businessinfomag.uk magazine 04 Microsoft honoured at Disability Smart Awards The Business Disability Forum has named Microsoft as winner of this year’s Disability Smart Technology Award for the large precision haptic touchpad on the Surface Laptop Studio 2. The touchpad’s adaptive touch mode and ability to customise click force, finger detection and right click area size enable users with limited mobility to use the trackpad with different parts of their limbs. Also in the Technology category, Family Care Trust was Highly Commended for its creation of an interactive Minecraft version of Newlands Bishops Farm, which provides work-based learning for adults with learning disabilities. The virtual world allows them to prepare in advance for visits to the farm. Now in their 10th year, the Disability Smart Awards recognise organisations that are helping to make the world more inclusive for disabled people. For more information on the 10 winners and 7 highly commended organisations, please visit https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/ disability-smart-awards-2024/. ... Acer partners with Plastic Bank Acer is supporting the collection and recycling of at least 50 tons of plastic waste from the beaches of Southeast Asia through a partnership with Plastic Bank. Plastic Bank is a Canada-based social enterprise that aims to reduce plastic pollution by building recycling ecosystems that generate additional income for communities in vulnerable coastal areas. Local members bring ocean-bound plastic to collection branches in exchange for the market price of gathered material, plus bonuses that provide additional income and access to meal vouchers, health insurance and other social benefits. Acer’s Impact Program Partnership with Plastic Bank is projected to prevent the equivalent of more than 2.5 million plastic bottles from entering the oceans. ... Video insights What is the secret to the perfect cup of tea? To find out – and to demonstrate the new image capture and analysis capabilities of its AI-powered market research tool SBX – Streetbees asked members of the public to photo/film themselves making their perfect cuppa. Because Streetbees can now supplement text-based survey responses Flexible working guidance Acas, the leading authority on workplace relations and dispute resolution, has produced a new statutory Code of Practice on requests for flexible working, following recent changes to the law. These give employees the right to: n request flexible working from their first day of employment (rather than after 26 weeks); and n make two flexible working requests in any 12-month period instead of just one. In addition, employers are now required to: n consult an employee before rejecting their request; and n make a decision on the request within two months, instead of three. Through its Code and accompanying guidance, Acas is encouraging employers to take a positive approach to flexible working so that requests are not rejected by default without due consideration. www.acas.org.uk/flexibleworking B U L L E T I N BULLETIN Home workers risk missing out on pay rises and promotion People who work from home all or part of the time are less likely to get pay rises and promotions, according to a new study into UK working practices conducted by the University of Warsaw. The survey of 937 UK managers found that staff who work entirely from home are on average 11% less likely to be given a promotion than those who are entirely office-based and 9% less likely to receive a pay rise. Hybrid workers who split the working week between home and office are on average 7% less likely to be promoted and 7% less likely to be given a pay rise. The downsides of WFH are significantly greater for men than women, with managers being 15% less likely to promote men who work entirely from home than those who are completely office-based, and 10% less likely to give a pay increase. The respective figures for women are 7% and 8%. The study by Agnieszka Kasperska, Professor Anna Matysiak and Dr Ewa Cukrowska-Torzewska of the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Warsaw highlights the importance of company culture and workstyles to the career prospects of flexible workers. While there was no penalty for working at home (fulltime or hybrid) in companies with supportive environments, organisations with very demanding work cultures were notably less accommodating. In fact, managers in those companies are around 30% less likely to promote and 19% less likely to give a pay rise to men who work entirely from home vs. men who work full-time in the office. The figures for women are 15% and 19%, respectively. Presenting the findings at the British Sociological Association’s annual conference in April, Agnieszka Kasperska said: “Our findings indicate that individuals working from home still encounter career penalties, irrespective of the widespread adoption of this mode of work. Both male and female remote workers experience career penalties, but they are substantially larger for men.” She added: “In more supportive organisations, where there is less pressure and family-friendly policies exist, we don’t find such negative consequences of remote work.” www.britsoc.co.uk
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