The construction industry is filled with dedicated workers. Come rain or shine, builders work tirelessly to build a better tomorrow in our society. To ensure the industry is able to continue its impressive work, employers can take steps to create a welcoming workplace. 

Bernard McGovern, UK Managed Services Manager at Mobile Mini, specialist suppliers of container hire, weighs in on the conversation: 

“The welfare of employees is of utmost importance. This applies to every industry, including construction. As builders often work in remote locations, a mobile welfare unit is the perfect opportunity to provide them with shelter, comfort, and basic necessities, such as clean water.”

Here, we will explore why your site can benefit from a welfare unit, from boosting employee morale to providing storage. 

Relax and recharge 

In the construction industry, staff work tirelessly to meet strict deadlines.This can often lead to long hours and early mornings. In order to avoid disrupting people with construction site noise during the night, the average working day for builders is 8am–6pm – but this doesn’t consider the amount of preparation required to undergo a project, meaning some workers will be in preparing for the day long before 8am. 

To ensure your employees feel energised throughout their long shifts, you can ensure that they have somewhere to rest and recharge. According to UK legislation, every member of staff is entitled to a 20-minute break for every 6 hours worked. However, it can be difficult to find somewhere to wind down on a construction site. 

This is whereyou can utilise a mobile welfare unit. These can be equipped with home comforts, such as couches and desks. The structures can also be a respite from unpleasant weather, as construction workers often work throughout the rainiest of days.

Socialise with the team

It doesn’t matter which sector you’re employed in, it is important to enjoy your role. To ensure the working day is enjoyable, employers can provide a space for social interaction. It can be difficult, however, to chat while working on a busy construction site.  

A mobile welfare unit allows staff to socialise in an appropriate environment. Whether employees prefer to chat before or after their shift, this can improve morale and positive mindsets within the workplace. Considering happiness can improve productivity by 12 per cent, we can see why this is a good investment for your business.

Why not go one step further and think outside of the unit?Employers can create an impromptu games room equipped with a lightweight pool table or television. This will keep the good times rolling throughout the day, creating a positive work environment for your staff. 

Drink fresh water

Everyone should have access to fresh water in the workplace. As construction workers often operate in remote areas, staying hydrated can prove to be troublesome. A mobile welfare unit can be equipped with fresh drinking water, as well as electricity to brew a perfect cup of tea. What could be more important than a builder’s brew?  

Store belongings and change clothes 

In addition to fresh water, mobile welfare units can provide workers with a place to change clothes and store their belongings. They can’t cart around a backpack while paving a driveway after all. Uniforms can encourage teamwork within a business, but a set of overalls has a much greater significance. 

A uniform is especially important on a construction site. It can protect the workers while they operate on a building site. According to the Health and Safety Executive, it is the responsibility of the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE). These can range from safety helmets to eye protection and high-visibility clothing. 

Use remote toilets

Last but not least, mobile welfare units can be equipped with chemical toilets. To follow legislation, employers should provide one chemical toilet per seven employees over a 40-hour working week. Some construction sites are based in remote areas, so this will ensure every employee has access to this basic necessity. 

The type of toilet you choose may vary. A chemical toilet, for example, may be perfect if your workplace isn’t connected to the water mains. 

The importance of mobile welfare units shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re still considering whether your business will benefit from this, contact a professional supplier or have an open and honest chat with your team. This might be what is needed to make their working day that little bit better, every day and all year round. 

Sources 

https://www.goodto.com/family/family-news/what-time-can-builders-start-work-uk-595441

https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work

https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/

https://www.hbcw.co.uk/news/the-importance-of-uniforms-at-work

https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/ppe.htm

https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/welfare/toilets-and-washing.htm#:~:text=It%20is%20particularly%20important%20to,control%20the%20risk%20of%20contamination.

Two of the UK’s leading education and professional development institutions, Imperial College Business School and Corndel, have expanded their highly successful partnership to launch a new suite of high impact skills development programmes, designed to address the needs of modern industry.
From September 2022, Imperial and Corndel will offer two new Executive Education programmes;

The Data-Driven Professional Programme, has been specifically designed to empower professionals working across core business functions such as HR, Marketing, Finance and Operations to enhance their data literacy and refine their capabilities for harnessing their organisation’s data and business intelligence to make better, quicker and smarter decisions at every level.

