A London Underground worker who made several protected disclosures about health and safety in London tube stations was unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal has ruled.
London Central tribunal heard disclosures from the whistleblower, Micky Steeds, a skilled vents worker, regarding failed face-fitting tests (for respirator masks), illegal dumping of hazardous waste, and dangerous working practices that he believed exposed him, his colleagues, and Tube users to asbestos and other toxic materials present in the underground network.
The full judgment has not yet been published. The tribunal found that the evidence presented by London Underground “fell short of demonstrating compliance on all occasions. The failure to dispose of hazardous waste appropriately may give rise to criminal and civil liability.”
After Mr Steeds made his disclosures in 2023, London Underground told him either to return to work, in what he was concerned were dangerous conditions, or be dismissed. The tribunal found that this was an “unfair and unjustifiable ultimatum” and that he was unfairly dismissed.
Employment tribunalsAI law firm wins case as lawyers call for guidance
Tribunal system feels the strain as caseload continues to rise
BBC radio host sacked after social media posts loses tribunal claim
Chevan Ilangaratne, counsel for Mr Steeds, described the decision to dismiss Mr Steeds as exceptionally hasty and harsh.
He argued that Mr Steeds had raised legitimate, public interest concerns relating to inadequate personal protective equipment, and exposure to potentially hazardous materials onsite, and had been treated badly by London Underground as a result. Ilangaratne said the effect of this treatment was to silence Mr Steeds.
The tribunal judge ruled that even if the disclosures were not the principal reason for his dismissal, the “total failure of the respondent to follow its own procedure rendered it substantially and procedurally unfair.”
Rather than engaging with the serious disclosures he was making, London Underground dismissed him. The tribunal called this the “antithesis of a fair approach”.
Mr Steeds said the judgment “felt like a complete vindication of raising the serious safety concerns at London Underground” and that navigating this process had been incredibly gruelling and exhausting. He thanked former colleague Rob Donnan, who lost his job as well for raising the same concerns. Mr Donnan’s claim for unfairly dismissal and of being subjected to detriment for making a protected disclosure was dismissed by an employment tribunal in September 2025.
Mr Steeds said: “No worker with concerns should ever have to choose between protecting the public interest and their own livelihood.”
Michael Ballantyne, solicitor for Mr Steeds, said: “This case is a reminder of the stigma whistleblowers still face. Mr Steeds was viewed as a troublemaker from the start and expected to fall in line. When he stood his ground, London Underground closed ranks and Mr Steeds was given an ultimatum – either retract his disclosures, or be fired. I’m glad to see the tribunal agreed this was unreasonable and unjustified. This is an important win for whistleblowers and a good lesson for employers.”
The case will now proceed to a remedy hearing.
London Underground has been contacted for a comment.
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
The post London Underground whistleblower wins unfair dismissal case appeared first on Personnel Today.
With increased risk at the start of employment and costs rising, employers can’t afford to get hiring wrong by waiting for legislation to be enacted, says Claire McCartney
As labour market pressures mount and operational costs increase, the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) is poised to significantly reshape how organisations approach hiring and workforce planning.
The Act changes how employers recruit, structure roles, onboard people and manage risk from the moment a vacancy is approved.
With the unfair dismissal qualifying period set to fall from two years to six months, the reforms will bring risk forward in the employment lifecycle.
That makes mid-2026 a critical window for HR to review hiring and planning strategies ahead of unfair dismissal changes in January 2027.
Employment Rights ActGuaranteed hours: What we know so far
IoD urges government to ease back on Employment Rights Act timeline
Organisations that proactively adapt their approach in line with the Act will be best placed to manage these risks, unlock stronger workforce performance and deliver better business outcomes.
But against this backdrop, the key question for HR is how should it respond in practice?
With a shorter window to identify and address issues, employers will need to tighten how they hire, onboard and manage new starters from the outset of the employment lifecycle. Three areas stand out as immediate priorities:
1. Get hiring right first timeSeveral changes being introduced under the Act, including expanded Statutory Sick Pay and the reduction in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, increase both the risk and the cost of poor hiring decisions.
The CIPD’s recent Labour Market Outlook survey shows most employers expect the ERA 2025 to increase their employment costs, with many anticipating reduced hiring and a rise in workplace conflict.
