Columnists

A look back at The Stoddart Review: the once and future guide to workplace productivity?

by • Comment, Workplace design

The Stoddart Review, published in 2016, was one of the most significant reports of recent years to explore the role of the workplace for employee productivity in extensive detail and why the office environment was key for productivity purposes. There has been a huge shift in the world of work since then. What we once […]

From pixels to patterns: the unprecedented surge in screen time

by • Comment, Technology, Wellbeing

Technology has transformed our personal relationships by making communication more accessible than ever before. But, are we implementing best practices to ensure a positive and sustainable relationship with our technological devices? In today’s digital age, screens have become an integral part of our daily lives. From smartphones and tablets to laptops and televisions, we are […]

A definitive new book on the madness of hybrid working goes one step beyond

by • Comment, Flexible working

In any crisis, there are people who spot an opportunity. One such opportunity, in early 2020, was to seize the term “hybrid” and apply it to the world of work and place. And for the past four years, we have seen the emergence of polarised commentators, arguing over two extremes; work from home, and ‘back […]

The significance of women’s health is increasingly acknowledged in the modern workplace

by • Comment, Wellbeing

Women, on average, outlive men but, as reported by the World Economic Forum (WEF, 2024), spend approximately 25 percent of their lives in poor health. According to the WEF, addressing the disparities in women’s health could dramatically reduce this statistic, enhancing the lives of billions globally. Notably, strategic improvements in women’s healthcare could add an […]

The scale of the problem for the workplace

by • Comment, Workplace design

There is a typically telling and intelligent Pixar moment in the film A Bug’s Life in which an already well-lubricated mosquito goes up to a bar and orders a ‘Bloody Mary, O Positive’. The barman plonks a droplet of blood down on the bar. The mosquito sinks his proboscis into it, sucks it down in […]

A just in time lesson about office design

by • Comment, Workplace design

The nascent years of new ways of working in the late 80s and early 90s coincided with a widely held but soon to be discarded belief that the Japanese had cracked management practices. So it was perhaps inevitable that the principles of a process called just in time manufacturing – most famously applied in the […]

When it comes to the carbon conundrum, real change will come from collaboration

by • Comment, Environment, Facilities management, Property, Wellbeing

Last week we launched our first white paper: Carbon Conundrum to Carbon Control and we were so delighted to be joined by a panel of experts across development, , engineering, design and consultancy. Through their discussion and with excellent engagement from our audience of developers, designers, contractors, agents, engineers and end users, there were a […]

All you need to know about the changes in employment law from 6 April 2024

by • Comment, Legal news, Workplace

There are a number of employment law changes coming into effect on 6 April 2024 that will impact SMEs the most. These modifications to employment law will profoundly influence the daily functions of businesses, especially during a period when SMEs face substantial economic challenges. It is essential for managers to revise their policies, engage with […]

A lightbulb moment about mental health and managing change

by • Comment, Wellbeing

According to the British Medical Association, the rates of mental illness have been steadily increasing in adults and at an even higher rate for children and young people over the past five years here in the UK. Resilience is often discussed as that aspect of mental health and coping, which is paramount to the ability […]

Menopause gift bags and monitoring toilet breaks: why are employers getting menopause support so wrong?

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace

A recent story involving Avanti West Coast, who provided a gift bag to staff experiencing menopause, is the latest in a series of misjudgements of menopause support by employers. The bag contained items such as a fan “for the hot sweats”, a jelly baby “in case you feel like biting someone’s head off” and a […]

How to create a truly inclusive office design

by • Comment, Workplace design

According to the Ministry of Social Policy in Ukraine, approximately 1/4 of the population belongs to groups with limited mobility, and unfortunately, this number is increasing due to the war. While the world has long been actively implementing the principles of inclusive design, it is particularly relevant in Ukraine now. Inclusive office design encompasses creating […]

When you empower your colleagues, you’re delivering excellence for them and your clients

by • Business, Comment, Wellbeing

The level of engagement within a company’s workforce significantly impacts clients satisfaction and its bottom line. Recent research by Gallup shows that teams with high levels of engagement enjoy a 10 percent uplift in client loyalty and a 23 percent increase in profitability compared to low-engagement teams. Empowering colleagues with learning and development programmes can […]

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