Tag Archives: Work

News, Wellbeing

I miss you! A new wellbeing crisis on the horizon

  • New global research from Inspiring Workplaces Group discovered that:
    • We miss or need social human interaction – 88%
    • We are struggling even more than before with creating boundaries between work and home life – 74%
    • The events of the past two years have created a binary impact on wellbeing with almost the same number of respondents reporting a positive and negative impact on their wellbeing
    • 98% of the IW community feel that they can be their true selves – fostering psychological safety within their organisations
  • The InspireWork Summits announces headline partnership with The STM Group for both London and NYC

London and New York: April 5, 2022 – New global perspectives report from Inspiring Workplaces highlights the twin threats to wellbeing from a poor work:life balance and inadequate human interaction caused by the pandemic. In fact, 74% of respondents said they are struggling to maintain boundaries between home and work. And almost nine out of ten (88%) of respondents said they miss or need social human interaction from colleagues or customers.

The report entitled: I miss you! A new wellbeing crisis on the horizon, is published almost two years to the day when much of the world was first locked down. The report draws its responses from the Inspiring Workplaces global community. It has insights that will help give employees a voice and leadership a roadmap of areas to consider as we continue to navigate our way through the seismic changes caused by the pandemic. The most encouraging response in the report shows that 98% of the Inspiring Workplaces community feel that they can be their true selves at work – fostering psychological safety within their organisations

Five themes for creating an inspiring place to work

Respondents were also asked “What one thing can your employer do to help you this year?”

We consolidated the verbatim responses into five key themes below:

  1. Culture of wellbeing
  2. Community
  3. Structure
  4. Employee Voice
  5. Gratitude

Within the report we provide context to each of these themes, plus advice and opinion on how to approach them in 2022 and beyond.

Download the report for free here.

Matt Manners, CEO & Founder Inspiring Workplaces said “Our mission is to change the world by transforming the world of work. One way we do this is by providing our community with content that both inspires and instructs. We hope we have done so again with our first ever Global Perspectives report.”

In-person inspiration returns with the InspireWork Summits in London and New York City partnered by The STM Group

After a two year break caused by the pandemic, the InspireWork Summit, (formerly the Employee Engagement Awards Conference) return to London, New York and Sydney.

STM Group, a professional services marketing company, has agreed to be the headline partner in both London and New York.

Michael Gegg, STM Group said: “Working, as we do, with a broad range of clients gives us an interesting window into the world of work. We know that inspiring people post the Pandemic is going to be one of the most significant leadership challenges in the coming years. So, we are delighted to be sponsoring this conference. Matt and his team deserve a huge amount of credit for continuing to shine a light on this most important of conversations.”

Matt Manners, said: “We have always endeavoured to bring together the most inspirational and insightful content to our events whether it be case studies, thought leaders or best-selling authors. We now have an inspiring headline partner on both sides of The Atlantic too.

“It is our purpose to change the world by transforming workplaces and that starts with community and collaboration – so after three years away from in-person events we are intentionally keeping our prices low to do just that.”

Register for London here: https://www.inspiring-workplaces.com/inspire-work-summit-london/.

Register for NYC here: https://www.inspiring-workplaces.com/inspire-work-summit-nyc/.

The Summits will also be available online.

News, South East

London revealed as the top capital for hybrid roles

As the world’s workforce starts to move back into the office for at least one or two days a week, a more hybrid way of working is on the rise -part remote, part in-house. Small Business Prices set out to discover which countries and capitals are most attractive for hybrid roles, taking into account metrics such as average commute price, available jobs and working hours per week.

