Hybrid working businesses say they are more optimistic about their future profitability

Hybrid working businesses say they are more optimistic about their future profitability

A new poll from flexible office provider International Workplace Group (IWG) claims that businesses operating with a hybrid working model are significantly more optimistic about growthA new poll from flexible office provider International Workplace Group (IWG) claims that businesses operating with a hybrid working model are significantly more optimistic about growth in the year ahead than those which do not offer employees flexibility about where they work. This follows a spate of so-called return-to-office-mandates from major corporates including Amazon and WPP. A study of more than 500 CEOs and senior business leaders by  found that 69 percent of businesses offering hybrid working had a positive outlook for 2025 compared to 44 percent of non-hybrid companies. More →

Flexible working is not an option for many of Britain’s two-tier workforce

Flexible working is not an option for many of Britain’s two-tier workforce

A new report from the social enterprise Timewise claims to reveal a growing divide in the UK workforce, highlighting the increasing gap between frontline workers, such as nurses, cleaners, and bus drivers, and office-based employees when it comes to access to flexible working and other factorsA new report from the social enterprise Timewise claims to reveal a growing divide in the UK workforce, highlighting the increasing gap between frontline workers, such as nurses, cleaners, and bus drivers, and office-based employees when it comes to flexible working hours and patterns. This divide, the report suggests, could be reduced if the government takes further steps to implement its upcoming Employment Rights Bill. More →

Small businesses remain upbeat about flexible working

Small businesses remain upbeat about flexible working

More than 80 percent of SME decision makers expect to see positive outcomes to their workforce from policy changes to flexible working rulesMore than 80 percent of SME decision makers expect to see positive outcomes to their workforce from policy changes to flexible working rules, a new poll  from NatWest Mentor suggests. In April 2024, under the previous Conservative government, new flexible working legislation was introduced across England, Scotland and Wales creating significant changes to how employees make flexible working requests and how employers must respond. More →

BSI launches research into how young people are affected by hybrid working

BSI launches research into how young people are affected by hybrid working

Young people who began their careers around the start of the Covid-19 pandemic or soon after are being invited to share their experiences of the workplace, as part of an inquiry into the effects of hybrid workingYoung people who began their careers around the start of the Covid-19 pandemic or soon after are being invited to share their experiences of the workplace, as part of an inquiry into the effects of hybrid working. To mark five years since the first lockdowns began globally, business standards and improvement company BSI is investigating the impact of the restrictions on younger workers, and how transformed ways of working have shaped subsequent career journeys. As part of this BSI has opened a public call for evidence, inviting submissions from individuals or groups with relevant experience on the topic. More →

If you want to get ahead in your career, get in to the office, report argues

If you want to get ahead in your career, get in to the office, report argues

Businesses are increasingly likely to prioritise workers willing to come into the office for pay rises and promotions, according to new researchBusinesses are increasingly likely to prioritise workers willing to come into the office for pay rises and promotions, according to a new poll from Reed Group. A year ago Reed.co.uk, which deals with over 30 million job applications a year, predicted that employers would increasingly mandate days in the office and would prioritise what it called the ‘in-person premium’. More →

NETGEAR adds blazing fast 5G WiFi 6 mobile router to Nighthawk lineup

NETGEAR adds blazing fast 5G WiFi 6 mobile router to Nighthawk lineup

NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTGR), the provider of award-winning connected products designed to simplify and improve people's lives, has expanded its unlocked 5G mobile router lineup with the launch of the NETGEAR Nighthawk® M3 Mobile Hotspot Router (MH3150).NETGEAR, the provider of award-winning connected products designed to simplify and improve people’s lives, has expanded its unlocked 5G mobile router lineup with the launch of the NETGEAR Nighthawk® M3 Mobile Hotspot Router (MH3150). The new product meets the growing demands for accessible and powerful WiFi coupled with advanced security features anywhere, anytime. More →

Working life in 2024 is defined by stress, poor management and loneliness

Working life in 2024 is defined by stress, poor management and loneliness

Despite living in an era of progress, people feel that stress, disengagement, and declining mental health are prominent in daily working lifeThe 2024 State of the Global Workplace report by Gallup sets out to provide a comprehensive analysis of employee experiences worldwide, revealing a large number of people who feel they are under increasing strain. Despite living in an era of remarkable technological and economic advancements, workers face significant challenges, with stress, disengagement, and declining mental health prominent in people’s daily working life. The report suggests that 41 percent of employees experience high levels of daily stress, with poor management practices being a major contributing factor. One in five workers report daily loneliness, an issue particularly pronounced among remote employees. More →

That conversation about hybrid working? Same as it ever was

That conversation about hybrid working? Same as it ever was

The term hybrid working may only have been in widespread use for a few years, but the ideas behind it stretch back decadesRecently I wrote a short article based on a 1993 Architects’ Journal interview with IBM’s then design manager of property, Peter Wingrave. It reminded me how discussions about new ways of working – now including that neologism hybrid working – have been a constant throughout my career. In that interview, Wingrave is quoted as saying: “I think there are interesting times ahead for offices. We are already seeing the slow breakdown of the traditional office which people come to in the morning and leave at night…We would like our offices to catch the social spirit of an old gentleman’s club; you just pop in when you need to. You get more out of people that way… we’re lucky if our marketing areas are ever 40 per cent occupied … It’s crazy to build, run, heat, light and decorate a building as if people were there when 60 per cent of the time you know they are not”. More →

University staff love to connect on campus, but also value time working from home

University staff love to connect on campus, but also value time working from home

A new survey reveals distinct trends in campus work culture and the growing preference for in-person interactions among academic staff, coupled with a desire to continue working from home when needed.A new report from Hassell, the 2024 Education Futures Survey, explores how hybrid working is reshaping the needs and expectations of Australian university staff. Based on responses from 300 university employees and a benchmark group of 500 office workers, the survey reveals distinct trends in campus work culture and the growing preference for in-person interactions among academic staff, coupled with a desire to continue working from home when needed. More →

Hybrid working leads people to use their commute as exercise

Hybrid working leads people to use their commute as exercise

The widespread adoption of hybrid working has led to a boom in active commuting - where workers combine their commute with physical exerciseThe widespread adoption of hybrid working has led to a boom in active commuting – where workers combine their commute with physical exercise – resulting in improved wellness, productivity, and job satisfaction, according to a new poll from IWG. The increased use of local flexible workspaces by hybrid workers has been central to this shift, says the firm, which provides local flexible workspaces. Almost two thirds (62 percent) of commutes to local workspaces are now mostly or entirely active, a 38 percent increase compared to commutes to city centre offices. More →

Remote workers are more likely to miss out on promotions

Remote workers are more likely to miss out on promotions

A new report claims that more than a quarter of remote workers believe they have missed out on a job promotion or opportunityA new report claims that more than a quarter (27 percent) of office workers who work flexibly believe they have missed out on a job promotion or opportunity. Even so, most remote workers say they still wouldn’t want to give up on flexibility. The Work Remastered 2024 survey of 1,000 office workers in the UK and US, carried out by consultancy United Culture claims to highlight a disconnect between what leaders and employees want. More →

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis, writes David RawlenceAs businesses, large and small, continue to adapt to post-pandemic realities, the demand for flexible working solutions continues to surge. The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis—often for just one to three days a week— whilst opening a unique opportunity for occupiers, landlords, operators, and investors. More →