July 30, 2024

Businesses planning major investments into Generative AI to increase productivity

A new report from Cognizant and Oxford Economics New Work, New World: Quantifying Global Gen AI Momentum suggests that firms are planning major investments into generative AI technologies to drive increases in productivity, but are still being cautious about their impact. Additionally, 76 percent of businesses say they are looking to leverage the technology to create new revenue streams, while 58 percent are incorporating revenue increases into their business cases. More →

July 25, 2024

People and firms are shifting away from remote work, survey suggests

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

There has been a recent significant shift in working habits and preferences among employees in the post-pandemic landscape, according to the fourth Commuter Census from Mobilityways. One of the most prominent findings from the report is the pronounced decline in both the practice of and preference for remote work. The survey of 10,325 participants suggests that 40 percent of people no longer engage in any form of remote work, despite a mere 15 percent of employees expressing a preference for this arrangement. Only 26 percent of respondents would consider working from home as an alternative to their current commuting routine, marking a significant 42 percent drop from the previous year. More →

July 18, 2024

The city and the office have much to teach each other

by Marian Evans • Cities, Features, Workplace design

Whatever you might hear, these times are far from unprecedented. History has lessons for us both in terms of how we view the events of 2020 and how we might respond to them, including how we progress as a species and make our lives and the world a better place. In 1832, there was an epidemic of cholera in the UK’s towns and cities. In those with a population of 100,000 or more life expectancy was just 26 years. The reasons for this were picked up on by a government official called Edwin Chadwick as a member of the Poor Law Commission. More →

July 17, 2024

Want a creative workplace? Make life difficult and chaotic for yourself

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace

We launched IN Magazine officially on the 4th of March 2020. So, this month marks some sort of anniversary. You could argue that this was the worst day in the history of mankind to launch a new magazine about people, work and workplaces and you’d probably be right. People were already not shaking hands. They had begun deserting public transport and planning for less contact with each other. Lockdown was only a couple of weeks away. More →

July 2, 2024

3 Days of Design proves we don’t know what we’re doing

by Luke Munro • Comment, Environment, Workplace design

We don’t know what we’re doing. That was what we all learnt about sustainability at last week’s 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen as Denmark’s capital city played host once more to this increasingly influential European Design event. Timed, as it is, in the same week as Chicago’s Neocon, and following on from Milan’s enormous and well-renowned Salone, not even intermittently inclement weather could disguise the noticeably larger audience drawn to Copenhagen this year. More →

July 1, 2024

Ultrafabrics celebrates 25th anniversary with new and improved bio-based Volar Bio collection

by Jayne Smith • Company news

Ultrafabrics proudly commemorates its 25th anniversary of excellence in the industry with the reintroduction of its Volar Bio collection which now has a 66 percent mix of recycled, rapidly renewable and bio-based content – a remarkable achievement in sustainable innovation. More →

June 28, 2024

Looking for a job now as savage an experience as a dating app

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Nearly two thirds of people say they find looking for a job a negative experience with almost a quarter saying that the process is ‘soul-destroying’, according to a new poll from HiBob. The survey also suggests that three in five (58 percent) UK professionals have been ghosted by a prospective employer during the interview process, with two in five (39 percent) having been ghosted more than once. The report concludes that the recruitment process could be becoming as savage as online dating, where four in five single people say they have experienced ghosting. More →

June 26, 2024

Younger people put far less emphasis on flexible working than older colleagues

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Demand for flexible working options surged during the pandemic but has since become less important to people, according to ADP Research Institute’s People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View [registration]. Overall, the survey of nearly 35,000 people in 18 countries suggests flexible working hours are important to 25 percent of workers, while 15 percent value flexible locations. Workers of all ages and in all regions rank flexibility of location below salary, job security, work enjoyment and career progression. In Europe, only 14 percent of respondents favour flexible location, a slightly smaller share than in Asia Pacific (15 percent), Latin America (15 percent), and North America (17 percent). More →

June 19, 2024

Two in five people say they aren’t paid enough to make ends meet

by Jayne Smith • News, Workplace

A new report from Indeed, released two weeks ahead of the UK General Election, suggests that more than 2 in 5 (42 percent) Brits are struggling to make ends meet. According to the survey of over 2,000 British people, those in the North East of England feel most comfortable, with less than a third (32 percent) struggling, while almost half (48 percent) of those in Scotland say their pay isn’t keeping pace. More →

June 12, 2024

We need to stop paying lip service to the issue of workplace wellbeing

by Emily Smith • News, Wellbeing

In the wake of Mental Health Awareness Week last month, now is a brilliant opportunity to take stock of impactful employee wellbeing initiatives. Many people feel their employers are guilty of ‘wellness washing’, the practice of paying lip service to wellbeing. However, the benefits of impactful wellbeing initiatives are clear – 89 percent of employees who have wellness programmes at work report being more engaged and happy within their roles. Taking a subjective approach by catering to employees’ needs can be transformational for employee satisfaction and, in turn, boost retention. More →

June 12, 2024

Britain is no longer a nation of shopkeepers, but it is divided by the work we do

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Following last week’s news that the fastest growing job category in the US isn’t necessarily the one you’d expect, a new report from HR software provider Ciphr, based on ONS data, claims to identify which jobs are the most disproportionately common in each part of the UK. The report analyses the latest regional employee estimates for over 370 occupations to find out which work roles (with at least 5,000 full-time employees) appear to be more concentrated, or over-represented, in some places more than others. More →

June 11, 2024

Fiona Cousins appointed new President of CIBSE

by Freddie Steele • Company news

CIBSE has announced the appointment of Fiona Cousins as its new President. Fiona, who holds several senior roles at Arup, brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to advancing sustainability and broadening the focus on building performance in the industry. Fiona takes over the presidency from Adrian Catchpole, to whom she extended heartfelt thanks for his contributions, especially in promoting STEM Ambassadors in schools and the certified practice initiatives. These efforts will continue to be a priority according to a statement from CIBSE. More →