With the potential for higher costs if hiring decisions don’t land well, HR teams need to review recruitment processes to ensure candidates are well matched to both the role and the organisation. This will also reduce the likelihood of capability or conduct issues later on.
Workplace policies and employment contracts also need to be updated to reflect the Act. In addition, HR will need to strengthen how a candidate is assessed for suitability using structured interviews with clear scoring criteria to ensure consistency.
People professionals will also need to support time-poor or inexperienced recruiting managers with practical guidance to help them follow this process and make well-informed decisions.
2. Make onboarding and probation count from day oneWith less time to assess new hires before legal risk increases, the early days of employment matter more than ever.
From 1 January 2027, employers will have six months, rather than the current two years, to ensure new starters are performing as expected.
It’s worth noting that the new, reduced qualifying period will apply immediately to anyone with at least six months’ service on 1 January next year so includes anyone hired from July 2026.
Now is the time for HR to review induction processes, onboarding and contractual probation periods.
This could include considering whether probation periods should be shortened to five or five and a half months to ensure decisions can be made within the six-month window and avoid potential unfair dismissal risks.
It will also be crucial to strengthen how new starters are managed during this period. HR professionals will need to support managers to set clear objectives, have regular check-ins and address any issues early on.
People managers will need a clear structure and objectives for new starters, and they should document concerns and the support provided to ensure decisions are fair, consistent and well evidenced.
A stronger focus on hiring quality, onboarding and early support won’t just reduce risk, it will enable individuals to contribute more quickly and perform at their best.
3. Rethink flexibility beyond zero-hoursWorkforce flexibility will need a rethink as the Act will change how zero-hours and short-hours work can be used.
The ERA 2025 changes include new rights to guaranteed hours and better notice of shifts for employees, meaning arrangements may become more complex.
Organisations may want to explore alternatives, including annualised hours contracts or increasing the use of temporary workers or self-employed contractors.
HR should also conduct a risk assessment to identify any areas of risk and opportunity to help inform wider workforce planning.
A more deliberate, forward-looking approach will help organisations maintain flexibility while complying with requirements and avoiding unintended costs. It will also ensure their workforce is set up to deliver strong performance outcomes.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 will fundamentally shift how organisations hire, manage risk and structure their workforce.
The window to prepare is now and HR teams that move early, reviewing practices, strengthening processes and planning ahead, will be positioned not just to keep up, but to lead through the change.
Recruitment and resourcing opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more recruitment and resourcing jobs
The post Three ways hiring needs to change under the Employment Rights Act appeared first on Personnel Today.
James Reed has said that the government should tax companies that use robots, including AI and chatbots, in a wide-ranging interview discussing the future of the labour market.
The chairman and CEO of Reed Recruitment said that many people in business felt the Labour Party’s language and focus on growth in the 2024 general election were encouraging, but that its actions in government have been very different.
Talking on the BBC’s Big Boss Interview, Reed said this was one of the toughest periods in his 30 years as chief executive, similar to the financial crash and the start of the pandemic.
“A difference here, though, that worries me particularly, is that both in 2008 and 2020, there was a sense in the country – and in the world more widely – that we need to sort this out or do something about it,” he said.
“I don’t see that at the moment. It’s sort of like rabbits in a way, looking into the headlights of these changes, not sure what to do. And my sort of mantra on this is that I believe we should back humans and tax robots, but that’s going to take some designing.
AI and the jobs marketOnly 1 in 4 employees feel fully prepared to use AI
Early Careers Jobs Alliance launched to tackle AI impact
ILO urges human focus to mitigate impact of AI
“It’s going to take some careful thought, but taxing work and workers feels very early 19th century to me.”
He continued: “There are big warehouses now that will have many robots in them, where they might not have had the same number of humans in them as in previous times.
“I don’t think just the sort of robots that run marathons, I mean chatbots and AI… the provision of those services is consuming huge amounts of energy and contributing significantly to climate change, it is said, I don’t see any reason to disbelieve that, and yet we’re taxing employers who hire young people to pick up beer glasses in gardens, and not robots.”
‘Tax robots’He said: “It would take some designing. It might be that if you replace people in your business with robots, there’s a surcharge, a tax. Or it might be that if you use robots, whether that’s in the service sector or in manufacturing, then there’s an extra tax on that, rather like VAT.”