The more specialised Data Analyst Programme will enable professionals whose roles require them to prepare and analyse large amounts of data and build predictive tools to get to grips with cutting-edge thinking in machine learning, AI and data science.

Both programmes will provide participants with a thorough grounding in data literacy and refine the key skills needed to tackle modern industrial challenges that arise from increasing levels of digital business innovation. Those embarking on either programme will benefit from not just building their knowledge but also their efficiency and organisational agility.

Participants will benefit from a personalised and transformative learning journey, which combines Imperial’s academic expertise and future-focused teaching with tailored one-to-one mentoring and support through Corndel’s award winning coaching model.

By harnessing a pioneering digital learning curriculum, these new executive education offerings will take a blended approach to learning, enabling participants to fit studies around their careers, join online group seminars and attend masterclass sessions led by renowned Imperial academics and leading industry figures.

David Brown, Director of Executive Education at Imperial College Business School says;

“Strategic, impactful and scalable data skills are increasingly critical for business performance and the economy at large. Imperial College Business School is delighted to expand our partnership with Corndel in this major initiative to address the UK’s data skills gap. At Imperial, we are committed to increasing access to leading edge thinking and application for businesses and organisations. We help individuals translate learning into practice and make a difference immediately.. In partnership with Corndel, we will be able to deliver critical business skills development at speed and scale.”

The programmes’ launch comes amid recent warnings from the Learning & Work Institute that the UK is at risk of sleepwalking in a stagnation of vital skills, with investment in training spend per employee falling 28% in real terms since 2005 to a level less than half the EU average. Meanwhile, demand for data skills continues to rise significantly.

The new programmes, according to James Kelly, CEO of Corndel, provide a positive step forward to ensuring that UK industry can continue to compete in the 21st Century.

James Kelly, CEO and Co-Founder at Corndel says;

“I’m very proud that we’re expanding this pioneering partnership with Imperial College Business School. Data skills are at the core of what every business needs to equip themselves for future growth and we’re now able to offer new opportunities to learners at every stage of their careers. These high-quality, personalised courses combine world-leading teaching with practical training plans designed to make business sense and deliver real results for individuals and businesses.”

Prospective participants will also be able to take advantage of the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, which supports employers in providing workplace training for staff in order to boost skills in areas such as leadership, management, data skills and project management.

The Imperial College Business School and Corndel Data Programmes will be open to learners from September 2022. For further details of how to apply please visit our website and get in touch here.

As interest rates rise for the fifth time in a row, to 1.25%, there are concerns that this will lead to even more financial worry for families as the cost of borrowing increases.

The cost of living is spiralling out of control with the price of fuel, energy, and food all rising at an alarming rate. This is seeing some families having to choose between heating their homes, putting food on the table, and filling up their cars.

Since the small fuel duty cut in March, nothing more has been done to support motorists with the cost of petrol and diesel. However, several European nations are significantly cutting fuel duty to provide much needed support to consumers.

With the UK government benefiting from rising VAT receipts on fuel as prices soar, KIS Finance looks at whether it’s time for a further 10p reduction in fuel duty?



How the government in benefiting from rising fuel costs

Although fuel duty has been cut, VAT is still charged at a rate of 20%.

With prices going up, this means that the amount of VAT the government earns on each litre of fuel is also increasing.

As fuel prices soar the cost of filling up is now substantially more than it was before the fuel duty cut in March, making the 5p reduction somewhat obsolete.

The cost of fuel now means that filling up an average family car costs more than £100. This has resulted in calls to government from both industry and consumers to do something more regarding fuel duty.

