March 12, 2018

Organisations need to create a ‘smart everywhere’ environment finds Smart Summit

by Sara Bean • Events, Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Workplace

Work is no longer a place but a set of activities which lead to a set of outcomes that could be delivered anywhere. Or as John Blackwell, Quora Consulting’s Managing Director succinctly described it at the first of the 2018 Quora Smartworking Summit’s held last week, organisations need to create a ‘smart everywhere’ environment. New digital platforms make far it easier for people to work in exactly the way they want. Research by Quora has revealed that there are 5 million people currently working in the UK gig economy or around 15.6 percent of the total workforce. More people are working post retirement age and want to work in a way that they can control, while there are increasing numbers who simply want more autonomy in their lives in the way that self-employment can offer. More →

November 8, 2017

Deus ex machina; what will the coming era of automation and robotics mean for the workplace?

by Mark Eltringham • Automation, Events, Facilities management, News, Technology, Workplace design

The only two things we know for certain about the era of robotics and automation in the workplace are that it will be with us far sooner than many of us expect, and its implications will be far reaching and unlike those most routinely anticipated. However, a clear picture is beginning to emerge about its implications for workplace designers and managers as well as property owners and workers themselves. On 23 November at an event hosted by Vitra in London, a panel of workplace and technology experts including Neil Usher, Kerstin Sailer and Mark Eltringham will present the most up to date thinking on the subject, challenge preconceptions and myths and illuminate a world that is just around the corner. If you’re interested in attending please email rsvp_uk@vitra.com. Full details below.

October 31, 2017

Over a third of workers have left a job because of the stress it caused them

by Sara Bean • Events, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

New research released to mark International Stress Awareness Day tomorrow (Wednesday 1st November) has revealed that more than one third (36 percent) of the working population have left a job because of the stress it caused them, according to research conducted by Citation. It claims that women are almost 10 percent more likely to leave because of stress than men, and those aged between 25 to 34-years old were most likely to struggle with workplace stress. Worryingly, more than half (53 percent) of employees feel too afraid to show signs of stress at work. More than a quarter (27 percent) think it’ll make them look weak, one in five (18 percent) worry it will affect their career and the remaining 7 percent feel uncomfortable approaching their manager with the problem. Those aged between 18 to 24-years old were most likely to fear for their career and worry about looking weak. Employees between 45 and 54 were notably more likely to feel at unease approaching their manager.

October 4, 2017

Convergence of work and life defines September London workplace design shows

by Paul Goodchild • Comment, Events, Flexible working, Furniture, Workplace design

It has always been a characteristic of the 100% Design exhibition that it has segmented along the demarcations of workplace, home, interiors, kitchens and bedrooms. This used to make perfect sense as the same distinctions existed in our lives, reflected in the form and function of the products we allocated to those spaces. This is no longer the case to anywhere like the same extent and consequently, the workplace section of the show is full of products that could make the crossover into a domestic, cafe or hotel setting with not an eyebrow raised. That is not to say that the mainstay products of the workplace – desks, task chairs, storage, screens – are no more. They are still specified in vast numbers. It is just that the interesting aspects of workplace design are to be found in its shared and public spaces. It is here where we witness the convergence that characterises modern working life. We might still talk about work life balance (too much) but there is a growing realisation that the distinction grows more meaningless with each passing year.

September 18, 2017

The mega trends that continue to reshape the workplace around the world

by Neil Franklin • Events, Features, Property, Technology, Workplace design

Last week, over 600 workplace and property experts met in London at the CoreNet Global Summit 2017 to discuss some of the most important trends affecting the sector. The debates underlined one important fact about property and workplaces, which is how they are shaped by major, globalised events as much as they are local needs and the objectives of specific organisations. This quickly became evident on day one, which demonstrated how dramatic shifts in the geopolitical landscape, all of which are impacting corporate real estate – from America First to Brexit – remain key talking points for the industry. Opening speaker Linda Yueh (University of Oxford and London Business School) explored several possible scenarios, including how the focus of ‘Trumpism’ would have a significant effect on the U.S. role on the world stage, with the priority on the domestic economy leaving little scope for global trade. She also predicted that a ‘hard Brexit’, with no new trade deal with the EU, will be the most likely outcome for the UK’s withdrawal process; and that businesses will need to focus on alternative WTO rules as an urgent priority. Other impacting factors covered by Yueh included the rise of a dominant global middle class, and China’s need to rebalance its economic growth drivers.
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June 26, 2017

CoreNet Global to explore ‘Transcending Boundaries’ at EMEA Summit ⁰

by Neil Franklin • Company news, Events, Insight promotion

The CoreNet Global EMEA Summit will return to London in September 2017 for the fifth time, bringing together leading figures from the corporate real estate (CRE) profession to discuss how CRE can add value and be a true strategic advisor in today’s dynamic, rapidly changing environment. Under the theme Blurring the Lines: Transcending Boundaries, the summit will explore a range of shifts that demand transformational thinking and integrated solutions. In a world of continual and disruptive change, the summit will assist in identifying how CRE professionals can transcend traditional boundaries to uncover new opportunities. The three-day event will provide a wide variety of engaging and educational sessions, including keynote presentations from some of the profession’s most innovative thinkers, interactive seminars where attendees will be able to test new technologies and learn from one another’s experiences, networking sessions and dedicated teaching workshops.

