Sick leave hits 10-year high in cost of living crisis

UK employees missed work for an average of 7.8 days over the past year, the highest level in over a decade, according to new research. Over 76% reported stress-related absence in their organisation in the past year, compared with 79% during the pandemic, a survey from the CIPD and insurance company Simplyhealth has found. Rachel…

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Planned redundancies rocket for 2023

The number of planned redundancies in the UK rocketed by 54% in the 12 months ending 31 July, according to new research. Successive rises in interest rates have piled pressure on UK business’ cashflow, resulting in a leap of 83,382 planned job cuts, up to 237,017, in 2022/23 compared with 153,635 in 2021/22, according to…

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Chat GPT may be banned in some UK organisations

Two thirds (66%) of organisations in the UK are implementing or considering bans on generative AI applications within the workplace, according to a survey of IT decision makers by software company Blackberry. Most (69%) of these bans are long term or permanent, with 78% concerned that unsecured AI apps pose a cybersecurity threat. Although 76%…

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UK lags behind US on AI adoption at work

UK office workers are lagging behind their American counterparts when it comes to adopting AI in the workplace, research has revealed. Nearly half (46%) of US office workers now use AI at least once weekly in their roles, compared with just 29% in the UK, according to research by software company Asana’s Work Innovation Lab.…

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How to decide between job offers

Feelings about what is left behind and fears about what may lie ahead can stifle life and career choices. When it is time to shift and decide which job offer is best, career coach Kelli Thompson recommends five steps: Remember what moved you in a job you loved, be practical and pragmatic about the job…

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Knowing when to step down as a leader

Jacinda Arden has announced she is stepping down as prime minister of New Zealand, leaving us with powerful words on leadership: “I hope I leave behind a belief that you can be kind but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused… that you can be your own kind of leader, one who knows when it’s…

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Using a Diversity Dictionary to overcome fear of saying the wrong thing

The benefits of a business with people from different backgrounds are clear. Not only does it bring diversity of thought and allow people to learn from different experiences, but it can also help attract a bigger pool of talent, too. While the benefits may be well-understood, it’s clear that many businesses are still struggling to…

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Employee experience better incentive than bonuses

Organisations such as Barclays, Lloyds Group, Virgin Money and British Airways have offered their staff one-off bonus payments to help with soaring living costs, yet bonuses might not be a quick fix for companies to incentivise their workers. Jill Cotton, career trends expert at Glassdoor, said improving the employee experience would be more effective at…

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