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      Want to Be More Productive at Work? Pop Music is the Answer

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      The nation’s working practices have changed dramatically in the last year, with many employees now working from home on a semi-permanent basis, and for those who can’t, they’re facing new working conditions with PPE becoming compulsory.
      Given the circumstances, it is imperative to keep your workforce as motivated as possible and be sympathetic to the changing situation. There are many factors that come into play when creating the optimum atmosphere for a productive workday, whether it is at home or at the office, with music being a key part of this.
      Sodexo Engage surveyed 2000 employees in the UK to discover the most recommended genre of music they listen to in order to stay productive. With its upbeat and rhythmic tones, pop music topped the charts closely followed by pumped-up rock and beat-driven dance.
      Table 1: The top ten most recommended music genres for productivity

      Genre

      % listening to this genre

      Pop

      58%

      Rock

      47%

      Dance

      42%

      R&B

      37%

      Classical

      34%

      Hip Hop

      31%

      Indie

      29%

      Country

      20%

      Other

      14%

      Jazz

      13%

      Surprisingly, although historically discussed as a prime genre to improve focus, classical music just made the top 5. However, out of the most recommended artists, Mozart made the top three with the show-stopping Figaro’s Wedding being mentioned as a must-listen.

      Recommendations for every mood
      When it comes to recommended artists there is something for every mood. If your team is looking for some motivational morale-boosting goodness then the British rock band Queen, who charted in first, has the goods. Their motivational beats like ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ were just some of the hits recommended by respondents. Equally, if they’re in need of some calm and chilled out vibes, then second place Ed Sheeran is perfect with ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
      Pop music is the most productive genre no matter what the task
      The task you are doing very much dictates the type of music that is a benefit to you. Upbeat pop music is the most popular by task breakdown across the board including writing (36%), reading (18%), manual labor (34%), and administrative work (32%), however, we do see other genres creep into the mix as well. Work that requires a more focused mind, such as reading and writing, see the soothing sounds of classical music feature. Classical often offers a calm and light feel with instrumental tones, in fact, 38% of respondents prefer to listen to instrumental music when trying to be productive.
      Engineers are the most passionate professionals

      Not all music genres are favorites for everyone and when working in a communal setting, we often have to listen to the same tunes. Engineers are the most passionate profession with 38% of respondents admitting to arguing with colleagues over what to listen to whilst on the job. Sales reps (33%), bank workers (30%), and tradespeople (29%) also made the top five most passionate professions.
      Keeping remote workers motivated by music
      Music can offer your employees an outlet for release and an opportunity to get pumped up for the day or a big project. It’s very important to offer suggestions to your employees, on how they can best balance their workload and keep up their motivation, particularly whilst working from home. In fact, 56% of respondents said music makes them feel less lonely when working from home and 61% also said it helps boost their morale.
      Using music to help boost productivity certainly has its benefits, and Sodexo Engage has used its insights to create a “Productivity Playlist” for you to share with your employees or use yourself.
      Commenting on the research, Emma Yearwood, Director of HR at Sodexo Engage says:

      During this time it’s so important to help employees feel motivated, positive, and productive in their role. With music being a strong commonality in the workplace across the world, some professionals have missed out on this as we are forced to work from home during lockdown.
      Between pop and rock music, it was a close call, but with pop being a style of music that resonates with different professions, the results prove just how popular it is in the workplace.
      Given the variety of music artists that made the top ten recommendations, such as Queen, Ed Sheeran, Abba, Oasis and Coldplay, it goes to show that getting your working surroundings right is so important in ensuring your employees can work happily and feel positive about the task they’re undertaking.

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      Working from Home: One Year in Review

