December 22, 2022

How businesses can support employee wellbeing over a difficult festive period

When we think about the festive period, the financial pressures that Christmas brings, amid rising energy bills and not having enough to eat shouldn’t be first and foremost on our minds. With thirty million people employed by businesses in the UK, that is a huge number of employees who could benefit if employers acted now to support them and their wellbeing. This winter has been extremely challenging for many people across the UK. And for the first time since 2009, the UK is in recession. More →

December 13, 2022

Flexible working now key to success, say majority of businesses

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Four in five (80 percent) UK businesses believe that flexible working arrangements are critical to their future success, a new poll from DocuSign claims. Offering employees the flexibility of where and when they work is seen as a competitive advantage by 75 percent of businesses while the large majority (82 percent) consider it essential in attracting and retaining the right talent and meeting the demands of the future workforce. More →

November 25, 2022

Business owners lose sleep over impact of mental health on their business, but don’t act

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new poll claims that the majority of business leaders say that mental health support isn’t available for their employees or isn’t utilised enough, despite acknowledging how poor mental health impacts business performance. The survey was conducted by GoProposal and is based on 750 small business owners in the UK. It claims that over half of businesses (55 percent) either have no mental health support in place for their employees or have support processes that aren’t used enough. More →

November 22, 2022

Inconsistent flexible working strategies drive people away from businesses

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new poll of 3,450 people in a dozen countries from Unit4 claims that around two in five organisations have lost employees over the last year because they believed they would enjoy better flexible working options elsewhere. While most firms now have a formalised approach to flexible working, the report claims that policies vary enormously, exacerbating the challenge of recruiting and retaining people for those firms with an inconsistent approach. More →

November 22, 2022

Half of small business owners have no fixed working hours at all

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Wellbeing

A new report from Samsung suggests that the stereotype of the typical small business owners as a person who work around the clock is outdated. Around half of full-time business owners in the UK say they have no fixed work hours at all, preferring a fluid workday set up. One-third (31 percent) of business owners also said they commit to fewer than 7 hours as a typical core working day, preferring to work when optimal to their businesses. More →

November 14, 2022

Investment in real estate upgrades stalls in face of economic and business challenges

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Research by ULI and PwC claims that nearly half of Europe’s real estate leaders are concerned about buildings becoming obsolete in the next five years in the face of long-term upheavals in demographics, climate change, technology and lifestyles. Most of the 900 or so industry leaders that participated are making long-term resources available to address the fit-for-purpose agenda. However, the challenging business environment has reshuffled priorities to financing and high construction costs, and scarcity of resources has made real estate renewal more expensive to achieve, consequently delaying much needed investment. More →

October 6, 2022

Wellbeing and business success are directly connected, study claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new report from Gallup, sponsored by Workhuman, claims that a set of wellbeing measures can help mitigate a $322 billion cost of employee turnover and lost productivity worldwide. The report- Amplifying Wellbeing at Work and Beyond Through the Power of Recognition, claims to identify connections between employee wellbeing and overall company growth and success. The study of more than 12,000 employees across 12 countries claims that when employees are recognised at work, they are up to 10 times as likely to strongly agree that they ‘belong’ at the organisation. Employees who lack a strong sense of belonging are up to twelve times as likely to be disengaged and five times as likely to be looking for another job. More →

October 4, 2022

Most business professionals feel the need to ’embrace the metaverse

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

A new study commissioned by Ciena claims to have uncovered just how ready business professionals are to collaborate in the virtual world of the metaverse. Ninety-six percent of the 15,000 business professionals surveyed across the globe say that they recognise the value of virtual meetings, and more than three-quarters (78 percent) say they would participate in more immersive experiences like the metaverse compared to current tools, such as videoconferencing. More →

September 21, 2022

EDGE Valley set to transform Amsterdam business district

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Property

Real estate developer EDGE has announced the official opening of Valley, the high-rise designed by MVRDV, which was recently declared the world’s best new skyscraper by the Emporis Awards. The firm claims that the addition to Amsterdam’s business district will mark a shift in thinking for urban development as a whole, transforming the Zuidas district into a vibrant and lively urban quarter. The fully leased 75.000-square-meter development, was officially opened in the presence of Reinier van Dantzig, Alderman for Housing and Urban Development, Municipality of Amsterdam, the Board of RJB Group of Companies, Winy Maas, Founding Partner at MVRDV, Coen van Oostrom, Founder & CEO of EDGE and all parties involved in the project. More →

September 9, 2022

Hybrid work may be ‘here to stay’, but the office remains essential for many businesses

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property, Workplace design

As businesses continue to evolve their workplaces to best meet the needs of their employees, JLL’s global Future of Work Survey claims that 72 percent of decision makers believe the office is critical to doing business. The research shows that over the next several years companies anticipate hybrid work to become the dominant model and will be looking across their real estate portfolios to re-think their office spaces, invest in new technology, including virtual offices, and prioritise sustainability. More →

September 1, 2022

Established businesses must do more to support local entrepreneurs and startups

by Matthew Watts • Company news

With SME’s accounting for the employment of more than half of the UK’s workforce, supporting these businesses is of benefit to everyone while geopolitical events and the impact of the pandemic continue to cause economic uncertainty. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are vital for spurring on evolutions in our technology and creating new markets for services and products, therefore bringing about competition which in turn boosts productivity that benefits our own and other economies, helping them withstand and recover faster from financial downturns. More →

August 25, 2022

How to find top tech talent for your business

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Finding the right tech talent for your business is essential for its success. The right employees can help your business grow and reach new heights. When looking for tech talent, there are a few things to keep in mind. Keep reading to find out where to find the best tech talent for your business. More →