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Is your workforce healthy enough to fix Britain’s productivity problem?

Hernaldo Turrillo — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:38:32 +0000

NEW BOOK: Lessons from the pandemic on the value of workforce health

Why this book matters:

Britain has a productivity problem. Our productivity shortfall is twice as severe as that of other G7 economies (UK at the bottom of the G7 and 17^th of the G20 countries on productivity per capita).
The pandemic put workplace health front and centre of the strategic business agenda but many businesses have yet to fully recognise the link between workplace health and productivity
The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Futureshows how workplace health is a key strategic issue; critical to productivity, business performance and to a flourishing society
The work of world-leading authorities on HR and the workplace Professor Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan, and part of Emerald Publishing’s Future of Work series

With 57% of all long term sickness absence at work due to stress, anxiety and depression and Covid cases and deaths the highest in Europe, workforce health has the potential to derail Britain’s business recovery. Mental health, stress, musculoskeletal issues and chronic illness are the number one cause of absence from work and loss of productivity in most Western economies.

New book The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Future takes a long hard look at the impact of ill-health on the work place and particularly on productivity. Workforce wellbeing has long been recognised as an important retention issue – but the authors argue that more businesses need to wake up to its substantial impact on productivity.

This important new book, from HR hard hitters Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan, explores how the Covid pandemic was the first time in living memory that the business community had to deal directly with the impact of a real-time threat to the health of their workforce. Suddenly workforce health was a strategic issue at the top of the senior management team agenda. HR and Occupational Health were catapulted to new prominence as businesses grappled to find ways to manage the health risk and keep their business moving forward.

Research and public awareness of the epidemic of physical and mental ill-health among working age people is growing, but understanding of its impact on company performance and productivity and possible solutions for the future is less advanced.

This timely and important book sets out why workforce health is such an important challenge for businesses, governments and for employees today and how this will increase in the future with an ageing workforce. It examines the new challenges of working from home, flexible working and the potential impact of these new ways of working on employees mental and muscular skeletal health.

An essential read for business leaders and HR professionals, The Healthy Workforce offers practical guidance for professionals on getting started in the delivery of an effective and evidence-based workplace health plan which can enhance and sustain productivity growth in business now and for the future.

The Healthy Workforce: Enhancing Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workers of the Future by Prof Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan is part of Emerald Publishing’s The Future of Work series. Out Nov 15 priced £18.99.

Exclusive articles and interviews available:

Prof Sir Cary Cooper and Stephen Bevan are world leaders in the field of work, employment and HR. They are available for interview, expert comment or guest articles including:

Health and work in a pandemic – 5 lessons
Workplace health interventions that work ( and don’t)
Why your business needs a Chief Medical Officer
Workforce health – risk or asset? How to build workplace resilience
Are you on top of the new business fundamentals? Hybrid working, managers who can manage, 4 day week……
Need higher productivity? Why occupational health is the place to look
How to build a culture that maximises employee productivity
Maximising employee health – Lessons from the pandemic
The health risks of working from home – and what to do about them
People skills vs tech skills – are your managers good enough?

-ENDS-

For further information, a review copy, a guest article or an interview with the author, please contact:

Teresa Richardson teresa.richardson@thebookpublicist.co.uk

Matt Davidson matt@thebookpublicist.co.uk

Tel: 01497 288018

About the authors

Stephen Bevan is Head of HR Research Development at the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and was previously Director of Research and Managing Director at The Work Foundation.

Cary L. Cooper is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at ALLIANCE Manchester Business School of the University of Manchester. He is President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (HR professional body), President of the Institute of Welfare and Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

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Why Employees Are Looking For More From Their Employers In 2021

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:57:32 +0000

The workplace has looked considerably different for workers since the pandemic hit. Work-from-home regulations have left employees distanced from their traditional office settings and open to new approaches. The psychological implications of 2020 have also led to some re-evaluating their priorities and sense of worth. Employees want far more from their employers than a steady income. In fact, a survey by Robert Walters shows that 62% of those asked said that their expectations had changed. So, what should companies reconsider once the world gets back to “normal”?

