Columnists
July 11, 2016
Multi-tasking and workplace distractions don’t allow us to focus on the essentials
by Charles Marks • Comment, Knowledge, Workplace, Workplace design
Although the structure of our brains is largely the same as that of our hunter-gatherer prehistoric ancestors, that does not mean they are immutable. Research shows that the way our brains change in response to technology and the changing workplace suggests they are subject to a certain degree of ‘rewiring’. For example, a recent study found […]
July 6, 2016
Which aspects of workplace design are most important to personal wellbeing? 0
by Marc Bird • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
There is no doubt that the UK’s office based knowledge industry is facing a crisis in the form of a ‘wellbeing deficit’. Both the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have reported record levels of absenteeism, with the latter attributing 23.3 million lost working days to work-related ill-health, such as […]
July 5, 2016
Sea and space: the final frontiers for remote working and connectivity 0
by Neil Franklin • Case studies, Comment, Knowledge, Legal news, Technology
Tim Peake’s recent return home from space at the end of a six month stay in the International Space Station highlighted just how essential it is for people to stay in contact with their friends, family and the rest of the world, literally from wherever they may be. Of course, back on Earth we now […]
July 5, 2016
LBGT inclusion in the workplace relies on FM and HR best practice 0
by Peter Holmes • Comment, Facilities management, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design
Much has been written about the business case for diversity and inclusion with one overarching theme; people perform better when they can be themselves. This is especially true for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans employees. Have you ever hesitated before talking about your partner to a colleague at work? Anticipated how they will react when they […]
July 5, 2016
Employers need more help in navigating the Apprenticeship Levy 0
by David Allison • Comment, Workplace
According to the latest governmental statistics, apprenticeships reached a record high in 2014/15 with over 871,000 apprenticeship participants within the UK. The majority of these were in the service sector, and almost three quarters were concentrated in three sectors: Business, Administration and Law; Retail and Commerce Enterprise and Public Services and Care. Last year the government announced its […]
July 4, 2016
New office market briefing remains cautious about impact of potential Brexit 0
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Company news, Knowledge, Property
JLL has published a new briefing document to look at the possible impact of the recent Brexit vote on the UK’s office market. The report’s main claim is that the underlying economic fundamentals in the UK remain solid in comparison to previous downturns, and, while expectations are unsurprisingly being downgraded, there is still no need […]
June 23, 2016
How could UK employment laws be affected by the outcome of the Brexit vote? 0
by Sathesh Alagappan • Comment, Legal news, Workplace
The result of yesterday’s EU referendum vote will dominate the UK’s political scene for months now and the outcomes will be followed with particular interest by business owners, who currently have to adhere to a range of employment laws that either originate from the EU itself or have been developed within the context of our membership of the […]
June 18, 2016
Productive workplaces + Long hours link to ill health + Coworking rise 0
by Sara Bean • Cities, Comment, Environment, Facilities management, Flexible working, Furniture, Newsletter, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace
In this week’s Newsletter; Mark Eltringham says we must question the idea that there is one ideal form of office; and argues events such as Clerkenwell Design Week wouldn’t function unless there was some consensus on what constitutes good and bad design. The supply of flexible workspace in London outstrips conventional office space; emerging technologies will […]
June 17, 2016
Home or away. What should employers be doing about the game? 0
by Anita Rai • Comment, Flexible working, Legal news, Workplace
The Euros 2016 are underway. It’s an exciting time for the nation, but not so much for businesses that are potentially facing a largely absent workforce, be it physically or simply because they will spend at least 90 minutes of their afternoon glued to their mobile phones watching the match. Some employees might have been […]
July 13, 2016
World FM Day and the workplace design and management elephant
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Events, Facilities management
There is an ancient Asian parable which has found its way into a number of cultures including Hindu and Buddhist lore. In one version, the Buddha tells of a king who has nine blind men summoned to his palace. An elephant is brought in and they are asked to describe it. Each man feels a […]