About Sara Bean

Sara Bean is one of the UK's best known and most widely respected workplace and facilities management journalists. She is a regular contributor to IN Magazine and the editor of FMJ.

Posts by Sara Bean:

January 16, 2015

‘Squeezed generation’ of middle-aged workers take most sick days

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Employers’ concerns regarding the ageing workforce are usually based on the belief older workers will tend to struggle more with health problems. However, new data from AXA PPP healthcare reveals it’s the middle band of workers (30-49) that take more sick days than any other age group; averaging 2.3 sick days in the past six months; with a quarter of these workers taking three or four days off sick. Twelve per cent of this middle age group have taken the equivalent of a working week off sick (5 or 6 days) in the past six months, double the number of 18-29 year olds (6%) and just 5 per cent of those 50-69. This ‘squeezed generation,’ faced with the pressures of balancing work and home, takes least positive steps to help ensure good health; has a fairly negative outlook regarding their jobs and is more stressed than other age group.

January 15, 2015

Discrimination concerns inhibit LGBT people from being ‘out’ at work

by Sara Bean • News, Workplace

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people are worried about harassment from colleagues or being passed over for promotion if they come out at work; and while two thirds of people are out at work in the Netherlands less than half are prepared to divulge their sexual orientation at work in the UK. These are the initial findings in a global study to prove the importance of implementing effective policies to support LGBT people at work. “LGBT Diversity: Show Me The Business Case” by business consulting firm Out Now measures the financial savings companies can make by encouraging people to be open at work about their sexual orientation or gender diversity. The report is drawn from an analysis of Out Now’s LGBT2020, a global research initiative involving more than 100,000 LGBT people worldwide.

January 14, 2015

Bosses failing to tackle workplace bullying say staff

by Sara Bean • Legal news, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The majority (91 percent) of staff polled on bullying at work say their employers do not deal adequately with the problem and over three quarters (78 percent) are reluctant to complain for fear of their job. According to charity Family Lives, the anxiety associated with workplace bullying greatly affects emotional health and wellbeing. Of the 1,500 workers it polled, 73 percent said the bullying was verbal, including threats, whereas 60 percent felt the bullying was social, including being excluded, ignored and isolated. Two thirds (66 percent) of respondents witnessed bullying at work with 43 percent stating they were bullied by their line manager, 38 percent bullied by a colleague and 20 percent bullied by SMT or CEO.

January 13, 2015

Nearly two-thirds of over 50s say flexible working is best route to retirement

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Around half of over 50s would like to carry on working part time after 65, while 39 per cent of feel that working part time or flexible hours before stopping work altogether would be the best way to retire. According to new research, one in four over 50s said they would be interested in taking a few months off and then returning to work as an alternative to retirement. Meanwhile 36 percent of retirees say their advice to others would be to consider switching to flexible or part time work for a period first before retiring and 33 per cent of over 70s still working said they did so because they enjoyed it. However the poll also reveals some discrimination, with 23 percent of over 50s believing they are viewed ‘less favourably than younger workers’ and 15 per cent experiencing age-based discrimination in the workplace.

January 12, 2015

Availability of office space in Central London has fallen by half since 2009

by Sara Bean • News, Property

The amount of available office space in Central London has fallen by almost half since 2009, new figures reveal. The latest end of year research by Deloitte Real Estate show that the availability of office space has fallen 14 per cent over the last 12 months, and warned that rents will probably rise by around six to over eight per cent as a result. In an analysis of the submarkets across the West End, Deloitte reports that Victoria has seen the greatest decline in available office space, falling 46 per cent in just 12 months. While the City of London market has not seen as dramatic a decline in available space, hovering around five million sq ft throughout 2014, it still remains at its lowest level for seven years. This is despite over 3 million sq ft of new office space completing construction during 2014 – a new high.

January 9, 2015

Heavy workloads blamed as two thirds of staff fail to take statutory work break

by Sara Bean • Legal news, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Almost two thirds of UK staff are not able to take their legally required minimum break. In a Bupa study of 2,000 full-time workers – 64 per cent claimed they are not always able to take their legally required 20-minute break when working six hours or more. Less than a third (29%) of employees are taking a full hour for lunch every day and worryingly, over a quarter (28%) of workers never take a breather of any kind during their working day. The main reason UK workers are not taking a break is the weight of their workload. The research shows that two in five (43%) employees believe they have too much work to pause for a few minutes. Managers are also setting a bad example as a quarter (24%) of employees see their boss not taking lunch and feel pressure to do the same.

January 8, 2015

Connecting to the workplace out of office hours can damage wellbeing

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The use of tech outside of office hours can have a detrimental effects on workers’ wellbeing according to a paper presented this week at the British Psychological Society’s Division of Occupational Psychology conference in Glasgow. A meta-analysis by Svenja Schlachter and colleagues from the University of Surrey sought to determine the effects of being constantly “switched on” for work and found a blurring of boundaries between work and private life. The research showed that employees use a number of devices outside of office hours in the hope that staying “switched on” will increase flexibility and efficiency and because they believe there is a strong expectation to be available 24/7. This often has a negative effect on their work-life balance and increases stress.

January 7, 2015

City of London office market reaches the highest volume of lettings for 15 years

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

Central London leasing activity hit the highest volume since 2007 last year, while the office market in the city reached its highest volume for 15 years. Take up of central London office space totalled 12.4 million sq ft, when 12.7 million sq ft was let; which is 15 per cent ahead of 2013 totals. According to the latest research by Cushman & Wakefield, while all areas of the capital saw an upturn in activity during 2014, the City of London market recorded the highest volume of lettings for 15 years, with 7.2 million sq ft of transactions completed compared to 7.4 million sq ft in 1998. West End lettings reached 4.0 million sq ft; on a par with the last peak in 2007. Even Docklands saw take-up double in comparison to 2013 to exceed 1.0 million sq. ft for the first time since 2010; and the serviced office sector is thriving.

January 5, 2015

Workers feel increasingly undervalued and over a third plan to move jobs this year

by Sara Bean • News, Workplace

There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of workers planning to move jobs. According to the latest research by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), 37 per cent of workers are planning to leave their current jobs in 2015 – compared to 19 per cent in 2014 and 13 per cent in 2013. Of those who left their jobs in 2014, 35 per cent cited greater opportunity for progression as their main motivation for seeking a new role – compared to only 12 per cent who sought a higher salary. In 2015, that has increased to 59 per cent, meaning increased opportunity is a number one priority; beating a better salary (56%), a more interesting role (50%) and better management (30%). Staff are also feeling increasingly undervalued by their managers. 25 per cent of those planning to leave said they felt unappreciated in their current role, almost 10 per cent more than last year (16%). More →

December 22, 2014

The latest Insight newsletter is now available to view online

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Flexible working, Newsletter, Property, Workplace, Workplace design

In the latest issue of the Insight newsletter which is available to view online; Mark Eltringham takes issue with a growing intolerance of sitting, and counsels against making wild predictions about the effect wearable tech will have on the workplace. Maciej Markowski says homeworking brings easily measurable benefits, but can also diminish creativity and Charles Marks argues that the important point of flexible working is that staff are empowered to work in ways that are best for them. Adam Burtt-Jones examines the relationship between workplace design and its culture; Andrew Brown looks at the impact of the soft landings principle and Sara Bean reveals that the quality of management in the UK has seen little improvement over the last decade. Sign up to the newsletter via the subscription form in the right hand sidebar and follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

December 18, 2014

Revised plans approved for development of iconic BBC Television Centre

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

New office space aimed at occupiers in the creative sector is included in Stanhope and Mitsui Fudosan’s planned redevelopment of the former BBC Television Centre in west London. The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham have granted planning permission for the revised plans for the mixed use development of the iconic building; to include the demolition of the existing Stage 4 and 5 office buildings and their replacement with a more sustainable and efficient new ten storey office building with improved facades, designed by architects AHMM. A change in use from residential to commercial has also been approved for a new nine storey office building fronting Hammersmith Park on the site of the old BBC restaurant block, with an overall increase in office accommodation across the site from 350,000 sq ft to 519,000 sq ft.

December 17, 2014

Only a third of staff trust their senior management, finds CIPD

by Sara Bean • News, Workplace

There is little evidence of improvement in the quality of management in the UK over the last decade – and it is one of the reasons behind the UK’s long-standing productivity weakness compared to the likes of the US and Germany. According to the CIPD report ‘Are UK organisations getting better at managing their people?’ while 65 percent of employees are generally satisfied with their line manager and largely trust them and value their honesty, only 33 percent say they trust their senior management. It found that management processes are not always applied consistently or fairly and this is one reason why there is a lack of trust in senior leadership. These are deep-rooted problems and the solutions are largely down to organisations, says the CIPD, which is urging the Government to consider ways in which it can raise awareness of the challenges and potential approaches to tackling them, not least in its capacity as an employer.