1) Flexible working hours.

37.7% of survey participants said that flexible work arrangements were now more important to them. The switch to remote working has shown many that the old-fashioned 9-5 schedule just doesn’t work for everyone. Those with more flexibility to adapt their hours can find a better work-life balance as they don’t have to worry about the commute or missing important appointments or family time.

2) What it means to be successful.

This ties into the idea of flexible hours. There are too many companies that would rather have everyone in an office for 8 hours than prioritise outcomes. There is merit in rewarding employees for their quality of work and productivity over time spent in an office. Great work achieved in 5 hours has to be better than mediocre work over 8 hours.

3) Greater benefits for the well-being of workers.

We’ve all been through a lot lately and it will benefit everyone concerned to continue to show compassion and understanding in the workplace. A study by Gartner in 2020 showed a 23% increase in reports of improved mental health from employees in companies with support in place. Healthcare benefits need to go beyond basic sick pay. For those who need a bit of advice, you can use this employee benefits portal to administer your company benefits schemes. A great platform like this can be used by HR teams in businesses of any size. Not only does an employee benefits platform help companies to provide greater benefits to their staff, it also reduces the workload on other members of staff. What’s not to love?

4) Their stance on social and political issues.

As employees have taken the time to reassess their situation and the state of the world around them, many have grown concerned about the views of their company. Some have even quit to go and work for a company more in line with their ideals. This could relate to policies on race, gender, and sexuality. It could mean looking for a company with a greener conscience. Companies that see employees leave on their grounds should consider where they are going wrong.

5) How much employees are paid.

Finally, there is the age-old issue of money. Employees are increasingly aware of their worth. They thrived during the pandemic, appreciated their strength, and often picked up new skills. Now, they want a pay rise that can reflect that. That Walters survey shows 33% of employees expecting a pay rise. There is also the expectation that the gender gap will continue to decrease.

Employees are keen for a change in 2021 and beyond.

The last year has opened the eyes and minds of employees and helped them see beyond their role in a company. They see their potential and worth, as well as the potential changes and benefits that they can receive to reflect that. Now, the ball is in the court of the employers to turn those desires into realities.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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Expanding Your Workforce: Crucial Things To Note

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:55:38 +0000

It is important to plan any recruitment process. Every person you recruit needs to elevate the business in their own fashion, regardless of what level they are joining the company at.

There is a range of options available to you when it comes to onboarding workers. The more creative you are with your solutions, the more rewards your company will have to enjoy. Commit yourself to recruitment, and the best workers will answer your call.

Remember, a global work shortage is also in effect, so no half measures will suffice. You must compete more than ever before so that the most capable bodies can occupy your roles. Keep reading for some tips on how to improve your recruitment drive.

How Do You Use The Interview?

Know that job interviews are a more vigorous process than some employers might give them credit for. Use them to screen the candidate, but to say something about yourself and the company.

Play to the applicant’s strengths. Adopt a warm personality so the candidate knows they will enter a workplace that positions them for success should they succeed in the interview. Poise questions that invite longer answers, enabling the candidate to sell their qualities without restraint.

Refrain from using trick questions or otherwise creating an intense interview atmosphere. Understand that workplaces thrive on collaboration and infuse your interviews with the same energy. Give workers multiple reasons to want to work with you.

Look For Flexibility

Offer flexibility in your job opportunities to attract more applications. Consider the ways in which you can implement these measures.

Do not panic if fellow USA citizens do not seem interested in any agricultural roles you are advertising. Research H-2A visa law to bring in temporary workers from overseas. Ensure that you qualify first. Fulfil the strict requirements under the guidance of expert attorneys, and you will have foreign employees that will come and go as and when they are needed.

Try to include remote working schemes, flexitime, and part-time offerings for full-time roles where applicable. Introducing a compressed work week may also help reduce stress. Advertise the level of control successful candidates will have, and ad responses should improve.

