Six steps to true racial equality in business August 26, 2020 When we look back at 2020, what will have changed in the business world? I don’t mean social distancing and remote working. I mean actual systemic change: accountability, consequences, promotions, and retention. The combination of coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has raised questions about the tech industry’s problem with Black, Asian, and [...]
A CEO’s guide to reaching net zero carbon emissions August 26, 2020 Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned last year that: “companies and industries that are not moving towards zero carbon emissions will be punished by investors and go bankrupt.” I would add customers and employees to that statement: a Net Zero commitment is becoming an expectation for companies they will buy from or work [...]
Four-in-10 Londoners expect pay rise in next 12 months despite coronavirus recession August 25, 2020 Four in 10 Londoners expect a pay rise in the 12 months despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. A survey by job board CV Library found 43.8 per cent of Londoners expected a pay bump in the next year. According to CV Library data, salaries in London increased two per cent [...]
Why the whistleblower is truly the boss’s best friend August 25, 2020 Whistleblowers have an unfair reputation.Traditionally known as the “snitch”, or the “traitor”, the whistleblower — especially in the corporate services firms — should be rebranded as the “chief executive’s best friend”. We need to change the stigma of the whistleblower. Historically, those who dared to speak up — whether to uncover a persistent culture of [...]
Can learning improv improve your presentation skills? August 25, 2020 Public speaking frequently appears at the top of lists of people’s worst fears, making it even scarier than death. So how can we address this common phobia? Improv could be the answer. After all, improv comedians have learned several techniques to help them own any room and overcome even the most hostile of audiences. Here [...]
DEBATE: Are the life chances of the Covid-19 generation damaged beyond repair? August 24, 2020 Are the life chances of the Covid-19 generation damaged beyond repair? Emma Revell, head of communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says YES. Young people have had a rough pandemic. Months of education gone, exam grades tainted by confusion and uncertainty even after the U-turn, the future burden of spiralling public debt against a [...]
We are facing a mental health crisis among our young people — one we cannot afford to ignore August 21, 2020 The cost of Covid-19 keeps climbing. So far, the government is forecast to borrow £400bn in this financial year alone. Whether we like it or not, that money will have to be paid back — but the longer social distancing measures remain in place, workers stay furloughed, and consumers save rather than spend, the greater [...]
Won’t somebody think of the graduates? Hard-hit young people need to go back to the office August 20, 2020 Recessions always hurt. Tragically, the one we face now looks particularly severe, its speed and scale staggering. With the furlough scheme being rolled back (its own cost to the economy astronomical), UK businesses are now having to stand in the way of an economic tsunami with little or no protection. There is no hiding from [...]
Seven online jobs to consider this August August 20, 2020 With a spate of redundancy and hiring freezes, and many offices likely to be locked up until 2021, we’ve seen a huge surge in job seekers searching for “online” and “remote” opportunities this summer. Offering increased flexibility and the chance to work from home around other commitments, online jobs can be a perfect solution for [...]
We cannot let workers’ rights evaporate just because we’re working from home August 13, 2020 Are we working from home, or sleeping at the office? It’s a question that captures the love-hate relationship many workers (and, indeed, employers) have with remote working. This relationship has only become more strained as the pandemic has forced thousands of us to reconfigure our homes into makeshift offices with dining tables doubling up as [...]