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M&A activity drives EMEA corporate real estate market to new highs
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Corporate real estate sales across EMEA leapt above EUR 29 billion for the first time on record last year – buoyed by frenetic levels of merger and acquisition activity and the increasing demand for industrial and logistic portfolios.

The latest issue of JLL’s annual – ‘Raising Capital from Corporate Real Estate’ report – reveals 2021 was another bumper year for occupier sales despite the pandemic with corporates generating EUR 29.2 billion across more than 670 disposals.

It marks the third consecutive year in which the total value of corporate disposals exceeded EUR 25 billion. And it came as the sale of industrial and logistics properties raised more than office disposals for the first time.

JLL said growing volumes of capital were targeting long-term income from more specialised, ‘mission critical’ properties such as complex logistics portfolios, research and development facilities and manufacturing centres.

Corporate disposals of industrial and logistics properties raised a record EUR 11.1 billion in 2021 – well ahead of 2020’s previous record high of EUR 7.9 billion.

Notable transactions in 2021 included UK supermarket chain Asda’s EUR 2 billion sale of its distribution network to Blackstone. And in July, In July, real estate investor Hines acquired 11 logistics properties from French retail group Auchan for EUR 286 million.

Nick Compton, Head of Corporate Capital Markets EMEA commented: “Corporates continue to monetise a wide range of property assets, with another record year for sale and leasebacks in 2021 despite the headwinds from the pandemic and the economic uncertainty.

“The growing volumes of capital targeting specialised properties has opened up further routes to monetisation for owner occupiers, with supermarkets looking to raise income from their stores and supply chains, and firms in sectors like energy, life sciences and technology reviewing their asset portfolios.”

Matthew Richards, Capital Markets CEO, EMEA, JLL, added: “We expect another strong year for sale and leasebacks in 2022, with investors taking an increasingly sophisticated approach to transactions – looking beyond corporate credit profiles, focusing on defensive industry sectors and asset criticality as well as the wider context that may impact the value of individual properties.

“Expect to see more capital deployed in sectors such as complex manufacturing, energy repositioning, grocery and non-discretionary retail as they are likely to perform well in the face of rising inflation and higher interest rates.”

Meeting sustainability goals

JLL said that as the market moves into 2022, corporate owner occupiers and potential investors, are being increasingly driven by ESG factors and the adoption of post-Covid hybrid working patterns. The report remarks that corporates are looking to divest older offices that are often too big for their occupational needs, and too energy inefficient to support their sustainability goals.

Firms are also rethinking the types of space they need in light of the pandemic and reviewing where their offices should be located to support employee aspirations about flexible working patterns. An increasing number of corporates are also partnering with investors to forward fund new state of the art facilities to better meet their environmental ambitions.

Mark Caskey, Work Dynamics CEO EMEA, JLL, said: “Without doubt, 2022 is the year where corporates will have to act on ESG and net zero targets. An increased focus on sustainability and the adoption of hybrid working patterns is driving occupiers to divest older office buildings that are too energy inefficient or big for their needs.

“Corporates are working with investors to fund new state-or the art facilities that better meet their business and environmental ambitions – as well as the evolving needs and aspirations of their staff.”

Office sales totalled EUR 8.4 billion in 2021, with British motorsport firm McLaren selling its global headquarters for EUR 197 million to sale and leaseback specialist Global Net Lease. Dutch bank ABN Amro sold its headquarters for EUR 765 million to Victory Group.

The UK, Germany and France continued to be the most active markets for corporate disposals in 2021, accounting for 56 per cent of the total value of transactions, up from 52 per cent in 2020. The value of disposals in the UK alone jumped to EUR 6.6 billion, almost double the volume in France.

JLL’s report notes that despite the record year for sale and leaseback deals, some corporates are deciding to purchase the freehold of their leased properties, taking advantage of some temporary weakness in office pricing. American advertising group Omnicom bought their London headquarters for EUR 523 million (£440m) in November 2021.