How Do You Approach Advertising?

Avoid recruiting workers based on their desperation for a role. Present the job opening with passion for the firm and its employees.

Advertise your business with vigor and elaborate on all the benefits you have to offer. Provide a decent wage and sign-on bonuses that can incentivize new hires quickly. Bolster the amount of traffic flowing to your website with search engine optimization methods, improve your presence on social media, and participate in careers fairs at local institutions. Generate an exciting consensus around your firm.

Offer an employee referral scheme for your job vacancies. Involve existing workers in recruitment, and you can build the company together. Pay them for their services and help them to have a stake in the firm’s future.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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112 Working Hours Per Worker Wasted Each Year Due To Digital Tools

Hernaldo Turrillo — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 12:22:25 +0000

British workers are struggling to adapt to new digital tools, losing hundreds of hours in productivity in the process, according to a new report.

Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, millions of workers have been forced to incorporate tools they have never used before, as an individual or employee, creating a drain or productivity and new challenges in communication.

The Modern Worklife report by Sigma, a leading UX design and development agency, has revealed that the average worker loses 28 minutes every day using digital programmes or tools that they can’t use effectively – almost two and a half hours per week.

For a full-time member of staff, this equates to 560 minutes (9.3 hours) per month or 112 hours per year. Considering there are 43,000 medium-large sized businesses in the UK, with 14,142,000 people employed at these enterprises, this equates to a total of 211,187,200 working days lost.

The new report also found that two-thirds (67%) of British workers lose up to 30 minutes every day due to difficult-to-use, inefficient or difficult-to-understand digital tools – with another quarter (26%) losing between 30 minutes to an hour.

Hilary Stephenson, managing director at Sigma UK, said: “Despite the workplace being revolutionised by digital tools such as, instant messaging, video conferencing and project management applications, clearly there is still some way to go for them to be an entirely efficient addition to modern working life. This is in part due to workers having limited understanding of how to use new tools and also tasks being doubled as suppliers, clients and different department using different types of tools to complete their day-to-day work.

“What’s more, following the global COVID-19 pandemic, millions of workers have, almost overnight, been required to conduct their jobs remotely and adopt a series of digital tools with little or no training, and with the tools often suffering from poor implementation. When interacting with other colleagues, teams, clients and suppliers that have adopted alternative tools, integration and communication breaks down and even doubles up, before a single channel is agreed upon.

“For example, email is being replaced with instant messaging apps and boards to share information that would be typically emailed, however it doesn’t suddenly become a legacy channel; new ones are simply added on top. Instead of just checking emails, everyone has to stay on top of numerous channels at once.”

The research found that on average, UK workers are using four digital tools in their daily working lives, with 6% of workers – almost 2 million people – using more than nine.

However, it’s not all bad news, 81% of workers feel that digital tools make day-to-day working life better, more productive and more efficient.

The data industry is the worst for time lost to difficult tools, followed by IT – naturally these industries have a higher usage of digital programmes that workers have to grapple with.

However, the hospitality industry is also placed highly in the list of lost hours, as it too struggles with new digital tools such as booking systems, rota and time management systems, order at the table apps and new POS (point of sale) systems.

Hilary continued: “More must be done, particularly in the industries which have been highlighted as having the most inefficient users, to better educate and integrate new digital tools for both internal and external communication. Often legacy systems are not fully replaced or integrated leading to further confusion among the workforce.

“Although this research was undertaken before the pandemic, there is no doubt the rush to work remotely has impacted even more businesses and their workers, meaning that figures could be temporarily even higher as the workforce is fragmented.

“There is opportunity to adopt these new digital tools and reduce the time it takes to do certain admin and organisation tasks, leading to efficiencies, ultimately saving time and money. As with any new system and process there will be initial teething problems, however those that persevere and address initial hurdles will be the businesses that benefit the most.”

