October 21, 2020

Future of work has arrived sooner than expected, WEF report claims

by Neil Franklin • AI, Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

The Future of Jobs 2020 report from the World Economic Forum claims that COVID-19 has caused the labour market to change faster than expected. The research suggests that what was recently considered the future of work has now arrived. By 2025, automation and a new division of labour between humans and machines will disrupt 85 million jobs globally in medium and large businesses across 15 industries and 26 economies. More →

October 20, 2020

BCO London Region Awards winners announced

by Neil Franklin • Company news, News, Property, Workplace design

Five businesses have been recognised in London at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) regional awards. This year, the prestigious event was held virtually as part of the BCO’s Festival Awards Week, which recognises the highest quality developments in the UK and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector. More →

October 20, 2020

Radical reskilling needed to ensure future of economy

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Research carried out by the CBI prior to the pandemic suggests there is an urgent need for the UK to embark on a radical programme of reskilling that goes further and faster than current plans. According to the CBI, the UK faces a stark choice: invest more in lifetime learning and upskilling of millions of employees, or stick to business as usual, and risk sustained higher rates of unemployment and skills shortages. More →

October 16, 2020

Younger people most affected by disconnect of remote work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

Over a third of younger office workers forced to work from home feel remote, unfocused and less committed to their employers, posing a real threat to businesses in the medium and long term, new research from Oktra claims. Of 1,500 people surveyed, who used to work in an office full time but have been working at home for the last six months, the experience has changed the way that 71 percent of them feel about their employer; 85 percent have struggled with the experience of remote work. More →

October 12, 2020

Edinburgh sets out bold new smart city strategy

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Technology

The City of Edinburgh Council has adopted a new digital strategy to push forward its ambitions for becoming a sustainable Smart City. The Digital and Smart City strategy – which sets out principles for how the Council’s future technology services should be designed, sourced and delivered over the next three years – was unanimously approved by members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee.

October 9, 2020

Working from home seems to relieve the burden of imposter syndrome

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Working lives

In a new study of around 2,000 workers conducted in partnership with the University of Nottingham, Totaljobs claims to have seen a 57 percent decrease in feelings of imposter syndrome compared to a similar survey last year, with just 3 in 10 workers in 2020 finding themselves experiencing feelings of what the study describes as Imposter Phenomenon. The 2019 study claims that 7 in 10 workers in the UK had suffered from complex ‘imposter’ feelings that can sabotage careers and harm our mental health. More →

October 5, 2020

People not fully aware of remote work monitoring tech

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

The majority of people are not aware of the nature of new remote work monitoring technology, but do not like the idea of it. According to a new polling commissioned by the Prospect union, around two thirds of workers are uncomfortable with workplace tech like keystroke and camera monitoring and wearables being used when working remotely. More →

October 5, 2020

Coronavirus will lead to a permanent change in the way we work

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Coronavirus will have a lasting impact on office use and levels of remote and flexible working, new figures from the Institute of Directors suggest. That is the unsurprising findings of a survey of close to a thousand company directors conducted in September. The poll claims nearly three quarters (74 percent) of respondents said their firms would maintain increased levels of remote and flexible after the pandemic ends. More →

October 2, 2020

Post-COVID environment will drive demand for flexible office space

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Employees are proving keen to return to the office, reporting that they miss the human and social interaction that the office facilitates. At the same time, while employees show a strong affinity for the office, they also desire the ability to have the option to work from home 1-2 days per week on average according to a recent JLL global study of 3,000 workers. The trend towards workplace mobility was not created as a result of the pandemic, but it was certainly accelerated by it. As a result, agile work strategies are expected to increase in a post-pandemic world, reinvigorating demand for flexible space. More →

September 29, 2020

Workers calls for more action on diversity and inclusion

by Neil Franklin • News

Almost half (46 percent) of Britain’s workforce think their employer could do more when it comes to diversity, with 58 percent of employees from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds agreeing, according to a report from Culture Shift. Despite 79 percent of employees confirming that working somewhere with a diverse workforce is an important factor for their happiness at work, 40 percent think diversity seems like less of a priority in the workplace currently, with 50 percent stating it should be more of a priority. More →

September 28, 2020

Nature positive cities have potential to transform the world

by Neil Franklin • Cities, Environment, News, Workplace design

COVID-19 recovery packages that include infrastructure development will influence the relationship between cities, humans and nature for the next 30 to 50 years. With the built environment home to half the world’s population and making up 40 percent of global GDP, cities are an engine of global growth and crucial to the economic recovery. More →

September 28, 2020

People still love the office, but would prefer one closer to home

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new survey from IWG claims that commuting remains the biggest barrier to the return to office life post-Covid, with only 8 percent of British workers now prepared to travel more than an hour to get to work. In the short term, workers are set to follow Government guidance by continuing to work from home, in the longer-term, six in ten (57 percent) want an office that is closer to home and an even greater proportion (77 percent) say that a more conveniently located office is a must-have for their next job move. More →