July 23, 2019

Apprenticeship levy has failed to increase investment in workplace training

The Government made an empty promise when it said the apprenticeship levy would boost the amount of money employers spend on workplace training, claims a new report from the CIPD. Addressing employer under-investment in training, the case for a broader training levy reveals that 31 percent of levy paying employers say the levy will lead them to increase the amount they spend on training. This is down from 45 percent in July 2017 when it was introduced. More →

November 28, 2016

Britain is missing a trick by not getting workplace training right ⁰

by Steve Hill • Comment, HR

New research from PwC highlights Britain’s failure to provide opportunities for young people. The study brings attention to the fact that the country ranks a lowly 21st out of 35 OECD members for its ability to get 15 to 24 year olds into work, education or training. If the UK could equal Germany’s low youth unemployment rate it would stand to gain around £45 billion, a 2.3 percent increase in GDP. The PwC report compares numerous countries, however Germany, Austria and Switzerland come out on top when it comes to providing career opportunities and workplace training to young people. Perhaps a clue to their success is that these nations all have so-called ‘dual education systems’ where work-based learning sits with equal stature alongside traditional academic study.

April 21, 2021

Nearly a third of employees don’t receive training in a hybrid workplace

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

Lane4, has announced the findings of its nationwide survey which suggests how organisations need to better support their employees as some begin to return to their on-site workplaces, while others remain remote. More →

November 3, 2021

Business leaders wary that greater workplace flexibility could encourage ‘proximity bias’

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

With the vast majority (86 percent) of UK businesses planning to offer employees greater flexibility around where they work, leaders are focused on ensuring employees feel included regardless of their location, according to new research from LinkedIn. This comes as LinkedIn has seen a 97 percent increase in remote jobs being advertised on the platform in the UK from September 2020 to September 2021. More →

September 23, 2021

People leaders lack the training, knowledge and tools to effectively handle employee issues

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

HR Acuity has announced the research findings from a recent survey, People Leaders and the Gap in Managing Employee Issues. The report, which includes data from 126 enterprise employee relations leaders and from nearly 700 people leaders from a wide range of industries and company sizes, provides insight into how people leaders handle employee issues such as policy violations, performance concerns and behavioral issues. More →

August 9, 2021

Over-55s feel full force of workplace ageism

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

More than two thirds (68 percent) of over-55s feel that the job market is closed to them, despite one in four wanting to work into their 80s, according to a study commissioned by 55/Redefined and ProAge. More →

July 22, 2021

Hybrid working poses challenges of culture, morale and training

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working culture

As increasing numbers of companies offer post-pandemic hybrid working for employees, the challenges it poses to maintaining culture, morale, effective training and staff loyalty have been disclosed in a new survey of senior executives. More →

July 20, 2021

Majority of organisations are still developing a workplace strategy

by Jayne Smith • Business, Flexible working, News

According to a new survey from XpertHR, 70 percent of organisations are still actively planning or considering permanent changes to where employees carry out their work as lockdown restrictions are lifted. Fewer than one in 20 (4 percent) are not contemplating any changes. More →

July 20, 2021

Employees urge workplaces to focus on mental health as world reopens

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working culture

Access to workplace counsellors, mental health training and support groups are topping the charts on what workers want on their return to the office, according to new research by CERT Property. More →

May 25, 2021

The power of nudge: How behavioural science and AI can improve workplace wellbeing

by Richard Gregory • Comment, Technology

When the global pandemic struck last year, many companies were forced to close offices and enable employees to work remotely – bringing forward their digital transformation roadmap by a good few year. A year on, and while it seems that the Covid-19 restrictions are reducing, there is unlikely to be a complete shift back to the office. Instead, most companies are now planning to adopt a hybrid work model; with employees working a mix of in-office or remotely. More →

March 29, 2021

Mental health transparency at the top is the key to workplace wellbeing

by Elaine Carnegie • Comment, Wellbeing

As the world emerges from the grip of the pandemic, the mental health crisis continues to worsen. One thing is for certain as we look to rebuild – the business community must put the mental health of all employees as top priority. But is there something that’s missing in the current conversation around workplace mental health and wellbeing? One thought is around leaders themselves, and that intrinsic connection to their own mental health and wellbeing. What many leaders have been carrying throughout the pandemic is exceptional, including the added weight of responsibility for the wellbeing and mental health of employees and to create mentally healthy workplaces, yet we rarely hear how leaders themselves are coping. More →

March 10, 2021

Surging UK tech investment fails to deliver due to ineffective training

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working culture

New research by CWJobs, claims three quarters of UK businesses (72 percent) increased their overall investment in tech tools, talent and training by an average of £1.48 million in 2020, as digital capabilities enabled them to maintain business continuity throughout the pandemic. More →