Search Results for: skills gap

Employers managing multigenerations of staff “in the dark”

GRiD age research

The  latest example from a plethora of surveys is published today to add more fuel to the suspicion that “Generation Y NOT ME?” either needs slapping down or is being grossly misrepresented. “The Workplace Revolution”, by recruiter Adecco Group reports that half of those aged 34 and under – Generation Y – (47 per cent) want a promotion every two years, compared to just a fifth (22 per cent) of UK workers as a whole. But the report also warns that employers that fail to engage, motivate and retain their best employees across all ages risk damaging productivity and competitiveness.

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Two thirds of people would like to quit jobs for a more meaningful career

Two thirds of people would like to quit jobs for a more meaningful career

The research, published in The Purpose Playbook: Bridging the Gap Between Career Success and Life Fulfilment, explores how lifelong learning and personal growth can help individuals find a more meaningful career.A new report from Tomorrow University claims that two-thirds of professionals say they would quit their jobs for work that better aligns with their sense of purpose, highlighting a growing disconnect between career success and life fulfilment. The research, published in The Purpose Playbook: Bridging the Gap Between Career Success and Life Fulfilment, explores how lifelong learning and personal growth can help individuals find a more meaningful career. More →

Furniture industry body unveils its plans for growth and government engagement

Furniture industry body unveils its plans for growth and government engagement

The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for GrowthThe British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for Growth. The document supports BFC’s advocacy across four key pillars: skills and education; trade and exports; standards and regulations; and the environment and circular economy. It has been developed over the past few months, evolving from a combination of position papers written by the associations’ executives and a comprehensive survey of their collective members. More →

An AI divide risks growth for many organisations, new Microsoft research claims 

An AI divide risks growth for many organisations, new Microsoft research claims 

An opportunity to boost the UK’s economy and improve public services could be at risk if too many organisations don't act on AIAn opportunity to boost the UK’s economy and improve its public services in ‘the coming age of agentic AI’ could be at risk if too many organisations remain ‘stuck in neutral’ on artificial intelligence, ?according to?new research?commissioned by Microsoft. The study, led by Dr Chris Brauer at Goldsmiths, University of London, claims that the highest performing businesses and most productive public sector organisations have a clear strategy in place and are preparing for the next wave of the technology – which the report refers to as agentic AI.?1 More →

Five predictions for how the public sector will tackle challenges and lead digital transformation in 2025

Five predictions for how the public sector will tackle challenges and lead digital transformation in 2025

widespread skills shortages and legacy IT systems within the public sector remain an obstacle to digital transformationThe UK government is committed to modernising and becoming tech-first, but widespread skills shortages and legacy IT systems within the public sector remain an obstacle to digital transformation. While we are seeing steps to digitise, and the £2bn set aside to improve IT across the NHS is a good case in point, capital investment is only one part of the puzzle. As we look to the new year, we can expect the public sector to continue to face challenges in keeping pace with technology innovation, particularly in adopting AI and cloud solutions, combating talent gaps, and modernising workflows. More →

Three quarters of recruiters think young people aren’t prepared for working life

Three quarters of recruiters think young people aren’t prepared for working life

The new report, Changing Face of the Youth Labour Market, claims to uncover a number of worrying insights into employers' perceptions of young workers and their readiness for working lifeA new poll from the the CIPD suggests that many UK employers believe young people aren’t ‘job-ready’ and lack important workplace skills, with a fall in earning and learning opportunities cited as a key reason. The new report, Changing Face of the Youth Labour Market, claims to uncover a number of worrying insights into employers’ perceptions of young workers and their readiness for working life. The study suggests that only just over a quarter (28 percent} of employers who hired individuals aged 16-24 in the past year believe that young people are well-prepared for the world of work. More →

Slow progress on sustainable buildings, RICS report claims

Slow progress on sustainable buildings, RICS report claims

While demand for sustainable buildings and investment remains steady, particularly in regions such as Europe, significant gaps persist in terms of skills, knowledge, and financial incentivesThe latest sustainability report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) highlights the continued challenge of embedding sustainable practices within the built environment, despite some signs of progress. While demand for sustainable buildings and investment remains steady, particularly in regions such as Europe, significant gaps persist in terms of skills, knowledge, and financial incentives. More →

Third of people would like workplace AI ban, half feel jobs are insecure

Third of people would like workplace AI ban, half feel jobs are insecure

A new poll from CYPHER Learning claims that one in three workers would like to see AI banned from the workplace, while nearly half express concern that AI poses a threat to their future job securityA new poll from CYPHER Learning claims that one in three workers would like to see AI banned from the workplace, while nearly half express concern that AI poses a threat to their future job security. The study, suggests that women, workers over the age of 55, and those in clerical or manual labour roles feel most at risk. The survey of 4,543 workers across the US, UK, and Mexico found that AI is reshaping job roles, with 63 percent of respondents reporting that AI technologies has already changed the skills required for their jobs. More than half of those surveyed (52 percent) believe that AI will either completely transform or have a major impact on their roles within the next two years. As a result, 38 percent of workers anticipate the need for retraining due to job obsolescence, and almost half (45 percent) are worried about their future job security. More →

Most people don’t feel that workplace conflict is resolved at their firm

Most people don’t feel that workplace conflict is resolved at their firm

Just over a third of employees (36 percent) who experienced workplace conflict in the past year feel it has been fully resolvedOnly around a third of employees feel the conflict they experienced at work has been fully resolved, according to a new poll from the CIPD.  According to the survey, eight in 10 (81 percent) employers feel they are doing enough to prevent and manage bullying and harassment at work, but just over a third of employees (36 percent) who experienced workplace conflict in the past year feel it has been fully resolved. More →

Managers and employees have very different ideas about the quality of their management

Managers and employees have very different ideas about the quality of their management

Most business leaders feel their management skills are up to scratch, but the people who work for them don't believe itA new poll from Unmind claims claims that there is a significant discrepancy between how UK managers believe they’re performing and the experience of those being managed by them, with over two-thirds (67 percent) UK workers having left or considered leaving their job because of a bad manager. The survey of 3,005 office workers (1,500 managers and 1,505 employees) suggests that, while 83 percent of managers say they’ve had formal training in people management, only 63 percent of their direct reports don’t believe it. Two fifths (40 percent) UK workers say they don’t believe their manager has had sufficient training or the right skills to perform their role. More →

Put on your own mask first: Leadership strategies for stress management and emotional resilience

Put on your own mask first: Leadership strategies for stress management and emotional resilience

It can be easy when we’re in high stress situations to think only about how the stress is affecting us.Put your own oxygen mask on before assisting other passengers. If you’ve been on a plane before, you’ve heard this saying. What would it look like if you put your own proverbial mask on before placing others? Looking after yourself first? As a leader, making sure that your own stress is properly managed translates to helping yourself so that you’re available to help others. When we don’t have a handle on our stress, it can reveal our negative personal tendencies, be it arrogance, melodrama or volatility. While those derailers have an immense effect on our ability to produce work, they also negatively affect those around us. More →

Two thirds of working parents considering quitting because of childcare costs

Two thirds of working parents considering quitting because of childcare costs

More than two-thirds (70 percent) of working parents in the UK have quit or are considering quitting their job due to lack of affordable childcare optionsMore than two-thirds (70 percent) of working parents in the UK have quit or are considering quitting their job due to lack of affordable childcare options, according to a new poll from Remote. The research explores the financial and mental impact return to office mandates and a lack of flexible hours has on parents, as well as outlining the consequences of what the report calls  the ‘Working Parents Crisis’ on the UK’s workforce shortages.   More →