December 8, 2023
This website started in late 2012 as a way for me to explore both a new media format and a new way of thinking about work and workplaces. I’d already been active in various roles in the workplace, design and facilities sector for twenty odd years, but needed a new challenge. And this was it. I was going for a ride with an idea to see where it went. More →
December 8, 2023
Well Christmas may get earlier every year, but the digital version of issue 18 of IN Magazine is right on time to deliver all your festive workplace thinking. In this issue: why the world’s biggest tech firms may no longer offer the best blueprint for working culture; Nigel Oseland doesn’t like Half Man Half Biscuit for some reason but does have a lot of great things to say about evaluating offices; you can’t just copy the design of an office you like and expect it to work the same; nothing about working life attracts more moans than noisy colleagues, so we look at one or two things you can do about it; why sometimes you have to turn your back on rationality; Kay Sargent and Jennifer Bryan urge you to change your habits; how to make the most of each day; and the brakes the UK is applying to its own aim of becoming a science and tech superpower. And of course much more. More →
December 7, 2023
Patience plays a crucial role for team performance, reveals new research by the University of Cologne. The study, conducted by Professors Felix Kölle and Thomas Lauer, investigated cooperative behaviour, as well as its underlying mechanisms, in a setting in which the benefits from successful teamwork accrue only in the future. More →
December 7, 2023
An evidence review led by the University of Warwick has concluded that the increase of zero hours contracts over the last 20 years has created significant risk for workers. They found that unreliable work can result in a sudden loss of hours and earnings, and an inability to access legal advice for unfair or potentially unlawful employment practices. Along with colleagues from the ReWAGE expert advisory group, academics at the Institute of Employment Research at the University of Warwick examined the legal and workplace practices associated with zero hour contracts, along with data covering flexibility, pay insecurity, workers ability to assert their rights and workers health and wellbeing. More →
December 7, 2023
The inaugural Workspace Design Show in Amsterdam brought together Benelux’s leading designers, architects, end-user occupiers to discuss the dynamic landscape of workspace interiors, revealing key opportunities and gauging the pulse of current workplace trends. The two day event in October was a huge success, both in numbers and in terms of exhibitor and visitor sentiment. Building on the success of the Workspace Design Show in London, the new event highlighted how much appetite there is across Europe for people to come together to share ideas about the new and emerging workplace. More →
December 7, 2023
You may recall that a couple of years ago, The Great Resignation was one of a handful of things with which certain people had become obsessed. Over a period of about six months at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, we were told repeatedly that huge numbers of people were about to quit their jobs to move to something better, pursue their dream of self-employment or whatever. But, the proportion of people saying this was more or less the same as it had always been. Ask people at the end of any year about their plans for the next twelve months, and around 30-40 percent of them will tell you they want a new job or to pursue an old dream. More →
December 6, 2023
An overwhelming majority (91 percent) of executives say that their companies are now using generative AI or are planning to do so within the next 18 months, according to a new poll from Thomson Reuters. The Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals C-Suite Survey reported on responses from 148 C-Suite leaders (CFOs, CEOs etc) from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The survey suggests that use of AI across businesses is becoming ubiquitous as leaders start to recognize the true potential of the technology, such as in developing new products and driving operational efficiency. More →
December 6, 2023
Zumtobel and its sister brand Thorn, both lighting brands of the Zumtobel Group collaborated with 5plus architects, MZA consultants, Ardmac main contractor, Emtec sub-contractor, and Rexel wholesaler to implement an energy-efficient lighting scheme at the iconic 100 Barbirolli Square in Manchester. The Group’s innovative lighting solutions successfully met the brief, providing a warm and inviting atmosphere throughout the building. More →
December 6, 2023
The new RICS Global Sustainability Report for 2023 claims that there is growing demand for green real estate in the APAC region, despite ongoing challenges in raising awareness and the higher costs involved. The publication sets out to outlines the state of the world’s green and sustainable real estate and investor interest in acquiring and developing it. More →
December 6, 2023
Out of hours work notifications on devices are having a significant impact on people’s work-life boundaries, according to a new report from Ring Central. According to the poll, work notifications are on the rise with 31 percent stating that notifications outside of work have increased in the past year. As a result, employees are also feeling the pressure to respond to work notifications immediately (14 percent) or within 1 hour (33 percent). The survey also suggests that notifications cause the same amount of anxiety for Brits as spiders (54 percent) and almost as much as going to the dentist (59 percent). More →
December 5, 2023
Lawyers progress through four distinct emotional stages in their fight to get to the top and secure a coveted partnership role, according to new research from the University of Bath’s School of Management. The study of UK legal professionals showed they progressed from excitement and anticipation at the start of their career, followed by fear and anxiety as they pursue promotion, to pride and joy at having secured a senior post, and finally experiencing disillusionment and disappointment at the lack of further change. More →
December 8, 2023
Inclusive office design is essential if we want offices to be worth the commute
by Guzman de Yarza Blache • Comment, Workplace design