Columnists
December 3, 2024
Do you have leadership paralysis?
by Jennifer Bryan • Business, Comment, JB
There are so many different theories on how to lead change. Tom Peters says we should not discuss change but organisational revolution (Peters,1991); Chris Argyris talks about change management as flawed advice (Argyris, 1985); Kotter puts forward a top down change transformation process (Kotter, 1995); Beer, Eisnestat and Spectors, discuss a bottom-up process (Eisnestat and […]
November 28, 2024
These are very early days in our relationship with Generative AI
by Jo Sutherland • AI, Comment
The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 marked a milestone moment for artificial intelligence, bringing what was once a niche technology firmly into the mainstream. Suddenly, AI and especially Generative AI, wasn’t just the prerogative of data scientists and tech developers. It was a feature in everyday conversations, a presence in business strategies, and a […]
November 20, 2024
Life science interiors: here’s how to create a petri dish for scientific breakthroughs
by Tal Ben-Amar • Comment, Workplace design
Life science research has grown exponentially in recent years, driving an increasing demand for specialised laboratory spaces. These facilities – including wet labs, dry labs, and their supporting infrastructure – all serve a unique purpose. Like a Petri dish providing the perfect environment for scientific experiments, life science interiors need to balance precision with functionality. […]
November 8, 2024
That conversation about hybrid working? Same as it ever was
by Marcus Bowen • Comment, Facilities management, Flexible working, Property
Recently I wrote a short article based on a 1993 Architects’ Journal interview with IBM’s then design manager of property, Peter Wingrave. It reminded me how discussions about new ways of working – now including that neologism hybrid working – have been a constant throughout my career. In that interview, Wingrave is quoted as saying: […]
November 5, 2024
Where are the iconic office furniture products of yesterday?
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace design
Late last year, this image went viral on social media. It is of a group of Bauhaus design students from around 1927. They are called Martha Erps, Katt Both and Ruth Hellos. The full image (reproduced below) shows them with legendary office furniture designer Marcel Breuer, who Erps would later marry. The story of the […]
October 31, 2024
Four honest impressions of Orgatec 2024
October 29, 2024
How commercial property owners can boost revenues and occupancy in light of the Autumn Budget
by Dieter Wood • Comment, Facilities management, Property, Workplace design
The Autumn Budget is anticipated to introduce a series of tax increases that could directly impact commercial property owners, including changes to capital gains tax (CGT), national insurance contributions, and business rates. These changes could have a ripple effect across the property market, influencing both investment decisions and tenant demand. These are the key areas […]
October 21, 2024
The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth
by David Rawlence • Comment, Flexible working, Property
As businesses, large and small, continue to adapt to post-pandemic realities, the demand for flexible working solutions continues to surge. The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis—often for just one to three days a week— whilst opening a unique opportunity for occupiers, landlords, operators, and investors.
October 18, 2024
Navigating misconduct in the workplace: a lawyer’s perspective
by Jess Bass • Comment, Workplace
Lloyd’s of London has been in the news because it has proposed significant steps to address the notorious levels of misconduct in its sector, as well as tackling bad behaviour across its network. With the Worker Protection Act coming into force on the 26 October 2024, which stipulates new proactive duties on employers to take […]
October 15, 2024
Employers need to be proactive to address problem of sexual harassment at work
by Ray Silverstein • Comment, Workplace
In today’s evolving workplace landscape, the issue of sexual harassment at work and the work-related environment remains a pressing concern for employers and employees alike. Recent surveys have shed light on the pervasive nature of this problem, revealing that a significant portion of workers continue to experience sexual harassment at work not only from colleagues, […]
October 10, 2024
Striking the delicate balance of AI regulation and innovation
by James Fisher • AI, Comment, Technology
As AI continues to advance, navigating the balance between regulation and innovation will have a huge impact on how successful the technology can be. The EU AI Act came into force this summer, which is a move in the right direction towards classifying AI risk. At the same time, the Labour government has set out […]
December 9, 2024
Brain rot is the word of the year and we only have ourselves to blame
by Mark Eltringham • AI, Comment
Brain rot is the word or phrase of the year 2024 according to the Oxford University Press. And right on time, we have the viral story of the hawk tuah girl meme coin rug pull to prove it. If you don’t know what any of that means, then do yourself a favour by not finding […]