February 26, 2020
Three quarters of organisations say access to market opportunities is their key motivation for international expansion, according to a report. Businesses also named access to specialist skills as one of the main factors that influence their international growth ambitions (cited by 67 percent), alongside proximity to suppliers and resources (66 percent) and access to affordable labour (55 percent). More →
February 21, 2020
Today is the first productive day of the year for UK employees, according to new research which claims 38 working days were lost, on average, by each employee last year due to physical and mental health related absence and presenteeism. The study puts the cost to businesses and the economy of these lost days (which in reality are of course spread out across the whole year) at £91.9bn in 2019, an increase of more than £10bn on 2018. More →
February 21, 2020
A new analysis of the UK’s job market claims there were 52 percent fewer available jobs listed for professionals with technology skills at the end of 2019, compared to six months earlier. Accenture’s UK Tech Talent Tracker analysed data from LinkedIn’s Professional Network. This shows 78,000 job vacancies advertised that require skills in emerging technologies, down from 162,000 last June. This decrease was driven by a 64 percent reduction in the number of advertised jobs for data analysts. More →
February 19, 2020
So, your most recent dining experience wasn’t great. The service was slow, the waiter seemed uninterested, and the wine glasses on the table had red lipstick stains on them. Your first instinct is to go online and share that negative experience with the world. Whether your intention is to blow off steam or warn other patrons that their filet won’t be worth the price, you have a right to share your experience. More →
February 17, 2020
An increase in hiring intentions among public sector employers looks set to support further employment growth in the UK, according to a report from the CIPD and the Adecco Group. The latest quarterly Labour Market Outlook survey suggests that public sector employment growth is expected to increase in line with the private sector for the first time since 2008. More →
February 13, 2020
From start-ups to well-established companies, organisations thrive or fail on motivating employees. It’s mission-critical. Motivated employees are easy to spot – they tend to align their purpose to that of the company, are more innovative with their problem-solving and have a greater impact. Organisations must actively work to motivate and engage employees, giving them a sense of purpose. Otherwise, there’s a real risk of the company falling behind the competition and staying there. More →
February 13, 2020
Flexible working can help employees manage mental illness and keep them in the workforce during difficult life events, a survey by US-based FlexJobs has claimed. Of 2,100 respondents with a mental illness, such as anxiety or depression, 84 percent thought having a flexible job would help them manage their condition better. More →
February 12, 2020
I speak with senior workplace leaders daily and those conversations, coupled with our research and that of other people, offer us a striking perspective on the trends and changing nature of the workplace and in particular the impact of technology. Some themes are cropping up time and time again in these conversations and research and point to a new technology-led reality that we must all address. More →
February 12, 2020
More than 40 percent of workers have a hidden health issue they’ve never disclosed to their employers, with younger employees the most likely to withhold information from their bosses, according to new research. A survey of 1,000 employees, carried out by healthcare provider Benenden Health, revealed 63 percent of respondents aged 23 or under and 60 percent of 24-38-year-olds surveyed haven’t told their employers about a health issue. This is compared to 35 percent of respondents aged 39-54 and 18 percent of those aged 55 or over. More →
February 11, 2020
Freelancers value the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss but their happiness is most closely correlated with how much money they earn, a survey of 7,000 freelancers has claimed. According to the report from Payoneer (registration required), the worldwide average hourly rate charged by freelancers is $21, up from $19 two years ago. This is significantly higher than the average salary in many of the 150 countries surveyed. Those who work exclusively in freelancing earn a higher rate and are more satisfied with their lifestyle than those who split their time working for a company. More →
February 10, 2020
More than half of the people in the UK classified as living in poverty are members of a working family. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s state of the nation report on poverty in the UK, poverty has risen for children and pensioners over the last five years. Although employment has increased, in-work poverty has also gone up because often people’s pay, hours, or both are not enough. More →
March 2, 2020
Workers are as important as external stakeholders
by Bianca West • Comment