About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

Posts by Neil Franklin:

May 19, 2017

Only one in four people with a long-term mental health issue are in work ⁰

Only a quarter of people with a long term mental health issue are in work, according to a report published by the TUC to coincide with its Disabled Workers’ Conference yesterday. The report, Mental health and employment, contains new analysis of official employment statistics, which finds that while 4 in 5 (80.4 percent) non-disabled people are in work, people with mental illness, anxiety or depression have substantially lower employment rates. Only one in four (26.2 percent) people with a mental illness lasting (or expected to last) more than a year are in work. Less than half (45.5 percent) of people with depression or anxiety lasting more than 12 months are in work. The TUC is concerned that this suggests employers are failing to make adequate changes in the workplace to enable people with mental illnesses, anxiety or depression to get a job, or stay in work. Mental health problems can often be ‘invisible’ to others, so a lack of mental health awareness amongst managers and employers is also likely to be a factor.

May 19, 2017

Senior public sector managers feel more able to enjoy flexible working ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Public Sector

A growing number of senior managers in the UK public sector feel they are able to enjoy flexible working, although workloads remain a constraining factor, claims a new study by the FDA Union which represents senior civil servants. The study found that nearly all public sector bodies now offer some form of flexible working, but uptake is held back by job pressures. More than one in six managers now say they are able to work flexibly, according to a survey by the FDA union, a figure which has risen markedly over the last year. Nearly all respondents (95 percent) said their employer had flexible working policies in place, a slight increase from the previous year’s survey, when 93 percent of respondents said such policies were in place.

May 18, 2017

Male managers command less authority in female stereotyped jobs ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

People ascribe less authority to male managers in jobs that are stereotypically associated with women, accoring to a study led by Professor Laura Doering of the Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University and set to be published in the journal American Sociological Review. When men fill male-stereotyped roles, they experience high levels of authority. In female-stereotyped roles, they experience significantly less. By comparison, women experience similar levels of authority in male- and female-stereotyped roles. Professor Doering, together with Professor Sarah Thébaud of UC Santa Barbara, evaluated the repayments of clients at a bank to reach these conclusions. They began by evaluating missed payments when clients were paired with male or female managers. Doering says: “Overall, people were more likely to miss payments with female managers than male managers. This finding is consistent with previous research showing that people tend to afford more authority to male managers.”

May 17, 2017

Automation starting to generate productivity gains, but no major job losses yet ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

Business process automation is enabling companies to realise significant productivity gains in such areas as finance, accounting and HR, but it is not yet leading to broad job losses, according to a new study from tech research firm Information Services Group (ISG). Beyond automation’s impact on enterprises, the first ISG Automation Index report also claims that IT service providers are extensively introducing automation into their offerings, leading to dramatic improvements in productivity and service levels. This accelerated pace of change is prompting the vast majority of IT and business leaders to say that IT will be the business function most impacted by automation in the next two years.

May 12, 2017

A quarter of people have taken time off work with stress but blamed it on physical illness ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

New research from Aviva claims that there is a ‘startling’ number of people in the UK who are suffering from stress but who are hiding it from their employers. A quarter of 2,000 people (25 percent) surveyed admitted taking a day off work with stress but then blaming it on a physical illness. Based on the current number of people working in the UK, it indicates that almost eight million people are suffering from stress without their employer’s knowledge. Aviva’s research also claims that a third of people (33 percent) have taken a day off work with stress at some stage in their career. 25-34 year olds were the most likely to have taken time off (46 percent) with those aged over 55 seemingly the least likely to need time away from work (25 percent). More than half of men (53 percent) who had taken a day off work with stress at some stage in their career said they had done so in the last year, compared to a third of women (34 percent).

May 11, 2017

Wellbeing strategies more commonplace in UK, but employees aren’t benefitting ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new study from consultancy Barnett Waddingham based on the firm’s UK Workplace Wellbeing Index claims that despite wellbeing strategies becoming more common practice in UK companies, the benefits are not yet reaching employees. According to the report, nearly three quarters of firms who responded to the study claim they already have introduced a strategy or are in the process of implementing one. However, 60 percent of participating organisations report their employee wellbeing as between moderate and very low. According to the study organisations need to ask themselves if they are providing the benefits and interventions that are most effective for their employees. The research shows that the top five widely offered benefits (rated by effectiveness) are flexible working or home working, carer support, health assessments, line manager training and cancer screening. However, those most commonly utilised are flexible working, line manager training, carer support, home working and occupational health.

