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To penalise or not to penalise – that is the question

Looking at our latest research it seems Britons are on a slippery slope and legislation to penalise unhealthy behaviours is inevitable by 2020. But the question I put to you is whether or not the government should adopt a carrot and stick approach now? Should people be incentivised and rewarded if they adopt healthy behaviours now so that in the future the impact of the legislative stick will be less painful? Or should the government leave people to take responsibility for their wellbeing and to deal with the consequences of unhealthy behaviour?

Working beyond expectation - Default Retirement Age ‘phase out’ is a wake up call to savers

G'day – in my last message I talked about the desire of older workers to work longer and the good news for those people is that our new coalition government is to phase out the Default Retirement Age enabling those older workers to do just that.

But here’s the rub… the Default Retirement Age may well make it easier for people in the UK to carry on working beyond a set age but the simple fact is a proportion of the 'greying' population may not be physically able to work!

Flexible Times

The press reported last week that David Cameron and Nick Clegg will be adopting ‘flexible times’ for Cabinet meetings so the two fathers can take their children to school. Mr Clegg said this was symbolic of the ‘new politics’ and added that he tries to finish early a few times a week so he can put his children to bed too. Whether or not it’s the new politics, this unprecedented behaviour by senior politicians certainly symbolises the widespread belief that childcare is for fathers too.

Flexible working may not be the Holy Grail

Juggling life and work is one of the biggest challenges facing us all and it will continue to faze us in the future. Many employers and workers say flexible working is the solution to this conundrum. Yet, the latest Visions of Britain report suggests that flexible working is not the Holy Grail it is sometimes made out to be. Men in particular don’t seem to be taking up the opportunity to work on a flexible basis.

Here's to you Mrs Robinson...

“I’m a little worried about my future,” proclaimed Ben Braddock in The Graduate. He was lucky, he only had to worry about whether to have an affair with Mrs Robinson whilst she stayed at home.

Fast forward a few decades and young graduates now have every reason to worry about their future job prospects whilst the older and more experienced workers are highly sought after by employers. The Mrs Robinson’s aren’t sat at home any longer, they are doing the high-flying jobs that young graduates desire but struggle to get.

The future is bright - for older workers

G’day – in my last blog I promised I’d share my thoughts on the main findings of our second chapter in the Visions of Britain 2020 series, so here goes …

Visions of Britain - Chapter 2

Welcome to the latest chapter in our Visions of Britain 2020 series, looking at the workforce of 2020. This is the second chapter in our research campaign and revealing what the workforce could look like in a decade’s time seems the perfect place to conclude our employment theme. And what a different workforce it will be.

Why this election matters for 2020

In 24 hours, we will know the outcome of the most keenly fought general election in decades. Even as I write this, who will win remains unclear.

Dozens of daily polls offer wildly differing scenarios, and the tribal nature of politics means we are bombarded with conflicting messages from each of the three main parties around the clock. The television debates have certainly engaged more of the electorate than ever before. The media frenzy is rampant.