This week’s news … in brief
Too hungover to work
A new survey by jobs web-site Monster shows more than a third of UK workers
have taken a day off because they are too hungover to go to work. It also
reveals that for a quarter of Brits, this is not a one-off occurrence.
"When the occasional hangover turns into frequent absenteeism, a company’s
performance can be adversely affected," said Monster’s Kim Walma. www.monster.co.uk
HR’s sleepless nights
Managing change, too much paperwork, and motivating staff are the three work
issues keeping HR professionals from a decent night’s sleep. Research into the
top concerns of HR managers – conducted by HR and IT specialists Snowdrop
Systems – found 40 per cent lay awake at night worrying about work. More than
half of the 120 HR professionals surveyed believe their job is more stressful
now than it was a year ago. www.snowdrop.co.uk
Prison staff off sick
Prison officers in England and Wales took more sick days than any other
group of workers in the UK last year, according to the National Audit Office
(NAO). Female officers were the worst affected, taking an average of 22 days
off, while their male counterparts took 16 days. The NAO’s report said high
levels of anxiety, stress and depression were among reasons given for absence. www.nao.gov.uk
Manufacturing jobs
Almost 27,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector – more than 1,500 every week
– have been lost so far this year, according to the latest survey by the GMB
union. The figures reveal that 8,000 were lost in April – the largest monthly
job loss total since August 2003. The North East has been the hardest hit, with
4,153 job losses this year. www.gmb.org.uk
