Hays UK jobs and employment blog

  With industries at a standstill, many on furlough and reduced hours across several sectors, the total number of hours worked in the UK in June dipped by 8.9% compared to the year before. This freed around 94.2 million potential training hours across the UK workforce, and businesses who leveraged this training time have revealed they expect to recover more quickly...

To say that the public sector has been challenged in recent months is an understatement. Organisations that were already under considerable pressure to deliver were suddenly seen as a vital lifeline for many, providing critical help in a time of national crisis. Many employers could be forgiven, therefore, for losing their focus on areas that were previously high priority, such as equality,...

Of course, the pandemic took us all – governments, organisations and individuals – by surprise. However, many of us have now moved from the ‘crisis’ phase of dealing with the pandemic, into a more considered ‘new normal’. As we navigate the bumpy path ahead, it is worth remembering that some of the long term, negative effects of the pandemic may not be unprecedented, and can be...

Organisations are increasingly monitoring their employees. While many workers may have considered this an invasion of their privacy in the past, new research indicates this perception is changing to a more positive one. But how can businesses get it right? From their keystrokes and browsing history to their brainwaves and emotions, organisations are gathering more data on employees than...

If you have a science or science related degree, a PhD or experience in a related industry, you have already met the base level qualifications requirement for working in a research-focused team, such as medical affairs, in the life sciences industry. The main objective of the medical affairs team is to strategically partner with the commercial and research roles within a...

If you’re currently in fulltime employment, the change and uncertainty that has come hand-in-hand with the COVID-19 pandemic may have understandably left you with a feeling that you need to somehow prove yourself, or, position your role as ‘indispensable’. After all, this is a highly pressurised time and will inevitably lead many to worry about the future. Failing to manage this situation in...

Given the current climate, there has been an increased focus on the importance of looking after our mental health, not only for the obvious benefit of our wellbeing in our personal lives, but also to support career satisfaction and development, both now and in the future. So in this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Megan Jones Bell, Chief Strategy and Science Officer at mindfulness and...

Many of my clients are busy, high-performing professionals, working in high responsibility roles. So, I’m often asked about how best to interact and deal with perfectionist managers. Here’s a selection of the common questions and concerns I tend to receive, and my tried and tested advice on this topic: “The pressure of trying to get EVERYTHING perfect stresses me out, to a point where I’m...

People automatically look to their leaders in times of crisis, and the last few months have certainly delivered some of the greatest challenges those leaders have ever faced. However, once the immediate tests posed by the pandemic have subsided, leaders will need to be equipped to succeed in a significantly transformed world of work – one in which remote, hybrid and flexible working practices...

Construction and property was impacted hard by Covid-19. Employers who were able to do so switched to working remotely practically overnight. Priorities shifted, and employers could be forgiven for putting previously major areas of focus, like equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I), on the back burner. Months on from our first lockdown, we have started to gauge the impact of the crisis...

For many within the life sciences profession, the pandemic has brought a flurry of activity. This has meant for some organisations that priorities had to shift away from ‘business as usual’ in order to handle the immediate impacts of the pandemic. Six months on from the commencement of lockdown in March, we are able to get a better sense of just what these impacts on the profession have...

Dr Megan Jones Bell, Headspace’s Chief Strategy & Science Officer, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic could give organisations the chance to make a step change in caring for their employees’ wellbeing. Sometimes it takes experiencing a personal challenge to find our path, and this was certainly the case for Dr Megan Jones Bell, Chief Strategy & Science Officer at Headspace. ...

For Generation Z, those who are beginning their career journeys are facing difficult challenges as they try to navigate the current uncertain climate. As a result, approximately one in four ‘Gen Z’ employees have sought support with their mental health since the pandemic began. So today, in support of World Mental Health Day, we are joined by Leadership Coach Simi Rayat,...

This year’s World Mental Health Day feels different. For most business leaders, supporting positive mental health practices – both personally and amongst our employees – is a priority every year. But, this year has taken its importance to a whole new level. Mental health has fallen under the spotlight with increasing regularity throughout the course of this year, and with good reason. The...

From navigating furlough to adjusting to mass remote working, the pandemic has impacted some of the core functions of the HR profession. There is no denying that there will be further changes and challenges ahead, but months on from when lockdown first commenced in March, we are able to get some sense of just how much the HR has changed as a result of Covid-19. According to research...

The life sciences industry is growing, and it’s not just because of the pandemic. As I explained in my last blog, we are still trying to conquer diseases for patients with unmet medical needs like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Crohn’s disease and rheumatology that affect millions of people every day. Cancer, Haematology and Neurology dominate in the arena of new treatments being made...

With report of mental health issues on the rise a result of the pandemic, it’s important to remember to prioritise your mental health as the world around continues to change, often with little warning. Of course, for those suffering, there are some fantastic resources out there, reminding us of the things we can do to help ourselves keep mentally healthy during these difficult times (and...

I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree back in 1982, almost 40 years ago. Similar to the Class of 2020, I also graduated into a world of global economic volatility and recession. At the time, it was considered to be the worst economic climate since the Second World War. However, what today’s young graduates are facing is undoubtedly far more challenging on so many levels and from so...

Cybersecurity breaches have recently made global headlines, many of which have been attributed to a rapidly expanded online world because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, there is a heightened push not only to prevent such attacks from happening, but to develop IT and security infrastructure that can deal with these differing and increased online demands. Therefore, there has never...

The life sciences/pharmaceutical medicines industry is an exciting and challenging sector to work within. After all, scientific advancements and new breakthroughs happen every single day. Every job within the industry requires a high level of motivation and competence. It’s a growing and demanding sector in which hard work is well rewarded. It’s also one which is always searching for new...