London revealed as the top capital for hybrid roles

Rank Country Capital Livability score No. of hybrid jobs per country No. of hybrid jobs in capital Av. commute price (£) Av. working hours per week Av. salary after tax (£) No. of co-working spaces
1 United Kingdom London 98.53 60,617 16,000 10.40 36.3 31,91.32 309
2 United States Washington 95.71 176,813 11,102 8.80 35 4,286.58 67
3 Germany Berlin 98.39 10,530 2,000 10.00 39.5 2,482.90 133
4 Netherlands Amsterdam 93.85 3,487 1,639 10.68 40 2,826.24 101
5 Switzerland Bern 88.38 903 87 12.76 42 4,110.21 9
6 Japan Tokyo 95.26 1,616 1,422 5.36 42 2,505.36 187
7 Sweden Stockholm 90.95 1,280 685 11.96 40 2,573.17 53
8 South Korea Seoul 91.58 196 179 3.08 55 1,869.43 86
9 Singapore Singapore 87.08 2,155 2,150 3.92 44 3,027.53 124
10 France Paris 94.87 1,787 866 6.36 39 2,317.49 134
11 Ireland Dublin 83.69 3,673 2,868 10.00 40 2,573.88 47
12 Canada Ottawa 98.28 15,558 1,400 8.32 35 2,264.68 25
13 Denmark Copenhagen 89.96 627 441 10.76 37 2,836.78 26
14 Norway Oslo 83.66 347 239 12.48 37.5 2,817.32 34
15 UAE Abu Dhabi 90.86 344 74 1.60 48 2,422.76 33

With well over 60 thousand hybrid roles nationwide and 16,000 in the capital alone, the United Kingdom takes first place as the best country for pursuing a hybrid working career. Commuters in London that will be coming into their offices twice a week can expect to pay £10.40 per week on average on their way to one of 309 co-working spaces across the city, taking home an average salary of £3191.32.

Coming in as the second-best capital for hybrid working is Washington DC in the United States of America. This city isn’t just home to the White House, but also to 11,102 jobs that offer the flexibility of hybrid working. Those commuting twice a week in DC pay an average of £8.80 a week whilst taking home an average of £4,286.58.

The East-German city of Berlin offers two thousand hybrid working roles at the time of writing, and 10,530 jobs nationwide. The average take-home pay for Germans comes down to £2,482.90.

London has the highest number of co-working spaces

Rank Country Capital Livability score No. of hybrid jobs per country No. of hybrid jobs in capital Av. commute price (£) Av. working hours per week Av. salary after tax (£) No. of co-working spaces
1 United Kingdom London 98.53 60,617 16,000 10.40 36.3 3,191.32 309
2 Japan Tokyo 95.26 1,616 1,422 5.36 42 2,505.36 187
3 India New Delhi 78.83 20,696 924 1.36 54 481.23 168
4 Mexico Mexico City 78.66 1,674 301 0.88 48 482.63 138
5 France Paris 94.87 1,787 866 6.36 39 2,317.49 134
6 Germany Berlin 98.39 10,530 2,000 10.00 39.5 2,482.90 133
7 Spain Madrid 86.49 2,652 1,005 5.00 40 1,501.63 130
8 Singapore Singapore 87.08 2,155 2,150 3.92 44 3,027.53 124
9 Thailand Bangkok 71.98 258 231 4.04 40 518.64 123
10 Netherlands Amsterdam 93.85 3,487 1,639 10.68 40 2,826.24 101

The conventional office where we work nine to five, five days a week, isn’t the standard any more. Those that don’t work from home full time, can enjoy the perks of an office space in one of the many co-working spaces that can often be booked by the day in many capital cities across the globe.

The one city that offers the most co-working spaces is London. This great-British capital has a staggering 309 hybrid offices available to laptop warriors city-wide.

Tokyo, Japan has the second-largest number of flexible offices on offer, at 187. Followed suit by India’s capital New Delhi where you can find 168 co-working spaces.

