December 6, 2019

Age discrimination now begins for tech workers at 29

A new study from tech recruiter CWJobs claims to identify what it calls the ‘staggering level’ of ageism that IT and tech workers face at work. From seemingly innocuous comments to being overlooked for promotion in favour of younger colleagues, a worrying number of the UK’s tech-sector employees are facing daily hurdles to prove they’re not yet a career ‘dinosaur’. Well over a third (41 percent) of IT and tech-sector workers said they have observed age discrimination in the workplace, compared to 27 percent average across other UK industries. It’s no surprise then that 61 percent of workers in the sector answered ‘yes’ when asked if, in the tech industry employees experience prejudice when considered to be older, the highest of any UK sector. More →

December 4, 2019

Half of self-employed people do not know what IR35 is

by Neil Franklin • Legal news, News

New research from FreeAgent conducted with 2000 self employed people in the UK, claims that more than half (57 percent) don’t know what IR35 is. The sets of tax legislation encompassed by IR35, designed to combat tax avoidance by workers and the firms hiring them, is unknown to over half of the people most affected by it – the self employed. The legislation, which has been heavily criticised by tax experts and the business community as being poorly conceived, badly implemented by HMRC and causing unnecessary costs and hardships for genuine small businesses, has not been well communicated to self employed people, the research reveals. Tax experts have predicted that IR35 could reduce a worker’s net income by up to 25 percent and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, recently announced the Conservative Party’s plan to review IR35 as part of its manifesto. More →

December 3, 2019

British workers are amongst the unhappiest in the world, report claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Coworking provider Mindspace has announced the UK findings of its global work culture survey, which polled 5000 employees across Europe and the US. On the UK side, the survey covered 1000 employees from across the country. In what the report claims is a dramatic wake-up call for UK employers, the survey revealed that around one-quarter of British workers are unhappy in the workplace and looking to change their situations. This places the UK at the end of the line up in workplace happiness among the other countries surveyed. UK workers rated only 73 percent on the report’s happiness index, compared to 81 percent in Germany and 93 percent in the US. More →

December 2, 2019

Planning permission granted for new 13 storey London offices

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Planning permission has been granted for a new 13-storey riverside office building at the Embassy Gardens development on London’s South Bank. Named EG:HQ, the development will provide 217,000 sq. ft. of flexible space in zone 1 Nine Elms, in addition to 18,000 sq. ft. of outdoor amenity space which will include a 9,000 sq. ft. communal terrace and several private open-air terraces. More →

November 29, 2019

For the love of workplace art, where have all the walls gone?

by Chloe Adams • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A survey exploring art in the workplace (‘Making Art Work in the Workplace’) conducted by the British Council for Offices (BCO) found that almost 88 percent of respondents felt that “art is more relevant in the workplace than ever before”. Yet, with the arrival of the generic modern office, full of open plan space and glass partitions, we frequently find ourselves rather short of walls on which to hang any workplace art in the first place. “There are no bloody walls left’ and those that are left are glass,” protests Jack Pringle of architects Perkins+Will, pointing to the fact that traditional hanging space is on the decline.

November 28, 2019

Two thirds of bosses say workers don’t like change. Workers disagree.

by Neil Franklin • Business, News

New research by HR solutions provider People First, part of MHR International, claims that nearly three-quarters of bosses think that their employees do not like change. However, the same research suggests that 1 in 4 employees say that it is in fact their bosses who do not like change and who are holding the business back. Surveying the attitudes of 250 bosses and 250 employees from firms across the UK, the research highlights an interesting disconnect between bosses and their staff when asked about the other’s shortcomings. More →

November 28, 2019

Six cost-reducing benefits of switching to a cloud phone system

by Freddie Steele • Company news

This article comes courtesy of PBX Hosting, a leading UK-based VoIP telecommunications provider. They deliver hosted PBX solutions and VoIP phone systems to businesses of all sizes and specialisms. Switching to a cloud phone system is one of the lesser-known cost savings a business can make, but it’s also one of the most effective. More and more businesses are switching to cloud communications, with a cost reduction of between 50 and 70 percent. More →

November 27, 2019

UK falling behind in global skills race

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New research published today by City & Guilds Group claims that the UK risks being left behind as employers across the world race to upskill their workers. As digitalisation and fluctuating economies transform the skills needed in the workplace today, employees are less confident than their bosses that they’ll have skills they need for the future. The study, conducted by City & Guilds Group business Kineo, surveyed 6500 employees and 1300 employers across 13 international markets. It found that employers in developing countries with rapidly emerging economies are among the most likely to ramp up investment in upskilling their workforce in the near future, compared to developed economies such as the UK.

November 27, 2019

Five German Design Awards for Sedus Office Furniture

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture, Workplace design

After Sedus confirmed its status as one of the most important office design innovators in Europe at last year’s ORGATEC trade show in Cologne, several of the firm’s latest generation of ground-breaking products have won prestigious design prizes in the firm’s native Germany.

The se:flex and se:motion swivel chairs as well as se:fit standing seat and se:cube Office Cubes have each been awarded the German Design Award 2020 – Winner by The German Design Council while the se:spot all-purpose chair went one step further receiving the Gold German Design Award for 2020.

The German Design Award is one of the most coveted design prizes in Europe and is awarded every year by a prestigious international jury. The Award honours innovative products and projects, their manufacturers and designers who have proven themselves pioneers in the German and International design sector.

The five award-winning office furniture pieces were developed by the Sedus Design Team, and launched for the first time to the public at the ORGATEC 2018 trade fair. They went fully into production in 2019 and have also been used in the fit-out of the new office building at the firm’s headquarters in Dogern.

In the Sedus Smart Office around 100 employees from twelve disciplines work together in a uniquely collaborative and flexible working environment. The spaces serves as a test laboratory, prototyping and model workplace for designers and customers travelling to the Upper Rhine location from all over the world.

November 26, 2019

Human centric office design leads list of “trends” for next year

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Ambius has published its latest annual report (registration) which claims to highlight the top trends in office design for 2020 and beyond. It suggests that the new year will see a continued evolution in the understanding of the human-centric workplace with designs that improve employee performance and wellbeing, integrate innovative technologies, offer multi-functional capabilities, and facilitate an inspiring and engaging environment for top talent. More →

November 26, 2019

Humanscale Summa sets new standard in ergonomic seating for executive offices and boardrooms

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Products

Summa, an executive chair by Humanscale made for today’s dynamic leaders, is now ready to order. An effortless blend of luxury and simplicity, Summa’s defined aesthetic and sophisticated palette is well-suited to high-end executive spaces within the workplace. The executive chair has a single, discrete height-adjustment lever seamlessly designed into the seat, unlike most chairs which have multiple exposed adjustment levers. Complementing its enveloping shape and sculpted materials, Summa features Humanscale’s signature weight-compensating recline mechanism and integrated armrests for exceptional ergonomic comfort and support. More →

November 25, 2019

Working carers occupy a blind spot and are suffering because of it

by Vivek Patni • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace

The working world has changed almost beyond recognition over the past half century. Historically, employers had to fulfill two criteria to attract the best talent: be large or have a well-known brand and pay well. Of course, priorities have shifted. Growing demand from staff for a healthier work/life balance including for the country’s working carers has resulted in flatter hierarchies and a more relaxed atmosphere, even in the largest firms. More →