Latest news with #workfromhome
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Work from home to blame for ONS's unreliable data
Staff working from home at Britain's official statistics agency is damaging the quality of UK economic data, a scathing independent review has found. Sir Robert Devereux, a former top civil servant who was appointed to assess the state of the crisis-stricken Office for National Statistics (ONS), found the arrangements were jeopardising the ability of ONS to fulfil its core function of collecting and analysing statistics. On Thursday, his report found the staff at the agency were still resisting returning to the office full time. ONS staff can currently spend five days a week working at home. Unions representing some ONS staff have threatened to strike over demands that workers attend the office on at least two days per week. The unions have said there has been no tangible impact on the ONS's outputs because of the work arrangements. But Sir Robert said in his review: 'The return to working in the office, post pandemic, was not handled well and one of the unions is still operating 'action short of a strike'. 'This needs to be resolved quickly: some recognition of the past poor handling is necessary; but so too is a wider recognition of the benefits of teams spending time together in one place.' While the union work from home dispute has continued, vital information on the state of the jobs market and on inflation in the economy has become less reliable, making it harder for the Bank of England to set interest rates. Figures on unemployment and on the number of people who are economically inactive are considered unreliable, as the ONS struggles to convince households to respond to its surveys. Earlier this month officials revealed a mistake in April's consumer price inflation data, caused by an error in information submitted by the Department for Transport, while the producer price index, which covers inflation faced by businesses, has not been published since February. Under Andrew Bailey, the Bank's Governor, policymakers have resorted to using more of their own surveys and private sector data to assess the state of the economy. Sir Robert said that senior bosses at the ONS poured resources into new methods of analysing the economy - without budgeting sufficiently for other tasks. 'Unfortunately, this has had the (unintended) effect of de-prioritising the less exciting, but nonetheless crucial, task of delivering core economic statistics of sufficient quality to guide decision making,' he said. He criticised the 'inadequacies in the way ONS has made decisions, planned and budgeted, and managed risks' and 'a reluctance, at senior levels, to hear and act on difficult news'. The former civil servant also said the agency is a relatively unattractive place for highly qualified statisticians to work. 'The organisation's office locations, mostly outside major cities, and with analyst pay not comparable with other departments, makes it difficult to recruit and retain the necessary skilled staff,' he said. When the ONS moved a large share of its staff from London to Newport after a review in 2004, as many as 90pc of workers left the organisation instead of relocating to Wales. Grant Fitzner, the ONS's acting director general for economic statistics, promised 'a shift in the culture of our organisation, to embrace critical views, encourage greater curiosity, heed early warning signals and be open about the challenges we face'. This will include refocusing resources on economic statistics, he said, including offering more digital surveys and 'putting more resources into knocking on doors to further boost responses'.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Are There Really 6-Figure Remote Jobs That Don't Require Much Work? Experts Explain
Earning over $100,000 per year while being able to work from home and avoid a demanding schedule might seem like you're asking for too many things on one career wishlist. The reality, though, is that these jobs do exist, if you have the right expertise and seek them out. Read Next: Check Out: 'Finding a six-figure role with a light workload and flexible schedule is possible. However, many of these roles require a certain skill set or specific hands-on experience,' said Sam DeMase, career expert at ZipRecruiter. Fortunately, you don't necessarily need an advanced degree for many of these roles, although certain types of tech ones, for example, may require some sort of certification. Others, however, might be more about having the right background. While much depends on the company, certain types of roles tend to be more likely to fit this bill, especially tech-oriented ones. 'Roles like data analyst, project manager, executive recruiter, AI prompt engineer and computer systems analyst are typically associated with higher pay and greater schedule flexibility,' DeMase said. For some of these roles, the average salary might fall a bit below six figures, but if you have experience and work your way toward the high end of the scale, you can find remote jobs that pay over $100,000. Check Out: Some other examples of roles that tend to be remote, while requiring no more than 40 hours per week, include DevOps/site reliability engineer, business intelligence analyst and UX researcher/designer, according to Theresa Balsiger, vice president of candidate relations with Carex Consulting Group. Many of these roles, she said, tend to be project-based or asynchronous, she said. So, you might find yourself with more downtime and lower stress than in some jobs that require constant activity. While it might sound like a pipe dream to get a six-figure, low-stress job, it may be more within reach than you'd assume. One tip is to learn in-demand skills and how to use popular tools, like AWS, CI/CD and SQL, Balsiger said. 'There are several online courses you can take to level up your skillset and learn a new tech stack. Check out Coursera or Udemy,' she added. Good old-fashioned networking is important too. But don't just expect to land one of these jobs by connecting with people haphazardly. You should specifically talk to those who are already in these roles, such as by reaching out on LinkedIn to learn more and build relationships. 