As business owners encourage employees back to the office, whether full-time or on a flexible-working basis, the look, feel, and comfort of the workplace matters more than ever. The transition back to pre-Covid working patterns, has been met with mixed reactions. Hybrid working has highlighted efficiencies in team operations, such as improved work life balance and reduced commute times. These benefits have prompted employers to evaluate and optimise their work practices, and understand how best their employees work. However, maintaining an inviting and well appointed office still remains important. When face-to-face interaction is necessary, a thoughtfully designed workspace ensures that…
Author: Greg Robinson
The UK is grappling with a quiet burnout epidemic that is eroding the mental health of our workforce and harming productivity. And it’s getting worse. Fixing this should be an urgent priority for business leaders and HR teams around the country. But it shouldn’t require paying for an expensive wellness consultant. Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero looks at how bad the problem is and my ideas for fixing it. The smouldering rise of burnout The numbers are startling. Employment Hero’s Wellbeing at Work report revealed that a staggering 65% of UK workers have experienced burnout in the…
Duncan Jackson, CEO of Buckles Solicitors, explores the Murdoch legal dispute in depth, highlighting the critical lessons it offers to family businesses. He outlines the essential steps every family enterprise should take to avoid the pitfalls of power struggles and ensure long-term stability. Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old media mogul behind the global media giants News Corp and Fox, is now at the centre of a legal dispute that could determine the future leadership of his £14.9 billion family trust. The case, which has drawn parallels to the popular TV show Succession, highlights the intricate challenges of succession planning within family…
Effective leadership is about so much more than economic success. It’s also about guiding a business – and its people – to their full potential, by giving them the best version of you. Soft skills like communication and compassion are often overlooked in favour of more concrete achievements like degree certificates and years of experience when hiring new leaders. Nevertheless, it’s these skills that allow those in high-ranking positions to make a real difference in their stewardship role. As new execs step into management positions and budding entrepreneurs set off on their new business ventures, they must therefore remain open…
Football and fintech came together for a panel discussion focused on the transformation of Fulham Pier, its impact on the local community and the future of the football fan experience.The discussion was hosted by Fulham fan, author and personality, Richard Osman, and featured key figures including Alistair Mackintosh, CEO of Fulham Football Club, Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham Football Club, Tony Warren, EVP of Strategy at leading fintech, FIS and Councillor Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council. FIS has partnered with Fulham Football Club to create a centre for innovation at the Fulham Pier The state-of-the-art Markers, presented…
Absenteeism affects all workplaces and costs them a significant amount in lost time and productivity. It is estimated 4.8 days a year are lost per employee in the UK, the highest rate of absenteeism in a decade. And it is important to note that this is not referring to authorised days off for holiday or sickness but rather the unexpected and unscheduled days or hours lost to other causes. A large proportion of these days can be attributed to long-term health conditions, which according to ONS figures, accounted for nearly 105 million lost days to sickness absence. The causes include…
The government’s new plans to restrict levy funding of level 7 apprenticeships will widen the skills gap, hinder the economy and have a significant financial impact on SME employers needing to develop future managers, business leaders or fill specialist roles. The warning comes from the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) which has produced a new national report in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University to explore the critical purpose of training apprentices of all ages to deliver jobs of the future. The report also explores the importance of older apprentices to employers in a shifting labour market and the impact higher and degree apprenticeships, such…
With climate change high on the agenda and social inequality on the rise, it’s more important than ever that startups consider their impact on communities and the environment around them. Customers, stakeholders and socially-minded investors now demand that startups explain their purpose – the pure pursuit of profit alone is no longer enough. Encouragingly, and perhaps contrary to popular belief, purpose doesn’t have to be at the expense of profit. Research shows that mission-led companies experience higher market shares and three times faster growth compared to their competitors, all while enjoying higher satisfaction rates from their customers and their workforce.…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live and work. If you’ve used tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or Jasper AI, or asked AI assistants like Alexa or Google Home to organise your daily routine, you’ll know about the enormous benefits AI can provide. Whether you’re writing, coding, designing, or simply curious about a subject, AI models use natural language processing and deep learning algorithms to examine and understand a user’s query or instruction. But AI tools are only as good as the information – the prompts – you give them. Get this wrong and you won’t…
The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) has today (17 October) revealed its latest report — “Building Resilience to Flooding in Wales by 2050”. The report presents bold but practical recommendations for Welsh Ministers to future-proof Wales against the growing risks of flooding over the next 25+ years. With one in seven properties in Wales now at risk of flooding, the report couldn’t come at a more important time — especially with this figure set to increase by more than a third as the effects of climate change worsen* and the UK Committee on Climate Change warning that Wales is…