29 May 2020
Despite encouragement from the UK government for business to gradually return to normal, only 4% of UK employers have made their employees come back to work since coronavirus lockdown rules were relaxed in the country, specialised HR site People Management revealed on 28 May. According to a survey of more than 500 professionals, 55% of employers plan to keep remote working arrangements in place for an unspecified timeframe. Meanwhile 24% of respondents are waiting to find out more about the health-related guidance...
28 May 2020
On 27 May, Deutsche Post it would be testing more than 10,000 employees as a preventative measure, and on a voluntary basis, in order to better understand and assess the epidemiological situation as regards the staff working in its German sorting centers. Management is especially trying to identify asymptomatic carriers. The entire testing operation must be approved by the works councils for the sites concerned. Trade unions and employees are largely in favor of this measure.
7 May 2020
‘The lessons learned from the general implementation of teleworking are helping to accelerate the transformation of the company’s operating methods in favour of greater agility and efficiency for employees’, explained the French automaker in a press release issued on 06 May, announcing the launch of its ambitious ‘New Era for Agility’ project to overhaul the way people work by making telework ‘the benchmark for activities not directly related to production.’
29 April 2020
The global insurance group conducted its worldwide ‘Checking’ survey between 20 and 24 April in an attempt to gauge the state of mind and morale of its staff during this unprecedented period of history that has seen a large proportion of the workforce teleworking. ‘Checking’ is a short survey (4 questions) and replaces the first survey of the year which was due to take place in March but which was cancelled. The questions asked try to ‘take the pulse’ of its staff and assess whether employees feel well...
22 April 2020
Volkswagen Group’s Spanish car producing subsidiary Seat, has announced it will carry out mass screening of its assembly line staff. Testing will be carried out gradually at a rate of 3,000 per week in line with the rate of business resumption, which has been shut down since 16 March following the declaration of a state of emergency and the nationwide lockdown of the country. The company plans to recommence production from 27 April, starting with a third of its usual activity. The 3,000 employees initially...
21 April 2020
In the wake of the sudden rise in Covid-19 cases, and PM Shinzo Abe’s announcement on 07 April that Japan was entering a state of emergency, twice as many businesses as before have been putting telework arrangements in place. Notwithstanding the increase, hesitancy remains in undertaking what is still an uncommon form of working arrangement in Japan.
20 April 2020
As is the case in most parts of the world, companies in Poland are experiencing an accelerated digital transformation. The presence of new technology has reached a whole new level, serving not only as a tool for optimisation and development but also proving to be a critical resource for keeping business going during the health crisis.
6 April 2020
Taiwan is one of the countries that has been least impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The island off the coast of China has recorded only 339 infections (as of 2 April), the vast majority of which are imported cases, and the Taiwanese population has not gone into lockdown. So far, no company located in the state has been requested to close its doors. However, in line with the government’s efforts to stem the epidemic before it spreads across the country, companies are being encouraged to review their management...
20 March 2020
The US HR software company Workday announced on its blog on 16 March that its some 10,000 workers would receive a one-off payment, equivalent to two weeks’ wages, to help them deal with the repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak. This measure, which will cost the company around $80 million (€73.3m), concerns all employees, except for executives. Payment is expected to be made by 30 April. A special fund to help those employees most in difficulty will also be created. Also as part of efforts to limit the...
13 March 2020
Since 09 March more than 500 staff at the Japanese carmaker Nissan’s plant in the UK’s north-east region of Sunderland will have access to free sanitary protection in the company’s toilets. The car giant has just joined a local UK trade union (Unite) campaign. Called the ‘Period Dignity Campaign, it was launched during the summer of 2019 and aims to encourage all employers to make sanitary protection freely available in toilet facilities, just like toilet paper. Another key point of the campaign, is to...
