Search Results for: performance

UK productivity continues to drag despite variations across sectors

UK productivity continues to drag despite variations across sectors

by • Business, News

The UK has seen a significant dip in productivity growth since the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-8, according to a new report from PwC UKThe UK has seen a significant dip in productivity growth since the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-8, according to a new report from PwC UK. However, this new analysis also highlights sectoral differences in productivity growth, with some sectors performing better than others in recent years. The slowdown in manufacturing productivity is also shown to have played a significant role in the fall in economy-wide productivity, but there is positive sentiment amongst manufacturers, with almost 1 in 5 expecting to see gains of 10-25 percent in the coming year. According to PwC UK’s new UK Productivity Tracker, a lack of sustained investment expenditure may be behind the UK’s weak performance. More →

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace

The workplace sector in the UK has been reacting to the announcements in the Spring budgetToday the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt presented his Spring Budget to the House of Commons. In it he announced what her referred to as his ‘four pillars’ of industrial and productivity strategy, namely: ‘Enterprise’, ‘Employment’, ‘Education’, and ‘Everywhere’. Perhaps the headline element of this announcement was the creation of twelve new investment zones across the UK as well as incentives for older workers to return to the country’s patchy workforce. This includes£63m for programmes to encourage retirees over 50 back to work, “returnerships” and ‘skills boot camps’. Another headline for the workplace sector was the offer of improved childcare arrangements, especially for the parents of very young children, who will see 30 hours of free childcare expanded to include one and two-year-olds. More →

Build a healthy workplace culture at The Workplace Event

Build a healthy workplace culture at The Workplace Event

by • Company news, Events

This year The Workplace Event is launching a highly focused content theatre - The Knowledge Hub // Culture and Health & Wellbeing.Workplace culture and environment play a significant role in the health and wellbeing of employees, and it has become increasingly important for businesses to build a positive and healthy work environment. This year The Workplace Event is launching a highly focused content theatre – The Knowledge Hub // Culture and Health & Wellbeing. Featuring leading experts, industry professionals, and thought leaders, it will provide a platform for the discussion of topics ranging from mental health and stress management to workplace diversity and employee engagement and more. Learn about strategies and tools that are driving positive workplace cultures and promoting employee well-being to improve organisational performance. Don’t let the opportunity to build a healthy and positive workplace culture pass you by. Register for your FREE pass to The Workplace Event today.

Image: Claremont Group 

Gender-balanced boards are more likely to push for improved company culture

Gender-balanced boards are more likely to push for improved company culture

by • News, Workplace

women are more likely than men to focus on emerging issues, notably company culture and employee developmentThe 30% Club, in partnership with board advisory specialists Lintstock, has today issued new qualitative analysis based on the engagement of male and female directors in 100 FTSE board reviews in a report Evidencing the Contribution of Gender Balance to Board Effectiveness. The survey claims to highlight the difference gender diversity makes to the running of corporate boards, with a significant finding that women are more likely than men to focus on emerging issues, notably company culture and employee development. In addition, female directors were also more likely to offer criticism and recommendations for improvement on both their own performance and their business activities. More →

The six skills managers will need for the future of work

The six skills managers will need for the future of work

by • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

When it comes to the future of work, we need new guidelines for building change-ready and vulnerable leadership.Conversations around how work and leadership will change in the coming years have inevitably been accelerated by the pandemic. Companies all over the world have been urged to seek new digital tools, solutions and methods for communicating, making decisions, and activating projects remotely. The companies that emerged most successfully from the Covid era were those that, despite all the uncertainty at the time, decided to adapt and view the pandemic as an opportunity for change rather than an obstacle. When it comes to the future of work, we need new guidelines for building change-ready and vulnerable leadership. More →

Less than a third of businesses know how energy efficient their office is

Less than a third of businesses know how energy efficient their office is

by • Environment, Facilities management, News

A surprisingly high proportion of UK businesses are unaware of new environmental legislation concerning the energy efficiency of their buildings, or how even how energy efficient they are in the first placeA surprisingly high proportion of UK businesses are unaware of new environmental legislation concerning the energy efficiency of their buildings, or even how energy efficient they are in the first place, according to a new survey commissioned by Irwin Mitchell: Redefining the Office – A report on office occupier trends in 2023.  The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation means that from 1st April 2023, property owners must not continue to let properties that have an EPC rating of F or G (unless they have an exemption) and all let properties will need to have a minimum EPC rating of E. More →

