Search Results for: health and safety

Emotion tracking tech in the workplace puts people’s wellbeing at risk

Emotion tracking tech in the workplace puts people’s wellbeing at risk

A new report from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) explores the increasing use of affective computing in the workplace.A new report from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) explores the increasing use of affective computing in the workplace. Affective computing is a branch of artificial intelligence which focuses on recognising and responding to human emotions through technologies like biometric sensors, emotion-tracking software, and wearable devices. Once primarily used in consumer products, these systems are now finding applications in the workplace, often marketed as tools to enhance safety, productivity, and employee wellbeing. The use of AI-powered technologies that monitor and interpret employees’ emotions and behaviours is known as Algorithmic Affect Management (AAM) and is rapidly transforming the landscape of employment, raising significant questions about privacy, ethics, and the future of work, according to the report. More →

Beyond the jargon: what insurance benefits really mean to your team

Beyond the jargon: what insurance benefits really mean to your team

Here’s a jargon-free guide to the different insurance benefits you can offer your employees, and the real-life impact they have on your team.Offering a comprehensive employee benefits package is more important than ever, and  Drewberry’s 2024 Employee Benefits And Workplace Satisfaction Survey found that a fifth of employees want insurance to protect their loved ones. But with so many products out there, and terms like “Group Income Protection” and “Critical Illness Cover” making many people’s eyes glaze over, it can be hard to determine the right product for your people – and what they really offer. More →

Magenta Associates becomes employee owned

Magenta Associates becomes employee owned

Our friends at comms specialist Magenta Associates have announced that the business is now owned by its employees.Our friends at comms specialist Magenta Associates have announced that the business is now owned by its employees. The company has set up an Employee Ownership Trust which owns the majority of the business. The trust will be led by five trustees to ensure the management team is running the business in the best interests of the employees. Magenta was set up in 2011 by Cathy Hayward, the former editor of FM World (now Facilitate) and FMJ magazine who spotted a gap in the market for a PR agency specialising specifically in facilities management. More →

People can be so obedient in the workplace, they become Stepford Employees

People can be so obedient in the workplace, they become Stepford Employees

The ‘Stepford Employee’ is a growing phenomenon in the workplace, where staff become overly agreeable, seldom ask questions, and rarely push boundariesThe ‘Stepford Employee’ is a growing phenomenon in the workplace, where staff become overly agreeable, seldom ask questions, and rarely push boundaries, hindering both their personal growth and their organisation’s success.  The term ‘Stepford Employee’ originates from the popular feminist horror novel, “The Stepford Wives”, which highlighted the dangers of subservience and docility for women. This growing trend in the world of work sees employees getting stuck in the status quo – not challenging leaders or pursuing professional growth. More →

Organisations need to address the rising problem of workplace sickness

Organisations need to address the rising problem of workplace sickness

Rising levels of workplace sickness are costing UK businesses billions each year, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Policy ResearchRising levels of workplace sickness are costing UK businesses billions each year, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The think tank’s analysis reveals that the annual hidden cost of employee sickness has surged by £30 billion since 2018. Of this increase, £25 billion is attributed to lower productivity from employees working while ill, with only £5 billion due to an increase in sick days. More →

Shortage of high-quality data threatens the AI ‘boom’

Shortage of high-quality data threatens the AI ‘boom’

A number of fundamental issues, including a shortage of high-quality data with which to ‘train’ the technology is threaten the AI ‘boom’, according to a new white paper from the Open Data InstituteA number of fundamental issues, including a shortage of high-quality data with which to ‘train’ the technology is threatening the AI ‘boom’, according to a new white paper from the Open Data Institute. The paper Building a better future with data and AI is based on research carried out by the Institute in the first half of 2024. It claims to identify significant weaknesses in the UK’s technological infrastructure that threaten the predicted potential gains – for people, society, and the economy – from the surge of interest in artificial intelligence and its applications. It also outlines the ODI’s recommendations for creating diverse, fair data-centric AI. More →

Are these the top ten emerging technologies for 2024?

Are these the top ten emerging technologies for 2024?

The World Economic Forum has announced the publication of its annual Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report featuring technologies with the greatest potential to make a positive impact in the worldThe World Economic Forum has published its annual Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report featuring technologies with the greatest potential to make a positive impact in the world in the next three to five years. Among the technologies mentioned in the report are AI (obv), immersive building tech, intelligent materials and microbes that can sequester carbon.  More →

Beware the workplace mouse trap

Beware the workplace mouse trap

Life imitates art part 94. Scientists have discovered that lab mice may be conducting their own experiments on us. A paper published in the journal Current Biology and summarised here, speculates that mice seem to be testing their testers. They do this by deviating from simple expected behaviours such as responding to rewards to work out what might happen. More →

Sick pay reform should encourage people back into work, government claims

Sick pay reform should encourage people back into work, government claims

A parliamentary committee of MPs has called for a 'long-overdue' boost to statutory sick payA parliamentary committee of MPs has called for a ‘long-overdue’ boost to statutory sick pay (SSP), emphasising the need to strike a delicate balance between workers’ wellbeing and employers’ financial constraints. The Work and Pensions Committee has recommended aligning the SSP rate with the flat rate of Statutory Maternity Pay, a move that they say could significantly improve the financial safety net for workers. More →

Great workplaces rely on great managers

Great workplaces rely on great managers

It shouldn’t need saying, but it does. Managers have a major impact on employees’ productivity and engagement, as well as other factors that create great workplaces such as building trust, fostering open communication, and caring for employees as individuals, according to a new global study by the UKG Workforce Institute.

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The sector responds to the Spring Budget

The sector responds to the Spring Budget

Yesterday’s Spring Budget included a number of announcements that affect the various people, place and technology professions in the UK. These include a cut in National Insurance, pension fund reforms, support for working parents, AI, helping people back in to work and more. You can see the Government’s own summary here. The various industry sectors have been quick to respond to the announcements. You can see what some people have had to say below, in no particular order. More →

MillerKnoll’s top office fit out trends for 2024

MillerKnoll’s top office fit out trends for 2024

The last few years have seen a major shift in how businesses approach their office spaces. With more emphasis on aesthetics, functionality, and employee wellbeing, 2024 will showcase some of the most exciting trends for future-ready workplaces centred on connection, wellbeing and change. As a leader in workplace design, MillerKnoll talks about the top six emerging trends shaping office spaces this year. Based on decades of expertise, MillerKnoll identifies shifting priorities that empower companies embracing conscious design attuned to modern needs. More →