Search Results for: health

Taylor Review on Modern Working Practices and the gig economy is published

Taylor Review on Modern Working Practices and the gig economy is published 0

by • Flexible working, Legal news, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The long awaited UK government commissioned report into modern working practices and the so-called gig economy has been published at last. The Taylor Review was commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy last year and there has been a great deal of speculation regarding its content ever since, especially last week after parts were apparently leaked to the media. You can follow the pile in now on Twitter and the festering pits of ignorance, prejudice and bile known as newspaper comment sections. Or you can read it here before you draw your own conclusions. We’ll be having our say tomorrow and sharing the thoughts of various organisations into its contents. The report was authored by Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the RSA and considers the implications of new forms of working, especially with regard to the gig economy and freelance work on worker rights and responsibilities, as well as on employer freedoms and obligations. It sets out seven key principles to address the challenges facing the UK labour market, set out below.

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Third of UK workers are dealing with anxiety, depression or stress

Third of UK workers are dealing with anxiety, depression or stress 0

by • News, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace

One in three (34 percent) UK workers are dealing with anxiety, depression or stress, which is affecting their ability to carry out their day-to-day roles, claims a new report. Two in five (39 percent) have taken time off work or reduced their responsibilities because of their health, and of those, 39 percent did not feel comfortable telling their employer about the issue according to the PwC research. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) think their organisation does not take employee wellbeing seriously and more than half (54 percent) work for companies which do not offer health benefits such as counselling, health screening and subsidised gym memberships. The research suggests that Health and wellbeing has a significant impact on performance with four out of five workers (83 percent) believing that their wellbeing influences how productive they are. Pressures such as dealing with customers and clients, and long hours have the biggest impact on workplace wellbeing. The survey respondents also indicated a belief that technology can play a part in addressing health, with almost half saying they would be open to using an app to improve their wellbeing.

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Twenty-first century construction is increasingly environmentally friendly

Twenty-first century construction is increasingly environmentally friendly 0

by • Environment, Facilities management

One thing is clear — within the next 20 years, we will reach our peak capacity in terms of oil consumption as a planet. Although, as demand for oil appears to increase year upon year, the global production of oil appears to decrease. As a result of this growing problem, the construction industry still derives most of its energy sources from oil-based fuels. Throughout the Western world, it is evident that the construction sector is heavily reliant upon crude oils. The reason for this is that without them, the construction process would not be able to function in its current form. This is however, having a detrimental impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Within the UK, 50 percent of carbon emissions are accounted for by the construction industry and machinery within the production process.

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“World first” biophilic design research project to explore impact of nature on buildings and people

“World first” biophilic design research project to explore impact of nature on buildings and people 0

by • Environment, Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

biophilic designBRE have launched The Biophilic Office project, a ‘groundbreaking’ office refurbishment in test conditions that will seek to provide quantified evidence on the benefits of biophilic design on health, wellbeing and productivity of office occupants. The project centres on a 650 sq. m. 1980s office building on the BRE campus in Watford, which will be refurbished according to biophilic design principles. BRE are partnering with architect and interior designer Oliver Heath, who will lead on the design element of the refurbished building.

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Over half of employers believe strong workplace friendships increase productivity

Over half of employers believe strong workplace friendships increase productivity 0

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Nearly three quarters (70 percent) of employers say it’s healthy for employees to have someone to confide in at work, according to new research, but it claims, 1 in 4 employees would consider leaving the company if their friend left. The totaljobs research which featured responses from over 4,000 employees and 103 employers on the latest trends in workplace relationships and office politics found that two thirds (65 percent) of UK workers are finding ‘work spouses’ in the office – that one person who they are very close. Although over half of employers (56 percent) say strong work friendships increase productivity and 60 percent of work spouses say their relationship means ‘they look forward to going into work’, which can help improve staff retention, 1 in 4 (23 percent) say if their friend left, they would consider leaving themselves. Nearly one in 10 (7 percent) go as far as to say that their work spouse leaving the company would be ‘like a bereavement’.

