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Is this a good time to start a business? The  Institute of Chartered Accountants thinks so. They point out that the Walt Disney Corporation, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft all stasrted during an economic downturn, and it considers that the current recession is an opportunity for business growth. Which it may well be. But just because it was the right time for them, it does not necessarily mean that it is the right time for you! (more…)

The gender pay gap is back in the news again. The Women and Work Commission, which was established to consider how to close the gap, said it had widened to 22.6% from 21.9% in 2007. The Commission says that women are still being pushed into traditionally lower paid jobs and that one of the main reasons for this is stereotyping- that we have an ingrained perception of the role of women in the work place which leads them into jobs that pay less.

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The Macleod review into employee engagement was published recently. The authors had been asked by the Department of Business to investigate whether wider take up of engagement approaches could impact positively on UK competitiveness and performance, and meet the challenges of increased global competition. The answer was a clear yes. (more…)

A report out today takes an optimistic view of the future of the insurance industry. Traditionally sitting at the less glamorous end of the financial services spectrum, insurance companies have remained stable through the credit crunch whilst other city institutions have been in disarray. So what are the prospects for employment in insurance, and is it an area for job seekers with a financial background to target?

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The BBC has been  running a project entitled Workarama in which they ask schools to share their pupils’ experiences of work and chores. Most of the responses they have had are from children who do household chores for pocket money. Nothing surprising there. But not all kids work at home for money. Some of the answers are quite touching.

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Another recommendation of the Milburn review that we discussed yesterday is that children will have access to much better career advice, and at a much earlier age, possibly even at primary school. This is clearly a report written by someone who has failed to grasp what career advice is all about.

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A parliamentary committee on social mobility has called on the professions to recruit more young people from less affluent backgrounds. The report, Fair Access to the Professions asks professions and universities to publish figures on the social background of their intake. It argues that careers advice should be made available to young people from all backgrounds to raise their aspirations to the same level as those from middle class backgrounds. (more…)

July and August are always lean times for job hunting and this year promises to be even leaner. If you are out of work and the imperative to find a job is urgent then this promises to be a difficult period. Unless you recognise the constraints of the season and adjust your job hunting routine accordingly.

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New research shows that one in five workers are putting in an additional 25 hours, or the equivalent of three days work a week. And 49% of employees have either taken a pay cut or a pay freeze since the recession started. Although on the face of it this seems unfair, it is in fact a win-win situation for both employees and employers. (more…)

As far as I know there have been no forecasts published on how the expected increase in swine flu cases this autumn will impact on businesses already struggling due to the recession. With one in eight workers expected to be affected by the pandemic it is clear that the impact on business will be significant. Which will impact on productivity, which may in turn impact on job security. (more…)