Search Results for: workplace

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are usedThe British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80 percent office utilisation is no longer fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data suggests a more realistic, but nevertheless conservative, figure of 66 percent equating to an effective density of 15 sq. m per occupant, up from the previous 12.5 sq. m. This recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that empowers organisations to right-size their space, reduce waste and enhance employee experience. With high-profile organisations in financial services and the public sector under the spotlight for space misalignment, the report offers timely, evidence-based guidance for the sector. (more…)

Workspace Design Show returns to Amsterdam with focus on sensory workplace design

Workspace Design Show returns to Amsterdam with focus on sensory workplace design

by • News, Workplace design

The Workspace Design Show 2025, returns to Amsterdam in November with a focus on how sensory workplace design is influencing the modern officeRegistration has opened for the Workspace Design Show 2025, which returns to Amsterdam on 5–6 November with a focus on how sensory workplace design is influencing the modern office. Held at the RAI exhibition centre, the event will bring together over 5,000 workplace professionals, including architects, designers and commercial interiors specialists. This year’s theme, Activate the Senses, explores how sight, sound, scent and touch can influence how we feel and function at work. (more…)

AI tools are widening the workplace divide between management and employees, report warns

AI tools are widening the workplace divide between management and employees, report warns

by • AI, News

New research suggests there is a widening gulf in the use of AI tools between senior leaders and junior staff, raising concerns that productivity gains from the technology are being unevenly sharedNew research suggests there is a widening gulf in the use of AI tools between senior leaders and junior staff, raising concerns that productivity gains from the technology are being unevenly shared. According to the Work that Works report from employment platform Employment Hero, nearly three-quarters of senior managers in the UK use AI tools each month. Among entry-level staff, that figure falls to just 32 percent. (more…)

Occupiers seek broader value from workplace strategies

Occupiers seek broader value from workplace strategies

by • News, Property, Workplace design

A new report from Cushman & Wakefield, in partnership with CoreNet Global, claims to highlight how corporate occupiers are adjusting their real estate and workplace strategies in response to ongoing cost pressures and shifting organisational prioritiesA new report from Cushman & Wakefield, in partnership with CoreNet Global, claims to highlight how corporate occupiers are adjusting their real estate and workplace strategies in response to ongoing cost pressures and shifting organisational priorities. The What Occupiers Want 2025 survey is based on responses from over 230 senior real estate leaders across global markets. While cost remains the primary driver of decision-making, the findings suggest that occupiers are placing increased emphasis on performance, employee experience and long-term value. (more…)

Workplace AI doesn’t appear to be having a negative effect on wellbeing for now, research suggests

Workplace AI doesn’t appear to be having a negative effect on wellbeing for now, research suggests

by • AI, News, Wellbeing

A new study published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports offers a cautiously optimistic view of how artificial intelligence is affecting workers’ wellbeingA new study published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports offers a cautiously optimistic view of how artificial intelligence is affecting workers’ wellbeing. Contrary to common fears, the research finds no clear evidence that AI exposure is harming workers’ mental health or job satisfaction. In some cases, it may even be contributing to small improvements in physical health, particularly among workers without a college degree. (more…)

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

by • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace, Workplace design

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…)

Generational divide emerges on workplace AI

Generational divide emerges on workplace AI

by • AI, News, Workplace

Gen Z workers are not only the most enthusiastic users of workplace AI but also the most likely to be self-taughtAs artificial intelligence continues to reshape the world of work, younger employees are taking the lead in adopting and experimenting with new tools. According to a new survey by UKG and The Harris Poll, Gen Z workers are not only the most enthusiastic users of workplace AI but also the most likely to be self-taught. The research highlights a growing generational divide. While 84 percent of U.S. employees overall say they want AI to handle workplace processes, Gen Z – those aged 18 to 28 – are particularly eager. Ninety percent believe AI will save them time at work, with nearly a third expecting to reclaim up to 90 minutes a day. They’re also the most likely to have taken the initiative to learn AI skills independently, with 70 percent teaching themselves the tools they use. (more…)