He added: “I think that is a policy that needs proper consideration, because that’s the future, that’s where the wealth is going to be created… so, that’s where the taxation should follow.”
Asked what he would say to the UK’s next prime minister, following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation on Monday, Reed said: “It’s an opportunity to reset the government’s relations with business and actually row back on what I feel strongly was some early mistakes that were made in that first Budget in October 2024 when £25 billion was put on employers’ national insurance as a massive tax increase.
“That was effectively a tax on jobs, and we’ve seen the consequences of that since then in the shrivelling up of opportunities for people, and the great reduction in the number of vacancies.”
New chancellorReed said there needs to be a new chancellor because of Rachel Reeves’ actions against business, particularly small businesses. He said family businesses were still “reeling” from the changes announced on inheritance tax, adding that the revenue raised was “pitiful” and that business property relief should be reinstated.
“Fifty-seven per cent of the people in this country work in family businesses, so those family businesses are thinking, well, I don’t want to grow my business because I only get whacked for tax if one of the family dies.”
On the impact of the national insurance increase in the “Halloween Budget”, he said that while it may have raised billions of pounds in the short run, the impact has been expensive.
“It’s really stopped businesses from hiring, and it’s worse, actually, because the timing was so unfortunate. It’s encouraged businesses to look at alternatives, particularly automation, at a time when AI is really advancing very fast, so particularly automation, but also offshoring jobs, and we’ve seen that too.”
He said businesses were looking again at offshoring following the increases in the costs of employing people. “I know for a fact that you know it’s much cheaper to hire someone in Hungary than it is in Northamptonshire, because we have offices in both places, so it has become topical again,” he said.
Reed also warned that AI is “burning through entry-level jobs,” destroying opportunities for young people at a pace the UK is not prepared for. He said vacancy numbers on the reed.co.uk have been in decline for three years, adding that graduate vacancies on the jobs site have collapsed from 180,000 to 50,000 in four years, and are still falling.
The hardest-hit group is 21 to 25-year-olds, many of whom emerged from university with degrees that have, Reed said, “no currency out there in the world”.
HR business partner opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more HR business partner jobs
The post ‘Back humans and tax robots’ says Reed boss appeared first on Personnel Today.
Retail workers are facing increasing risks from members of the public using smart glasses to secretly record them at work, according to shop workers’ union Usdaw.
The warning comes after a sales assistant discovered he had been filmed and featured in a video posted to TikTok and YouTube by former television presenter Michael Barrymore, without their knowledge or consent. Barrymore, who regularly records his daily activities using smart glasses equipped with a hidden camera, shares the footage with millions of followers online.
While the interaction in question was friendly, retail staff representatives say the wider trend raises serious concerns about privacy, safety and employee wellbeing.
Social media tribunalsBBC radio host sacked after social media posts loses tribunal claim
PCs removed from firearms unit after Tallia Storm selfie awarded £50k
Law firm HR professional embroiled in ‘anti-Islam’ row
Jayne Allport, national officer at Usdaw, described the covert filming of shop workers as an increasing problem, particularly when recordings are uploaded to social media platforms where they can be viewed by large audiences.
She warned that employees could be exposed to significant personal risks when their workplace, appearance and location are shared online without their permission.
Some workers, she noted, may have compelling reasons for wanting to keep their whereabouts private. “They could be filming someone who has escaped an abusive relationship or violent past, and they don’t want anybody to know where they are,” she told BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show.
Unlike public streets, shops are private premises, and retail staff generally have a reasonable expectation that images of them will not be recorded and published without their consent. However, many users of smart glasses may be unaware that sharing such footage can breach data protection laws, even if no criminal offence has been committed.
The employee who appeared in Barrymore’s video, who wishes to remain anonymous, only became aware of the recording days later when a customer recognised him from social media. He subsequently located the video online and realised he had been clearly identifiable throughout.
Although he said he was not personally distressed by the incident, he highlighted the potential consequences for more vulnerable workers.
“If I’ve just come out of a very abusive relationship and had to move area to get away from somebody, then a video showing exactly where I’m working could be extremely concerning,” he said.
The case has reignited concerns about the rapid growth of smart-glasses technology. Devices such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have become increasingly popular, making it easier than ever for members of the public to record interactions discreetly and share them online.
