News

New study reveals the best industries for disabled workers

UKS Mobility, a disability aid supplier in the UK have conducted a study into disability accommodation in the workplace, revealing the Public Sector as one of the best industries for disabled people to work in.

The study used data from the Labour Force Survey, as well as an investigation of the businesses signed up to the Disability Confident scheme to analyse disability accommodation at work.

The Public Sector has the most businesses, which hold “Leader” and “Employer” status on the Disability Confident scheme, with 10% of the 1,000 businesses being recognised as Leaders.

This is followed by Administration, which had the third-highest percentage of Leaders (2.68%) but had a higher percentage of Employers (26.44%).

This is compared with third-place Energy, Utilities and Environment, which boasts 2.78% Leaders and 17.36% Employers.

The scheme is used by over 20,000 businesses across the UK and showcases employers’ commitment to equity for disabled people. At the other end of the spectrum, the Armed Forces and Warehouse & Forklift industries have no businesses above Committed, which could suggest that disability accommodation should be a major focus for employers in these sectors.

The study by UKS Mobility also revealed:

• Scotland has the second-lowest rate of unemployment (2.7%) for non-disabled people but the second-highest employment gap (4.9%) for disabled workers.

• Of those who are economically active, disabled people are still twice as likely to be unemployed.

• Mental illnesses and disabilities like depression, autism and epilepsy have an unemployment rate as much as 360% times higher than those with physical disabilities.

Ethnicity and gender pay gaps priority for firms but many still struggle to level the playing field

For many UK employers, pay gap reporting remains a key priority but little progress has been made on reducing gender and ethnicity pay gaps.

According to Mercer’s new UK Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap trends report, three-quarters (75%) of respondents disagreed with the government’s decision to suspend gender pay gap reporting in 2020. Although almost three quarters (74%) of respondents reported their numbers to show a continued commitment for inclusion despite the suspension, there has been minimal progress made in closing the gap.

The report reveals that fewer than one in three (30%) employers reduced its gender pay gap by 2% between 2019 and 2020. Alarmingly, nearly one in five employers (18%) reported an increase in pay gap from 2019 to 2020. Recently reported government figures on the UK gender pay gap numbers suggest a median gap of 10.4% for 2020, compared to 9.7% from 2019. A similar theme to Mercer’s 2021 Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Trends survey.

Michelle Sequeira, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consulting Leader, Mercer UK said: “Our research reveals employers are struggling to narrow their pay gaps. Key drivers of pay gaps range from issues with attracting and retaining women to failing to eliminate the barriers to career progression that prevent female and diverse employees from entering more senior roles.”

Following many unfortunate events globally surrounding race, employers are now looking beyond gender. Nearly two-thirds (65%) supported legislation enabling ethnicity pay gaps to be reported on and addressed and almost half (45%) of respondents claimed they felt under pressure to conduct ethnicity pay gap analysis.

The most embarrassing mistakes job seekers make

Data has revealed that over a third (35%) of jobseekers make embarrassing mistakes when applying for a new role, including forgetting who they are interviewing with and sending the wrong CV, with men worse than women.

That’s according to a survey conducted by job application tracking platform, RoleCatcher. In the study of UK job seekers, individuals cited their most common recruitment failures, with 13% managing to make it through the interview without remembering what was in their cover letter. A further 10% completed an interview completely unaware of who the interview was with, and 9% admitted to submitting the wrong version of a CV.

The data also revealed that 7% of job seekers applied for the same job twice.

When reporting on embarrassing failures across genders, the data shows a very telling split, with men more likely to make mistakes than women. Overall, 40% of men said they had made an embarrassing error when applying for jobs, while just 29% of women admitted this had happened to them. RoleCatcher’s data also revealed that those looking for a new role in the last six months, when ONS statistics show vacancies were at a record high, were more likely to make a mistake. This suggests that the sheer number of jobs being advertised today is making it harder for applicants to keep on top of their job hunt.

James Fogg, CEO and Founder of RoleCatcher comments: “I know from my own personal experience that the job-hunting process isn’t easy. An out-of-theblue phone call can leave you frantically searching through your emails to remind yourself of the company the individual is from, what the job description is and which CV you sent them. And with an abundance of jobs to now choose from, applicants are certainly facing a real juggling process”

“The fact that so many job seekers are making embarrassing mistakes suggests that the hiring process is fundamentally broken for candidates. We’ve seen businesses using sophisticated tools to manage the recruitment process – from automated responses to robots managing interview scheduling – but most applicants are using post-it notes and notepads to organise their own job search. As how employers hire evolves, how job seekers manage their applications need to as well – and clearly men are in more need of support than their female peers!”

