June 8, 2018
June 7, 2018
More than half of US based employees (54 percent) with the chance to work remotely say they are most productive when they work outside a traditional office environment, such as at home, in a coffee shop, or in a coworking space, according to a new survey by research firm Clutch. Over two-thirds (68 percent) of workers surveyed work in a traditional office. However, higher productivity isn’t the only reason employees prefer other workspace options. Over a quarter (26 percent) of employees who have some degree of flexibility say a better work-life balance is the top benefit of working outside the office. Other benefits include flexible work hours (21 percent) and fewer distractions (18 percent).
June 5, 2018
Companies that are less technologically advanced are at risk of falling behind the competition and not attracting top talent, claims a new global study from Aruba. By contrast, employees who work in digital workplaces are not only more productive but also more motivated, have higher job satisfaction, and report an overall better sense of well-being. The study, Digital Revolutionaries Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace, outlines both the business and human benefits of more digitally-driven workplaces, and how. Almost all respondents (97 percent) thought their workplace would be improved through greater use of technology, while 64 percent said their company will fall behind the competition if new technology isn’t implemented. The same portion (64 percent) believe the traditional office will become obsolete due to advances in technology. However, the survey also warns that companies must be vigilant as more digital-savvy employees are taking greater risks with data and information security.
May 30, 2018
Over half of those employed in the banking sector in Australia now find themselves in agile and dynamic activity based workplaces. The banks have set the pace. The overall growth of the phenomenon has been exponential in the last 5 years, with sources suggesting two thirds of Australian organisations will have adopted Activity Based Working (ABW) by 2020. Furthermore, by looking at the number of Activity Based Working projects in the pipeline this move away from the 20th century office seems unstoppable. Despite global economic challenges the banking sector in Australia is particularly strong and stable, which contributes to the organisations’ ability to take a long term view. Alongside this robust financial picture we are also seeing a shift in purpose emerge, where the banks move away from a purely financial role to one where they embrace a sense of community and stewardship thus developing a broader contribution to society.
May 24, 2018
WeWork has announced its first flagship Indian location in Bengaluru. WeWork Galaxy is located on the site of the former Galaxy Theatre, and features a rooftop terrace with a pool and gym in addition to a mix of shared and private offices, which are designed around a 5-storey communal atrium. Bengaluru is India’s tech capital and one of the country’s leading cultural and economic hubs and so WeWork see it as a perfect fit for their coworking model. Created by the in-house design team, the goal was to create a space that ‘felt open, yet communal and intimate for members and guests, by creating individual programming and design moments within the atrium space’.
May 18, 2018
In today’s society there is far more awareness and concern around additives in food and drink, vehicle emissions and the pollutants from factories. There is, however, a remarkable lack of knowledge when it comes to the air quality of our working environment, beyond air conditioning systems and whether printers emit anything ‘nasty’. The truth is that most of the contents of our offices are emitting substances; invisibly polluting the air we breathe for most of the day. And not least the furniture that surrounds us. Chemicals play a big part in the manufacturing of furniture, from glues to lacquers, fabric treatments to flame retardants. Chemicals are not all bad though. We need chemicals for almost everything we do. They enable us to create products that are long lasting, good looking and comfortable. Progress has much to thank chemicals for. The key is knowing what chemicals to use and what to avoid.
May 17, 2018
There is a growing body of research and understanding on the impact that working environments, workplace habits and culture have on people and broader business performance. The very best workplaces in the world – some of which will be on show at Workplace Week in New York next month – are changing our expectations around the look, function and purpose of office space. These workplaces are designed much like ecosystems – every inch designed with the comfort, wellbeing and productivity of the people who occupy them in mind. The new world of ‘workplace management’ is about designing and delivering multi-faceted, minute-by-minute, multi-sensory experiences that create an emotional response. It is about designing workplace experiences to deliver a specific mission. It encompasses thinking about journeys and destinations, the fusion of space, information, and services – and how these reflect organisational personality, support human effectiveness, and lure in talent. But, as those in the industry will be all too aware, this hasn’t always been the case. So, what’s to thank for this fresh approach to workplace design and management?
May 9, 2018
The United Kingdom could reshape its economic future and unlock its share of £39.8 billion in untapped GDP if organisations were to ‘optimise their workplaces’, according to a new study by Ricoh and Oxford Economics, titled The Economy of People (registration required). The UK could achieve a 1.8 percent increase in GDP, equal to £36.8 billion, which could pay for the cost of Brexit twice with change to spare. Similarly, the Irish economy could expand by 1.0 percent, or £3 billion, if businesses commit to creating the optimal office. The findings from The Economy of People are based on forecasts of how productivity in various industries will improve, if investment in workplaces makes them optimal for those that work there and their employers. Surveys and interviews were conducted with employees and executives to uncover how workplace elements, such as culture, physical workspace and technology affect performance and productivity.
May 8, 2018
Organisations are failing to get the basics right when it comes to providing the digital and virtual systems that support employees in their roles, despite an evolving technological landscape and rise in flexible working, a new report has claimed. Data released by Leesman analyses how organisations can better support employees by offering the technology tools and infrastructure that enable people to work in a flexible way. In Deloitte’s 2018 Tech Trends report issued at the beginning of 2018, there was a heightened focus on how disruptive technologies will help businesses achieve larger strategic and operational goals and drive greater value. It predicted that within the next two years, more companies will embrace the emerging ‘no-collar workforce’ trend by redesigning jobs and reimagining how work gets done in a hybrid human-and-machine environment. However, Leesman’s findings show that, as of yet, organisations are failing to get the digital basics right. According to its latest dataset (Q1 2018) 23 percent do not agree that they have the technology tools and infrastructure that enable them to work in different locations across the office or from different locations outside of the office.
April 25, 2018
Some topics generate a level of debate totally out of proportion with the underlying facts. Whether it’s the benefit of sit-stand desks, the influence of colour on productivity or the threat (or potential) of robotics in the office, too often it’s all sizzle and no sausage. Agile working falls into that category. It’s one of those ideas that sounds too good to be true: give people a raft of settings to work in, power them up with a few mobile gadgets and you can magically transform your workspace to ‘Google standards’ and attract all the best talent in town. But what about the reality?
April 25, 2018
The World Green Building Council has launched a new report highlighting what it suggests are the tangible economic benefits of green buildings and the improved levels of occupant satisfaction when companies implement new health, wellbeing and productivity features in existing green structures. Doing Right by Planet and People: The Business Case for Health and Wellbeing in Green Building presents case studies of 11 facilities around the globe that have one or more green certifications including LEED, Green Star and BREEAM. The report evaluates health and wellbeing features that were integrated into the facilities, such as enhanced fresh air ventilation, acoustic privacy, increase of daylight penetration and use of biophilic design elements such as green walls and extensive indoor plants.
June 1, 2018
How our noisy world was foreseen by the 20th Century’s great minds
by Charles Marks • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design
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