December 17, 2021
December 15, 2021
Poor data means most property investors fail to consider human health
by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Wellbeing
Property investors are not considering how the indoor conditions of a building will impact upon human health due to poor data, a new survey suggests. The ESG Data Challenge survey, which details the views of 121 real estate investors and professionals, claims there were serious issues in the quality of environmental, social governance (ESG) data being received, with many doubting its quality. More →
December 2, 2021
UK employees health demands on returning to the workplace
by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working lives
As the new Covid-19 variant, omicron, threatens to spread across the globe, research from Infogrid, claims that people who have not had their Covid-19 vaccination have become a major barrier to employees wanting to return to the physical office. Over half (57 percent) of UK employees who attend or expect to return to the physical workplace said they are worried about encountering people at work who are not vaccinated. More →
December 1, 2021
Being a compassionate leader is good for business
by Paul Hargreaves • Business, Comment, Wellbeing
One leadership characteristic that I believe should be prioritised above all others is compassion because every day I see that the world could benefit from kinder leaders. All other leadership qualities are interconnected with compassion. If we are to feel and demonstrate compassion, it is imperative to have a deeper understanding of connectivity with others and how to develop as a compassionate leader. More →
December 1, 2021
Longer lives significantly contributing to European economies, new reports claims
by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing
A series of reports published by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC) highlights the economic opportunities of longer lives across Europe. According to the reports, older people’s contributions across the European region are significant, and growing. The reports call for countries to better support older people’s economic contributions, particularly through greater investment in preventative health measures that support healthy ageing – the authors call for governments to invest at least 6 percent of their health budgets on these interventions, such as vaccines, screenings, early detection and management of disease. More →
November 29, 2021
Winds of change are blowing through the office
by Ben Capper • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
Whilst driving through Zürich in a hailstorm I passed a Mercedes with a plastic bin liner taped over a missing window. Two thoughts struck me. First: this must be the result of the owner locking himself out of the car, as car crime is a fictional event in Switzerland (bike theft is preferred). The second was how utterly pointless this flapping piece of plastic served as an attempt to seal the broken window. More →
November 26, 2021
Doing what you love may not automatically make you happier at work
by Dr Tracy Brower • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace
There is a classic saying which has shaped our job choices for years: “Do what you love, the money will follow.” New research suggests this may be true, although not in the way it was originally conceived. The typical logic train has suggested job interest shapes satisfaction and, in turn, satisfaction may drive better performance. However, new research published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior provides some fresh perspectives. It turns out satisfaction has many facets. While interest is one component in job satisfaction, it is not the primary component. Elements such as the organization, relationships with colleagues, leadership and compensation are actually more important than interest in predicting satisfaction. More →
November 26, 2021
Employer support for domestic abuse survivors must adapt to reflect changing hybrid working patterns
by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Workplace
New research commissioned by Vodafone Foundation ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November 2021 claims that a third of workers experienced domestic abuse during the last 12 months, with more than half of those saying that abuse had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. More →
November 24, 2021
The great office door handle problem
by Mark Eltringham • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design
Architects and designers have always a had a thing for door handles. It’s the kind of detail they like and one of the most genuinely tactile features of a building. Architects from Frank Gehry to Zaha Hadid have worked on the designs of door handles for manufacturers. It was the Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa who described the door handle as ‘the handshake of the building’ in his architectural theory book?The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses in 2005. This was cute before last March but now looks slightly menacing. More →
November 24, 2021
Majority of UK workers would choose an employer based on health and wellbeing support
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing
A survey of hybrid-office and home-based UK workers gives insight for employers into some of today’s biggest needs for office workers to carry out their roles. 73 percent of UK workers believe that the provision of ergonomic work conditions, as well as support for their health, will play a bigger role when choosing a company to work for. More →
November 24, 2021
Brits reluctant to take a sick day during the pandemic
by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Working lives
December 3, 2021
Menopause may amount to a disability under law in some cases
by Kathryn Clapp • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing
World Menopause Day is held each year on 18 October and its purpose is “to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing” according to the International Menopause Society. This autumn, we have seen this awareness translated into a practical response by the UK Government. More →