June 9, 2022

The Furniture Makers’ Company announces Design Guild Mark 2022 holders

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

Innovation of materials and creativity remain at the forefront of British design as 23 outstanding submissions from three categories are to be awarded the coveted Design Guild Mark in 2022. The Design Guild Mark is awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, to drive excellence and raise the profile of British design and innovation. It recognises the highest standards in the design of furnishings in volume production across three categories – Furniture, 2D Design, and Lighting Design. The award is open to designers working in Britain or British designers working abroad. (more…)

June 8, 2022

Strategic workforce planning blocked by lack of data and defined employee responsibilities

by Neil Franklin • Facilities management, News, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

Poor data quality and a lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities within the organisation are amongst the key challenges management faces when implementing vital strategic workforce planning (SWP), according to new academic research. The researchers also claim that a lack of methodology to execute a strategic workforce plan and the lack of support across all organisational units of the firm were contributing to a slower and less efficient strategic workforce planning. (more…)

June 7, 2022

Are these the best countries in Europe for work-life balance?

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

A new study from recruitment firm Remote claims to analyse how European countries are looking after the work-life balance of their employees. The report sets out to take an ‘holistic’ view on work-life balance taking into account of factors such as minimum wage, maternity leave, statutory annual leave, sick pay, the country’s healthcare system and the country’s overall happiness level to help workers determine the best locations for life-work balance. The UK comes in a lowly 28th place, in case you didn’t want to click on the report link. (more…)

May 27, 2022

Announcing Works: a magazine for, about, and by the workplace design community

by Mick Jordan • News, Workplace design

Welcome to the new magazine for the workplace interiors community. Works is about the workplace industry, for the workplace industry and by the workplace industry – as you will see from this pilot issue. We want to reconnect this thriving sector (the workplace ain’t dead, baby!). (more…)

May 23, 2022

The future of work isn’t what it used to be

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Technology, Workplace design

At the 1983 International Design Conference in Aspen, Steve Jobs delivered a speech addressing the theme of the conference; The Future Isn’t What It Used to Be. In it he set out his thoughts on new technology, intuitive design, personal computing as well as the need for a constantly evolving idea of what the future will look like, including the future of work. (more…)

May 19, 2022

Clerkenwell Design Week should leave us all feeling in the pink

by Mick Jordan • Features, Workplace design, Works Magazine

It feels like a long, long time since we all came together for Clerkenwell Design Week. Mainly because it is. This month, however, conditions allow us to once again come together to enjoy the largest event this sector has to offer in the UK – you may even be reading this during the festival itself. With a vast variety of showrooms and pop-ups offering new product presentations, talks and seminars, food and drink, parties and workshops, Clerkenwell Design Week has plenty to keep even the most fidgety of us happy. (more…)

May 19, 2022

NeoCon announces full programme of dynamic events

by Freddie Steele • News, Workplace design, Works Magazine

With more than 400 companies showcasing thousands of new products, programming from the industry’s top thought leaders, and more, the 2022 edition of NeoCon (June 13-15) will be jam-packed with innovation and opportunities to experience the future of commercial interior design first hand. A hub for community and connecting within the industry, this year’s NeoCon will offer a wealth of engaging installations, as well as on-site activations and events that will provide invaluable moments to gather together, learn from each other, and share ideas. (more…)

May 11, 2022

Facilities managers: you never noticed us because we did such a great job

by Simon Heath • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

Getting all hot under the collar about brushed chrome door furniture is an understandable but classic displacement activity when much of your work is messy, unglamorous and even occasionally dangerous. You work alongside designers and architects and look longingly at their apparent casual trendiness and clean lines, marvelling at the quality of the beech from sustainably managed European forestries (kiln dried to 10-12 per cent moisture content) with which they have specified the side tables in reception. Achingly cool and effortless in a way you feel you’ll never be.

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May 11, 2022

The truth about motivation, engagement and the employment of motivated idiots

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace, Workplace design

The current obsession with engagement and motivation is evident every time you read the business media these days. This is understandable in many ways, not least because it seems true that firms and employees are often working in an atmosphere of mistrust. But one thing that is often noticeable when a profession such as HR gets itself into a debate of this nature is the gap that can exist between practitioners and everybody else offering a view. So while academics can talk about definitions and suppliers seek to apply their solutions to the issue, it is often down to those who work at the sharp end to dish up the truth, however unpalatable or cynical that can seem to be. (more…)

May 6, 2022

The Workplace Geeks on what we need to learn about the office now that everything’s changed

by Freddie Steele • Facilities management, Podcasts, Premium Content, Workplace design

The Workplace Geeks are out and about for their very first LIVE episode, recorded at The Workplace Event, Birmingham NEC, UK in April 2022. For this special show they’re joined by Dan Pilling, workplace strategy consultant at TSK Group. Their discussion explores the scope and value of practical workplace research pre and post pandemic, with some great questions from the audience (thanks to Brock James from iOtSpace, Stuart Watts from the GPA, and Steve Henigan from HCG). (more…)

May 2, 2022

British Council for Offices honours the North’s best workplaces at annual Regional Awards

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Workplace design

Six workplaces across the North of England and Northern Ireland have been recognised at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) Regional Awards today. The Northern BCO Awards dinner returned in-person to the Kimpton Clocktower in Manchester, recognising the North’s highest quality developments and setting the standard for excellence in the office sector across the UK. (more…)

April 28, 2022

We need to seize the chance to make our buildings far more intelligent

by William Poole-Wilson • Comment, Environment, Property, Workplace design

Even before the pandemic, statistics were making the case for workplaces to be made up of more intelligent buildings. This includes the fact that offices generally operate at around 55-60 percent utilisation, and as we return to the office are currently at 45 percent utilisation. From presenteeism to absenteeism and many other factors in between, workplaces have seldom been utilised by entire workforces at the same time. However, the prevailing approach has been for firms to drive an office setup with one-to-one desking – a seat for every employee, even though five in 10 would not be in at any one time. (more…)