Columnists
August 6, 2019
Gig economy worker rights demand a global approach
by Hina Belitz • Comment, Legal news, Working culture
British people increasingly work in temporary positions and on short term engagements: part of a fundamental global shift in the way we work. The domestic gig economy has seen the number of workers more than double in number since 2016, according to a recent report from the TUC and the University of Hertfordshire (conducted with […]
August 2, 2019
If you want to do your brain some good, take it outside
July 29, 2019
The tipping point for flexible working arrives
by James Geekie • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design
July 26, 2019
Self-employment might be good for mental health
by Mark Stabile • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing
The general picture of self-employment, the gig economy work and mental wellbeing is not a pretty one. Around the world, Uber drivers face wage and security worries. Deliveroo workers have too much competition. Airbnb owners face legal problems in Paris and other cities. But while these headlines suggest a dark cloud over the heads of […]
July 24, 2019
Agile working? This is Frank’s World and the rest of us just live in it
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace design
James Joyce had a word for moments of insight when we see right through convention and suddenly appreciate how things really are. He called such moments epiphanies. Such a flash of insight happened to me three or four years ago in Texas. I had been explaining to the partners of a very large international client […]
July 23, 2019
Office design should take account of the quality of interactions as well as quantity
by Jonathan Hindle • Comment, Workplace design
Ever since technology first made it possible for people to work remotely from their colleagues, there has been speculation not only that office design should change but even that the physical office could be dispensed with entirely, and with it the idea that people should come together to work in the same place at the […]
July 22, 2019
Problems with noise at work? A lot of it is in our heads 0
by Anna King • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
When it comes to working in an office, hell really can be other people. Many staff can have enormous difficulties coming to terms with the sounds that form the backdrop to their working day, especially if they work in open plan areas. The problem of noise at work is particularly acute right now because most […]
July 21, 2019
Sleeping on the job is now acceptable behaviour
by Colette Wade • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
Recently, Cornerstone OnDemand tested which learning and training courses are of most interest and truly matter to employees to help them navigate the world of work. Among the top five most popular courses, there was a resounding demand for those that centred around wellbeing. And the training that claimed the top spot was ‘The Science […]
July 18, 2019
Ergonomics regulations are no longer fit for purpose
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Legal news, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there. We can apply LP Hartley’s legendary opening lines from his novel The Go Between to many of the ways the world of work has changed over the last quarter of a century. And perhaps especially to The European Display Screen Equipment Regulations which were […]
July 15, 2019
The importance of self care for mental health
by Christine Husbands • Comment, Wellbeing
Nobody can fail to notice that mental health is high on the agenda for companies, employers have increasing expectations of their employers as well as increasing momentum from organisations such as the Health & Safety Executive to treat mental health risks in the same way as physical health risks. There are many excellent solutions available […]
July 11, 2019
Diversifying hiring practices to bridge the skills gap
by Jennifer Warawa • Comment, Workplace
Talent scarcity and the skills gap have become very real concerns in the UK. We are currently in a period of high employment, and at the same time, uncertainty surrounding Brexit has caused a reduction in immigrant labour, reducing the talent pool further. For accountancy, the skills gap issue is even more acute because it […]
August 7, 2019
Some uncomfortable truths about sitting down at work 0
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
The problem with the modish idea of fake news is that we’re not very good at spotting it. As with our driving, each of us possesses an unwarranted faith in our own abilities coupled with dismay at those of other people, unaware of just how much our own biases and fixed opinions distort the way […]