January 22, 2020

We might spot patterns in office design, but a global picture is beyond us

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

The ongoing evolution in the design of the places we work has much in common with evolution in the natural world. But whereas natural selection is dependent on its ‘Blind Watchmaker’ to indirectly shape creatures in response to the constantly changing forces in their environment own, office design is anything but blind – at least it is when done intelligently and with insight. More →

January 22, 2020

Self-employment hits the 5 million mark for the first time

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

UK job growth was the strongest in nearly a year in the three months to November, according to new government data. The Office for National Statistics said the strong jobs growth reflected a particularly weak three-month period to August when jobs fell, but the data also showed the employment rate hit a record high of 76.3 percent with jobs growth driven particularly by self-employment and the numbers of women in full time work. More →

January 22, 2020

Workplace bullying is being swept under the carpet

by Jackie Le Poidevin • News

A quarter of employees think challenging issues like workplace bullying and harassment are swept under the carpet in their organisation, a new report from the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, claims. More →

January 21, 2020

The vaguery of workplace serendipity

by Neil Usher • Comment, Facilities management, Technology, Workplace design

It has become vogue to refer to the workplace as being ‘all about people’. It points in all directions at once. Organisations need fit, healthy, happy, skilled, motivated, engaged and purposeful people being (and feeling) productive and doing their best work every day. They want their people working closely together – they’ve spent a lot of time and money drawing in those they feel can contribute to a whole that is other than the sum of the parts. More →

January 21, 2020

New generation prefer technology to face-to-face negotiation

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Business, News

Younger decision makers are increasingly relying on technology such as emails, video conferencing and WhatsApp in negotiations with suppliers, rather than speaking to them face-to-face, new research from Barclaycard Payments has claimed. Despite supplier negotiation being regarded as an ‘art’ by seven in 10, many said it will increasingly be conducted digitally over the next five years (68 percent). More →

January 20, 2020

Digital culture is key to attracting contingent workforce

by Mike Ryan • Comment, Workplace

Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed a radical change in the makeup of workforces in the UK and globally. The rise of flexible workforces continues unabated, to the point where contingent workers are a significant and vital part of the employment fabric. Demonstrating this point, recent research by the City & Guilds Group found that 84 percent of UK employers use contingent workers, and 35 percent anticipate they will rely on them more in the next 3-5 years. More →

January 20, 2020

Commercial property market will be shaped by climate change in 2020

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

The world’s commercial property markets will be defined this year by low interest rates, socially responsible investing, cautious optimism and climate change as well as six other factors according to Avison Young’s 2020 Forecast. The annual report series claims to provide perspective on how global events, trends and indicators impact commercial real estate in a variety of sectors, including capital markets, office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality, among others.

January 17, 2020

Structure of teams could be source of competitive advantage

by Neil Franklin • News

Cass Business School and Slack have published new research into the nature future of teamwork which identifies the relationships between team alignment and execution, drivers for competitive advantage, and the role of new workplace technologies. It suggests that teams are the fundamental building blocks of modern organisations but their role in delivering better outcomes for an organisation is still undervalued. More →

January 16, 2020

What Baloo can teach us about our suspicion of tall buildings

by Mark Eltringham • Architecture, Cities, Comment

“What Baloo had said about the monkeys was perfectly true. They belonged to the tree-tops, and as beasts very seldom look up, there was no occasion for the monkeys and the Jungle-People to cross each other’s path.” Of course, Rudyard Kipling meant this figuratively but there is a clear link between ‘up’ in the figurative sense and ‘up’ in the physical sense. The executives at Omnicorp don’t lease the most expensive offices in a tower in so they can sit around on the ground floor watching the hoi polloi pass by at street level. They need to be at the top of the building looking down on them. More →

January 16, 2020

HR leaders feel completely unprepared for the future of work

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Most chief people officers (CPOs) in the US realise they need new skills to meet the demand of the 21st century role, but few are prepared, citing a lack of development and investment from the C-suite, meaning they feel unprepared for the future of work. This is according to a new study by HR People + Strategy (SHRM’s Executive Network of business and thought leaders in human resources) and with Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory, broking and solutions company. The study, based on direct input from more than 500 executives, examined the key changes shaping the CPO role and identifies a pathway for developing and accelerating this next generation of HR leaders. More →

January 15, 2020

Workers value comfort and functionality over quirky office design

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Employees value physical office design features and amenities that offer them a greater deal of comfort and functionality in the workplace. They especially favour outdoor views, natural light and on-site food services, according to a new report from CBRE based on a survey of 1,600 North American office users. More →

January 15, 2020

Disconnect between HR and finance is key to productivity puzzle

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

A continued disconnect between HR, Finance and business leaders is an important driver of the UK’s enduring low productivity levels, a new report claims. The research commissioned by OrgVue, claims that if better organisational planning was adopted by UK organisations, GDP could be boosted by £10.4 billion due to improved productivity. More →