December 2022
Employee Benefits
Article
Looking ahead to 2023, can we predict the top reward trends?
Employee Benefits gives their view. HR teams will need to keep abreast of these trends to keep their organisations competitive.
People Management
Unforeseen costs due to a cancer diagnosis can cause many to re-evaluate their current employment. With the right support from their employer, these additional worries can be lessened while employees focus on their treatment and recovery.
According to research by Zurich Insurance 78% of those surveyed said they incurred additional costs, an average of £541 per month.
Leeds University Business School
Research by Leeds University Business School suggests almost 75% of employees would like some degree of training for the hybrid working they now undertake.
From establishing 'rules of engagement', to ensuring everyone feels included in virtual meetings, this research should highlight to employers what gaps in training need to be addressed.
The Guardian
The UK government has proposed changes to legislation which will enable staff in the UK to request flexible working arrangements from the moment they start a new job.
The Guardian reports on proposals for changes to flexible working in the UK
November 2022
4 Day Week Global
4 Day Week - Global reports on the success of the 6 month pilot involving over 1,000 employees across 30 companies. With research citing benefits including lower staff turnover, less absenteeism and increased revenue, none of the companies involved in the study are planning to return to a traditional 5-day working week.
Employee Benefits
Research by Just Eat for Business suggests 47% of UK businesses are planning to reward employees with year-end bonuses this December.
Employee Benefits also reports that companies are keen to make celebrations inclusive. With more employees working remotely, more thought needs to be given to ensure everyone feels appreciated.
Sky News
The demand for a skillset which includes Artificial Intelligence and developing technologies is set to grow by 40% over the next 5 years, according to research by Capital Economics, commissioned by Amazon. Sky News reports on this research and the top 10 future jobs - from paramedic drone programmer to metaverse architect.
Demand for skills in AI and developing technologies set to grow by 40%
HR News
HR News reports on suicide rates and report that it's highest amongst men aged between 45 and 64.
The global Movember campaign aims not just to raise awareness of prostate cancer and testicular cancer, but also highlight men's mental health and wellbeing. Employers, people managers and peers could really make a difference and get those struggling with mental health issues the support they need just by asking a few simple questions.
Identify the warning signs that a work colleague may not be coping
October 2022
CIPD
Article
A recent survey by CIPD and HiBob suggests 55% of employers support the use of software monitoring tools to identify concerns about performance, wellbeing and potential burnout in their homeworking employees.
Survey finds a majority of employers support monitoring of homeworkers
Bupa UK
Tuesday 18 October is World Menopause Day. According to The British Menopause Society, menopausal symptoms affect 3 out of 4 women. Of those, 25% report experiencing severe symptoms. How can employers support their team members (a recent CIPD survey reports that 25% of women feel unsupported by their employers)? Bupa UK has a business toolkit to help create a more supportive working environment.
The menopause and its impact on business: Toolkit to help employers
BBC News
BBC News reports on a study in the US concerning shift workers and their health. Pam Rajendran Taub, MD FACC and her colleagues at University of California, San Diego - School of Medicine established that by limiting the 'window' of eating to a set pattern of around 10 hours, there was a positive outcome on blood pressure levels, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Shift workers can gain health benefits by adopting eating patterns within a set 'window'
Gartner
Gartner surveyed over 800 HR professionals and has identified the top 5 trends and priorities for 2023. Leader and manager effectiveness is the number one priority, but many HR leaders will also be focused on change management, the employee experience, recruitment and the future of work.
Gartner identifies the top 5 priorities for HR professionals going into 2023
September 2022
Reuters UK
Article
It's been reported over the last week or so, that long-term sickness rates for UK workers are currently at their highest rate since before the pandemic - in fact, we’re talking since 2005. According to the Office for National Statistics, 2.464 million have reported that they are unfit to work, accounting for 5.9% of the working-age population.
