Microsoft unveils new Surface devices, headphones, and software updates

Microsoft unveils new Surface devices, headphones, and software updates

Microsoft expanded its Surface family of devices with Surface Headphones, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and Surface Pro 6, designed to offer more performance and productivity enabling people to achieve more. The devices seamlessly fade into the background, empowering people to work without interruptions to their creative flow, whenever and wherever inspirations strikes.

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Third of UK workers claim they are not given the flexibility and support required to do their job

Third of UK workers claim they are not given the flexibility and support required to do their job

A third of UK workers believe they are not given the flexibility and support they need to do their job properly, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by HR and payroll supplier MHR to coincide with National Work Life Week. The survey of 1174 UK employees, which questioned their  thoughts about their employers and company culture, found that 32 percent of employees don’t receive the option to work flexibly. The research claims that a combination of good management and flexible working practices helps to create a positive company culture, inspiring workers and impacting their overall happiness and job satisfaction.

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Half of workers admit tech multi-tasking affects concentration

Half of workers admit tech multi-tasking affects concentration

Over half of workers admit gadget-based multi-tasking affects concentrationAt the Smart Working summit last week, one of the speakers was asked his opinion on the growing acceptance of people using Smartphones, laptops and tablets during meetings. He replied that the fact workers are expected to plough through so many emails a day, it’s hardly surprising that people are now more likely to check their devices more frequently. Now new research suggests that (unsurprisingly) over half of workers believe this negatively affects concentration. According to a survey of 1,002 UK workers in full or part-time employment carried out by Probrand 89 percent confessed to ‘tech multi-tasking’ – or checking their devices during meetings. A further 81 percent are also guilty of doing so when they are actually carrying out other tasks at work. And although 45 percent of those who do this kind of gadget-based multi-tasking found it actually helps them to be more efficient, 53 percent admit that their concentration actually suffers as a result.

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First impressions count when it comes to office reception areas

First impressions count when it comes to office reception areas

First impressions count when it comes to office reception areas

Two out of every five people (40 percent) claim their perception of a company or brand has been negatively affected by their experience in the corporate lobby or reception area. Of 2,000 US and UK office workers surveyed in Proxyclick’s annual ‘Office Worker Bugbears’ survey, over 70 per cent (71.48 percent) cited unfriendly receptionists, followed by over half (53.78 percent) naming a lacklustre welcome as top reasons for their bad experience. ‘The Integrated Visitor Experience’, a white paper which explores integrated building, security and workplace management technologies, claims that visitors can feel a culture the moment they walk through the door to an office. Gregory Blondeau, Founder of Proxyclick, said: “Not five to ten years ago, the visitor experience did not really exist, the basic process simply covered how someone is received in a building or premises and how they’re able to move around. Today, the rise of smart buildings, developments in automation, open application programming interface standards and cloud technology, have changed the game.”  Click the link to download the ‘Integrated Visitor Experience’ white paper.

UK workers say menial tasks override GDPR compliance in their office

UK workers say menial tasks override GDPR compliance in their office

UK workers say menial tasks override GDPR compliance in their officeThe majority (86 percent) of UK office workers claim they are more likely to be told off for forgetting to do menial tasks, like emptying or loading the dishwater and keeping their workplace tidy, than complying with GDPR policies, according to a new poll which assessed whether GDPR is being taken seriously by UK office workers since its introduction in May of this year. The study from Fellowes found that only 14 percent of workers have been given a ticking off about careless handling of confidential data, while 25 percent claim office chores, like emptying or filling the dishwasher, has landed them in the hottest water. The data, collected from over 1,000 UK office workers in July 2018, also reveals that many are more likely to be challenged about missing deadlines and being late (17 percent) than ensuring they are compliant with GDPR.

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It’s better for you to be busy + A new era for commercial property? + Changing behaviour by design

It’s better for you to be busy + A new era for commercial property? + Changing behaviour by design

In this week’s Newsletter; The commercial property sector heads off in a new direction; why busier people tend to look after themselves more; executives love Big Data but have no idea what to do with it; procrastination isn’t all bad – read why right now, don’t put it off; changing benhaviour by design isn’t as easy as some might think; a Shakespearean take on tech addiction; and how local innovation fuels global design trends.  You can also download our most recent briefings on key topics, produced in partnership with Boss Design and BW Workplace Experts; dowlnload the new issue of Work&Place; visit our  events page curated by Herman Miller, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories. And don’t forget to subscribe – the form is there on the left.

The horrors and harmonies of workplace hierarchy

The horrors and harmonies of workplace hierarchy

I am a child of the seventies, and one of my favourite shows when I was just a tyke was The Jeffersons. For those not familiar with The Jeffersons, it was about a black family in New York City who had, through ambition and entrepreneurship, ‘made it to the top’. George Jefferson, the patriarch, was a bolshie character. Hijinks usually ensued. But what stuck with me about that show was the catchy theme song, Movin’ On Up. The lyrics were ‘I’m movin’ on up, to the upper east side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky… I finally got a piece of the pie.’ Growing up in suburbia, this was probably the first time that I learned the idea of a penthouse, and the notion that the higher up the building, the more important you were. It wasn’t until I was about age eight that I realised the word wasn’t ‘high-archy’, but ‘hierarchy.’

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Shift to agile working held back by ageing technology

Shift to agile working held back by ageing technology

The digital transformation of organisations and a shift to agile working is being held back by a reluctance to invest in new technology, according to a new report from Citrix and Capita.  The Workplace agility report claims that legacy applications are delaying digital transformation of the entire organisation for more than half of respondents (56 percent) of the 200 CIOs who took part in the study. The report also claims that the inability to introduce new tech also restricts the uptake of new ways of working and the creation of agile working environments.

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We need to take a scientific approach to the potential impact of AI

We need to take a scientific approach to the potential impact of AI

Should we be afraid of artificial intelligence? For me, this is a simple question with an even simpler, two letter answer: no. But not everyone agrees – many people, including the late physicist Stephen Hawking, have raised concerns that the rise of powerful AI systems could spell the end for humanity. Clearly, your view on whether AI will take over the world will depend on whether you think it can develop intelligent behaviour surpassing that of humans – something referred to as “super intelligence”.

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A changing world with inbuilt human obsolescence defines first day of CoreNet Global

A changing world with inbuilt human obsolescence defines first day of CoreNet Global

The  forces that are changing the world, from AI and the current digital and technological transformation, to the short and long-term implications of Brexit, provided many of the key lessons during the first day of the CoreNet Global Summit in Madrid.

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Staff prefer consumer digital comms platforms to corporate ones

Staff prefer consumer digital comms platforms to corporate ones

A new report claims that the way that workers wish to communicate digitally differs from the platforms that are actually sanctioned by their employers. The research by Maintel claims a substantial proportion of employees would like to use consumer-grade tools such as Snapchat or Facebook Messenger for work. According to the research, 24 percent say they would like Snapchat to be approved by their employer, 19 percent Twitter, while 17 percent say they would like to use Facebook Messenger and FaceTime to communicate with colleagues, customers and partners. More →

British Property Federation announces plans to modernise commercial property sector

British Property Federation announces plans to modernise commercial property sector

The British Property Federation (BPF) has launched a Technology and Innovation programme for the UK commercial property sector – to support the sector in its digital transformation – following the Government’s challenge to all sectors of the economy to improve productivity and deliver growth. The programme is launched with the publication of a new report produced by Future Cities Catapult, commissioned by the BPF, to understand the barriers to and opportunities for improving the productivity of the real estate sector through the application of technology.

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