For retail employees, the greatest concern is often not friendly encounters but confrontational situations. Allport said some customers deliberately filmed disputes with staff and posted the footage online in an attempt to embarrass workers or retailers.
“If you can imagine going to work and then being confronted by someone, having a discussion with them that may well get heated, that being filmed, and then it goes on to social media, you can just imagine how those shop workers are feeling about it,” she said. “It can be absolutely devastating.”
Usdaw argued that the practice can amount to a serious invasion of privacy and may have a significant impact on workers’ mental health. The union urged members of the public who create social-media content to seek permission before filming staff and to consider the potential consequences of publishing footage without consent.
Allport’s said content makers should take a few minutes to explain what they are doing and ask workers if they were happy to appear on camera. Many employees may agree, she said, but obtaining consent was both respectful and essential to protecting the privacy and safety of retail workers.
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
The post Union warns of smart-glasses threat to retail worker privacy appeared first on Personnel Today.
Consultants and specialist doctors in Northern Ireland are taking part in industrial action over pay, with medics seeking parity with their colleagues in England, Scotland and Wales.
It is the first time the two groups of doctors have gone on strike in Northern Ireland, and while most routine and elective services will be cancelled, full emergency cover will remain in place.
The 24-hour industrial action began at 07:00 on Thursday. There will be no picket line demonstrations.
Health minister Mike Nesbitt said he was disappointed doctors were going ahead with strike action and he remained committed to implementing this year’s pay award, but was currently unable to do so in the absence of an agreed budget.
The British Medical Association (BMA) balloted its Northern Ireland Health and Social Care members over a four-week period after doctors’ leaders rejected a recommended 3.5% pay uplift from an independent pay body.
Resident doctor strikesLast-minute offer halts resident doctor strike
NHS groups urge new health secretary to pause 10-year workforce plan
BMA deeply concerned by ban on political symbols
Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, Nesbitt said: “If I could give them more than 3.5% then I would be very happy to do so.” He said every minister in the executive was concerned about their budget.
A separate 24-hour walkout will take place on Monday 29 June. Dr David Farren, chairman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland consultants committee, said the offer from the health minister was not parity.
“It is quite clear that doctors in Northern Ireland are paid less than those in England, Scotland, and Wales. What the minister means by parity means that we get the same uplift as everyone else, but we don’t start on the same footing,” he said.
He added that retaining doctors in Northern Ireland had become an issue.
“There are services that are unable to deliver to patients in this country. While this is primarily about pay, this is about recruiting and retaining doctors in Northern Ireland to deliver the services.”
Earlier this month it was announced that 92% of resident doctors voted yes and 79% of consultants voted for strike action. The BMA also said 90% of SAS (specialist, associate specialist and speciality) doctors voted in favour of strike action.
Both branches of practice voted in favour of industrial action in what they said was “over 18 years of pay erosion”.
Representatives from the BMA will go to Stormont on Thursday where they will meet with the chair and deputy chair of the assembly’s health committee to discuss the pay dispute.
Dr Leanne Davison, chairwoman of the BMA’s Northern Ireland SAS committee, said doctors were choosing to leave the health service or to reduce their contracted hours because of pay erosion, and staffing shortages were causing services to close.
Health minister Nesbitt said to go beyond the 3.5% as recommended by the independent pay review recommendation would have significant repercussions for nurses, teachers, police officers and indeed the entire public sector workforce.
He added: “There is simply no scope for pay awards beyond the recommendations of the review bodies in 2026-27.”
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
The post Doctors in Northern Ireland strike over lack of pay parity appeared first on Personnel Today.
One third of Britain’s workplaces do not have staff with the necessary mediation skills to resolve a workplace conflict.
According to new research by workplace relations body Acas, conducted by YouGov, 33% of employees think their employer lacks staff with enough mediation expertise to handle disputes. The figure rises to 40% among small and medium-sized enterprises, highlighting concerns about workplace conflict resolution across the UK.
The findings come as the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces significant changes to workers’ rights, prompting renewed calls for employers and employees to work together to strengthen workplace relations and prevent disputes from escalating.
