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OpinionKatherine Wilson: Should employers encourage a four-day week to increase productivity?
According to the 2011 census, three million people in the UK combine working with caring for a disabled, seriously ill or older relative or friend. Without the right support, the stress and pressure of juggling work and care can force people to leave their jobs. Indeed, two million people have ...
OpinionProfessor Alex Bryson: All-employee share plans increase loyalty and productivity
Across Britain, around half of all listed organisations run some kind of all-employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), offering workers the opportunity to buy shares in the firm at discounted rates.
Case StudiesLanes Group's ‘happy app’ spots signs of mental health problems
Lanes Group is aware of the demands and stresses placed on employees, and is determined to catch mental health issues as early as possible among its 900-strong workforce. It does this with a simple measurement system, using a wellbeing app to track employees’ moods.
OpinionJohn Lamb: Assistive technology can create a better workplace for all
Organisations with a diverse and inclusive workforce reap vast benefits in terms of access to a wider range of skills, increased staff loyalty and greater customer satisfaction.
OpinionAntonia Bello: Embracing benefits technology improves employee engagement
Benefits technology has developed in leaps and bounds in recent years, and what was once a yearly paper-pushing exercise is now an exciting chance to engage with employees more frequently.
Case StudiesRituals uses technology to keep employees connected
Home and body cosmetics organisation Rituals has adopted the latest technology to motivate and engage its employees, while keeping face-to-face interactions at its heart.
OpinionDan Lucy: Don’t forget about face-to-face communication
The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) highlighted, in The drivers of employee engagement, published in March 2004, that the single most important predictor of employee engagement is a sense of feeling valued and involved, underpinned by opportunities to express ideas, and managers who genuinely listen and value employee contributions.
OpinionSue Daley: What has AI ever done for us?
Currently, this debate is dominated by headlines about job elimination and Terminator-style robots taking over the planet. Of course, the development and deployment of AI technologies by organisations raises profound legal, social and ethical questions that need to be carefully considered; however, it is important to have a balanced, constructive ...
Case StudiesGerald Eve's open dialogue around decumulation helps employees plan for retirement
Property consultant Gerald Eve has nine offices in the UK and employs 480 staff, with an average of eight employees a year approaching retirement. Being open about retirement is one of the cornerstones of its approach to decumulation.Sarah Draper, HR director, says: “In some organisations, there is still a stigma ...
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The Big Question: Should employers be encouraging employees to take a pre-tirement sabbatical?
It’s going to be the new norm. Taking time out in later life will become as commonplace as a gap year is for the 21-year-old graduate. Our research with companies and employees has shown that once you open a few ‘windows’ (they don’t even have to be doors!) onto what ...
OpinionDavid Enser: Flexibility is key to expat motivation and recognition schemes
Expatriate motivation and recognition schemes should not be rigid, but should instead offer flexibility within a controlled framework. Managers must have a toolkit of buttons to push to ensure engagement and motivation on the one hand, while also being able to respond to the unique needs of both the individual ...
OpinionTim Middleton: Effective communications can protect employees' pensions
Since their introduction in 2015, George Osborne’s freedom and choice reforms have allowed the public to consider a range of options for using their accrued pension savings. Commonly, this will involve transferring savings from one pension scheme to another as the original scheme does not offer the full range of ...
OpinionLiz Egan: Supporting employees with cancer to live the best life possible
An estimated one in three people living with cancer in the UK are of working age, and this figure is set to increase to more than one million people by 2030. With more people working for longer and retiring later, employers need to be aware of the growing numbers with ...