Top 10 stories from this week: Employers brace for turbulent months ahead
Looking across the HR press this week it is clear that pay, the cost of living and employee relations are topping the workplace agenda. And with the confirmation of more strike action across the UK’s rail network providing just one example of disquiet among employees, the need to engage and deliver open communication that supports a positive workplace culture is critical.
Figures from the CIPD revealed that more than half of employers believe the UK is entering an unstable period of employment relations. And although Trade Unions can often be portrayed negatively, the CIPD found that the majority of employers believe unions provide essential protection for employees from bad management (55% compared with 22% who disagree).
Regardless of whether your organisation is unionised, engaging with employee representatives - either in a union or as part of an employee network or group - can yield positive results for both employees and their organisations. It is this ongoing dialogue which will help to smooth the challenges that lay ahead.
For more reward and employee benefits news you might have missed this week, read our top 10 snippets below.
More than half of employers think UK is set for more unstable employment relations, research finds
People Management More than half (53 per cent) of employers believe the UK is entering a new, more unstable period of employment relations, driven by falling wages, a cost of living crisis and a tight labour market, new CIPD research has revealed. Read more
Low paternity pay makes fathers reluctant to take leave
HR Magazine Low paternity pay meant just a third of eligible new fathers took paternity leave in the last year.
Research from commercial law firm EMW found just 204,000 fathers took paternity leave in 2021/22, compared to 636,000 mothers. Read more
Financial wellbeing concerns rise amid cost-of-living crisis
Cover Magazine UK adults have expressed an increase in financial wellbeing concerns as the cost of living crisis shows no signs of abating, according to MetLife UK research. Read more
Hybrid work could mean employers are overlooking disabled staff
HR Magazine Disabled employees are concerned they will lose out on opportunities at work due to working remotely.
New research from The Work Foundation found 70% of disabled workers said it would negatively impact their physical or mental health if their employer did not allow them to work remotely. Read more
Two in three workers say financial situation is affecting mental health
People Management The majority of UK adults are concerned about their financial situation amid the cost of living crisis, with money worries proving detrimental to their mental health, research has found. Read more
Over half of staff consider quitting over poor pay
HR Grapevine Over half of UK employees would consider quitting a poor paying job to pursue a pay rise, new data has found. Read more
Quarter of savers forfeiting contributions due to cost of living
Professional Pensions A significant portion of savers are pulling out of their workplace pension to try and cope with the cost of living crisis, research from Charles Stanley shows. Read more
Next prime minister ‘must introduce ethnicity pay gap reporting’
Personnel Today The next prime minister should resume efforts to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting, preferably by April 2023, responsible business network Business in the Community has urged. Read more
DWP extends pensions dashboards staging window
Professional Pensions The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it will extend the pensions dashboards first staging window from three to five months. Read more
Homeworking in the UK more than doubles
Personnel Today The number of people working from home has more than doubled when compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to official homeworking statistics for the UK in 2022. Read more
