December 17, 2013

New survey reveals extent and nature of workplace change programmes

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Property

The newly published Workplace Transformation Survey from property consultancy Cushman and Wakefield begins with the now routine statement that “there is no doubt the corporate workplace is rapidly transforming”. So tell us something we don’t know – and in the subsequent report they pretty much do. That said, the methodology of the survey does skew the results by focussing on a particular part of the workplace elephant, because the report was compiled in conjunction with CoreNet Global, based on a questionnaire of over 500 occupiers and other participants from around the world taking part in events in Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Shanghai. So inevitably the results are weighted to at least some degree in favour of those with an interest in commercial property and the regions from which it draws its data. More →

June 18, 2013

The democratisation of the workplace is changing how we work

by Andrew Brown • Comment, Facilities management, Flexible working, Furniture, Workplace

Work. We all, with some noticeable exceptions, are obliged to do some. If we are lucky we receive remuneration for our labour. This for me is at the heart of work. We are professionals. specialists, generalists, doers, thinkers, strategists or the people on the front line – but we all go to work. So, shouldn’t the people in charge – and just as importantly, the consultants they talk to about us workers – find out what makes us tick? Obviously, that is exactly the argument that many workplace consultants are making via Office Insight, via Twitter and in the property and FM media. Engaging with employees, via workshops forums or surveys such as Leesman or the more intelligently crafted employee surveys – I agree with all of it, but I think we might be missing something. We need to get back to what work is about.

May 2, 2013

Companies increasingly insist that staff use their own devices

by Mark Eltringham • Knowledge, News, Technology, Workplace

How the world turns. It doesn’t seem that long ago that companies were developing policies to minimise the amount of time people spent on their own mobile devices at work. Now, according to a new study from Gartner, they are starting to insist on it. According to the report, half of all US employers will require staff to supply their own devices for work use by 2017. The shift in approach seems to be a direct consequence of mass market acceptance of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) with the number of employees using mobile applications at work set to double by 2015. The US, along with countries such as India, China and Brazil, continues to lead the way with twice as many firms adopting the practice as in Europe.

January 23, 2013

Global Gen Y survey highlights national differences

by Mark Eltringham • Environment, Knowledge, News, Workplace

Never has a generation of humans been so much talked about as Generation Y. As this millennial army marches into the world’s workplaces and takes the reins of power (or at least control) for the first time, there has been a lot of agonising about how to manage a whole generation of people who are the first to have been nurtured in a digital world. Now a new report from Deloitte into the attitudes of millennials from around the world has confirmed that this is a complex generation of individuals with many universal ideals but with regional characteristics too. More →

January 16, 2013

Workplace transformation strategies are an essential element of CSR

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Knowledge, News, Workplace, Workplace design

CNGLogo

Adopting 21st-century workplace practices that meet the needs of employers and employees is an important form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), according to a new corporate real estate (CRE) industry advocacy statement by CoreNet Global. The report finds the nature of work is “changing dramatically, transcending the traditional definitions of productivity to include the concepts of enabling work, employee engagement, employee satisfaction and employee wellness, framed around an emerging ‘work-life support’ business model.” More →

July 11, 2024

How AI will transform the way we design and manage the places we work

by Nell Watson • AI, Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

The integration of Artificial Intelligence into the workplace is not just a technological shift; it’s a fundamental reimagining of how we work, interact, and manage our professional environments. As AI capabilities rapidly evolve, they promise to transform every aspect of workplace design and management, from physical layouts to organizational structures and employee experiences. More →

July 6, 2024

Understanding enterprise search software and its importance in the business landscape

by Freddie Steele • Company news

As the digital landscape of business continues to expand, the ability to navigate vast repositories of information swiftly and accurately is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. In this article, we will explore the span of enterprise search, its central features, and the positive outcomes it ripples through an organization. Keep reading to understand how enterprise search software can transform your business processes. More →

June 21, 2024

AI could save the public sector millions of hours of time each week, claims report

by Jayne Smith • AI, News, Public Sector

A new report commissioned by Microsoft claims that the scale of administration required of the UK’s public sector is drawing front line workers away from delivering frontline services, and impacting the motivation, engagement and even mental health of large proportions of the public workforce. The research, developed by Dr Chris Brauer, Director of Innovation at Goldsmiths University and Symmetry features in a new report from Microsoft, ‘Harnessing the Power of AI for the Public Sector‘ and argues AI could save more than four hours per week on administrative tasks per staff member across all public sectors. More →

June 18, 2024

Workplace conflict leads to poor mental and physical health

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

People who experience conflict in the workplace have lower job satisfaction and are more likely to experience poorer mental and physical health, according to the CIPD Good Work Index 2024. The CIPD’s latest report showed a quarter (25 percent) of UK employees – an estimated eight million people – have experienced workplace conflict in the past year. More →

June 17, 2024

People say hybrid working has reduced their risk of burnout

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property, Wellbeing

A new poll claims that the vast majority of workers who have shifted to a hybrid working model say that it has helped them to greatly reduce burnout in their working lives. The survey of more than 1,000 people, undertaken by hybrid working firm International Workplace Group, suggests that three quarters (75 percent) reported a dramatic reduction in burnout symptoms, defined as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplaces stress, since moving to a hybrid model. More →

June 13, 2024

A new generation of workplace apps is transforming people’s experience of work

by Helen Parton • Facilities management, Features, Technology, Workplace design

Disseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days, workplace apps promise a much more sophisticated experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” More →

June 12, 2024

Most people feel disengaged from their work, but managers can still make all the difference

by Marvin Gort • News, Workplace

Employee engagement worldwide has remained steady according to the latest edition of Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report. The good news, according to the authors, is that the percentage of engaged employees – those enthusiastic about their work – held at a record high of 23 percent from 2022. However, the bad news is that the majority of employees are still not engaged (62 percent) and just show up to do the minimum, while a significant number (15 percent) are actively disengaged, meaning they dislike their jobs and managers and are looking to leave. More →