Search Results for: society

ESG: only a third of people think their workplace has a positive impact on society and the environment

ESG: only a third of people think their workplace has a positive impact on society and the environment

ESGAccording to a poll from YuLife and YouGov, just over a third (39 percent) of people think their place of work has some sort of positive impact on society and the planet. This is in spite of the many announcements from organisations about how ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) can boost employee engagement and help them stand out from their competitors. With many businesses having upped their ESG investment in recent years,  the new YuLife-YouGov report claims to shed light on what UK working adults want and expect from their workplaces, equipping businesses with vital insights into how to focus their ESG programmes most effectively. (more…)

Life scientists want to help society, while engineers focus on advancing their own career

Life scientists want to help society, while engineers focus on advancing their own career

scientistsNew research from Professor Henry Sauermann of ESMT Berlin, and colleagues, claims academics from different fields have different motives for engaging in commercial activities. With life scientists considering social impact important and engineers focusing on career advancement. Interestingly, money was not a motive for engaging in commercial activities at all. (more…)

The workplace of the future and its tech must work for the good of society

The workplace of the future and its tech must work for the good of society

Businesses should focus on the greater good of people and society

Businesses should focus on the greater good of people and society

Modern corporations should work in the best interests of society and people rather than focusing primarily on making money for shareholders as they may have in the past, according to an influential group of chief executives. The body Business Roundtable, which represents the heads of some of America’s largest companies, including Apple, Amazon and Exxon Mobil, has issued a statement of its updated corporate governance principles. (more…)

Workplace wellbeing is focus of new report from British Psychological Society

A new report from the British Psychological Society, Psychology at Work: Improving Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workplace examines issues around work, health, and disability and recommends ways that policy makers and employers can tackle poor employment practices using interventions that work with human behaviour, not against it. The report has been launched today, Tuesday 14th November, at the BPS All-Parliamentary Group for Psychology’s (APPG) ‘Healthy Workplaces’ event hosted by Dr Lisa Cameron MP in the Houses of Parliament. Psychology at Work: Improving Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workplace’ was co-authored by Dr Ashley Weinberg, CPsychol AFBPsS, and Nancy Doyle CPsychol AFBPsS.

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Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

Navel gazing may not be the answer to the challenges facing workplace professions

An adherence to strongly held beliefs can make people think and behave in peculiar ways and get them tangled up in peripheral issues that take on a great deal of significance. Early religious artists, for example, spent centuries wrestling with the seemingly intractable problem of whether to depict Adam and Eve with belly buttons or not. (more…)

Milan proves to be the perfect setting for an optimistic BCO conference

Milan proves to be the perfect setting for an optimistic BCO conference

Milan may not seem an obvious choice for the BCO conference. Turns out it was perfect for an increasingly optimistic sector, writes Anna KingIf anyone was asked to think of where to find the best examples of an office, I doubt very many people would reply ‘Milan’ but that may just be the reason that this year’s BCO conference was a resounding success. With Milan and its layers of history, culture, design and the vital ‘caffè’, we are reminded that workspaces are about so much more than function. A view certainly held by Amber Luscombe, Head of ESG at Oxygen, “This is my third BCO conference I was expecting more of the same, but the discussions have moved on with engaging speakers, stimulating conversations and a more positive – yet realistic –  outlook from the attendees. So many factors influence, surrounds and support good office design, from fostering a sense of belonging and community to wellbeing and nature and they were all on the table at Milan.” (more…)

Is anyone really thinking about the future beyond what happens next?

Is anyone really thinking about the future beyond what happens next?

I am invited to discussions about AI impacts which focus on the coming weeks and months, but it begs the question, who is thinking about the futureThe conversations around AI at the moment are interesting. Academic. Thought-provoking. Posts on LinkedIn discuss job changes and what the future may look like in theoretical terms. The words ‘streamlined’ and ‘automated’ litter the chats between Executives and CEOs. But that seems to be where consideration ends. We are talking about the future, but the very near future. I am invited to discussions about AI impacts which focus on the coming weeks and months, but it begs the question, who is thinking about the future? (more…)

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Co-working spaces bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

Today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic.When you think of co-working spaces – where workers from different industries come together to share a convenient workplace – you might picture a group of young freelancers hunched over laptops. But today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic. As workplaces adapt to new ways of operating, from hybrid to “digital nomadism”, co-working spaces can do more than simply offer flexibility. They can support workers’ wellbeing and work–life balance by enhancing a sense of community, building trust and new friendships, and encouraging continuous learning. (more…)

Important eye care habits professionals should practice in 2025 and beyond

Important eye care habits professionals should practice in 2025 and beyond

However, whether it comes to your wellness or work, you may be neglecting an important aspect of both: eye careWith the new year in full swing, you may be working hard to stick to your resolutions and goals, whether it’s exercising more, eating healthy, saving money, and much more. For your professional life, you may be prioritising working towards a promotion you’re aiming for, getting more organised and productive, or quickly hitting your targets and quotas. However, whether it comes to your wellness or work, you may be neglecting an important aspect of both: eye care. Maintaining eye health is essential for work and everyday life, but many people lack the right habits. (more…)

Sell out Material Choices event provides a forum for eco learning

Sell out Material Choices event provides a forum for eco learning

A recent seminar focussed on examining some of the established and widely used materials in the furniture and furnishing sector and considerations for greater sustainability.The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, hosted the next in a series of sustainability events, ‘Material Choices for more Sustainable Products’, on the 4th of March 2025 at Furniture Makers Hall. The seminar focussed on examining some of the established and widely used materials in the furniture and furnishing sector and considerations for greater sustainability. (more…)

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

We may think we are pretty aware of the effects of AI. But posterity may draw different conclusions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world around us at breakneck speed, unlocking opportunities we could not have even imagined a few years ago. But with its potential comes an immense set of challenges. How we handle this transformation will define the future of our workplaces, economies, and societies. Recent events, including Trump’s revocation of Biden’s executive order addressing AI risks, Labour’s ambitious plans to integrate AI across the UK, and Facebook’s unsettling U-turn on content moderation, highlight the urgent need for businesses to take an ethical, informed, and responsible approach to AI adoption. (more…)