South Koreans work most hours per week

Rank Country Capital Livability score No. of hybrid jobs per country No. of hybrid jobs in capital Av. commute price (£) Av. working hours per week Av. salary after tax (£) No. of co-working spaces
1 South Korea Seoul 91.58 196 179 3.08 55 1,869.43 86
2 India New Delhi 78.83 20,696 924 1.36 54 481.23 168
3 Philippines Manila 77.53 1,736 1,657 1.56 49.5 325.77 33
4 Mexico Mexico City 78.66 1,674 301 0.88 48 482.63 138
5 United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi 90.86 344 74 1.60 48 2,422.76 33
6 Costa Rica San José 75.32 314 104 2.16 48 629.69 18
7 Saudi Arabia Riyadh 82.71 181 127 3.12 48 1,492.06 50
8 Vietnam Hanoi 81.27 154 46 0.92 47.5 341.84 58
9 Turkey Ankara 78.27 469 73 0.96 45 314.82 9
10 Iceland Reykjavík 72.44 5 4 11.60 44.4 2,522.42 9

Many Asian countries are notorious for their long working weeks and high pressure working culture. It therefore comes as no surprise that many of the countries working the most hours per week are located in this continent.

Workers in South Korea put in the most hours at an average of 55 hours per week, followed by nearby India where people work an average of 54 hours per week. Filipinos too aren’t far behind, they work 49 and a half hours per week on average.

Americans and Canadians enjoy the shortest average working week

Rank Country Capital Livability score No. of hybrid jobs per country No. of hybrid jobs in capital Av. commute price (£) Av. working hours per week Av. salary after tax (£) No. of co-working spaces
1 United States Washington 95.71 176,813 11,102 8.80 35 4,286.58 67
2 Canada Ottawa 98.28 15,558 1,400 8.32 35 2,264.68 25
3 Kuwait Kuwait City 78.79 26 2 2.92 35 1,204.40 4
4 Italy Rome 78.99 1,243 285 5.00 36 1,231.19 49
5 United Kingdom London 98.53 60,617 16,000 10.40 36.3 3191.32 309
6 Russia Moscow 87.35 256 37 1.92 36.8 762.24 52
7 Denmark Copenhagen 89.96 627 441 10.76 37 2,836.78 26
8 Australia Canberra 83.80 6,447 307 9.52 37.5 2,835.68 16
9 Finland Helsinki 85.32 695 418 9.36 37.5 2,125.63 20
10 Norway Oslo 83.66 347 239 12.48 37.5 2,817.32 34

The United States may not be known for the most amount of annual leave or other working benefits, but their average working weeks are some of the shortest. Both Americans, Canadians and those employed in the Middle-Eastern country of Kuwait work just 35 hours per week on average.

For working 35 hours per week, Americans take home an average of £4,286.58per month. Canadians on the other hand have a much lower take home pay of £2,264.68 per month. Those working in Kuwait get deposited an average of £1,204.40 after tax each month.

Methodology

In an effort to determine the best countries and capitals for hybrid roles, Small Business Prices collected data from career platform LinkedIn, indexing the number of hybrid jobs listed per country and their capital.

Additionally, the average price of commuting was based off of 2 trips to the office per week;  average price of 1 way ticket on public transport multiplied by 4.

Sources

News

James McGoldrick discusses the personal benefits of office working

As more and more Britons receive vaccinations and lockdown restrictions continue to ease, employers and employees alike are grappling with the decision to return to the office, or to continue to encourage staff to work from home.

As the managing director of online gift retailers Bradfords Bakers, Send Them Balloons, and Send Them Cupcakes, James McGoldrick has always been able to keep his staff onsite as it is vital to remain operational. He has happily kept all his staff present onsite, and has taken hygiene precautions to keep all his staff safe from COVID-19.

He recognises the benefits office working has on his staff, especially during the pandemic. Here, James discusses the advantages of office working for his employees.

  1. A chance to be social

“At the height of the pandemic, it was really difficult to see friends and family we don’t live with as everyone was isolating, and social environments like cafes were closed. It was a really lonely time for a lot of people, so any excuse for a chat and social interaction with someone outside of the household became very valuable.

“It’s easy to get frustrated with the people you spend all your time with, so a break and a chance to discuss different things with different people is important.

“Going to a safe workplace is an excellent opportunity to do just that. While not everyone enjoys going to work, going to see a friend can be really beneficial on the psyche.”

