Legal market slump could force lawyers back into offices, Keystone Law chief says July 21, 2022 A slump in the market for legal services could see the UK’s top law firms put greater pressure on their lawyers to return to offices and see them begin to lay off newly hired staff, Keystone Law founder James Knight told City A.M. The push could in turn benefit fully-remote law firms such as Keystone [...]
Manufacturing Technology Centre rolls out four day week after trial boosts productivity July 4, 2022 Coventry-based firm the Manufacturing Technology Centre has rolled out a four day working week for staff after a trial period was found to have boosted productivity. The organisation, which aims to build technologies developed in academia, said that after conducting a two-year trial of flexible working with more than 600 of its staff, it would [...]
Internet jobs for less than £4 per hour: How ‘microwork’ is exploiting thousands of Brits July 2, 2022 An emerging form of internet working, dubbed ‘microwork’, is exploiting thousands of UK workers who in many cases are earning less than £4 an hour. ‘Microwork’ is a form of work on digital platforms in which short tasks are assigned to workers who are paid piece wages for completing them. This can consist of coding data to [...]
Employers could be sued if they cut remote and hybrid workers salaries, lawyers say June 28, 2022 Employers giving pay cuts to remote and hybrid workers could face discrimination lawsuits, employment lawyers have said. Companies that pay higher salaries to workers who come into the office risk being subject to sexual discrimination lawsuits, due to the fact women are more likely to work from home than men, lawyers told City A.M. Fiona [...]
Exclusive: Rotageek’s CEO on ‘the silver bullet’ for the future of flexible working June 28, 2022 The early 2020s have been difficult for business leaders and employers. Not only have they needed to cope and adjust to unpredictable levels of customer demand, but they’ve also needed to to keep their teams going through the harsh uncertainties of lockdowns, pingdemics and furloughs. These curveballs have forced businesses to accelerate the need to [...]
KPMG strikes deal with Cambridge University to study workplace wellbeing June 21, 2022 KPMG has struck a deal with Cambridge University to let researchers come into the Big Four firm to study the impacts of its mental wellbeing initiatives. The Big Four accountancy firm’s partnership will see Cambridge University researchers allowed into the company to study workplace wellbeing – with a view to developing strategies to boost productivity, [...]
Elite Magic Circle law firm lets lawyers bring dogs to the office June 19, 2022 Slaughter and May’s new managing partner is set to let lawyers bring their dogs into the London offices of the elite City firm. Deborah Finkler – who took up her new role as Slaughter and May’s first ever female managing partner last month – is set to hold the Magic Circle firm’s first ever ‘Bring [...]
Homeworking on the rise as growing number of employers introduce hybrid models for staff May 22, 2022 The pandemic has sparked a permanent increase in homeworking, with support from employers and staff for changes to working practices, according to a new report. The TUC said many workplaces and workers are still trialling new arrangements for homeworking and hybrid working and negotiating long-term policies. But there is evidence in support of change, with [...]
Dream on: Millennials want regular nap breaks and pets at work as part of the new office reality May 22, 2022 With over a third of UK workers on the brink of burnout, new research shows that half of all millennials want regular naps during their office day as office occupancy reaches its highest level since the start of the pandemic. Moreover, one in 5 millennials want to bring their pets into the office: with many getting used to spending [...]
Stretched employees face unmanageable workloads due to staff shortages, new survey show April 21, 2022 Almost two-fifths (38 per cent) of workers have said they are struggling to deal with “unmanageable” workloads, as a result of staff shortages, according to a survey from Totaljobs. At the same time, almost half (46 per cent) would like to see their companies hire more workers to make their workloads more manageable, while another [...]