Workers uncomfortable talking about mental health

Workers uncomfortable talking about mental health

A new survey from Babylon Health claims that nearly 80 percent of UK adults would be uncomfortable discussing their mental health with their employer. Workplace pressures were listed as the second-largest cause of anxiety among the 2000 participants, behind personal relationships. 45 percent of adults said they felt stressed by issues at work. (more…)

One in twenty workers not receiving paid holiday

One in twenty workers not receiving paid holiday

Around one in twenty workers report not receiving any holiday entitlement, while around one in ten do not receive a payslip ­– highlighting the scale of labour market violations across the UK – according to new analysis published by the Resolution Foundation. (more…)

High streets should switch focus to office space and high-skilled jobs

High streets should switch focus to office space and high-skilled jobs

Many British High Streets face a bleak future as policymakers are failing to identify a clear economic focus to city centre regeneration strategies. According to the Centre for Cities’ latest research, in partnership with Nationwide Building Society, success is defined by those policies that create skills, jobs and quality office space for businesses rather than currently accepted interventions such as cultural initiatives, business rate reforms and online sales taxes. (more…)

Flexible office space transforming US commercial property sector

Flexible office space transforming US commercial property sector

An image from the CBRE report on flexible office spaceA new report from CBRE claims that the US market for flexible office space will generate significant growth over the next decade, even in the event of a recession, as flex operators consolidate and forge financial partnerships with building owners. (more…)

Natural imagery can improve wellbeing of people at work

Natural imagery can improve wellbeing of people at work

wellbeing and natural imageryA new study from University of South Australia PhD student Bridgette Minuzzo suggests that workplace art that depicts natural imagery can improve levels of wellbeing even in offices that lack windows. Minuzzo installed nature-themed artworks at three university campuses and a hospital in Adelaide, measuring the mental wellbeing of participants beforehand and after. (more…)

Office costs continue to rise across the UK

Office costs continue to rise across the UK

office costs surveyLambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has released its latest Total Office Cost Survey (TOCS) which provides detailed information on office costs for over 50 UK locations. Across 54 surveyed locations, the survey shows the prime core of London’s West End remains by far the most expensive UK office location, with the annual cost for a new office in Mayfair standing at £18,988 per workstation. This stands at 139 percent above the UK average and 45 percent ahead of the next most expensive office location, the City of London. (more…)

Recognition is a more powerful motivator than pay, survey concludes

Recognition is a more powerful motivator than pay, survey concludes

Data from Engaging Works claims that recognition is a more powerful motivator than pay for employees. The data also suggests that a third of people feel they aren’t trusted to make decisions and have a poor relationship with their line manager. (more…)

Four day week not a good idea for UK, report concludes

Four day week not a good idea for UK, report concludes

four day weekThe debate about the introduction of a compulsory four day week or shorter hours may take a new turn following the publication of a new report commissioned by the Labour Party which concludes that a blanket limit on the hours worked by people in the UK is both unrealistic and potentially counter-productive, in spite of the fact that there is clear evidence for its effect on wellbeing and productivity. (more…)

Automation fear for workers not developing new skills

Automation fear for workers not developing new skills

A confident worker clearly has the right skills to adapt to automationOver half of workers believe automation will significantly change or make their job obsolete within the next ten years and three quarters would learn new skills or completely retrain to improve their future employability. Yet people given fewer opportunities to learn new digital skills are more fearful of the impact of automation, and are more likely to have lower levels of education. (more…)

People cannot focus for length of most meetings

People cannot focus for length of most meetings

An overwhelming majority (83 percent) of UK office employees are unable to concentrate in meetings for over 45 minutes, yet research from Sharp reveals that the average meeting lasts 49 minutes. This finding was supported by 55 percent of those surveyed, who claimed that work meetings are too long. This dissatisfaction appears to be caused by the difficulty in sustaining concentration in long meetings, with only 36 percent of UK employees indicating they are able to concentrate for a full 30 minutes. (more…)

Flexible working needs not met by employers

Flexible working needs not met by employers

Fewer than a third (32 percent) of UK workers are allowed to work remotely whenever they want, according to research from Capita which explores employee attitudes to remote/flexible working and the challenge employers face meeting their expectations of IT to do so.  ‘The State of IT – The Employee Verdict’ report (registration)  claims that almost three quarters of workers (71 percent) would like the option to work remotely, citing a better work-life balance (60 percent), reducing their transport costs (47 percent), and carbon footprint (35 percent) as their biggest drivers for doing so. (more…)

Start-ups slump as UK gears up for Brexit

Start-ups slump as UK gears up for Brexit

Brexit jigsaw missing start-upsThe number of new start-ups in the UK fell sharply last year and established firms scaled back their growth ambitions due to Brexit uncertainty, according to new data looking at the health of the grassroots economy. The findings have emerged from the Enterprise Research Centre’s UK Local Growth Dashboard report, an annual publication that looks at a range of metrics charting the growth of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for 99 percent of all firms in the UK. (more…)