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      When recruiting, if you’re not adapting to working trends along with the nation, someone else will. So how is the working world settling into its new routine after a year of lockdowns and restrictions?
      Whilst many think people prefer working from home, you’ll actually find there are mixed opinions. Some like ditching the commute and having flexibility, others miss face-to-face interaction and getting out of the house.
      Office design experts, Diamond Interiors, have reviewed a chaotic working year to see how the nation has adapted and predicts what’s next for the working world.
      What has working from home changed for good?
      Flexibility certainly sticks out as a big winner. Without a doubt, people are appreciating the ability to spend more time at home, especially those with children. Businessman and founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson has been pushing CEOs to adopt more flexible working models even before the pandemic:
      “I’m a big believer that with the technology we have today, balancing family and business should be easier, not harder. Both partners should be able to work, realize their potential and raise a family; and flexible working enables people … to do this.”
      Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, sees “the future as being more flexible” and realizes the importance of cutting down commuting for his staff:
      “It’s always made me wonder when I see people commuting two hours and away from their family and friends on a Friday, you realize they can’t have plans… So I think we could do better.”
      Not only does working from home cut out commute times, but it can also cut down costs considerably. With travel costs, petrol, transport and then the daily or weekly lunchtime dining – it all adds up. At home, you’re not tempted by office lunch takeaways, local eateries, or having to spend money on actually getting to and from work.
      However, money transfers to increased electricity, heating, and internet usage. But, how does it compare?
      If you look at a worker who typically drives into a city every workday – such as Bolton to Manchester – that’s around 26 miles of driving every day (13 miles there and back). You’re looking at around £50 in unleaded fuel being saved a month by working from home. For a train commuter traveling from Bolton to Manchester, who uses a monthly season ticket, that’s around £105 saved or £120 without using a monthly season ticket.
      But, you’re probably spending that back on electricity and gas over the month by staying in more. As of April 2019, the average dual fuel variable tariff was estimated at £104.50 a month. This is before the pandemic and government-mandated lockdowns. Now that more people are working from home, with more hours using electricity for work on computers, homebrews, daily microwave pings, lights and so on, that figure is probably rising by at least 50%, if not doubling – especially during those winter months and cold spells.
      How has homeworking affected productivity?
      Gabriele Musella, CEO, and Cofounder of Coinrule, notes a positive, saying working from home “has increased my productivity level. I can stretch out and schedule my work conveniently and work in a more relaxed environment.”
      Others, however, have noticed the strain on productivity homeworking brings, like Nick Pollitt, Managing Director of Diamond Interiors: “We’ve seen employers struggle and noticed an impact. The office environment brings teams together and is where productivity thrives. That spark fades out when staff are distanced from each other; sadly business can suffer.”
      Pichai (Google’s CEO), echoes this by valuing the office for face-to-face interaction and “being together… when you have to solve hard problems and create something new.” He wants to “create more flexibility and more hybrid models” since the company’s internal survey interestingly found quite a split in the favoring of working remotely and in the office.
      Are we entering a new hybrid-working age?
      Salesforce – a cloud-based SaaS company – supports a hybrid work model, claiming “the 9-to-5 workday is dead.” But, they also understand the difficulties of working from home, “especially for those with families at home or for those who are feeling isolated.”
      Big-tech companies are also following suit with Twitter announcing early on that staff can work from home “forever.” However, employees can work in the office when it’s safe to do so.
      With isolation impacting mental health, increased office FOMO, and balancing out costs, it seems the work-from-home shift will be a sliding one, rather than a complete switch. People are enjoying more flexibility at home, but want the best of both worlds. Only time will tell what the future of the working world will look like.
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      How Employee Benefits Will Change Post-Flexible Working

