Tag: employers

British Psychological Society launches homeworking guidance

In response to the huge change in working practices the British Psychological Society (BPS) has published guidance on how to create healthy sustainable homeworking conditions for both workers and their employers.

Working from home has become widespread since restrictions to control Covid-19 were introduced in the UK. This has meant a major shift for individuals and organisations.

The guidelines, ‘Working from home: Healthy sustainable working during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond’, outline the practical steps and considerations that can make homeworking a success and has advice for both workers and their employers.

Drawing on psychological expertise the guidelines advise workers to set appropriate boundaries between their work and personal life and encourage employers to recognise and address risks to physical and mental wellbeing involved in remote working. It also recommends that employers adopt a flexible approach because each individual’s situation will be different and may change rapidly without warning.

Professor Gail Kinman, joint author and member of the BPS Covid-19 Working Differently Group, said: “Working from home can work well, but under current conditions some people have struggled to adjust to new environments and working patterns.”

“Managing employees is different and what works in a traditional workplace may not apply when working remotely. It’s important to get the balance right when making arrangements that aim to meet everyone’s needs. Effective two-way communication is essential at every stage.”

“We hope our new guidance will help employers and employees work together to ensure successful and healthy homeworking.”

Working from home

 

YOU’RE HIRED: Soft skills are key, say business leaders

job-interview

As millions of young people across Edinburgh await their exam results and prepare to enter the world of work, new research from Scottish Gas has highlighted that soft skills and personality are top attributes the majority of Scottish business leaders look for when hiring.

Continue reading YOU’RE HIRED: Soft skills are key, say business leaders

Port of Leith goes gold!

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) has been awarded a prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Gold Accreditation – the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK.

PoLHA goldThe award represents a true commitment to employees and demonstrates a solid foundation of good practice which remains challenging and aspirational for many organisations – and achieving the Gold level puts PoLHA in the top seven per cent of all IIP Accredited clients.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “We are delighted to be recognised in this way for the skills and commitment of our staff and Board members to continuous improvement for both its customers and as a great place to work. This has also given us a better understanding of how we can further improve our services in future.”

 Peter Russian, Chief Executive of Investors in People Scotland, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for PoLHA. Investors in People offers a flexible, practical and easy to use business improvement tool designed to help organisations and their people achieve their objectives.”

 PoLHA was also awarded a Bronze re-accreditation from Healthy Working Lives.

The Association’s Healthy Working Lives group is made up of volunteer members of staff and to gain the award they undertook a number of initiatives to support and encourage all staff to adopt a healthier working practice which has led to improved performance and enjoyment in their work.

Margaret O’Connor, Chair of PoLHA, said: “As an organisation, we are committed to getting the best from and giving the best to our people as we know they underpin our success and the service we deliver to our tenants.”