Reading articles about the topic of Business from BBC
1. Working remotely
Michelle Pratt has an inventive way of keeping herself focused while she is working from home.
She removes the batteries from her doorbell so she doesn’t get distracted by deliveries or visitors.
Michelle is one of a growing number of workers who are based in their own home () for much of the working day.
BBC 5 Live Wake Up To Money analysis reveals a 74% jump in the number of people working from their own home between 2008 and 2018.
More than 1.54 million people work from home for their main job – up from 884,000 ten years ago, according to the ONS Labour Force Survey, the largest study of employment circumstances in the UK.
Michelle, who works as a management development trainer and coach, enjoys the freedom and flexibility that remote working offers.
Flexibility and freedom
“You can be in for deliveries, choose when to exercise and I get to cook healthy lunches; it’s good for my overall wellbeing and a work-life balance.”
A recent survey of remote workers from the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-employed (IPSE) found that over half (55%) of them said increased flexibility was the greatest advantage of remote working.
Saloma Kelly agrees. She runs an events company remotely. “You are getting out and meeting new people, you can go wherever you want and work remotely.
“It doesn’t matter if you are in a pub or an office space, there’s more freedom to just go where you need to be.”
Finding community
As well as workers based solely in their own home, the BBC found there has been a smaller increase in the number of people who work in different places but with their home as a base. That number has increased by around 200,000 in the 10 years between 2008 and 2018 to 2.66 million.
Many of those remote workers choose to spend their working day in co-working spaces such as Manchester’s Ziferblat café. Every Friday afternoon, a group of homeworkers and freelancers meet there to work alongside each other.
Michelle Pratt is among them: “I often go to spaces like this, just for interaction, it helps my productivity and motivation if I can be around other people”.
‘Isolated and lonely’
With more people working from home, the mental health charity Mind has raised concerns about the possible loneliness and isolation that may affect remote workers.
Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind, said: “Home workers don’t always have the same opportunities to connect with people as their office-based colleagues.
“This could result in some home workers feeling isolated and lonely.”
Mark Black, a marketing consultant, can also be found in Ziferblat, as he struggled to switch off from work (tách khỏi công việc) when he was based solely at home.
“I hated home working, you get up in the morning and stare at the same four walls, do your work, and try and clock off, (quẹt thẻ để ghi lại thời gian rời khỏi nơi làm việc) but you can’t.
“You find yourself working until 10 or 11 at night.”
Some employers worry that the increasing prevalence (sự phổ biến lan tràn) of remote working may lead to a lack of collaboration and feeling disconnected from their team.
Marissa Mayer, as chief executive of Yahoo in 2013, famously banned working from home to encourage greater cohesion in her workforce.
In a leaked private memo she stated: “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side by side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices.”
More productive?
But IPSE found a third of home workers felt more productive at home than in an office, in a survey in April.
Adina Tarry, a business psychologist, agrees. She told the BBC that home-working doesn’t suit every personality.
“People who are very extroverted (hướng ngoại) and need that stimulation (sự kích thích, khuyến khích) will find it hard to be by themselves. I think it’s a good idea to create a home office if you’re working from home to give yourself direction and stick to a plan.”
Some employers say that good communication is key to keeping remote workers feeling connected to their colleagues.
Bobbie Hough manages the communications firm Hough Bellis in Cheshire. He has several employees who are based remotely and regularly travels to meet up with them.
“If I have to drive 30 to 50 miles to have a coffee with one of my remotely-based employees, it’s worth it to ensure that my staff are well.”
2. Tipping peers for good jobs done
“We normally tip around £2, but if someone does something really good, then they might get a fiver. It’s a really tangible (cụ thể) way of saying, ‘You know what, I really liked that.'”
Becky Thornton is one of a growing number of UK workers whose bosses have introduced “peer-to-peer micro-bonuses” – or what some people might view as tips.
There’s been a sharp increase in schemes where co-workers are given the power and a budget to tip each other small amounts of money for good work.
Two of the main providers of these schemes told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up To Money that they had seen a big rise in the number of UK businesses signing up to give their staff the power to hand out small cash rewards.
US-based firm Bonusly says it has seen a 75% increase in UK customers in the last 12 months alone, meaning there are now 250 UK-based firms using its scheme to reward more than 10,000 employees.
And Reward Gateway told Radio 5 live it had seen a 100% increase in the number of UK businesses using its services to allow staff to give small amounts of cash to their colleagues.
“It’s quite a nice way of giving feedback, it feels like a positive way to show you appreciate someone’s work. I save up my tips and withdraw them when I’ve got over £100, then I treat myself,” says Becky.
‘It works as a nudge’ (cú đẩy nhẹ, sự khích lệ nhỏ)
Raphael Crawford-Marks, one of Bonusly’s co-founders, says the idea is “ensuring that employees receive timely and meaningful recognition”.
