Each employee in the UK wastes an average of 40 days every year, according to a new survey by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).It found that 80 per cent of workers admit to wasting time every day, with half of these wasting between two and three hours.When asked to give reasons, 42 per cent [...]

Over three million UK workers are afraid they will lose their job over the next 12 months, according to a new poll commissioned by the TUC.The union found that 13 per cent of the country’s workforce – or 3.3 million individuals – feel they may be out of work in a year’s time.Confidence was lowest [...]

Employers have been warned about fake sick notes which are being sold on the internet and resemble almost identically genuine notes from registered GPs. The NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service is looking into claims that a website called www.doctorsnotestore.com is offering sick notes in exchange for cash.Bearing the signatures of real doctors and [...]

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the government to reduce the burden of regulation on smaller companies ahead of the introduction of new worker training rights.Last month, Skills Secretary John Denham published a consultation into proposals which would give employees the right to request time off for training.While the FSB has acknowledged [...]

Older employees are more adaptable to change than their younger counterparts, according to new research from the people assessment firm Talent Q.Its study found that while younger workers claim to possess better communication skills than those older than them, they are actually less responsive to the changing workplace.They were also found to be less organised, [...]

New technologies are being introduced to the workplace by younger workers who are already familiar with them, 3 UK has suggested.According to the mobile media company, younger generations have grown up with technology and are slowly introducing it to their employers.Renato Bottini, head of business at 3 UK, said these new methods of communication can [...]

Giving employees feedback on their performance is key to helping them increase their communication and negotiation skills, it has been suggested.According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), such skills are often developed through on the job experience and feedback can help to hone them."Companies are trying to ensure that people get far [...]

The government has launched a consultation into flexible working to examine how dealing with employee requests can be made easier for businesses.Earlier this year, it was recommended that the right to request flexible working be extended to all parents with children under the age of 16.The proposals were widely welcomed, but employers raised concerns about [...]

Employers are being urged to ensure their meetings run more efficiently by drawing up agendas, recording minutes and asking staff to participate.Research by Proudfoot Consulting shows that businesses are wasting significant sums of money by failing to plan ahead and follow up their discussions.Only 29 per cent of respondents to the operational improvement consultancy’s survey [...]

A new stakeholder group designed to advise ministers on the implementation of the new Equality Bill has been set up by the government.Meeting once per month, the group will offer advice to the Government Equalities Office on how to strengthen equality protection and streamline discrimination laws.The Equality Bill – a draft of which is expected [...]