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UK Edition
27th September 2023
 
THE HOT STORY
Therapy sessions start for long-term sick
Therapists employed by the state will this week begin consultations with the long-term sick after ministers expressed frustration that the NHS is not doing enough to get people back work. Physiotherapists, mental health counsellors and stroke specialists hired by the Department for Work and Pensions will offer assessments to people claiming sickness benefits in an effort to reduce the number classed as unfit to work. Pilot sessions will begin in London and Birmingham, with the Government hoping to expand the scheme by hiring more therapists. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “Many of our claimants have complex health conditions, and this trial will explore whether they could benefit from support from medical professionals with specialist knowledge.”
WORKFORCE
Brits least likely to deem work important
Research from King’s College London shows that just 14% of UK millennials believe work should always come first, compared with 41% in 2009. The study, which is based on surveys from 24 countries, found that 73% of all UK workers believe “work is very or rather important” in their lives. British respondents were the least likely of all those polled to agree with this statement, below the US (80%), Germany (84%), France (94%), Italy (96%) and the Philippines (99%).
Calls for three-day weeks for over-50s
A Swedish-style three-day working week for over-50s should be introduced in Britain, according to former Pensions Minister Ros Altmann. Baroness Altmann said the system could encourage older people to stay in work rather than retire early, helping some of the country’s workforce issues. She also recommended tax breaks for employers to make hiring older people more attractive. She added: “The whole point is you should have money in your 80s and 90s, not spend it all in your 50s and 60s. There are incentives in the system, but the industry and the pension products are not working to encourage people to not take their pension.”
Nurses feel 'invisible' after being excluded from NHS pay deal
A number of nurses have been left feeling “invisible” after being excluded from the government’s NHS pay deal. Around 30,000 nurses provide NHS care but are employed by independent companies such as charities, social enterprises and private organisations. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said these employers have had to fund any pay rises without Government help, and many have been unable to afford the deal that those employed directly by the NHS received. The RCN estimates that thousands of nurses have not received the bonus payment of between £1,655 and £3,789 to reward them for their efforts during the pandemic, with many also not getting the 5% pay rise either. RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said the situation needed to be “urgently resolved.”
Teaching vacancies double
Job vacancies in the UK have dropped by just under 1% in August to 1,039,198, compared with July, according to research by jobs site Adzuna. Annual advertised salaries edged down from July to August but remain 3.35% higher than this time last year, the report said. Teaching vacancies are the biggest recruiting sector with more than 110,000 available - nearly twice last year's figure. Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: "The data continues to show some weakness across the economy with vacancies and salaries falling slightly."
Council agrees deal to end refuse worker strike
The Unite trade union has reached agreement with Tower Hamlets Council over a pay deal for waste service workers and street cleaners, who began a strike on September 18. Collections are resuming today, and the council has said it will bring in extra private waste contractors to help tackle a backlog of collections and street cleaning. Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: "We value our refuse staff and we have listened to their concerns to see how we can work constructively and collaboratively to resolve this dispute." Elsewhere, Veolia workers at Nottinghamshire's waste plants have also walked out, with the GMB union accusing the firm of having "refused to negotiate a pay offer that reflects the cost of living crisis".
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Average CEO is 55, white, and went to Cambridge
Analysis suggests that the average CEO in Britain is a 55-year-old privately educated white man who studied Economics at Cambridge and makes £4,196,000 a year. Researchers from People Managing People used AI to combine the LinkedIn profile pictures of FTSE 100 CEOs, creating a portrait of a typical chief executive – who they have named Andrew. Looking at whether the numbers match up with the portrait, data shows that of the UK's top 100 CEOs, 88 are men and only 11 are women. It was found that there are more male CEOs called Andrew or Simon than there are women in the role across the FTSE 100. Female CEOs earn £3,371,000 on average - 23.5% less than men. Across the FTSE 100 CEOs, 66% were privately educated, with 14% having been to Cambridge or Oxford.
London investment body appoints first CEO
London investment body Opportunity London, a public-private partnership, has appointed its first CEO. Jace Tyrrell, formerly boss of the New West End Company, will take up the top job. Opportunity London aims to drive over £100bn-worth of investment for the capital, supporting its rebound from economic and regulatory challenges. Foreign Direct Investment into the UK fell 6% in 2022 compared to 2021, according to research by EY.
HIRING
Oxford's LTNs hindering teacher recruitment, report finds
Oxford's low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are contributing to recruitment and retention issues for teachers, according to a report by the Oxfordshire Education Commission. The report highlights that the LTNs, along with the high cost of living and housing, was "fuelling recruitment and retention issues". The report said communities are impacted more heavily by "poor transport links" which leave some areas inaccessible for some young people, families, and schools. The report added: "Difficulties in recruiting and retaining good teachers was felt most acutely in areas of disadvantage where the need for continuity and stability is greatest." The Department for Education reveals that leadership vacancy rates in Oxford are double the national average.
Glasgow council bids to attract younger workers
Glasgow City Council is developing a new youth employment programme aimed at making it a more appealing employer for individuals under the age of 30. The strategy is set to run from 2023 to 2027. A report to councillors highlighted challenges that have affected the council's ability to fill job vacancies, and stressed the need to address the specific needs of its younger workforce. As it stands the average retirement age of the council workforce is 62 years old and in the run up to 2027, it is estimated that nearly 5,000 employees will reach the average retirement age. Research also shows that 32% of those under 30 leave the council workforce in the first year of employment and of those remaining, 82% leave within three years which could be the result of temporary contracts. The council is focusing on promoting job stability and providing health and well-being support.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
BT executive says city moves will boost diversity
BT is facing a backlash after a top executive suggested that the company's plans to cut jobs in rural areas while hiring in major cities will boost workforce diversity. The telecoms company plans to cut over 1,000 jobs in Martlesham, Suffolk, and relocate staff to cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Howard Watson, BT's chief networks officer, said that ethnic diversity was a significant factor in choosing office locations. The comments have been criticised as pandering to political correctness and potentially discriminating against white staff, with former Government Minister Sir John Hayes calling for clarity on whether BT is jeopardising workers' interests for an ideological agenda. BT’s workforce is 25.7% female, while 10.8% are from an ethnic minority and 6.5% are disabled. It plans to increase this to 32% female, 13% ethnic minority and 10% disabled by 2025. Its new chief executive, Allison Kirkby, has £220,000 in bonus payments tied to diversity and inclusion targets.
REMUNERATION
Sheffield council faces mass equal pay claim
Sheffield City Council is facing a mass equal pay claim from thousands of women who have been underpaid by up to £11,000 a year, according to the GMB union. The union stated that the council’s job evaluation scheme discriminates against female-dominated roles, resulting in lower pay grades compared to comparable male-dominated positions. Deputy council leader Fran Belbin said it has an appeals process for staff to challenge their grades.
LEGAL
Barristers warned against social media attacks on judges
Barristers have been advised by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) not to launch "gratuitous attacks" on judges or the justice system on social media. The BSB has revised its guidelines to provide clarity on what barristers can say online. The guidelines list examples of conduct on social media that could breach regulations, including comments about judges or the justice system that involve misleading and baseless serious criticisms. Free-speech advocates have expressed concerns that the guidelines fail to explain when robust debate of opposing views would be seen as discrimination or harassment. The BSB clarified that it is the manner in which barristers express their views that is more likely to concern them rather than the substance of the view. The Bar Council welcomed the guidance, stating that barristers should be capable of maintaining civil discourse.
 


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