexible working hours. More →
December 1, 2020
The great lesson of 2020 for small businesses is to be ready for anything
by Annil Chandel • Business, Comment