UK ranks among most successful countries for CO2 reductions
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The United Kingdom is one of the few countries that managed to actually reduce its CO2 emissions in the last 60 years.
The report by Utility Bidder analyses various countries’ emissions from 1959 and 2019, to reveal who has made the most cuts to their emissions, and predict who will be the worst offenders for co2 emissions in 2032.
Top five countries that have cut emissions the most

Rank

Country

1959 emissions (MtCO2)

2019 emissions (MtCO2)

Annual change

Estimated 2032 emissions (MtCO2)

1

Curaçao

11.0

3.7

-1.78%

2.8

2

Moldova

11.0

7.3

-0.66%

6.7

3

the United Kingdom

545.9

370.1

-0.64%

339.5

4

Ukraine

256.5

223.5

-0.23%

217.0

5

Germany

754.8

703.5

-0.12%

692.9
Only five of the 93 nations saw their emissions decrease in the last 60 years, with the Caribbean island of Curaçao achieving the biggest decrease at -1.78% per year.
Moldova’s emissions have fallen by an average of 0.66% over the last 60 years. if they continue to do so at the same rate, they’ll have fallen to 6.7 MtCO2 by 2032.
Whilst still being one of the countries with the highest emissions, the UK has seen its emissions fall in the last 60 years, from 545.9 MtCO2 in 1959 to 370.1 MtCO2 in 2019.
The countries with the biggest emissions increase 

Rank

Country

1959 emissions (MtCO2)

2019 emissions (MtCO2)

Annual change

Estimated 2032 emissions (MtCO2)

1

Saudi Arabia

3.7

582.6

8.66%

1,238.8

2

Thailand

3.7

289.5

7.43%

568.9

3

Malaysia

3.7

249.2

7.16%
481.1
Saudi Arabia’s emissions grew by  578.9 MtCO2 over the last 60 years, and the annual change is estimated at 8.66%. This increase is expected given the country’s role as the leader in the world’s petroleum industry.
Thailand Increased its emissions by 285.8 MtCO2 since 1959, so it could hit 568.9 MtCO2 by 2032. It is largely due to the simultaneous economy and population growth that the country experienced over the last 60 years.
Malaysia Increased its emissions by 245.5 MtCO2, meaning it could hit 481.1 MtCO2 by 2032.
Further findings: 
The countries with the lowest estimated 2032 emissions:

  • As well as being the country that has cut its emissions the most since 1959, Curaçao is also the nation that has the lowest predicted emissions by 2032, at just 2.8 MtCO2.

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo is at the second-lowest estimated emissions, reaching 3.7 MtCO2 by 2032. The DRC is also home to the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, which acts as a carbon sink.

  • Moldova has the third-lowest estimated emissions for 2032, with 6.7 MtCO2.

Safest day of the week to be in the office is a Wednesday
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Workers looking for the lowest virus transmission risk day of the week to go into the workplace should go in on a Wednesday according to findings from an Air Quality Index launched by smart building platform Infogrid. The findings show that only a quarter of working days in 2022 have had a ‘low’ virus transmission risk, showing the effects of winter on the spread of infections like COVID and the flu.

The Infogrid Air Quality Index is based on data points collected in office buildings and workplaces globally including temperature, humidity, office occupancy and CO2 levels and shows how indoor air quality changes over time.

The data, collected between September 2021 and February 2022 shows how virus transmission risk increases around Christmas time. Through September and October virus transmission risk remained ‘low’, however once temperature and humidity start to drop in November, the virus transmission risk doubled with 12 days registering ‘medium’ virus risk.

The impact of Winter is clear as indoor virus transmission risk doubled from September to December 2021 and three quarters of the days in 2022 have been at medium virus transmission risk.

William Cowell de Gruchy, Infogrid CEO, said: “The virus transmission risk increased in November and has remained high through the winter months. While the virus transmission risk moved from ‘low’ to ‘medium’ risk, that increase was enough to cause an influx of covid cases and hospitalisations which led the government to issuing a work-from-home recommendation.”

Wednesday is the safest day 

Further findings from the Air Quality Index show that in the last 6 weeks, Wednesday has consistently recorded the lowest virus transmission risk reading of any day of the week. Wednesday was also the day of the week which recorded the fewest days at medium virus transmission risk, making it the ‘safest’ day to be in the workplace.

The most dangerous day in the last 6 months of was 29th November 2021 when virus transmission risk spiked, nearly hitting ‘high risk’ of virus transmission.

There is also a geographic divide in the UK, cities in the North have been found to have consistently higher virus transmission risk compared to towns and cities in the South. Infogrid also found that virus risk in London is no higher or lower than other cities in the UK.