'See how they got there, ask them for introductions, etcetera,' Balsiger said. If you're not sure where to start in terms of what type of remote job you want, think about what you're good at, even if that differs a bit from your current job, as long as you can connect the dots. 'Make a list of your superpowers and write down any notable results or achievements from prior roles. From there, choose roles that closely align with your current skill set. Remember, finding a role that values your existing skill sets is the easiest way to pivot,' DeMase said. Also, be sure to emphasize these skills and any relevant experience on your resume, she said. 'Prepare a quick, results-based hook that instantly shows value,' DeMase explained. 'Employers told ZipRecruiter the number one thing they're looking for in candidates is relevant work experience and skills, so don't make them read between the lines. In your cover letter, don't shy away from acknowledging your work experience, how it sets you apart from the competition and what skills you bring to the table,' she added. More From GOBankingRates 5 Cities You Need To Consider If You're Retiring in 2025 This article originally appeared on Are There Really 6-Figure Remote Jobs That Don't Require Much Work? Experts Explain
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 Remote Jobs Paying $200,000+ Available Now: Full Time With Benefits
5 Remote Jobs Paying $200,000+ Available Now: Full Time With Benefits Here are five newly posted, high-paying remote jobs accepting applications right now! The salaries range from $200,000 up to $350,000 a year with great benefit packages. Do you wish you could earn great pay while working from home? Already working from home but want to upgrade to a more senior leadership role? One or more of these remote jobs may be exactly what you're looking for. Available Now: 5 Full-time, Remote Jobs with Benefits Each of the following remote jobs have very recently been posted or reposted on LinkedIn. The corresponding information accurately reflects the job details and status as of the date and time of this publication. 1. VP of Strategy – Hire Point Recruiting. 2. VP of Strategic Insights and Business Operations – Niche. 3. Enterprise Change Management Executive – Korn Ferry. 4. Chief of College Advancement & Partnerships – KIPP Foundation. 5. Engagement Manager – Life Sciences Strategy Consulting – Norstella. Things to Consider About Remote Jobs. Before applying for remote jobs, consider what you hope to gain by securing one. Simply put, remote jobs aren't better or worse than traditional, in-person jobs, but they are different. I recommend you consider and evaluate these three (3) key insights before applying or interviewing for a remote job. By doing so, you'll gain critical information and will learn: Finally, make note that the above remote jobs are currently active. However, the companies have full discretion to modify or remove any job posting at any time. As such, don't hesitate to apply for jobs that interest you. If you have questions about any remote job, reach out directly to the companies or organizations. Recommended reading: Nail The Interview: Answer 'Why Should We Hire You' Like A Pro Top 10 Companies Hiring Work-From-Anywhere Remote Jobs In 2025 3 Of The Top-Paying Freelance Jobs For 2025
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Menopausal police officer allowed to work from home because she smelt
A police officer going through menopause was allowed to work from home because of the way she smelt. She later sued for discrimination after colleagues saw Facebook posts that made them question the extent of her symptoms. Sarah Dye claimed to experience 'body odour' related to the menopause, meaning she couldn't work in an office, an employment tribunal heard. However, her colleagues saw social media posts of her 'enjoying herself at social activities', such as going to the zoo, which suggested her issues were not as 'extreme' as she made out. Mrs Dye – who told the tribunal that the odour 'did not prevent her from going out with her husband' – claimed her female boss asking her about the issue amounted to harassment. However, her claims for sex discrimination, harassment and disability discrimination were dismissed. 'Severe' symptoms The tribunal, held in Norwich, heard Mrs Dye worked for the Norfolk Constabulary since February 2018. Mrs Dye was working in the constabulary's crime recording and investigations unit, in which her role included 'taking statements from victims of alleged sexual assault', a detailed and complicated process requiring concentration. She said she experienced 'severe' symptoms of the menopause in 2022, including insomnia and brain fog. A workplace health review in June that year found that her Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was not fully managing the brain fog. A medical advisor recommended Mrs Dye work from home or within five miles of her address to 'reduce any risk from tiredness and brain fog'. The tribunal heard: 'The report also confirmed that [she] had reported experiencing body odour despite good personal hygiene.' This odour was 'one of the main reasons for necessitating her need to work from home'. 'Needed to be addressed' Mrs Dye began working from home on a trial basis in July 2022 for six months with a plan to see whether new medication would alleviate her symptoms within that time. Around September that year, her colleagues found Facebook posts which 'simply did not suggest' that the odour 'was to such an extent that [she] was making out'. During a review hearing that month, Chief Inspector Zoe Hardman asked her about the symptom. The tribunal heard: 'Inspector Hardman did raise the issue of colleagues' concern that [Mrs Dye] had posted photographs on her Facebook page clearly travelling distances and enjoying herself at social activities in restaurants and at zoos, etc. '[Mrs Dye]'s explanation [was] that whilst she was restricted, her impairment did not prevent her from going out with her husband. 'It is clear that [Mrs Dye] became upset about the question and Inspector Hardman did apologise at the time, but these issues clearly needed to be addressed.'
