March 17, 2022

Many employers still not offering the work life balance people crave

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Two-thirds of UK employees (66 percent) feel that work life balance is crucial in their decision to apply for a job, yet a third (31 percent) do not currently achieve it, according to new research from Lenovo and Cebr. With over 2,000 UK employees surveyed, Lenovo’s “Future of You” report claims to shed light on the priorities for workers, tracking how these have changed in recent years as well as looking ahead to the future. It found that the offer of remote work is important to over half (54 percent) of workers today, compared to one-fifth (21 percent) ten years ago. Of those who are not currently offered remote work, most (83 percent) feel that their employer is not on track to deliver this in the next two years. More →

March 17, 2022

Technology and talent should be main focus for business leaders now

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

Businesses are investing in technology to expand online operations and facilitate remote work during the pandemic. But many of those same businesses are also eager to see their employees return to the workplace in greater numbers over the long term. Those are among the findings of a new survey of small and midsized business leaders conducted by The Harris Poll and sponsored by CIT, a division of First Citizens Bank. More →

March 15, 2022

Retrofit offers the greatest opportunity for a commercial property market beset by uncertainty

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Property

In the context of a second major economic shock from war in Ukraine and continuing inflationary concerns, the PWC / ULI report Emerging Trends in Real Estate Global Outlook 2022 focuses on the global outlook for the real estate industry increasing pressure for finance to support the decarbonisation of real estate. The industry challenges lenders and their regulators to provide debt for the retrofit of existing buildings and the scale-up of the ‘climate tech’ needed. More →

March 15, 2022

Many workers worried that revealing mental health concerns could result in job loss

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new study claims that there are increasing issues around reporting employee wellbeing whilst hybrid working, as 95 percent of UK employees feel that their company doesn’t do enough to identify and support those with mental health concerns. One in six UK employees feel worried that raising concerns with their company could put them at risk of losing their job, the new report into employee mental health and remote working suggests. Throughout the UK, 86 percent believe that their workplace is not a safe space for employees to be open about mental wellbeing. More →

March 15, 2022

Inclusive office design guide published by Business Disability Forum

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

The Business Disability Forum (BDF) has published a new global guide which sets out to showing how all businesses can make their built environments accessible to the one billion people in world who have a disability. Having a disability can affect how a person accesses, navigates, and uses the spaces and structures around them. Built environments include everything from entrances, exits, stairs, lifts, signage, to parking, green spaces, roads, and transport systems so inclusive office design should address a wide range of issues. More →

March 14, 2022

Out of hours work ban would find support among majority of employees

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing

A new poll from researchers Ipsos reveals the majority of UK adults aged 16-75 are in favour of introducing a law giving employees the right to ignore work-related communications, such as emails, texts and instant messages, outside of their official working/on-call hours. Around 60 percent would support the Government introducing an out of hours law, including 34 percent who would strongly support it. Only 1 in 10 (11 percent) indicated they would be against introduction of such a law. More →

March 11, 2022

Four day week now more attractive thanks to pandemic

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

The COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and shift to remote working has had a significant impact on organisations’ attitudes towards a shorter working week, new research from Henley Business School has revealed. The longitudinal study found that 65 percent of UK businesses surveyed are now implementing a four-day working week for some, or all, of their staff, compared with 50 percent who answered a similar survey carried out by Henley in 2019. More →

March 10, 2022

Nearly three quarters of people have ignored mental health to continue working

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

More than 7 in 10 UK employees have pushed through a mental health struggle to avoid taking time off work in the past three months, according to a new report by BetterUp Labs. Over half (59 percent) also reported that they’d had to push through a physical health struggle, suggesting there is widespread hesitation about stepping away from work to take time to recover. The report also claims that over a quarter (26 percent) of respondents have or have had a mental wellbeing condition, with 30 percent of women and 21 percent of men reporting this. More →

March 9, 2022

Workplace Geeks podcast: Space for thought, with Jeremy Myerson

by Neil Franklin • Features, Flexible working, Workplace design

In this new episode of Workplace Geeks, Chris and Ian talk to WORKTECH Academy director, author and activist, professor emeritus Jeremy Myerson, about his award-winning research, ‘Space for thought: designing for knowledge workers’. The paper was co-authored with lead-researcher Catherine Greene back in 2011, and the findings are arguably even more relevant now in the aftermath of the pandemic, as many organisations grapple to unlock suitable alternative working arrangements for their diverse knowledge workers’ needs. More →

March 8, 2022

Workplace apps make it difficult for people to switch off

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology, Wellbeing

A new survey claims that workers with access to workplace platforms and apps on their personal devices check notifications more regularly out of office hours than those without access. The Digital Detox survey, conducted by Just Eat for Business, claims to uncover workers’ habits towards breaks and computer use, focusing on screen time. The study also includes expert comments on the mental impact of skipping breaks, and offers advice on how to combat it. More →

March 8, 2022

Caring responsibilities disproportionately impact women’s lives and careers

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Nearly six out of ten women (58 percent) say caring responsibilities have stopped them applying for promotion or a new job, and one in five (19 percent) have left a job because it was too hard to balance work and care, according to wide-ranging research by Ipsos and Business in the Community (BITC). Whilst 35 percent of all adults, and 44 percent per cent of working adults, have caring responsibilities, the research found that they are not spread equally. Women account for 85 percent of sole carers for children and 65 percent of sole carers for older adults. More people from ethnic minority backgrounds (42 percent) have caring responsibilities than from white backgrounds. More →

March 8, 2022

Active commuting should be part of ESG strategy, says BCO

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Wellbeing

Putting active commuting at the heart of ESG policies can shift commuters towards more sustainable forms of travel, improve individual health and wellbeing and help companies cut carbon emissions, new research from the British Council for Offices (BCO) has found. A new BCO research report, The Market Cycles II examines the rise of cycling in the UK over the past five years and its impact on office specifications. The report highlights that this period has seen an increase in cycling activity in the UK, with a particularly sharp rise in the past two years as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in travel habits, and a rise in active commuting. More →