The report, Modern Worklife, surveyed 500 SMEs and 500 employees from medium-large businesses in a range of sectors about their current working processes.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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What It’s Really Like To Work At Top Tech Companies?

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 11:46:15 +0000

What It’s Really Like To Work At Top Tech Companies?

Unicorn tech companies offer a better work/life balance, easier interviews and more positive business outlook on average than established tech giants.
Software company Salesforce is the best workplace according to employees, while Uber is the worst company to work for, new research reveals.

According to new research, more than a third of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies are now based in Britain. London leads this digital growth with 45 tech unicorn companies carrying a combined valuation of £116.2bn currently located in the city.

Named after the mythical creature in recognition of its rare nature, a tech unicorn is a private startup company valued at more than $1 billion (£785.8 million). With 2.1 million people working in the digital tech economy today, how do these companies compare to established tech giants like Google and Salesforce when it comes to employee experience?

Analysing the employee reviews of three of the UK’s recently-established unicorns reveals that they offer an easier interview experience, a more positive business outlook and a significantly better work/life balance on average than tech giants Apple, Samsung and Amazon.

Analysis of the reviews left for Monzo, Ovo Energy and Checkout.com show that the smaller startups score an average of 0.9 points better than the tech giants when it comes to work/life balance, and 0.97 points more for senior management.

Best Unicorn Companies to work for

Despite having only reached unicorn status two months ago, Checkout.com pays its employees an average salary of £50,320 per year – £11,320 more than the average wage paid by Samsung and £3,820 more than what Amazon pays.

Monzo was rated 1.2 points more out of five than Samsung for compensation and benefits (4.5), while the senior management at Checkout.com score 1.7 points more than the management at Samsung (2.5). Although the unicorn companies tend to have a lower number of reviews than major tech corporations, they score significantly higher when it comes to employee experience and interview positivity overall.

How do these companies really treat their employees?

Based on LinkedIn’s annual report of the most sought-after companies to work at in the UK, Power House Truths curates and dissects over 210,000 employee reviews to see where each company really ranks across a number of metrics, including senior management rating, interview difficulty and average salary.

The 2019 LinkedIn Top Companies report discloses where jobseekers want to work, based on four main pillars of interaction on the platform: interest in the company, engagement with the company’s employees, job demand and employee retention. But how do these coveted companies really treat their employees?

The research shows that despite being the most desirable workplace in the UK and the third most popular in the US, Amazon sits tenth in the rankings. Analysis of the organisation’s 32,000 employee reviews reveals that this is due to the poor work/life balance, low senior management rating and significantly smaller salary.

Top Three companies according to employee reviews

Analysis of company pros and cons reveals that employees appreciate a good work environment, generous benefits and flexible working hours, while long hours and a poor work/life balance are the most common complaints. But to what extent do jobseekers apply to work at a company because of its notoriety, without researching what it’s really like to work there?

According to recruitment partner Karen Dykes, the benefits companies choose to advertise play a key role in how quickly they accumulate staff and grow. She said: “With talent shortages reported in many sectors, top candidates are looking beyond basic salary offerings to attract them to certain roles.

“Benefits packages are most certainly in the spotlight, with a particular focus on those that support work/life balance. These include generous holiday entitlement, healthcare advantages and flexible working.

“If a skilled candidate has multiple interview offers, benefits packages will come into play. They may be time poor in terms of interview preparation time, so will narrow the field by evaluating the overall package.”

The list of companies considered in the piece includes the likes of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Deloitte, Uber, Apple, Airbnb, Oracle and even big financial service players such as JPMorgan, Barclays and Goldman Sachs among many others.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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70% Of Millennials Want To Work Flexibly, New Research Finds

Hernaldo Turrillo — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 09:00:14 +0000

70% Of Millennials Want To Work Flexibly, New Research Finds

It is clear that those who are coming into the world of work now and those who have recently started working would prefer to ditch the traditional 9-5 lifestyle in favour of working multiple jobs and prioritising extra-curricular hobbies.

