In a 2015 study by Deloitte, employee engagement was identified as a key organisational challenge:  “Organisations are recognising the need to focus on culture and dramatically improve employee engagement as they face a looming crisis in engagement and retention.” – (Global Human Capital Trends 2015, Deloitte University Press).  Happy employees are engaged employees, and as the Deloitte study notes, corporate culture may have to change in order to cultivate happiness in the workforce. Here are five ways this can be accomplished:  1.... Continue reading

Could your business be more energy efficient? In a new article, produced exclusively for International Workplace, Project Lower provides its top five tips for reducing energy bills and improving your business performance. Improving your business through energy efficiency Climate change and global warming have impacted businesses around the world, providing organisations with greater insight into the effects of over-zealous energy usage. By taking the time to work on improving their energy efficiency, many businesses are finding that they can... Continue reading

The US Supreme Court recently ruled in favour of Samantha Elauf, a young Muslim who at the age of 17 years was refused a job at Abercrombie & Fitch on the basis that her black headscarf did not fit in with the ‘classic East Coast collegiate style’ and therefore violated the company’s ‘look’ policy. Whilst Samantha passed the first stage of interview whilst wearing the hijab, she remained blissfully unaware of the company’s ‘look’ policy or that her attire was of any consequence to her application. For that reason, she did not s... Continue reading

The Government has announced that it is to forge ahead with plans to force large organisations to disclose data on the gender pay gap among staff. A consultation on the measure, which was introduced in the final months of the coalition, commenced yesterday. David Cameron stated that the move will pressure firms into boosting women’s wages, as he pledges to eliminate the gender pay gap within a generation. In the last Parliament, the coalition legislated to require firms with more than 250 employees to publish the average pay of male and fe... Continue reading

Social media has become a powerful tool to assist in getting hired, expanding your connections and even gaining new clients. But it can also be detrimental to job hunting and your career in general, if you don’t manage your accounts properly. Instant Offices’ Head of HR, Helen Taylor, explains how recruiters use social media to analyse job applicants, and gives some do’s and don’ts for social media when searching for your next big break. What is acceptable on your profiles is dependent on the industry in which you work. Applying for a... Continue reading