August 16, 2019

Office design has a role to play in reflecting neurological differences

by Julian Sharpe • Comment, Workplace design

In recent years, we have seen a growing civil rights movement focused on change in the workplace and in terms of office design, revolving around differences in brain function. Advocates for neurodiversity say that it’s just as critical to business success as gender or racial diversity in the labour force. More →

August 16, 2019

Is London Smart City Initiative as smart as it could be?

by George Adams • Cities, Comment, Technology

It’s been a year since the launch of the Mayor of London’s smart city roadmap, designed to transform the capital into the smartest city in the world. But twelve months later, is the city any smarter? The Mayor of London’s smart city roadmap is proposing to transform the capital into the smartest city in the world, and as part of the initiative, Sadiq Khan appointed his first Chief Digital Officer to help steer the plan to focus on knowledge and technical advancements that will make life easier for London’s citizens. More →

August 15, 2019

Reasons to be agile, part three

by Sarah Booth • Comment, Workplace design

The Agile Manife st o, published in 2001, signalled a shift in approach to workplace design as well as technology. Though the document was conceived as a guide to speeding up software development, its contents have gone on to inform how organisations think and operate in ways that extend far beyond IT. “Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.” That’s the fifth of 12 ‘principles’ in the manifesto. More →

August 15, 2019

Firms with a balance of men and women outperform male dominated rivals

by Neil Franklin • News

The share performance and other metrics of listed companies with a balance of men and women tend to be better than those of male-dominated rivals, according to a new report from Morgan Stanley. The report is based on Morgan Stanley’s HERS ranking, a new measurement the investment bank has developed to evaluate gender diversity at companies and its impact on performance. It determines the gender diversity of a company by factoring in the percentage of women on boards, in the executive and management team, and in the workforce generally. More →

August 14, 2019

London commercial property market continues to thrive

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

July saw some of the largest deals complete in central London this year, says Savills, with a total of £1.394bn transacted in the West End and the City of London across 13 deals, representing a 185 percent increase on the £489m transacted in June. The real estate adviser highlights the low exchange rate coupled with high demand as the key factors behind the ongoing drive for deals in the London commercial property market. More →

August 13, 2019

Working carers of children and parents are at breaking point

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

‘Sandwich carers’, those people who look after children and their relatives alongside work, are struggling to cope with the burden of juggling caring responsibilities alongside their job. Around 1.3 million people in the UK now fall into this category and new research from BHSF claims that many are at breaking point. 44 percent said they often find managing their responsibilities hard – with 16 percent admitting that it’s always too much to cope with. More →

August 8, 2019

Changing nature of work revealed in official data

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Working culture

Many aspects of the changing nature of work in the UK are highlighted in a new official report into the number of hours worked in the country. The UK’s ongoing productivity challenges, highlighted by another ONS report last month, are well known, but the new data suggests that a number of common suppositions about the way we work should be challenged, especially those related to demographics, the types of work people do and who does it. More →

August 8, 2019

Bosses at financial services firms falling behind on tech know-how

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

With widespread disruption from new and emerging technologies facing companies, the financial services sector is still lacking in both diversity and CEOs with a background in technology, according to recent analysis from recruitment firm,Robert Half UK. According to the results of the annual Robert Half FTSE 100 CEO Tracker, not one of the CEOs leading the FTSE 100’s financial services companies has a background in technology. By contrast, the proportion of CEOs with a background in technology across all sectors has increased by 27 percent over the past year, as the impact of digitisation is felt across multiple industries and sectors. More →

August 8, 2019

London occupiers mixing conventional and flexible offices

by Neil Franklin • Coworking, News, Property

Although London retains its status as the European capital of flexible offices and coworking, a new report from Colliers International claims that the capital is also enjoying above average demand for conventional office space, coupled with reduced footprints overall, as corporate occupiers seek to expand their businesses but without taking on property at the same rate. More →

August 8, 2019

Incoming BCO President commits to focus on wellbeing

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Wellbeing

Paul Patenall, Projects Director at U+I, has been elected as President of the British Council for Offices (BCO) and will focus on the positive impact the industry can have on wellbeing. Patenall set out his vision as Chair of this year’s BCO Conference, held in Copenhagen. The event explored the Danish concept of Arbejdsglæde, which is based on a balanced and considerate approach to work. The concept informs the city’s workplaces, which are renowned for their bold designs, intelligent use of natural light and space and for encouraging occupants to stay active throughout the day. More →

August 7, 2019

Some uncomfortable truths about sitting down at work ⁰

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The problem with the modish idea of fake news is that we’re not very good at spotting it. As with our driving, each of us possesses an unwarranted faith in our own abilities coupled with dismay at those of other people, unaware of just how much our own biases and fixed opinions distort the way we perceive information. It’s one of those things we need to be on the lookout for, especially if we are pronouncing on complex issues.

August 7, 2019

One in ten firms sued for business rates arrears

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Around one in ten businesses in England were sued by their local authorities over the past year for failing to pay rising business rates, new data suggests. According to real estate consultancy Altus Group, around 750 businesses were sued each working day. The real estate group said the figures highlight the cost pressures on UK businesses, as the occupies of around 190,000 commercial properties came to court over the non-payment of rates during the last financial year. The report claims that the occupiers and owners of offices, shops, pubs and restaurants have called for cuts to business rates. According to Altus Group, the standard rate of tax, which applies to all medium and large premises in England with a rateable value of more than £51,000, rose by 2.4 percent on 1 April 2019. More →