(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 16th – 22th January 2023
Photo by Bank Phrom on Unsplash
Branding Helps Employees Understand Hybrid Structures
Hybrid working is here to stay but finding a policy that works for employees is another story, say more than four-fifths (88%) of CEOs surveyed by Deloitte. Another survey by Mercer reveals that only a third of employers have a set hybrid policy while the rest work informally. As a result, employees have difficulty understanding an employer's hybrid structure, according to Fishbowl. This has prompted employers to brand and promote their hybrid working options.. Some honourable mentions include Spotify’s “Your Work Mode”, 3M’s “Work Your Way” and KPMG’s “Flex with Purpose”. Source: BNN Bloomberg.
Reskilling/Upskilling Veterans
Six companies (Capita, Northrop Grumman, Atos, Leonardo UK, Fujitsu and Leidos) have joined 15,000 Futures to help veterans gain digital skills that will help them obtain civilian employment. Created by WithYouWithMe, the skills firm aims to match veterans to in-demand digital roles through aptitude and psychometric tests in an effort to remedy the labour shortage and integrate ex-soldiers into the civilian workforce. Source: HR Magazine.
Second Jobs Seen As Risk To Employers
A study by Partners& of 169 employers (representing 189,000 employees) has revealed that the majority of employers (85%) saw employees with a second/multiple jobs as a risk. The companies cited a variety of reasons, including burnout and productivity issues. It was also revealed that only 9% believed that there were no risks. The poll found that a third of employers (36%) know that 17% of employees already have second jobs and suspect that an additional 19% may have. Jane Bradshaw-Jones, HR Technical Consultant at AdviserPlus, explains that this is inevitable due to the cost of living crisis: “The cost-of-living crisis shows no sign of abating, and employers are also being hit by rising costs and the imminent impact of recession so many won’t be able to offer wide-scale pay increases to counter the impact. Second jobs may be the only option for some employees so employers may need to prepare for requests for more flexible working. It’s also important for employers to communicate new opportunities within their business to their employees so they are aware of internal options they could consider to help them to progress without having to look externally.” Source: HR Magazine and People Management.
Teachers Strike To Impact Parents And Workforces
Teachers from England and Wales are set to strike for a series of one-day regional strikes, which will affect c23,400 schools as a result of a 23% fall in pay for teachers and 27% fall for support staff between 2010 and 2022. The National Education Union (NEU) has asked the government for a fully-funded above-inflation pay rise. However, they were only offered a c5% increase which is about 7% behind inflation and significantly lower than what a majority of private organisations have offered their employees. The NEU has balloted c300,000 teachers and support staff members across England and Wales with almost all of those who voted in favour of striking - in England 53% voted with 90% in favour and in Wales 58% voted with 92% in favour. As this is only the start, the union reminds the government of the negative impact that a delay in sufficient pay increases will have on children, parents and various workforces due to time taken off for child care. In Scotland the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union has already extended their 16 day strike for an additional 22 days. Source: Personnel Today and HR Magazine.
Global Unemployment Crisis, Impacting Women and Younger Workers
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has revealed that global unemployment will increase from c3 million to 208 million (5.8%), remaining just above the 2019 pre-crisis benchmark by 16 million. This is a result of a shortage of better quality job opportunities in high-income countries, which along with the rising inflation rates will force more people into poverty and lower-quality jobs with low pay and no guaranteed hours or benefits. ILO states that the 2022 global jobs gap stood at 473 million which is c33 million above 2019’s records, predominantly impacting women, who are twice as likely as men to be in unemployment, and younger workers between 15 to 24. Source: Personnel Today.