  1. An excuse to exercise

“People have put in so much effort into working out at home or taking up jogging while gyms have been closed, but when you’ve got limited space, or neighbours to worry about hearing you, or distractions, exercising at home can actually be very difficult to get stuck into.

“When working at home, a lot of people end up remaining in an office chair, or a couch, or bed, for a full day. Although your staying at home, working in your own house can still be mentally tiring, and not everyone will have the energy to be active after a shift.

“The commute is a good chance to exercise, even if it’s just a walk to the bus stop. Then being at the office and walking around doing things keeps you moving and on your feet. You still may not have the energy to do a workout after work, but it’s still a positive thing, having a reason to move about.”

  1. Change of scenery

“Staring at the same four walls of our home’s day in, day out, can be draining. The days can become monotonous and plain boring when working from home, especially as the boundary between the place where you rest and the place where you work becomes blurred, and it’s difficult to turn off and settle into your free time after your shift.

“Your workplace may not be extremely exciting to behold, but it can still be a breath of fresh air to spend some time somewhere different. And again, the commute serves a positive purpose here as you drive, travel, cycle, or walk, you may encounter different people and scenes that can be unique and exciting.”

 

“Of course, the decision of whether to come back to the office or remain working from home should be a collaborative one made by the employee and employer both. If a workplace cannot be considered safe while COVID-19 is still a threat, then staff should absolutely remain working from home. But as the world reopens we should pay attention to the wants and needs of our employees, and come to the decision that is best for them.”

Health & Safety, News

The Top 5 Most Dangerous Jobs In The UK

For the majority of us, we have cosy 9–5 office jobs where the primary occupational hazards are getting a papercut or spilling hot coffee all over your desk and work. If you think your job is stressful, have you ever considered that earning a living may cost some workers their lives? Workplace fatalities and injuries remain a real risk in some industries — the International Labour Office (ILO) estimates that there are around 2.3 million workplace fatalities and 340 million injuries every year — that’s 6,300 deaths every day.

Here, we take a look at the most dangerous jobs in the UK.

1. Commercial fishing

As a pastime or sport, fishing can be a fun and calming activity. However commercial fishing, according to Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is one of the UK’s most dangerous jobs. Fishermen are six times more likely to die than workers in other sectors — in 2018, the industry suffered 62 fatalities per 100,000, with workers falling overboard and drowning.

Statistics were reported after a spate of accidents that took the lives of fishermen around the North and North East of England, with calls for a change in culture. According to reports, there weren’t enough health and safety and risk assessment to prevent injury and death, with many deaths being preventable if more workers wore life jackets.

ILO 88 legislation came into effect in 2019 to improve safety and wellbeing for those working on fishing vessels — regulations include compulsory personal flotation devices to be worn at all times, high quality cameras on board, and fixed-wing aircraft.

David Fenner, Head of Fishing Safety at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said: “Fishing is still the most dangerous profession in the UK today and, whilst we are seeing improvements in safety, tragically there were seven lives lost in the industry last year, all of which could have been prevented.”

2. Waste and recycling

Probably one of the more surprising industries to be included in this list, particularly second, is the waste and recycling industry. Around 6,000 workers suffer from ill-health from the workplace, with seven deaths last year.

The causes of fatalities were contact with moving machinery at 30%, being hit by a moving vehicle at 28%, and being struck by a moving or falling object at 16%. As the majority of accidents occur during collecting waste and when vehicles are moving, there is risk management that can be carried out such as eliminating reversing where possible and timing collections to avoid busy periods where pedestrians will be present.

3. Construction workers

According to the HSE, construction workers are in the third most dangerous industry in the UK, with 30 workers passing away in 2019. Around 79,000 workers suffered from work-related ill health in 2019, with 62% being musculoskeletal disorders, and 21% stress, depression, or anxiety.

The main cause of deaths in the industry are falling from a height at 49%, being trapped by something collapsing or overturning at 14%, being struck by a moving vehicle at 11%, being struck by a moving or falling object at 10%, and contact with electricity at 5%.

