Six weeks paternity allowance for self-employed and other dads could boost economy by £3 billion

Six weeks paternity allowance for self-employed and other dads could boost economy by £3 billion

by • Flexible working, News

Introducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefitsIntroducing a new six-week paternity allowance to support self employed and ‘worker’ fathers would generate a series of benefits worth nearly £3 billion per year to the UK, research has found. The proposal, published in a new Institute for Policy Research (IPR) policy brief, argues that providing paid leave for self-employed and worker fathers – including contractors or those in gig-economy roles – at the Statutory Paternity Pay rate (£187.18 per week) would deliver significant economic and wellbeing benefits for families and for UK society as a whole. (more…)

Most people managers would prefer not to manage people

Most people managers would prefer not to manage people

by • News, Workplace

More than two-thirds of managers would rather not be managers at all, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by SafetyCultureMore than two-thirds of managers would rather not be managers at all, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by SafetyCulture. According to the poll, 69 percent of team leaders in frontline sectors across the UK and Ireland would prefer not to manage people if there was no impact to their salary or benefits. Younger generations are the least willing to be managers. Nearly three-quarters of Generation Z and Millennial managers (73 percent) say they’d rather be individual workers compared to 65 percent of people aged 50 or older. (more…)

New digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read online. If you don’t get the print edition, you’re missing out

New digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read online. If you don’t get the print edition, you’re missing out

by • News, Premium Content, Workplace design, Works Magazine

The new issue of Works magazine is now available for you to read online free. 2026 promises to be yet another revolutionary year for work and workplaces and we'll be with you at every step along the waThe new issue of Works magazine is now available for you to read online free. 2026 promises to be yet another revolutionary year for work and workplaces and we’ll be with you at every step along the way. In this issue: you’ll find three case studies and a round up of projects highlighting new thinking and best practice in workplace design; we consider how Canary Wharf and other business districts are in rude health in spite of the obituaries we may have read about them in recent years; there’s commentary from Adam Scott, Su Lim and Stephanie Fitzgerald; we have reports from two round tables in London as well as a look back on Design Mumbai; the latest news on products, materials and events. Plus there are loads more features, including our podcast series with Shaw Contract exploring the different facets of comfort. (more…)

Refurbishment dominates UK cities office development pipeline

Refurbishment dominates UK cities office development pipeline

by • News, Property

Refurbishment projects account for the largest share of the office development pipeline across the UK’s major regional citiesRefurbishment projects account for the largest share of the office development pipeline across the UK’s major regional cities, as new build activity remains subdued and occupiers continue to favour high quality, sustainable space. According to new figures from Avison Young, refurbishment schemes now represent the majority of space under construction in the Big Nine regional office markets. The volume of refurbishment space in the pipeline has risen by 12 percent year on year, reflecting a sustained shift towards upgrading existing stock rather than delivering entirely new buildings. (more…)

Government office closures deliver over £17 million in annual savings

Government office closures deliver over £17 million in annual savings

by • News, Property

The UK government says it has secured more than £17 million in annual savings over the past six months by closing three central London office buildingsThe UK government says it has secured more than £17 million in annual savings over the past six months by closing three central London office buildings and relocating staff into existing space within the public estate. The most recent closure is 10 Victoria Street, which ministers say will generate around £8.8 million a year in rental savings alone. The building has been vacated as part of a wider programme to reduce reliance on leased properties and consolidate departments into what officials describe as better used government offices. (more…)

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

by • Flexible working, News

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employmentA significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

by • Environment, News

A sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demandA sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demand and the potential impact on UK climate commitments, according to a report by The Times [paywall]. According to the newspaper, Ofgem, the energy regulator, has received connection enquiries for around 140 new data centre projects. Together, they are seeking approximately 50 gigawatts of electricity capacity, a figure that exceeds Britain’s entire recent peak electricity demand of about 45 gigawatts. The scale of the requests has raised questions about whether existing infrastructure planning and carbon reduction pathways are aligned with the speed of digital expansion. (more…)

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

by • Business, News

Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition,Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition, according to the latest State of Small Business Britain report from the Enterprise Research Centre. The annual study draws together findings from a range of business surveys and shows that 36 percent of working age adults are now starting, running or planning to launch a business. This is the highest level recorded since the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor began tracking activity in 1999. Early stage entrepreneurial activity has doubled since the early 2000s and has stabilised at around 12 percent. (more…)

Employment Rights Act is already putting the brakes on hiring, CIPD warns

Employment Rights Act is already putting the brakes on hiring, CIPD warns

by • News, Workplace

New research from the CIPD suggests the Government’s Employment Rights Act could discourage employers from recruiting permanent staff, add to business costs and increase workplace conflictNew research from the CIPD suggests the Government’s Employment Rights Act could discourage employers from recruiting permanent staff, add to business costs and increase workplace conflict. The findings come from the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook, based on a survey of more than 2,000 UK employers. It reports that overall hiring intentions remain at their lowest level on record outside the first year of the pandemic. (more…)

ULI Europe publishes new guide on asset-level collaboration to accelerate decarbonisation of occupied buildings

ULI Europe publishes new guide on asset-level collaboration to accelerate decarbonisation of occupied buildings

by • Environment, Facilities management, News

ULI Europe has published a new Asset Sustainability Committees Best Practice Guide through its C Change programme to support collaboration between owners, occupiers and property managers in decarbonising multi-let commercial buildingsULI Europe has published a new Asset Sustainability Committees Best Practice Guide through its C Change programme to support collaboration between owners, occupiers and property managers in the decarbonisation of multi-let commercial buildings. Across Europe, the commercial real estate sector has made significant progress in setting net zero and sustainability commitments. However, translating these ambitions into measurable action within occupied buildings remains a persistent challenge. (more…)

AI adoption exposes generational divide in management, research finds

AI adoption exposes generational divide in management, research finds

by • AI, News

KEDGE Business School has published new research suggesting that artificial intelligence (AI) is already reshaping management practice, but that a strong generational divide is emergingKEDGE Business School has published new research suggesting that artificial intelligence is already reshaping management practice, but that a strong generational divide is emerging in how leaders use the technology. The findings come from an OpinionWay survey carried out in October 2025 among managers, and point to younger leaders adopting AI at a significantly faster pace than their older counterparts. While AI tools such as ChatGPT are now widely used across the profession, the study suggests that managers under 40 are far more likely to integrate AI into day-to-day leadership decisions, while older managers remain more cautious and selective. (more…)

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace design

A new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settledA new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settled, with average occupancy remaining well below pre-pandemic norms and peak attendance continuing to cluster midweek. The Hybrid Occupancy Index 2025–2026 [registration] published by workplace analytics firm HubStar, draws on data from more than 300 million square feet of office space across 173 buildings in 13 countries, covering more than 27,000 workspaces between January 2023 and December 2025. (more…)

1 2 3 4 5 >»