UK managers work fewer hours than those in the US May 5, 2015 Managing a team can of employees can be tough, but managers in the UK have an easier ride than their US counterparts, because they get to work shorter hours. Research by professional services firm Ernst and Young, based on interviews with 9,699 full-time employees in eight different countries, found just over a third of UK managers work [...]
Tech sector job creation climbs to new high but skills focus needed May 5, 2015 UK technology companies’ hiring has reached a record high despite the industry reporting slower growth in business. The tech sector UK business activity index published today by consultants KPMG and financial information firm Markit scored 55.7 for the first three months of the year. Any figure above 50 represents growth with higher scores marking faster [...]
Professional job vacancies soar as pay climbs in “further positive indicator of economic confidence” May 4, 2015 The professional jobs market has brushed off the UK economy’s weak start to the year, according to figures released today by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (Apsco) . Permanent openings for lawyers, accountants and engineers climbed 20 per cent in April compared with the same month last year. Demand is highest for engineers where [...]
UK unemployment has stalled, but it’s set to fall again under the Conservatives May 1, 2015 The nation's unemployment rate was heading a steep downward slope until the beginning of the year, but since January it has barely changed. Over the four months ending in April, the Adzuna unemployment predictor estimates the proportion of people out of work went down from 5.6 per cent to 5.58 per cent – this [...]
Woolworths redundancy case: European Court of Justice decision good for business, lawyers say April 30, 2015 British businesses breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the UK government in the controversial Woolworths redundancy case. The case dates back to Woolworth's demise in 2008 (and subsequently 2010, when it also affected former Ethel Austin staff), when more than 4,000 employees did [...]
Workers over the age of 50 are disproportionately likely to feel their career has stalled April 28, 2015 Workers over the age of 50 are disproportionately likely to feel their career has stalled, according to new research. In fact, just 12 per cent feel their career is progressing, compared with a third of those under 50. The study, by Axa PPP Healthcare, suggested that a third of those over 50 felt they didn't [...]
David Cameron says Libor scandal bank fines will help fund £200m apprenticeship plan for the unemployed April 27, 2015 David Cameron is to announce today a £200m fund aimed at creating 50,000 new apprenticeships for young unemployed people. Money from Libor fines is being used to create the three year fund, which is part of the Conservatives’ plan to abolish long-term youth unemployment, a spokesperson said. “It all comes back to our values: being [...]
These are the five industries where employers are desperate to hire new graduates April 27, 2015 As the end of the semester approaches, a new crop of graduates are about to be unleashed, wide-eyed, on one of the most competitive jobs markets in years. How can they get the edge over their peers? New research has suggested the industries where companies are desperate to hire graduates include IT, where 39 per [...]
More shoppers are supporting living wages April 26, 2015 Public sentiment toward the living wage campaign – the campaign to get employers to pay workers a calculated wage higher than the minimum wage – is on the climb. A survey published today by financial services firm KPMG found that seven out of 10 UK adults would consciously shop in favour of a retail chain [...]
It’s crunch time for the UK’s skills shortage: Our politicians must wake up April 26, 2015 Following the launch of the election manifestos, voters will be looking to understand exactly where each party is positioned on key issues from immigration and foreign policy to the NHS. Yet there is one area which still needs particular attention: addressing the UK’s skills shortages. This means making sure that British businesses have the right [...]