The latest L&D news, reports, research and company updates, personally compiled by TJ’s Editor, Jo Cook
AI in HR panel
Editor Jo Cook is speaking on an AI HR panel discussion today, which is virtual and available online.
You can read more about the topic in a feature here.
And you can register for the free online event that’s at 6pm UK time today.
‘Right to switch off’ should recognise the need for flexibility, says CIPD
The CIPD says the government’s proposed ‘right to switch off’ should be developed in consultation with employers and allow for some flexibility.
Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, says: “It’s important that any new ‘right to switch off’ is introduced with sufficient flexibility to enable employers to contact employees outside normal working hours where unforeseen circumstances require this, for example due to sickness absence.”
Parents and teachers urged to prioritise soft skills and help young people into work
An education platform founded by lawyers and educational experts to upskill young people with a range of critical soft skills believes parents and teachers can play a pivotal role in better preparing children for a looming workplace crisis.
By 2025, a third of the UK workforce will be Gen Z but 41% of business leaders believe this generation is largely unprepared for the workforce. The Junior Lawyers Club, which provides online confidence-building workshops for children aged nine to 18, says that despite this generation being the UK’s most educated, young people often lack key soft skills.
Dive in festival registration opens in record breaking 48 countries
Registration for the 2024 Dive In Festival, the leading global event promoting diversity and inclusion in the business sector, is now open. The annual festival, scheduled for 24 – 26 September, will host over 130 hybrid events across a record breaking 48 countries, allowing participants worldwide to engage in real-time.
This year’s festival will feature prominent speakers, including five-time Olympic Champion and Laura Kenny. Also speaking are Jelena Dokic, former world number 4 tennis player and resilience advocate; Xavier Ramey, CEO of Justice Informed; and Tracey Gendron, author and global speaker on age bias. With the festival expecting more participants than ever before, Dive In continues to expand its global impact, engaging professionals across the Americas, South Africa, Singapore, and beyond.
Top cybersecurity threats in global threat intelligence report from Mimecast
Mimecast, a leading global Human Risk Management platform, published its Global Threat Intelligence Report 2024 H1, revealing malicious links and AI-driven bots in call centres to be among the greatest threats to cybersecurity defences, with small businesses bearing the brunt of attacks.
The report analyses the threat landscape during the first six months of 2024 and offers actionable steps for organisations of all sizes to improve cyber defences. Key findings from the report include: AI-enabled scams and small businesses remain the prime target.
Recent riots reinforce need for social media policies as employers fear offensive posts
Businesses’ biggest concern surrounding employees’ social media use is the posting or sharing of offensive and inappropriate content, according to a new survey by employment law and HR consultancy WorkNest.
More than a third (36%) said this was their biggest worry around employees’ online activity, placing it above time spent on social media whilst at work (23%) and even the posting of disparaging posts about the company or their role (20%).
Enterprises make significant investments in AI
Almost one in 10 decision-makers in both the UK (eight percent) and US (seven percent) are planning to spend over $25 million on AI this year.
A survey from Searce, of 300 C-Suite and senior technology executives at organizations with more than $500 million, finds that for US decision-makers, data privacy and security are ranked as the number one hurdle to adopting AI (20%), whereas UK decision-makers rank lack of qualified talent as their number one challenge (19%).
Majority of employers do not have a good understanding of employees’ health and wellbeing needs
The majority of employers (58%) do not have a good understanding of their employees’ health and wellbeing needs, according to new research by Towergate Health & Protection.
Just 44% of employers strongly agree they have a good understanding of employees’ financial needs. Followed by 43% who strongly agree they have a good understanding of their employees’ mental health needs, 42% their physical health and wellbeing needs and 40% their social wellbeing needs.
Women in Communications conference
Although the PR and communications industry is overwhelmingly female overall, the number of women at board director level and above remains stubbornly low. Our unique Women in Communications conference seeks to provide current and future leaders with the skills to correct this imbalance.
The event explores the role of women in communications and offers practical advice and coaching on how to develop your career and leadership capabilities in times of change.
Read more from our sister company Dods Events.
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