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Against metrics: how measuring performance by numbers backfires

Against metrics: how measuring performance by numbers backfires

A still from Jacques Tati's film playtime as the protagonist looks out over cubicles in an officeMore and more companies, government agencies, educational institutions and philanthropic organisations are today in the grip of a new phenomenon. I’ve termed it ‘metric fixation’. The key components of metric fixation are the belief that it is possible – and desirable – to replace professional judgment (acquired through personal experience and talent) with numerical indicators of comparative performance based upon standardised data (metrics); and that the best way to motivate people within these organisations is by attaching rewards and penalties to their measured performance. (more…)

UK workforce increasingly concerned with impact of Brexit on employment

UK workforce increasingly concerned with impact of Brexit on employment

More than a third (34.25 percent) of UK residents believe that Brexit would affect their current employment in a negative way, and only a negligible 3 percent of respondents think that Brexit will positively affect their current employment. Compared to the survey from Personal Group in 2018, there are some gender, age and professional nuances. Twelve times as many men than women have become more concerned about the impact on Brexit on their current employment. In February 2019 the number of men who believe Brexit will affect their employment negatively increased by almost 8 percent (7.89 percent) compared to a less than 1 percent (0.63 percent) rise amongst women.

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Digital workplace pioneered by medium sized businesses, study claims

Digital workplace pioneered by medium sized businesses, study claims

Medium-sized businesses now account for over 60 percent of US jobs, and are investing fast in technology. However, with digital now a priority for businesses of all sizes, they must ensure they have the necessary skills and security management in place to handle the change, or risk falling behind competitors according to a new report from Aruba. (more…)

Workers are pessimistic about employment prospects in post Brexit era

Workers are pessimistic about employment prospects in post Brexit era

A new report from Personal Group claims that British workers increasingly concerned with Brexit’s potential impact on their employment. The data suggests that with just one month to go, more than a third (34.25 percent) of UK residents believe that Brexit would affect their current employment in a negative way, an increase of nearly 4 percent (+3.82 percent) when compared to survey results from 2018. Only a negligible 3 percent of respondents think that Brexit will positively affect their current employment.

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Less time spent commuting is key to workplace wellbeing

Less time spent commuting is key to workplace wellbeing

Lenovo has released a study on ‘Britain’s evolving workplace’ (registration). It claims that more than three quarters (76 per cent) of those that have no commute by working from home are overall satisfied with their job and a third (37 per cent) of those surveyed admit to choosing their current role based on its close proximity to their home. The report claims that the changing nature of the modern workplace benefits both workers and employers, with one in ten workers most productive outside of typical 7am to 6pm working hours and a quarter (26 per cent) wishing to work more flexible hours.

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Digitisation and culture of uncertainty lead employees to seek stability

Digitisation and culture of uncertainty lead employees to seek stability

Impact of digitisation on the workplace lead employees to seek stabilityJob security is the top reason employees in the UK joined their company, and also the main reason they stay, according to Mercer’s 2019 Global Talent Trends study. With close to one in three employees  being concerned that AI and automation will replace their job, senior managers are also worried about the effects of digitisation, with nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of executives in the UK predicting t significant disruption in the next three years, compared to 23 percent in 2018. Mercer’s global findings reveal a similar story finding that as executives focus on making their organisations “future-fit”, significant human capital risks – including the ability to close the skills gap and overcome employee change fatigue – can impede transformation progress. Addressing these concerns is paramount, given that less than one in three executives rate their company’s ability to mitigate the effect on employees as very effective.

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Insight Promotion: Make wellbeing and ergonomics your New Year Resolution

Insight Promotion: Make wellbeing and ergonomics your New Year Resolution

2019 has arrived and a new year means an excuse to make a change. It’s therefore the best time of the year to make the necessary adjustments that are needed to make your office work has efficiently as possible. However, in order to achieve this, you must always remember one important criterion: ergonomics.Ergonomics relates to the study of working conditions and how they affect staff. Typically, this refers to equipment and furniture that can be utilised and/or adapted in order to increase levels of employee wellbeing and therefore productivity. This includes items such as chairs that support posture and sit/stand desks.

 

Why is Ergonomics so Important?

Steve Bays, Director at Century Office, comments: “In the UK today we have a very mixed group of employers. Some will buy any type of office chair, as long as it has “office chair” written in the description; some will buy cheap chairs and throw them away when broken; some see furniture as a non-profit making necessity; some recognise the benefits of good furniture over workers’ performance and staff retention.”

Many businesses in the UK have started to recognise the importance of ensuring their staff are comfortable, happy and healthy. Moreover, a 2018 study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)backs up the idea that companies that prioritise workplace wellbeing are more likely to report better employee morale and engagement, as well as a healthier culture and lower absence from sickness. However, the study also found that if an organisation was more “reactive” rather than “proactive” (they address the issue of wellbeing on an ad-hoc basis instead of having an implemented wellbeing strategy) then there was no progress realised from their wellbeing activity.

 

How can Century Office help?

Century Office are advocates for office wellbeing and their range of furniture reflects this. The newest additions to their selection of ergonomic seating are the Influence and Grace mesh chairs. They both boast extraordinary comfort as well as ergonomic support and can be adjusted in a variety of ways to fit your work environment and your body posture. They are the perfect addition to any workspace as they come with height-adjustable lumbar support, with or without headrests, and seat-depth adjustment. Adjustable active tension control, lockable back positions, and 3D height-adjustable gel arms pads provide the user with the ultimate flexibility to change their chair to suit a wide range of office environments. Grace can additionally be specified with a cantilever frame instead of a task chair, depending on your needs.