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The ROI Of Investing In Enterprise Asset Return Solutions
Zaheer Dodhia is the CEO and a serial entrepreneur, heads projects like Remote Retrieval, and Hummingbird International. Head's up: People like to work from home. OK, this probably isn't a big surprise if you've been paying attention to the state of the workforce. Freelance marketplace Upwork reported an estimated more than 30 million remote workers in the U.S. alone, an uptick of 87% compared to pre-2020 levels. Remote and hybrid workers are assets that every business owner should consider, but along with them comes a different issue: managing IT assets for the entire company, both in the office and elsewhere. In-office IT management can be expensive; the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that an IT manager can earn some $170,000 per year, which means a significant budget for a business. But is there another way to keep track of tech assets when they're ebbing and flowing from office to home across the nation? Short answer: Yes, there is. And it may be more cost-effective than you think. What Is An Enterprise Asset Management System? As defined by IBM, enterprise asset management (EAM) comprises "software, systems and services" with the goal to "optimize the quality and utilization of assets throughout their lifecycle, increase productive uptime and reduce operational costs." Basically, for a business owner, it boils down to keeping track of your assets like laptops and other devices, maintaining device health and making sure that they can get back into rotation as soon as possible if they are returned for repair or as a result of offboarding. But we already discussed how expensive it can be to have a dedicated IT team in the office. It might seem overwhelming to think of providing the same basic services to remote employees. This is where a third-party asset management solution comes in, helping handle everything from tracking assets as they are sent out to providing appropriate packaging when laptops must be returned. The Cost Of Enterprise Asset Return Solutions The nitty-gritty of what the budget will require for a large-scale asset management solution entirely depends on your company: the size of your business, how many employees require services, how many assets are being processed and so forth. The easier question to answer would be: What's the return on investment? What should a company get out of employing external service providers? Here are some of the financial considerations when factoring your ROI for enterprise asset returns: • Reduce the cost of IT asset maintenance. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; knowing where your assets are and what state they're in means that updates can be processed regularly and security measures are kept current. • Optimize the use of licenses and software. Maintaining accurate tracking and logs for assets makes it easier to ensure that everything is kept up to date. • Reduction in overall long-term costs of assets. Ensuring that laptops and other devices are well cared for and maintained, as well as making sure they are securely returned when necessary, means that the budget for new assets can be reduced. • Reduce the cost of shipping returns. Working with an asset return solution that provides bulk services means that extra fees for shipping are trimmed off, regardless of where your employer lives. But it isn't all just about the budget. As any good business owner will tell you, the people you have working for you deserve just as much consideration. Look to amplify benefits for them, too, through things like: • Clarity on asset return policies and processes. You want to make sure you or your asset management service provides your employee with the exact packaging and shipping box that they will need to ensure safe return of the asset for repair or offboarding. • Keeping the team mindset. A well-managed and foolproof IT asset recovery plan means that every employee is working with the same set of tools, and no one slips through the cracks. • Security of information. It's also important to have some sort of data destruction after the return of the device, which can be anything from a factory reset to degaussing as necessary. This reassures both employer and employee that sensitive information remains just that. According to research cited by Vector Networks, organizations can save up to 30% per asset within the first year of implementing a streamlined asset return process. While cost savings are a key benefit, other factors to focus on include reducing risk, improving compliance and enhancing your employees' experience during transitions. When you consider these added advantages, the return on investment goes far beyond the financials. In a digital, virtual, remote-first world, assets of all kinds must be protected and well-managed, for the benefit of the company and for those who work there. Asset management is a tool, a service and a solution for business owners who want to keep ahead. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