It is perhaps no surprise that work socials are encouraged by employers. Three-quarters of employers organise social events, with the most common including the Christmas party (92 percent); meals out (56 percent); celebrating company milestones (contract wins, hitting targets – 53 percent); and drinks (47 percent). A massive 89 percent of employers provide coffee and tea facilities, while 67 percent provide a kitchen with a sitting area and 47 percent provide breakout areas to encourage more conversation.

A significant 60 percent of employers encourage employees to socialise out of work, while in most social events are regularly organised by teams independently – 42 percent monthly and 40 percent quarterly.

A line was drawn in terms of seniority however, with only 24 percent of employers believing it is appropriate for management to be friends with people more junior than them.

John Salt, Director at totaljobs, said: “It is certainly revealing that so many employees relate to having a ‘work spouse’ and someone they feel they can confide in above others. Our research shows employers recognise the value of strong work relationships, with many already offering social events. The key is to accept work spouse relationships and encourage broader team cohesion. The two do not need to be mutually exclusive: get the balance right, and employers will reap the benefits of a happier, more productive, team.”

The research also showed that work relationships are often formed out of facing adversity in the workplace. Half of those (50 percent) with a work spouse admit to being frustrated in their job, compared to only a third (33 percent) who say they are satisfied, suggesting a spouse may be viewed as some with whom frustrations can be shared.

Social Media Etiquette

Social media has led to a blurring of the lines in terms of people’s personal and professional lives. 42 percent admitted they communicate with their work spouse via social media outside the office. Facebook is by far the leading social network, with 83 percent saying they add colleagues who are at their level on Facebook, compared to 32 percent who would add them on LinkedIn, 24 percent who would follow them on Instagram, and 19 percent who would message their work spouse out of office hours.

Workplace communication expert Judi James has worked with totaljobs to identify the different types of workplace friendships.  She comments, “The notion of having a ‘work spouse’ in the office is clearly a growing phenomenon. British people are notoriously hard workers, often working long hours in stressful environments so it is no surprise to see that they find a colleague with whom they can share their frustrations and celebrate their successes.

“Whilst this is perfectly healthy, it can be helpful for workers to understand how these relationships can come to be viewed and how to prepare for the inevitability of their work marriage being broken up when one party heads for pastures new. That’s why I have worked with totaljobs to create this guide to enable people to understand what type of relationship they have.”

One in five employees are too scared to ask for flexible working rights

One in five employees are too scared to ask for flexible working rights 0

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Over one in five (21 percent) UK private sector employees – equivalent to 5.5m nationally – are too afraid to discuss flexible working with their boss because they think they will say no, Aviva’s Working Lives report claims. The findings come despite employees having the legal right to make a ‘statutory application’ to their employer to change their working pattern . Those aged 35-49 are the most likely to refrain from exercising this right despite the challenge some in this age group may face with juggling work and family life: nearly one in four (24 percent) shy away from starting a conversation for fear of rejection.

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Automation and data need radically new systems of governance according to scientists

Automation and data need radically new systems of governance according to scientists 0

by • AI, News, Technology

automationThe current framework for governing automation and the management and use of data cannot keep pace with technological advances, according to a new report by the Royal Society and the British Academy. The report calls for the establishment of a new, independent body to steward an overall framework that can safeguard public confidence and ensure that the potential benefits of data use such as improved public services, better healthcare and business innovation are fully realised. The two National Academies convened leading figures from the Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences to undertake a detailed review of the current governance landscape for data usage and management. Data Management and Use: Governance in the 21st Century found that data usage, data collection and management are increasingly intertwined, and new ways of using data make it difficult to define which data is sensitive.  It found that, while the current governance architecture provides a lot of what is needed to deal with these challenges, there are clear gaps and too many silos, such that tensions between how individual and collective benefits and risks are negotiated are not always identified and addressed in a transparent and inclusive way.

