Search Results for: work-life balance

Two thirds of people with fixed hours want flexible working

Two thirds of people with fixed hours want flexible working

Flexible working and coworking spaceTwo thirds (65 percent) of office workers that don’t currently have options for flexible working claim that they would be more motivated and productive in their jobs if given the option to choose their working hours, according to a new poll from coworking company, The Brew by rent24.  The poll also claims that only 18 percent of workers at small and medium-sized businesses already have flexible working arrangements, falling to just 14 percent for 18-34-year olds.

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Freelancers and the self-employed need holidays too

Freelancers and the self-employed need holidays too

Taking time off improves the work performance of freelancers, a new study from IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) claims. The research suggests that almost two-thirds of freelancers believe taking holiday improves their work performance in some way. Asked what advantages came with taking more time off, 63 percent said it improved aspects of their work including productivity, energy, creativity and confidence in their work. More →

Two-thirds of people say work damages their mental health

Two-thirds of people say work damages their mental health

mental healthA new survey from CV-Library suggests that the UK’s professionals have a problematic relationship with work, with three-quarters  (74.2 percent) claiming that their job is damaging their mental health. The research, which surveyed over 2,000 professionals, claims that four in ten (43.9 percent) workers even consider resigning from their job because of this, with a further 52.6 percent stating that their workplace doesn’t do enough to support employees. More →

Younger workers believe flexible working is essential for mental health

Younger workers believe flexible working is essential for mental health

A young woman enjoys flexible working in a cafeNearly 40 percent of people under the age of 45 who have flexible working believe it has offered marked improvements in their mental health, a survey from Wildgoose claims. The firm conducted a survey of the workers to ask for their thoughts on working culture and the impact it has on a range of life outcomes. Employees from 114 companies from all backgrounds gave their answers anonymously. According to the study, the results highlight the reasons employees are looking for jobs that offer a degree of flexibility in terms of times and places of work. More →

Flexible working has increased dramatically in last two decades

Flexible working has increased dramatically in last two decades

The proportion of people with some form of flexible working has increased dramatically in the last two decades. That is according to an analysis of working trends by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo). According to the 1999 Labour Force Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the percentage of people working flexible hours in the UK was 9.5 percent at that time. Recent statistics from CIPD, however, show that this number has drastically increased, with 54 percent of workers currently having the option of some form of flexibility in their time and place of work. More →

Maternity leave progressing around the world

Maternity leave progressing around the world

With studies claiming almost as many women with children (74.1 percent) participated in the labour force as women without, in 2014, women who are juggling careers and motherhood benefit from flexibility at work the most. Recent research claims women account for 40 percent or more of the total labour force in several countries, making flexible working hours, extended maternity leave, breastfeeding rooms, free education and free healthcare just a few of the ways that some countries build the best working environments for mothers. More →

Concerns about future of work not enough to dampen worker confidence

Concerns about future of work not enough to dampen worker confidence

future of workNew research from ADP claims that the UK workforce feels confident, stable and well trained. The findings point to a more positive workforce that has continuously strengthened since the financial crash. Despite worries about the future of work generally, optimism has grown with just 27 percent of respondents reporting feeling very optimistic about their future in the workplace in 2019, up from 12 percent in 2012. More →

London now has its own Good Work standard

London now has its own Good Work standard

The Mayor of London has launched the city's own good work standardThe Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched London’s Good Work Standard, pledging to make London ‘the best place to live and work’.  The standard has been developed in partnership with CIPD, claims to bring together good employment practice with resources and guidance written by CIPD experts and tested with London based CIPD members, the framework sets out to support employers of all sizes across the city improve their people management practices and create good work for all.

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Flexible working could be the default for all jobs in UK

Flexible working could be the default for all jobs in UK

man drinking coffee while enjoying benefits of flexible workingFlexible working could become the default for all jobs in the UK, under proposed legislation being considered by the UK government. The most important consequence will be that employees will no longer be expected to use their right request flexible working for an employer to consider, as is currently the case. More →

Outdated technology remains a massive waste of time

Outdated technology remains a massive waste of time

Workers struggle with outdated technologyTwo new studies suggest that the failure to keep workers equipped with the latest technology is having a huge impact on their productivity and causing them to waste large amounts of time. According to the first piece of research from tech provider Insight,  UK office workers waste 1.8 billion working hours every year because the outdated technology they’re given isn’t good enough to meet their needs. More →

Demand for four day week continues to rise

Demand for four day week continues to rise

Four day week continues to rise in popularityWith a recent report from Henley Business School highlighting that a shorter working week could add to businesses’ bottom lines through increased staff productivity and uplift in staff physical and mental health, a study from ADP (registration) has further emphasised these findings. ADP’s research claims almost two-thirds of UK workers (61 percent) would opt for a four day week at work if they had the choice. More →

Impostor syndrome may have serious impact on mental health

Impostor syndrome may have serious impact on mental health

According to a new study from researchers at the University of Houston, impostor syndrome can have serious consequences for mental wellbeing and can affect people’s personal relationships and home life. Those affected by impostor syndrome – the persistent feeling somebody has that they are not qualified or able to be in a work role – are more likely to  report problems in their home lives, experience burnout and to have conflict between work and family roles. Additionally, although work-life balance problems weren’t necessarily linked to lower job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion was. More →