November 14, 2019

Strongest year ever for the number of women on FTSE 100 boards

The latest Hampton-Alexander report shows that women now hold 32.4 percent of all FTSE 100 board positions, up from 30.2 percent last year and up from only 12.5 percent in 2011. The FTSE 100 is very close to meeting the 33 percent target for Women on Boards and will do so ahead of the 2020 deadline. The report also shows that women hold 29.6 percent of all FTSE 250 board positions, up from 24.9 percent last year and only 7.8 percent in 2011. The FTSE 250 has had its strongest year yet and if the same rate of progress continues next year, the FTSE 350 will be on track to meet the 33 percent target by the end of 2020 deadline. (more…)

November 5, 2019

HR leaders feel unprepared for the future of work

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

Only 9 percent of chief human resources officers (CHROs) agree that their organisation is prepared for the future of work, according to a new report from Gartner. The study ties in to Gartner Gartner ReimagineHR conference, which took place last week. It concludes that to address the needs of organisations and workers in the future, HR leaders must focus on five areas of work. It suggests that tackling the future of work should not mean looking at the various changing aspects of work, such as AI, the gig economy and the multigenerational workforce, in silos. Istead, HR leaders should focus on the big picture of what the future of work can and should look like in their organisation. (more…)

October 29, 2019

Here is how you should handle racial discrimination in the workplace

by Karen Holden • Comment, Legal news, Workplace

While progress has been made with tackling racial discrimination in recent decades, it is clear that it still lives on in the workplace in less overt and more nuanced forms. A survey commissioned by the Trade Union Congress found that over 70 percent of ethnic minority workers say they have experienced racial harassment at work and around 60 percent state that they have been subject to unfair treatment by their employer. Karen Holden, Founder of A City Law Firm, is keen to outline the laws surrounding racial discrimination in the workplace and exactly what the employers responsibilities are. (more…)

August 28, 2019

Shifting cultural expectations in the workplace

by Stuart Templeton • Comment, Technology, Workplace

There has been much talk of digital, agile and organisational transformation for businesses for many years now. While the intricacies of each are separate discussions, one thing is clear – the world of work and the workplace are changing and as businesses we need to adapt.

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July 16, 2019

The workplace of tomorrow redefined by learning and AI

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

Unily has released a report analysing the trends and issues shaping the workplace of tomorrow. The report, ‘Future of the Workplace 2030+’, has been co-created with the futurist Anne Lise Kjaer, a regular on the TED Talks circuit best known for the book The Trend Management Toolkit. Looking at the transformation of our working lives over the next 10 years and beyond, the report explores both the challenges and the opportunities as companies prepare for a new wave of technological advances and a new generation of workers. It sets out specific challenges including how to incorporate Generation Z in the workplace, integrate new technology and face greater scrutiny of organisational values. It also suggests that new jobs will emerge such as ‘Vice President of No’, ‘Professional Rebel’ and ‘Ideas Broker’. (more…)

July 8, 2019

Meetings ruined by late arrivals and setting up tech

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace design

A report from Moo claims that people are wasting time by waiting for all attendees to arrive at or dial-in to meetings. Engaging in small talk with colleagues and tackling technology followed closely behind. The findings include the claims that nearly half of British workers spend up to ten minutes trying to find a meeting room on average, and around the same number spend up to 15 minutes waiting for other attendees to arrive or dial-in.

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July 3, 2019

Getting a sense of productivity and motivation

by Jeff Revoy • Comment, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace design

When business operators are planning their company’s office, price is often chief among their priorities. Keeping the fixed cost of real estate low helps companies project—and increase—their expected income. Price is not just a consideration when it comes to rent; assets such as office furniture are often purchased en masse and for purely utilitarian reasons. Sure, a business is saving money by designing a no-frills, utilitarian office, which some Feng Shui experts would agree with, but what they are ignoring is how space affects productivity, motivation and enjoyment. (more…)

June 18, 2019

Fewer than one in five comfortable with mental health conversations

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Although around 1 in 7 people experience work-related mental health problems, a new survey claims that fewer than one in five people are confident about discussing mental health issues with colleagues. The survey of 1,000 people from insurance firm Protectivity claims that just 18 percent would be confident talking to their colleagues about their mental health. In addition, more than 1 in 10 people in the UK say they would feel embarrassed or ashamed of talking to their colleagues. The report concludes that not only is work needed to improve confidence but also the stigma of talking about mental health issues. (more…)

May 31, 2019

Previous work experience poor predictor of future performance

by Mark Eltringham • News, Workplace

One of the most commonly used and longstanding recruitment practices should be reconsidered according to new research from academics at Florida State University. Screening job applicants based on their prior work experience is often a mistake for employers because there appears to be little or no correlation between previous experience and future performance, according to a paper from Chad Van Iddekinge, FSU’s Bank of America Professor of Management and an expert on human resources management. (more…)

May 27, 2019

Workplace happiness levels plummeting

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

According to a survey of employees, most people are unhappy and dissatisfied in our jobs and almost half struggle to get out of bed in the morning to go to work. The survey by Personal Group, a provider of human resources services, claims that there has been a 20 percent drop in workplace happiness over the past three years. Today, only 41 percent of the workforce are happy most of the time at work, down from 43 percent in 2018 and 51 percent in 2017. (more…)

March 21, 2019

Interiors are not enough to win the war for talent

by Ben Capper • Comment, Workplace design

I often refer to Google and Facebook in my blog, due to their influence on workplace design. Many consider them to be workplace interior’s holy grail. But today’s big employers are competing with one another on a much broader set of principles. Cool interiors alone just won’t cut it. Zürich, like many European cities is home to a large number of global brands, with bustling financial services and tech sectors. I regularly hear of people with multiple job offers taking a job with a lower salary, rather than accepting a role in a company that doesn’t reflect their ideals. This decision can be influenced by office design and facilities, career development options, corporate culture and much more. (more…)

February 17, 2019

Personal and social factors impact return to work after ill-health

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Support from managers and colleagues, as well as a positive attitude, are most likely to enable a more long-term return to work for employees after a sickness absence, according to a new review of research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA). The review evaluated the impact of personal and social factors on sustainable return to work after ill-health due to musculoskeletal disorders, such as joint and back pain, and common mental health conditions, for example stress, depression or anxiety.