De Gruchy, added: “It has been really interesting to see how indoor virus transmission risk is no worse in London, despite the capital’s well-known air quality issues. The findings would suggest that buildings in London are better ventilated than those in the rest of the country, reducing the risk of spreading the virus.

“Employers have a responsibility to ensure their staff are able to conduct their work safely. We know that going to the office or physical workplace bring benefits to employee mental health and productivity, and with restrictions lifting the responsibility of managing virus risk falls to the employer. With the right tech in place, it is possible to reduce the risk of the transmission of not only covid but other seasonal infections like the flu, which is a long-term gain too.”

Two-thirds of employers feel a greater responsibility for the mental wellbeing of staff
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According to research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk protection sector, employers feel a greater responsibility for supporting staff across the four key areas of mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing as a result of Covid-19.

In research conducted from 14 – 26 January 2022 amongst 501 HR decision-makers, due to the pandemic:

  • 59% of employers felt an increased responsibility for supporting the mental wellbeing of staff
  • 57% felt the same increased responsibility for physical wellbeing
  • 56% of employers felt an increased responsibility for supporting the social wellbeing of staff
  • and 50% also felt the same increased responsibility for their employees’ financial wellbeing

In light of the pandemic, and this sentiment to take greater responsibility for employee wellbeing, two fifths (40%) of employers increased their communication about the support available to staff. Thirty-four per cent encouraged engagement and utilisation of support, and just over a quarter (27%) said that they had made it easier for employees to access support and benefits remotely, such as via apps and online. A quarter extended support beyond the individual employee to include family members, and 22% invested in new employee benefits to provide extra support.

Employees report deterioration in wellness

Further GRiD research, conducted amongst 1,212 UK workers between 14-18 January 2022, highlights the fact that employers were correct to take steps to provide and communicate support and benefits to staff. Thirty-eight percent of employees stated that their mental health had deteriorated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 27% saw their physical health deteriorate and a further 27% had concerns about their financial health.

Forty-two percent of employees expect more support from their employers to help them cope. This employee presumption means employers need to assess whether their current employee benefits are up to the task of getting the wellbeing of staff back on track. Many staff are anticipating that their employers will provide on this front, and employers would do well to deliver, particularly in light of how employees feel their health has deteriorated .

Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said: “As is evident in the research, employees feel most vulnerable in terms of their mental wellbeing, and employers have rightly assessed this as being an area in which they can step up and take more responsibility. However, employers should be wary of solely prioritising one area of wellbeing over another.

“Mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing are inextricably linked and so employers must address all four areas when providing post-pandemic support for staff. Employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness have proven really popular because they provide financial support when people have been directly affected by the pandemic, as well as extra embedded services designed to support health and wellbeing.

“As the UK adjusts to the new norms of working life, adopting this holistic approach to staff wellbeing will ensure that all employees are as well-looked after as possible, and this will have long-term benefits for the business too.”

Most employers still ‘reactive’ on health & safety
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New research has indicated a greater commitment to workplace health and safety as a result of lessons learned during the pandemic.

According to the Mind the Gap report by Health & Safety, Employment Law and HR specialist WorkNest, more than half of business decision makers (59%) say the pandemic has fundamentally changed how the organisation views workplace health and safety, and that it will continue to be a priority going forward.

Over half of employees (51%) agreed that health and safety standards will be maintained over the next 12 months. A further 37% of employees and 36% of employers are ‘somewhat confident’ that this will be the case, saying health and safety may not be the number one focus but that standards will continue to be better than pre-pandemic.

Nick Wilson, Director of Health & Safety Services at WorkNest, said: “The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the importance of workplace health and safety like never before; it forced employers to implement control measures in order to remain open and comply with government guidelines, and forced employees to adjust to new ways of working in order to mitigate the risk of infection. It’s encouraging to see that this health and safety consciousness is expected to continue, and that there’s a shared optimism and renewed interest from both employers and their workforce. After all, safety is a collective effort.”

The report’s finding that the pandemic may have improved health and safety standards is at odds with the HSE’s annual fatal injury statistics, which revealed that there were more work-related deaths in 2020/21 despite fewer people working. Nick Wilson speculates that this could be due to organisations and their employees becoming “hyper-focused” on COVID-19 at the expense of other “basic” workplace health and safety risks. “Given our findings, it’ll be interesting to see if people’s confidence that standards will improve will be reflected in the next round of statistics”, he says.

