New research of UK SMEs from AXA PPP healthcare reveals a productivity dip when ill employees turn up for work, but bosses are dubious that the flu warrants time off. Nearly six out of 10 (58%) managers of British SMEs say productivity suffers when unwell employees show up to work and try to soldier on. Yet, […]

The typical worker now spends an hour a day carrying out non work-related tasks at their desk. Researchers found online banking, replying to personal emails, searching for holidays and even shopping or browsing for new clothes on the internet account for the majority of the 60 minutes spent on personal admin each day. It also […]

Welcome back to our weekly spotlight on helpful apps. We focus on a variety of products that are useful for work, personal use, or both, providing our own thoughts on the apps and what you can do with them. This week we keep track of time with Hours. An intro to Hours Productivity is all about […]

A new report has revealed that one in four employees have taken time off work in the last year due to stress-related problems, a figure that has been described as an employee stress ‘time bomb’. The report, titled “Breaking the Cycle”, which has been published by health and wellbeing provider BHSF, warns that stress-related issues […]

The end of the year marks the start of the busy season for many small businesses. When you combine together extra hours with the arrival of colds and the flu, you can easily find yourself in the perfect storm of productivity – too many deadlines and too few staff. Minor illnesses such as cold, coughs […]

Employee performance suffers when ratings are removed from the performance review process, according to CEB, a best practice insight and technology company. On average, employee performance drops 10% when ratings are absent from the review process, largely due to the inability of managers to effectively manage talent without ratings. Impact on employees In an effort […]

Social media has become an important business and marketing tool, but new research shows allowing employees unrestricted access could cost companies hours in productivity. The World of Work Report by Indian HR specialist TeamLease shows employees spend more than 32% of their time at work using social media. That adds up to an average of […]

As Sweden introduces a shorter working week with proven health benefits, increased productivity, and profit, and statistics showing UK workers are struggling to leave their 9-5 on time, with the majority of employees now working an extra day (8.73 hours) every week on top of their contracted hours, Pitman Training has launched a free ‘need […]

Research shows that the right office environment can inspire people and motivate them to work harder and smarter. Business news site AllTopStartUps recently worked with Belle Skylights to produce a list of the top five ways to boost staff productivity by making a few simple changes at the office. 1 Natural light Vitamin D deficiency […]

To coincide with World Mental Health Day, digital medicine company Big Health has released research that details the impact poor sleep has on mental wellbeing and recovery. The results show insomnia affects approximately 69% of adults with depression. Poor sleep also increases the risks of developing anxiety and depression and acts as a barrier to successful treatment. British respondents to […]

Expert Microsoft Productivity Trainer to Bill Gates’ team Vickie Sokol Evans has launched a global ‘Work-Life Balance’ campaign, offering free training resources during National Work Life week – now until 7 October – to help employees leave the office on time – increasing their productivity, improving their results, and helping to cultivate a healthy work […]

Researched commissioned by Altodigital has revealed that over-run meetings cost the UK economy a staggering £582 million a week, with 95% of those questioned admitting that they have meetings that regularly over run, and more than half (53%) agreeing that some could definitely have been conducted more efficiently. The poll of 1000 office workers from […]

As organisations nationwide consciously address the balance of work and home life during National Work Life Week, especially for parents, Pitman Training is inviting people across the UK to take up their free place in their Work-Life Balance drop-ins, which sees the team share insights from their Work-Life Balance, Time Management and Influencing Skills seminars […]

Millions of Brits are spending large chunks of their day on autopilot – because they are living a Groundhog Day existence, a study has found. Doing the same things day-in, day-out means 94% regularly drift through their lives automatically without any real thought on what they are doing. Four in ten always end up grabbing […]

The average Brit is ‘at their best’ for just four-and-a-half hours a day, new research reveals. Being tired, energy slumps and constant distractions from the internet and our colleagues mean we are only functioning at our best for just a few hours per day. Worryingly, more than one in 10 feel on form for as […]

According to research by Love Energy Savings, 43% of UK workers don’t feel that their current employer does enough to keep them engaged. To have any chance of long-term business success it is important to have a team of happy and committed employees, so what perks can businesses introduce to boost staff productivity? 1 Games […]

Have you ever wondered how much of your time in the office is spent on the phone, reading emails, drinking tea and looking for missing stationery? A new study from Avery UK has lifted the lid on office life, revealing that the average office worker will drink 24,684 cups of tea, fall out with colleagues […]

Managers around the world have tried many methods to motivate staff and keep up productivity. While the first thought is a monetary incentive, new research shows pizza might be the way to get employees to work harder. In his new book Payoff: The hidden logic that shapes our motivations, psychologist Dan Ariely outlines findings from […]