Employers not properly supporting older workers with health conditions

Employers not properly supporting older workers with health conditions

Employers not properly supporting older workers with health conditionsOne in four working people aged 55+ with a health condition are considering leaving work as a negative culture and bureaucratic procedures put many off speaking to their employers until a crisis point. This is according to a new report from Ageing Better, ‘Health warning for employers: supporting older workers with health conditions’, which claims that employers are not properly supporting older workers experiencing long-term physical and mental health conditions. Health is the most important factor affecting older workers’ decisions to stop working before reaching State Pension age. Ageing Better’s research finds that early access to support, small adjustments to the workplace and working patterns, and empathetic management are crucial to enabling people to manage their health at work and remain in employment. But the research also found that workers are often put off speaking to employers until the last moment due to poor workplace culture and overly bureaucratic procedures.

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Majority of staff say managers don’t care if they’re happy, even if it impacts performance

Majority of staff say managers don’t care if they’re happy, even if it impacts performance

Majority of staff say managers don’t care if they’re happy, even if it impacts performance

It probably comes as no surprise to learn that people work better if they’re happy, but according to a new survey over three quarters (79 percent) of workers believe their boss doesn’t care whether or not they are happy at work, even if being happier helps improve their performance.  The 2018 Happiness Survey from One4all asked employees from different age groups, genders and industries about the impact their happiness at work has on their productivity, and found that 39 percent of workers will work harder if they are happy in their current role or place of work. It suggests that happiness amongst workers goes a long way: almost a third (30 percent) of workers said they would even be more willing to work overtime or for longer when they are happy. The data also revealed that 38 percent of workers say their happiness impacts their performance at work, which means employee productivity and results also see a positive effect from a happy workforce.

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UK workers suffer a mid-life work crisis, with engagement levels dipping significantly at 45

UK workers suffer a mid-life work crisis, with engagement levels dipping significantly at 45

UK workers suffer a mid-life work crisis, with engagement levels dipping significantly at 45

A new survey has suggested a correlation between age and engagement levels, with those aged 45 to 54 the most likely to say their manager is not an engaged employee (41 percent), and that they are not an engaged employee (47 percent). In fact, almost two in five (36 percent) British employees think their manager is disengaged at work, according to new research from Rungway. The survey of 2,000 UK people defined an engaged employee as ‘someone who is fully absorbed by and is enthusiastic about their work, and so takes positive action to further the organisation’s interests.’ The findings also suggest managers’ disengagement may impact on employee engagement levels more broadly, with 40 percent of survey respondents saying they themselves are not an engaged employee. Those over 65 were found to be the most engaged at work (76 percent), followed by those aged 25 to 34 (69 percent) and 18 to 24-years-old (64 percent).

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Canada leads the way in worldwide surge in adoption of green buildings

Canada leads the way in worldwide surge in adoption of green buildings

Major metropolitan office markets across the globe are seeing a significant increase in the adoption of green building certification programmes, according to the inaugural International Green Building Adoption Index (IGBAI) – a study by CBRE and Maastricht University. The study reports that 18.6 percent of space in 10 markets across Australia, Canada and Europe is now certified green versus just 6.4 percent in 2007. Canadian cities set the pace, with 51.6 percent of the space in Vancouver (pictured) and 51.0 percent in Toronto holding green certifications. This is particularly notable for Vancouver, as the city has a formal initiative and action plan – “Greenest City 2020” – toward becoming the greenest city in the world by 2020. In Vancouver and Toronto, green buildings trends will continue to drive both new development and redevelopment of office product. In Vancouver, more than half of the 1.5 million-square feet of product under development is being built to high green certification standards, while much of Toronto’s existing class A product is undergoing intensive capital improvement projects that include upgrades aimed at earning green certifications as well.

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Report sets out business case for health and wellbeing in green buildings

Report sets out business case for health and wellbeing in green buildings

The World Green Building Council has launched a new report highlighting what it suggests are the tangible economic benefits of green buildings and the improved levels of occupant satisfaction when companies implement new health, wellbeing and productivity features in existing green structures. Doing Right by Planet and People: The Business Case for Health and Wellbeing in Green Building presents case studies of 11 facilities around the globe that have one or more green certifications including LEED, Green Star and BREEAM. The report evaluates health and wellbeing features that were integrated into the facilities, such as enhanced fresh air ventilation, acoustic privacy, increase of daylight penetration and use of biophilic design elements such as green walls and extensive indoor plants.

