March 18, 2020

One million young workers set to leave London before turning 33

The number of young workers leaving London is on the rise, with net migration away from the capital growing, claims new research from Totaljobs and Professor of Economics at Lancaster University, Geraint Johnes. The new research, taken from analysis of ONS data as well as the views of 2,000 Londoners, suggests that since 2014, more than one million professionals have left London, with just 900,000 coming in. This is a net loss of 88 workers every day, with the biggest shortfall down to workers aged 25-34, the majority (54 percent) of them having given up hope of ever owning property in the capital. There has been a 49 percent increase in outbound migration of those in their 30s over the last five years. (more…)

March 11, 2020

Office politics major source of work related stress

by Jayne Smith • News, Working lives

Perkbox commissioned a new study of 1,815 employed people to present a examination into the changing landscape of work-related stress in 2020. The study compared results to 2018 data in order to identify how sources of work-related stress and the solutions offered by employers are changing. The study claims that 79 percent of adults in employment commonly experience work-related stress. (more…)

March 5, 2020

To many major firms, work is becoming just a game

by Eve Grau • Comment, Workplace

Corporate gamification is a growing trend in the business world. This trend uses all of the techniques that make video games so entertaining and engaging to improve day-to-day business functions. From incorporating point awards to leveling up, gamification hacks the most effective qualities of gaming to deliver educational programs and training courses. Because of the success of these methods, gamification has been growing in popularity and is a good policy for businesses to adopt. (more…)

March 5, 2020

UK outpaced by other nations when it comes to women in work

by Jayne Smith • News, Working lives

Despite holding firm in 16th place, the UK is being outpaced by greater improvements in female employment prospects in other OECD countries, according to PWC’s latest Women in Work Index, which analyses female economic empowerment across 33 OECD countries. While the UK performs above the OECD average and is second only to Canada when compared to other G7 economies, its position has barely budged since 2000 when it stood in 17th position, despite improving its performance across all five indicators. (more…)

March 2, 2020

Managers need more hugs and fewer squeezes at work

by Marie Hillen • News, Wellbeing

A new report from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) claims that better support for line managers is needed in the workplace. The Squeezed Middle: Why we should be hugging and not squeezing line managers recommends that HR metaphorically ‘hugs and not squeezes’ people in management roles, if organisations are looking to lower health related sickness absence and stimulate productivity growth. (more…)

February 27, 2020

Poor interpersonal skills are a worry for small businesses

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Business, News

The negative impact that poor interpersonal skills can have on growing companies has been highlighted by a new survey of 500 small business owners. The research by Tempo suggests the main effects of bad people skills in the workplace are losing a client or customer, receiving complaints from co-workers and a decrease in productivity, each of which was cited by about a third of respondents.

(more…)

February 26, 2020

New technology expected to drive jobs growth

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Technology

Two thirds of UK business leaders expect developments in technology to lead to an increase in the number of permanent jobs created this year, a survey has suggested. The South West and Wales region is the most confident about the impact of new technology, with nearly three quarters of businesses anticipating jobs growth, compared to 56 percent in the least optimistic region, the North of England. (more…)

February 14, 2020

EU membership can hamper local businesses

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Business, News

Eastern European businesses have benefited overall from EU membership but, for local firms, the promise of joining does not always live up to expectation or improve productivity, a report has warned. On the plus side, EU membership results in a significant increase in foreign investment, the report from IZA World of Labor suggests. (more…)

February 13, 2020

Europe must do more to bring discoveries to market

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Technology

Although Europe has much scientific research to be proud of, the region falls worryingly short when it comes to commercialising its discoveries, a study has concluded. A fifth of the world’s leading 100 research organisations – as determined by factors such as the number of articles published in academic journals – are based in Europe, experts from IESE Business School, the European Commission and Oxford University, among others, claim. Yet researchers often lack the resources required to find the right market for their discoveries. (more…)

February 11, 2020

Fit notes for stress-related disorders rise by 8 percent

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Wellbeing

GPs issued nearly three-quarters of a million fit notes last year stating that an individual was not fit to work due to a stress-related disorder, new research has claimed. This is a rise of 8 percent compared to 2017/18 (741,210 notes issued, up from 686,670), employment law firm GQ Littler said. The total number of fit notes issued increased by 4 percent over the same period to 9.7 million, up from 9.3 million. (more…)

February 10, 2020

Majority of people living in poverty are in a working family

by Neil Franklin • News

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…)

February 4, 2020

Worst things bosses have said to employees dealing with cancer

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Wellbeing

It’s not unreasonable for an employee diagnosed with cancer to look to their employer for assistance, but according to one support organisation, many employers handle the situation incredibly tactlessly. To coincide with World Cancer Awareness Day today, RedArc, which provides nurses for employees with serious or long-term health conditions, has issued a list of the worst things people with cancer reported hearing from their managers. Over the past year, its nurses logged statements such as, “Perhaps you should retire”, “You’ve had your treatment now, so you should be fine” and “How long will you be off?” (more…)