VAT: How much tax the Government makes on petrol and diesel

Here is a comparison, over the last five years, of how much the government makes on VAT per litre of petrol and diesel sold.
June 2022
Petrol – 185.44p per litre – 30.91p VAT per litre
Diesel – 191.21p per litre – 31.87p VAT per litre

June 2021

Petrol – 129.52p per litre – 21.59p VAT per litre
Diesel – 131.79p per litre – 21.96p VAT per litre
June 2020
Petrol – 107.11p per litre – 17.85p VAT per litre
Diesel – 112.07p per litre – 18.68p VAT per litre
June 2019
Petrol – 130.67p per litre – 21.78p VAT per litre
Diesel – 135.51p per litre – 22.58p VAT per litre
June 2018
Petrol – 129.37p per litre – 21.56p VAT per litre
Diesel – 132.31p per litre – 22.05p VAT per litre

*Data from RAC’s fuel watch

How much tax do consumers currently pay on a litre of fuel (fuel duty plus VAT)

In an interim budget in March 2022, the government announced a fuel duty cut of 5p per litre. This brought the rate of 57.95p per litre (frozen since 2011) down to 52.95p per litre in a bid to ease the pressure on motorists amid rising costs.

However VAT, set at a rate of 20%, remained unchanged.
With the average cost of a litre of petrol costing 185.44p*, the total tax (fuel duty plus VAT) paid by the consumer at the pump is 83.85p per litre. For diesel this is 84.82p per litre.

What can the government do to ease rising fuel costs?

The simple answer is: the government must make a further cut to fuel duty in order to bring the price of filling up an average tank back below £100.

The UK is massively trailing behind other countries when it comes to supporting motorists. For example, Italy has cut fuel duty by an impressive 22p per litre for both petrol and diesel. This proves that there’s still plenty of room for the UK government to make further cuts.

The cost of fuel is putting even more pressure on families already struggling with energy bills and the overall cost of living. Calls for people to walk and use public transport is not the answer for those who are reliant on their vehicles for work or seeing family.

While the government has made several positive movements in terms of combatting energy bills, there is more that can be done here.

2022 Fuel duty cuts: The UK vs. 6 European countries

Here is a comparison of the UK and 6 European countries in terms of fuel cuts made so far this year.

United Kingdom

5p per litre on petrol
5p per litre on diesel

Ireland

17p per litre on petrol
13p per litre on diesel

The Netherlands

17 cents (15p) per litre on petrol
11 cents (9.5p) per litre on diesel

France

15 cents (13p) per litre on petrol
15 cents (13p) per litre on diesel

Italy
25 cents (22p) per litre on petrol
25 cents (22p) per litre on diesel

Germany

30 cents (26p) per litre on petrol
14 cents (12p) per litre on diesel

Belgium

17.5 cents (15p) per litre on petrol
17.5 cents (15p) per litre on diesel

Total tax the government makes on fuel in one month

Taking the average number of litres of fuel consumed in a month in the UK and the current cost of fuel per litre**, we have calculated the average amount of tax the government makes on petrol and diesel sales every month.
VAT

•Total VAT on petrol sales in one month – £388,847,800

•Total VAT on diesel sales in one month – £722, 684, 120

Total VAT – £1,111,531,920

Fuel duty

•Total fuel duty on petrol sales in one month – £666,111,000

•Total fuel duty on diesel sales in one month – £1,200,694,200

Total fuel duty – £1,866,805,200
(fuel duty at current rate of 52.95p per litre)

So the total tax earned on fuel sales in one month, based on current prices is £2,978,337,120

Even after fuel duty cut, the government is still making more in tax due to rising prices

We also wanted to compare how much the government made on fuel sales before the huge spike in prices to how much they’re making now.

Looking at the price of petrol and diesel in January*, and the number of litres sold in the UK**, the government would have made approximately:

•£867,555,600 from VAT

•£2,043,085,200 from fuel duty
(at a rate of 57.95p per litre)

The total tax earned on fuel sales in one month, based on January 2022 prices was £2,910,640,800

So, even after the 5p fuel duty reduction, the government is taking an average of £67,318,920 more per month (compared to January) in total tax, due to the additional VAT receipts on current fuel prices.

What tax revenue would look like with a further fuel duty cut of 10p per litre

With it now costing families over £100 to fill up an average car, there are calls across the industry to make a further cut to fuel duty of approximately 10p. This would bring the cost of a full tank back down to below £100, if acted upon before further price hikes.

