A recent study into employee productivity by Oscar Acoustics[iii] who spoke to 500 senior management workers found that offices are struggling to deal with the demands created by hybrid working, with excessive noise at the heart of employee grievances which is affecting productivity.
They highlight that despite over three quarters of employers implementing hybrid working measures that noise levels were often unbearable, becoming so loud that a quarter of UK workers aged between 18 and 50, expressed serious concern about going back to workstations.
Noisy colleagues were the main source of disruption, with office banter the most annoying trait affecting four in ten workers, whilst a third struggle to concentrate alongside near-by video conferencing.
Contributor: Adrian Lewis, Director - Activ People HR | Published: 20 March 2023
From the shortest serving UK prime minister to the death of the longest reigning monarch, 2022 is a year that will go down in the history books. But will you remember the take-away business lessons?
Contributor: Alan Price, CEO - BrightHR | Published: 15 February 2023
Although 85% of employers record the sickness absence of their staff, only 63% measure the impact that employees’ sick leave has on their business.
Contributor: Katharine Moxham, spokesperson, GRiD | Published: 18 January 2023
The Government is hoping that a bill being introduced in Parliament today (Tuesday 10 January) will limit the disruption caused by industrial action, by mandating that vital public services must maintain a basic function and deliver minimum safety levels during industrial action.
Contributor: Kate Palmer, HR Advice & Consultancy Director at Peninsula | Published: 11 January 2023
The FIFA World Cup 2022 takes places in Qatar from Sunday 20th November until Sunday 18th December. This is an exciting sports event for football fans as well as those that usually only support the national teams. However, for businesses it could be a challenging time as many matches will be shown during core working hours which could lead to a rise in people taking unauthorised absence – which can be costly as well as leave offices short staffed.
Contributor: Adrian Lewis, Director - Activ People HR | Published: 18 November 2022
New research has revealed the impact long COVID continues to have on the British workforce. 25% of employers say they are facing absence management issues from employees suffering from what may now be classed as a disability.
Contributor: Kirstie Beattie, Head of Team and Employment Solicitor - WorkNest | Published: 20 October 2022
Whilst it is an employee’s responsibility to make their own way to work, it is in an employer’s best interests to be reasonably accommodating where a worker’s commute is only impacted for a limited period.
Contributor: Alan Price, CEO - BrightHR | Published: 14 August 2022
An early and more severe than usual flu season, rising covid rates and monkeypox could create ‘the perfect storm’ this winter, causing rates of absenteeism to spiral amid existing Brexit-related staff issues.
Contributor: Steve Whittall - Airdri | Published: 1 August 2022
As the UK basks in a heatwave, employers need to plan ahead by adapting work routines and offering guidance for working in the heat to avoid rising sick days.
Many Britons this week have complained it was ‘too hot to work’ [i], and employers are possibly facing record numbers calling in sick next Monday after Sunday which is likely to be the hottest day yet[ii].
Mondays are most popular day for workers to call in sick according to MetLife[iii]. The expected record temperatures next week have also prompted Government to start drawing up the first ever heatwave emergency response[iv], so employers also need to prepare.
Contributor: Adrian Lewis, Director - Activ People HR | Published: 24 July 2022
The UK is set to receive scorching temperature with highs of 32 degrees in some places. High temperatures can make working a challenge so it's important for employers to prepare.
Contributor: Kate Palmer, HR Advice & Consultancy Director | Published: 24 June 2022
