An optimistic take on the future of work

An optimistic take on the future of work

Setting aside the drastic personal tragedies, the financial devastation and the strain the virus has placed on government infrastructure, business, finance, and healthcare systems worldwide, the coronavirus has been able to achieve what legions of workplace strategists and change managers have been unable to do: encourage middle managers to give remote working a try. More →

Two-thirds of US workers are working in isolation

Two-thirds of US workers are working in isolation

Two-thirds of US based employees are currently working remotely at least part of the work week as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey from Clutch, a B2B ratings and reviews platform. The report claims that 44 percent of all workers are currently working from home 5 or more days per week, up from 17 percent before the pandemic. More →

Half of people working from home say their mental health has declined

Half of people working from home say their mental health has declined

working from homeHalf of UK workers (49 percent) say that their mental health has declined since working from home, according to a new survey from Qualtrics. The study also claims that actions taken by companies are having a significant effect on the wellbeing of their employees, with one in five (18 percent) claiming that their organisation’s actions have had a negative impact on their mental health. More →

Half of workers think the new normal will be the old normal

Half of workers think the new normal will be the old normal

Research commissioned by people analytics provider Visier claims that the vast majority of UK workers (77 percent) forced to work remotely due to Covid-19 feel their employers have done a good job of handling the urgent transition to remote working, but fear a return to the status quo. The poll analysed the remote working experiences of more than 1,000 people who are either not normally allowed to work from home or who do so no more than once per week on average. More →

Take part in global working from home experience survey

Take part in global working from home experience survey

A global survey to gather data about the impact of Covid-19 on how and where people are working has been launched by the Workplace Evolutionaries (WE), a Community of Practice within the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
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Working from home creates significant physical and mental challenges

Working from home creates significant physical and mental challenges

flexible workingThe Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has published a series of interim findings from the first COVID-19 homeworker wellbeing study, looking at how working from home for an extended period is affecting the UK workforce. These initial findings depict a worrying snapshot of the declining mental and physical health of many homeworkers. More →

So what sort of homeworker are you?

So what sort of homeworker are you?

With a plethora of social media posts advising us how to work at home, vlogs of employees making the best of their dining room set up and webinars about the new world of work, It’s about time to introduce a little light-hearted non-science into the mix. More →

The slacker`s guide to working from home in ten easy steps

The slacker`s guide to working from home in ten easy steps

working from homeIt’s funny how all the stuff we read online over the last few years about how to be and behave at work suddenly contradicts all the guff about how to be effective while working from home over the last few weeks. Well, here’s the guide for those who’ve been taking their internet reading to heart over the last few years. More →

The lights are on and there is definitely someone home

The lights are on and there is definitely someone home

As COVID -19 has taken hold and the very necessary lockdown begins, there are A large number of workers thrown into semi-permanent work settings that we hadn’t anticipated a month ago. The transitions will be easier for some than others but we all need a space that feels comfortable AND is conducive to productive working. More →

Most workers not productive while working from home, report claims

Most workers not productive while working from home, report claims

working from homeNo more than 15 percent of healthy workers confined to their homes will work productively, argues new research from right leaning think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs. Government restrictions on social interaction designed to slow the spread of coronavirus have led to a rapid increase in the number of people working from home. But a new briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) suggests this is unlikely to be maintained in the long term. More →

The UK is not well enough prepared for working from home

The UK is not well enough prepared for working from home

working from homeFigures released today suggest that the UK is one of the least prepared countries to introduce a mass home-working strategy. Leesman has surveyed more than 700,000 employees worldwide. Of the 139,778 UK workers in its index, 55 percent have little or no experience working from home, compared with 52 percent of respondents globally. More →

Flexible offices are not just an issue for the next generation

Flexible offices are not just an issue for the next generation

flexible officesFor as long as I have been in the industry, workspace has focused on the “next” generation whether that has been the overly-discussed millennials or Gen-Z.  As it has grown, the market for flexible offices has inevitably followed the same path, but in doing so its providers could have taken their eyes off the ball by lacking focus on the most cash-rich and flexible generation of all – Generation X. More →