•Current average cost of filling up a 55-litre family car (petrol) – £101.99

•What it would cost after a further 10p per litre fuel duty cut – £95.38

Even with a further fuel duty cut of 10p per litre, the government would still make:

•£1,111,531,920 on VAT

•£1,514,245,200 on fuel duty

£2,625,777,120 total tax per month, (based on fuel duty at a rate of 42.95p per litre)

Holly Andrews, Managing Director at KIS Finance and personal finance expert says:

“Rather than us focusing on whether the 5p fuel duty cut has been passed on correctly to consumers, it’s time to focus on the fact that we need a bigger cut to be announced if there’s any chance of motorists seeing a petrol receipt of below £100 for a full tank.

Pump prices are rising far too quickly for the 5p per litre cut to have any real effect. The government needs to make a reduction of at least a further 10p per litre if they truly want to ease pressures.

The government is making more and more from the 20% VAT charged on every litre of fuel as prices continue to rise, so it only seems fair that they offset this by reducing the fuel duty charged.

Other countries have made fuel duty cuts up to five times bigger than the UK government, so the UK appears to be trailing far behind.”

With a record 1.3 million job vacancies across the UK as talent shortages remain rife, businesses are urged to consider expanding their talent pools by hiring globally. That’s according to specialist background screening and identity services firm, Sterling.

Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that for the first time ever, there are now more vacancies than unemployed people in the UK – with the number of jobs continuing to grow across all sectors. In this economy, organisations are being left with no choice but to think outside of the box, which for some businesses may include hiring globally to attract and secure top talent. However, in a recent webinar, Sterling highlighted that while this may be a necessary step for businesses in today’s competitive hiring landscape, global hiring can come with a plethora of complexities – especially for those with no previous experience in global hiring/post Brexit hiring.

Tim Stokes, Head of Sales EMEA, explained:

“With skills shortages rife across the UK, it may feel like there is simply no talent out there, and while it’s certainly become a lot more challenging for many organisations to find the right candidates in the UK, there are plenty of qualified individuals around the world. Consequently, those businesses looking to get ahead in what is a very challenging hiring climate may benefit from hiring on a global scale.

“While those businesses that look beyond borders to broaden their pools will certainly have better chances of solving their skills shortages, companies must be aware of global compliance rules when opening up across borders, such as local labour laws, recruitment immigration risks, and cultural confidentiality differences.

“Time is of the essence for many organisations looking to recruit at the moment, however, employers mustn’t simply dive into global hiring as there are a number of compliance-related risks that come with recruiting internationally. It’s important to remember that hiring rules and regulations are country-specific, and while this may seem daunting, those businesses that work with experts and consultants will be the ones to overcome global hiring hurdles, ultimately broadening their talent pools and minimising long-term time-to-hire.”

Data indicates that professional interim vacancies in England and Wales have stagnated, with Q1 2022 experiencing a 0.2% quarter-on-quarter fall in London and the rest of the country seeing a decrease of nearly 9%. That’s according to recent research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft, also revealed that interim vacancies were at an all-time high in 2021, with hiring levels reaching their peak of 2,400 new vacancies per month in March 2021. Overall, 2021 closed with an interim vacancy growth of 115% year-on-year. London reported the biggest increase across the cities, rising 70% year-on-year.

Across the sectors, banking currently holds the majority share of interim vacancies, recording 775 new jobs in Q1 of this year, surpassing retail and consumer goods as well as the not-for-profit and public sectors. An impressive figure considering this is already 26.4% of the 2021 total of banking vacancies. Meanwhile, interim recruitment in insurance is the fastest to grow, with vacancies up over a third (36.2%) in relation to 2021’s levels, while the energy sector saw the slowest growth recording just 8.7% of last year’s total.

Across companies hiring for interims this year, Santander is leading the table, recording 82 new jobs so far, accounting for 57.3% of the firm’s 2021 recruitment levels, which could be part of its ongoing European recovery plan. The University of Cambridge follows in second place with 62 new interim vacancies (40% of last year’s total), followed by AXA, last year’s top interim employer, which published 60 vacancies.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, commented:

“Interim professionals have become an important part of an organisation’s long-term talent strategy, especially post-pandemic, which is only reinforced by last year’s vacancies reaching all-time highs. And while we are beginning to see the country’s reliance on interim workers ease slightly, this flexible, highly skilled segment of the workforce will continue to play a vital role at a time of high skills shortages. With the latest ONS data revealing that there are now more vacancies than unemployed people, we expect demand for interim professionals to increase again throughout the year.”

