May 18, 2020

Neurodiversity measures do not hold up in the present culture

Until recently, the phrase ‘What’s neurodiversity?’ was a question I was frequently asked, often accompanied by a bit of a nervous stare. Fortunately, this is now changing, and thanks to continued research, community activism and representation in the media, people leaders now understand that neurodiversity means a unique talent to be tapped – not something to be avoided. More →

May 13, 2020

Firms should pass three tests before bringing their people back to work

by Jayne Smith • News

A statement from UK HR body the CIPD says that as well as being aware of official advice, employers should not bring their people back into the workplace until they have taken all practical steps to ensure employees feel safe. In light of the government guidance on working safely published this week, the CIPD is urging businesses to ensure they can meet three key tests before bringing their people back to the workplace. More →

May 7, 2020

Coronavirus crisis drives freelancer confidence to unimagined lows

by Neil Franklin • News

Freelancers’ confidence in their businesses and the wider economy has been driven to record lows by the Coronavirus crisis, according to research by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) and PeoplePerHour, Europe’s largest freelance marketplace. Freelancers’ three month confidence in their businesses had already fallen to a six-year low last quarter because of concerns about the changes to IR35 tax regulations. More →

May 5, 2020

The six best ways to increase engagement in remote workers

by Marie Hillen • Company news

We exist in an era in which the ways in which we engage employees shift continuously in parallel with their working hours. Technology and innovative workforce policy allow businesses to include remote workers anywhere and at any time. While this opens up a number of opportunities for work-life integration, it may also pose a number of specific challenges. More →

April 30, 2020

The lockdown gives us a chance to reconsider business ethics

by Mark Strassman • Comment

The past few weeks have been a time of extreme disruption and tension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been a sliver of good news – people around the world have been quick to notice the environmental benefits of people remaining in their homes. More →

April 29, 2020

We should be addressing the why of the return to work as much as the how

by Judy Gavan • Comment

As we anticipate a return to relative normality post lockdown (whenever that may be), workplace strategy is a hot topic. In considering how we respond to new challenges let’s make sure we keep sight of the big picture. We need to address immediate issues whilst exploiting new opportunities to reinforce and expedite our established strategic direction. Choice and flexibility are central to the wider business reform agenda and should remain our touchstones. More →

April 27, 2020

The new ways of work in our lives after lockdown

by Ben Capper • Comment, Workplace design

And so our timelines flit from 5G conspiracy theorists, to 10 tips for your home office, Zoom group selfies, right back to where we started: the worn out topic of ‘the future of workplace‘. We’re in something of a collective thought process, excluding Donald Trump that is, who is clearly on his own individual trajectory. More →

April 22, 2020

EDGE London Bridge will be most sustainable tower in capital

by Jayne Smith • Cities, Environment, News, Property

EDGE, the developer of a number of groundbreaking, energy-efficient office buildings has reveals its designs for its new London project. The name of the new sustainable development at St Thomas Street on London’s South Bank is EDGE London Bridge. The development aims to make the 255,000 sq ft nia (23,500 sq m) tower featuring 26 floors of commercial office space into London’s most sustainable office tower. More →

April 15, 2020

There are some behavioural insights you cannot afford to ignore

by Jono Marcus • Features

Behavioural insights combine psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics with empirically tested results to understand and influence how people behave. These insights can be used to implement new policies more efficiently and successfully by nudging individual’s behaviour and shaping collective norms. More →

April 10, 2020

Microsoft Teams data shows how the way we work is changing

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

?In light of the numerous changes in daily behaviour across the world because of the coronavirus,?Microsoft has published the first edition of its?Work Trend .?It uses the Microsoft Graph of usage data to analyse productivity trends and observe how remote working scenarios are changing the way we connect with each other. More →

February 28, 2020

Exploring life at the new Siemens Campus in Zug

by Mark Eltringham • Features, Technology, Working culture, Workplace design

When it comes to creating an office to call home, all of the usual challenges are magnified by several degrees for a company like Siemens. It can’t afford to skimp on the building’s services, green credentials, integrated technology and all-round smartness then hold meaningful conversations on the same subjects with its clients. So, the new Siemens Campus in the Swiss town of Zug has to showcase the best the firm has to offer as well as delivering for the people who work there. More →

February 28, 2020

Average worker does nearly £7,000 worth of unpaid overtime a year

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News, Working culture

UK employers claimed £35 billion of free labour last year because of workers doing unpaid overtime, according to an analysis of official statistics published today by the TUC. More than 5 million people put in an average of 7.6 hours a week in unpaid overtime during 2019, it claims. On average, that equates to having £6,828 taken out of individual pay packets. More →