Institute of Management Services News

UK long work hours equate to lower productivity

In the Uk emplyees are working more hours than ever. A  Study by the Trades Union Congress earlier this year indicated that the UK has some of the longest working hours in the European Union (EU), with employees working an average of 42 hours a week last year, which is two more than the typical EU employee. This is equivalent to working an extra two and a half weeks a year.

According to the survey, despite the long working hours, we’re not actually being that productive. Countries where employees work less hours are more productive.

In Germany, where full-time employees work 1.8 hours less a week, productivity is 14.6% more than in the UK. In Denmark, which has the shortest hours in the EU and where workers put in over four hours less than the UK, productivity is 23.5% higher.

Posted on: 13 Sep 2019@08:57:40, updated on: 13 Sep 2019@08:57:40.

Four Day Working Week Improves Productivity

The prospect of a four-day week has been idealised for some time, though it was a successful trial at New Zealand trustee company Perpetual Guardian in 2018 which showed it was practical and possible by delivering positive results for productivity, profitability and staff wellbeing and engagement. That at Perpeual Guardianhas sparked a global movement for the use of a four day working week..

Four-day week innovator Andrew Barnes says, "The results of our bold decision to test our assumptions about productivity made headlines around the world. We have spoken to international business leaders, presented at industry events and participated in government panels about the far-reaching benefits of our four-day week model, and concluded that the world needs this to catch on.

Posted on: 5 Sep 2019@14:32:18, updated on: 5 Sep 2019@14:32:18.

Improving Grape Production in Canada

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are supporting investments that will help Ontario grape growers increase productivity and grow their businesses.

Ernie Hardeman, Ontario's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced more than $75,000 in funding for key investments to advance the production of locally grown grapes.

As part of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the federal and provincial governments are providing this support to develop and implement new products and technologies that will help grape growers increase productivity, access markets, be more competitive in world markets and contribute even more to the economy.

Project involves spending $67,600 to develop a modern weather network with real-time information incorporated into eGrape, an existing industry database, which will assist growers and researchers to improve efficiency and productivity.

Posted on: 5 Sep 2019@14:22:23, updated on: 5 Sep 2019@14:22:23.

Innovative approach to Apprenticeship Levy

A matchmaking service has been launched by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to reverse the decline in apprenticeships.

The Greater Manchester Levy Matchmaking Service works by linking up large employers with apprenticeship levy underspend to smaller businesses looking to hire apprentices but are short of necessary capital.

The service will be enabled through an online portal, which went live on Monday August 5, where larger firms can connect with smaller firms looking for funding, while smaller employers can look for a match to cover the costs of training.

Speaking at the service’s launch event, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “We’ve been hearing from a huge number of businesses about the levy, with the big ones saying they can’t spend it and the smaller ones saying they need it.

“The service came as a response to what we kept on hearing, so it’s an innovative response to an issue that’s currently out there.”

The aim of the service is to help stop the decline in the number of people starting apprenticeships in Greater Manchester, which has dipped from 30,000 in 2016 to 22,500 in 2018, which GMCA said is “largely” as a result of reforms to the system at a national level.

Mr Burnham said: “In some ways devolution helps us work around government policies and correct faults in them and I would say this is a classic example of that.”

Posted on: 5 Aug 2019@19:24:02, updated on: 5 Aug 2019@19:24:02.

Poor leaders create a toxic workplace culture

A survey by recruitment consultants Randstad has found in relation to toxic workplaces that 24% of accountants surveyed wanted to quit there job to escape poor leadership.

The result of this poll of 9,000 workers across the UK cements the fact that “having the wrong manager can make your working life a lot less enjoyable,” said Ruth Jacobs, the managing director of Randstad Business Solutions.

It is clear that a poor workplace culture can take its toll on employees’ mental health, leading to an unproductive and unmotivated workforce – which is almost going unnoticed by the oblivious ‘leaders’.

Posted on: 2 Aug 2019@09:25:46, updated on: 2 Aug 2019@09:25:46.