As the UK begins its transition out of lockdown, with pubs, gyms, hairdressers and non-essential shops now open for business, the coming months will see an increase in the number of white-collar professionals returning back to their places of work. However, just 24% of employees are looking forward to returning to their workplace, reveals a […]

Holidays abroad, regular nights out with friends and an enjoyable job are now less important than before lockdown, according to Brits. A study of 2,000 adults found 43 per cent have completely re-evaluated life and what really matters to them since the pandemic, with plans for travelling, having loads of money and a nice car […]

As April is Stress Awareness Month, Instant Offices researched how the last year has affected employee mental health – but also what business and individual employees can do to improve and support mental health. As remote working has been the new normal for the last year, self-isolation and health-related anxiety have created a general sense of unease for many […]

As a growing number of businesses commit to a long-term WFH setup, a new study commissioned by a leading intelligent learning platform has revealed that more than two thirds (67%) of workers in the UK feel ‘disconnected’ from their colleagues, with women suffering from professional loneliness more than men. Other key insights include attitudes to […]

Three fifths of UK workers (60%) intend to make changes to their careers as a result of the Covid outbreak, an increase of seven percentage points since July 2020 (53%). The research, conducted as part of Aviva’s latest How We Live report, reveals changes range from the relatively minor, such as learning new skills or […]

If there’s one thing we can all agree on about the past year, it’s that most of us have never spent so much time at home. With bans on travel and going into the office, we’ve had to adapt, and fast. But how has working from home (WFH) affected us? Expert Insolvency Practitioners, Hudson Weir, polled […]

Advice by Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR… According to several media reports, Ministers are preparing to make flexible working a permanent feature of UK life after the pandemic, with plans to strengthen employees’ rights to work from home or ask for different hours. The Government will start a public consultation later this year on how […]

Over the past year, remote working has proven to be less of a hindrance and more of a benefit to a lot of UK businesses. As a result, business decision makers are more flexible when considering candidates for employment, with new research revealing that nearly three quarters (73%) are open to hiring people from anywhere in the UK, rather than just those local to their business. The […]

Advice by Andrew Willis, Head of Legal at Croner… Monday April 12th signifies the beginning of Ramadan, the holy month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims often commit to a period of fasting during daylight hours. Considering this, here are three top tips for supporting staff during this time: Flexible working and working from […]

By Aleksandra Traczyk, Solicitor at Winckworth Sherwood Not long into the start of the pandemic gender equality commentators warned about the potential disproportionate impact on women. One year on, we now have statistics to back them up. The report published by the Women and Equalities Committee on 9 February and data from the Office for National Statistics published […]

Brits have become accustomed to a more flexible working day during the pandemic, and as we approach the lifting of lockdown restrictions, many are expecting this way of working to be the new norm. A recent study emphasised the importance of this way of working and ditching the 9-5pm, by pinpointing the most productive and creative times of day for each profession, with the next generation of workers unable […]

More than four in 10 home workers are planning to go ‘Al Desko’ this year – by moving their laptop into their garden when the weather improves, research has revealed. A survey of 1,000 UK adults working from home found 45 per cent have struggled with their mental health more during the third lockdown compared […]

Around a half (51%) of employees believe job security and flexibility (40%) are more important than salary (32%) when considering whether to remain at their current employer. The news has emerged following a new report by law firm Winckworth Sherwood, with the research highlighting a shift in the mindset of employees towards work following the […]

UK workers are looking forward to going back into the office in June… but mainly because they have missed all the gossip (70), a study shows. Almost two thirds expect to be back before July, with 65% of the UK workforce planning their return to the office for June. In addition, an overwhelming majority want […]

2021 will be the year of the smaller office, predicts serviced office broker FreeOfficeFinder. The company reports that more than a third of companies (35%) that enquired about office space in January and February have said they would be taking smaller offices than their previous workspaces. They follow in the footsteps of the likes of HSBC and […]

by Nicola Jagielski, Associate Director of Clinical Services at Health Assured… The Government’s roadmap out of lockdown was the light at the end of the tunnel that many people in the UK needed. We have a tentative roadmap out of lockdown, a successful vaccine programme, and the nation’s mood is lightening. For many of us, […]

Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic have stalled employment law changes in recent years, but some of these could be resurrected in 2021. To help employers prepare and avoid any surprises, XpertHR has outlined seven proposed employment law changes that HR professionals should have on their radar: Strengthening workplace sexual harassment laws Following the #MeToo movement, the government […]

The pandemic has created challenges that businesses have never seen before. Beyond the initial financial strain many endured, the ongoing restrictions have had a lasting impact on the way the UK workforce approaches the working week. 2020 saw the vast majority of office staff work from home for long periods, which has paved the way […]