One way businesses can help employees get back to the office

One way businesses can help employees get back to the office

One of the many unprecedented things about 2020 is the way that the global COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of workers around the world staying away from their office or workplace. Either through furlough schemes or temporary ‘working from home’ measures, many people across the job spectrum have had to adapt to a new way of doing things. More →

Back to the floor: how life on the stock exchange has changed

Back to the floor: how life on the stock exchange has changed

Let’s face it: there can’t have been many workplaces left untouched by the coronavirus pandemic. On the busy trading floors at the major stock exchanges and investment companies – and the big financial districts as a whole – life has changed considerably. More →

The London showroom of KI goes virtual

The London showroom of KI goes virtual

KI’s Central London HQ & showroom has been refreshed with the newest product displays and work settings, which for the first time can be viewed online via a virtual showroom tour. Whilst the space is open and receiving visitors, this new interactive, self-guided tour is particularly helpful in the current climate of restricted travel and social distancing concerns. With a few clicks on the KI Europe website, you can visit the office and showroom anytime and anywhere – you can even walk around the showroom using a VR headset. Whether you are refreshing your memory of a recent visit or viewing the space for the first time, this is a great way to preview KI furniture in situ. More →

Office furniture giant Steelcase achieves carbon neutral status

Office furniture giant Steelcase achieves carbon neutral status

office furniture and technologyUS based office furniture giant Steelcase has announced it has achieved carbon neutrality for its own operations. The company also announced new 2030 goals that have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Building upon this momentum, the firm has established a goal to become carbon negative by 2030. More →

Managing occupancy will be essential in the new era of work

Managing occupancy will be essential in the new era of work

As COVID-19 infection rates reach lower levels and businesses open their doors once more, HR and facilities teams across many industries and sectors are preparing for a physical return to the workplace. With a duty to ensure the health, safety and general wellbeing of staff and visitors, there are many factors to consider, such as how to promote safe social distancing and increased cleaning regimes, while still focussing on business productivity. The roles of HR and FM will be critical in setting safe protocols if further self-isolation and lockdown measures are to be avoided. More →

Bene launches Pearson Lloyd designed PORTS system

Bene launches Pearson Lloyd designed PORTS system

Created by the well-known London design studio PearsonLloyd, and a pre-launch winner of the “Red Dot Design Award: best of Best” and the “iF Gold Awaard 2020”: Bene has launched a revolutionary office concept in the form of a completely new design line – PORTS. The world is changing and we are changing with it. Stability, flexibility and agility are the key success factors for dynamic organisations. PORTS embodies this new reality in interior design and furnishings, creating multifunctional spaces that allow for many different styles of working and that are flexibly adaptable. PORTS is both a design line and an office concept, bringing people, ideas and functions together – to lead together. More →

IRYS pod provides ultimate reassurance and comfort for your workforce

IRYS pod provides ultimate reassurance and comfort for your workforce

The IRYS pod, a unique modular concept, remains at the forefront of innovation and design since its launch in 2016. As we face new challenges in the workplace, IRYS has been reconfigured to incorporate the latest generation of UV-C lighting to ensure the space is rigorously sanitised between meetings to maintain the highest levels of hygiene, crucially preventing the spread of viruses. More →

BCO launches podcast to explore the future of offices

BCO launches podcast to explore the future of offices

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has launched its first podcast, a 12-episode series, hosted by chief executive Richard Kauntze, which explores how COVID-19 is impacting the office, both in the long and short term. The interviews are edited versions of a recently run video series by the BCO. More →

Herman Miller and Logitech launch gaming edition of Embody chair

Herman Miller and Logitech launch gaming edition of Embody chair

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and Herman Miller have taken a first step into the world of seating ergonomics for gamers, streamers, and esports athletes today with the launch of a series of high performance gaming furniture and accessories, including the Embody Gaming Chair, the industry’s first truly ergonomic chair. Together, the two companies spent nearly two years studying esport pros and players around the globe to understand their needs. “Prior to the in-depth research we did, we knew many gamers loved our current offering as we are constantly rated highly in almost every gamer product review,” said Tim Straker, Chief Marketing Officer for Herman Miller. “The main feedback we received was they wanted more variety.” More →

Flexible workspace provider Serendipity Labs to expand UK operation

Flexible workspace provider Serendipity Labs to expand UK operation

US flexible workspace provider Serendipity Labs has appointed JLL to expand its operations to 20 new locations in the UK over the next two years. Founded in 2011, Serendipity Labs operates a network of “hospitality-infused” workplaces offering shared and dedicated workstations, meeting venues and work lounges. The new plans follow an initial launch last year in partnership with Newable to open and operate 25 locations in the UK. More →

Toyota GB awarded Biodiversity Benchmark from the Wildlife Trust

Toyota GB awarded Biodiversity Benchmark from the Wildlife Trust

Years of hard work transforming the grounds of Toyota GB’s headquarters in Burgh Heath into a wildlife haven have paid off as the company has been awarded the prestigious Biodiversity Benchmark by the Wildlife Trust. The Biodiversity Benchmark is designed to complement the ISO 14001 environment management system and is the only standard that certifies management of company grounds and landscapes for wildlife.  Toyota went through a robust certification process over an 18 month period to put environment management and development processes in place and to prove that the grounds have been enhanced so that wildlife can thrive in a rich habitat. More →

Winners announced for 2020 KI Award from Royal College of Art and Imperial College

Winners announced for 2020 KI Award from Royal College of Art and Imperial College

The winners of the annual KI Award, now in its fifth year, were announced in the lead up to the upcoming digital graduation show. The awards and cash prizes are given to final year students selected from the RCA’s ‘Design Products’ and the RCA/Imperial College London’s ‘Innovation Design Engineering’ double masters course. The winning projects showed an outstanding approach to functionality, durability, sustainability and enhancement to user experience for our future working or learning experiences. A summary of each award winner is included below.  More →