(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 28th August – 3rd September 2023
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Pension issues: Brits consider leaving the UK
Investing Reviews’ recent survey found that more than two-thirds (68.71%) of Brits want a reduced retirement age.
Age UK states that the UK’s current State Pension age is 66 years old but is set to increase from 6 May 2026.
The survey also found that more than two-thirds (71.16%) of its participants believe it would be difficult to comfortably retire in the UK. As a result, nearly half (42.66%) of respondents have shared a desire to live and retire abroad.
Nearly two-thirds (62.60%) of respondents are worried their pensions are inadequate for a comfortable retirement and more than half (55.82%) say this is because they are unable to contribute the desired amount to their pension funds - highlighting the UK’s high inflation rates and the cost of living crisis.
This has led almost half (42.66%) of Brits to consider changing employers for better pension contributions.
Surprisingly, just over a third (34.93%) of respondents say they don’t know how much is in their pension fund.
Investing Reviews’ study also found a disparity between employers pension contribution rates - the public administration industry contributions are relatively higher (20%) when compared with the wholesale and retail trade industry (1.3%).
Simon Jones, CEO of Investing Reviews says, this insight clearly shows the British public's attitudes towards pension funds and the current retirement age, along with the impact of the cost of living crisis - mirroring the sentiment in France.
Sources: HR Review and International Accounting Bulletin.
Gen Z employees are taking lessons in professionalism
A recent Resume Builder survey of 1,548 business leaders showed nearly half (45%) are currently running office etiquette courses and an additional 18% are preparing to do the same by 2024.
The survey also found that nearly two-thirds (60%) of employers will require all employees to be trained in office etiquette by 2024, while 10% of employers will target the training to Gen Z and graduates.
The need for office etiquette training has come as a response to younger employees using informal and casual language at work during virtual and in-person interactions. A TikTok trend of Gen Z employees using sarcastic and witty email signatures followed. Ninety Eight, a digital marketing firm run by Gen Z employees who took part in the trend, gained over a million views on the app after sharing employees' email signatures.
Celine Chai, Co-Founder of Ninety Eight says, her staff use their discretion when interacting informally and the level of casual behaviour changes based on their relationships with clients. Chai adds that Gen Z employees understand that delivering quality work is what really matters and it isn’t necessary to stick to long-standing professional norms.
Cara Shortsleeve, CEO and Co-Founder of the Leadership Consortium adds, that there are some instances where it is important to adhere to professional norms to ensure that there are no misinterpretations, and the use of casual language could create a barrier between employees from different generations. Shortsleeve added that external clients may also find the use of casual language unprofessional.
Sources: WorkLife and Resume Builder.
How can employers promote collaboration in a diverse team?
Diversity is important in a team - cultural, political, religious, personality and gender differences are all opportunities for learning and innovation but these differences can often create conflict, according to Elisabet Vinberg Hearn, Managing Director at Think Solutions.
This, she explains, is due to the perspective that an individual may feel they have the right answer and then close themselves off from others' experience and ideas.
Indeed, Elisabet authored a book with Mandy Flint entitled The Team Formula, which explores how a diverse group of people can collaborate and work as a team. They explain how conflict is just a difference of opinions and often, to avoid it, individuals won’t address issues in the hope the situation doesn’t escalate or become more uncomfortable. But conflict, said Hearn, doesn’t have to be seen in a negative light.
She adds that a difference in opinions can lead to healthy debate, positive change and better results, rather than isolation and avoidance.
To help do this, Hearn suggests:
Welcoming differences of opinions and seeing them as a chance to learn something new. Using communication to improve awareness and understanding.
Being curious - perhaps asking questions without judgement and taking an interest when strategies are suggested.
Focusing on a common goal and discussing how it can be achieved together.
Plus, assigning tasks to individuals based on strengths helps collaboration and can reduce unhealthy competition.
Hearn sums up by saying that teams who have worked through conflict are stronger as a result.
Source: HRZONE.
And here are links to other really interesting news stories this week:
HR Magazine: What should HR do if an employee is stranded abroad?
HR Review: Brits refuse to travel more than 60 minutes post-pandemic
The HR Director: Some SMEs take over 90 days to pay their contract staff
People Management: CCTV, fines for firms, compulsory training: your ideas to help to eliminate workplace sexual harassment