UK worker long-term sickness rates are the highest since 2005
Personnel Checks
The temporary Right To Work checks will be replaced by digital identity verification (IDV) options from October 1st. The government had extended the temporary rules to this date to give businesses a chance to engage with digital identity service providers (IDSPs). In-person Right To Work checks will still be an option. Any business recruiting individuals remotely will need to engage with a digital IDSP and ask their candidates to create a digital ID.
RTW checks will be replaced by digital identity verification (IDV) options from October 1st
People Management
Latest research by Aviva, suggests workers favour a work-life balance over salary. Over 2,000 employees took part in the research conducted in May.
Around 41% favoured their current role on the basis it gave them more flexibility, compared to 36% of respondents who favoured the financial benefits. Compare these stats with data collected by Aviva in 2019 where just over 41% of employees said salary was the most important factor and work-life balance came second at just under 41%.
Aviva research suggests workers favour a work-life balance over salary
August 2022
Advanced Workplace Associates
Article
Hybrid working patterns - data from Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) shows how global workplace culture has changed since the pandemic.
UK data comes from 21 organisations and 43 offices, equating to a sample size of 49,903 employees.
Over the course of working week, attendance in the office is:
19% on Mondays, 31% on Tuesdays, 32% on Wednesdays, 33% on Thursdays and 13% on Fridays.
Workplace data show attendance patterns in UK, USA and Latin America
BBC News
The increase in UK's over-50s leaving the job market is contributing to rising inflation. That's according to John Lewis & Partners' Chair, Dame Sharon White.
Could flexible retirement plans and reskilling be the answer?
John Lewis' chair, Dame Sharon White says the mass exodus of the 50s is driving inflation
HR News
Data from business performance consultancy Ayming and reported in HR News shows that just 8% of businesses have awarded inflation-matching pay rises to all their employees.
The report also shows that just under half of the businesses polled had not introduced flexible working practices
Ayming UK's report shows businesses are failing to keep pay rises in line with inflation
July 2022
Just Eat for Business
Article
Just Eat for Business has released its Annual Leave Allowance survey with interesting data to unravel. Some 60% of office workers feel they're being actively discouraged from taking their annual leave.
It's clear employers must recognise the benefit of taking annual leave to avoid employee burnout and stress.
Survey finds employers are not doing enough to encourage employees to take annual leave
Forbes
Economist Impact has identified 4 hybrid worker types - Evangelists, Pragmatists, Fair-Minded and Undecided. A Forbes' article looks at these classifications in more detail and discusses what this means for management styles.
How employers can support hybrid workers by adapting different management styles
People Management
New legislation has been brought in by the UK Government to enable additional healthcare professionals to certify fit notes. From 1st July, in addition to GPs, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists may also issue fit notes for workers who have been off sick for 7 days or more.
What is the impact on HR professionals? People Management investigates the pros and cons and what employers need to consider under the new policy.
Employee Benefits
Reported in Employee Benefits, a survey by Breakroom identified the top UK businesses as rated by parents. From a starting point of 230,000 respondents, the survey asked employees working in organisations with 100 parents or more whether their employer was good for caring and if their job was enjoyable.
Breakroom survey finds Aldi, Amazon and Royal Mail in top 3 as rated by parents
June 2022
ZDNet
Pluralsight's 'State of Upskilling 2022', reported in ZDNet provides us with interesting data. Of the 7,000 technologists surveyed, 40% say the main reason for looking for a new position is a lack of professional development in their current role. And yet almost 90% said they wanted to develop their digital skills.
Since the areas of cybersecurity and cloud computing are where the skills gap is being felt the most, businesses must address the issue in order to keep up with the 'new normal' of remote working where this knowledge is in demand.
Upskilling could be the answer to the global digital skills gap
Bloomberg
Data from Google would suggest City office worker levels are between 60-70% of pre-Omicron levels, writes Bloomberg News. With a survey by the Policy Institute at King's College London reporting that 80% of London workers favoured working from home at least 1 day a week, then these levels are unlikely to change.
Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive has updated its advice for employers concerning pregnant workers and new mothers and their protection in the workplace. Employers must also carry out an individual risk assessment that covers a worker’s specific needs when they inform you in writing that they are pregnant, have given birth in the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding.
The update has been reported on the TUC website:
The HSE has updated guidance on risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers
May 2022
Sky News
Reported by Sky News, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests at least 8 in 10 people who worked from home during the pandemic will adopt a hybrid working routine in the future.
Employee Benefits
Tesco has announced the launch of a menopause guide to provide support to its workforce and signpost other sources of support. The guide also provides assistance to managers and team leaders to enable them to support their team.
Tesco employs over 150,000 female employees. In the UK around 1.6 million of those employed in the retail market are women so it's encouraging to see the retail industry is leading the way in creating positive environments to provide support to those going through the menopause.
Tesco launches new guide for managing menopause in the workplace
Small Business
Regardless of company size, it makes business sense to have an HR policy in place. This guide in SmallBusiness.co.uk runs through what you need to include to ensure you are covering the basics.
Even if you're just thinking of employing 1 or 2 people every business should have a written policy in place.
People Management
Employers are being urged to do more to support employees suffering with long Covid.
The Office for National Statistics estimates that 2.8% of the population is suffering with symptoms of long Covid and around 1.2 million say it's affecting their ability to carry out daily tasks.
Women are more likely to experience long Covid, as are those in the 39-45 age bracket or who live in deprived areas. Those who work in sectors such as social care, healthcare and education are also more likely to continue to experience symptoms of Covid, such as fatigue and shortness of breath.
Employee Benefits
Employee Benefits reports on the news that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) will be enabling employees to down tools from lunchtime on Fridays between June and August. That's in response to a successful pilot last year and positive feedback from 90% of their workforce.
PWC to reintroduce summer hours for 2022 following pilot last year
April 2022
People Management
The CIPD has released its report: An update on flexible and hybrid working practices.
Key findings (reported by People Management magazine) from data collected in October and November last year from 1,196 employers and employees, showed 41% felt productivity had increased due to new working practices. That's up from 33% of respondees last year.
Those reporting a negative impact on productivity as a result of flexible working had dropped from 23% to 18%.
CIPD has released its report: An update on flexible and hybrid working practices
Personnel Today
Reported in Personnel Today, a study by XpertHR indicates that two-thirds of organisations don't collect salient information about recruitment costs, time to fill vacancy data and time to competence. Areas that will clearly impact on business operations.
These areas need just as much focus as staff absence, employee turnover, exit interview info, performance appraisals and employee engagement data. It's also important to benchmark your HR performance against other organisations - especially when competition for top talent is so fierce.
Two-thirds of organisations neglect to collect data on recruitment
Relocate Magazine
In March, the UK government announced changes to immigration rules and between now and August those changes are being phased in.
- How are the new visa categories designed to stimulate business growth and attract talent?
- What's the difference between the High Potential Individual and Scale-up visas?
- Which business sectors will benefit the most?
Changes to the UK's immigration rules aim to promote business growth
The HR Director
A recent Ipsos UK survey finds that 60% of UK adults want to see more restrictions to contact outside their contracted hours.
Reported in The HR Director, a survey by Wellbeing Partners says employers aren't doing enough to support employees. Burnout comes from working outside contracted hours and everyone needs to be regularly encouraged to disconnect in order to protect their mental wellbeing.
According to recent surveys, more needs to be done to discourage contact outside contracted hours
CIPD
The CIPD has released its 22nd Health and Wellbeing at Work report. HR leaders face challenging times; the skills shortage, staff retention, increasing costs, the long term impact of COVID, remote working management. It's no surprise to learn then, that implementing wellbeing practices at work has taken a slight 'hit' in the past year and emphasis on mental health has waned.
The Guardian
The push for companies to adopt a shorter working week is gaining momentum. Here, the Guardian reports on 3,000 workers at 60 companies across Britain who will trial a four-day working week.
