September 13, 2023
Most workers are concerned about poor indoor air quality and close to half think its damaging their health, according to a new survey conducted by Opinium for Spiralite. According to the poll, British workers are mostly concerned about the impact of air-quality on their health (64 percent concerned compared to 36 percent not concerned). More →
September 11, 2023
What has resilience got to do with the workplace experience? It is a word that has been used a lot recently as the great British public has demonstrated massive amounts of resilience in coping with Covid-19, fuel shortages, worries about food availability and a massive shift in how we work. So what is it? The dictionary gives two meanings: firstly the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, i.e. toughness. And then secondly, the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity – like nylon for example. More →
September 8, 2023
Can we talk about sustainable design?
“There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs; and you try to get the best trade-off you can get, that’s all you can hope for.”
Does Thomas Sowell’s (in)famous dictum about the harsh reality of economics and existence describe a permanent condition for sustainable design? Are the materials, supply chains and processes we use merely less worse than their alternatives or can we hope to achieve something that is genuinely better?
That is one of the many complex questions we’ll be addressing at a new interactive event we are hosting at the London Design Festival this year. And we’d love you to come talk to us about it as we look for some answers to the most pressing issues of our time. You can book tickets here.
We have created a space and conversation forum that will showcase the latest and most innovative thinking on sustainable design, circularity, new materials and innovation. Known as The Works Place, products and ideas will be presented in a range of working settings. And most importantly it’s a chance to talk and share your views about what is possible and what we might dream to do better.
Partners include Flokk, Area, Mater, Humanscale, The Collective Agency, Material Matters, Woven Image, Crafting Plastics, Obo, Future Designs, Women in Office Design and The Sustainable Design Collective.
The Works Place is at the iconic five-storey Bargehouse building from 20-23 September as part of Material Matters.
September 8, 2023
We are prone to borrow nuanced words from other languages to express ideas that otherwise need some explaining in English. This includes the way we talk about work, and especially the way we talk about wellbeing and happiness. Perhaps most famously, there was a lot of talk about hygge a couple of years ago. A straight dictionary translation of hygge would be something like cosiness, but the word also embodies an emotion and an approach to life that embraces a certain degree of slowness and an enjoyment of the present moment. It’s no coincidence that it became modish in a distracted and hurried world. Although the concept is usually referred to as Danish, the word itself is shared with Norwegian, which also offers us the word koselig, which means cosiness but also hints at it being best enjoyed at a fireside. More →
September 7, 2023
An overwhelming majority of business leaders (94 percent) admit to some form of ‘tech anxiety’ when it comes to AI and other technology, according to a new survey from Kin + Carta. This anxiety is on the rise as the pace of digital and technological change accelerates, and is prompting top executives to invest more in digital transformation, according to the survey. The report defines tech anxiety as the feeling senior leaders have as a result of the rapid pace of advancements in technology that are causing concern when it comes to how their business operates. While the top source of that anxiety is cyber security (cited by 24 percent of respondents), close behind, and rounding out the top three, are concerns over AI and machine learning (19 percent), and anxieties about sustainability strategy and tracking (17 percent). More →
September 7, 2023
Social connection is often cited as a justification for return-to-office mandates, many of which are not well received by employees. This suggests that merely spending time in the office isn’t enough to spark the connection that gets ideas flowing, ramps up performance and creates a cohesive culture. So, if physical presence alone isn’t enough to rebuild connection, what is? Workplace innovators exploring the issues around hybrid work now have the opportunity to dig deep and find out.
Tune into HubStar’s upcoming webinar on Thursday September 19th at 4 PM BST for an exploration of the approaches, strategies and tools necessary to rebuild social connection in complex hybrid workplaces.
Workplace innovators are facing the greatest opportunity of our generation to positively disrupt the way we work, but as Einstein said, we can’t solve problems with the same kind of thinking we used to create them.
So what kind of thinking is required to ignite the magic of meaningful connection at work? How do we stop hybrid work strategies from stalling? And, which tools and approaches can help us manage the complexity inherent in new ways of working?
In this 30 minute webinar, you’ll discover:
The webinar will include a live Q&A with the speaker, Jane Young and the VP Product at HubStar, Chris L’Hommedieu.
HubStar is a global company with operations in the US, UK, Europe and APAC. The company provides a next-generation dynamic workplace management platform to drive productivity, collaboration and workplace experience while reducing real estate costs. HubStar helps thousands of teams in over 60 countries create dynamic workplaces. For more information visit hubstar.com
September 4, 2023
The Scottish government is to trial a four day working week for many civil servants. The experiment is set to last for a year and a number of departments and public sector bodies have been invited to take part. After twelve months, if the trial proves successful, the four day week scheme could be extended to include a wider range of central government bodies, councils and quangos. More →
August 30, 2023
BW: Workplace Experts has been appointed by Queen Mary University of London as refurbishment contractor for the 15,000 sq m refurbishment of the Grade II listed Queens’ Building, to create a new contemporary, social heart for Queen Mary’s Mile End campus. More →
August 24, 2023
Putting people and the planet above profits may not appear at first glance to be a recipe for financial success for a company like Wellworking, but becoming a Certified B Corporation company is proving good for business and something that the furniture industry can play a big role in. You may have seen the B Corp logo on a shop door or the back of a van and wondered what exactly it means. Well if I could sum that up after a certification process that has been rigorous, challenging and above all, rewarding, I would say that it’s about putting people and the planet first. More →
August 22, 2023
In business, companies have a responsibility to balance profit-driven strategies with wider social commitments. As well as being the right thing to do, a focus on the latter can invariably drive economic value. Companies that prioritise diversity, for instance, earn 2.5 times higher cash flow, while inclusive teams are 35 percent more productive. As a result, diversity in the workforce is now widely accepted to be both a moral necessity and a commercial opportunity, with more and more corporates incorporating DE&I policies into their operational frameworks. Despite this progress, the disability community is still largely excluded from these discussions around inclusion. More →
August 14, 2023
Following on from its successful launch last year, the Sustainable Design China Summit returns for 2023. The event, an evolution of Design China Beijing, is held at the Beijing Exhibition Center from 21-23 September 2023 and is a must-visit for designers, architects, developers, and decision makers looking to design a sustainable future. More →
September 5, 2023
Working from home won’t last forever… will it?
by Zain Ali • Comment, Flexible working, Technology