At a glance: reward and benefits headlines this week 22-28 October 2021

Here are the headlines you might have missed between 22-28 October 2021.

57% of HR leaders prioritise employee engagement
Employee Benefits: New research has found that the current top two priorities for HR and business leaders are employee engagement and the overall employee experience, and employee wellbeing, cited by 57% and 56% respectively. Staff engagement organisation WorkBuzz’s new report, The state of employee engagement 2021, included insights from more than 300 organisational leaders, HR professionals, and industry experts on key challenges, priorities and opportunities following the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) crisis. Read Story.

Companies called to report flexible and hybrid working policies
HR Magazine: Non-for-profit organisation the Work Foundation at Lancaster University has called on government to introduce mandatory flexible and hybrid working reporting. Following its research that showed disabled workers, women, parents and those with caring responsibilities are particularly at risk of losing out on opportunities when remote working, the foundation made several recommendations to make sure government supports an inclusive transition to hybrid working. Read Story.

Most UK workers don't think they're paid enough
HR Magazine: Only four in ten (41%) UK workers think they are paid what they are worth, according to new research. Non-management staff are among the most likely (48%) to feel underpaid, and they are least likely (33%) to have had a pay rise within the last six months, according to a poll by HR software provider CIPHR. Read Story.

HR leaders’ number one priority for 2022 is building critical skills and competencies
Workplace Insight: Nearly 60 percent of HR leaders reported that building critical skills and competencies will be their number one priority in 2022, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. The survey of more than 550 HR leaders in July 2021, claims the other top HR priorities for 2022 are: organisational design and change management (48 percent), current and future leadership bench (45 percent), the future of work (42 percent) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) (35 percent). Read Story.

Productivity concerns remain as more people tentatively return to office
Workplace Insight: As footfall in the city of London reaches 39 percent of pre-pandemic levels, its highest rate since early 2020, new findings reveal widespread concern about productivity from leading business decision makers with hybrid working models setting in post pandemic. The findings show that over half (51 percent) of UK business decision makers are worried about productivity in the workplace, with 74 percent showing at least some concern as we move into the next stages of the Covid crisis. Read Story.

Third of contractors have left self-employment ‘when firms need them most’
Personnel Today: More than a third of contractors have been forced out of self-employment over the past 12 months because of the introduction of IR35 reforms, which has potentially reduced employers’ ability to access flexible skills. Read Story.

Half of employees affected by NHS Covid backlog delays, study finds
People Management: Report also reveals majority of workers experienced poor mental health in the last year, as experts advise employers to give it the same ‘priority of care’ as physical health Employees have been significantly impacted by the NHS backlog caused by the pandemic, a government-backed report has found. Read Story.

Employees encouraged to adopt mindfulness practices to improve wellbeing
HR Magazine: A simple movement-based programme which encourages mindfulness while exercising has been shown to drastically increase workers’ mental wellbeing compared with exercising alone. A new scientific study led by Professor Brendon Stubbs in partnership with sports brand Asics found workers who used an audio programme alongside a walk or run for 30 minutes twice a week for eight weeks saw huge improvements in their wellbeing. Read Story.

Half of Brits don't believe equal opportunity at work will ever be achieved, poll finds
People Management: Half of people don’t believe that equality will be reached in the workplace, according to research, but experts say firms need to offer more training and review their people management processes. A recent survey by Hays, which polled 3,100 professionals and employers, found that 51 per cent of professionals don’t believe people from all backgrounds would ever have equal opportunity to succeed within their organisation. Read Story.

Third of people choose to self fund private treatment
Healthcare & Protection: New figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) reveal that in the first half of 2021 people self-funding hospital-based private treatment made up a third (32.9%) of all private admissions for the first time. Read Story.

Impact of flexible work demonstrates a fragile post-pandemic business world
Workplace Insight: Lucid and Vitreous World, have launched the results of new research that surveyed individuals across the UK to analyse employee sentiment and the impact of flexible work as a direct result of the pandemic. The survey has raised feelings of anxiety, mounting pressure, and hesitancy to transition back to the workplace amongst employees, with many feeling that the work environment is not welcoming, supportive or positive. Read Story.

UK gender pay gap progress slow as motherhood penalty persists
Personnel Today: The UK’s gender pay gap has continued its downward trend but the pay penalty experienced by women over 40 perseveres, according to data released today by the Office for National Statistics. In 2021, the gap among full-time employees was 7.9%, up from 7.0% in 2020. This is still below the gap of 9.0% before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, and so the downward trend is continuing. Read Story.

Budget 2021: Pay rises, scale up visa and universal credit reforms announced
Personnel Today: Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed wage increases for the lowest paid workers and public sector staff in his Budget today, as well as changes to Universal Credit (Wednesday 27 October). As announced earlier this week, national living wage will increase to £9.50 an hour from 1 April 2022 – a 6.6% increase on the current rate of £8.91. Read Story.

