Business News Round Up (24/05/2022)
Scottish Renewables launches supply chain initiative
Industry body Scottish Renewables has launched a new campaign calling on the Scottish Government to deliver support for the country’s low-carbon supply chain. Without support home-grown companies could miss out on lucrative contracts, the trade group said. The campaign, Supporting Scotland’s Renewable Energy Supply Chain, outlines recommendations to maximise the economic benefits of renewable energy projects, grow the renewable energy supply chain in Scotland and ensure a just transition for suppliers across all green energy technologies. Scottish Renewables energy transition and supply chain manager Emma Harrick (pictured) said: “As Scotland progresses along its energy transition journey the number of new green energy projects on the horizon is increasing rapidly. “The offshore wind activity to be delivered by 2030 is on a scale the country has never seen before. Onshore wind is ramping up too, alongside ever-growing ambitions across tidal power, green hydrogen, solar, hydro, and low-carbon heat technologies. To deliver all of this work and deploy the green energy we need to meet our net zero goals it is essential the industry and the Scottish Government support the growth of a skilled and capable Scottish supplier network.”
https://renews.biz/78038/scottish-renewables-launches-supply-chain-initiative/
UK’s first regional net zero skills plan set to unlock green jobs in the North West
The UK’s first regional skills plan is to be developed in the North West to ensure young people can fully benefit from an influx in green jobs. Businesses and academic institutions, including Manchester Metropolitan University, have set up a new pan-regional group to tackle the issue of creating a 660,000-strong workforce that will help reduce carbon emissions. It will work up a plan of practical measures to support both younger generations and those already in work into new, green jobs as they emerge. The group will develop a Net Zero Skills Charter, which will identify and address the skills gaps and put an action plan in place to make sure business and industry have access to the talent they need to successfully transition to and succeed in a net zero economy. With the UK needing to meet legally-binding carbon targets, wide-ranging interventions are planned to cut emissions across all sectors. The skills plan will set out the jobs and skills needed to deliver planned interventions and investment in areas such as power generation; transport; homes and buildings; and industry.
Over half of Scottish professionals tempted by move to four-day week
Research has revealed that 53% of Scots would be tempted to move to a company which offers a four-day week, with 32% believing this will become a reality within two to five years. The picture is less optimistic amongst employers though, with only 26% believing that a four-day week will become reality in that time. Recruitment firm Hays surveyed 9,658 professionals across the UK – including 659 from Scotland – during February and March. Currently only 2% of employers in Scotland say they have introduced a four-day working week, while 2% are trialling it, and 63% aren’t considering it at all. The research coincides with the trial of a four-day working week in June, to which 60 companies across Britain have signed up. The six-month pilot, run by 4-Day Week UK, comes as companies explore more flexible working practices following workplace displacement during the pandemic, with a desire to assess the validity of the standard nine-to-five, five-day working week. The main reason cited by both employers and employees in Scotland for adopting a four-day working week was to benefit mental health and wellbeing (64% and 67%, respectively). Organisational productivity was cited by 12% of employees as a benefit, with 13% of employers putting attracting talent as being beneficial.
https://www.insider.co.uk/news/over-half-scottish-professionals-tempted-27038423
One out of five employees likely to change job in 12 months: PWC survey
The phase of the Great Resignation seems not to have passed yet. The new definition of work has emphasised flexibility, as sought by the employees. According to a new survey conducted by PWC, one out of five employees is likely to switch jobs in the next twelve months. The study titled Global Workforce Hopes and Fears found that 35% are planning to ask their employer for more money in the next 12 months. Pressure on pay is highest in the tech sector with 44% of respondents planning to ask for a raise and while the public sector is at the bottom of the scale (25%). While salary hike is the topmost priority (71%) causing job change, wanting a fulfilling job (69%) and wanting to truly be themselves at work (66%) round out the top 3 things workers are looking for. Nearly half (47%) prioritised being able to choose where they work. According to data, workers who are likely to look for a new employer in the next 12 months are less likely to feel satisfied with their current employer. Out of those seeking job change, 14% noted that their job is not fulfilling, 11% noted that they hardly can be themselves at work and 9% pointed less likely to have felt fairly rewarded financially.