November 3, 2023
Miller Knoll has introduced a new framework that helps organisations uncover the purpose of their workplace. The approach addresses the human needs of employees to improve their wellbeing, fosters a sense of community and connection, and helps organisations navigate, prepare, and design for change. The firm sets out its thinking here. More →
October 23, 2023
British workers who come into the office every day to work now outnumber those who spend part of the week working from home, for the first time since the end of pandemic restrictions, according to a new survey from recruitment firm Hays. Of nearly 15,000 white-collar staff and employers who took part in the poll last month, around 43 per cent said they were now working entirely from the office, up from 36 per cent a year earlier. Meanwhile the proportion of people who said they spend some time working from home, fell to 39 per cent from 43 per cent in 2022. Fewer than one in five now work entirely remotely. More →
October 20, 2023
Two thirds of British workers would be prepared to take a pay cut for an overall better job according to a poll from the hiring platform Indeed. A survey of over 5,000 workers for its Better Work 2023 report found a desire for greater flexibility and less time at work is driving this trend, with a four-day work week (28 percent), a better work life balance (25 percent) and more flexible working opportunities (17 percent) the most likely factors to encourage Brits to take a pay cut. The mean pay cut workers surveyed are willing to take is 9.2 percent. Given the average salary for UK workers is £33,000, that means the average worker is willing to take a pay cut of £3,036 per annum for a better job. More →
October 19, 2023
Commercial real estate occupiers are willing to put their money where the tech is, according to new polling from JLL’s 2023 Global Real Estate Technology Survey. Ninety-one percent of occupier respondents are willing to pay a premium for tech-enabled space as they look to technology for strategic value and increased revenue. In fact, real estate tech budgets are set to grow faster than investments in?headcount, footprint and operating budgets, the report suggests. More →
October 12, 2023
A new report claims that while 90 percent of businesses see the enablement of remote and hybrid working as having a positive impact on their bottom line, less than half (48 percent) of organisations strongly agree that employees have access to the technology they need to work well both at home, and in the office. The report from NTT claims that approximately 56 percent of hybrid workers spend half the work week at the office. More →
October 11, 2023
Logitech has unveiled Wave Keys and Wave Keys for Business, a wireless ergonomic keyboard to address the increased need for wellbeing and comfort at the desk. Wave Keys features a signature wave design in a compact layout for comfier typing that does not require relearning how to type, as well as an integrated cushioned palm rest for day-long support. As individuals of all ages spend more time in front of their computers, ergonomic needs are on the rise with a growth rate of 4.6% over the next seven years, according to the recent published market report by RationalStat.
“We believe that everybody deserves to feel good at the end of a day of work, so we set about designing workspace essentials that are as attractive and approachable as they are ergonomic,” said Art O’Gnimh, general manager of the Core Personal Workspace business at Logitech. “Wave Keys has workspace wellbeing at its heart, thanks to its science-driven design with a stamp of approval from leading ergonomists.”
Wave Keys’ unique wave shape places hands, wrists and forearms in a natural typing position, and the integrated cushioned palm rest gives more wrist support throughout the day. Its compact layout fits many home or office desks, with three classic colourways to complement your workspace setup – Graphite, Off-White, and Rose (Rose available in 2024 in select markets).
Wave Keys is designed in line with Logitech’s goal to create product experiences that improve people’s lives. This means considering environmental and social impacts as part of every design decision. Wave Keys is certified carbon neutral, just like the rest of Logitech products, and the paper packaging comes from FSC™-certified forests and other controlled sources. The plastic parts in Wave Keys include certified post-consumer recycled plastic to give a second life to end-of-use plastic from old consumer electronics – 61% for Graphite and 46% Off-White.
This multi-OS compatible keyboard connects via Bluetooth, or the included Logi BOLT receiver for enhanced security, to up to three devices at once such as Mac, PC and iPad, and easily switches between them at the tap of a button. For smoother days at the desk, users can personalise their experience with the Logi Options+ App to assign productivity shortcuts, such as “Do not disturb” to remain focused in your work, and create Smart Actions that save time and keep work flowing, including a one-touch morning routine to help you easily start your day and a relax time that provides well-deserved rest throughout the day.
Wave Keys is the latest addition to Logitech’s ERGO Series, alongside Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse and other products for workplace wellbeing, and upholds the company’s human centred and science-driven approach to product design and experiences. The keyboard was carefully crafted with rounds of user testing including at Logitech’s Ergo Lab and has a stamp of approval from US Ergonomics.
Ready for Business
For companies that prioritise employee wellbeing, Wave Keys for Business introduces a new ergonomic keyboard, ideal for employees who are ergo-conscious and looking for a keyboard that is comfortable with instantly familiar typing. The keyboard is equipped with Logi Bolt secure wireless technology, allowing IT teams to mass deploy a comfortable, easy-to-use keyboard to their entire global workforce, with global customer support, to Windows,macOS, Chrome OS, and other leading operating systems.
Wave Keys for Business comes with Logi Bolt wireless technology to deliver reliable connections even in congested wireless environments, and is engineered to meet today’s increasingly strict enterprise security standards. IT teams can remotely monitor the keyboards through Logitech Sync to ensure their team’s devices are healthy and up to date. The Logi Options+ App is also available for mass deployment to employees for a customised user experience, including streamlining repetitive tasks with Smart Actions or configuring keyboard shortcuts.
Pricing and Availability
Wave Keys will be available in Graphite and Off-White beginning October 13, 2023 on www.logitech.com and at other global retailers for a recommended retail price of $59.99 in North America and €79.99 in Europe. The Rose colour will be available in select markets beginning Spring 2024. Wave Keys for Business in Graphite will be available on www.logitech.com and through authorised resellers beginning November 2023
October 10, 2023
A new report from workplace consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) suggests that organisations could introduce a licensing system to ensure employees have the conditions to deliver high performance and work safely, in a hybrid working model. This follows AWA’s most recent Hybrid Index Report, a study of nearly 120 workplaces in 22 countries, representing 155,000 employees, which found that workers are still only coming into the office an average of 1.75 days a week. More →
October 5, 2023
This was originally published in December 2020. All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. As is now the way of these things, the famous opening words of Anna Karenina have been used to name a principle that is applied across a wide range of fields. It describes how success can only happen in one way, but failure comes in many forms. More →
October 5, 2023
A new study from Alight reveals that 64 percent of the UK workforce would rate their overall wellbeing as low. This comes at a time where economic headwinds, budget cuts and remote work has created a feeling of uncertainty in the UK workforce, heightening the urgency for employers to act fast or compromise employee wellbeing.
October 5, 2023
A new report based on a survey of 2,000 hybrid workers and remote employees reveals that 8 in 10 people often feel anxious or worried about attending day-to-day work meetings. The white paper titled Zoomed In, Zoned Out [registration] has been released by Craft Docs, and reports on hybrid and remote workers’ attitudes towards business meetings and other daily workplace processes in 2023. More →
October 4, 2023
Despite warnings that AI could lead to widespread redundancies, younger workers across Europe believe that the recent advances in the technology will ‘supercharge’ the industry in which they work. According to the second Young Generation in Tech survey, commissioned by HiBob and Venture Capital fund Eight Roads, almost four in five of the 2,000 20-30-year-olds surveyed in tech across Europe believe AI will have a positive impact on their work. More →
October 6, 2023
Are the days of landmark corporate headquarters over?
by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace design