About Neil Franklin

Neil Franklin is Insight's news editor

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Public sector organisations continue to lead the way in flexible working, claims report

Public sector organisations continue to lead the way in flexible working, claims report

by • Flexible working, News

A new report published by Softworks (registration) claims that Public Sector organisations continue to lead the way in flexible working with an extensive range of flexible working options available to employees. The most popular flexible working option is part-time working with 94 percent of public sector organisations offering this. This was followed by flexitime with 88 percent of organisations allowing their staff to have flexible start and finish times.

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Less time spent commuting is key to workplace wellbeing

Less time spent commuting is key to workplace wellbeing

by • Flexible working, News

Lenovo has released a study on ‘Britain’s evolving workplace’ (registration). It claims that more than three quarters (76 per cent) of those that have no commute by working from home are overall satisfied with their job and a third (37 per cent) of those surveyed admit to choosing their current role based on its close proximity to their home. The report claims that the changing nature of the modern workplace benefits both workers and employers, with one in ten workers most productive outside of typical 7am to 6pm working hours and a quarter (26 per cent) wishing to work more flexible hours.

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City of Cambridge to digitally clone itself in bid to tackle congestion and pollution

City of Cambridge to digitally clone itself in bid to tackle congestion and pollution

by • Cities, News, Technology

Smart Cambridge and researchers from the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC) at Cambridge University have announced plans to create a digital clone of the city to explore how congestion and commuting times can be reduced and air quality improved. Researchers at the University of Cambridge-based CSIC and officers from Cambridgeshire County Council’s transport, sustainability and planning departments are examining how digital technology and data can be used to support decisions and make improvements.

The study will focus on the creation of a digital twin prototype, combining traditional urban modelling techniques, new data sources and data analytics. The prototype will include the recent trends of journeys to work in Cambridge, including how people of different ages and employment status travel to work and how different factors affect their travel. It will also explore future possible journeys to work based on transport investment, housing developments and how flexible working and new technology may impact commuting. A web-based modelling platform will also visualise future development options and give people an opportunity for feedback.

“Digital twins have the potential to help cities develop more holistic policies which will assist in addressing some of the very real challenges urban areas face such as congestion, pollution and the need to become more sustainable,” said Dan Clarke, strategy and partnerships manager for Smart Cambridge.

CSIC led a workshop with council officers in December which helped them to understand local requirements and how they can deliver a digital twin prototype which responds to imminent city challenges and supports the policy goals of improving air quality and reducing congestion.

“We are now working on the prototype and will deliver an initial version in eight weeks,”said CSIC research associate Dr Timea Nochta. “We will continue to develop it alongside the council so that it can be used to its full potential and so that officers feel confident in asking the right questions for technology to answer.”

Claire Ruskin, executive board member for the Greater Cambridge Partnership, and CEO of Cambridge Network, said: “We have worked together to collect and understand information before, and Smart Cambridge is delighted to be working with university teams again. We can begin developing next-generation tools for supporting plans and policies to give people alternatives to their cars to help improve journeys, reduce congestion and improve air quality in Greater Cambridge.”

The project has been funded by the Ove Arup Foundation and the Centre for Digital Built Britain. The work of Smart Cambridge is supported by the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, led by Cambridgeshire County Council, with investment from the Greater Cambridge Partnership. CSIC is an Innovation and Knowledge Centre funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Innovate UK and industry.

Image: Andrew Dunn

Digital transformation offers great opportunities for firms, but at a risk

Digital transformation offers great opportunities for firms, but at a risk

by • News, Technology, Wellbeing

Digital technology can improve our lives but it also poses a major risk of widening social inequality and blocking opportunities for people without the skills to navigate the online world safely, according to a new OECD report. A mix of technical, emotional and social skills is a pre-condition for people to combine their digital and real lives in a balanced way, and to avoid the mental health problems and other risks linked to abuses of online technologies, the report says.

