July 27, 2023

What Aldous Huxley can teach us about acoustics and distractions at work

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Technology, Workplace design

Aldous Huxley who had some thoughts on acoustics and unwanted noise

Over the last few years there has been something of a loud and widespread backlash to the idea that we need to have constant access to information and our colleagues to work effectively. The touchstone for this pushback is of course the open plan office which has become something of a scapegoat for the universal problem of interruption and distraction and a renewed interest in the complexities of acoustics in office design. It is also one of the main reasons people prefer to work anywhere other than offices some or all of the time. More →

July 25, 2023

Putting a new approach to office design in the frame

by Kyrylo Komarov • Comment, Workplace design

The traditional ways we think about office design need to be rethought in response to the new and emerging challenges businesses now face

It is now a truism to suggest that the traditional ways we think about office design need to be rethought in response to the new and emerging challenges businesses now face. Most people accept this but are still trying to work out the implications for the way we design and manage the physical workplace. The office needs to tell a new story. And one way to structure this narrative this is to borrow ideas from the movie screenwriting process. More →

July 24, 2023

Should work help to define your identity? Perhaps, but first consider this…

by Dr Tracy Brower • Comment, Wellbeing

Dr Tracy Brower considers how work ideally forms just a part of our identity

The last few years have put work at the forefront of our consideration as individuals and our discussions as a society. Globally, people are thinking consciously about their work, its meaning and its place in their lives. This focus will surely create the conditions for a great reinvention —a reset of how we work as well as where, when and for whom. Identity is an important part of the dialogue: Should work be central to someone’s identity? Is it healthy for work to occupy our focus? And how much is too much? More →

July 21, 2023

It is possible to balance the positives and negatives of stress at work

by Lisa Gunn • Comment, Wellbeing

It’s important to know the difference between helpful and unhelpful stress and what this means for employers looking to improve workforce wellbeing

Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and our bodies are hard-wired to respond to it. However, it’s clear stress takes a regular, negative toll on organisations across the country. Last year, 17 million days were lost due to stress, depression or anxiety, which accounted for 51 percent of all work-related ill health cases and 55 percent of all working days lost due to ill health. Poor mental health costs employers between £1,205 and £1,560 per employee, per year. Some of the main causes of stress in the workplace include mounting workload pressures, increased responsibilities, and a perceived lack of support from senior management. More →

July 20, 2023

Are you ready for the latest family friendly employment laws?

by Adrian Lewis • Comment, Workplace

Three new ground-breaking employment laws will transform the employee benefit landscape

It’s increasingly important for employers to have family-friendly employee benefits and policies to support recruitment and retention. These need to recognise the diverse needs and responsibilities of employees today and enable them to effectively balance their work and family life. Now to support employees and give them more protection in law three new ground-breaking employment laws will transform the employee benefit landscape. More →

July 18, 2023

We need better evidence to help protect people at work

by Sarah Cumbers • Comment, Workplace

Understanding what works to protect people at work needs better use of evidence

We make decisions at work every day and for those in complex roles or in fast-changing situations, it can feel like a continuous process. In business, of course, the choices we make can have a significant impact on the bottom line and, more importantly, our people, the environment and the communities we’re operating in. With so much riding on what we choose to do, our decision-making processes must be designed to maximise our chances of successful outcomes. This is especially so when our decisions involve how to protect people at work so can be literally a matter of life or death. More →

July 14, 2023

To boost productivity in the UK, we need to think big and different

by Peter McAteer • Comment, Technology

olicymakers, businesses, and society must recognise the importance of productivity and collaborate to implement the necessary reforms and initiatives to unlock the country's full economic potential

The decline in UK productivity since the Great Recession of 2008/2009 has been a matter of concern for business leaders, policymakers, and economists alike. Despite hopes that the pandemic would act as a catalyst for transformation and boost productivity, recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the UK still lags behind several other G7 economies. More →

July 12, 2023

Generations in the workplace: setting the record straight

by Jo Sutherland • Comment, Workplace

A middle aged man and a younger male colleague sit in comfortable chairs having a conversation to illustrate a conversation between generations of workers

If there were an algorithm to create a word cloud in response to searches for ‘What millennials want in the workplace?’, you’d expect to see Google spew out terms such as ‘flexibility’, ‘meaning’, ‘fairness’, ‘equality’, ‘inclusivity’, ‘opportunity’, ‘connections’, ‘socialising’ and ‘experience’. Do the same with ‘Gen Z’ replacing ‘millennials’ and – guess what – you’ll see the exact same word cloud, although perhaps in a different colour and order so you don’t think it’s based on the same homogeneous assumptions about younger generations. More →

June 27, 2023

Understanding the power of mindset and what it can do for you

by Lisa Collinson • Business, Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace

Understanding mindset, its power, and how to change it, can be transformative on both an individual and team level.

An individual’s mindset influences everything that they do. Built around a set of established values, beliefs, and attitudes, your mindset frames your outlook and guides your behaviour, demarking your perceived limitations. It’s something that influences every area of our lives, from the relationships we form to the way we approach challenges and change. When you’re working with people, implementing policies, and trying to get the best from your available talent, it’s vital that you understand what motivates your team members – and what’s holding them back. Understanding mindset, its power, and how to change it, can be transformative on both an individual and team level. More →

June 26, 2023

A balanced approach: making hybrid working work, and accepting it isn’t optional

by Mavis Boniface • Comment, Flexible working

For most, there needs to be an acceptance that hybrid working is a long-term project – even if there is some short-term pain

Hybrid working is back in the headlines – not that it ever really left. A recent report from the Centre for Cities warns hybrid working will result in an “unintended economic impact” and is calling on national government and the mayor of London to do more to remove barriers to getting people back into the office. It suggests a freeze on commuting costs and calls for better collaboration between the private and public sectors to make working in cities more appealing. More →

June 23, 2023

Are workplace gyms and other perks out of step with hybrid working?

by Anthony Thompson • Comment, Wellbeing

Are workplace gyms and other traditional workplace perks still as relevant in the hybrid working era, asks Anthony Thompson

It should go without saying that looking after employee mental health and wellbeing is important. If employers do not prioritise employee wellbeing, the whole team can feel the impact of this. There is compelling evidence that suggests strong employee wellbeing is a precursor to a more resilient workforce, which enjoys better staff retention, engagement and productivity, as well as reduced absenteeism. More →

June 22, 2023

Businesses need to take real action to create a more sustainable workplace

by Ashley Lawrence • Comment, Environment, Workplace design

What action is actually being taken, including in the creation of a sustainable workplace?

For the last decade, if not longer, we’ve heard businesses saying they are focused on reducing their environmental impact. It’s been written in annual reports and immortalised in pledges shared with stakeholders, but the question still remains – what action is actually being taken, including in the creation of a sustainable workplace? More →