30 August 2005
Still
at work?
The Work Foundation. 25 August 2005
New research on work-life balance by The Work Foundation shows that 30% of
Britons are failing to take their annual leave entitlement and it is because
they believe they are 'too busy'. Even when most are lying by the pool many
workers feel guilty and continue to check their email and mobile phones for
messages.
Scrap
bank holidays!
The Observer. 28 August 2005
The stress of bank holidays leads The Observer to suggest that bank holidays
should be scrapped.
22 August 2005
Families
and IT links help save working village
The Guardian. 22 August 2005
A new report from the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC), Under the Radar,
reveals how Britain's rural economy is being reinforced by arrivals working
from home. This feature looks at how information technology is helping people
to work from home and combine work and family life in Robin Hood’s Bay.
Overtime ‘increases
risk of illness’
The Guardian. 18 August 2005
People who work long hours or overtime increase their risk of job-related illnesses
and injuries, according to research published today in the journal Occupational
and Environmental Medicine. Working at least 12 hours a day is linked to a
38 per cent increased risk of injury and working 60 hours a week or more is
linked to a 23 per cent greater chance of being hurt at work.
Tribunal
awards damages in flexible working case Equal Opportunities Commission.
11 August 2005
A part-time payroll worker whose employer demanded she start working full time
and refused to consider suitable flexible work options was awarded £29,294
in damages by a Southampton employment tribunal on 10 August.
Employers
'pleased to let workers take sabbaticals' People Management.
11 August 2005.
Two-thirds of employers believe sabbatical schemes help them to retain staff,
according to research by volunteer travel organisation i-to-i. Almost 60 per
cent of the companies surveyed thought that career breaks could enhance employees'
skills, and 55 per cent believed that sabbaticals motivated workers
16 August 2005
Modern
women beat 1950s mums
The Guardian . 16 August 2005
A YouGov survey of 500 women has found that today's mothers fit in more tasks
than their 1950s counterparts, despite spending fewer hours at home. This is
partly because technology means the time spent on domestic chores is much less,
and partly because men help out more around the home. Women don't spend the
time on themselves though - they spend more quality time with their children
than the previous generation did. The Guardian p7.
Long hours do not improve
performance
Financial Times. 16 August 2005
Managers at top performing companies only work one hour a week longer than
those at businesses whose financial results are poor, according to a study
by McKinsey of 135 manufacturing companies. The Financial Times p4.
Flexible
working tool
Business Link. 11 August 2005
The Business Link website includes a tool to help you work out the best type
of flexible working for your business.
11 August 2005
Have you seen the new Benchmarking
section for SMEs?
Council
aims for 100% flexible workforce
Personnel Today. 2 August 2005.
The London borough of Barnet has started a three year IT overhaul to underpin
plans to offer its entire workforce mobile and flexible working. The £20m
infrastructure will cover more than 4,000 staff, from street cleaners to HR
services. All departments across the council are to put together plans for
mobile working projects so that staff can access databases from anywhere in
the borough.
Working
with Fathers: a six step guide
Fathers Direct. 29 July 2005
Fathers Direct has published a new guide to help employers and service providers
engage effectively with fathers and other male carers. It includes practical
tips and strategies and can be ordered from the Fathers
Direct website.
2 August 2005
Work-related
stress: a guide
Department for Trade & Industry . 18 July 2005
This leaflet o outlines an agreement on work-related stress made by the European
social partners and gives recommendations about how to manage stress including
flexible working options. It includes a list of practical resources and further
sources of information. It is available online or can be ordered free from
DTI Publications.