THE Met Office has issued a level two heat-health alert for large parts of southern and central England – with temperatures expected to reach 34 degrees later this week.

As the sun’s rays can make the working environment almost unbearable, Laura Kearsley, partner and solicitor in the employment team at East Midlands-based Nelsons,explains what the law says on employee rights during hot weather.

Can I leave my workplace if it becomes too hot?

Not unless you feel unwell and you need to take sick leave.The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 places a legal obligation on employers to provide a “reasonable” working temperature in the office. Your employer has a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in the particular circumstances.

Are there any other regulations that protect workers during hot weather?

In addition, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to make a suitable assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees.The temperature of the workplace is one of the potential hazards that employers should consider when doing risk assessments.

Does my boss have to legally provide air conditioning in the office?

No, they do not. Where working temperatures are uncomfortable, employers should consider:

• Using fans or air conditioning if available
• Providing cool water in the workplace and encouraging workers to drink it to prevent dehydration
• Modifying the dress code requirements if appropriate.

However, sensible employers will use mobile air conditioning units and fans to keep workers cool. If you have other suggestions for how your employer could make working in the warm weather more comfortable, you should pass these on.

Is it acceptable for me to wear shorts and flip flops in the office during warm weather? What will happen if I defy my employer?

Your employer may change dress code requirements in warmer weather if this is appropriate. However, they are still entitled to insist on certain standards of appearance – particularly for customer-facing roles and for shoes and clothing to be sensible for health and safety reasons.

Are there any other regulations that protect workers during hot weather?

The general duties for employers to treat employees with trust and confidence apply throughout the employment relationship.  At times of hot weather and uncomfortable working conditions, employers will need to be considerate to employees – after all, if staff are too hot, they won’t be at their most productive.

For more information or to speak to a member of Nelsons’ employment team, please visit www.nelsonslaw.co.uk/employee-rights.

Hiring levels across the South of England continue to grow with Q2 recruitment levels set to rise by 15.7% year-on-year despite vacancies in April dropping by 8.4% month-on-month. That’s according to recent research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

The data, provided by business intelligence specialist Vacancysoft, also revealed that vacancies in the South of England saw growth through to March, with the final month of Q1 reporting a high of 12,613 vacancies and a 20.5% year-on-year increase. This suggests that the dip in April will have largely been impacted by the Easter holidays.

Across the sectors, the technology, media and telecoms (TMT) arena dominates the professional hiring landscape across England’s southern regions, with 28,000 published vacancies so far this year, constituting a 96.4% year-on-year rise. The fastest growing industry for new jobs is healthcare and pharma, where vacancies are experiencing a growth rate of 48.5% as the Government rolls out its plans to strengthen the sector following unprecedented challenges brought on by Covid-19. The smallest increase of 2022, following a 93.5% year-on-year jump in 2021 in new jobs, is being felt across financial services, though the sector is currently on track for an 11.9% year-on-year uplift in recruitment. This may, however, pick up in the coming months as the Government looks to deregulate financial services post-Brexit.

Elsewhere, the leading institution for recruitment across the south is Santander and with hiring levels currently up 180%, the firm also has the fastest growth across the top 20 table. Santander looks to be thriving, with 2022 vacancies so far (800) nearly matching last year’s total (856). This will no doubt be bolstered by the news of Juan Ignacio Echeverria joining the UK team in a bid to build up the bank’s people strategy. Meanwhile, JPMorgan continues to recruit aggressively in the UK, coming out in second place on the leader board. So far, the firm has published 700 vacancies across the south and hiring levels are up 46.7%.

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, commented:

“This latest research clearly demonstrates a sector-wide demand for staff across the South of England. However, with the latest ONS data revealing that there are now more vacancies than unemployed people, there is an immediate need to address the widely reported dearth of resources. There is no doubt that we are still in a situation where demand for skills is far exceeding supply, and we face these issues because the current labour market is not a match for the modern working landscape.

