Search Results for: people

Is change your friend or your enemy?

Is change your friend or your enemy?

changeIs change your friend or your enemy?  If you are a young person leaving home for the first time and are excited about the prospects of striking out on your own – change is most likely your friend.  But if you are the parent, watching your child leave the nest, and your close protection, then change could very possibly be your enemy. The same is true when it comes to introducing new ways of working in an organisation.  Some people will like the ‘old ways’ because they are familiar and comfortable – they are like second nature and hence don’t take any real thinking. Whereas for others, the ‘new way’ may be quite faster, easier or simply exciting because it is different. (more…)

Two thirds of those working from home suspect their employer thinks they are less productive

Two thirds of those working from home suspect their employer thinks they are less productive

working from homeEmployers appear to lack trust in their workers to decide where they are the most productive, with more people now returning to the office full-time. Whilst 76 percent of UK respondents said they are more productive working remotely or are just as productive as they are in the office, 65 percent also believe their employer is concerned they are actually less productive when working from home. According to the fifth quarterly Talent Index from Beamery, almost half of workers (44 percent) in the UK say they have been asked to return to the office full-time with almost nine out of ten (88 percent) saying their employer sees staff returning to the office as essential and important.  (more…)

The raging truth about burnout

The raging truth about burnout

burnoutWe’re probably all familiar with an image of burnout. People sitting head in hands, or lying in bed staring at the ceiling, unable to get up and get going in the morning. Burnout is once again a topic of the moment as workplaces are left reeling by the “Great Resignation”, and those that are left behind are struggling to cover the resulting gap in knowledge and resource. (more…)

Hybrid working now part of life at majority of organisations, but will it last?

Hybrid working now part of life at majority of organisations, but will it last?

hybrid workingA new poll from the CIPD suggests that more than three-quarters of organisations have  now embraced hybrid working through a mix of formal and informal arrangements. However, employers are split over whether the move to new ways of working will last or if organisations will go back to pre-pandemic ways of working. In response, the CIPD is urging employers to seize the moment to develop and embed new ways of working that will ultimately benefit organisations and their people. (more…)

Physical activity could boost UK economy by up to £17 billion

Physical activity could boost UK economy by up to £17 billion

physical activityThe fitness and leisure sector holds the key to encouraging physical activity which could save the UK economy up to £17bn a year, according to a new report from ukactive. The report’s authors have called on the Government and its partners to work with the fitness and leisure sector to get the nation’s workforce physically active, as new research from Deloitte shows it could benefit the UK economy by up to £17bn a year.  The landmark report was commissioned by IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association) on behalf of the Global Health and Fitness Alliance. (more…)

We need to stop misusing the term ergonomic

We need to stop misusing the term ergonomic

Sedus ergonomic working from homeYou don’t have to search for long to find the word ergonomic; it pops up everywhere, in connection with every sort of product and device for the workplace (and elsewhere). You can – so the marketeers will tell you – buy an ‘ergonomic’ chair, desk, keyboard or mouse. What’s wrong with that? An awful lot actually. The word ergonomic has a particular meaning. Ergonomics (note the crucial addition of an ‘s’ at the end), from the Greek ‘Ergos’ for work or labour and ‘Nomos’, meaning natural law, is the discipline of designing and arranging an environment to optimise the comfort and performance of the individual. (more…)

BCO Conference challenges the office sector to up its game

BCO Conference challenges the office sector to up its game

BCO ConferenceRegarded as one of the property sector’s leading events, the BCO Annual Conference saw key players from all parts of the office industry flock to Manchester – the vibrant, modern cosmopolitan powerhouse that is celebrated around the world for being the UK’s most competitive, economically productive, liveable and vibrant region. In her keynote, Joanne Roney, chief executive of Manchester City Council, said that the most demanding, challenging and important priority is climate change, closely followed by making a positive difference to the lives of the people who live and work in the city. (more…)

UK is third most attractive place to work in Europe

UK is third most attractive place to work in Europe

most attractive place to workThe UK is the third most attractive place to work in Europe and experienced a stronger “brain-gain” than other major economies, according to a report from job site Indeed. It analysed nearly one billion data points including more than 800 million cross-border job searches and over 100 million job postings and found that cross-border searches by European jobseekers are up 13 percent from their pandemic low of -32 percent.   At the same time, Europe has become increasingly popular to jobseekers outside of the continent: inbound searches from jobseekers based outside Europe are a staggering 38 percent above the 2017-19 average, up from the pandemic low of -31 percent. (more…)

Four day week demands intensify as workers crave flexibility

Four day week demands intensify as workers crave flexibility

four day weekAccording to a new report from ADP exploring employees’ attitudes towards the current world of work, six-in-ten (60 percent) UK workers would like more flexibility as to when they work, such as condensing hours into a four day week. This number increased to two-thirds (67 percent) in Greater London. This desire for great flexibility comes at a time when there is a mental health ticking timebomb happening in offices up and down the land. Over half (51 percent) of men and 45 percent of women admit that their work us suffering due to their poor mental health. This is leading to over a quarter (29 percent) of workers actively trying to change their job and/or move into another industry. (more…)

Dogs Trust urges businesses to open a dialogue about bringing dogs to work 

Dogs Trust urges businesses to open a dialogue about bringing dogs to work 

bringing dogs to workBusinesses participating in ‘Bring Your Dog To Work Day’ on Friday 24 June should see it as an opportunity to open an honest and frank dialogue with their workforce about the benefits, challenges and feasibility of bringing dogs to work, says Dogs Trust. Britain saw a rise in dog ownership during the pandemic, particularly among younger people, aged 25-34. As more people return to their place of work, there are concerns among dog owners about what this means for their dogs, who have become used to them working from home over the last couple of years. (more…)

Flexible working options can support women in the workplace

Flexible working options can support women in the workplace

flexible working womenAs of May 2022, more than one hundred years after the passage of the Sex Disqualification Removal Act – legislation which opened the workplace equally to women – more than half of the UK’s female professionals are at risk of leaving their jobs. As a recent study showed, 52 percent of women in the UK say they are either considering leaving or have already left a role due to lack of flexibility. The widespread nature of this “Flexidus” is chilling. The pandemic has already set back women’s participation in the workforce back 22 years behind men. How can businesses respond with the flexible working choices that many women are seeking? (more…)

Birmingham BT HQ shows road ahead for its offices and the city

Birmingham BT HQ shows road ahead for its offices and the city

Birmingham BT HQIn January of 2020, shortly before that thing happened and before we knew much about the UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ programme, Birmingham was already a city on the rise. It had recently been announced that it was to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and was riding the crest of a number of high-profile developments and regeneration projects, not least those that arrived on the back of the controversial high speed rail station. (more…)