Five ways SMEs are supporting older workers
Small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly supporting older workers through hiring mature job seekers, sharing talent with business partners, and leveraging their strategic expertise for business growth. As the UK workforce ages and pension ages rise, SMEs recognize the value older employees bring through mentoring, networks, and business insights while helping workers transition to phased retirement.
Multitasking can ‘increase error rates by 50%’
Research from workplace equipment manufacturer Steelcase reveals that multitasking increases employee error rates by 50%. The study also found that the brain can maintain complete focus for only about 45 minutes, and that movement and mindfulness practices can significantly enhance cognitive performance and concentration.
Can we stop ignoring the 90% please?
Green buildings improve cognitive function far more than they reduce energy costs. A Harvard-led study found that workers in green buildings scored 61% higher on cognitive tests, with enhanced ventilation boosting scores 101% higher, suggesting workplace environmental quality impacts employee performance more than energy savings.
Ergonomic review: Evoluent VerticalMouse V3
The Evoluent VerticalMouse V3 reduces strain by rotating your hand 45 degrees, positioning your wrist and forearm more naturally. This ergonomic design minimizes repetitive stress injuries common among heavy computer users who click thousands of times daily.
Is your first aid kit up to scratch?
Employers must provide adequate first aid facilities to meet legal requirements and protect employees. Learn the HSE guidelines for first aid kit contents, staffing requirements, and how to tailor provisions to your workplace’s specific hazards through a proper needs assessment.
Older workers: what do they offer & need?
As the UK workforce ages, organizations must adapt to retain and support older workers who can remain productive for longer. Research shows older employees face challenges with job transitions and skill development, requiring employers to invest in targeted training, flexible policies, and inclusive workplace practices to maximize their contributions.
Your questions on proactive wellbeing answered
Get answers to common questions about effective employee wellbeing strategies, including prevention, intervention, and protection approaches. Learn how multinational organizations can adapt wellness programs for different countries and how investing in employee wellbeing improves productivity and reduces absence costs.
Can an employer dismiss an employee who is off sick?
Employers can dismiss a sick employee, but must follow proper procedures including obtaining medical evidence, considering reasonable adjustments, exploring alternative roles, and maintaining fair communication throughout the process.
These words help people develop growth mindsets
Specific words and phrases can help develop growth mindsets in yourself and others. Based on psychologist Carol Dweck’s research, people with growth mindsets believe abilities improve through effort, while those with fixed mindsets see talents as unchangeable. Managers can foster growth mindsets by using language that embraces learning and reframes failure as opportunity.
How care home staff wellbeing affects care quality
Poor staff wellbeing in care homes directly impacts care quality for vulnerable residents. High turnover, low morale, and challenging working conditions—including low pay and emotional demands—create a cycle that undermines both employee retention and resident care outcomes. Prioritizing staff engagement and wellbeing is essential for attracting talent and delivering better care.
Employee engagement lessons from Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment won the 2015 Wellbeing Employee Engagement Award with 90% wellness programme participation, credited to transparent communication about programme benefits and tangible financial incentives that align employee health improvements with company cost savings.
Workplace wellbeing – in the hands of technology
Technology is emerging as a tool to improve workplace wellbeing, with wearables helping employees manage stress, monitor health, and maintain better work-life balance. A fifth of workers already have access to workplace wearables, with many using them to optimize productivity and reduce the effects of always-on work culture.
Creating an intuitive workplace for future wellbeing
An intuitive workplace uses data and transparency to create a better work environment, where employees share information to receive personalized roles and benefits. Employers must balance technology adoption with employee wellbeing, using data insights to boost productivity while preventing burnout through clear expectations and support systems.
Subsidising race fees as an employee benefit
Kount, a Boise-based fraud management company, subsidizes employee race entry fees as a wellness benefit to encourage fitness and team building. The program supports employees’ participation in local running, biking, and charity races while promoting overall health and community involvement.
Should employers be trying to minimise social pain at work?
Employers should consider neuroscience research showing that workplace practices creating social pain harm employee engagement and productivity. Studies linking social exclusion to brain activity similar to physical pain suggest minimizing social stress is crucial for motivation and retention.
Line managers fundamental to good mental health
Line managers play a crucial role in supporting employee mental health in the workplace. As organizations increasingly prioritize mental wellbeing through initiatives like mental health champions and first-aiders, effective leadership at all levels has become essential to creating psychologically healthy work environments.
Easton vs B&Q – what does duty of care now mean for employers?
The Easton vs B&Q case clarifies employers’ duty of care regarding workplace stress and mental health. Employers must conduct risk assessments and provide support when stress-related illness is reasonably foreseeable, but are not liable if employees fail to disclose struggles with job demands.
Presenteeism: Physical presence and psychological absence combined
Presenteeism—being physically present but psychologically absent due to illness—costs businesses up to three times more than absenteeism and leads to long-term health consequences, reduced performance, and increased future sickness absence. Working while too unwell to perform effectively depletes cognitive capacity and attention, ultimately harming both individual health and organizational outcomes.
Netflix goes unlimited on parental leave
Netflix announced unlimited paid maternity and paternity leave, positioning itself alongside Google and Facebook as a leader in workplace innovation. In the US, where no federal paid parental leave exists, this policy is particularly radical and reflects the company’s commitment to attracting top talent by supporting work-life balance.
Why did Ruby Wax promote silence on mental health?
Comedian Ruby Wax advised employees to hide mental health problems from their bosses, citing discrimination risks. However, experts argue this perpetuates workplace silence and isolation when one in four people experience mental ill health during their lifetime.
