The latest L&D news, reports, research and company updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook
Businesses fail to unlock the full potential of their employees
Businesses in the United Kingdom are most likely to say they are failing to unlock the full potential of their employees and poor workforce planning is holding back growth for most organisations, a survey conducted in 13 countries by specialty talent solutions provider Kelly has found.
The fourth annual global workforce report from Kelly, titled Building a Resilient Workforce in the Age of AI, shows more than half of senior executives in the UK are not unlocking the full potential of their workforce (51%) and that poor workforce planning is impeding business growth (52%). Four in 10 executives (43%) say they are missing business opportunities due to a lack of talent.
The most annoying colleagues revealed
Research found that 85% of employees have had an annoying colleague. 58% also said that facing these behaviours in the workplace deeply impacts their productivity.
Peter Duris, CEO at Kickresume, comments: “People often avoid direct confrontation, which shows that many workplaces might lack good communication training and conflict resolution resources. Fixing these issues could make employees happier and create a more supportive work environment.”
Research exposes workplace digital crisis
The majority of employees and managers agree that companies are not effectively addressing the issue of digital noise, draining businesses’ ability to stay competitive and adapt to today’s market driven by volatile economic fluctuations and technological advancements.
The rate at which workers report being distracted should be of critical concern to business leaders. Unily’s latest research report, the ‘Digital Noise Impact Report,’ shows that nearly half of all employees are distracted at least once every 30 minutes, and almost a third report being distracted at least once every 15 minutes by a workplace notification. That means employees working 8-hour days could be experiencing over 160 distractions from their workplace digital tools each week.
Female employees call for a change in menopausal policies
In today’s workplace landscape, the need for support for employees experiencing menopause is gaining recognition. However, data shows that this continues to be a vastly overlooked area in many workplaces.
According to research conducted by KPMG UK, up to 66% of working adults who are perimenopausal, menopausal, or postmenopausal feel that menopause is still a taboo subject. Over 43% of these individuals believe that menopause has either created or could create obstacles in the workplace.
Music and productivity study
As more and more workers have gradually returned to office environments in the aftermath of the pandemic, age-old office debates and bugbears are beginning to resurface. The topic of whether or not to play music in the office is a particularly contentious one.
“Contrary to what people might think, music has the ability to help us concentrate,” explains d’Souza, whose research explores the types of music that help with focus, limit distractions and increase productivity. “Music affects the brain in many ways.”
Bad managers make employees feel less valued
Workers who reported having a highly effective manager were more than twice as likely to feel a deep sense of commitment to their employer. Exemplary leadership has a ripple effect; 87% of highly effective people managers say supervisors who report to them are among the best managers in their organisation.
Contrary to the beliefs of many C-suiters, who’ve said they view retaining talent as primarily an HR responsibility, managers may be critical to retention, according to separate survey results from talent management platform Beamery.
Investment in veterans
As part of its commitment to former members of the armed forces, Gander & White has overhauled its recruitment protocol and language to better illustrate the suitability of roles available to military veterans across the global fine art logistics sector. The Royal Warrant-holding company is an accredited member of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and is registered with the Career Transition Partnership, the Ministry of Defence’s official resettlement scheme.
Alexander Bradford, comments: “Military veterans share our values of respect, integrity, service, and excellence. They have also often received training and achieved qualifications that make them ideally suited to the world of fine art logistics.”
Study links high-fat diet to increased anxiety
The study found that in animals, a high-fat diet disrupts resident gut bacteria, alters behaviour and, through a complex pathway connecting the gut to the brain, influences brain chemicals in ways that fuel anxiety.
Some human studies have also shown that replacing a high-fat, high-sugar, ultra-processed diet with a healthier one can reduce depression and anxiety.
