January 24, 2023

Hybrid working remains a key recruitment tool

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Over four in five (83 percent) HR professionals across the UK say that hybrid working is essential in attracting the best talent, according to a new survey from flexible workspace operator IWG. The poll of 500 UK HR professionals suggests that benefits like hybrid working, which give employees a better work/life balance, are crucial for attracting talent. Almost two thirds (64 percent) of HR professionals have experienced applicants turn down a job because of a lack of wellness benefits such as flexible working and exercise options. More →

January 23, 2023

Half of people never thought they’d be back working in an office last year

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

More than half of UK employees did not believe they would return to office based work full time in 2022, according to a survey by GlobalData. The poll from the analytics company which focuses its research on the insurance sector suggests that increasing consumer demand for flexible working models presents both challenges and opportunities. GlobalData’s survey, conducted as part of research for its Insurance Intelligence Center, indicates that only 40 percent of those surveyed anticipated a return to the office in 2022. More →

January 19, 2023

Third of firms believe hybrid working improves productivity, but at a cost

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

A poll from the latest Bupa Global Executive Wellbeing Index suggests that over a third (35 percent) of UK business leaders feel implementing hybrid working has brought greater productivity to their organisations. Over a quarter (29 percent) of UK executives said they had now embraced the benefits of hybrid working despite being previously dubious about the practice, with more than two-fifths (44 percent) saying they personally enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid workplace. Overall, over a third of UK business leaders (35 percent) agreed that working from home increases productivity. More →

January 12, 2023

Wellbeing and organisational agility will dominate workplace conversations in 2023

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing will dominate conversations about the role of work in people’s lives this year, due in part to the effects of the global pandemic, as well as social and economic instability around the world, according to the latest megatrends report from UKG. The report claims that many people are feeling overwhelmed in the face of negative news cycles headlining economic uncertainty, climate change, violence, and political unrest have contributed to a spike in mental wellbeing issues. More →

January 12, 2023

Rising costs will oblige more companies to offer flexible working

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Two thirds of UK businesses believe offering flexible working to their employees is crucial if they are to successfully retain and attract talent, according to a new report. Businesses don’t believe they cannot compete on salary alone and are instead offering flexibility to stay competitive. Over half (52 percent) of businesses have increased salaries to attract talented workers, but say wages rises can’t continue at the rate they have been going. The second Future World of Work report from Sonovate is based on quantitative research from 4,000 people and 500 small and medium-sized business owners, as well as qualitative interviews with commentators from the future of work, employment and fintech sectors. More →

January 10, 2023

Flexible working and work-life balance most important features of new job roles

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

One in three (33 percent) employees say the most important factor to them when contemplating a move to a new job, after pay, is work-life balance, according to a new poll of 13,000 UK based employees from Hays. The survey suggests that the extent to which employees are satisfied with their work-life balance has been improving over the last three years. More →

January 10, 2023

People prefer flexible to hybrid working according to new poll

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News

A new poll from MHR claims that people appear to prefer flexible to hybrid working. It suggests that a greater proportion of employees would prefer to work in the office with flexible hours (51 percent) than work from home with structured hours (41 percent). The survey [registration] of over 1,200 full time office workers across the UK and Ireland set out to find how their experience working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic compared to their usual work practices. More →

January 4, 2023

What IS hybrid working?

by Neil Usher • Comment, Flexible working

In an uncharacteristically Waddellian moment*, the Word of the Year for 2022 according to The Economist was ‘hybrid work’. Yet despite its ubiquity, in the comparative calm of social channels over the holiday period lurked claims that no-one knows what hybrid working is. Even though millions of people are doing it. Given that such an assertion came as a surprise, there was only ever going to be one opening post for 2023: an attempt to explain it. More →

December 20, 2022

Never mind the workplace predictions, here’s some bollocks

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace design

Time of the year for looking backwards and forwards. For workplace predictions and retrospectives. The Economist announces that the word / term of the year is hybrid work. This is interesting because, although The Economist is using it as an interchangeable term for flexible working as many do, a great deal of energy is still expounded on defining exactly what it means. We may work out when the obsession with three days in the office, two at home thing started. But for now, determining where people are at any given time doesn’t seem very flexible to me. More →

December 14, 2022

How different European countries tax working from home

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News

When it comes to the tax implications of working from home, Belgium seems to be the most attractive European country. Those regularly working from home in Belgium can claim over €1,700. No other of the eleven nations examined by The Mobile Bank N26 manages to match the Belgians in this regard. In addition to Germany’s neighbour, Spain, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Greece, Poland and France were also analysed. As the data suggests, regulations and tax relief opportunities differ between nations, sometimes significantly. More →

December 14, 2022

People want their offices to perform more like hotels

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Technology

Employees today want more ‘hotel-style’ amenities such as areas for socialising, state-of-the-art infrastructure, outdoor spaces, onsite cafes, air conditioning, and flexible work facilities to entice them back to offices, according to a new poll from MRI Software. The firm’s Workplace Report [registration] claims almost two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents say such hotel-style features impact their decision on whether to work for an organisation, including more than one in ten who see failure to provide the right amenities as a deal breaker. More →

December 14, 2022

Three quarters of flexible office operators eye expansion and landlords want a piece of the action

by Freddie Steele • Flexible working, News, Property

Around three quarters of flexible office operators globally are looking to expand – primarily in city centres – while 64 percent of landlords want to deliver flexible office solutions, according to The Instant Group’s Future of Flex 2022 flexible office survey. The Instant Group’s annual flexible workspace survey, which is based on providers representing more than 3,700 locations across the globe, also delves into changing occupier motivations within the industry, and how both operators and landlords are reacting to these demands. More →