Research from Powwownow found that 70% of millennials would like flexible working options. This is a stark difference when compared to the over 55 age category, only 47% of whom said that they would prefer to work flexible hours. This is supported by a study from Instant Offices who found that the number of freelancers aged 26-29 has risen 66% in the past decade.

The option of flexible employment is more appealing to the majority of workers with three quarters of UK employees saying that the option of flexible hours would make a job more attractive.

Nick Woodward, CEO of ETZ Payments recruitment agency, said about the findings: “People would be more inclined to pursue flexible work options but it is clear that the hesitation is not based on the availability of work as there are work opportunities for freelancers. However, fears over financial security and inconsistent payments put them off. The issues lie with the fact that those who do find work often face deeply flawed payment systems with many freelance payments being frequently late and incorrect.

Furthermore, nearly a third of UK employees said that they would prefer the option of adaptable working hours as opposed to a pay rise. The rise in flexible occupations is beneficial to everyone as in 2016, the IPSE reported that freelancers contributed £119 billion to the national economy.

Recruiters and employers would be wise to deal with these hesitations to maximise the full potential of the UK workforce. By reducing or eliminating fees by using 21st century technology, ETZ Payments offers flexible workers faster payments, making the gig economy a viable option for the critical mass of society,” the expert concluded.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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‘Apprenticeships Are The Answer To Falling Uni Numbers’, Says Training Company

Hernaldo Turrillo — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 13:37:56 +0000

‘Apprenticeships Are The Answer To Falling Uni Numbers’, Says Training Company

Falling numbers in university students can take the current workforce to a shortage of specialised and high-skilled future professionals. However, far from being just an issue, Develop Training Limited (DTL), a provider to the utilities and construction sector, thinks of it as an opportunity to bring undergraduate to the line-up of major businesses and end their studies there. Moreover, apprenticeships are seen as the perfect alternative to meet the hiring needs while providing expertise and training to new generations.

Many commentators have blamed high tuition fees for a growing number of young people applying for university, raising fears of a lack of social mobility. Nonetheless, school leavers give other reasons too, including that they don’t enjoy studying or don’t think they have the necessary academic skills for university.

The training company DLT says that apprenticeships have the capability, not just to provide an alternative to university but also to address the wider issues.

Operations Director, John Kerr, says: “Instead of racking up student debt, apprentices earn while they learn, and apprenticeships provide other ways of learning for those who aren’t suited to academia. At DTL, we specialise in practical training for high earning roles in utilities and construction. Yes, there is an element of classroom learning but for most of our apprenticeships, the focus is on learning through well-supervised, genuine on-the-job experience.”

Mr Kerr says that apprenticeships can also generate social mobility, even beyond what might be expected from gaining a practical qualification and a well-paid job. He explains: “As an organisation that believes in providing a holistic educational experience, we support many young people who have fallen behind with academic learning.” Crucially, he points out, that includes ensuring that apprentices attain satisfactory levels of literacy and numeracy.

Mr Kerr says that apprenticeships can also generate social mobility, even beyond what might be expected from gaining a practical qualification and a well-paid job

Ensuring students attain a set level of literacy and numeracy is a requirement made of apprenticeship providers by the educational watchdog Ofsted, and DTL has invested in technology and teaching to ensure that apprentices reach the levels they need, not just to attain their qualification but also to equip them for life.

“Clearly, people who have poor literacy or numeracy, or both, are going to be disadvantaged,” says Mr Kerr. “This is a significant step in giving them social mobility.”

With these crucial core skills and the confidence of having completed an apprenticeship, they might well go on to get a university degree or similar-level qualification, he points out.

Mr Kerr adds: “For us at DTL, this is much more than a question of meeting the requirements of the regulator. You can see this in our response to another Ofsted instruction. We have pioneered the introduction of safeguarding, ensuring that young people are safe in the workplace and the training environment.”