While employees and employers appear to be on similar pages, the research found that 12% of employees expect that health and safety will revert back to being a sideline activity, compared to just 5% of employers. This could suggest that employees are sceptical that the organisation will maintain its commitment to health and safety long term or, equally, that employees themselves may lose interest in following workplace health and safety measures as the immediate threat of COVID-19 subsides. Developing a strong health and safety culture, led from the top, will therefore be imperative.

On the topic of health and safety culture, the report also revealed that most employees and business decision makers (36% and 35% respectively) would describe their organisation’s health and safety culture as ‘reactive’. In other words, safety is seen as important, but action is normally taken in response to incidents. ‘Reactive’ is the descriptor used for the second lowest level on the five-level ‘safety maturity scale’ – a tool used by many health and safety practitioners to benchmark a company’s health and safety culture – suggesting that most organisations have a way to go when it comes to raising awareness, consistency, accountability and trust.

More worryingly, 12% of employees and 10% of employers described their health and safety culture as ‘pathological’ – the most primitive step on the scale – saying health and safety is seen as a waste of time.

Wilson added: “Every organisation should aim to develop a generative health and safety culture, whereby health and safety is second nature and embedded into how things are done. Unfortunately, our research revealed that just 15% of employees and 17% of employers felt their organisation had achieved this feat.

“Only taking action when an incident occurs means missing out on valuable opportunities to remedy workplace hazards or unsafe practices before they result in harm. Reactive organisations will also find it much harder to adapt to unforeseen hazards, such as COVID-19, should they be introduced in future.”

Free Analyst Report – Technologies for Sustainable Facility Management
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The way we manage our buildings will play an enormous part in achieving a net zero future.

For several years, the global building technology and facility management (FM) market has been going through an unprecedented period of change. The transformation has been driven by a host of mega trends including new business models, technology innovation, sustainability, health and wellbeing, and a new vision for the future workplace.

The time is right to embrace smart, sustainable buildings, new service delivery models and transformational technologies such as IoT and integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) to generate, collect, and manage data.

This report from Frost & Sullivan identifies the top 8 transformational technologies and trends helping shape how organisations approach their building management and operations in a sustainable way.

It also provides insight into how an IWMS can help organisations address their sustainability challenges around the convergence of:

  • Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
  • Regulatory compliance, Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG)
  • Customer and staff expectations
  • Risk Management
  • Business Objectives
  • Cost Reduction

DOWNLOAD FREE REPORT

 

UK FM market to hit £52bn in 2026
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The UK facilities management market was valued at £47.2 billion in 2020, and it is expected to reach $71. 43 billion by 2026, equivalent to a CAGR of 1. 41% according to new research.

A report from ReportLinker asserts that the is one of the largest markets for facility management services in Europe in terms of maturity and sophistication.

In addition, given the high penetration of facility management services, several service vendors operating in the country have been focused on expanding their presence to leverage the growing demand for facility management, especially with the recent trend favouring the outsourcing of non-core operations.

The report’s executive summary says the market is highly competitive, owing to the presence of several organised players and the strong presence of top global companies, such as CBRE, JLL, and Emcor, among others.

According to a BCIS study, maintenance expenditure in the UK stands just under 3% of the country’s GDP; BCIS’s life cycle cost benchmark estimates indicate that maintenance (fabric and services maintenance and decorations) represents around 40% of total facilities management costs, including cleaning and utilities, thus, valuing the FM market at around 7.5% of the country’s GDP.

Owing to such developments in the country driven by the growing trend of outsourcing, the market is expected to see further growth over the coming years.

The report says COVID-19 has had a mixed business impact on facilities management firms, as the restrictions on the movement of people have resulted in a decline in project work and a reduced level of activity across many customer sites, adding that major players in the market, such as Mitie, CBRE Group, and others, were adversely affected due to the pandemic lockdown.

FM providers have been experiencing supply chain disruptions leading to difficulties in procuring materials and supplies. Also, they have found it harder to cope with staff shortages owing to various factors that include lockdown restrictions, self-isolation, and illness. However, the readily built environment has played an important role in supporting various industries from health and social care to transport and utilities and helped tackle the spread of the virus.