Employers prioritising long term return on investment in recruitment

Employers prioritising long term return on investment in recruitment

by • News, Workplace

Following the 'hiring frenzy' of the pandemic, recruitment strategies are focused on total value creation by empowering their teams to learn, grow and be ready for any contingencyFollowing the ‘hiring frenzy’ of the pandemic, recruitment strategies are focused on total value creation by empowering their teams to learn, grow and be ready for any contingency, according to the 2023 Talent Trends Report from Randstad. The poll of over 900 C-suite and HR leaders in 18 markets focussed on their talent and career development priorities for the year ahead. Now in its 8th year, this year’s report claims that despite an uncertain economic environment, business leaders are focused on driving long-term value and business impact by increasing talent engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and retention, following the ‘hiring frenzy’ of the last two years.  More →

Most US employees don’t believe remote working colleagues are really working

Most US employees don’t believe remote working colleagues are really working

by • Flexible working, News

Only 24 percent of people trust their remote working colleagues to get work done from home, according to a new poll from EnvoyOnly 24 percent of people trust their remote working colleagues to get work done from home, according to a new poll from Envoy. However, the latest edition of its Return to the Workplace survey also suggests that 94 percent of workers believe their managers trust them to do their work from anywhere, home or the office. And the older the worker, the greater the confidence they have in expressing such a belief. Only 57 percent of ‘Gen Z’ feel strongly that they have their manager’s trust compared with 71 percent of ‘Millennials’ and 77 percent of ‘Boomers’. (Wot? No Gen X? – Ed) More →

Four day week pilot results are very encouraging indeed, say researchers

Four day week pilot results are very encouraging indeed, say researchers

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Businesses that adopted a four day week as part of a pilot programme say they are more profitable and their staff are fitter, happier and more productiveBusinesses that adopted a four day working week as part of a pilot programme say they are more profitable and their staff are fitter, happier and more productive, researchers have told MPs. A large majority of companies that took part in the pilot now plan to carry on. The programme, led in the UK by non-profit 4 Day Week Global, the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign and think-tank Autonomy,  involved around 3,000 workers through a six-month trial of a four day week, with no loss of pay. This brings the global campaign’s total number of completed pilot participants to 91 companies and approximately 3,500 employees. More →

BCO specification guide updated to reflect demand for flexible, green, healthier offices

BCO specification guide updated to reflect demand for flexible, green, healthier offices

by • News, Property, Workplace design

he BCO has released an update to its specification guide, to offer advice on how to create healthier, greener offices that support changing working patternsResponding to what it claims are challenges emerging from the pandemic and the accelerating need for the built environment to respond to climate change, the British Council for Offices (BCO) has released an early update to its Guide to Specification, which provides expert advice on how designers can create healthier offices that support changing working patterns, while reducing carbon emissions.

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Workspace Design Show returns (and so do we)

Workspace Design Show returns (and so do we)

by • Events, Features, Flooring, Furniture, Lighting, Workplace design

A few of you may already know this story. It was some 15 months ago and three old friends met up for the first time in quite a while (well, we had been through lockdowns etc). Having caught up with each other’s news, the subject turned to industry journals, what the three friends felt the market was missing and the possibility of collaborating in the not too distant future. That conversation occurred at the inaugural Workspace Design Show – which the three amigos were all hugely impressed by. The result of that conversation (and a few more chats and meets, of course) is Works. So, here we are, all those months later, pulling together a preview of the 2023 edition of WDS, which – we’re delighted to say – we’re very much a part of. And we don’t just partner with any one, you know. More →

Working parents are resilient, and a resilient team is good for business

Working parents are resilient, and a resilient team is good for business

by • Comment, Wellbeing

Parent Mental Health Day renewed our focus on working parents and their resilience, the ability to adapt to change, deal with stress, and foster optimismLast week, Parent Mental Health Day renewed our focus on working parents and their resilience, the ability to adapt to change, deal with stress, and foster optimism despite difficulty. From a business perspective, resilience is the way that employees recognise and respond to challenges as opportunities to develop rather than as a threat or setback. Resilience is an important skill for us all as we manoeuvre through life’s daily trials and it is particularly important for working parents as we often juggle more responsibilities outside of the workplace. More →

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