January 28, 2026
Leadership consultant and change specialist Jennifer Bryan has launched a new book examining the often-overlooked emotional dimension of organisational change. The Emotional Side of Organizational Change: How to Survive and Thrive focuses on how leaders can better support people through uncertainty, transformation and disruption by placing human emotion at the centre of change strategies. (more…)
January 28, 2026
KI has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to sustainability by achieving the enhanced FISP (S) certification, building on over a decade of continuous accreditation under the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP). As the only independently certified sustainability standard created specifically for the furniture sector, FISP represents the industry’s most comprehensive benchmark for environmental, social and economic best practice. KI first became FISP-certified in 2013. Its progression to the advanced FISP (S) standard in late 2025 demonstrates the company’s ambition to lead the industry toward more circular, transparent and future?ready product development. (more…)
January 18, 2026
International Workplace is doing its bit to ease the New Year’s blues today by equipping small businesses with the tools to champion mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. ‘Blue Monday’ – the third Monday in January each year – is often cited as the most challenging day of the year for the UK workforce. With the festive season over, wintery weather taking its toll, and a long wait for payday, it’s a time when a little extra support from managers can make all the difference. (more…)
January 12, 2026
The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is accepting nominations for its Young Professional Industry Experience. The programme provides aspiring young people working in the industry a unique opportunity to visit sector leading companies and understand all areas of the wider trade, including materials, designing, manufacturing, pricing, marketing, sales and customer service. (more…)
January 7, 2026
The Surface Design Awards have announced the shortlist for the 2026 edition. The winners will be announced during the Surface Design Show in early February. The awards are intended to champion material excellence and design innovation from the UK and around the globe. The announcement follows a judging day with some of the design industry’s most respected experts deliberating and debating the entries. The organisers of the Surface Design Awards 2026 promise to “uncover and celebrate the very best in design excellence, offering a global platform for ground-breaking projects and product design”. (more…)
January 5, 2026
The contemporary American professional landscape is at a turning point. While people are sticking with their employers, they feel more disconnected than ever. Gallup calls this the ‘Great Detachment’. (more…)
January 5, 2026
American workplaces are going through big changes now. Employee engagement has hit a ten-year low. Small businesses often feel these pressures more intensely than large corporations. Limited resources make turnover and declining morale especially difficult for small firms. When even one employee feels overwhelmed or disengaged, the impact can ripple through an entire team.
Wellness initiatives, however, can serve as a practical and powerful solution. When done thoughtfully, they help reduce stress, improve morale, and create a work environment where people feel supported rather than stretched thin.
In this article, we’ll share a few actionable workplace wellness initiatives that can help you foster healthier habits, stronger engagement, and long-term resilience.
1 Encourage Flexible Work Options
The traditional nine-to-five office hours are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Many employees now value flexibility just as much as salary. Flexibility helps your team balance their work and their actual lives. This reduces stress and prevents that burnout we all fear.
Around 76% of businesses in the UK already offer flexible work options to their employees.
You do not have to go fully remote if that does not fit your small business’s model. There are so many ways you can give your team more control over their time. One common way is to offer telecommuting or remote work. This lets people work from home some or all of the time. It saves them a long commute and saves you on office costs.
If your team needs to be in the office, try flexible hours or flextime. This lets them choose their own start and finish times. You can also look into compressed workweeks. This is where employees work their 40 hours in fewer days.
A popular choice is working 10 hours for 4 days. This gives them a 3-day weekend every single week. This model is great for high-workload industries, such as retail, healthcare, or manufacturing.
2 Foster Happiness with Growth Opportunities
People want to feel like they are moving forward. When employees feel stuck, they start looking for the exit. Offering growth opportunities is a huge part of wellness. It keeps the mind sharp and reduces stress about the future.
For a small business, you might not have a big training budget. That is okay. You can check out the Small Business Association (SBA) Learning Platform. It offers online courses on everything from managing a team to marketing for free. Then there is SCORE. This is a network of retired executives who offer free mentoring.
For those looking to advance their careers, you could offer partial tuition reimbursement for continuing education.
Healthcare roles offer a relevant example. Nurse practitioners are expected to remain in high demand through 2031. Many bedside nurses aspire to move into these advanced practice roles.