4. Oil or gas rigger

Working in the oil and gas industry comes with innate dangers. The scope of work carried out by workers is dangerous in nature, particularly offshore. Upstream oil and gas has one of the highest severe injury rates in the world, with potential for many things to go wrong, including explosions, chemical leaks, machinery malfunctions, fires, and falling equipment.

Common injuries in the oil and gas industry include injury from heavy machinery operation including trauma or crush injuries, dismemberment, fractures, severe burns, explosions, spinal cord injury, paralysis, and chemical exposure. In 2018, there were no fatal injuries, but there were 66 sustained injuries per 100,000. 235 dangerous incidents and 112 hydrocarbon releases were reported, which can result in a variety of health issues and complications.

Health and safety are the most crucial considerations when working in the oil and gas industry. Due to the nature of the work, it’s important that workers receive the best quality training that is realistic and constantly up to date, including comprehensive training with virtual reality technology.

5. Deep sea divers

There’s a reason why deep-sea divers are paid so high — it is an isolating and dangerous career that requires divers to be locked up in decompression chambers for 28 days the size of a caravan with several other people. In 2018, 19 scuba divers died in the UK, the highest death toll for 14 years. Not only extremely claustrophobic, you can suffer from a range of medical conditions and painful deaths beyond the obvious drowning and equipment malfunction.

Firstly, barotrauma occurs when tissue near pockets of air in your body are damaged, including sinuses, dental roots, lungs, and ears. It can even rupture your ear drums or lungs. Secondly, decompression sickness is when you ascend too quickly and nitrogen bubbles form in your body, causing damage to your nerves and tissue, which could end in fatality or paralysis. Thirdly, nitrogen narcosis is a result of nitrogen building up in your brain and causes you to be delirious, as if you were drunk — examples include believing you can breathe underwater and removing your regulator or being unable to read your gauge and instruments. It’s important that saturation divers follow careful regulations like ensuring your diving equipment and piston rings are airtight and ascending at a slow enough pace to avoid injury.

So, there we have some of the UK’s most dangerous jobs. It’s important to follow health and safety rules — they’re there for a reason!

Sources

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1520325/new-figures-show-fishermen-six-times-more-likely-to-die-at-work/
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/waste-recycling.pdf
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction.pdf
https://www.slackdavis.com/blog/common-oil-rig-injuries/
https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-gb/professional/injuries-poisoning/poisoning/hydrocarbon-poisoning
https://divernet.com/2018/12/15/uk-diver-death-toll-rose-in-2018/

News

Research reveals the most productive time of day for each profession

A new study has pinpointed the most productive and creative times of day for each profession, with the average UK worker being most effective around lunchtime.

Brits are most productive late in the morning, at 11:54am, but feel most inventive during their midday break, reaching their creative peak at 12:42pm.

The research[1], conducted by Tic Watches, the watch and sunglasses specialist, asked 1,500 employees to reveal the hour of day they feel most creative, productive and energetic.

It appears that Brits have their most creative ideas just before lunch, with 10am-11am (15%) and 11am-12pm (11%) the most common responses. Women reach maximum creativity slightly later in the day than men, at 12:54pm and 12:24pm respectively.

The findings also suggest that the introduction of more flexible working hours could increase the nation’s creativity and productivity among younger workers.

While the average times were pretty consistent across age groups, younger workers are the least likely to feel creative between the hours of 9am and 5pm. More than two in five (42%) 25-34-year-olds feel most creative outside of these traditional work hours, compared to only a third (33%) of 35-44s and around a quarter (27%) of 45-54s.

Productivity follows the same pattern. More than one in six (18%) millennials feel most productive before 9am, while the same number feel they’re most efficient on an evening after 5pm – more than any other age category.

There is also considerable variation by profession. Accountants feel most productive in the morning at 9:48am, the earliest of all the occupations surveyed, while sales professionals get most work done in the early afternoon, at 1:12pm.