Mediation is an informal process designed to repair working relationships when disagreements arise. It is led by an impartial mediator who does not take sides and focuses on helping those involved reach a mutually agreed way forward. Unlike formal grievance procedures and employment tribunals – which currently face a long backlog in many parts of the UK – mediation is voluntary, confidential and flexible.
Employment tribunalsAI law firm wins case as lawyers call for guidance
Tribunal system feels the strain as caseload continues to rise
BBC radio host sacked after social media posts loses tribunal claim
Acas said the survey results suggest many organisations may not be adequately equipped to use mediation effectively, despite its potential to resolve conflicts before they become more serious and costly.
Kevin Rowan, Acas director of dispute resolution, said that apart from anything else, mediation was a far more cost-effective method of resolving disputes than the use of more formal channels: “Mediation can be a great way of preventing and managing disputes informally without the need for potentially expensive formal action.
“It is not about judging who is wrong or who is right; it is about bringing people in a disagreement together to agree on a way of working together.
“Mediation is a valuable skill, but our survey shows that too few workers are confident their organisation has the skills to use it in a disagreement. We encourage employers to make sure their managers have the confidence and skill to mediate successfully.”
Mediation was particularly effective in resolving issues involving workplace relationships, including personality clashes, breakdowns in working relationships, and cases involving bullying and harassment, said Rowan. However, it was generally not used for disputes relating to pay, dismissal or serious misconduct.
The organisation emphasised that mediation remained a confidential process, with participants agreeing what information could be shared. If agreement proves elusive, discussions held during mediation should be kept private.
Acas maintains that effective mediation can reduce workplace stress, help manage disagreements constructively and lessen the need for formal procedures. Outcomes are determined by those involved, allowing for flexible solutions tailored to individual situations.
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
The post Acas: UK needs to bolster mediation skills to avoid disputes appeared first on Personnel Today.
Thursday 2 July 2026, 2:00pm BST
EU member states have until 7 June 2026 to enact legislation in line with the EU Pay Transparency Directive. But what will the new laws mean for employers in the UK, with operations in Europe?
Measures include pay range information in job advertisements, a worker’s right to request information regarding their pay compared to colleagues doing the same work, together with gender pay gap reporting and joint pay assessments.
While the new rules do not directly impact UK organisations, many with offices across the EU have decided they are not going to treat British staff any differently to employees in Europe.
This Personnel Today webinar, in association with Remote, the intelligent infrastructure for employing and paying people everywhere, examines the EU Pay Transparency Directive in detail, how member states are implementing or adapting their laws, and the implications for HR and employers.
Personnel Today editor Rob Moss is joined by Shay Ogunsanya, Managing Counsel at Remote, and his colleague Vic Thatcher, Director of Global Payroll Strategy and Compliance.
Register now to find out:
How employer should review their pay structures How pay and recruitment policies may require greater transparency How many countries have been slow to implement new laws Why the changes are having an impact in the UK, even in organisations without EU operations.This free 60-minute webinar includes a panel discussion and Q&A.
Reserve your place on the webinar now
About our panellists
Vic Thatcher is Director for Global Payroll Strategy and Compliance at Remote. A chartered member of the CIPP and a seasoned payroll strategist with more than 20 years of international experience, Vic leads initiatives that integrate compliance directly into product development – bridging the gap between regulatory requirements and scalable, automated payroll solutions.
Shay Ogunsanya is Managing Counsel, Commercial and Product for Remote. Shay is a qualified commercial lawyer with extensive experience at organisations such as Wolters Kluwer and the Cypriot-Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Passionate about remote work, technology, diversity, and inclusion, he brings a global perspective to legal and business matters.
The post Beyond Borders: Why the EU Pay Directive matters for UK-based HR (webinar) appeared first on Personnel Today.
A growing number of employees in the US and UK have said they want closer relationships with their colleagues, with scheduled meetings growing in frequency as a result.
New research commissioned by game-based learning platform Kahoot! found that 56% of US workers and 43% of UK workers wish they had stronger connections with their colleagues. At the same time, loneliness remains a significant issue in the workplace, with 39% of US and 40% of UK respondents reporting they feel lonely at work.
The findings suggest that although modern workplaces offer more ways than ever to communicate, meaningful connections between colleagues can still be difficult to build. Nearly one-third (30%) of US workers and 17% of UK workers said they often go an entire workday without speaking to a colleague.
