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Last month, wellbeing and skills dominated the headlines as organisations began to chart what they needed to survive – and help their staff thrive – on the long-term pandemic-defined business landscape…
£££s for pets
Being aware of the potential for employees to feel isolated or have their mental health impacted by long-term remote work, one employer decided to invest in pets for his staff. The Zebra, a US-based insurance firm, has offered animal-loving staff members a whopping £228 ($300) stipend to adopt a new pet. This will ensure that ‘pet parents’ spend more time bonding with the new addition to the family rather than worrying about the costs associated with their new furry friend. The firm’s CEO, Keith Melnick, said that he devised this work perk to help remote staff feel less lonely when working throughout the coronavirus crisis. He said: “I know this kind of companionship can make a huge difference in quality of life. Especially now that we’re all working remotely for the foreseeable future, I want to make sure that anyone at The Zebra who wants to, can experience that.”
Most in-demand skills
At the start of the pandemic, HR guru Josh Bersin stated that it was his belief that people and their skills would carry organisations through. And a recent LinkedIn survey pinpointed exactly what skills employers are now looking for as they seek to operate in the ‘new normal’. According to the professional networking platform, data science, leadership and employee learning and development were also highlighted as some of the most in-demand skills during July 2020, based on the skills required in job postings.
Spencer Symmons, Director of the specialist tech recruiter CPS Group UK, previously told HR Grapevine that many employers are currently on the look-out for soft skills. “Many employers are looking for ‘soft skills’ at the moment – adaptability, flexibility, agility. Though things appear to be improving, there may still be some difficult times ahead, so candidates must explain how they have successfully overcome challenges. Demonstrable experience of working in a risky or disrupted environment is a real plus,” Symmons added.