He doesn’t like to think of it as “tipping”, which he says has a different connotation (ý nghĩa) in the US, where tips form a sizable chunk of some workers’ pay.
“The monetary aspect of it exists to help employees form good habits about giving recognition to each other,” he says.
“When every employee has a pot of money and all they can do with it is give it out to their colleagues, then that works as a nudge to encourage them to give it out.”
But not everyone who has experienced it is a fan. Victoria Davies used to work at a company that managed bonuses this way and found it hard.
“If you’re the type of person who normally goes above and beyond, you don’t want to be seen to be doing that just to get tips,” she says.
“It’s open to abuse, isn’t it? As someone who went through popularity contests at school, it was quite weird to think, ‘Oh, do I need to ingratiate myself with people to be part of this community of tip-giving?’
“It was one extra level of stress that I didn’t need.”
‘A bit of a contest’
The amount of money and the way the rewards work varies from employer to employer. Some even display charts showing who has received the most from their colleagues.
Becky’s employer gives staff £15 a month to assign to their colleagues, which is taken back if it is not used in time. Victoria was given a pot of £100 a year to dish out as and when she chose.
Jurgen Appelo, founder of Agility Scales and author of several books on management, introduced the scheme for his employees who award one another points. The value of those points is determined by the profit the company has made each month.
He acknowledges there is a risk that this scheme becomes a popularity contest: “You cannot prevent this becoming a bit of a contest, but we already have a contest in place with the traditional system and that is sucking up to the boss.
“It is a popularity contest of who is most popular with the boss and that has proven to be a very bad system.
Instant feedback
Julie Wacker, business psychologist at workplace wellness consultancy Robertson Cooper, says businesses must be careful of unintended consequences. (hậu quả không mong muốn)
“I can see how this could have a huge impact and be fun. But if it’s not set around a work culture with good values in place, it could end up being cliquey (có tính chất bè lũ, kéo bè kéo đảng) , it could be quite negative,” he says.
“The intention is no doubt good, it’s to motivate people and give instant feedback. It means you’re not reliant on a manager for recognition, which could release people from the negative impact of bad managers. But there are risks it’s just a popularity contest.”
Whatever the reasons behind it and whether you love it or hate it, the professional association for people in HR, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, has told the BBC it has seen an increase in members talking about these schemes.
There’s a good chance this very American import could soon be coming to a workplace near you. Best start smiling at those colleagues.
3. Gender pay gap
“There are many reasons why it exists,” says Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC federation of trade unions. “Some are to do with work, such as undervaluing (đánh giá thấp) the jobs traditionally done by women, a lack of genuine flexibility (sự linh động thực sự) for employees at work, and too few good-quality part-time jobs.
“Others are about caring responsibilities, with women still undertaking the majority of childcare.”
It can be fixed, she says, although the TUC has calculated that at the current rate, it will take around 60 years to achieve pay parity (sự bằng nhau về tiền lương) between men and women.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Employers must be legally required to publish an action plan to say how they’ll tackle pay inequality (sự bất công) at their workplaces and advertise jobs on a more flexible basis.”
Better pay for part-time work and care jobs are needed, as well as more flexible jobs, she says. “Workplaces that recognise unions are more likely to have family-friendly policies and fair pay.”
She also argues for more childcare and elder care, better careers advice, and more flexible working as a way to help women.
Alice Hood, head of equality and strategy at the TUC, adds that while pay discrimination is illegal, it still exists.
Increasing numbers of women are moving into self-employment, partly drawn by the potential of a more flexible approach to work, says Alice Martin, head of work and pay at the New Economics Foundation think tank. người có kiến thức uyên thâm, chuyên gia cố vấn
“There are many reasons why it exists,” says Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC federation of trade unions. “Some are to do with work, such as undervaluing (đánh giá thấp) the jobs traditionally done by women, a lack of genuine flexibility (sự linh động thực sự) for employees at work, and too few good-quality part-time jobs.
“Others are about caring responsibilities, with women still undertaking the majority of childcare.”
It can be fixed, she says, although the TUC has calculated that at the current rate, it will take around 60 years to achieve pay parity (sự bằng nhau về tiền lương) between men and women.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Employers must be legally required to publish an action plan to say how they’ll tackle pay inequality (sự bất công) at their workplaces and advertise jobs on a more flexible basis.”
Better pay for part-time work and care jobs are needed, as well as more flexible jobs, she says. “Workplaces that recognise unions are more likely to have family-friendly policies and fair pay.”
She also argues for more childcare and elder care, better careers advice, and more flexible working as a way to help women.
Alice Hood, head of equality and strategy at the TUC, adds that while pay discrimination is illegal, it still exists.
Increasing numbers of women are moving into self-employment, partly drawn by the potential of a more flexible approach to work, says Alice Martin, head of work and pay at the New Economics Foundation think tank. (người có kiến thức uyên thâm, chuyên gia cố vấn)
The latest figures on the difference between what companies pay men and women have been revealed.