However, since the facility management industry is heavily reliant on workers from the European Union and with soft FM services are primarily dependent on this source of labor, restricted access post-Brexit can have significant implications. FM businesses, particularly those holding EU contracts, are expected to be affected by potential changes to migrant labor, the supply chain, and other regulations in the post-Brexit scenario.

Single FM Service is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth

Working with a single facility management service provider entails primarily delegating task management to separate entities. It also entails having a different service provider for each service the organization requires, such as cleaning, reception, and vending machines. Using the services of specialised service providers has several advantages, the report says.

According to The Q2 2021 RICS UK Facilities Management Survey, in Feb 2021, approximately 6% of the respondents believed that the single FM sector was going to witness the highest growth in the next 12 months.

The response rate increased in May 2021 as 10% of the respondents believed single FM to witness the highest growth. However, substantial respondents in the survey believed that other services such as bundled FM and in-house services are poised to see the highest growth rate in the next 12 months.

Half of businesses agree that ESG efforts are about the bottom line
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Less than a half of consumers (49%) trust brands that say they’re sustainably and ethically driven in their marketing and branding, or that they are aiming to achieve net zero by a certain date (47%).

Similarly, only 15% of business decision makers in business to consumer businesses are completely confident that all the materials their organisations use are responsibly sourced.

What’s more concerning is the motivation behind the distrust. According to research released by NAVEX Global only a quarter (25%) of consumers believe businesses are primarily motivated to undertake environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives to make a positive difference to the world and over half (55%) of businesses agree it’s more about that bottom line.

The research conducted with Sapio Research of 500 business decision makers and 2,000 consumers in the UK launches following COP26, which emphasised the global urgency to tackle climate change for the future of the planet.

While talk of ESG issues might be dominating the headlines, it’s widely believed more can be done. 74% of consumers and 85% of consumer businesses agree that most businesses could do significantly more on their efforts to be ethical and sustainable.

However, only a quarter (25%) of consumers think making a positive difference in the world is one of businesses’ top two motivations for undertaking ESG efforts. Equally, just 27% of businesses say ESG investment is one of their top three priorities for the next financial year, despite the fact that over half (55%) of consumers think it should a top three priority and a further 17% that it should be the number one focus.

However, when it comes to who they believe is responsible for enacting change, businesses and their own organisations come out top. Half of businesses (50%) think that their own organisations are responsible for ensuring ethical and sustainable practices are upheld within their organisation and throughout their supply chain. Consumers agree; 38% also felt this was the business’ responsibility. At the same time, 32% feel the government should be taking responsibility for this too.

While there may be a contrast in perceptions around how much a business is or should be doing towards sustainable and ethical issues, there could be a significant impact on business, nonetheless. Almost three in five (59%) consumers say they would stop doing business with a company if there were negative news stories about their ethical and sustainable practices, and over half (54%) believe that only businesses that uphold standards in these areas will continue to be successful in the future. Furthermore, 37% of consumers overall and 57% of those aged 18-25 say they’ve stopped buying from a brand because they did not consider it sustainable or ethical.

Consumers are making active decisions on where they purchase based on sustainability and ethics, much to the surprise of businesses decision makers amongst whom only 18% think that consumers consider whether something is ethically or responsibly sourced when making a purchase. Despite this, 60% of B2B businesses say they agree their customers will leave them if they fail to demonstrate ethical and sustainable practices in the future, but less than half (45%) of consumer businesses agree with this. 

The current perceptions on business and the reality that consumers are willing to leave a brand because of ethical and sustainable practice is a concern. At the core, confidence and trust are lacking. A third (34%) of consumers say they don’t think any industry is tackling climate change well. Similarly, only 17% of all businesses surveyed were completely confident that the businesses they partner with or outsource to operate ethically and sustainably, despite 45% saying they personally research companies they work with. Not only do consumers lack trust in the brands they buy from, but businesses themselves do, too.

Built environment sector ‘lacks clarity’ on carbon emissions
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The majority (58%) of built environment professionals believe the sector is already doing enough to tackle its carbon impact, despite the built environment contributing 36% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions, and the most recent available data showing that CO2 from operational energy use of buildings reached its highest level yet in 2019.

That according to building performance analyst IES’s City of Tomorrow report, which surveyed a wide range of professionals working in the built environment sector about the current status of sustainability methods and targets, including engineers, facilities managers, contractors, developers, planners and architects.

