December 2021
People Management
Calling on HR experts from the fields of business, law and public policy, this article on the People Management magazine looks at what we've learnt about hybrid working during 2021 and how this knowledge can help us continue to improve in 2022.
Looking ahead to 2022 - what have we learnt about hybrid working?
Financial Times
Reported in the FT, analysis from consultancy Lane Clark & Peacock suggests life expectancy rates have not increased as expected - thereby negating the government's plans to raise state pension age to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2039.
A proposed move to increase state pension age to 67 should not come into force until 2051
Sky News
A study by the Centre for Economic Performance and reported on the Sky News business pages, finds that over 50% of the businesses questioned said they expect current labour shortages to last well into 2022 and possibly beyond. Of those, 1 in 5 said the skills gap was the overriding factor.
Businesses are calling on the UK government to invest more in training.
Research finds 50% of businesses say labour shortages are set to stay
Glassdoor UK
What are the key workplace trends for next year?
With the ongoing low unemployment rates in the UK, the power to negotiate rests with employees. Business leaders will need to make their company culture one that people want to be a part of and promises of inclusion, diversity and equity will be expected to become the reality.
Microsoft News
Recent research undertaken by Microsoft in conjunction with YouGov suggests over 50% of UK workers who currently practice hybrid working say they would consider looking for alternative employment should this option be removed.
UK workers say they would look to change jobs if hybrid working wasn't an option
O.C. Tanner
For companies which don't have a budget for employee reward schemes, it's still possible to create a culture of appreciation. Write a letter of thanks for a job well done or send a card expressing gratitude - it's worth an investment of your time.
BBC News
For 900 employees of US firm Better their contracts were terminated over a Zoom call from chief executive Vishal Garg.
Both the CIPD and Chartered Management Institute have criticised the manner in which the announcement was made.
People Management
A UK survey conducted by Digits Industries Ltd has reported that of the 1,031 employees asked, 26% of those who were line managers or supervisors had never received formal training to fulfil that management role.
November 2021
Management Today
Article
Ever heard of 'threat brain'? Understanding threat brain can help those of us with workaholic tendencies and help businesses to perform well.
When does threat brain materialise? How can we manage our teams better to avoid threat brain?What can managers do to help individuals overcome threat brain emotions?
Recruitingdaily.com
Anyone with an interest in social psychology will understand conversation analysis but how can you apply it to business? By taking the view that everyone comes to a conversation or meeting hoping it will be mutually beneficial and approach it as a journey not a means to an end is a great way of changing how you approach those tricky situations.
Sky News
Atom bank, the online banking service has introduced a four-day work week for its 430 staff without cutting their pay. Working 34 hours per week spread across 4 days, with employees able to take either the Monday or Friday off, their CEO Mark Mullen is positive that the move will improve mental wellbeing and ease staff retention issues caused by the pandemic.
Forbes
We all know the generic skills leaders need to possess in order to be successful and perhaps most importantly, to motivate their team to drive their respective business forward. Regardless of the sector you work in, developing your emotional intelligence and ensuring you practice what you preach is more important than ever before.
Canada Life
Hats off to employers - in research from Canada Life UK, nearly two-thirds of employees still working from home felt supported by their employer and felt their wellbeing and mental health was of 'genuine interest'.
Nearly two thirds of employees feel supported by their employer while working from home
HR Magazine
There are plenty of reasons why organisations should look to recruit from the veteran and reservist community. Rupert Stevens in HR Magazine puts forward the business case for hiring those with leadership and coaching skills, with experience of assessing risks, building teams and strategic thinking.
October 2021
People Management
Here's the latest job vacancies from the Office for National Statistics. Between July and September, vacancies stood at 1,102,000 (up by 68,000 from the previous quarter). Most of the increase can be attributed to a demand in temporary staff.
HR Magazine
In a recent survey only 4 in 10 employees thought they were being paid what they were worth. Unsurprisingly, 64% of these respondents were in non-management positions. With most industries struggling to survive and operate in unstable times, it's also not surprising that 38% reported that they hadn't been awarded a pay rise in the last 12 months.
Proportion of employees who think they are paid what they're worth
Recruiting Daily
Is your recruitment strategy in place for a post-Covid world? This article explains why it's important that your business strategy includes a review of your talent acquisition policy.
Management Today
What behaviours will managers need to adopt to effectively manage their remote colleagues? How do you effectively set goals, motivate and handle any miscommunication? Mediocre managers or worse may have their work cut out.
Hive HR
A useful guide for considering what to include in a survey to gauge your employee's level of engagement. In these times of hybrid working, we're thinking another major metric which will be included in every future employee engagement survey will be the degree to which organisations offer flexible working.
September 2021
GOV.UK
Article
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) closed on 30 September. 14 October is the deadline for submitting final claims. Click on the link below to find out what support is available for you and your business.
The Guardian
The Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published its consultation document around flexible working. This article in The Guardian looks at the proposals:
UK staff to gain right to request flexible working from day one
Full consultation document here: Making Flexible Working the Default
Employer News
A study by Personio of UK/Ireland HR leaders and employees found that many are struggling with the number of digital tools and apps at their disposal.
Digital tool overload a rising threat to productivity, warns Personio
August 2021
BBC NEWS
Article
Nike has announced that it's giving staff at its corporate HQ in Oregon a week off to recharge their batteries. Employees are expressing feelings of burnout and the firm has recognised that "taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying sane."
PwC
What are the real challenges for organisations reacting to the remote working trend? What's the impact in terms of employee engagement strategies, work mobility, technological innovation, diversity and cultural change?
Reboot
&
Business Leader
Much debate recently about whether UK businesses could adopt a four day week. The Reboot website presents the benefits for work life balance and productivity:
Reboot introduce 4-day working week following 702% increase in results
Whilst Business Leader discusses the pros and cons and seeks views from CEOs with this article:
Iceland successfully introduces four-day week: Should the UK be next?
Express
In a recent survey by DASH Rides and Sapio Research, 2,031 respondents were asked about their views on employee benefits. Respondents value employers who offer progressive and accessible schemes.
Employee benefits and perks most valued by UK workers - extras to ask your employer for
Safety & Health Practitioner
In the Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) this week, there's an article on the challenges employers and managers face in reviewing their health and wellbeing policies to accommodate hybrid working.
Robert Walters
Research by Robert Walters looks at the benefits and challenges of hybrid working and makes for interesting reading. The study generates thought-provoking statistics for employers and hire managers to digest.
Impreza IT
How many of us are aware of the IT security risks posed with many of us using our own devices to work from home? This article on the Impreza website explains why we need to be vigilant to protect our personal data.
Email phishing and why your organisation should protect itself