In this column, we provoke fresh thinking and round up some of the weird, wonderful, quirky, surprising – and shocking – stories out there
Painting a picture of conflict on social media
A judge has awarded a paint sprayer £28,560 for unfair dismissal after a ruling that his employer’s investigation into whether he had breached social media policy was inadequate.
The judge ruled that the managing director of A1M Retro Classics “unreasonably confused what was required of an employee by the [company’s] social media policy” after a worker for the firm posted a Facebook status mentioning an argument between the pair.
On 13 February 2020, Michael Austin, who worked for the Darlington, UK, company for five years before his dismissal, was involved in what the tribunal heard was an “extremely heated discussion” with managing director Matthew Robinson about alleged poor work being carried out by the company.
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Introverts and younger workers need tailored support
Introverts and younger workers are in need of more tailored support from employers.
Introverts are most concerned about job security, with 44% of them missing face-to-face contact with colleagues, compared with 25% of extroverts, according to a report from Aviva. Introverts (40%) are also more worried about their ability to juggle family commitments than their more extroverted colleagues.
Younger workers are particularly in need of tailored support, with those aged under 25 most likely to feel some degree of anxiety and rate their mental health as poor. Some 53% of young people report feeling anxious, compared to the national average of 34%.
According to Aviva’s report, only one in six employees (15%) agreed their employer is trying hard to understand what motivates them and just a quarter agreed their employer is genuinely concerned about their wellbeing (26%).
Workers look to move, but opportunities aren’t knocking
Many are seeking to change job this year, but jobseekers’ confidence levels are taking a knock as they repeatedly fail to get jobs they’ve applied for.
The average jobseeker unsuccessfully applied for 16 different roles over the past 12 months, according to a survey from BT. It found an overwhelming majority of jobseekers have been negatively affected by their search for work over the past year, with 81% of those looking for a job attributing a downturn in their mental wellbeing to their job search.
Nine in 10 workers are looking or thinking about looking for a new job this year, another survey has found. Totaljobs’ survey of 5,000 UK workers found that 89% were thinking about changing jobs this year, with more than three-quarters (77%) already actively searching. The poll found that job insecurity caused by the coronavirus outbreak was one of the leading factors driving people to look for a new role. Some 66% of those polled said they were worried about their career security, and a quarter (26%) believed it was likely they would become unemployed this year.
As a result, one in five (18%) are looking for work in a more secure industry, while 45% said they didn’t think they would get a new role in the same sector they work in now.
Another reason employees were looking for new roles was a lack of professional development caused by the pandemic. Only 10% received training from their employer during 2020, the survey found.
Commenting on the findings, Claire McCartney, senior resourcing and inclusion adviser at the CIPD, said training and development opportunities were one of the key ways organisations could retain talent and develop the skills needed to thrive.
“Organisations must have a long-term and strategic approach, and ensure the needs of the business and external landscape are considered,” she said, adding that this will help ensure training and development don’t become “an easy target for cost-cutting measures.”
Totaljobs’ research found that aside from job insecurity, 36% of respondents said having a fresh start was motivation to look for a new role while 10% were looking for a new location.
However, it can be hard to keep motivated. According to BT’s survey, when asked how rejections and the job search had affected them specifically, 45% of jobseekers responded that they had experienced decreased motivation, while 38% highlighted lower self-esteem and morale and a further 44% reduced self-confidence. BT’s research also highlighted how this lack of confidence persists throughout the various stages of the job search.
Just 22% said they’re confident that their CV and covering letter will stand out when compared with fellow candidates. Only 21% believe in their ability to impress and leave a lasting impression in an interview.
Hannah Cornick, head of digital impact and sustainability (consumer) BT, said: “The global pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for the job market, and it’s only natural that jobseekers’ confidence will have been affected.”
The research also found that almost half (48%) admitted to struggling to find resources which could help them in their job search, including how to improve their CV and job interview technique.
The survey was conducted between 18 December 2020 and 5 January 2021. The sample comprised 2,000 UK jobseekers aged 18 and over, both employed and unemployed.
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- Email: liz@coaching-at-work.com