The report revealed that only 29% of those working in the sector felt that it should be doing more to reduce its carbon impact, and 13% were unsure if current efforts would be enough.

The research suggests that this complacency could stem from a lack of awareness around the full extent of the built environment’s carbon contributions.

It’s been demonstrated that the built environment contributes almost 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint, yet when asked to estimate this figure, 80% of those surveyed answered incorrectly, with 45% underestimating the total percentage. Six percent guessed as low as between 1-10%.

When asked which aspect of the sector they believe is the place where most sustainability gains can be made, 51% of those surveyed said construction. However, only 22% said operation/energy use, and just 4% said materials development.

Don McLean, CEO of IES, said: “While it’s great that awareness of climate issues in general is now pretty widespread, and 79% of organisations in the built environment sector are actively working towards net zero, it’s clear that more needs to be done to communicate the built environment’s role in carbon emissions to those working in the sector.

“In particular, we really need to raise awareness of the environmental impact of buildings’ operational energy use, with the available data showing that emissions from building operations are still a huge problem, that efforts up til now have failed to tackle effectively.

“Reducing the emissions created during the construction process is of course essential, however considering that 80% of the buildings that will be around in 2050 are built already, optimising the operational efficiency of those already in existence is just as, if not more important.”

7 in 10 employers expect redundancies as furlough scheme ends
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New research reveals that nearly 7 in 10 employers (69%) expect to make redundancies within the next year, the majority of which will take place within the coming months.

According to the study from Renovo, 46% of organisations expect to make redundancies within 6 months, while 23% anticipate redundancies within 6-12 months.

The news comes as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends, forcing organisations to make decisions regarding the future of furloughed employees. For employers expecting redundancies, 84% have employees on furlough.

However, for employees, concerns over redundancy are not explicitly linked to the end of the furlough scheme. Fifty-six percent of employees surveyed, who are worried about being made redundant within the next year, are not on furlough. The study ‘Life after furlough: Employer and Employee perspectives on the threat of redundancy’, available to download on October 4th, was completed by 253 employers and 200 employees.

Chris Parker, Managing Director, Renovo sid: “Despite positive signs in the UK employment market, there remains a high level of pessimism and uncertainty at both the employer and employee level – the study shows that the perceived threat of redundancy remains incredibly high.

“In particular, at the employer level, there is a high correlation between those with employees currently on furlough and high levels of expected redundancies in the next year. However, employers must be aware that due to events in the last 18 months, perceptions of job security aren’t only an issue for those on furlough right now.”

The study highlights that both employers and employees hold similar perceptions of the causes behind weakened job security. In fact, half of employers (50%) and 46% of employees state that the key cause of future redundancies within their organisation is the financial impact of the pandemic on business performance.

However, other factors have contributed to a lack of job security as well: more than a quarter of employers (28%) state that redundancies are anticipated as some jobs are no longer needed due to new technology. One in eight (12%) also feel that certain roles are no longer necessary because of the move to remote and hybrid working.

Emphasising the current anxieties within the market, the report also reveals that for employees who expect to be made redundant within the next year, 47% think it will take over 3 months to find a new role with 14% believing it will take over six months to do so.

According to Renovo, given these levels of concern, it’s unsurprising that job search and career support is the most sought after form of redundancy support, with over 4 in 10 employees (42%) stating that this would be the most valuable type of assistance from employers. However, the report suggests that employers may not be fully attuned to this demand. Just 28% of employers believe that their people would most value job search and career support post redundancy, with one in four (43%) believing their employees would most value emotional and wellbeing support.

Parker added: “As we emerge from the furlough period, it seems clear that employers will need to work hard to rebuild a sense of job security for their workforces. If redundancies do need to occur, employers must make efforts to understand the real problems their people are experiencing in order to support them to move on appropriately. Increasing communication between employers and staff and improving employee listening are the crucial steps that organisations must take to reassure workforces and properly aid those facing redundancy in the coming months.

“Many employers have made great strides in improving the provision of emotional and wellbeing support as we have all tried to weather the storm of the pandemic. This type of support will continue to be hugely important for those facing redundancy. However, the report sends a message to employers of the importance that their people place on the more practical, focussed careers and job search support that they will need post redundancy. These elements are essential to give them the confidence and tools to move on quickly and effectively.”