At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 17-23 September 2021
Here are the headlines you might have missed between 17-23 September:
One in 40 thought to have long Covid
Occupational Health & Wellbeing Plus: Fewer people than previously thought are believed to have long Covid, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have suggested. However, many are still self-reporting ongoing symptoms from the virus. Read Story.
Third of businesses do not have inclusion and diversity strategy, survey finds
People Management: Almost a third of UK businesses do not have a strategic approach to inclusion and diversity, according to new findings. The survey of more than 2,000 HR professionals and business leaders across the UK and EMEA by Workday found that 31 per cent of UK respondents said their organisation did not take a strategic approach to inclusion and diversity, and had not taken any steps towards implementing one. Read Story.
Women looking for improved work-life balance in careers
HR Review: Almost two-thirds of working women surveyed state they are looking for an improved work-life balance when it comes to their job. Over three in five working women in the UK (62 per cent) are looking for better work-life balance in their careers, according to new research announced today by Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo. Read Story.
Staff will not return to the office full-time post-pandemic, say business leaders
HR Review: Around four-fifths of business leaders have confessed that they do not believe employees will return to pre-pandemic ways of working, specifically working full-time in an office space. People will never return to the offices at the same rate as before the pandemic, business leaders and employees alike reported in a survey carried out by the BBC. Read Story.
Men more likely to ask for a pay rise compared to women
HR Review: New research finds that male employees are twice as likely to ask for a pay rise in comparison to female colleagues. Data released by Cendex, part of XpertHR, has revealed that almost a quarter of male employees (23 per cent) are likely to ask for a pay rise each year. Read Story.
Tax breaks needed for employee mental health support – Prosperis
Healthcare & Protection: Prime minister Boris Johnson’s new Cabinet has been urged to alleviate UK plc’s mental health crisis through tax breaks for companies who provide support for workers. Read Story.
Millions of workers failing to disclose health conditions
Corporate Adviser: Almost half of UK employees would not talk to their employer if they were experiencing a health issue, having a detrimental impact on business performance and culture, according to research from Benenden Health. Read Story.
Firms offering pay rises set to reach highest levels in a decade
HR Review: According to new research by the CBI, almost half of firms are intending to raise pay in line with inflation. A new study conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) indicates that staff shortages are prompting more employers to offer pay rises. Read Story.
Employers should provide all managers with mental health training, health watchdog says
People Management: Employers should provide all line managers with systematic support in mental health and communication skills training, according to recent recommendations by two UK health bodies. Read Story.
UK businesses to up mental health budget by 18%
Employee Benefits: New research has revealed that UK business leaders are predicted to increase their investment in employee mental health and wellbeing by 18% during the next year, one of the highest rates across the world. Read Story.
47% of staff do not know how to plan for retirement
Employee Benefits: Nearly half (47%) of employees do not have the knowledge to plan for their retirement, according to new research from Aviva. The study found that 28% feel secure regarding how to manage their pension and 27% are confident they know what a good amount to have in their pension is for someone their age. Read Story.
51% of SMEs lag behind on diversity
Employee Benefits: More than half (51%) of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) directors and managers believe their organisation still has significant work to do to improve diversity and inclusion (D&I), according to the latest research by recommendation engine GetApp. Read Story.
One in four Black employees cannot be themselves at work
HR Review: Despite an increase in workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives in the past year, a recent study has found that one in four Black employees do not feel they can be themselves at work. The data, from Inpulse, suggests that whilst diversity and inclusion efforts expanded, the ability to enact real change has suffered as a result of remote and hybrid working. Read Story.
Low-paid workers lose workplace satisfaction premium over high earners
HR Review: In a new report which reflects on the changing world of work over the past 30 years, low-earners were found to have lost their job satisfaction premium over this period. The job satisfaction premium that low-earners used to enjoy in the early 1990s, with around three-quarters of staff reporting this, has now deteriorated, new research from the Resolution Foundations find. Instead, job satisfaction has fallen for both high and low earners over the last 30 years, levelling down to just under 60 per cent for both groups. Read Story.
Employees want change to working lives post-furlough
Corporate Adviser: With furlough ending at the end of this month, many returning workers are looking for a reduced hours or a pay rise according to new research. A survey of these furloughed workers by Canada Life found that a third (33 per cent) will ask their employer for a pay rise once furlough ends and 43 per cent are looking for a phased return to work. Just under half (49 per cent) say that while they were working full time before going on furlough, they would now prefer to work part-time. Read Story.
Employers failing to use data for future workforce planning
HR Magazine: Less than half (46%) of employers use data to identify skills gaps in their organisation, according to a new report by the CIPD and Omni. The CIPD’s latest Recruitment and Talent Planning Survey also found that just 31% of employers collect data to identify their future skills requirements. Read Story.
Calls for paid leave to be given for miscarriages earlier than 24 weeks
HR Review: SNP MP Angela Crawley has called on the Government to give all parents the legal right to paid leave if a miscarriage occurs before 24 weeks of pregnancy. A bill has been introduced to Parliament which states parents should receive three days paid leave after suffering a miscarriage before 24 weeks. Read Story.
Recruitment and retention ‘found wanting’ as employers take ad hoc approach
Personnel Today: With the UK’s hiring challenges in the spotlight as vacancies last month passed one million, the HR body’s latest recruitment and talent planning report, in partnership with resourcing specialist Omni, has highlighted that the recruitment and retention strategies of many employers are “found wanting”. Read Story.
Hybrid working is leading to a shift in our work behaviours
Workplace Insight: Poly has released research findings that claims to expose our ‘hybrid working secrets’. The survey, which was made up of 4,000 hybrid workers from the UK, France, and Germany, shines a light into new working behaviours and habits on and off camera. Read Story.