“While there are a number of methods to help alleviate the skills shortages in the UK, including greater flexibility in Apprenticeship Levy usage to support the ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, as well as the integration of an attractive work visa for self-employed highly skilled contractors, more needs to be done. APSCo continues to call for greater support from the Government, to help make the UK’s employment market fit for purpose in the current economic landscape.”

The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that around two thirds of the world’s households could have an air conditioning unit by 2050. As we see climate change continue to affect the planet and we experience increasingly extreme weather and hotter summers, the need for air conditioning to provide some relief is becoming greater.

However, through increased use, the impact air conditioning has on global emissions and climate change also becomes much greater. A catch 22, which many countries are experiencing, with Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, saying it is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate.

So why aren’t the effects of air conditioning being discussed more? And what are the plans to mitigate their impact on global emissions?

Are we too reliant on AC?

Current air conditioning units that are available on the market are relatively cheap to purchase, easy to use and do the job they are required for. However, it is important to bear in mind that for the most part, air conditioning units have not changed much since their invention in 1931. With air conditioners’ power consumption exceeding that of most appliances, it puts a huge strain on our power grid, particularly in the summer months. As these appliances work to make inside cooler, they also make outside warmer through increased emissions heating up the planet. The IEA projects that by 2050 worldwide air conditioning will produce 2 billion tonnes of CO2 a year.

During last year’s COP26 conference, discussions around the impacts of air conditioning were left off the agenda despite the impact it has on Greenhouse Gas emissions. However, 14 countries signed a pledge initiating a Product Efficiency Call to Action to double the efficiency of air conditioners, fridges, lights, and industrial motors. With these products consuming more than 40% of global electricity, ensuring their efficiency can play a key role in mitigating the impacts they have on the environment.

As the worldwide demand for cooling continues to grow, air conditioning will play a significant role in helping countries mitigate the impact of rising temperatures. This is increasing the demand for more carbon friendly AC units, and in 2018 a $3m initiative backed by Sir Richard Branson sought to find a residential cooling technology that had at least five times less climate impact than standard AC units and could cost no more than twice the baseline cost of one. The winner was announced just last year, and we are now faced with convincing the world that the old technology needs replacing.

However, until this technology becomes mainstream, we still need to find ways to reduce our growing need to pop the air con on. One of the most impactful ways to do this is through investing in building and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient; so they keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter with little energy use. In addition, innovations in smart meter technology allowing you to see how much energy you are using and give you an insight into the impact your use could help in managing building temperature and avoid unnecessary waste, without costing the planet.

As the issue of air conditioning systems and their impact on global warming continues, governments and policymakers worldwide should be looking into how we can change the way we use these cooling systems and what the impact will be on the climate if we continue to ignore the current issue.

Impact on our health

If carbon efficient technology is struggling to take off commercially, we must turn to government and policy makers to put regulations in place that will change the way we use air conditioning. Although, it is unrealistic to ask nations to reduce the use of cooling systems, particularly as temperatures rise to unprecedented levels, the risk to population health and the impact on the economy would be overwhelming. In a world where we are still living through the impacts of Covid-19, we understand all too well the affects poor health can have globally and economically. Choosing to reduce the use of air conditioning would cause issues for health institutions worldwide as people struggle with the heat.

The long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is also worth considering. As life starts to return to normal for many countries, and organisations return to the office, many have chosen to move to a hybrid working system. With offices opening every day at full operations but for a reduced number of staff, this may have a negative impact on the environment. Particularly, as Europe moves into its warmer season, it must be considered what the impact of running a full air conditioning system for a reduced number of people has on global emissions.

What can organisations do?

With not enough discussion on this at policy level organisations need to consider what they can do on an individual basis to mitigate these effects.

Keeping up with the maintenance of these systems to ensure they are running efficiently for the type of building you have, will play a key role in reducing unnecessary energy waste. Ensuring systems are compliant with TM44 Inspections, which requires cooling systems with a capacity of 12kW or more to have a valid report and certificate in place, can significantly reduce waste through the accompanying efficiency recommendation report.