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      Before the pandemic, flexible working was seen as the ultimate benefit. Whether it was the option to work remotely or to take advantage of a company’s flexi-hours policy, it was lauded as a fantastic perk for any role. Flexibility was offered to many, but not all workers (46% of UK workers weren’t offered any flexible working options in 2018), making it all the more desirable to those who were living without it. However, due to the dramatic shift we’ve seen in the past 12 months, this type of flexibility seems is undoubtedly here to stay. If it’s the norm, not the exception, what benefits should employers look at offering instead?
      We recently hosted a webinar with four HR experts: Founder and Managing Principal at IA, Mark Stelzner; Group HR Director at Reward Gateway, Robert Hicks; Founder of Play Consulting, Marcus Thornley; and Saskia Donald, an HR professional with over 20 years’ experience. They discussed the need for employers to shift their employee benefits to better reflect individuals’ priorities. Find the key benefits below.
      Wellbeing
      Wellbeing will remain a huge player in the benefits game moving forward and, as Robert explained, “firms [who] do wellbeing well will see talent stay, and those who don’t will struggle”. Due to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, employees are now more in tune with their personal wellbeing and will look to their employer to help them cope. It’s important your clients view wellbeing holistically, taking into account mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing.
      In terms of mental wellbeing, companies looking to improve their offering can implement many different solutions, including training a mental health first aider, creating online resources, organizing structured training sessions, or even simply offering a subscription to a meditation app.
      However, it’s not enough to simply have these resources available – clients should also lead by example when it comes to looking after their employees’ mental health. Mark described a recent moment where he recognized his employees needed him to lead the way during a period of acute stress: “I immediately put a message out to my entire team [to]… cancel every meeting if you need to and take care of yourself and your family.” Your clients should understand their employees will need support in different ways at different times; by allowing them space to pause and reset, they will prove they care about their workers’ mental wellbeing.
      It’s essential to remember the other forms of wellbeing as well. For example, if your client is looking to promote physical wellbeing, they could implement a cycle-to-work scheme or hire a trainer to deliver virtual yoga/Pilates/meditation sessions. Similarly, by taking into account financial stressors and doing their part to alleviate them, employers could potentially offer a one-off stipend to help workers set up their home workspace, courses, and education around budgeting/pension funds, or access to a financial advisor.
      There are a myriad of different options for those looking to introduce these benefits – the important thing to get right is recognizing the need to do so. Simply put, according to Robert, workers will ask their employers, “what are you doing to help me with my job, be effective and help me cope with all of my challenges?”
      Learning and development (L&D)
      Throughout the past 12 months, many of us have turned to online courses to develop skills or learn something new. According to Marcus, he’s seen “a lot of uptake in our business around learning… [it’s] never been [in] higher demand as it has been through lockdown”. There are a number of ways employers can encourage their staff to learn. Some of the better examples include allocating an annual amount for a person’s L+D and allow them to use it as they see fit; making online training documents available via a remote HR platform; or identifying those in the business with strong skills in a particular area and asking them to lead a presentation or seminar. At Tiger, the latter has worked particularly well: consultants have presented to the wider business on a variety of topics, from Brexit regulations to the importance of personal brand.
      Remote benefits
      While it’s not surprising we’re seeing more benefits to help employees set up their home workspaces, this trend is here to stay. Many employers are now offering a stipend for workers to spend on better working equipment, but Marcus believes this benefit may evolve in the future to include “home utility grants – electricity, Wi-Fi, gas.” Not only will it appeal to those struggling financially due to the pandemic, but it will ensure workers feel truly looked after by their employer.
      Two months into 2021, the global pandemic continues to affect every aspect of our lives and work. As recruiters, our knowledge of this uncertain market has never been more essential. By remaining abreast of benefits changes, you’ll be in a better position to advise your clients and help them attract the best candidates moving forward.

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      How the Pandemic Has Affected the Future of Work

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      The fourth industrial revolution has shifted our world into a new digital era and the pandemic has accelerated this from a movement to an immediate necessity. Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work and Oxford Economics’ Work Ahead most recent report, The Work Ahead: Digital First (to Last), examines the most significant trends and tactics for businesses around the world to be aware of and act on if they are to ensure a successful future of work.
      What is clear, now more than ever, is that companies that lagged behind on their digital transformation and those that have not evolved to keep up in this digital era are sure to be hit the hardest, with some at risk of becoming obsolete. In fact, half (49%) of global businesses expect COVID-19 to destroy traditional, non-digital business, as well as those that do not move online aggressively enough. The findings of the report confirm that digital competency is key for the future of work.
      Other findings include:
      The effect of the pandemic on employer/employee relationships
      Business leaders cited employee safety (59%) and worker recognition (58%) as their current key priorities. Employee compensation and safety are understandably a top priority, given how the pandemic has changed the business landscape and forced many companies to make difficult decisions when it comes to staff. But this might change over time as new economic and labor dynamics shape workforce strategies, with new compensation models coming into play.
      However, the pandemic has also shown a need for greater social protections, with almost half of business leaders (45%) expecting better access to pay and benefits for freelancers. More than two-fifths (43%) also expect a drop in pay for highly paid executives. There is no doubt, however, that one of the biggest influences of the pandemic is business leaders’ acceptance of home-working, as two-fifths (41%) foresee HR policies having to be adapted to account for more flexible approaches to remote working in the future.
      The skills needed for advancing in careers are shifting
      The pandemic has left society in a period of existential doubt. Technology has not only caused an adjustment in how we work but galvanized how we think about it. It has raised questions around how we are valued and remain valuable in a world where machines are increasingly automating mundane work.
      The concept of “upskilling” is one that has increased in popularity – centered around human talent acquiring skills and proficiency that even the smartest machines cannot be equipped with. When revisiting our report from 2016, business leaders then were less receptive to the importance of innovation, the ability to create new and better ways of working. However, this concept has grown in recognition among business leaders and is now regarded as the most important skill for succeeding at work.
      On the other hand, “strategic thinking” is a skill that has significantly dropped in importance when compared to 2016, falling from second-ranked to the fifth most important skill for business leaders. This likely reflects the current appetite for disruptive ways of thinking.
      A new appreciation of technologies impact on work and society
      We are clearly entering a new stage in our relationship with technology. A decade into this new digital era and business leaders voice a greater appreciation for the promise and peril inherent in modern technology. There is a better understanding of the power of technology, with more agreeing that digital technologies will positively impact their employment, whether by protecting them from being replaced by robots and AI (44%) or helping them stay employed (46%).
      Unexpectedly, the report showed a decline in business leaders’ belief that digital technologies increase personal efficiency and productivity – in the range of 30 to 40%. This shows insight into the reality of our “always switched on” frame of mind brought on by technology. The additional layers of technology we are now subject to in our virtual working worlds have created an environment where employees are working longer hours, working more intensely, and juggling more demands, but these layers seem to be having the knock-on effect of making many of us less efficient and productive.
      Digital is not the silver bullet we once thought it was
      The core components at the center of this digitized world are the 3 A’s – AI, automation, and analytics. The report revealed that the further business leaders move into their technology implementations, the more they appear to be recognizing that none is a “silver bullet” that can be easily deployed to produce magical results.
      Developing this more mature appreciation for what digital technologies can actually do is an important step of the digital journey for every organization. While companies initially dragged their feet and debated how seriously they should take these 3 A’s, there is now no doubt that combined, they are critical for every organization to stay in business in the great post-COVID reset.
      We are now deep in the era of “digital in practice”
      It is all well and good to think about the future of work, but this report shows how important it is for businesses to act, and now. When COVID-19 took over our lives, business leaders had to scrutinize everything from how and where employees worked, to how they engaged with customers, to which products and services were viable as customer needs and behaviors switched, quite literally, overnight. It is clear now that those businesses with data mastery at their core were the best at pivoting, adapting, and reinventing themselves on the fly.
      And for the companies that are lagging? Digital transformation is no longer a journey, but a key component in staying relevant and fit for purpose. For the businesses that do not consider themselves to be “modern”, you soon will be – otherwise, you could face extinction in this digital era.
      By Euan Davis, European Lead for Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work.

