Blogs

In June, the UK started a six-month pilot programme for a shorter work week. More than 3,300 employees in 70 companies across a wide range of industries will be working four days a week with no impact on salary.The project will follow the “100:80:100 model” which means full salary for 80 per cent of the working hours in exchange for 100 per cent productivity. The researcher...

For the first time in history, there are more job vacancies than unemployed people in the UK. Between January and March 2022, the unemployment rate fell to 3.7% which is the lowest in almost 50 years. At the same time, job openings exceeded 1.3 million, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, wages are often failing to keep up with the rising cost of ...

​In the ever-evolving digital world, you have to always be on the top of your game to stand out. If you are beginning the search for new opportunities within marketing and communications – whether it’s a contract job or a permanent role, make sure that your digital footprint is the right representation of your skills and expertise. Optimize your LinkedIn profile to make your...

​VMAGROUP was delighted to host another insightful Internal Communications Advisory Board event with our guest speaker, Natalie Waugh, a Communications Specialist, with expertise in ESG Strategy and social impact programmes. Our Advisory Boards are an ongoing series of networking experiences catered towards professionals within the Internal Communications function. Run ever...

​You crafted the perfect CV, applied for the job of your dreams and finally have been invited for the interview. So what’s next? In today’s competitive communications and marketing recruitment landscape, you need to make sure you put your best foot forward. To further complicate the matters, your interview may be taking place via Zoom or Team, in-person or a mix of both as w...

The pandemic has pushed Agile Ways of Working (WOW) beyond tech teams to enterprise, and with all the challenges that it has posed, agility is key for organisations to survive and thrive.In our latest webinar, Agile 101 for Communicators we explored the basics of agile and its importance for communications professionals, including: Embracing agile ways of working Driving the...

​The appetite for internal communications continues to grow. In our 2020 study, 99% of respondents said that they have seen a bigger demand, even though a year earlier, only 85% predicted that this will be the case.In today’s competitive market, employers place greater importance on candidates’ skills, attitude, and agility, rather than on previous experience in the same in...

In today’s job market, there are many different types of roles available depending on the company’s requirements. Does the business need a maternity cover for the Head of Communications? Are they after a Project Manager for a new digital marketing campaign? Or do they simply require an extra pair of hands to help during the busiest part of the year?Terms such as contract, in...

The Great Resignation shows no signs of slowing down, and during the time of such a high turnover, businesses are looking for new retention and employee engagement strategies from their communications teams. Companies are now trying a new technique – getting their employees to recognise and praise each other. But as the pandemic meant that the usual high-fives and pats on th...

​Hiring on a contract or interim basis is a great solution for companies looking to bring in immediate expertise or additional resources – especially if the situation is fluid and needs a degree of flexibility. But the contract, interim or temporary roles are also an excellent way for candidates to diversify their experience, face new challenges and develop their skills, whe...

Working in recruitment for the communications industry, I have met thousands of incredible women who work in PR. In the earlier stages of my career, I was meeting similarly young, ambitious women, a few years out of university, hungry to develop their experience, contacts books and absorb everything they could from the agencies or in house roles they were in. In 2021, I tu...

​On March 8, we have celebrated International Women’s Day, with many companies around the globe pledging their commitment to equity in the workplace. However, based on the findings published in the Global Gender Gap Report 2021, yet another generation of women will have to wait until we achieve gender parity.As the financial and societal implications of Covid-19 continue to...

​In the last year, we have witnessed a record number of people leaving their jobs voluntarily, as a part of the movement called the Great Resignation. Some employees left for more flexible opportunities, while others were seeking an improved work-life balance or a job that gives them purpose. As a communications and marketing professional, your passions will change over time...

If you have been online in the last few weeks, you probably have already seen, or at least heard about Netflix’s “Inventing Anna” or “Tinder Swindler.” It is no surprise that these series have had such an emotive response from the audience. After all, criminals used the Covid-19 pandemic to target victims online, through impersonation scams, romance fraud and investment scam...

Communications practitioners faced a lot of challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to do so as restrictions are getting lifted and employees are trying to work out new ways of working. Our Executive Director, Willem de Ruijter shared his market insights and predictions of what lies ahead for the industry at the Greek Annual Communications & PR Conference.Th...

Within the last year, we have seen a huge rise in the opportunities within the communications, digital and marketing industries. However, as job vacancies are at an all-time high, working on a contract or interim basis is now more lucrative than ever before. When entering the contractor market, you are probably thinking about the new, exciting projects and the vast amount of...

​Flexible work is here to stay, and the future is hybrid, as findings from the recent survey show that 58% of professional employees adopted a hybrid work arrangement – an increase of 12% from May 2021.Consistently with the shift, knowledge workers across the globe now expect to have flexibility – both in terms of location and schedule. The desire is particularly strong amo...

​During the last two years, many businesses around the world were forced to pivot their communications and marketing efforts toward only essential activities, as a result of Brexit preparations and the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. Internal communications, digital marketing as well as public and investor relations have all evolved, as the consumer and business behaviours changed ...

​The challenges of 2021 remain fresh in our minds, but as a new year dawns, it’s a perfect opportunity for communications and marketing professionals to embark on targeting fresh goals, with the hope of better times ahead.And whilst the future remains a little uncertain for now, things are beginning to look brighter. In addition, we are better equipped to deal with the chall...

​The pandemic has accelerated the rise in changing technologies and new ways of working, shaping the way organisations hire new talent. With 84 per cent of employers planning to expand remote working, traditional approaches need to be revised in order to maintain a competitive edge.So, as we get closer to 2022, here are seven recruitment trends that you and your business sho...