New Accessibility Act sets out to transform workplace inclusion across the EU

New Accessibility Act sets out to transform workplace inclusion across the EU

by • News, Technology

The advocates of the new European Accessibility Act suggest that it will transform workplace inclusion across the EUThe European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force on 28 June 2025. It introduces standardised accessibility requirements for a range of products and services across European Union member states. Its advocates suggest that it will transform workplace inclusion across the EU. The act applies to digital and physical services including websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, banking services, ticketing machines and ATMs. Its primary goal is to improve access for people with disabilities and to harmonise requirements across the EU single market. (more…)

New study suggests AI could be the key to workplace wellbeing

New study suggests AI could be the key to workplace wellbeing

by • AI, News, Wellbeing

A new report from audio brand Jabra, in collaboration with The Happiness Research Institute, claims that daily users of artificial intelligence tools are more likely to report higher levels of workplace wellbeing.A new report from audio brand Jabra, in collaboration with The Happiness Research Institute, claims that daily users of artificial intelligence tools are more likely to report higher levels of job satisfaction and optimism about their working lives. The study, Work and Wellbeing in the Age of AI [registration] is based on a survey of over 3,700 knowledge workers across 11 countries, including 360 in the UK. According to the report, UK respondents who use AI tools daily, referred to as “AI Advocates”, were 31.5 percent more satisfied in their jobs than those who do not use AI regularly. The researchers describe this figure for overall workplace wellbeing as being more than twice the global average difference between regular and infrequent AI users. (more…)

ROOM Launches The Room Collection: flexible architecture for today’s hybrid workplace 

ROOM Launches The Room Collection: flexible architecture for today’s hybrid workplace 

by • Company news, Flexible working, Workplace design

ROOM, the leading modular architecture company behind the award-winning Phone Booth and pioneer in hybrid workplace design, has introduced The Room Collection: a new series of scalable and adaptable rooms, designed to provide privacy in open floorplans and meet the dynamic needs of today’s businesses and office workers.ROOM, the leading modular architecture company behind the award-winning Phone Booth and pioneer in flexible workplace design, has introduced The Room Collection: a new series of scalable and adaptable rooms, designed to provide privacy in open floorplans and meet the dynamic needs of today’s businesses and office workers. A major pain point for employees is working in an office that hasn’t yet been optimized for the hybrid workplace. Simultaneously, businesses may find it difficult to swiftly adapt to changing workplace needs. While insufficient meeting spaces, poor acoustics and back-to-back virtual meetings plague workers, inflexible leases and hefty construction costs prevent business leaders from adapting accordingly. The Room Collection helps solve this through its easy-to-assemble, soundproof modular office system that can evolve to meet the needs of businesses at any stage. (more…)

The enduring allure of workplace bullshit

The enduring allure of workplace bullshit

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The sleep of reason and workplace bullshitAlthough the legend of Faust is one of the Germanic world’s foundational narratives, its archetypes and themes were already established by the time Goethe codified them in his 1808 play. They have since become universal. The idea that somebody would sell their soul to the Devil to gain something or rid themselves of unhappiness is as resonant now as it was in Renaissance Europe. It has inspired books films and artists to such an extent that its derivatives now have their own Wikipedia page.

(more…)

Meh. Generative AI in the workplace is delivering modest returns that don’t match the hype

Meh. Generative AI in the workplace is delivering modest returns that don’t match the hype

by • AI, News

the use of generative AI chatbots has so far delivered only modest gains in productivity and almost no increase in pay or reductions in working hours for employeesA new study by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research has cast doubt on the immediate transformative impact of artificial intelligence in the workplace, finding that the use of generative AI chatbots has so far delivered only modest gains in productivity and almost no increase in pay or reductions in working hours for employees. The working paper [restricted access], authored by economists Anders Humlum and Emilie Vestergaard, used detailed Danish employment data to assess the real-world effects of AI adoption across 7,000 workplaces and 25,000 workers, focusing on white-collar roles most susceptible to automation—such as accountants, IT support staff, journalists, HR professionals, and software developers. (more…)

1 2 3 4 5 >»