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      The Hierarchy of Needs for Home-Working in 2021

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      It’s been a good few years – 78 years to be exact – since Abraham Maslow published his paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” and introduced us to the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’.
      Chances are you’re already familiar with it, but it features five stages and is typically stylized like a pyramid. Moving from the bottom to the top, the stages theorized a human being’s motivation; psychological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. The theory was that the lower needs have to be satisfied before you can move up to attend to the needs of the next stage, and so on until you reach the final stage.
      But as we stated before, it’s been a while. So much about life, especially working life, has changed in the last 12 months. Is it time to introduce a new hierarchy of needs that is more suited to not only the 21st century, but our current working situation, and the state of modern recruitment?
      Before we dive in, let’s quickly recap the five stages of human needs (according to Maslow):
      Physiological: This first stage is about our most basic needs like food, water, and sleep
      Safety: Are we safe? Are we healthy? This covers everything from shelter to financial stability
      Love / belonging: Once we’re safe and fed, how do we feel like we belong in our own lives? This could be through relationships, friendships, and romantic intimacy
      Esteem: Then we start to work on ourselves. This self-growth and building on our esteem happens through status, respect, and recognition
      Self-actualization: This final stage relates to self-fulfillment which – according to Maslow – says is unique to every person
      Introducing: The new hierarchy of needs for working from home in 2021
      2020 saw a complete overhaul of how we do our jobs, and how businesses interact with their employees. Last year saw us replace face-to-face meetings with Zoom and desks with dining room tables. The working world has changed, and our needs have alongside it, with how we go about our jobs, the way we communicate, flexibility, and ways to improve productivity. One thing that hasn’t changed though is our desire to succeed in our careers.