March 2022
CIPD
If you 50 or over, you're classified as an 'older worker'. According to Office for National Statistics data, older workers make up around a third of the UK workforce. This month, CIPD released its report 'Understanding older workers: analysis and recommendations to support longer and more fulfilling working lives' - a must read for employers.
Personnel Today
Personnel Today reports on the launch of Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) - promoting and extolling the benefits of embracing a neurodiverse workforce.
Founder members include Accenture, AstraZeneca, Bank of England, Capita, Network Rail, Sky and Unilever.
CIPD
As we continue to follow the shocking invasion of Ukraine, there is an increasing sense that we need to offer help on a practical level to aid employees who may be directly affected by the conflict. The CIPD has published advice for employers - concerning immigration protocols and what can be done to help Ukraine based families of employees.
HR Magazine
Location Pay: With hybrid/flexible working here to stay it certainly raises an interesting debate about whether location allowances continue to be relevant. Certainly less applicable - but at what cost to employers who don't continue to offer it as an incentive and a means to attract talent?
February 2022
Personnel Today
Article
From 6 April 2022, Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT) will be introduced to support employers carrying out right to work and pre-employment DBS checks.
More importantly, for those companies which have adopted the temporary adjusted pre-employment checks during the pandemic, the date for scrapping temporary measures has been extended to 30 September 2022. Video based checks and scanned rather than original documents will be accepted for validating purposes.
Temporary adjusted pre-employment checks remain in operation until 30 September 2022
The Guardian
Reported in The Guardian, Belgium is following a similar suit to Iceland and giving employees the right to request a four day week, thereby enjoying a 3 day weekend without a loss of income.
Belgium's prime minister Alexander De Croo believes the new regulations will stimulate the Belgian economy, create a more 'dynamic and productive economy' and encourage more people into work.
British Chamber of Commerce
The British Chambers of Commerce has joined forces with Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships. It's not just about the opportunities these schemes offer individuals but the benefits to be had by employers too. More employers than ever are offering schemes or expanding on existing programmes - and companies of any size are encouraged to get involved.
National Apprenticeship Week
The Guardian
With the National Insurance hike planned for implementation in April, employers and employees will both feel the pinch. But that's just one side of the story; the combination of rising energy and raw material costs and inflation is causing a great number of UK companies, large and small to reassess their current business plans even without April's looming NI rise.
The impact of the cost of living crisis on 5 business owners
January 2022
Sky News
Article
An article published on the Sky News website, delves into the data to assess which jobs (if any) have seen wage increases from early 2020 i.e. pre-pandemic to November 2021. Which workers have the lowest spending power? Which industries have been the most affected?
Unsurprisingly, job sectors experiencing high demand right now have seen the largest increases in real wages.
Cost of living crisis: which jobs have been hit hardest by the pandemic?
Influencive
What are the 4 key character traits that successful CEOs must possess?
This article, reported on the Influencive website suggests it's resilience, decisiveness, emotional intelligence and reliability.
HR News
Great leaders need to adapt to change in a complex world.
This Leading Edge article on HR News discusses the strategies business leaders should put in place to achieve 'connected hybrid working' and looks at how to achieve maximum productivity whilst keeping everyone connected and engaged.
Employ 'connected hybrid working' strategies to sustain business growth
BBC News
IKEA announces its move to cut sick pay for those employees who are self-isolating and are not vaccinated. The retail giant's statement confirms that Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) only could be paid to unvaccinated staff. This BBC News article also discusses what other companies are doing to try and reduce staff absence due to Covid and self isolation regulations.
IKEA announces move to cut sick pay for unjabbed staff who are required to self-isolate
HR Magazine
A survey of 161 independent HR consultancies by HR Independents, covered in HR magazine demonstrates a certain degree of optimism for 2022.
The profile of Human Resources has never looked stronger; the services and support a great team can provide to a business in these times of uncertainty have shown themselves to be invaluable.