The professions that feel productive earliest in the day are:

1) Accounts – 9:48am

2) Civil Servants – 11:00am

3) Plumbers/Electricians/Builders – 11:00am

4) Administration/Office Workers – 11:42am

5) IT – 11:48am

The professions that feel productive latest in the day are:

1) Sales – 1:12pm

2) HR/Recruitment – 12:54pm

3) Finance – 12:36pm

4) Operations – 12:24pm

5) Teacher – 12:00pm

Despite not reaching their creative and productive peaks until lunchtime, Brits feel most energetic at 11:06am. More than a fifth (21%) of workers say they feel most active between 10 and 11am, before slowly fading as the day progresses. Workers feel laziest in the later hours, with 4-5pm and 3-4pm being the least energetic hours – just 3% of Brits feel most energetic at this time.

Interestingly, nearly a quarter of employees (23%) feel most sprightly before 9am, again suggesting that earlier working shifts might be worth exploring.

Joanna Shurety, Lifestyle Coach at Shurety Coaching, has shared her top three tips for increasing productivity at work:

● Find your best time – everyone is different, so find the best time for you to work. Assess the things that need to be done each day and identify the pockets of time available.

● Regular sleep – having a regular sleep and wake-up time is the best way to get consistent, restorative sleep. It will help your mind and body unwind and recover so you can start your days off in the best possible way.

● Plan your day – spend the first bit of your morning planning, building in time for tasks, lunch and periods away from your screen. Having a structure and focus for each day lets you celebrate and be accountable for what you achieve.

Danny Richmond, Managing Director at Tic Watches, said: “Covid-19 will undoubtedly have a long-lasting impact on the day-to-day of many professions. Lots of workers have enjoyed the flexible working arrangements afforded to them over lockdown and some may push for these to become permanent.

“Our new research has shown that many Brits feel more energetic, creative and productive outside of the typical 9-5 working hours, so it could benefit both employers and employees to continue this flexibility.”

For more expert advice on how to increase your productivity at work, visit: https://www.ticwatches.co.uk/blog/2020/09/how-to-make-to-boost-your-productivity-by-hacking-your-body-clock/

Absence Management, Business Advice, HR News, News

Half of businesses not ready for safe return to work

Half of companies are not ready for a safe return to work, as they have no way of monitoring the impact of Covid-19 on employees, according to e-days, the absence intelligence platform.

The findings came from an exclusive survey of 100 senior HR executives from well-known global brands by e-days.

The news comes as non-essential retailers in the UK prepare to re-open their doors on 15th June. Stores and shops are expected to put in place stringent physical measures to stop staff or customers being exposed to infection, but HR teams don’t have similar measures in place. In its survey, e-days found that 50% of companies had no way of assessing the impact of Covid-19 on their staff. It also found that many are still relying on paper spreadsheets to log sickness, furlough, and holiday.

In response, e-days has made its sickness management software more widely available to companies, which will help reduce the devastating impact faced by workforces as a result of Covid-19.

The technology, which can integrate with larger company’s existing HR systems if required, allows teams to track and manage, amongst other factors, employee sickness, self-isolation, and furlough. Anyone who displays symptoms can be quickly sent the support they need and told to self-isolate, and simultaneously their team can be alerted to the fact they may have been exposed to the virus. This aims to keep employees as safe as possible and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in offices and workplaces.
e-days has also entered into a partnership with health insurer BHSF to offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP); a confidential service that supports employees with any issues that could be affecting their work or personal life. The EAP available via e-days will offer 24/7 telephone counselling and manager support to staff and management alike. Access to an online portal for further health advice will also be available.

Adam Hale, Board Advisor to E-days and Chairman of the ScaleUp Institute, commented: “Early intervention is the only way to avoid long-term damage to your business. Without precise tracking and reporting, your organisation will be unable to spot increased absence and give employees the support they need. I’d urge businesses of all sizes to adopt thorough and reliable sickness management software before they look to bring employees back to a place of work.”

Steve Arnold, e-days’ CEO commented: “Everybody is at risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19; even more so in confined working environments. E-days gives you the case management tools to be proactive and prevent spikes in unplanned sickness absence; alerting managers to workplace Covid-19 cases and helping your team stay safe and productive.”