UK and Irish law firms lead the way in adoption of agile working

UK and Irish law firms lead the way in adoption of agile working

agile working at law firmsUK based law firms lead the way in the adoption of agile working, according to a new report from CBRE which looks at the workplace strategies of major legal practices across EMEA regions. CBRE’s Law in EMEA report offers what it claims is the first ever benchmark analysis of the legal sector internationally. Although the report suggests that agile design principles are shown to be strongly associated with lower rents per person in local markets, there is limited take up of this approach amongst legal firms outside the UK.

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The key to wellbeing at work is focusing on the individual

The key to wellbeing at work is focusing on the individual

An abstract take on wellbeing at workIt gets more apparent as each day passes that the layout of an office can have a profound impact on wellbeing at work. While this knowledge is more widespread than it once was, it’s still common to see companies addressing the issue with simple box-ticking exercises rather than taking into consideration the actual wants and needs of employees.

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A synaesthetic approach to office design

A synaesthetic approach to office design

A colourful face to depict synaesthesia in office designSynaesthesia is a condition in which one type of sensory stimulus triggers an involuntary stimulus of another sense. Being able to hear colour or taste numbers might seem like a unique party piece, but some research indicates it’s an ability we’re all born with. More →

Fine tuning office design and its most wonderful invention to our needs

Fine tuning office design and its most wonderful invention to our needs

The best workplaces are always focused on people. Which is why many of the great pioneers of workplace thinking are from the social sciences, including disciplines such as psychology, ethnography and anthropology. These are the people who have shared the insights that help us to understand the characteristics of great office design. In particular, this relies on an awareness of the ways in which people interact in particular spaces. More →

How office design trends in different countries feed off each other

How office design trends in different countries feed off each other

The term Global Village has passed into general use to describe many of the phenomena we associate with the modern globalised world. But it actually dates back to 1962 when coined by Marshall McLuhan to describe an emerging, electronically contracted world in which cultures converge alongside political, business and legislative frameworks. These forces have been instrumental in bringing nations and organisations closer together and yet each nation continues to be shaped by little differences and residual cultures and conditions. More →

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

Workplace culture fails to meet needs of multi-generational workforce

workplace cultureA new report (registration) claims that companies with a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace design is failing to meet the needs and expectations of a multigenerational workforce. Published by Chargifi with in put from WeWork and other firms, the study polled more than 2,000 employees about their experience of workplace culture and office design and how mobility affects their day-to-day lives. More →

Making flippy floppy with the meaning of work

Making flippy floppy with the meaning of work

Great news! No, not the Brexit deal but the reports that the US has replaced the floppy disks it uses to store the information about its nuclear arsenal with something a bit less Nineties. If nothing else, a useful reminder that even the people responsible for a potential Armageddon might not be quite on board for the Fourth Industrial Revolution just yet, and are still coming to terms with the Third. More →

RICS initiative urges built environment sector to be more aware of global impact

RICS initiative urges built environment sector to be more aware of global impact

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has today launched the ‘Value the Planet’ campaign, promoting the preservation of the planet through the adoption of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). The campaign pushes for increased action within the industry, highlighting the essential need to Value the Planet and will provide support and resources from RICS and the industry to help the profession take both climate action and adopt the UN SDGs. RICS is also today publishing the RICS Responsible Business report which provides recommendations for businesses on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the built environment. More →

What people want from an office is pretty basic

What people want from an office is pretty basic

what people want from an officeFollowing recent reports from the likes of Boss and Leesman as well as the work of Neil Usher in his book The Elemental Workplace, a new study from Workthere confirms that what people want from an office is primarily basic stuff such as comfort and privacy. More →

How the Dutch pioneered agile working, wellbeing and smart buildings

How the Dutch pioneered agile working, wellbeing and smart buildings

Edge AmsterdamMany of the challenges we face in selecting the right office design models became apparent during the 1960s as the world adjusted to the first signs of the technological revolution. At the same time, people across Europe were pressing for changes in the way organisations and the economy worked. More →

Workplaces should slow down and flex to improve wellbeing

Workplaces should slow down and flex to improve wellbeing

workplaces of the futureBy 2030 we will see dramatic change as office design creates hyper-flexible, human-centric workplaces to inspire new levels of productivity, according to the Workplace Futures report by Nespresso Professional and The Future Laboratory. This implies a fundamental shift not only in how offices look, but –more importantly -in the purpose they serve. More →

Working hours and the truth about the demands we meet

Working hours and the truth about the demands we meet

As reported recently, Labour’s John McDonnell says that his party would introduce a 32-hour working week. Very French. What’s more, he states that this should not impact on people’s wages because ‘People should work to live, not live to work’. Don’t disagree there. However, for a vast number of workers this isn’t viable; especially in the knowledge economy. Admittedly, there will be people in factories, call centres, etc who will be relieved at the prospect of fewer working hours and more hours with loved ones. More →