      Now in 2021, mid-pandemic, many businesses are now in full work-from-home mode while continuing to go about their day, conducting meetings, recruiting new staff, and pitching for new customers. With all that in mind, business security solutions provider, Expert Security UK, thinks it’s time for a new hierarchy of needs:
      Working equipment: To do a job properly in the digital age, your equipment needs to be top-notch. That means no internet outages, no computer crashes, or faulty equipment. These are the basics.
      Security: We all need, and all deserve, to feel safe regardless of where we do business. This means that our premises – wherever that may be – needs to be protected efficiently with things like electric gates, driveway security bollards, and CCTV, etc.
      Safety and hygiene: If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we should never be complacent when it comes to hygiene, especially in an enclosed workspace. As we (hopefully) move forwards out of this pandemic, businesses will need to have updated health and safety policies that reflect hygiene and social distancing best practices. If home is your work – whether it’s temporary or permanent – keep your hygiene standards high.
      Team culture: Don’t forget about your people. Office banter and inside jokes are easy to keep alive when you’re all in one place, but with most people working from home, it’s more important now to keep that office culture alive and well. Use the internet and digital means to your advantage.
      Career success: Just because we’re working from home doesn’t mean our ambitions have been put on hold. We all have a need to feel valued, and that includes in our careers. Make sure your employees’ progressions are still on track, so they have something to work for.
      By Sam Levene at Expert Security UK.

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      How Manual Workers Can Create the Perfect CV

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      The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some tough times for a lot of professionals in the UK, especially those who are on the lookout for a new job. If you are in this position, it has therefore never been more important to make sure your application is as strong as it can possibly be, in order to give you the advantage against some stiff competition.
      For manual workers, such as drivers, laborers, and maintenance workers, this can feel like an especially big challenge, since these types of workers are often less likely to have a written CV prepared and ready to go.
      As such, if you’re a professional in one of these fields, it’s worth taking some time to think about how to craft the perfect CV. This will make a real difference in helping you get noticed, and give you the best chance of securing an interview.
      Getting the right structure for your CV
      If you have not written a formal CV before, it can be hard to know where to start. Getting the structure right should be one of your top priorities, helping you present all of the key information that employers want to know in the most persuasive way possible.
      When writing your CV, follow this simple five-step structure:
      Introduction – this should be a five or six-sentence statement about yourself and your experience, summarising your most relevant credentials, as well as your contact details
      Core skills & knowledge – write a bullet point list of your most relevant professional skills and qualifications, focusing on what’s most relevant to the job you are applying for. This may include a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) certificate, or something similar
      Employment history – list out your employment history, starting with the most recent role and working backward, for up to 10 years where possible. Detail each role with bullet points about who your employers were, your main duties, and any key achievements worth highlighting
      Education history – this should include all of the schools, colleges, and universities you have attended and the years you were there, alongside any other relevant additional educational qualifications
      Hobbies & interests – finally, you should highlight some of your personal interests and pastimes that highlight relevant skills, or positive aspects of your character. Any team-based activities and hobbies that demonstrate dedication and effort could help you stand out from the crowd
      Perfecting the formatting
      With the core content of your CV in place, it’s time to make sure that the presentation is also up to the right standard. Don’t worry if you are inexperienced with graphic design – as a rule, CVs generally benefit from being simple and easy to read, so flashy visual presentation shouldn’t be necessary.
      Here are a few tips for making your CV look professional:
      Use a basic, clear font such as Arial or Calibri, with a size of around 10 or 11. This will be large enough to be readable, but compact enough to give you room to fit in all the important information
      Stick to black-and-white, rather than using colors. Overly colorful CVs are harder for employers to photocopy and may end up looking unprofessional
      Keep the length of the document to two sides of A4. Shorter CVs may look incomplete or underdeveloped, while busy employers are unlikely to read anything too long
      Divide up the text into readable sections. You want any future employers to be able to get information quickly from your CV, so make sure you divide up the content into snappy paragraphs, using clear subheadings and bullet-point lists to make it easy to read
      Avoiding common mistakes
      Finally, before sending off a CV, it’s vital to double-check the content to ensure you have not made any basic mistakes, as these could result in your application being dismissed straight away.
      These include:
      Spelling mistakes and poor grammar – these kinds of errors simply look sloppy, and employers will often reject the whole CV as a result. If necessary, have a friend check the document over to find any mistakes before you send it
      False or exaggerated statements – although a CV should be designed to impress, you should never lie about your qualifications. Any untrue information will be found out during the recruitment process, and that will reflect very badly on you
      Sending out a generic CV – the core content of a CV will be similar for each job you apply for, but each one should be specifically tailored to the role. This will help you focus on the information that’s most likely to impress each employer
      Failing to explain gaps in your employment history – if you have been out of the workforce for several months or years, you must be able to provide an explanation, otherwise, the employer is likely to see the gap as suspicious
      By following these guidelines, you should be able to create a document that really showcases your qualities and skills, even if you don’t have any past experience in writing a CV. This will help you apply quickly for more roles, bringing you one step closer to securing the job that’s best suited for you.
      Debi Bell is the Head of HR Services of Lanes Group. She is a highly qualified professional who has overseen the development of the company’s HR department since 2013, working with senior managers on key personnel management, efficiency and legal compliance issues.

