People are spending more time in the office, but no sign of a full return for many

People are spending more time in the office, but no sign of a full return for many

Many of the UK’s tech workers are embracing a structured return to spending more time in the office, according to a new report. According to the survey of 2,000 people from Techspace, there has been a ‘notable shift’ towards embracing structured office time, with Monday to Wednesday emerging as the top choices for in-office workdays. The report claims that this preference indicates a growing recognition of the benefits of face-to-face collaboration and a desire for a more traditional office environment. More →

We must embrace AI for sustainable workforce transformation

We must embrace AI for sustainable workforce transformation

Some say AI will take on “80 percent of the jobs that exist today”, but history has shown that technological advancements have consistently led to the creation of new job rolesEach technological revolution has gotten faster; and the era of Artificial Intelligence is accelerating at an unprecedented rate—an intimidating prospect, given Musk’s recent prediction of AI surpassing human intelligence. Some say the tech will take on “80 percent of the jobs that exist today”, but history has shown that technological advancements have consistently led to the creation of new job roles, elevating the standard of living and improving overall productivity. More →

As hybrid offices continue to evolve, report explores global occupancy planning

As hybrid offices continue to evolve, report explores global occupancy planning

how hybrid offices are actively shifting to accommodate a greater variety of work activities and how companies can look at occupancy planning and workplace design more holistically to reflect these changesFour years after the start of the pandemic, a new survey from JLL claims that hybrid working is now the most common workstyle globally, with 87 percent of organisations operating with a hybrid program today. JLL’s new 2024 Global Occupancy Planning Benchmarking Report claims to outline how hybrid offices are actively shifting to accommodate a greater variety of work activities and how companies can look at occupancy planning and workplace design more holistically to reflect these changes. By investing in new technologies, leveraging utilisation data and prioritizing individual and private seating, companies can ensure they are effectively reflecting the workplace’s changing needs. More →

While AI revolutionises the workplace, employees take charge and companies scramble

While AI revolutionises the workplace, employees take charge and companies scramble

 

A new study claims to reveal a new dynamic unfolding in the workplace: a rush towards AI adoption driven by employees, even as companies struggle to keep paceA new study claims to reveal a new dynamic unfolding in the workplace: a rush towards AI adoption driven by employees, even as companies struggle to keep pace. The 2024 Annual Work Trend Index from Microsoft and LinkedIn titled AI at work is here. Now comes the hard part highlights one particular finding: 79 percent of leaders believe AI is crucial for staying competitive, yet 60 percent worry their companies lack a proper plan. This leadership gap is creating a situation where employees are taking matters into their own hands. More →

Scale AI announces plans for new European headquarters in London

Scale AI announces plans for new European headquarters in London

 

Scale AI has selected London as the location for its first European headquarters, reinforcing the company’s mission to accelerate the development of AI globallyScale AI has selected London as the location for its first European headquarters, reinforcing the company’s mission to accelerate the development of AI globally. Scale’s United Kingdom (UK) office will serve as the centre of its operations in Europe. The firm is an artificial intelligence company headquartered in San Francisco in the US State of California. The company provides labelled data used to train AI applications. The firm was founded in 2016 by Alexandr Wang and Lucy Guo who had previously worked at Quora. More →

Most firms lack the right tech for hybrid working

Most firms lack the right tech for hybrid working

A new poll from Ricoh Europe claims that the majority of organisations lack the technology to support flexible working, with only 30 percent of European employees saying they have all the technology to collaborate seamlessly when working with other colleagues. More →

Hybrid working era means a boom time for workplace apps

Hybrid working era means a boom time for workplace apps

A new generation of workplace apps, coupled with a choice of settings, help people tailor their days and their experiencesDisseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days apps promise a much more sophisticated workplace experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” More →

Trust gap on AI in the workplace must be overcome if businesses are to get ahead

Trust gap on AI in the workplace must be overcome if businesses are to get ahead

With many AI firms increasingly pivoting towards developing specialised tools for easier integration into the workplace, it may come as a surprise that half of the companies Freeths recently surveyed have no plans at all to implement them, with only 15 percent reporting that investing in artificial intelligence tools for human resources was a strategic priority. More →

AI is not coming for your job. But it will make it better

AI is not coming for your job. But it will make it better

Barry Murphy, Vice President GTM - Cloud, Applications & Infrastructure, Unisys, explains how business leaders can reassure workforces that AI will enhance their jobs, not replace them. “Artificial intelligence will outsmart humans, resolve all IT and business problems, and humans will not be needed in the workforce!” These are some of the most common misconceptions that too many companies and workforces currently have around AI and automation. To date, workforces have been inclined to broach AI with apprehension due to concerns that it will negatively affect or eliminate their jobs. Conversations have skewed towards the technology as a disruptive force, here to steal jobs and ultimately leave people redundant. A study found that 60 percent of workers are concerned about job loss in regards to working with Gen AI. Additionally, a further third worried that,  despite AI being unable to completely  replace them, it could make them less useful in the workplace. More →

European and Asian cities dominate latest smart city rankings

European and Asian cities dominate latest smart city rankings

European and Asian Cities Take Lead in Smart City Race, North America Falls Behind. Zurich named world's top smart cityZurich tops the 2024 Smart City Index, with European and Asian cities dominating the rankings. The report, released by the IMD World Competitiveness Center’s Smart City Observatory and the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), analyses data and resident surveys from 142 cities globally. Seven of the top 10 smartest cities hail from Europe. These leading cities prioritize initiatives that improve residents’ quality of life, such as green spaces, cultural events, and social engagement. Additionally, they focus on attracting talent, fostering sustainable investments, and tackling inequality. More →

Roboquitting is the latest workplace trend to emerge in the era of hybrid working

Roboquitting is the latest workplace trend to emerge in the era of hybrid working

Hybrid working ushered in the era of quiet quitting. Now people are using AI to take the idea one step further. Say hello to roboquittingThe era of hybrid working has driven many changes in the way people work. And the latest workplace trend to emerge is something called roboquitting. It takes advantage of remote work and AI to allow people to automate parts of their jobs, freeing them for side hustles and more free time. It builds on the trend for quiet quitting over the past four years, which describes how people do the minimum requirements of their job. They put in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary to collect a salary. More →

Majority of young professionals feel happy about embracing AI in their lives

Majority of young professionals feel happy about embracing AI in their lives

More than half of young professionals feel comfortable or very confident about the increasing integration of AI in various aspects of daily lifeMore than half of young professionals feel comfortable or very confident about the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in various aspects of daily life, while only 15 percent reported feeling unsettled or scared about the prospect, according to new research from CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education. Half (50 percent) also stated that social media impacts their life positively, while only just over a quarter (27 percent) feel that social media has a negative impact on their lives. Overall, 70 percent of graduates said that they feel optimistic about the future. More →