Money worries cause mental health problems for 60pc of employees
Corporate Adviser: Financial worries are causing mental health problems for more than half of UK employees according to new research. Barnett Waddingham found 60 per cent of employees said money worries were causing them to suffer from anxiety, stress and depression, highlighting the strong links between financial and mental wellbeing. Read Story.
‘Financial wellbeing’ next challenge for employers post-Covid
Corporate Adviser: Financial wellbeing will be the next big employee challenge according to 65 per cent of HR decision-makers. Scottish Widows surveyed over 500 HR leaders from UK firms who have revealed that financial worry during the pandemic has led employees to experience stress and anxiety, with four in 10 employers saying financial challenges have negatively impacted the productivity levels of their employees. Read Story.
Optical health high on the agenda as more eye issues are reported post pandemic
Corporate Adviser: Employers are being urged to prioritise workers’ optical health, after research shows a growing number of eye problems post pandemic. Research by Unum found over half of UK employees said screen time had increased due to remote working, with 39 per cent of workers reporting optical health issues as a result. Read Story.
‘UK-first’ hybrid AE/personal pension app-based plan launched
Corporate Adviser: A product claiming to be the UK’s first app-based hybrid auto-enrolment and personal pension has been launched by a team operating through Oxford University’s start-up incubator. Read Story.
UK employees fear losing their jobs due to EDI programmes
HR Magazine: Almost a third (31%) of UK employees fear they will lose their job if their organisation becomes more diverse and inclusive, according to new research by Dynata. The report, Global Consumer Trends: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace, surveyed 12,000 employees and employers across 11 countries about their attitudes to EDI initiatives in their workplace. Read Story.
Ethnicity pay gap reporting faces “genuine difficulties”, states MP Paul Scully
HR Review: In a debate regarding the prospect of enforcing ethnicity pay gap reporting, MP Paul Scully admitted there were “genuine difficulties” in designing a methodology which provides accurate figures. HR Review: Read Story.
Flexible approaches to open up work to 4 million
Personnel Today: Flexible and hybrid working could open up the jobs market to almost four million people, research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research has suggested. In a study produced with Virgin Media O2, the CEBR argues that new working practices emerging as a result of the pandemic could add £48 billion to the UK economy each year. Read Story.
COVID-related workplace claims spike by a fifth
HR Review: A growing number of employers are being hit with COVID-related employment tribunal claims, a law firm warns. Employers have been advised to carry out appropriate risk assessments as employment tribunal claims linked to COVID-19 continue to grow. According to Shah Qureshi, the London Head of Employment & Professional Discipline at law firm Irwin Mitchell, COVID-related claims have risen by a fifth (20 per cent) over recent months. Read Story.
Employers worry about remote work productivity, but majority fail to invest in solutions
Workplace Insight: New research released by Ricoh Europe claims that employers are failing to invest in technology to maintain productivity across their remote workforce, despite concerns about their output. Read Story.
Half of bereaved workers return to work earlier than they would like, poll finds
People Management: Nearly half of bereaved employees are going back to work earlier than they would like because they can’t afford to take more leave, a charity has warned, calling on employers to do more to support staff who have lost loved ones. Read Story.
Flexible working to be made a day-one right under proposed legislation
People Management: Employees will be given the right to request flexible working from the first day of their employment under plans that the government says will give 2.2 million more people access to different working arrangements. Read Story.
Over half of pay deals are now higher than a year ago
HR Review: According to new research by XpertHR, pay awards have stabilised for the first time in two years. New data released by XpertHR indicates that, in the three months to August 2021, the median basic pay increase sits around 2 per cent which now appears to be the new normal. This is compared to just a year ago where the median pay award dipped to zero with many companies choosing to implement pay freezes instead. Read Story.
Pandemic prompts one in five employers to change employee contracts
HR Review: During the pandemic, over a fifth of employers have made changes to employee contracts. This is according to new research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which analysed changes to employees’ terms and conditions of employment during this period. The most common changes that occurred included altering the location of work (49 per cent), hours of work (47 per cent) and pay levels (44 per cent). Read Story.
Government’s flexible working plans do not go far enough, state TUC
HR Review: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has criticised the Government’s proposals for implementing the right to request flexible working from day one in a job. According to new proposals published today by the Government, UK employees will have the right to request flexible working from day one in a job, intended to provide staff with more choice over where and when they work. Read Story.
UK employers more worried about motivation than resignation
Workplace Insight: Research from Omnipresent, in partnership with Remote Social, claims that four in 10 employers (40 percent) feel that COVID-19 has positively or extremely positively impacted employee retention. In contrast, less than a quarter (24 percent) feel that it has negatively or extremely negatively impacted this area. Read Story.
Hybrid working not a panacea for inclusivity
HR Magazine: A report out this week suggests that the adoption of hybrid working models would allow nearly 4 million people otherwise unable to work to join the UK workforce. Carers, parents and disabled people are among the 3.8 million people that could most benefit from an increase in hybrid working the report claims, while the nation’s 6.8 million part-time workers could boost their hours adding a potential £48 billion annually to the UK economy. Read Story.
Pension auto-enrolment opt-out rates at 10%
Employee Benefits: New data has revealed that pension auto-enrolment opt-out rates remained low, at 10%, in the 12 months ended 31 March 2021. Nest Insight has published Retirement saving in the UK 2021, an annual study of retirement saving behaviours in the UK, which included around a third of the working population and also surveyed Nest employers and members. It found that cessation rates have also remained low over the life of the scheme, at just 2%. Read Story.