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management & education news

WORKING FROM HOME IS WORKING

BETTER SAY UK EMPLOYERS

MORE EMPLOYERS IN BRITAIN say permanent the shift to working from
working from home is increasing the home proves to be.
productivity of their staff, according to a Another survey published by
new survey. accountants KPMG showed most major
A third of employers think the global companies no longer planned to
shift to home-working has boosted reduce their use of office space after the
productivity, up from 28 per cent pandemic, though few expect business
last June, the Chartered Institute of to return to normal this year.
Personnel and Development said. The CIPD said in a report more
Those who said working from home progress can be made to offer flexible
had decreased productivity fell to 23 hours: part-time work is used by 19
per cent from 28 per cent. per cent of staff but favoured by 28 per
“The pandemic has shown that ways cent, and three per cent of employees
of working that previously seemed work full-time hours over fewer days
impossible are actually possible,” Claire while 19 per cent would use the
McCartney, CIPD Senior Policy Adviser arrangement if available.
for Resourcing and Inclusion, said. The CIPD survey was based on THE SHIFT TO HOME-WORKING
It remains to be seen how responses from 2,000 employers. HAS BOOSTED PRODUCTIVITY

EMPLOYERS URGED TO REGISTER FOR WORKPLACE TESTING

MORE THAN 48,000 EMPLOYERS
have registered for the government’s
coronavirus workplace testing
programme, the Department of Health
and Social Care (DHSC) has said.
The DHSC added that more
than 9,000 were fully enrolled in
the programme – which provides
businesses with free 30-minute lateral
flow tests – following the expansion of
the scheme in February.
Before the expansion, the scheme
was only open to employers with
more than 50 employees and just 112 RAPID TESTING IS A KEY PART OF THE
businesses fully participating. It is GOVERNMENT’S PLAN TO REOPEN THE ECONOMY
now open to employers of any size.
The DHSC said around one in was “a huge step forward in getting Relations Adviser at the CIPD, said
three people who have coronavirus businesses back on their feet and employers should be doing all they can
are asymptomatic and could be helping to keep people safe”. to encourage their employees to get
unknowingly spreading the virus, The rollout of rapid testing is a key vaccinated, including being flexible
meaning testing will be a “crucial part pillar to the government’s plan to about working hours or offering paid
of everyday life” as the restrictions reopen the economy. However, a poll of time off to allow workers to attend
in place are gradually lifted. “Regular 2,000 employees, released by Glassdoor, vaccination appointments.
testing could be the difference found that more than half (56 per cent) But, she said: “The government
between a workplace being able wanted vaccinations to be mandatory hasn’t made the vaccine mandatory, so
to stay open and operational, or before they return to work – while one employers shouldn’t either.
needing to close because of a Covid-19 in seven (14 per cent) went as far as “It’s also really important that
outbreak,” it said. to say they would resign if they were organisations continue to follow all
Matt Hancock, Secretary of State required to go back to the office before Covid-secure guidelines now and as they
for Health, added that the number of all their colleagues had been jabbed. navigate any return to work in the future,
employers signing up for the scheme Rachel Suff, Senior Employment closely following government advice.”

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15/04/2021 13:57
News.indd 5
News.indd 5 15/04/2021 13:57