Influence and Grace, as well as Century Office’s extensive collection of ergonomic office chairs, are perfectly suited to the sit/stand desks that they provide. Autonomy Pro and Liberty offer employees the chance to break up the sedentary day, thus helping to alleviate aches and pains. Each desk can also be specified to with different base colours, desktop colours and optional extras such as screens and can suit any budget.

Sit/stand desks don’t have to just be for personal workstations anymore either as the Autonomy Pro desk also comes as a meeting solution. A sit/stand table is the ideal solution for quick group meetings; you wouldn’t have to worry about squeaking chairs or everyone shifting in their seats (the amount of which will increase the longer the meeting goes on. Having the option to stand will also help staff or clients to work collaboratively in a more effective way. After all, if everyone is trying to look at the same thing at the same time, being able to stand over it instead of stretching or bending awkwardly will mean that every individual can do so in a more comfortable manner.

 

The Importance of C.A.P.S

However, making a workplace work for its staff isn’t as simple as just buying suitable desks and chairs. It is important that you know how to use the chairs and desks properly otherwise you won’t be reaping the full benefits. This is why Century Office regularly speaks about the importance of C.A.P.S (Circulation, Activity, Posture and Support). The C.A.P.S initiative includes showing staff the functions of their chairs and how to achieve the correct seating position and posture, thus maximising comfort and productivity throughout the working day.

Century Office are a leading UK office and contract furniture supplier, with over 40 years’ experience in the industry. They provide workplace solutions and offer a tailored approach for architects, interior designers & facility managers for small offices to large corporations as well as educational facilities. Please visit the Century Office website at www.century-office.co.uk or telephone 08000 929301 for more information. Century Office offers a complete service from survey and design through to supply and installation.

 

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Employers must take better action to avoid sick building syndrome

Employers must take better action to avoid sick building syndrome

Sick building syndrome is a collective term to describe when occupants of a specific building suffer from a related illness. Problems can either be localised to a specific room or more widespread throughout a building. The symptoms can manifest as headaches, blocked or runny noses, skin irritations, sore eyes or tiredness and difficulties with concentration. A number of building-related factors are linked to the condition with ageing offices and factories acting as magnets for sick building syndrome. Studies have shown that headaches and respiratory problems among office workers were directly related to the use of air conditioning and inadequate ventilation. Room temperature, light and noise, humidity, carbon dioxide, chemical contaminants (volatile organic compounds – VOCs), air quality and naturally occurring poisons can all inflame symptoms for sufferers requiring more precise control over environmental factors in the workplace. Making sure buildings are healthy for their occupants is a challenge. (more…)

Working environment, not time of the year has most negative effect on staff wellbeing

Working environment, not time of the year has most negative effect on staff wellbeing

Working environment, not time of the year has most negative effect on staffHalf of employees say that their working environment has a negative effect on their mental health (51 percent) and wellbeing (49 percent) and two-thirds (67 percent) say that they only ‘sometimes, rarely or never’ feel valued at work. The research by Peldon Rose shows that two-thirds of employees (64 percent) currently have poor or below average mental wellbeing and that the majority (56 percent) claim increasing workloads, followed by a lack of time to focus on wellbeing and exercise (46 percent) are the leading causes of their stress.  While half of employees think introducing exercise facilities will help them to better tackle their workplace stress (50 percent) – less than a fifth of workplaces (16 percent) currently provide these facilities, something employers should consider when looking to boost the morale of their workforce.

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Anti-team legislation can make us slaves to individual rights

Society is becoming more selfish. At least that’s what the most commonly held view on the issue suggests, and it’s only set to get worse. Whether or not you believe the headlines, my 20 plus years’ experience as an HR consultant has led me to believe the hype. Increasingly many (I stress, not all) employees no longer see themselves as part of a team, but are increasingly ‘lone wolves’ single mindedly pursuing their needs and wants above those of the team. Each decision they make is with ‘I’ first and foremost, with ‘we’ maybe just a passing thought. It could be argued this was inevitable. How do you create a culture of team engagement, and group morale when for decades UK workplace legislation has focused almost exclusively on Individual Rights, rather than the ‘rights’ of the group? I’d argue it is simply not possible to develop successful teams where each individual has numerous legal rights but no corresponding responsibilities. My wish for 2019 would be for the government to set out a ‘responsibility’ alongside every ‘right’ it confers.

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Debt, relationship breakup and bullying are the top employer concerns about employee mental health

Debt, relationship breakup and bullying are the top employer concerns about employee mental health

Debt, separation and bullying are the personal issues of most concern to employers when it comes to employee mental health, according to a report from Aon. It polled employers online and during an Aon seminar called the Contemporary Drivers of Mental Health, in which Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind and co-author of a government report, ‘Thriving at Work, a review of mental health and employers’ presented his findings.

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Cultivating a culture of personal development can supercharge performance

Cultivating a culture of personal development can supercharge performance

We all want success. You started a business because you had a dream. Maybe you wanted to change the world. Maybe you wanted to fulfil a childhood ambition. Or maybe you just want to make parents proud. Whatever that reason may be, you started a venture that was, yes, risky and scary at times. But a safe journey wasn’t an option anyway, we know. To achieve the fulfilment of the dream though, you need a team with you. You need to surround yourself with the best people in the field. You need people who know more than you, are better than you. Because in today’s world, competition is fiercer. You are not anymore competing against locals. The game has become global. It has, therefore, become necessary to never stop innovating.

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