Living wage workers to receive pay rise in April as part of chancellor’s budget plans
People Management: Experts say the increase is sorely needed by low-paid workers, but warn it could put a strain on employers who face a “double whammy” with rises to National Insurance. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to reveal a 6.6 per cent increase to the national living wage in tomorrow’s budget announcement. Read Story.

21% feel isolated working from home
Employee Benefits: A fifth of employees feel being isolated in a home office during the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing, according to new research. In a poll of 1,000 people by Gazprom Marketing and Trading (GM&T), 21% said working from home had affected their mental health, with 41% adding that not being able to socialise with colleagues was what they missed most. Read Story.

UK workers believe AI offers better career support than people
HR Magazine: Nearly three-quarters (71%) of UK workers said AI or 'robots' give them better support for their careers than people do, as they feel unheard by their employers. Almost two-thirds (65%) said they would take the recommendations of robots when making changes to their career, and 77% said they would rely on tech to help them identify the skills they need to develop. Read Story.

Britain’s best incentives rated by young people
Corporate Adviser: Financial bonuses have been identified as the most desired incentive and reward in the workplace by younger people, according to a new survey from rewards and incentivisation platform, BeeLiked. Read Story.

Flexible working and tech innovation deliver massive boost to economies
Workplace Insight: A new study from Citrix claims that the adoption of new technology and ways of working over last year drove an extra $678 billion in revenue across industries. According to The Era of Hyper Innovation, investments in new technology and flexible working models over the last year fuelled a $678 billion boost in revenue across industries around the world. And the stage is set for continued growth. Read Story.

Report calls for more pensions reassurance
Employee Benefits: Reward and pensions professionals need to put employee communication and reassurance front and centre if they want to maintain engagement when they carry out a pension scheme change consultation, according to a new report. Read Story.

Low-paid jobs fall to lowest levels since 1997
HR Review: The proportion of low-paid employee jobs, based on hourly pay, fell to just 14 per cent in 2021 – the lowest since the series began in 1997. According to new research released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of low-paid jobs has fallen substantially over 2021, falling to 14.2 per cent. Read Story.

UK gender pay gap progress slow
Employee Benefits: The UK gender pay gap has continued its downward trend but the pay penalty experienced by women over 40 perseveres, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2021, the pay gap among full-time employees was 7.9%, up from 7.0% in 2020. This is still below the difference of 9.0% before the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic in 2019, and so the downward trend is continuing. Read Story.

Over two thirds of young savers have negative perception of pensions
Pensions Age: More than a third (39.9 per cent) savers aged 18-35 are 'pessimistic and disinterested' towards pensions, whilst a further 32.9 per cent are 'worried and unsure', according to research from the Pension Policy Institute (PPI). Read Story.

Average earnings surge as furloughed employees return to work, official figures show
People Management: Average earnings surged last year, official figures have shown, with the increase largely driven by a rebound in the income of those most affected by the pandemic. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found the median weekly earnings for full time employees increased by 4.3 per cent to £611 in April 2021, compared to the previous year, which was £586. This was the highest year-on-year growth since 2008, the ONS said. Read Story.

Employers warn of ‘glaring gaps’ in chancellor’s skills investment plan
People Management: Yesterday’s budget announcement has left “glaring gaps” in the UK’s future skills strategy, experts have warned, with business groups concerned over the focus on T-levels and the apprenticeship levy. Read Story.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Claims largely consistent with pre-pandemic levels
Healthcare & Protection: The number of breast cancer claims appear to have largely held up during the course of the whole of pandemic when compared with 2019 levels, insurers have told Health & Protection. Read Story.

Three quarters of UK businesses think that remote workers pose a greater threat than office workers
Workplace Insight: In a survey of UK cyber security, IT and business professionals commissioned by WatchGuard Technologies, 75 percent of respondents believe that remote workers pose a greater IT security risk to their business than office workers. Read Story.

High hopes Gen Z will close the digital skills gap – but young people are in a confidence crisis
Workplace Insight: Three-quarters of tech leaders think Gen Z will solve the digital skills shortage (72 percent), with an even higher number (77 percent) believing these ‘digital-natives’ have the best ability of any generation. However, while half of Gen Z have a career in tech or firm plans to pursue one in the next five years (46 percent), they have low confidence in their digital abilities. Read Story.

Green skills training must become a priority, report urges
HR Review: A recent report released by the Environmental Audit Committee emphasises the need for the UK workforce to level up in ‘green skills’ as the eco-friendly demands of the future economy emerge. Read Story.

Workplace balance of power shifts to favour employees
HR Review: According to a new survey conducted by BCW, workplace power dynamics have shifted in favour of employees. A new report finds that over half of all employees now feel more empowered to influence change in their workplace compared to a year ago, including with their employer’s business strategy (54 per cent), company culture (55 per cent) and their work experience (59 per cent). Read Story.

Half of employees under excessive stress
Employee Benefits: Nearly half of UK employees (47%) say they have experienced “excessive” stress in their workplace over the past year, prompting one in eight (13%) to consider quitting their job and nearly one in 10 (9%) to actually to do so. Read Story.