About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

Posts by Neil Franklin:

Government brings forward plans to relocate 22,000 jobs away from London

Government brings forward plans to relocate 22,000 jobs away from London

The UK Government is bringing forward its target to relocate 22,000 roles out of LondonThe UK Government is bringing forward its target to relocate 22,000 civil service roles out of London. It comes as new figures today show that 16,061 roles have already been moved out of London, exceeding the commitment to relocate 15,000 roles by 2025 as part of the Places for Growth programme. Under the newly announced plans, Aberdeen, Darlington and Greater Manchester are to host second headquarters for major departments. Darlington is already the Treasury’s second headquarters.

Workplace innovation is boosted when managers have high social status

Workplace innovation is boosted when managers have high social status

Social status of top management in a company is positively associated with workplace innovation due to greater access to resources for research and developmentSocial status of top management in a company is positively associated with innovation, including workplace innovation, due to greater access to resources for research and development (R&D), finds new research from UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business (UCD Quinn School). The findings were first published in the journal R&D Management. More →

UK built environment is woefully under-prepared for climate change

UK built environment is woefully under-prepared for climate change

New analysis published by UKGBC during the COP28 talks concludes that the UK’s built environment is severely under-equipped to adapt to our changing climate.New analysis published by UKGBC during the COP28 talks concludes that the UK’s built environment is severely under-equipped to adapt to our changing climate. On five out of seven critical climate resilience priorities, UKGBC’s scorecard finds that the Government policies in its Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) are insufficient, flawed, or missing, placing millions of homes and buildings – and the lives of people occupying them – at serious risk of damage from climate-related disaster. More →

Hiring people with patience is good for productivity

Hiring people with patience is good for productivity

Patience plays a crucial role for team performance, reveals new research by the University of ColognePatience plays a crucial role for team performance, reveals new research by the University of Cologne. The study, conducted by Professors Felix Kölle and Thomas Lauer, investigated cooperative behaviour, as well as its underlying mechanisms, in a setting in which the benefits from successful teamwork accrue only in the future. More →

Curtail zero hour contracts and give workers guaranteed work hours, say researchers

Curtail zero hour contracts and give workers guaranteed work hours, say researchers

the increase of zero hours contracts over the last 20 years has created significant risk for workersAn evidence review led by the University of Warwick has concluded that the increase of zero hours contracts over the last 20 years has created significant risk for workers. They found that unreliable work can result in a sudden loss of hours and earnings, and an inability to access legal advice for unfair or potentially unlawful employment practices. Along with colleagues from the ReWAGE expert advisory group, academics at the Institute of Employment Research at the University of Warwick examined the legal and workplace practices associated with zero hour contracts, along with data covering flexibility, pay insecurity, workers ability to assert their rights and workers health and wellbeing. More →

There will be a near universal adoption of generative AI in businesses, say bosses

There will be a near universal adoption of generative AI in businesses, say bosses

An overwhelming majority (91 percent) of executives say that their companies are now using generative AI or are planning to do so within the next 18 monthsAn overwhelming majority (91 percent) of executives say that their companies are now using generative AI or are planning to do so within the next 18 months, according to a new poll from Thomson Reuters. The Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals C-Suite Survey reported on responses from 148 C-Suite leaders (CFOs, CEOs etc) from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The survey suggests that use of AI across businesses is becoming ubiquitous as leaders start to recognize the true potential of the technology, such as in developing new products and driving operational efficiency. More →

Cost and a lack of awareness are barely holding back surge in demand for green real estate

Cost and a lack of awareness are barely holding back surge in demand for green real estate

There is growing demand for green real estate in the APAC region, despite ongoing challenges in raising awareness and the higher costs involvedThe new RICS Global Sustainability Report for 2023 claims that there is growing demand for green real estate in the APAC region, despite ongoing challenges in raising awareness and the higher costs involved. The publication sets out to outlines the state of the world’s green and sustainable real estate and investor interest in acquiring and developing it. More →

Work notifications make it harder for people to spend time with friends and family

Work notifications make it harder for people to spend time with friends and family

Out of hours work notifications on devices are having a significant impact on people's work-life boundaries, according to a new reportOut of hours work notifications on devices are having a significant impact on people’s work-life boundaries, according to a new report from Ring Central. According to the poll, work notifications are on the rise with 31 percent stating that notifications outside of work have increased in the past year. As a result, employees are also feeling the pressure to respond to work notifications immediately (14 percent) or within 1 hour (33 percent). The survey also suggests that notifications cause the same amount of anxiety for Brits as spiders (54 percent) and almost as much as going to the dentist (59 percent). More →

New academic research identifies the four emotional stages of your career. Spoiler – it ends in disillusion

New academic research identifies the four emotional stages of your career. Spoiler – it ends in disillusion

The study of UK legal professionals showed they progressed from excitement and anticipation at the start of their career, followed by fear and anxiety as they pursue promotion, to pride and joy at having secured a senior post, and finally experiencing disillusionment and disappointment at the lack of further changeLawyers progress through four distinct emotional stages in their fight to get to the top and secure a coveted partnership role, according to new research from the University of Bath’s School of Management. The study of UK legal professionals showed they progressed from excitement and anticipation at the start of their career, followed by fear and anxiety as they pursue promotion, to pride and joy at having secured a senior post, and finally experiencing disillusionment and disappointment at the lack of further change. More →

Firms on both sides of the pond are sluggish in uptake of generative AI

Firms on both sides of the pond are sluggish in uptake of generative AI

UK companies believe there is much greater urgency to adopt Generative AI at work than US companies - yet uptake remains sluggish in both marketsOne year on from the launch of Chat GPT, new data from Slack based on 10,000 global workers (including 1,000 the UK) suggests that UK companies believe there is much greater urgency to adopt Generative AI at work than US companies – yet uptake remains sluggish in both markets. According to the study, 61 percent of UK workers believe there is a high or existential need to incorporate Generative AI into work compared to just 44 percent of US workers who feel the same. More →

Women value work-life balance more than men – unless they are a manager

Women value work-life balance more than men – unless they are a manager

Women value their work-life balance much more than men do when at a junior-level on average, but not at the managerial-level, according to new researchWomen value their work-life balance much more than men do when at a junior-level on average, but not at the managerial-level, according to new research by Durham University Business School. The researchers also found that women on the whole were much less satisfied within their job roles than male colleagues who held the same positions. More →

Take me home, country roads. Mike Petrusky on the Workplace Cocktail Hour

Take me home, country roads. Mike Petrusky on the Workplace Cocktail Hour

Joining Mark Eltringham this week on the Workplace Cocktail Hour podcast is Mike Petrusky. He is the head of podcasts at Eptura and host of the Workplace Innovator podcast which you can find here. In an open, frank conversation we discuss how to have better conversations about the workplace (and everything else), solidarity with our fellow humans, the death of Shane McGowan, mental illness and what firms can and can’t do about it, what we do and don’t know and the need for humility in the way we share our opinions. More →