Search Results for: workplace

August 23, 2022

Firms need a better understanding of their psychological contract with employees

by Anthony Thompson • Comment, Workplace

Companies and employees are often acutely aware of the terms of their written employment contracts. The roles, responsibilities, working hours and salaries are clearly laid out for all to see. What is often overlooked, however, is that there is a second, hidden, contract within the employment relationship. This is known as the psychological contract. The psychological contract refers to the often implied, unwritten mutual expectations, beliefs and obligations between employee and employer. For example, an employee may take on additional work in the expectation that it will help to advance their career, or an organisation might expect employees to be more flexible in their working patterns during peak times. (more…)

August 18, 2022

Hybrid working could be doomed by a failure to protect organisational culture

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

A new report from Poly warns that hybrid working policies could be destined to fail if organisations do not protect company culture while facilitating “a return to office”. The report claims that getting employees back to the office is a challenge being fuelled by a reluctance to return, with employees citing concerns over work-life balance and productivity. This reluctance is exacerbated by rising bills and spiralling inflation, with the cost of living putting increased pressure on employee finances, causing them to potentially choose between traveling to work or spending that money elsewhere. (more…)

August 16, 2022

Confidence, capability and capacity: The state of HR in 2021 with Perry Timms

by Freddie Steele • Podcasts, Premium Content, Workplace

In this final episode of the current season of Workplace Geeks, Chris and Ian welcome the inimitable Perry Timms, HR magazine’s most influential thinker of 2022. Perry heads up PTHR, a B Corp-certified organisational design, performance and change consultancy that most definitely walks its talk, has written two books, and holds various academic positions. The discussion takes ‘The state of HR: 2021’, a report he wrote last year with Anna Hobson and Katy Stanley for HRZone as a starting point, and explores current and future themes for HR, workplace professionals and business more broadly. (more…)

August 16, 2022

Two thirds of businesses set to increase borderless working over next 12 months

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new poll from Perkbox suggests that a growing number of businesses are going to look to borderless working to resolve hiring challenges. According to the survey, almost two-thirds of businesses (62 percent) plan to increase the number of remote staff they hire outside of their main country of operations over the next 12 months. This drive is fuelled by technological advances over the past two years facilitating greater hybrid and remote working. There are a range of motivations, but the survey of 500 UK business leaders identified the top three as building a more diverse workforce to access a wider talent pool (35 percent), encouraging innovation (32 percent), and building a global workforce (29 percent) to service a wider customer base. (more…)

August 16, 2022

Employees at large firms only in office for 1.5 days a week on average

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

A global study of nearly 80 offices in 13 countries with nearly 80,000 employees has revealed a seismic shift in working pattens, with people now coming into the office an average of just 1.4 days a week, versus nearly four days a week before the Covid-19 pandemic. The Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) Hybrid Working Index study [registration], conducted during June and July this year, found that on an average day two thirds of desks are unused and just over a quarter of people are coming into the offices, with the attendance figure dropping to just 12 percent on Fridays. (more…)

August 15, 2022

Circularity is now essential in the delivery of net zero buildings

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has published new insight into the positive impact circular thinking can have in delivering whole life carbon reductions and value creation across construction projects. The study, ‘How Circular Economy Principles can impact carbon and value‘ seeks to increase understanding within the built environment sector of how circularity can support reductions in whole life carbon in achieving net zero. It also seeks to enable project decision-makers and key built environment stakeholders to strengthen the business case for implementing circularity. (more…)

August 15, 2022

Benefits of zero-hours contracts outweigh downsides for most people

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New research from the CIPD suggests there needs to be a more balanced and nuanced debate about their place in the labour market, that recognises both the positives and downsides to zero-hours work. The CIPD’s new research ‘Zero-hours contracts – Evolution and current status’– claims that this kind of arrangement – where there’s no guaranteed minimum number of hours that must be worked – is an established part of the UK labour market. It finds that the number of people on ZHCs has changed little since 2015, making up just 3 percent of employment. Fewer than a fifth of employers (18 percent) use ZHCs, and they’re most often used in the hospitality and entertainment industries, in the voluntary sector, and typically in roles such as bar staff, waiters/waitresses, and care workers. (more…)

August 8, 2022

Commercial property values fall during July

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Capital values decreased 0.5 percent across all UK commercial property in July 2022, according to the latest CBRE Monthly Index. Over the month, rental value growth was 0.3 percent. Total returns were -0.1 percent. In July, capital values for the office sector decreased 0.1 percent. Capital value growth was pulled down by Outer London and M25 offices and offices in the rest of the UK both reporting a decline of 0.3 percent. Central London offices posted a capital value growth of 0.1 percent. Rental values for the office sector increased 0.1 percent in July. Rental growth was driven by Outer London and M25 offices (0.4 percent) and rest of UK offices (0.3 percent). In July, total returns for the office sector were 0.4 percent. (more…)

August 5, 2022

The four day week might be the wellbeing solution workers need

by Mark Hall • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

It’s been a couple of months now since 70 companies in Britain began their four day week pilot program, where thousands of employees went from celebrating the Queen’s 70th Jubilee to celebrating shorter work weeks without reduction in pay for the remainder of 2022. The pilot had been highly anticipated by workers and employers alike – and has already seen tremendous results — but it’s also created a heated debate on whether it’s actually workable across industries, demographics, and different sized companies. (more…)

August 5, 2022

Zumtobel create a consistent corporate identity with light

by Freddie Steele • Company news

The Zumtobel MIREL and PANOS infinity luminaires have been chosen for the latest FinTrU office refurbishment. A good brand provides a distinct experience and evokes emotion from its customers, which is why a business needs to care about branding all the way through to its interior spaces. Extending branding to the working environment helps staff and customers understand who the company is and what makes them unique. FinTrU, a multi-award-winning company specialising in the areas of KYC, Compliance, Legal, Risk & Controls, and Operations, works with Investment Banks around the globe designing technology-enabled solutions to help its clients meet their regulatory obligations. (more…)

August 4, 2022

Microsoft Teams now offers Welsh and English translations during meetings

by Freddie Steele • Company news

You can now attend scheduled Microsoft Teams meetings even if you don’t understand the languages your fellow participants are speaking. The new solution, developed by Microsoft in partnership with the Welsh Government, allows designated interpreters to translate what is being said during a scheduled Teams meeting, and attendees can choose which language they want to listen to, in real-time. They are also able to switch between languages during the meeting.[Note-all stories on Workplace Insight can be translated automatically into numerous languages via the tab in the bottom right hand corner of your screen]. (more…)

August 4, 2022

UCC Coffee launch brand new e-commerce website

by Freddie Steele • Company news

UCC Coffee, the world’s fifth largest global coffee company, has announced the launch of their e-commerce website, UCC Direct, which allows small businesses and consumers alike to purchase a large range of UCC branded coffee, hot beverages, and side products in bulk. One of the largest coffee roasters in the UK, UCC Coffee supply outstanding fresh coffee, coffee machines and servicing to some of the UK’s largest high street chains coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and catering companies alongside thousands of independent customers of all sizes across these channels. (more…)