Supporting an employee who wants to pursue an MSN-FNP degree can make that goal far more attainable. MSN-FNP stands for Master of Science in Nursing–Family Nurse Practitioner. Rockhurst University explains that this program helps registered nurses transition into primary care for patients of all ages.
Many universities now offer the MSN-FNP degree online. By opting for online degrees, employees can continue working while expanding their skills. Supporting education like this builds loyalty, confidence, and a healthier, more engaged workforce.
3 Create a Comfortable and Healthy Physical Workspace
The physical office environment directly affects how people feel. Small changes in lighting and furniture can boost productivity. These improvements prevent chronic pain and eye strain.
As a small business, you do not need a total redesign to make a difference. You just have to be creative with your space.
Sitting for too long can lead to chronic back pain. Ergonomic chairs support the spine and reduce physical fatigue. High-end chairs are expensive, but there are cheaper options. Lumbar support cushions can make a standard chair better.
Standing desks allow employees to switch positions all day. Standing desk converters are a great low-cost alternative.
Lighting is often overlooked in workplace design. Poor light causes digital eye strain for many workers. This is known as computer vision syndrome or CVS. Data shows that nearly 70% of workers suffer from CVS. Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes.
Combine overhead and adjustable task lights to customize their environment to prevent discomfort.
Plants lower stress and improve the air we breathe. They can even absorb radiation from our electronic devices. Bring in plants like pothos and snake plants. These are quite affordable and nearly indestructible in an office setting.
Small Steps, Big Impact
Workplace wellness doesn’t require a big budget or a long list of policies. For small businesses, it’s about intention, consistency, and genuine care.
You do not have to do it all at once, however. The key is to start small. Pick one or two initiatives that feel doable right now and build from there. Over time, these small actions create a culture where people feel supported, not just as employees, but as humans. And when your people thrive, your business does too.
January 5, 2026
Disabilities are more common than we may realize, affecting the everyday lives of real people in heartbreaking ways. The CDC observes that over 28 percent of people in the US suffer from one or more physical disabilities. These could be related to cognition or mobility, vision, or hearing. Sometimes, a tragic accident may leave you in this condition. Or a genetic disorder, such as Tay-Sachs disease or cystic fibrosis, may flare up. Whatever the cause, the result is generally the same. Prolonged physical and mental stress that complicates your personal and professional life in the workplace. (more…)
January 5, 2026
No one enters into healthcare looking forward to dealing with budgets, profit margins, or return on investment. They do it because they want to make a difference. Still, the reality is hard to ignore. Great care depends on great decisions. And many of those decisions require more than just clinical expertise. They require business acumen. This means a balanced mix of financial savvy, strategic thinking, and real-world insight.
But can healthcare leaders do without this skill? Probably not. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), problems with finances ranked second in the list of concerns for hospital CEOs in 2023.
The message couldn’t be clearer. Healthcare leaders need to enhance their business acumen if they want to run successful practices without losing sight of the people they’re called to care for.
Is Business Acumen Essential for Healthcare?
Short answer? Yes. But let’s look at why.
When we talk about business acumen, we’re really talking about the ability to make smart decisions that keep the door open.
For healthcare leaders, this goes way beyond spreadsheets. It’s about seeing the whole picture: patient needs, team dynamics, financial sustainability, and the entire ecosystem of your healthcare organization.
And yes, this matters. A lot. In fact, the World Economic Forum clearly ranks business acumen as the No.1 skill every people leader needs, with almost 90% of chief people officers saying it is their top priority in the coming months and years.
While this data applies across industries, it’s no less relevant in healthcare. In other words, knowing how the business side works is no longer optional. It’s expected.
To put things in their proper perspective, without business acumen, you might provide great care, but would you be around to provide it next year or the year after?
How to Enhance Business Acumen as a Healthcare Leader
So, how can you enhance your business acumen as a healthcare leader? And no, you don’t need a four-year MBA. Here are practical tips that can work in your healthcare system.
Listen to Your Patients
Your patients aren’t just the people you provide with healthcare services; they’re also your customers. And you know the good thing about customers, feedback from them is gold for business development. So, listen to them.
Paying close attention to what your customers are saying helps you spot gaps in your services. Do they complain about access to telehealth? Perhaps some mention how hard it was to get a follow-up appointment. Insights like these help you fix processes, reduce complaints, and improve outcomes.
