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Poverty wages don’t add up to good business strategy
In-work poverty is not new, but in years past, the link between unemployment and extreme financial hardship was far stronger than it is today. Continuing job losses as the furlough programme starts winding down will undoubtedly tip more people over the edge of “just about making it”, but the problem was getting worse even before […]
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The end of furlough will make ‘returners’ mainstream
Returner programmes – which take the concept of an internship and make it relevant to older workers who have taken a career break – have been around for a good number of years, particularly in sectors where women are under-represented. But with furlough winding down to a close at the end of September, many UK […]
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Workplace conflicts costing UK businesses billions
From genuine differences of opinion through to ill-timed banter, microaggression and right up to the fireworks of a full-blown clash of personalities, conflict has always been a feature of the workplace. To a certain extent friction is unavoidable, and even beneficial, as the change and innovation required for organisations to thrive will always create a degree of […]
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Flexibility isn’t just the ‘working from home’ option
We don’t yet know exactly when, but at some point in the coming weeks many of us who have been spending our working hours in the bedroom, dining room, living room or kitchen will start reconnecting with the offices we were forced to abandon more than a year ago. What form this workplace restitution takes […]
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More jobs for the young, but it’s a long way yet to go
Graduate recruitment is rebounding from the depths of last year’s plunge that has pushed long-term unemployment among the UK’s youngest workers to a five-year high, signalling a welcome respite for those who have borne the brunt of pandemic job losses. Recent research by the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) found that more than a third […]
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How to get self-promotion right
It’s a simple fact that no one likes a showoff. Listening to someone who is constantly bragging about themselves can be incredibly tedious, especially at work. However, self-promotion, if done right, can go a long way to opening the right career doors and can even help you get an actual promotion. The key is getting […]
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Fathers move to the fore in debate over parental leave
It’s six years on from the introduction of shared parental leave (SPL) in the UK, yet uptake of what was meant to be progressive game-changing legislation to level out gender disparities remains stuck in low single-digit percentages. The paucity of those using SPL is such that campaigners, trade unionists and economists have united in calls […]
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Hidden furlough divide threatens workplace stability
With lockdown restrictions now easing, the hope is that many of those who remain on furlough will be going back to work in the coming weeks. The natural assumption is that those who do will feel an intense sense of relief, however new research has revealed that further difficulties could be on the horizon. The […]
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Unsettled workers eye up their options for the future
More than a year of lockdown has left many feeling restless, and not just for a night on the town, a long drive in the country, or a holiday abroad. According to a new poll by Aviva, 60 per cent of UK workers are planning to shake up their professional life as a direct result […]
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Employers should play part in helping younger talent
Analysis from the Learning and Work Institute and The Prince’s Trust has found that youth unemployment will cost the UK nearly £7 billion in lost national output next year. On top of this, the report predicts that the cost to the Treasury of higher spending on benefits and lower tax revenues will amount to an additional […]