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Amazon expands UK Apprenticeship programme with 1,500 new roles in 2022

Amazon recently announced the expansion of its apprenticeship programme with the addition of 1,500 full-time positions across the UK in 2022 including over 200 degree-level apprenticeships.

Recruitment has now started for more than 40 different schemes, from engineering to broadcast production, creative digital design to warehouse team leaders and health, safety and environment technicians. The range of different apprenticeship schemes reflect Amazon’s diverse workforce and the communities we serve every day across the UK. This year, Amazon is also launching a new apprenticeship programme focusing on environmental, social and corporate governance, giving apprentices the opportunity to gain real world sustainability experience. Additionally, there will be new apprenticeship schemes available including publishing, retailing, marketing and many more.

Over 500 new apprenticeships will be offered to existing employees that want to retrain and gain new skills for an exciting new career path. Amazon will also be working with Forces Families Jobs in 2022 to provide apprenticeship opportunities to military families.

Amazon provides competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a modern, safe and engaging work environment for its employees. The roles pay a minimum of £10.00 or £11.10 per hour depending on location, and up to £32,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. Apprentices also receive a benefits package that includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.The 1,500 new apprenticeships highlight Amazon’s ongoing commitment to creating jobs and providing opportunities for training and upskilling across the UK. Once qualified, apprentices will have the opportunity to work across Amazon’s UK sites including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, sortation centres and the company’s UK head offices in London and Manchester and the three development centres in Edinburgh, Cambridge and London. There are over 1,000 apprentices currently taking part in Amazon’s apprenticeship programme. More than 500 Amazon employees have already completed apprenticeships and gone on to build successful careers within the company.

Men less likely to open up about mental health concerns than women

Men are less likely than women to discuss mental health concerns with family and friends, according to new research by health services company, Cigna Europe.

With just 18% of men stating that they’d open up about the mental health challenges they face, Cigna Europe is calling for the nation to talk about how they are feeling. More than 1,000 Brits took part in the Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey, which also reveals that while around two thirds of women (32%) choose to proactively tackle mental health challenges themselves through healthy eating, exercise and other positive habits, only 25% of men do. Similarly, almost a fifth (18%) of women use mental well-being apps compared to just 14% of men.

Mental wellbeing has become increasingly important, especially as the nation continues to navigate the pandemic, with one in five indicating they have positively changed how they respond to their mental health challenges than pre-pandemic and 16% of people are now more open to speaking to a professional.

As employees place greater importance on increased health and well-being support from employers, 31% are looking for mental health support from their workplace, while almost two fifths (39%) are looking for enhanced health insurance cover, and 35% wanting a policy that allows virtual health consultations.

With a focus on creating supportive communities nationwide by having conversations with friends, family and colleagues about mental health, Time to Talk Day offers the perfect way to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health and help boost Whole Health.

Cancer patients returning to work face a mental health crisis

New research published reveals that the majority of working age cancer patients say that the mental health impact of their treatment is greater than the physical impact.

Most feel guilty about taking time off for vital treatment and worry that they are a burden to their colleagues. And while there is a large fall in full-time working for those returning to work, the majority remain the main income-earner in their household.

The survey of 1241 working age people living with cancer, timed to coincide with World Cancer Day highlights the importance of work for most cancer patients but also exposes the challenges many face in returning to, and thriving at, work. The research was conducted by Stephen Bevan of the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Barbara Wilson of Working With Cancer – who both live with cancer. Stephen Bevan, Head of HR Research Development at IES said: Although cancer survival rates are increasing, which is good news, it is disappointing that so many people living with cancer face barriers to getting back to work after often distressing treatment. It is especially concerning that so few GPs and specialist cancer nurses are having conversations with patients about work.’

With 1 in 2 people in the UK likely to receive a cancer diagnosis, and half of those of working age, it’s essential that employers and healthcare professionals give a higher priority to good employment outcomes for cancer patients. Sadly, fewer than two-thirds of employees with cancer have returned to work or are still working a year after getting a diagnosis, often adding to the mental health and financial woes of many.

The report highlights several areas where both healthcare professionals and employers can do more to ensure that more people living with cancer can return to work successfully and sustainably.

95% of employers acknowledge responsibility for employee Health and Wellbeing

Aon has released research showing that UK employers feel far more responsibility for employee Health and Wellbeing, yet formalised strategic action remains unchanged in the last year.

Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022 shows a significant increase in the last year in the number of employers that strongly agree they have a responsibility for the Health and Wellbeing of their employees, rising from 20 percent in 2021 to just over half of all respondents (51 percent) in 2022. Forty-four percent agree they have a responsibility, and just 5 percent disagree or have no view.

Conversely, only 44 percent of employers have a formalised Health and Wellbeing strategy, although 32 percent plan to have one within the next 12-18 months, remaining unchanged from last year. Additionally, 70 percent don’t have a dedicated budget for a Health and Wellbeing programme, just 8 percent measure return on investment of their Health and Wellbeing programmes, and less than half (46 percent) have an executive sponsor for their Health and Wellbeing strategy.

Aon’s Mark Witte said: “This stand-out statistic of 95 percent of employers agreeing they have a responsibility for their employees’ Health and Wellbeing is the most notable shift from previous years’ surveys. It is easy to draw connections to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened awareness of ill-health, but the word ‘responsibility’ is important.”

“Given the acceptance that the employer has a role to play in supporting employee wellbeing, it is disappointing that this year’s research shows no change in terms of the number of employers with a formal strategy in place or planning to do so in the near future”.

“The strain placed on human resources teams over the past 18 months is undoubtedly a factor in not seeing greater progress, as priorities and resources have been focused elsewhere. However, with investments potentially supporting other key objectives, securing budget, targeted condition management and C-suite sponsorship, it is recommended that employers consider ways to elevate health and wellbeing on their organisation’s agenda.”

Global hiring robust in 2021 with hybrid working now mainstream

Companies across the globe ramped up hiring in 2021 with hybrid/remote work/work-from-home (WFH) becoming mainstream.

Technology, Retail, and Pharma saw significant increase in job postings and Travel & Tourism, Banking & Payments emerged as high growth sectors. Companies accelerated automation with themes such as digitalization, blockchain, and industrial automation seeing more jobs as compared to previous year. Hiring talent became increasingly difficult as days to close jobs increased. Companies offered incentives such as sign-on bonuses to attract talent, finds GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData’s ‘Global Hiring Report 2021 - Signals & Trends’ that the US had most active jobs coupled with healthy growth. Other key countries include the UK and India. The US headquartered companies posted most jobs in India (outside the US), followed by the UK, Canada and China.

The report also finds a strong correlation between the active jobs index and the official country employment data, an excellent signal for financial markets to pick early leads.

Rajeev Gupta, Director of Financial Markets Data at GlobalData, says: “Companies increased leadership hiring in 2021. While most listings were in the US, the UK along with markets such as Australia, France, and China also experienced an increase. Digitalization, ESG initiatives, and strategies such as direct-to-consumer (DTC) were some of the focus areas.”

Gupta concludes: “Jobs not only provide conclusive evidence on companies’ strategic plans and product initiatives but can be imperative to generate hidden alpha and unearth macro insights on a near realtime basis.”

Why working long hours does not necessarily hurt your health

Putting in overtime often comes at a cost of stress, burnout and depression. But extra work doesn’t always negatively affect your wellbeing. In fact, according to recent research from ESCP Business School, it could be the opposite.

According to the study, the crucial difference lies in the motivation behind the long hours, whether they stem from an inner desire or external pressures.

To shed light on the reasons driving employees to work long hours, the researchers Argyro Avgoustaki and Almudena Cañibano used self-determination as a theoretical lens.

They surveyed more than 500 professionals in the Spanish division of a major international consultancy firm, an interesting setting for two reasons: consultants tend to enjoy bargaining power and autonomy, and long hours are pretty much the norm in the industry. The first result found that extrinsically-driven work effort negatively affected well-being. In other words, when individuals put in long hours because of external factors, such as in order to obtain rewards, they are more likely to experience well-being issues, such as stress and depression. It is not the lack of choice that seems to matter but the reasons why they chose to work overtime.

Conversely, behaviours driven by intrinsic motivators are gratifying and therefore associated with more positive emotions, attitudes, and wellbeing. The study confirmed less negative outcomes in terms of wellbeing associated with internal motives for overtime. Well-being may thus be preserved when long hours are a conscious decision based on an inclination to learn for its own sake, a desire to develop relevant knowledge and skills, or to enjoy a feeling of achievement. Surprisingly the researchers also found that extrinsic and intrinsic motives in fact reinforce each other. In other words, working overtime to send signals about a desire for promotion, for example, is compatible with striving for growth. In addition, they found that the association between intrinsically-driven work effort and well-being was more positive at higher levels of overtime, whereas extrinsically-driven work effort reduces well-being no matter the amount of overtime.

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