Long read: the office, pay cuts, promotions and cities. Transcending the gender gap post-pandemic August 14, 2021 Cabinet ministers and CEOs are falling over themselves trying to bark us back into the office. Some are even threatening to cut our pay if we move too far away, but their sledgehammer approach is not winning converts, especially amongst women. Over the course of sixteen months of remote work, many of us have felt [...]
The influencer economy: online ranking systems are a purveyor of inequality August 13, 2021 To the victor the spoils. This well-known phrase might be thought to relate to the recent Olympics. Except that it is not a really accurate description of the Games themselves. True, the gold medallist gains more kudos than the silver or bronze. But at future athletics meets, for example, all three can expect an increase [...]
From grocery delivery to supply chains, the future of food tech is in flexibility August 13, 2021 Grocery delivery apps, promising to deliver food and drink in just 10 minutes, have become almost ubiquitous on London’s streets after more than a dozen launched in the last year. Venture-backed grocery companies have raised over $10bn so far in 2021, according to figures from Pitchbook. Less visible, but no less disruptive, we have also [...]
Screenshot: Can the City harness the power of the Netflix model? August 13, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Victoria Derbyshire’s heels hiccup **Can the City harness the power of the Netflix model? **The CMA goes for GIFs Media Moment of the Week: Victoria Derbyshire’s heels hiccup Late on Wednesday evening prolific BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire tweeted to say she’d be on air three times in a [...]
Blackstone: As streaming services climb and climb, there is a race for space for film production August 12, 2021 Britain is known across the globe as a hub for the creative industries – and one of the best places to make film and television. It has a rich history, with productions from Harry Potter and James Bond, to Indiana Jones and Star Wars dazzling audiences across the world. It’s also an industry undergoing extraordinary [...]
Editorial: Slashing staff pay for remote work is a slap-dash response to the shifts of the pandemic August 11, 2021 To say the cost of living in London is more expensive than the cost of living in rural Sussex is so obvious, it hardly bears repeating. By every price index, rent, transport, coffee, pints or food, London tops the charts. Companies have always forked out more money for employees who live in expensive metropolitan cities. [...]
DEBATE: Are too many people going to university? August 11, 2021 Another A-level results day has come and gone. After even more disruption during the school year, a record number of school leavers achieved an A or A*, prompting fears there would be too many students who make their grades and not enough places at university. Many have argued the traditional focus on university is outdated. [...]
Advanced manufacturing will be the cornerstone of Britain’s future economy August 11, 2021 This year marks the 10th birthday of the high value manufacturing catapult, a project to help companies of all sizes commercialise their cutting-edge ideas by giving them access to world class facilities, scientists and technology. British manufacturing and innovation is the future of our economy and it is now the largest advanced manufacturing research capability [...]
Britain 2030: Can the tech success story continue? August 10, 2021 As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the UK economy, one plucky industry has continued its upward march unabashed. In an understated but significant milestone last month, the British tech sector welcomed its 100th unicorn — a private company valued at $1bn or more — becoming the first country in Europe to do so. [...]
It’s time to outlaw plastic coffee cups – voluntary efforts are rife with tokenism and doomed to fail August 10, 2021 In 2017 betting firm 888 received a £7.8 million fine for failing to protect customers most susceptible to problem gambling. 7,000 people had voluntarily barred themselves from the company’s online terminals, only to find they still had access due to a technical failure in the firm’s system. New legislation will ensure the sector is doing [...]