We saw a good example of this in 2024, when employers reported growing interest in expensive obesity medications, including GLP-1s. Tuning into patients’ conversations will tell you whether to expand your services in this area or not. It’s like using patient engagement to drive business strategy.
Take Specialized Courses
While listening to patients will give you insights into the direction your practice can take, alone, it’s not enough. You can take things a step further by considering a structured environment where you can learn the skills to do the business of healthcare better.
The good news? You don’t have to do another four-year course for this. There are accelerated online programs for working healthcare professionals that you can do to enhance your business acumen.
Take MSN-MBA dual degree online programs, for example. These programs teach you how to both oversee clinical operations and establish policies and processes for better patient care results.
What’s more? According to Spring Arbor University Online, programs like these give you two Master’s Degrees in just two years and five months. And you don’t have to quit your job, too.
You can also consider short courses or weekend workshops on healthcare finance for non-financial managers. In this case, the goal is not to become an expert but to ‘speak the language’ so that you know what to look out for when running a healthcare practice.
Find Mentors
Finding a mentor is a secret advantage that not many people use. These are people who’ve been where you are now and are where you want to be in the future. Of course, they’ve likely experienced some of the challenges you’re currently facing and are in the best position to tell you what to do.
Experiencing high turnover rates in your clinic? A mentor can tell you how to make them stay.
According to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership, healthcare professionals who participate in mentorship programs report increased leadership awareness, better coping with stress, and improved confidence as leaders. The benefits are self-explanatory.
Follow Industry News
One final way to stay on top of your business acumen skills is to keep abreast of industry news. Why? Because the world of medicine moves fast.
Take 2025, for example. Probably one of the biggest healthcare industry trends was artificial intelligence (AI). PWC even predicted that it will power the future of medicine, with 77% of healthcare executives making it a top priority investment for the near future.
Now imagine you’re not paying attention to industry news and don’t have this information. You’ll be left behind while others leverage AI tools to make data-backed decisions.
Bottom line? Stay on top of things. Even if it’s one solid newsletter, subscribe to it.
Building Your Business Acumen in Healthcare
Managing a healthcare facility is tough work. You’ve got to make sure that the numbers add up while at the same time, ensuring that patients get the best possible care. Enhancing your business acumen is one of the most effective ways to make this work. Hopefully, the points discussed in this article have shown you how to do just that.
It’s important to point out that this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow and thoughtful process, but one that pays off at the end. The best way to go about it is to pick one strategy and work on it. Once you start seeing results, you move on to the next.
Your patients, your team, and your healthcare operations will thank you for it.
December 31, 2025
The ninth annual Workplace Design Conference has been confirmed for Thursday, 8 October 2026, with organisers announcing that WDC26 will take place at Ljubljana Castle, one of Slovenia’s most recognisable cultural landmarks. Hosted in the professionally equipped Hribar Hall, high above Ljubljana’s Old Town, the conference will once again bring together an international audience of workplace strategists, business leaders, designers, consultants and solution providers to explore how the design of work environments can support performance, productivity and positive organisational change. (more…)
December 22, 2025
Across the UK and over recent years, there has a change in how the general public views mental health and wellbeing. Once seen as an individual responsibility, mental health is now recognised as a shared, community wide issue. Our mental health is both our individual and collective responsibility and requires effort from family members, workplaces and organisations. For many, the workplace is where they spend most of their time. For others, local cafés, gyms, hairdressers, or local shops are their daily social spaces. These are the places that people connect, relax, and interact with other people. It’s in these spaces that local businesses have a unique power to influence how people think and feel as well as their mental health. (more…)
December 5, 2025
The Sustainable Design Collective recently joined forces with Design Mumbai to host panel discussions at this rapidly expanding event. Attracting over 9,000 visitors and 100+ leading, global brands, Design Mumbai’s launch in 2024 marked India’s first-ever B2B international contemporary design trade show for design, architecture, and interiors professionals. The second iteration was held at Jio World Garden on 26th-29th November 2025. The event has already become a platform, both for Indian brands seeking global recognition and for international companies that want to tap into the prosperous and fast-growing Indian design market. (more…)
