Columnists
March 31, 2016
Government needs to wise up to the Fourth Industrial Revolution 0
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Property, Public Sector, Technology
Last week, the UK Government passed the latest bill to pave the way for the creation of HS2, the high speed rail line that will initially connect London with Birmingham and later cities like Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds. Most of the criticisms of the line are focussed on its financial and environmental costs, impact on […]
March 31, 2016
Flexible workspace underpins Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s hub 0
by Sean Lynch • Cities, Comment, Flexible working, Property
Despite the challenging cost of real estate and general commercial life in Hong Kong, startup activity in the city has seen exponential growth in the last few years, fuelled in part by new and innovative approaches to occupying workspace. The conventional Hong Kong office market is, famously, the most expensive of its kind – making it […]
March 30, 2016
Isn’t it time that UK businesses thought more like the Scandinavians? 0
by Richard Morris • Comment, Facilities management, Flexible working, Wellbeing, Workplace
The clocks went forward on 27th March meaning darker mornings and lighter evenings – at least for a time. But the standard working day doesn’t reflect such changes, with commuters setting out in darkness to make a fixed 9am start. The changing of the clocks raises interesting questions about the UK work model. Why does UK business […]
March 24, 2016
Flexible working is a more important perk than nap time for employees 0
by Sara Bean • Comment, Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace
Headline grabbing employee perks such as free catered lunches and massages; whether Google’s free nap times during the day or Netflix’s free unlimited holidays are all very well, but they are hardly the norm. Back in the real world, over half (61 percent) of people in the UK believe they don’t get near enough employee incentives at […]
March 23, 2016
Is discrimination of women with children the root cause of gender pay gap? 0
by Sara Bean • Comment, Flexible working, Legal news, News, Workplace
Two reports published this week support the argument that it is when women have children and require more flexible hours, that they really start to feel the sharp end of the gender pay gap. A report by a cross party group of MPs on the Women and Equalities Select Committee, reveals that supporting men and women to share childcare and other […]
March 23, 2016
The choice of a clear or messy workplace is an expression of personality 0
by Michael Page • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design
When it comes to each individual’s working space and workstation area, a question that is always worth asking (and often is) is whether it is best to back off and let people customise their immediate surroundings to fit with their own tastes and needs or whether a company-wide tidy desk policy and uniformity of approach be […]
March 22, 2016
A growing need to create an office that attracts rather than repels staff 0
by Darren Bilsborough • Comment, Property, Workplace, Workplace design
So where do you start when identifying the attributes that make an office an ‘attractor’ for staff? There are numerous articles extolling the virtues of everything from pool tables, to hammocks, creative “playgrounds” and all manner of enticing and unique workplace design considerations. However, I believe that there are more intangible and subjective issues at stake […]
March 21, 2016
Graduates value flexible work and innovative office spaces over pay 0
by Sara Bean • Comment, Flexible working, News, Workplace, Workplace design
There’s been a lot of assumptions and predictions made about Millennials, and the upcoming generation of workers dubbed Gen Z. They’re alternately spoilt with a sense of entitlement or have a zeal for change and strong social conscience. So while there is a danger of stereotyping this diverse group, employers still need to work out the best way to attract and retain the […]
March 16, 2016
The difference between ‘recyclable’ and ‘recycled’ is management not material
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Environment, Facilities management, Furniture
The Times (paywall) has uncovered some pretty remarkable statistics about the way the British consume coffee. It appears that we now buy some 2.5 billion paper cups of coffee each year, primarily from the main High Street chains. That’s about 7 million cups a day. The good news for the environmentally conscious public would appear […]
March 16, 2016
Over half of workers are not getting enough sleep to do their job effectively 0
by Sara Bean • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace
Daylight saving time began in the US on Sunday and the clocks will ‘spring’ forward in the UK and Europe in less than a fortnight’s time (27 March). Although having more daylight is welcomed, losing even an hour’s sleep can be a jolt to the system. According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, over half of workers (58 […]
April 5, 2016
Scientific management and the enduring love of the open plan office
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Furniture, Technology, Workplace design
There are many reasons why organisations like open plan offices. When it comes to making the business case for them however, firms prefer to talk about some more than others. So while they prefer to focus on the argument in terms of how openness can foster better lines of communication, collaboration, teamwork and team spirit, […]