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Stress levels at work have grown, while productivity fell, but there is some good news

Stress levels at work have grown, while productivity fell, but there is some good news 0

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Stress and anxiety treatments have doubled over a decade, while 44 percent of workers say the world around them has become more stressful and complex. In the ten years since Bupa launched its first Wellbeing Report; people are working an extra 15.4 million hours every week, but productivity remaining low. However, on a more positive note, more employees than ever are prepared to talk about mental health issues with their employer. The research, which coincides with the launch of the Bupa Wellbeing Edit – a report into the key themes in workplace wellbeing, which includes insights from business and wellbeing experts, shows the number of people receiving mental health treatments has increased by 53 per cent in the last decade. Treatment for stress and anxiety have more than doubled over the last 10 years, which now stand at just under 70,000. However, although working longer hours has contributed to higher stress levels, the analysis based on businesses of all sizes, suggests that employers’ openness towards mental health is also increasing levels of self-reporting.

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The onus is on employers to create working conditions that attract people

The onus is on employers to create working conditions that attract people 0

by • Comment, Facilities management, Wellbeing

Staff absenteeism is one of the most costly issues facing employers in the modern workplace. Absenteeism is defined commonly as an unscheduled, deliberate or routine absence from the workplace by employees. According to a new study by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), people who regularly take days off are costing the UK economy billions each year, with the toll set to rise considerably over the next decade and potentially rising to £26bn by 2030.  The report also found that mental health issues are affecting 30-40 year olds who have to juggle various things such as home life, financial constraint and pressures from their day jobs and respective careers. Another recent study by AXA PPP healthcare found that over a third of employees living with a mental health condition (39 percent) are not open about it in the workplace. These findings highlight a clear disconnect between how employees are feeling and what their employers understand to be their state of mind.

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Artificial intelligence could add £232 billion to UK GDP by 2030, claims PwC research

Artificial intelligence could add £232 billion to UK GDP by 2030, claims PwC research 0

by • AI, News, Technology

UK GDP could be around 10 percent higher in 2030 as a result of artificial intelligence (AI) – the equivalent of an additional £232 billion, according to new research by PwC. This makes AI the biggest commercial opportunity in today’s fast-changing economy, according to the report’s authors. The research shows that the majority of the UK’s economic gains over the period to 2030 will come from increasing consumer demand resulting from AI driving a greater choice of products, increased personalisation of those products and making them more affordable over time. Labour productivity improvements will also drive GDP gains, but to a lesser extent. PwC’s research notes that the benefits from labour productivity growth will be felt first, with the increased consumption-led benefits from AI-enhanced products coming through later as more of them come onto the market. As this happens, competition within the AI goods market will increase dramatically, leading to future increases in the value of goods to consumers and therefore the amount people spend on them.

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Middle-aged office workers are now more sedentary than pensioners, finds study

Middle-aged office workers are now more sedentary than pensioners, finds study 0

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Most middle-aged office workers now spend as much time sitting down as older pensioners, according to a report. The research claims to have overturned previous studies that suggested that older adults are the most sedentary age group in the UK, when it appears to be middle aged office workers who move the least. The study highlights the potential health risks of excessive sitting at work. The study found that 45 to 54-year-old men spend on average 7.8 hours per weekday sitting down, compared with 7.4 hours for the over-75s. Sedentary work is the main reason for this inactivity. Researchers drew upon data from more than 14,000 people in Scotland, taken from the 2012-14 Scottish Health Survey. The findings from the University of Edinburgh’s Physical Activity for Health Research Centre are published in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Only the youngest group of men surveyed – 16 to 24-year-olds – are significantly less sedentary than the over 75s on weekdays.

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Study suggests ways staff could work fewer hours while raising productivity

Study suggests ways staff could work fewer hours while raising productivity 0

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Employers can implement simple changes to reduce fatigue while raising worker productivity, a new academic study suggests. Research published by Manel Baucells from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business offers some useful insights for today’s workforce in overcoming fatigue while at the same time raising productivity. The paper “It is time to get some rest”, co-authored with Lin Zhao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, looks at how workers’ efforts can be best distributed throughout the day. The study’s implications affect not only our health and quality of life, but business and the economy too. “The bottom line is, when it comes to rest and managing fatigue, the incentives of companies and workers are perfectly aligned: Reducing fatigue increases productivity, lowers the cost of providing effort, increasing work satisfaction, lowering turnover and absenteeism, and ultimately increasing profits,” said Baucell. “Google seems to have learned this lesson and makes the work environment pleasant, promoting fun distractions, while at the same time encouraging long work hours.”

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