November 9, 2016

When art meets brand; James Burke, Acrylicize in conversation with Roger Beckett ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Company news, Events, Workplace design

Following on from the successful collaboration between Bisley and Acrylicize during Clerkenwell Design Week 2016, the two organisations will join forces once more for a discussion about the impact art can have in the workplace. James Burke, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Acrylicize, will be joined by Roger Becket, the launch publisher the iconic design publications Design Week and Creative Review, and most recently founding the international art competition, Pintar Rapidao.

Acrylicize is an Art Collective which examines the relationship between art and brand to design and develop thought provoking and visually exciting statements for, and about, commercial entities and organisations. In the course of his discussion with Roger, James will reveal the creative influences that led him to explore the relationship between art and brand and its commercial currency, sharing insights into some of the high profile projects his team has worked on with brands such as The Office Group, Coca-Cola and Google.

The event takes place at the Bisley showroom in Central London on the 24th November. For further information contact: events@bisley.com or call + 44 (0) 07780 956291

November 8, 2016

Built environment urged to help summit meet climate change commitments ⁰

by Sara Bean • Events, Facilities management, News, Property

Delegates from across the World are gathering in Morocco this week for the 22^nd global climate change summit, known as the Conference of the Parties (COP22), where they will focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. This historic agreement was reached last December at COP21 in Paris, France, when for the first time, 191 nations committed to collectively addressing the effects of climate change. The Paris Agreement aims to keep the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius and to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It was signed by all negotiating countries and has thus far been ratified by 75 member states. However, despite the fact that the agreement entered into international law on the 4^th November, the UK is yet to ratify it, which according to the UK-GBC’s Campaigns and Policy Director, John Alker, is “pretty poor. We cannot afford to be dragging our heels on this; not only is there a moral imperative to tackle climate change, but the economic case for action is huge.“

September 16, 2016

CoreNet report sets out how technology will reshape corporate real estate ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Events, Facilities management, News, Property

The speed of today’s technological advances is dramatically reshaping the way that corporations manage and use their real estate. It’s a dynamic that has significant consequences for the workplace, urban development and the overall lifestyle of the average worker. Those are the unsurprising conclusions of a new report from trade association CoreNet Global, which was discussed this week at the organisation’s 2016 Summit – EMEA, held in Amsterdam. As ever, the devil is in the detail so the report is worth exploring to get a sense of just how imminent many of the changes will be, especially because they will converge to create a perfect storm of change for the workplace. This marks the new era out from the past when technology developed in more predictable ways. Several CoreNet Global Gold Strategic Partners contributed to the report including CBRE, Deloitte, ISS, JLL, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Sodexo and Steelcase.

September 12, 2016

CoreNet Global 2016 summit to convene in Amsterdam this week ⁰

by Sara Bean • Company news, Events, Facilities management, Property, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

The Bigger Picture: Geopolitics, Economics and the Environment is the theme of this year’s CoreNet Global 2016 Summit – EMEA, (14-16 September). It will include sessions focusing on issues as diverse as Brexit, terrorism, disruptive technologies in real estate, the impact of geopolitics and economics on occupiers, sustainable buildings, the war for talent, and how the latest findings from neuroscience are contributing to workplace design. The summit, which is being held in Amsterdam, will host more than 500 registered delegates from 25 countries. Confirmed keynote speakers during the three day event include Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group, who will explore the current political and economic state of the EMEA region, and writer, businessman and futurologist Mark Stevenson, who will address the importance of agility and disruption. This year’s programme will also include a guided site tour of the Overhoeks mixed use development project. Registration details are available from the website.

September 4, 2016

Bisley release details of The Workification of Home event ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Company news, Events, Flexible working

On 14th September, Bisley is hosting a panel discussion at its showroom led by Professor Jeremy Myerson of the Royal Academy of Art. The event is called The Workification of Home – the future trend for the flexible workforce? Jeremy will be joined by a panel of experts to debate the blurring boundaries between our domestic and professional lives, the rise of the freelance economy, tech start ups, mobile technology and the trend for co-working, The panel will debate how these factors have penetrated the culture, design and expectation of where, when and how we want to work and how workers can manage and maintain a successful work/life blend, by creating effective and conducive spaces in the home. Joining Jeremy are: Kirstin Furber – People Director at BBC Worldwide; Sebastian Conran- Leading product and furniture designer; David Barrett – Buyer of Living, Dining and Home office at John Lewis; Amelia Coward – Founder and Creative Director at Bombus.com. The event takes place at 6pm on the 14th September at the Bisley Showroom, Great Portland Street, London.

August 17, 2016

Do people really matter when we design workplaces? ⁰

by Steve Maslin • Comment, Events, Facilities management, Workplace design

Some may think this is a daft question. They’ll argue that of course people matter when we design workplaces. Granted, there are those for whom the human experience of the built environment is really important. They demonstrate this it in their attitudes and actions. However, based on some of the attitudes and actions I have observed over the years, I would suggest that the belief that people really matter when some designers design workplaces for them is quite frankly all too often skin deep. How do we know this? And if we accept that it is true, it then begs the secondary question of why this should be the case. Is it entirely our fault? What might we do to address the issues? In part, we know that people haven’t really mattered enough in design because of mistakes of the past. Meanwhile, society is facing many pressing challenges, ranging from health to housing, work to economy and climate change to resource depletion.