January 28, 2016

Shortage of available office space for major occupiers in many US cities ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

The diminishing availability of office space across the US is creating challenges for major occupiers, according to a new report from CBRE. An improving economy and subsequent increase in office demand along with the slow commencement of new construction has led to a shortage of large blocks of available office space in some major cities, including Philadelphia, San Francisco and Manhattan. While construction activity began to increase recently, with many constrained central office markets having new projects under construction, heavy pre-leasing activity means that the increased supply is often not enough to meet demand from large space users. Among downtown markets in the third quarter of 2015, the fewest total available large blocks (defined as 100,000 square feet or more of contiguous space) in existing and under-construction buildings were in Philadelphia (six), San Francisco (seven) and South Manhattan (ten).

January 28, 2016

UK’s CEOs rate cyber security as greatest challenge for their company ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Technology

Almost three-quarters (74 percent) of chief executive officers in the UK rate cyber security as the third biggest risk to their company; over regulation and geopolitical uncertainty. Yet commenting on the firm’s 19th Annual Global CEO Survey, released at the World Economic Forum in Davos, PwC cyber security partner Richard Horne has warned that UK companies and institutions remain vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and more needed to be done by boards to protect company data and systems. He said there appeared to be a disconnect between concerns at the top of business and the speed and consistency with which these security measures can be implemented within organisations. This vulnerability to attacks becomes more stark with the speed of technological change and the way organisations’ new digital initiatives present greater potential for attackers, arming them with both new tools and a wider range of targets.

January 27, 2016

Employers embrace workplace engagement, but find it hard to measure ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

Businesses may appreciate the benefits of workplace engagement, but quantifying these remains a challenge. According to new research of European employers by Oracle, 93 percent acknowledge employee engagement is strategically important to their company and a majority say it positively impacts collaboration (65 percent), helps boost business performance (61 percent), and contributes to improved customer service (60 percent). Yet nearly two thirds (31 percent) say it’s difficult to measure the return of investment on their wider business, and 30 percent say boardroom decision-makers cannot easily understand its impact. And despite the availability of advanced analytics to measure engagement, the report also claims that current processes are not being optimised to drive engagement, as 68 per cent of businesses still rely on standard staff surveys to gauge engagement levels, with only 37 percent using more sophisticated methods.

January 27, 2016

Gap in the provision of wellbeing initiatives undermines UK workplaces ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Although there is much consensus among employers of the importance of actively supporting health and wellbeing in the workplace, there remains an ‘implementation gap’ that is threatening individuals’ health and long-term business sustainability. This is according to a new report from the CIPD, ‘Growing the health and well-being agenda: From first steps to full potential’, which found that fewer than one in ten (8 percent) of UK organisations currently have a standalone wellbeing strategy that supports the wider organisational strategy; that the majority of employers are more reactive than proactive in their approach to wellbeing (61 percent) and nearly two-fifths of employees [38 percent] are under excessive pressure at work at least once a week. With the average cost of absence now standing at £554 per employee per year – the CIPD is recommending employers take a more proactive approach to implementing a wellbeing programme.

January 26, 2016

Unethical employment practices drive ‘Gen S’ professionals away ⁰

by Sara Bean • Environment, Facilities management, News, Workplace

Over half of ‘Gen S’ workers would refuse to work for employers who have a record of using slave labour, generating high levels of pollution, employing unsafe working conditions, poor environmental performance, questionable investments and unethical practices. According to the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment’s (IEMA) annual Practitioner Survey these people see environmental roles as the career change of choice, with 42 percent of professionals who now work in these roles considering themselves “career changers”. Those entering the profession come from a variety of backgrounds including finance, operations, marketing and communications and R&D. Gen S workers are typically people in their mid-thirties, above average in their qualifications with 45 percent having a Master’s degree or doctorate, looking for more than just a career and earning money, but actively seeking a career which is primarily “ethical” in nature.

January 26, 2016

2015 was a record year for commercial property investment ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

At £64.3bn, investment in UK commercial property reached a new annual record last year, 4 percent above 2014, according to new research published by Lambert Smith Hampton. This performance was bolstered by a strong end to the year, with investment between October and December reaching £15.7bn, 23 percent higher than in the previous quarter. Investment in London reached £26.9bn, 4 percent higher than in the previous year. According to the report asset management will be vitally important in 2016, as rental income will be the main driver of performance, and as such, pro-active asset management initiatives, such as investment in office refurbishments in areas with few vacancies, are likely to offer the best prospects for investors. Explained Ezra Nahome, CEO of Lambert Smith Hampton: “This means that knowing your market, almost at a building-by-building level, and understanding the dynamics of each locality, will be more important than ever.”

