October 15, 2021
Hybrid working will define the future of work, but firms are unprepared
While the move to flexible and hybrid working is widely accepted by businesses, their preparedness to implement such a strategy is not yet fully realised. That is the key finding of a new report from Siemens subsidiaries Comfy and Enlighted. Commissioned by Siemens from analyst firm Verdantix, the study polled 75 corporate real estate (CRE) executives from global companies with annual revenues of over $1 billion on the strategic considerations of redefining workforce models due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More →
Over a third (37 percent) of Brits say they have felt more stressed since the lifting of lockdown restrictions in July, and one in five (21 percent) still aren’t ready to get back to normal life – and that includes the office – claims a new 
As workers are encouraged to return to offices in greater numbers, employers should prepare for an influx of employees reporting symptoms of Long Covid. Cases are rising in the UK and it is estimated that a significant percentage of those testing positive for Covid-19 go on to develop Long Covid, a debilitating condition with symptoms ranging from fatigue and muscle aches, to breathing-related problems and chest pain. The duration of symptoms varies, with some sufferers recovering after 12 weeks and others continuing to suffer for far longer. While working remotely, it may have been possible for some employees to manage their symptoms privately; however, the requirement to attend the office may prompt them to disclose their condition and seek the support of their employer. 
Eighteen months since nationwide shutdowns, the global surge in COVID-19 cases is exacerbating the onset of virtual fatigue for many employees according to 
Socio-economic fault lines exposed by COVID-19 are creating an unforgiving marketplace, with companies under scrutiny from governments and the public and little room to avoid disputes and investigations into business practices and behavior, according to a new report from 
Since offices reopened, there has naturally been a much greater focus on health and safety. Office managers everywhere have deployed one-way corridors, anti-viral disinfectant wipes, and daily temperature checks in order to ensure that those who have returned to the office feel safe. Globally, businesses have learned to cope with these adverse circumstances, but there are other lessons from the past year that we should use to refresh the workplace as well. 
Research from 
Hybrid working could bring nearly four million people “locked out” from work such as parents, carers and disabled people into the workforce and enable part-time workers to work more hours adding £48.3bn to the UK economy each year, according to a new study by 
Predicting behaviours in the commercial property market is never an easy thing, yet we know that the pandemic has drastically altered this market. Whilst some players have advocated ‘the end is nigh’ for all office space, research shows a different picture emerging – namely the office space as we know it is evolving into something different. The impact of prolonged uncertainty has fuelled change. However, there are other forces at work shaping a brighter and more varied future for office space. 
New research into workplace discrimination, commissioned by 
September 28, 2021
Developing a future of work strategy depends on asking the right questions
by Mark Caskey • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design