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      Post-COVID Office Perks to Attract New Talent

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      2020 shook us all, with a pandemic that turned our working world upside down. Employers have had to shift to an office design that accommodates social distancing, but they’re also bringing in new office perks to help make the transition back to the office more inviting for new and existing talent, and better for their employees’ wellness as well as productivity. Let’s take a look at how to make your office more inviting to new recruits.
      Office pods
      Social distancing is paramount for COVID-secure office space and the office pod helps with this greatly. Employees can be separated from one another in their own breakout spaces in pods to get on with tasks. Cell pods allow workers to see through their glass pods, have doors open or shut, so they’re not totally shut off but can still practice social distancing and separation.
      Instagrammable areas
      This speaks mainly to the Gen Z and millennials that are on Instagram, making daily updates, always capturing quirky design, meals, or fun businesses. Offices are changing to provide perks that will attract and entice employees to choose them over other companies in competitive job markets. Areas with fun design, abstract interior, quirky stencil wall art, biophilic decor, or even unique, modern sofas and funky corners are capture-worthy. Don’t be afraid to be different in your office design, add originality and fun with those instagrammable pieces.
      Nick Pollitt, Managing Director of office refurbishment company, Diamond Interiors, says that a place of work isn’t just that anymore:

      “Long gone are the days of cubicles, beige walls, and the nine to five. Nowadays workplaces are fun, dynamic, and have a strong focus on perks and benefits. When dealing with staff, whether they’ve been with you for years or are having their first interview, you have to make a good impression on them as much as the other way around.
      Making your office an aesthetically pleasing place is just as important as getting the work done and going home on time. So if you want to attract and keep the best talent, make sure you make your office an enjoyable place to be.”

      Relaxation rooms
      Whether it’s an office library, a hygge room, or a simple chillout room, companies are seeing the benefits of giving employees space to relax for breaks, lunches, or for times they may need to separate and work quietly. These are perfect for showing a high consideration for staff mental health and wellness.
      Games rooms
      A great office perk to have is a games room. You don’t need to go all out, it could be simply providing a games console, TV, and some comfy office sofas. But, to make it top-level, add some quirky games features like mini snooker tables, desk games, ping pong tables, and puzzles – even a fun jigsaw puzzle.
      Social spaces
      These can be integrated with games rooms but also can be areas where you allow staff to be a little more social. In a post-COVID working environment, it’s all about guidance, policies, and signposting. Make sure to keep clear signs and symbols to show where is off-limits, for instance, mark off where seating is off-limits to maintain social distancing. A social space may have newspapers, magazines, and reading materials to help with social work conversations, especially materials that are niche to certain industries.
      Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and wellbeing consultant, stresses how beneficial office perks like games rooms and social spaces are to employees’ mental health:

      “The allow employees to disconnect from role-related tasks and take a break, allowing them to connect more fully to the next task when they return. It also facilitates non-work-related communication, which is an essential element of social connection and workplace relationships. Social spaces can also reduce stress, allowing employees to move from their desk and change the scene.”

      Positive effects on staff
      As Chambers points out, the mental effects of office perks are extremely positive for staff – enabling them to reconnect with each other and build healthy working relationships. He also understands how they work in sync with improved productivity. For instance, social spaces and rooms for activities “create an important break in our working patterns that allow us to remove ourselves from cognitive work tasks and regenerate, so we have the ability to return to work with more focus, concentration, and energy.”
      Chambers goes on to highlight that office perks, or rather employers who value them, allow “employees who may not often get to talk a chance to connect”. They also come with creative, productive benefits as “many innovative ideas have come from a workplace social as the typical barriers of work are eroded. These relationship links forge greater company morale, give employees a feeling of connection and purpose outside of work, and give employees something to anticipate and look forward to.”
      There’s no doubt that 2021 is going to be unlike any year we’ve experienced so far. The only thing we can do is make the most of it and try to work as efficiently and safely as possible. What do you think of these 2021 office trends?

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      What Should Your Holiday Work Celebration Look Like This Year?

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      Hard as it is to believe, 2020 is finally drawing to a close. The year has brought more challenges than expected, and most are far from over. But as the holidays approach, many are looking forward to a much-needed break, spending time with friends and family, and recovering from the most mentally fatiguing year in…
      What Should Your Holiday Work Celebration Look Like This Year? Undercover Recruiter – More