January 25, 2016

Active building design may have positive health benefits, claims study ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Knowledge, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A study published this month in the journal Occupational Medicine suggests that buildings designed to promote active workstyles have a positive effect on the health of occupants. The research, led by Dr Lina Engelen of the University of Sydney, set out to explore whether an ‘active design’ office increased the physical activity, productivity and mindset of occupants. Although a small scale study with just 34 employees working in four locations at the University, the results suggested that people responded to the active design of the spaces by spending less time sitting and more standing and consequently reported lower levels of back pain. However, there was no improvement in productivity or physical activity. The research was based on 60 percent of people working in open plan areas, compared to just 16 percent before. Other studies have shown that sedentary work is linked to a wide range of ailments including heart disease.

January 22, 2016

New smart working code of practice launched by BSI and Cabinet Office ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Facilities management, Flexible working, Legal news, News, Public Sector

We’ll return to this in detail next week, but yesterday the business standards company BSI working with the Cabinet Office launched a new code of practice on Smart Working. The Smart Working Code of Practice, BSI Publicly Available Specification (PAS3000) has been designed to support organisations in implementing smart working principles. The Cabinet Office sponsors it on behalf of the Smart Working Charter Steering Group of industry, academia, institutions and other public sector bodies. According to the Cabinet Office, the code brings together best practice from across the world and across disciplines and will enable organisations to move from principles to standards and benchmark themselves against high performers in smart working. At the launch, the organisers also announced the second annual The Way We Work (TW3) Awards, a Civil Service programme recognising government teams that have created smarter ways of working.

January 22, 2016

Digital media is having ‘largely positive’ effects on professional lives ⁰

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

The digitization of content and data, along with new digital communication technologies, has fundamentally changed the way work gets done, and affected the nature of the employment relationship. While it has a largely positive impact on peoples’ lives, including individuals’ ability to find work, learn and develop skills, and balance work and life, it can, in some cases, lower worker productivity and increase inequality. These are among the key findings from Shaping the Future Implications of Digital Media for Society – a report by the World Economic Forum conducted in collaboration with Willis Towers Watson and presented at the WEF 2016 annual meeting in Davos. In the study, which included a survey of more than 5,000 digital users from five of the world’s most important markets; Brazil, China, Germany, South Africa and the US, over half (56 percent) reported digital media has transformed the way they work, and two-thirds said digital media has improved their ability to do work.

January 22, 2016

Unsympathetic bosses don’t want sick employees at work or the doctors ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Employers don’t want employees coming to work when they’re sick, but are frustrated by working time lost to doctors’ appointments, according to new research by AXA PPP healthcare. Nearly a third (32 percent) of bosses (owners, directors, senior and middle managers) say they’d prefer employees to take time off sick rather than come to work ill, yet 29 percent are frustrated by the working time lost when employees take time off for medical appointments. This is why employees tend to wait for a week to see if they recover before seeking medical advice, while over a third (35 percent) delay seeking treatment due to work hours and pressures. Over a quarter of bosses admit to asking an employee what’s wrong in order to find out whether their condition is serious enough to warrant taking time off and twelve percent say they would ensure that employees who attend medical appointments during working hours make up for the missed time.

January 21, 2016

Commercial property activity in South East rose by nearly a third last year ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

Over 3.2 million sq ft of office space was taken up in 2015 – up 28 percent from the previous year and 13 percent higher than the five year average. According to the latest figures from CBRE UK, the largest annual take-up increase occurred in the M25 South region, which improved dramatically from circa 404,000 sq ft in 2014 to circa 836,300 sq ft in 2015. Net supply remained unchanged across the South East from the end of the preceding year at around 12 million sq ft, 15 percent below the five year average. There was an increase in the proportion of Grade A supply in the market, and 34 percent of the total supply was either newly completed or under construction compared to 26 percent at the end of 2014. This was the result of take-up of Grade B space, loss of office space due to conversion to residential, and the delivery of new space.

January 21, 2016

Generation Z are preparing themselves for an automated world of work ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Cities, News, Technology, Workplace

The automated world is far closer than many people suppose. Yet one demographic group that is less fooled than others on that particular score is the one now starting to make its mark in the workforce, suggests a new report. Amplifying Human Potential: Education and Skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, commissioned by Infosys from researchers Future Foundation, claims that 42 percent of 16-25 year olds worldwide feel their education did not prepare them for the world of work they are encountering for the first time with over three quarters having to learn new skills to meet the demands of employers. The report also claims that 40 percent of young workers believe their current job could be replaced by automated systems including robotics within 10 years. The report lands in parallel with a cluster of stories which highlight just how quickly the world is moving towards an automated future.