Search Results for: office

New episodes of Workplace Geeks land

New episodes of Workplace Geeks land

workplace geeksTwo new episodes of Workplace Geeks have now joined the already impressive roster of the first season. In episode 5 – The other 90 percent: ‘A Toolkit for Living in a New Building’ – Chris and Ian explore a novel approach to the ‘post-occupancy evaluation’ (or POE) of new workplaces with Dr Harriet Shortt, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies at UWE Bristol. Harriet and her collaborators (including Stride Treglown and ISG) used a participatory visual technique featuring smartphone photographs to explore the lived experiences of staff, students and visitors using their brand new £55m Bristol Business School building. All participants were invited to respond with images and accompanying comments to two simple questions: How do you feel about the building and how are you using the building? More →

The effects of workplace change may not be the ones we expect

The effects of workplace change may not be the ones we expect

There’s a scene in the 1986 horror movie The Fly in which Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) persuades the reporter Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) to try two steaks, one of which Brundle has just sent between two teleportation pods in an effort to work out why the pods can’t process organic matter, including the organic matter that had recently belonged to a very unfortunate baboon. More →

Issue 10 of IN Magazine is now online

Issue 10 of IN Magazine is now online

IN Magazine issue 11IN10 is now available to view online here. Print issues will be sent out next week. In this issue of IN Magazine, amongst other things: we cast an eye over three of the most talked about issues in the post pandemic era of work – the four day week, universal basic income and the metaverse; we visit the new offices of BT in Birmingham and see how the design has evolved over the two years since they were first announced; we meet Simone Fenton-Jarvis to discuss her new book and views on where we are; we explore the power of weak ties at work; ask why colour psychology seems to work, but not in the ways most commonly touted; ponder the effects of prolonged periods of isolation; wonder what we’ve done to our dogs; and look at the changing face of workplace art. All back issues of IN Magazine are available here.

Economic inactivity hits record high amongst men aged over 50

Economic inactivity hits record high amongst men aged over 50

Economic inactivity levels amongst men aged 50-64 in December 2021 to February 2022 were the highest since records began, according to new analysis from Rest Less. The firms analysed labour market data from the Office of National Statistics and found that economic inactivity levels amongst men aged 50-64 reached 1.47 million in the latest official figures – the highest they have ever been since records began in 1992. The economic inactivity rate amongst this demographic reached a nine-year high and is now at 23.1 percent. More →

Women working from home more likely than men to say their careers are harmed

Women working from home more likely than men to say their careers are harmed

working from homeWomen working from home regularly are less positive about their career prospects than men are, new research suggests. They are also less optimistic about getting recognition for good work and being included in important consultations when compared to men who often work from home, the study found. The research, presented at the British Sociological Association’s online annual conference today [Wednesday, 20 April 2022], comes at a time when employers and staff are deciding how much they will work from home as pandemic restrictions are removed.

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Firms mark the cards of employees who go mute or turn cameras off in remote meetings

Firms mark the cards of employees who go mute or turn cameras off in remote meetings

mute remote meetingsNearly all executives (96 percent) agree that primarily remote workers are disadvantaged compared to those who work primarily in the office, according to a poll of 200 executives at large US firms, commissioned by Vyopta. However, 92 percent of respondents also believe employees who are less engaged, either frequently on mute or don’t turn on their camera during remote meetings, probably don’t have a long-term future at their company. More →

Experimentation is the name of the game

Experimentation is the name of the game

Uncertain times call for different measures and approaches, the old rules and playbooks are no longer applicable – so what are you going to do? Sit around, stagnate, hanker after old solutions trying to manipulate and squeeze them into new, unknowable, untried paradigms? No! One thing human beings are fairly good at is evolving and adapting to new and unknown situations and as we all know, being flexible and  accepting change creates resilience and ensures survival. More →

Facilities Managers should be seen as stewards of corporate culture

Facilities Managers should be seen as stewards of corporate culture

hybrid working facilities managersThe pandemic has irrevocably changed the way we work. Once considered a place simply to do business, the office is fast becoming a ‘lifestyle choice’ among young people who value more than just a desk. Instead, they want an engaging, healthy, and resilient working environment where they can socialise, make friends, and build connections to help their career and wellbeing thrive. In fact, an EY study found that 90 percent of Generation-Z value the human connection in the workplace above salary when it comes to their at-work communication. A recent Gallup survey even found a tangible link between having a best friend at work and productivity: those who have a best friend in the office are twice as likely to be engaged in their role and company. More →

Research casts doubt on environmental benefits of hybrid working

Research casts doubt on environmental benefits of hybrid working

commuters and hybrid workingA permanent post-pandemic switch to hybrid working may do little to reduce carbon emissions as the majority of remote workers travel further each week than their office-based counterparts, new research from the University of Sussex Business School reveals. The newly published study finds that, prior to the pandemic, most remote workers in England travelled further each week than office-based workers – despite taking fewer trips. This was partly because remote workers tended to live further from their workplace than non-teleworkers, so had longer, if less frequent, commutes. In addition, remote workers engaged in more travel on the days when they worked from home – for example, by making extra trips to shops and cafes. More →

The Metaverse in the workplace: Meta’s wobble may affect how we use emerging technologies

The Metaverse in the workplace: Meta’s wobble may affect how we use emerging technologies

metaverse at workThere has been much talk over the past two years of the adoption of hybrid working for elephant-in-the-room reasons and it is now the case that the practice is being widely adopted by many organisations. Knocking at our office doors now is the next big talking point in terms of technology: the Metaverse. There has been much speculation recently on how this collective, virtual open space, which incorporates environments including those in which to shop, learn, be entertained and, of course, work, will evolve. It has been described as the ‘next chapter of the Internet’ and is created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. More →

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

wellbeing at workWellbeing has been one of the largest challenges to the UK workforce over the last several years. A recent study by the Mental Health Foundation and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), states that mental health problems cost the UK economy at least £117.9 billion every year – around 5 percent of the UK’s GDP. Companies recognise the urgency to help: British employers planned to increase spending on employee mental health and wellbeing by 18 percent from 2021 to 2022. But the long and short of the issue is that this progress is being outpaced by accelerating burnout rates among workers. More →

Firms are failing to meet the needs of hybrid workers

Firms are failing to meet the needs of hybrid workers

hybrid workersA survey of UK employers and employees gives insight into the lack of provision for remote and hybrid workers to carry out their roles. While just over half (56 percent) of employers admit they regularly check in with all employees to enquire about their health and wellbeing and 55 percent provide laptops, 73 percent of employees are ready to choose their next employer based on physical, health and wellbeing support and flexible technology provision. More →