Three-quarters of firms pay men more than women. That’s based on data so far from 10,000 firms required by the government to release the information.
The gender pay gap (chênh lệch lương giữa nam và nữ) is calculated by taking all employees in an organisation and comparing the average pay between men and women.
This is the second year that companies have had to report. All UK firms with 250 or more employees must disclose their pay gaps around this time of the year.
This is not the same as equal pay, which is the right for men and women to be paid the same for the same, or equivalent work (công việc tương đương) or work of equal value.
That is illegal, and has been for over 40 years.
But there is still a huge gulf between the average pay earned by women at these companies and their male colleagues.
Why is this?
“There are many reasons why it exists,” says Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC federation of trade unions. “Some are to do with work, such as undervaluing (đánh giá thấp) the jobs traditionally done by women, a lack of genuine flexibility (sự linh động thực sự) for employees at work, and too few good-quality part-time jobs.
“Others are about caring responsibilities, with women still undertaking the majority of childcare.”
It can be fixed, she says, although the TUC has calculated that at the current rate, it will take around 60 years to achieve pay parity (sự bằng nhau về tiền lương) between men and women.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Making employers publish information on their gender pay gaps is a start but it’s nowhere near enough,” she says.
“Employers must be legally required to publish an action plan to say how they’ll tackle pay inequality (sự bất công) at their workplaces and advertise jobs on a more flexible basis.”
Better pay for part-time work and care jobs are needed, as well as more flexible jobs, she says. “Workplaces that recognise unions are more likely to have family-friendly policies and fair pay.”
She also argues for more childcare and elder care, better careers advice, and more flexible working as a way to help women.
Alice Hood, head of equality and strategy at the TUC, adds that while pay discrimination is illegal, it still exists.
Increasing numbers of women are moving into self-employment, partly drawn by the potential of a more flexible approach to work, says Alice Martin, head of work and pay at the New Economics Foundation think tank. người có kiến thức uyên thâm, chuyên gia cố vấn
“But flexibility doesn’t always mean autonomy (sự tự giác) over pay and time: the gender pay gap persists (Dai dẳng) even for women in self-employment,” she says.
In 2016, full-time self-employed men earned £120 more a week than women – £363.
Jobs typically done by more women than men, such as foster care, (Việc chăm sóc trẻ không có cha mẹ) domestic labour, (làm việc nhà) or even sex work, often have fewer opportunities to band together to ask for more pay, says Ms Martin.
Childcare support and a shorter working week could be solutions, she says.
“Women are still far more likely to perform essential unpaid labour outside of work. They do 60% more unpaid work than men. This means that they often have to find work which enables them to care for children or elderly parents. This locks people, mainly women, outside of secure, well paid work.”
Charles Cotton is from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), an organisation that helped shape pay gap regulations.
He also advocates flexible working, but says pay secrecy (sự giữ bí mật mức lương) and pay history are helping to keep old, bad trends going.
Employers can help by not asking for previous salary history in the recruitment process, he says. More women should be included in promotion shortlists; there should be greater transparency (sự minh bạch) over pay decisions; and firms should offer more family-friendly benefits, he argues.
“However, some of the gender pay gap is due to what is going on outside the workplace,” he says, such as “societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female work”.
And he agrees with other commentators that a shortage of child or elder care is a key issue.
“If we are going to see progress, we need government action, and to challenge assumptions (sự giả định) about what both women and men can do.”
Many of the best-paying jobs at big companies are on the board, and less than a third of board members at the top-100 publicly-traded firms are women. Chief executives are even rarer: there are just five women leading FTSE 100 companies.
“Companies have incentives to drive that remuneration (tiền lương) up,” for big bosses because of the way that pay is decided, says Dr Wyporska.
So when these mostly male bosses receive big pay rises, it only exacerbates (làm tồi tệ thêm) the pay imbalance, says Wanda Wyporska, executive director at The Equality Trust, a charity that campaigns to reduce social and economic inequality.
“If you have a CEO on £1m and some staff on the living wage, that will have a huge impact,” she says.
Companies that outsource (thuê bên ngoài) the poorest-paying jobs, like cleaning and support staff, can have a significant impact on the data, says Ms Wyporska.
And overlapping pay bands can conceal (che giấu) pay iniquity. (điều trái với đạo lý, bất công) A senior woman may be paid at the bottom of a management band but be paid less than a man earning at the top of a more junior band.
At the heart of the matter of why so few women are in the most senior – and best-paying – jobs is often old-fashioned sexism, (phân biệt kỳ thị giới tính) Dr Wyporska argues.
The government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review into gender imbalance heard some executives say: “I don’t think women fit comfortably into the board environment” and “most women don’t want the hassle (sự rắc rối phức tạp) or pressure of sitting on a board”.
And finally, bonus gaps are frequently twice the size of pay gaps, and are not infrequently in excess of (vượt quá) 50%, according to data from the Equality Trust which analysed awards at FTSE 100 firms.
