June 5, 2019

Most people convinced they can do their job in four day week

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new report from job site Indeed explores what work means to people in the UK today. The Meaning of Work report analyses trends from the last five years, generated by more than 40 million monthly visitors to the firm’s website alongside the results of a YouGov survey of over 2,000 full-time employees. The report’s headline finding is that around three-quarters of people (74 per cent) already believe they could do their full time job to the same standard over the course of a four day week. More →

May 22, 2019

Rise in employment discrimination claims by new parents

by Marie Hillen • Flexible working, Legal news, News, Workplace

Nearly three quarter (70 percent) of employment law experts have seen an increase in women claiming they were fired when on maternity leave; the use of ‘gagging orders’ following pregnancy and maternity related disputes and an increase in men claiming harassment by their employer for taking paternity leave.

May 15, 2019

Mental health stigma drives unexplained sick days

by George Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

A new report from Breathe commissioned to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 implies that British workers are still uncomfortable disclosing mental health issues or burnout, as nearly a quarter (23 percent) admit they would rather take an unexplained sick day than discuss their issues with their employers. More →

April 26, 2019

Great expectations at work causing stress and rise in mental ill health

by Marie Hillen • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Employees feel expectations at work are playing an integral role in diminishing their mental health a new report suggests, which includes increasing pressures to work outside of office hours, through annual leave and even on sick days. Westfield Health’s inaugural Wellbeing Index, which claims to shine a spotlight on stress, found 61 percent of HR professionals identified mental health related issues as the main reasons for absences within their workforces, with over half (51 percent) noticing an overall increase in sick days. ‘Leavism’ – working outside of contracted hours and on annual leave days – is also prevalent throughout the British workforce, with 67 percent in HR saying it’s a very real issue for them.

April 24, 2019

Women are less likely to negotiate terms of a job offer than men

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

A survey commissioned by CV-Library claims that one of the most significant differences between men and women in the workplace is that men are generally less afraid to ask for what they want from an employer. The study of over 1,200 people claims that over half (55.1 percent) of men would negotiate on parts of a job offer, compared to just four in 10 (42.1 percent) women. The study also claims that the terms women are willing to negotiate on also varies widely. The survey suggests that they are more likely to debate working hours (56.4 percent) than men (40.9 percent), whilst men are more likely to negotiate salary (83.1 percent) than women (73.1 percent). More →

April 11, 2019

Is there a global lack of support for mental health?

by George Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

Employers need to be mindful of the significant differences globally in how mental health is viewed and treated, when it comes to managing an international workforce, according to The Health Insurance Group. Disparities in both attitudes to, and treatment of, mental ill-health could make the difference between an international post succeeding or failing, if not understood and managed effectively. More →

March 21, 2019

Interiors are not enough to win the war for talent

by Ben Capper • Comment, Workplace design

I often refer to Google and Facebook in my blog, due to their influence on workplace design. Many consider them to be workplace interior’s holy grail. But today’s big employers are competing with one another on a much broader set of principles. Cool interiors alone just won’t cut it. Zürich, like many European cities is home to a large number of global brands, with bustling financial services and tech sectors. I regularly hear of people with multiple job offers taking a job with a lower salary, rather than accepting a role in a company that doesn’t reflect their ideals. This decision can be influenced by office design and facilities, career development options, corporate culture and much more. More →

March 19, 2019

Demotivated workers would be driven by higher pay and more flexibility

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Almost a third (31 percent) of UK professionals state that their expectations are ‘not being met at all’ by their current employer, whilst a further 24 percent state that their needs are only just ‘moderately’ being met. The findings, which come from research undertaken by recruiter Robert Walters and job board CV-Library – also suggest that while the amount they were paid was most important to staff, other benefits are increasingly playing a more prominent role in keeping staff motivated. Well over half (61 percent) claimed that work-life balance, flexible working hours (39 percent), and cultural fit (25 percent) are crucial to keeping them happy at work. More →

March 7, 2019

Firms must break bad habits if they want to improve relationship with employees

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

To select, engage and retain the best talent, companies are going to have to break their entrenched bad habits, according to a new report from The Myers-Briggs Company. It claims that its Global Trends Report (registration) sets out how businesses can select the best employees, provide effective leadership and help their people to work together efficiently and harmoniously, despite a rapidly changing and increasingly complex business landscape. More →

March 6, 2019

Less time spent commuting is key to workplace wellbeing

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Lenovo has released a study on ‘Britain’s evolving workplace’ (registration). It claims that more than three quarters (76 per cent) of those that have no commute by working from home are overall satisfied with their job and a third (37 per cent) of those surveyed admit to choosing their current role based on its close proximity to their home. The report claims that the changing nature of the modern workplace benefits both workers and employers, with one in ten workers most productive outside of typical 7am to 6pm working hours and a quarter (26 per cent) wishing to work more flexible hours.

February 21, 2019

Why the gender pay gap is an enduring challenge for many organisations

by Heejung Chung • Comment, Workplace

In April of 2018, large companies with over 250 employees were obliged to report their gender pay gap for the first time. Headlines that week were dominated by some of the surprise and shock of the extent to which women were paid less in majority of the companies reported, while for many women it just confirmed our hidden beliefs. There was a slight optimism, however, that there can only be progress. However, many companies who are reporting their new pay gap for this year show that rather than progress, many have increased their gaps. Why is this the case?

February 7, 2019

Sleeping on the job: the cultures of sleep and napping from around the world

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

There’s a pretty well proven link between lack of sleep and negative emotion, but is catching 40 winks whilst at work a proven solution? Research from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggests that lack of sleep can have a negative impact on emotion. Could naps of 20-30 minutes make for a more productive workforce, and have a positive impact on mood, concentration and attention? Following the findings that loss of sleep could be costing the UK £40bn a year, is it time to make a change to our sleeping habits? To find out, Brother has produced a study of the eight sleeping customs from around the world, and explored how they could have a positive impact on people and businesses.