New research released by Samsung Electronics has revealed time spent on technology issues could be a major contributor to the UK’s productivity gap. While small business owners are spending nearly three-and-a-half hours on sales and close to three hours on marketing a week to drive new business, IT accounts for two hours and 47 minutes, and office management almost three hours. The findings – part of Samsung’s More Good Days at Work initiative, which shows small businesses how innovative technology can help their staff to have better day... Continue reading

Two companies have been fined a total of £83,000 for breaking the rules about how people’s personal information should be treated when sending marketing emails. An investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found Exeter-based airline Flybe deliberately sent more than 3.3 million emails to people who had told them they didn’t want to receive marketing emails from the firm. The emails, sent in August 2016 by Flybe, with the title ‘Are your details correct?’ advised recipients to amend any out of date information and... Continue reading

Workers’ rights post-Brexit have been addressed in a white paper published by the Department of Exiting the European Union: Legislating for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. The paper explains how government will legislate by introducing the Great Repeal Bill, which will convert EU law into UK law from the day it leaves. There has been significant concern over what Brexit will mean for UK law and, therefore, employer and employee rights. But the Prime Minister, in her foreword to the white paper, assures that impleme... Continue reading

A new report from research and insight organisation ComRes suggests that British employers are struggling to manage expressions of religion and belief in the workplace, despite investing in learning and development. The report, Belief at Work, analyses data gathered from two surveys carried out by ComRes in February 2017, and presents findings along with insights the firm gathered from professionals working in business, politics, media, and the world of religion and belief.   ComRes surveyed HR managers and adults in paid employment in Brita... Continue reading

UK education sector regulator Ofqual has unveiled its new Corporate Plan, setting out its goals for the next three years. It’s primary focus will be on: reform in both general and vocational & technical qualifications the maintenance of assessment standards effective use of the organisation’s resources Ofqual’s Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, underlines its commitment to work closely with government on the redevelopment of functional skills qualifications, to make sure they remain relevant to employers. She also draws attention to... Continue reading