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Nearly half of London Law firms are already utilising AI

Nearly half of London Law firms are already utilising AI

Nearly half of London Law firms are already utilising AIThere have already been warnings from workplace experts that the legal profession isn’t one to choose for those starting out on their careers as it’s ripe for automation, and a new survey claims these changes are happening fast. According to a survey of over a 100 law firms by CBRE, nearly half (48 percent) are already utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a further 41 percent have imminent plans to do so. Of the firms already employing AI, 63 percent of firms are using it for legal document generation and review, and the same proportion for e-discovery. Due diligence (47 percent) and research (42 percent) were also common applications, along with compliance and administrative legal support (each 32 percent). The use of AI will affect employment levels, with the greatest impact predicted at the junior and support levels, where nearly half (45 percent) of firms believing that there will be a reduction in headcount. In contrast, only 7 percent of firms believe that senior headcount levels will be reduced.

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UK companies lag in offering flexible and remote working, claims report

UK companies lag in offering flexible and remote working, claims report

The UK lags behind in the shift to flexible and remote working, putting more emphasis on effective meetings to coordinate scattered teams, according to a new report, The Modern Workplace 2018: People, Places & Technology (registration required) from workplace software company Condeco. Across the world, the study of 500 organisations in six countries claims, workers are in the midst of a shift to flexible and remote working – spending more time working from home, on the move or from multiple locations. However, the UK is significantly behind in embracing these trends, which could negatively affect worker satisfaction as well as holding back firms who are competing for the best international staff.

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Reimagining the built environment would transform people’s lives, claims Design Council

Reimagining the built environment would transform people’s lives, claims Design Council

The Design Council and Social Change UK has launched its Healthy Placemaking report which highlights the outcomes from their survey of over 600 built environment practitioners across the UK including architects, town planners and urban designers. The aim of the survey was to gain insight and understanding of their experiences across multiple areas on the creation of a healthy built environment. The latest research from Design Council and Social Change UK claims that healthy placemaking can ‘sit outside mainstream UK housing, public health and placemaking policy. It continues to be seen as a cost to local development rather than an investment, and when considered alongside the plethora of local planning priorities and frameworks it often gets overlooked’.

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Globalisation prompts increase in number of CEOs from abroad at FTSE companies

Globalisation prompts increase in number of CEOs from abroad at FTSE companies

Globalisation increasing number of CEOs from abroad at FTSE’s largest listed companies

Globalisation is leading to a growing trend amongst FTSE listed companies to hire senior leaders from abroad as organisations look for leaders with international experience. Although UK CEOs remain the first choice, with 60 percent of CEOs who were appointed through internal promotion last year being British, according to the Robert Half FTSE 100 CEO Tracker, UK companies are now increasing the number of global CEOs within the FTSE 100. In practise this means that the total number of UK CEOs leading the FTSE 100 has slipped to 61 of the total 100 companies from 65 a year ago. Nearly half (47 percent) of those CEOs who were hired externally for the top position were of other nationalities and of the 14 new CEO hires made this year, eight were of UK heritage, while six are leaders from the rest of the globe, edging the dial ever closer to a 50/50 split.

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WELL Building Standard increases adoption rate in Europe

WELL Building Standard increases adoption rate in Europe

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) claims that its WELL Building Standard has now been adopted in more than 780 projects worldwide, covering 147 million square feet of real estate in 32 countries. In Europe more than 170 projects across 13 countries are applying WELL, representing a quarter of of global project square footage. According to the Institute, the growth over the past year has been led by early adopter markets, notably France, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands – as well as new expansion in Poland, Sweden and Ireland. Finland, Germany, Hungary and Italy, which registered their first projects in 2017.  Nearly 300 industry professionals in Europe have now passed the WELL Accredited Professional exam.

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Poor mobile connectivity in the workplace is undermining UK productivity

Poor mobile connectivity in the workplace is undermining UK productivity

Mobile connectivity in workplaces all around the UK is inadequate and is holding back the country’s productivity, claims a new report from telecomms provider CommScope.  In the poll of 2,000 British office workers almost half (44 per cent) said they need to step outside to make a phone call, or access 4G services on their mobile devices. The same report claims that 77 per cent of respondents see mobile coverage as ‘important’ for being able to complete tasks, and being productive, in general. There are also differences in connectivity, depending where you are located. London, Yorkshire and West Midlands have a relatively stable 4G connectivity, compared to the likes of North East or Wales.

Best workplaces in London honoured at the British Council for Offices annual Regional Awards

Best workplaces in London honoured at the British Council for Offices annual Regional Awards

Five businesses celebrated success last night, with Bloomberg, White Collar Factory, Havas UK, Here East and 10 Lower James Street all recognised as some of the best workplaces in London at the British Council for Offices’ (BCO) regional awards. The BCO’s awards programme claims to recognise the highest quality workplaces and sets the standard for excellence across the regional and national office sectors.

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