The Open University

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Should the right to disconnect from work emails be law?

11 May 2016

Should the right to clock off from work emails out of hours become law? Should governments be responsible for regulating the right to disconnect? In France, President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party is about to vote through a measure that, for the first time, will give employees the right to log off from work and enjoy, […]

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How do we manage work-life boundaries and whose responsibility is it?

6 May 2016

With digital tools and technologies making it all too easy for us to switch between home and work life with the touch of an app or the ping of an inbox, how do we manage the boundaries? And whose responsibility is it? Transferring from home to work life and back again was a longer process […]

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Digital Brain Switch – how digital technologies are impacting work-life boundaries

6 May 2016

Digital technologies – smartphones, tablets and social media – are changing our relationship with work. The traditional clock on at 9am, clock off at 5pm work pattern is disappearing as the internet and our ability to be connected to it 24/7 allows us to work whenever and wherever we want. Is this a good thing? […]

Star Wars Stormtroopers by Julian Fernandes via Unsplash

What can Star Wars teach us about leadership?

4 May 2016

It may have taken place in a galaxy far, far away, but in terms of leadership, there is much in Star Wars that we can learn from. The epic battles between the Jedi and the Empire have become part of the fabric of popular culture. But take a closer look behind the light sabres at […]

OU academics on the Panama Papers

13 April 2016

Panama Papers is the biggest data leak in history, shining a light on tropical tax havens and the world of offshore banking. Here, two Open University academics – one an expert in personal finance, the other in law – share their views… ‘Dynamic tension’ and reining in of the Duke of Westminster principle By Jonquil […]

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7 things NOT to do in a job interview

9 March 2016

They’re nerve-wracking and stressful but an interview could mean you’re one step away from that dream job – or at least a little closer to fulfilling your career ambitions. Student Services Manager (Careers) at The Open University, Lynne Johnson, explains what NOT to do in the interview room… 1) NEVER offer a limp handshake or slouch […]

Planning for extreme weather disruption

8 February 2016

Helen Roby, Research Fellow in The Open University Business School, is part of the Disruption research project which looks at how travel is affected by disruptive events such as extreme weather. Writing for HR Magazine, Helen says: “Headlines can paint a picture of the UK economy struggling with extreme weather conditions – businesses forced to close, employees […]

Time to reset your career?

31 December 2015

Adam Prestwood began life after school pursuing a career in law, but changed track to finance and, with the help of his employers, hasn’t looked back since… When I left the sixth form, I didn’t know what to do and there seemed no easy way to push into finance as a career. I did Law at […]

Money, money, money

26 December 2015

Money fractures marriages, drives wars, inspires art, motivates some people to great achievements, leads others to despair. Fear, desire, love, hate, jealousy, anger, anxiety, relief, shame and many more shades of emotion may attach to money in the course of an ordinary day. However given the impact money can have do we talk enough about […]

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Most of UK workforce want finance education from employers

9 December 2015

Most of the UK workforce (81%) want personal finance education from their employers, with half of those surveyed admitting that a major life event, such as buying a property or leaving school, was the last time they revised their financial knowledge. The new survey was commissioned by The Open University Business School (OUBS) and Share […]

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Category: Business and law