April 3, 2020

Two thirds of SMEs confident of prospects after restructuring

Nearly two thirds (62 percent) of UK small business owners remain confident about their business prospects despite the coronavirus crisis, according to a study from Bionic. The government’s response to the pandemic has forced many SMEs, particularly in the retail, hospitality and leisure space, to close their doors to customers. Responding to the lockdown, 78 percent of small businesses have pivoted the way their business operates to continue trading through the crisis.

April 1, 2020

Humanscale offers new service of online ergonomic consultations

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Insight promotion

Humanscale, the designer and manufacturer of high performance ergonomic products, has built its business by focusing on the health and wellbeing of workers around the world. In these unprecedented times, where employers and employees are unexpectedly working from home full time, Humanscale’s team of board certified ergonomists is offering a new digital service that provides online ergonomic consultations, to ensure a healthy and comfortable home arrangement. ErgoIQ LIVE is a first-of-its-kind online ergonomic consultation tool that provides online, on-demand access to Humanscale’s skilled network of certified ergonomists. More →

April 1, 2020

A revolutionary new approach to design and fit-out for flexible offices

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

Innovation in the commercial property market is the driving force behind a revolutionary new approach to the design and fit-out of office space from Modus. Tenant-Ready is a solution aimed at both landlords and operators, to deliver pre-fitted or fitted-to-demand workspace specifically for coworking spaces, serviced offices and other forms of flexible workplaces in which fit-out is not procured by tenants and occupiers. More →

April 1, 2020

The slacker`s guide to working from home in ten easy steps

by Neil Usher • Comment, Flexible working

It’s funny how all the stuff we read online over the last few years about how to be and behave at work suddenly contradicts all the guff about how to be effective while working from home over the last few weeks. Well, here’s the guide for those who’ve been taking their internet reading to heart over the last few years. More →

March 31, 2020

A lack of clarity is “shutting down construction”, say builders

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Members of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) have expressed concerns that the lack of clarity from the Government is causing the construction industry to close down. As well as reducing productivity to ensure on site social distancing, reduced access to materials and public opinion has made it extremely difficult for industry to operate. More →

March 30, 2020

Home working initiative to tackle worldwide pandemic response

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) collaboration are to throw their weight behind an emergency initiative by Leesman, building a global pan-industry response group to the threat posed to the real estate and facilities management industries by Covid-19 and addressing the huge uptake in home working. More →

March 30, 2020

Employees struggle to adapt to new workplace technology

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working culture

New research by Hays Talent Solutions claims workplace technology has had a significant impact on businesses and organisations when it comes to development, automation and growth; continuing to shake up the modern workplace and workforce in 2020. Paving the way for the change, younger workers are arguably redefining what workers want from their employers, while employees struggle to adapt to a technological workplace. More →

March 27, 2020

Nudges do not change the behaviour of commuters

by Neil Franklin • News

The use of nudge theory in the UK government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has raised some fresh questions about the applicability of the idea. The idea – that people can be encouraged to make significant changes in their behaviour with small interventions – has gained widespread acceptance around the world. While some have argued that the use of nudge theory in the initial response was questionable, other analysis has suggested it did have an effect. More →

March 27, 2020

Third of workforce expect role to vanish within three years

by Jayne Smith • News, Working lives

A new study by Mercer claims the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent uncertainty are accelerating changes in the way organisations around the world are working and will continue to work into the future. Particularly in challenging times, employers are focusing on their workforce, specifically fostering healthy lifestyles, supporting financial wellness and providing skills and training as careers change due to AI and technology developments. More →

March 27, 2020

Tech purchases surge as Brits prepare to work from home

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology

Research of product popularity and customer click out data by product comparison service, PriceSpy, claims that home office tech purchases of desktops, tablets and laptops – surged by an average 46 percent as Brits prepared to work from home during the Coronavirus pandemic. More →

March 26, 2020

Now is a great time to talk about staff absence in the NHS

by Ian Caminsky • Comment, Wellbeing

The NHS lost nearly ten days per employee to absence last year, the highest level recorded in the last five years. Data is crucial to the decision-making and success of every business, and yet many NHS Executives will be unaware of this statistic. More →

March 25, 2020

Loneliness has always been a workplace issue

by Nigel Oseland • Comment, Wellbeing, Working lives, Workplace design

Loneliness is increasingly recognised as a serious issue in modern society. In the UK, the Office of National Statistics reported that 5 percent of adults feel lonely ‘often’ or ‘always’, with further 16 percent of adults reporting feeling lonely ‘sometimes’, equivalent to approximately 9 million adults suffering from loneliness to some degree. More →