Time with colleaguesPresence and productivity: does office time really make a difference?
Too much time with colleagues ‘lowers performance’
Extreme HR: People management in the Antarctic
Loneliness – a risk to health we can no longer ignore
Meetings have increasingly become the primary source of workplace interaction. Half of US workers (50%) and nearly half of UK workers (47%) said meetings were their only interaction with certain coworkers.
According to the report, informal conversations that once took place in hallways, before meetings or during lunch breaks were increasingly being replaced by scheduled exchanges.
Personal interactionDespite this shift, employees continue to value personal interaction. More than half (57%) of UK respondents said meetings were more effective when colleagues spend time connecting before focusing on business matters. The figures was higher in the US where 66% of respondents felt this.
“Workplaces have spent years optimising for productivity, flexibility, and efficiency, but many have unintentionally engineered out the everyday human connection people need to feel engaged and supported,” said Sean D’Arcy, chief solutions officer at Kahoot!
D’Arcy said the challenge for employers was to foster connection without creating artificial social expectations.
The survey also revealed a tension between workers’ desire for stronger relationships and their need for boundaries. While many respondents wanted closer workplace connections, 60% of US workers and 55% of UK workers said they intentionally maintained personal distance from colleagues to preserve work-life balance.
However, employees have not abandoned workplace social activities altogether. More than three-quarters of US workers (76%) and 63% of UK workers said they would attend their company’s main office celebration or holiday party, while 37% of US respondents and 38% of UK respondents said they genuinely looked forward to such events.
IsolationSam Greenhalgh, partner on the employment team at Birketts law firm, said the theme of workplace connections has been a live topic ever since the pandemic. He said that if workplace practices (for example, heavy reliance on digital communication despite co-location) contributed to stress or isolation, employers should assess and mitigate these risks through suitable and sufficient risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. He said there may also be equality implications where isolation disproportionately affects protected groups (for example, disabled employees), engaging duties under the Equality Act 2010, including reasonable adjustments.
Greenhalgh added: “From a culture and engagement perspective, the data suggests a disconnect between physical presence and meaningful interaction that can undermine a sense of belonging and team cohesion. To counter this, organisations need to be deliberate about creating opportunities for human connection – through leadership behaviours, team routines, and workspace design – rather than assuming proximity alone will drive culture.”
“Ultimately, the future of work is likely to prioritise quality of interaction over quantity of presence, with culture shaped as much by behaviours and norms as by where people sit.”
Latest HR job opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more human resources jobs
The post Number of meetings grows as employees seek ‘connection’ appeared first on Personnel Today.
A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has found that ‘movement snacks’ could reduce risks associated with sedentary work.
According to researchers from Columbia University, who interviewed more than 11,000 US employees, taking a walking break every hour for five minutes improves mood and reduces fatigue.
It has been estimated that office workers spend around three-quarters of their day sitting at a desk, with sedentary habits associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Lead researcher Keith Diaz noted that while many adults understand the general advice to “sit less and move more”, it would be helpful to know how much.
Sedentary work risksNine out of 10 employees carrying ‘significant’ heart health risk
Gen X storing up health problems by failing to exercise
Five minutes every hour would be both “realistic and attainable”, he explained.
In the study, participants undertook their usual routine during the first week, completing daily surveys about their tiredness levels, mood and work performance.
For the following two weeks, they were asked to take walking breaks at work of five minutes every half hour, every hour or every two hours and fill out similar surveys.
Researchers found that a walk every half hour was beneficial for mood and reducing tiredness, but was disruptive to their day job.
A walk every two hours was better than no walking, but a five-minute stroll each hour led to the biggest and most achievable improvement in productivity, mood and alertness.
“Even though it may seem counterintuitive, movement breaks actually can boost work performance,” Diaz told the BBC.
“They can improve executive function, attention and memory. And it helps people feel more relaxed and fresh.”
Workers could hold walking meetings or pace during phone calls if they wanted to continue with tasks, he added.
A recent analysis of employee health assessments by Bluecrest Wellness found that almost nine in 10 employees could have at least one “clinically significant” warning sign of heart health risk, creating a compelling case for early prevention.
Health and Safety opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more health and safety jobs
The post Walk for five minutes every hour to reduce risk, say researchers appeared first on Personnel Today.