Additionally, if you are looking to optimise your utility and energy use, an energy audit and survey carried out on your buildings will highlight areas where your company is unnecessarily using energy. Often air conditioning systems can be a large source of waste due to poor controls and lack of building optimisation. Making sure that your systems are optimised for your business requirements will help to reduce the use of energy and carbon emissions.

Final thoughts

The impacts of air conditioning use on global warming are not discussed enough, nor at the moment, are there simple and affordable solutions to this problem. Now over six months on from COP26 and policy makers and world leaders are yet to address this growing problem. With global health, the economy and the impacts of severe weather all major concerns when it comes to the effects of climate change, we need to take steps now if we want to halt these problems.

So, how do we take the steps needed to reduce the effects of air conditioning on climate change? How do we put this blind spot in our energy debate at the centre of our discussions? Most importantly, what are we waiting for?

By Alex Hattingh, Chief People Officer at Employment Hero

Together employers and employees need to understand, and remove, the barriers in the workplace for greater inclusion for all. 

Diverse and inclusive workplaces can not only grow your business, but they can also lead to real social change. The desire for more diverse workforces is apparent, with employees strongly supporting organisations that are taking action to create a workplace which is diverse and inclusive.

How can businesses demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion, and how do they go about producing and delivering a successful framework? 

Remove unfair barriers

Everyone should have access to fair employment and feel safe when they are at the workplace. Unfortunately, for many groups of people, there are a lot of barriers that stop this from happening.

To discover the barriers that exist in our workplaces we can examine hiring, employee experience and employee growth. Do all groups feel like they are welcome to apply for a position at the company? Are they considered fairly and in an equitable way when they are undergoing the recruitment process? Do employees feel encouraged to share their ideas at work, do they feel rewarded for their achievements and free to be their authentic selves with their colleagues? Do they feel encouraged to grow and be given promotion opportunities? Are they supported in development and urged to pursue leadership roles? These are often areas where people from diverse groups find themselves encountering barriers.

What can be drivers of these barriers? It can be unconscious bias – where leaders or managers may be making decisions or comments that are discriminatory without intending to. It could also be conscious bias. Openly discriminatory discussions and actions can still take place, even within companies that consider themselves to be progressive. This needs to be called out and challenged.

Most people generally assume they aren’t biased, but this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t look deeper into their actions. Research shows that people who believe strongly in their own objectivity – they believe they already take a neutral standpoint – are more likely to make discriminatory decisions.

Diversity and inclusion in the recruitment process

In the Journal of Business Ethics essay ‘Building an Inclusive Diversity Culture: Principles, Practice and Processes’ (2004), Nicola Pless and Thomas Maak explore the essential need for colleagues to listen and understand each other’s experiences. They suggest this can be made easier when a company has a culture of active listening, consideration, and trust. When you have a better understanding of your staff’s perspectives, it will be easier to aid where required, and create a fair and welcoming environment.

The 1:1 meeting can foster a culture of trust, openness and active listening between staff and managers. 

Treating everyone with respect

It goes without saying that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. Every person in a company is an individual with different skill sets, ideas, and feelings. This is at the very heart of diverse and inclusive workplaces.

When employees feel engaged and respected by the company and other team members, they’re more likely to have a greater sense of wellbeing and they will want to actively contribute to the company’s success. When employees feel like they are not being shown respect, their sense of wellbeing can suffer – they often disengage and might even resign.

An atmosphere of inclusion

When you have created a workplace that values diversity, you don’t only implement policies and formal goals – you have a culture of inclusivity. In an inclusive culture, everyone feels welcome at the table. Ideas are free flowing between members of your team, each person feels equally valued, and everyone feels nurtured for growth within the workplace. Recognise and reward your staff for sharing great ideas. 

Celebrating difference

When your business is powered by diverse thinking, it has the best chance of succeeding, thriving, and growing. Difference is an asset to your business. Diversity should not just be accepted; it should be sought-out and celebrated.

Following a leadership principle of creating a workplace of culture and respect, will ensure businesses connect with their employees and drive employee development.