May 5, 2017

IFMA and RICS unveil combined qualifications platform ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Facilities management, News

The collaboration between IFMA and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is, for the first time, offering a combined suite of credentials and professional qualifications for facilities management in a single, online academy platform at www.fm.training. IFMA and RICS first launched the platform in December 2016 as an initial step toward ‘leveraging the combined authority of two of the world’s premier built environment professional organisations for the support of FM education and career advancement’. IFMA centralised its professional credential training — the foundational Facility Management Professional, the targeted Sustainability Facility Professional and the Facility Management Learning System, which supports learning for the Certified Facility Manager certification — on the academy in early April. Now, RICS has added the final critical piece of the IFMA-RICS suite of credentials and professional qualifications to the platform: the internationally recognised AssocRICS and MRICS professional designations.

May 5, 2017

Regional office take up in UK’s major cities hits five year low ⁰

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

The latest research from real estate adviser GVA claims that Q1 2017 office space take-up across the UK’s ‘Big Nine’ regional office markets was at its lowest level for five years. At 23 percent below average, activity was particularly low in the city centre market where only Cardiff recorded above average take-up. Out-of-town markets were more resilient however with Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Newcastle recording above average take-up. Professional services made up 28 percent of all take-up over 5,000 sq. ft. in the city centres during Q1, slightly higher than the usual profile, led by legal and engineering firms. Deals to universities in Cardiff and Bristol meant that the education sub-sector made up 15 percent of activity. It was a strong quarter for the Technology Media and Telecom (TMT) sector, which increased its share to 18 percent compared to an average of 13 percent, while recruitment companies were also very active (9 percent of take-up).

April 28, 2017

Flexible working can be the key to lower stress levels at work ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, Wellbeing

A survey of over 1,000 British workers by the Institute of Leadership & Management, claims that flexible working can be an important way to reduce stress and increasing general wellbeing among the workforce. The study (login required) claims that over 4 in 5 (85 percent) managers feel that allowing staff to work flexibly enhances staff wellbeing and reduces overall stress ; two thirds (65 percent) believe flexible working encourages more commitment and motivation amongst staff; and over three quarters (78 percent) say flexible working helps to retain staff. Speaking to 1,026 managers, the study claims that flexible working increases productivity and wellbeing. The study also claims that learning the tools or techniques of how to be happy in one’s working life can empower major breakthroughs for people and their wellbeing. The Institute claims its research means that there needs to be broader communication in the workplace regarding flexible working policies from senior management. Openness and honesty about flexible working policies can alleviate worries and uncertainty.

April 27, 2017

Europe needs national renovation strategies for buildings, coalition claims ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Facilities management, News, Property

Europe must lead the world in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings if it is to meet the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, claims BUILD UPON, a coalition of over 300 businesses and organisations from across the continent. The coalition – which includes cities, public authorities, property developers, manufacturers and energy utilities, as well as trade associations, NGOs and universities – is backing the need for ambitious ‘national renovation strategies’ that set out clear targets, milestones and measures on transforming existing buildings. The intervention comes as EU member states near the deadline to publish updated strategies to renovate their buildings, which account for around 36 percent of Europe’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and as political decision-makers grapple over the future of EU energy laws for the construction sector.

April 27, 2017

Overbury delivers new head office for iconic British brand Fred Perry ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Case studies, Company news, Workplace design

Fit out firm Overbury has completed the interiors of a new head office and showroom for iconic British brand Fred Perry in Clerkenwell, London. The refurbishment of 27,000 sq ft in a historic Victorian warehouse supports Fred Perry’s move from its long-term address in Covent Garden to a fashionable corner of London. In 2015, the company leased two 19th century warehouse buildings on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Warner Street, opposite a former Royal Mail Sorting Office. Working with architects Buckley Gray Yeoman, Overbury delivered the fit out of seven floors, which included the installation of new floors, ceilings, walls and mechanical and electrical systems. Following a four month programme, the result is a space that reflects the brand’s British identity and brings the brand’s head office and showroom under one roof.

April 27, 2017

London businesses lead the way in uptake of flexible working ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

London-based businesses are leading the way in flexible working in the UK, according to a new report from conference call provider Powwownow. The study of 2,000 people claims that business leaders in the capital let their staff spend the most time working out of the office during an average week – a total of 3 hours and 31 minutes, compared to the UK average of 2 hours and 34 minutes. The survey also suggests that young people, many of whom are graduates with sought-after skills such as digital and cybersecurity expertise, are the most likely to consider flexible working a main attraction of a new job, with three quarters (76 percent) agreeing. While young people in London (18 – 24 year olds) are the most likely to want flexible working (85 percent), they are the least likely to be offered it by businesses. Over half of young people (53 percent) are not proactively offered flexible working, compared to just a third (33 percent) of 35-44 year olds who also have to ask for it.