DTL’s latest Industry Skills Forum on the subject brought together leading figures in HR in the utilities and construction sector, to discuss safeguarding and the government’s Prevent initiative, which requires education providers to play their part in ensuring young people aren’t recruited into extremism.

As an approved provider under the apprenticeship levy scheme, DTL says its customers expect it to deliver well-trained individuals, capable of carrying out their roles effectively and safely. This is particularly important when those roles are often in potentially hazardous environments in the gas, electricity, water and construction industries.

But as Mr Kerr sums up: “Our first duty is to the apprentices themselves, and we believe that ensuring their safety is paramount. By also ensuring they have those core literacy and numeracy skills, we add value to the opportunities created by their apprenticeship.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

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Do You Bring Your Work Home With You ? Majority Of UK Employees Work An ExtraDay A Week At Home

Hernaldo Turrillo — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 13:58:00 +0000

Do You Bring Your Work Home With You ?

The UK workforce has abandoned efforts to maintain a boundary between their professional and personal lives as they face up to the challenges of the always-on culture. New research announced today has revealed employees now live a permanently blurred line, sustaining both a work life and home life at the same time over the course of their careers.

A survey of 6,755 people across the country, commissioned by leading jobs board totaljobs, has discovered the majority (58%) of employees work from home outside of business hours. The average employee will spend 7 hours and 49 minutes per week doing work at home, the equivalent of almost 51 extra working days a year.

A quarter (23%) of employees say they work from home because they don’t have time to do all of their work during business hours, suggesting working from home is a necessity rather than a choice. This is despite less than a tenth (8%) of workers believing career progression and salary is more important than maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Blurred lines: replacing the traditional ‘business hours’

Workers across the UK are adapting to the modern ‘always-on’ culture by rebalancing their work and home lives, increasingly embracing a blur between their professional and personal lives. Indeed, only a quarter (23%) of employees believe it’s important to set hard boundaries between work life and home life and just 8% say their employers encourage them to do so.

The survey has found the workforce is compromising the difficulties involved in maintaining a healthy work-life divide by bringing their personal tasks to work. The average employee spends 6 hours and 4 minutes per week doing personal tasks, such as life admin and trawling through social media, during business hours.

These figures suggest the work-life balance isn’t quite as one-sided as often implied. In fact, 15% of workers say they focus better at home and 12% say they’d rather leave the workplace on time and work from home.

Always-on and never unavailable

As the always-on culture becomes increasingly presumed, employees are expected to make themselves more and more available for work tasks at any time of the day.

The average worker now spends 5 hours and 20 minutes per week communicating with colleagues outside of business hours. Indeed, two-thirds (62%) of employees say they’ve been interrupted by their boss and more than half (59%) have been disturbed by their clients outside of traditional working hours. With the expectation to be increasingly contactable, it has been revealed that half (49%) of workers have been interrupted while on holiday and 43% while they’re in bed or asleep. Remarkably, a tenth (11%) have even been contacted while at a wedding or a funeral

It’s obvious employees are now assumed they should make themselves available for work at practically all times. In a competitive marketplace, there are pressures to meet these expectations and it causes workers to be forever on call. Indeed, half (46%) of employees say they deal with interruptions straight away and only a tenth (13%) feel comfortable ignoring disruptions outside of business hours.

Work-life (un)balance

As employees lives become blurred and there are greater pressures on career prospects, the always-on culture can cause friction between professional and personal priorities.

The survey has found the average worker spends just 4 hours and 19 minutes per day with family. This time is no longer precious due to work commitments and intrusions from colleagues. Over a third (37%) of employees are forced to cancel plans with their family at least once per week due to work. A quarter (25%) of employees have either had to miss a wedding or a funeral and 2% have even missed the birth of their child. It is hardly surprising, then, that only a sixth (16%) of workers believe their family and friends are happy with their current work-life balance.

This is an article provided by our partners’ network. It might not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.

Hernaldo Turrillo

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