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One Dorset Street becomes first Fitwel certified building in Hampshire

One Dorset Street becomes first Fitwel certified building in Hampshire

by • Company news, Wellbeing, Workplace design

One Dorset Street in Southampton has become the first building in Hampshire to achieve Fitwel certification, the system for designing and operating buildings that claims to actively improve occupant health, and also commands the highest commercial rent in Southampton (£24.50psf).  The investment in One Dorset Street aims to support occupiers who understand that employee wellbeing is critical to their commercial success.

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Communication skills trump experience as quality employers look for in candidates

Communication skills trump experience as quality employers look for in candidates

by • News, Workplace

New research from The University of Law Business School has analysed over 700 keywords from the job specifications of 30 common business roles (across three popular job sites), to reveal what employers are looking for from candidates. The research highlights the crossover in skills and requirements across roles and industries, helping encourage those considering a career move, or just starting out in the world of business by showing how qualified they may already be for a new career. Its key finding is that employers are hugely more interested in people’s interpersonal skills than their work experience.

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More than two-thirds of the megacities of the world will be located in Asia by 2025

by • Cities, News

Robust economic growth and rapid urbanisation over the last few decades has resulted in the creation of a number of megacities in Asia. Against this backdrop, 33 out of the projected 49 megacities will be located in the region, according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company. The City Economics Database reveals that megacities were home to nearly 8.35 percent of the world’s population and contributed 15.50 percent to total global GDP in 2018. Of the world’s 40 megacities in 2018, 26 were located in Asia. GlobalData forecasts that the number of megacities will increase to 49 and more than two-thirds of these megacities (including 19 in China and six in India) are expected to be located in Asia by 2025.

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Asian firms have more focused digital vision than European counterparts

Asian firms have more focused digital vision than European counterparts

by • News, Technology

For any business looking to remain competitive, having a cohesive, well-defined digital vision and the strategy to properly implement it is essential. However, new research by PerformanceWorks and Bridges Business Consultancy claims that just 51 per cent of European organisations have a digital vision for the future, compared to 60 per cent in Asia and 65 per cent in North America. In addition to this, European organisations are playing catch-up when it comes to a general readiness to digitally transform. More →

Larger organisations will become main adopters of flexible workspace this year

Larger organisations will become main adopters of flexible workspace this year

by • Coworking, Property

Corporations are this year set to become the driving force within the flexible workspace industry as the way they view their office portfolios continues to change, according to research by Instant Offices. The flexible workspace sector has ridden the crest of a wave for the past five years with global demand increasing by 50 percent and more market supply of flex space than ever before. Instant now estimates the global market to incorporate 32,000+ centres, which represents 521 m sq. ft. This is an increase of 15 percent year on year since 2013.

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Workplace passport offers support needed by disabled people

Workplace passport offers support needed by disabled people

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The TUC and the GMB have launched a new disability passport to help the nearly 1 million (946,010) disabled people who fall out of work or switch employers each year to get the support they need. Disabled people can leave their jobs for many reasons. One preventable reason is when employers fail to carry out their legal duty to make – and keep in place – the reasonable adjustments their disabled staff need to do their jobs.

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Work life balance remains greatest challenge for owners of growing businesses

Work life balance remains greatest challenge for owners of growing businesses

by • News, Wellbeing

A new survey from Vistage claims that work-life balance is the biggest challenge facing what it refers to as scaleup business leaders in the UK. Defined as a business with an average annualised return of at least 20 percent in the last three years – and with a minimum of 10 employees at the start of the period – scaleup businesses are seen as key to the success of the UK government’s Industrial Strategy. Of the 2,800 respondents who took part in the poll, Vistage found a whopping 46 percent believe juggling a healthy home life with the demands of work is the biggest challenge owners of fast-growing businesses face. Access to talent came in a distant second with 22 percent of the vote, while sustaining momentum ranked third.

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Boost in adult learning essential when preparing for the future of work

Boost in adult learning essential when preparing for the future of work

by • Automation, News, Workplace

Many OECD countries need to urgently scale-up and upgrade their adult learning systems to help people adapt to the future world of work, according to a new OECD report. Getting Skills Right: Future-Ready Adult Learning Systems says that new technologies, globalisation and population ageing are changing the quantity and quality of jobs as well as the skills they require. Providing better skilling and re-skilling opportunities to workers affected by these changes is essential to make sure the future works for all.

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