Search Results for: retention

People don’t want to work for firms that can’t live up to their own brand values

People don’t want to work for firms that can’t live up to their own brand values

Being yourself has its downsidesBusinesses that lack clear brand values and a defined company purpose are at risk of losing their employees, according to a new poll from Berkeley Communications [registration]. In an international study looking at workers’ attitudes around company loyalty, the report suggests that three quarters (75 percent) of respondents believe a company’s purpose is an important aspect of their current or prospective employer and 73 percent said the same about their current or prospective employer’s brand values. More →

Motherhood penalty means many women in tech leave due to care responsibilities

Motherhood penalty means many women in tech leave due to care responsibilities

Women who have flexible working arrangements have a significantly higher retention than those who didn't. These finding emphasise the damage that the 'motherhood penalty' has on the tech industry and its ability to keep women working within it.Almost 40 per cent of female tech leavers cited caring commitments as a decisive factor in their decision to leave the industry, according to research by Tech Talent Charter. Work life balance was ranked the most important consideration, as working parents are juggling careers and full-time caring commitments, prompting the Tech Talent Charter and MotherBoard Charter to join forces to address maternity retention in tech. Women who have flexible working arrangements have a significantly higher retention than those who didn’t. These findings emphasise the damage that the ‘motherhood penalty’ has on the tech industry and its ability to keep women working within it. More →

Many employers don’t think GenZ are well prepared for the workplace

Many employers don’t think GenZ are well prepared for the workplace

A new poll from WorkL claims that half of employers believe that Gen Z is not entering the workplace well-equipped with the skills and knowledge neededA new poll from WorkL claims that half of employers believe that Generation Z is not entering the workplace well-equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for their roles. The annual WorkL Global Workforce Report 2024 suggests that mentoring initiatives are being implemented by employers to support Gen Z, with four in ten employers taking the step. Having been significantly impacted by the global pandemic and the shift in traditional working practices, WorkL has seen a falling engagement score for the youngest demographic over the last 12 months; decreasing from 71 percent in 2021 down to just 67 percent in 2023, a concerning four percentage point decrease and the lowest score out of all age groups. More →

Employers can be advocates for workplace eye wellness: four winning strategies

Employers can be advocates for workplace eye wellness: four winning strategies

Proper management of employee health and wellness is an important facet to consider when striving for success in the workplace. Properly supporting employee health helps them perform better, encourages productivity, prevents losses from absences, enhances job satisfaction, and improves overall morale. Employers can promote employee wellness in different ways, but one area you should consider prioritising is eye care in the workplace. More →

Only a quarter of firms say that staff will need to work full time from an office in future

Only a quarter of firms say that staff will need to work full time from an office in future

New research by the British Chambers of Commerce Insights Unit and technology firm Cisco, shows less than 30 percent of firms expect their workforce to be fully in person over the next five years. The survey of over 1,000 businesses, of which 96 percent were SMEs, found just 27 percent of respondents predict their staff will be fully in-person over the next five years. 47 percent anticipate their staff to be mostly in-person, 16 percent expect mostly remote and 8 percent fully remote. More →

Tailored workplace management for modern organisations

Tailored workplace management for modern organisations

Workplace management used to be a secondary concern for organisations in the past, but it has now become a top priority.Workplace management used to be a secondary concern for organisations in the past, but it has now become a top priority. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation, leading to the implementation of new processes and technologies that focus on facilitating remote and at-home work. As a result of these changes, organisations have recognized the importance of finding a balance in their work environments. More →

Threat of recession means half of firms say they have stopped innovating

Threat of recession means half of firms say they have stopped innovating

Half of UK C-suites (50 percent) say that the threat of recession has meant innovation has ceased in their businessHalf of UK C-suites (50 percent) say that the threat of recession has meant innovation has ceased in their business, according to brand new research from consultancy Magnetic. Just 22 percent disagree, with 28 percent undecided. This corroborates the 56 percent who say they’re prioritising the survival of their business above all else; an especially concerning figure when two-thirds of the sample are large businesses with more than 250 employees. More →

Half of deskless workers suspect they are invisible and expendable

Half of deskless workers suspect they are invisible and expendable

Over half of UK based ‘deskless’ workers (51 per cent) say they’re viewed as expendable by their employer. Plus, almost a third (32 per cent), feel that their corporate, desk-based colleagues regard them as inferior.  These are the findings from O.C. Tanner’s 2024 Global Culture Report which gathered data and insights from more than 42,000 employees, leaders, HR practitioners, and executives from 27 countries worldwide including 4,818 from the U.K (of which 1,734 are deskless). More →

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement 0

A new report certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees

Originally published six years ago, this feature is currently the most read story ever on the website with around 50,000 readers. A global study by my own firm Steelcase has found that one-third of workers across 17 of the world’s most important economies are actually disengaged. The findings make worrying reading for employers around the world, as engagement is so demonstrably linked to business critical outcomes such as employee retention, productivity and even profits. It certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees. More →

Firms make lots of noise about social mobility but don’t always act on it

Firms make lots of noise about social mobility but don’t always act on it

Social mobility: UK employers disproportionately focused on outreach to working-class candidates rather than recruiting and retaining them A new report on social mobility, conducted by the charity Making The Leap, claims that only a third of employers (35 percent) took any action on the retention and inclusion of job candidates from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds (LSEB) candidates this year. This is down from 53 percent in 2022, showing a significant decline in prioritising a key element of social mobility, and significantly lower than those that say they are focussed on recruiting candidates. More →

Financial uncertainty, wellbeing and supply chain disruption revealed as top risk factors 

Financial uncertainty, wellbeing and supply chain disruption revealed as top risk factors 

Companies across the UK are most concerned about the risk of financial uncertainty (34 percent), employee health and wellbeing (31 percent) and supply chain disruption (23 percent) on their businesses over the next 12 monthsAccording to new research by Marsh, an insurance broker and risk advisor, companies across the UK are most concerned about the impact of financial uncertainty (34 percent), employee health and wellbeing (31 percent) and supply chain disruption (23 percent) on their businesses over the next 12 months. The findings come from Marsh’s UK Business Risk Report 2023 [registration], which features data obtained in May and June 2023 from over 2,100 UK businesses with turnover of between £100,000 and £500 million + per year. Now in its third year, the report explores how circumstances over the last 12 months have impacted the business risk appetite and approach to risk management among UK companies, and identifies their priorities for the year ahead.  More →

The challenge for fit-out firms is to deliver best value despite supply chain challenges

The challenge for fit-out firms is to deliver best value despite supply chain challenges

Whilst industry supply and demand dynamics may have found a level of equilibrium since the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, economic disruptions, and an unstable domestic policy environment continue to have an impact on the office fit-out marketThe past year has been a challenging one for London’s commercial fit-out market. Whilst industry supply and demand dynamics may have found a level of equilibrium since the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, economic disruptions, and an unstable domestic policy environment continue to have an impact. In tandem with this, the commercial fit-out market is adapting to changing needs; from accommodating hybrid working models to growing demands for sustainability and reuse, the workplaces of today are ever changing. More →