About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

Posts by Neil Franklin:

Digitalisation hindered by lack of leadership

Digitalisation hindered by lack of leadership

digitalisation held back by lack of leadershipDespite its importance in staying competitive and accelerating growth, business leaders are not seen as driving their company’s digital transformation, according to Mercer’s latest survey report, ‘Still transforming or already performing?. While 61 percent of UK HR leaders confirm that digitalisation is embedded in their company’s corporate strategy, only 3 out of 5 rate leadership as the main driver of transformation. More →

Freelancers say work makes them lonely, anxious and depressed 

Freelancers say work makes them lonely, anxious and depressed 

freelancers often feel lonelyAround two thirds (64 percent) of freelancers say they regularly feel lonely due to their work, with a further 59 percent saying they suffer from work-related anxiety, according the new research from office stationery and furniture suppliers, Viking. The survey also suggests that 60 percent say their quality of sleep is negatively affected by work, whilst over half (54 percent) read work emails on holiday. More →

Real estate leaders continue to see the value of coworking

Real estate leaders continue to see the value of coworking

serviced offices and coworkingCushman & Wakefield has published a new report that looks at the perceptions held by corporate real estate executives about flexible workspaces and coworking. Cushman & Wakefield partnered with CoreNet Global to survey more than 550 key CRE executives at organisations around the world. More →

UK and Irish law firms lead the way in adoption of agile working

UK and Irish law firms lead the way in adoption of agile working

agile working at law firmsUK based law firms lead the way in the adoption of agile working, according to a new report from CBRE which looks at the workplace strategies of major legal practices across EMEA regions. CBRE’s Law in EMEA report offers what it claims is the first ever benchmark analysis of the legal sector internationally. Although the report suggests that agile design principles are shown to be strongly associated with lower rents per person in local markets, there is limited take up of this approach amongst legal firms outside the UK.

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The workplace of the future and its tech must work for the good of society

The workplace of the future and its tech must work for the good of society

Workplace discrimination based on scare tactics faces crackdown

Workplace discrimination based on scare tactics faces crackdown

finding a voice against workplace discriminationThe UK Government has announced what it claims are new, improved measures to protect workers facing workplace discrimination. The move especially targets those employers who withhold references and enforce non-disclosure agreements to pressure employees into silence. Such tactics could now be blocked under new the proposals announced by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. More →

Remote working key to winning the battle for talent

Remote working key to winning the battle for talent

remote workingAccording to a new study conducted by the Centre of Economics and Business Research (Cebr) with support from Citrix Systems, Inc., companies that leverage technology to enable flexible and remote working models can not only attract talent, but increase employee engagement and productivity, potentially boosting the US economy by as much as $2.36 trillion a year. Through an online survey of more than 2,500 US knowledge workers conducted in July, the Cebr study sought to determine the potential value to the US economy of the adoption of a more widespread, flexible working culture. It claims that in offering virtual/remote work options and providing the tools to enable them, companies can better compete in the battle for talent by dipping into untapped pools of workers. More →

Slow progress with BYOD threatens smarter working in public sector

Slow progress with BYOD threatens smarter working in public sector

security and BYODLarge parts of the public sector have yet to authorise the use of Bring Your Own Device policies in their organisation, according to new research commissioned by Kyocera Document Solutions UK. A survey of staff across the public sector found that 38 per cent of respondents said that their organisations’ current use of BYOD is unauthorised. The findings provide further evidence of the pressures faced across the government sector to keep pace with the growth of remote and flexible working trends. Public sector organisations that continue to prohibit BYOD risk missing out on the benefits of smarter working, as well as driving staff to ‘shadow IT’, creating a whole host of serious cybersecurity risks. More →

Tenth of people have considered change of job because of its environmental impact

green eyes looking for a change of jobA new survey commissioned by Perkbox Insights claims that 89 percent of adults experience ‘green guilt’ – a phenomenon stemming from the extensive environmental consequences of modern life, which brings moments when you know you could, and should, be doing more to help the planet. The study also suggests that this phenomenon strikes most commonly at work, as 61 percent of adults feel guilty for the environmental impact of the industry or job they work in. This isn’t just causing people to live with these feelings, it’s also making people rethink their careers and consider a change of job. The findings revealed that over 1 in 10 (12 percent) have considered changing their jobs due to the effects that their work has on the environment. More →

Over 50s account for total five year increase in night working

Over 50s account for total five year increase in night working

over 50s dominate increase in night workforceThe number of people regularly working night shifts is at its highest level since the Office for National Statistics began collecting records in their current form, according to a new analysis from the TUC. The analysis of official data shows that 3.25 million people (more than 1 in 9 workers) work in Britain’s night-time economy – 100,000 more than five years ago. While the number of over 50s doing night work has accelerated in recent years, fewer young workers are doing night shifts. More →

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

workplace cultureA new report (registration) claims that companies with a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace design is failing to meet the needs and expectations of a multigenerational workforce. Published by Chargifi with in put from WeWork and other firms, the study polled more than 2,000 employees about their experience of workplace culture and office design and how mobility affects their day-to-day lives. More →

The push and pull of the workplace for parents

The push and pull of the workplace for parents

working parentsThe experiences and attitudes of working parents are explored in two new reports which offer contrasting views on what happens to the careers and skills of mothers and fathers. The first from CWJobs uncovers the fears parents have of being left behind by technology while they take time away from their careers to care for children, while the second looks at the ways in which parenthood might improve people’s skills and ability to deal with complex roles. More →