Search Results for: jobs

The allure of workplace bullshit

The allure of workplace bullshit

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The sleep of reason and workplace bullshitAlthough the legend of Faust is one of the Germanic world’s foundational narratives, its archetypes and themes were already established by the time Goethe codified them in his 1808 play. They have since become universal. The idea that somebody would sell their soul to the Devil to gain something or rid themselves of unhappiness is as resonant now as it was in Renaissance Europe. It has inspired books films and artists to such an extent that its derivatives now have their own Wikipedia page.

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The need for reimagination in an age of uncertainty

The need for reimagination in an age of uncertainty

by • Comment, Everything Omni

Since we are now very much in the age of uncertainty being the new certainty, with all the old playbooks out the window and no cookie cutter approach in the ways we work, since one size doesn’t fit all – what the hell do we do?Since we are now very much in the age of uncertainty being the new certainty, with all the old playbooks out the window and no cookie cutter approach in the ways we work, since one size doesn’t fit all – what the hell do we do? Curl up in a ball and die? Go into panic mode and go around shouting ‘We’re doomed! We’re doomed’ manically? Or just ostrich the problem and hope it all goes away or at least reverts back to how it was before? More →

Do you have a crystal ball when it comes to leading change?

Do you have a crystal ball when it comes to leading change?

by • Comment, JB, Workplace

You don't need to know everything or even where you'll end up when embarking on a process of change, says Jennifer BryanIf you think about a change that is happening to you, in some way, right now – how are you feeling?  Are you feeling scared, anxious, worried or happy, excited, looking forward to it?  The same thing happens with a workplace change.  Some people like the old ways of working because they are use to them, feel comfortable, they don’t have to think about it.  Whereas others are looking forward to the new ways of working, as they think they are exciting, new and different. More →

Flexible working is the new “work-life currency”, claims new report

Flexible working is the new “work-life currency”, claims new report

by • Flexible working, News, Technology

A new report, Future of Work Life, from Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab explores the ways in which employees and employers navigate the current work environment and their views on the future of work shaped by the pandemic, digitalisation and the fluctuating labour market. Almost half (48 percent) of the employees in the study say that they enjoy increased flexibility at work. 52 percent consider flexible work hours or locations as key requirements, and 25 percent say that flexibility is the top priority if they would start to look for a new job. Doing work rather than going to work is seen as central in this new way of thinking about work life. More →

Are we asking the right questions about the workplace?

Are we asking the right questions about the workplace?

by • Comment, Everything Omni, Facilities management, Property

In 1989, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, performed a TV sketch called Information. You can watch it below. It featured Stephen Fry sitting at a desk with a placard displaying the word “INFORMATION”. He asks, “Can I help you?” to which Hugh Laurie replies, “Oh, I would like some information, please”. Though, in the discussion, Hugh Laurie expects to get information without asking any questions, Stephen Fry explains that he has lots of information, such as “the average weight of a rabbit”. In response comes the statement, “Well, I didn’t know that, that there was an average weight of a rabbit!” More →

What Studs Terkel can teach us about how we talk about work

What Studs Terkel can teach us about how we talk about work

by • Comment, Workplace, Workplace design

Studs Terkel was something that has been lost in the modern sea of opinion, an oral historian. Not trying to change the world, but record itStuds Terkel is a particular hero of mine. I like his name, his style, his association with jazz but also the way he wrote. His characteristic approach was marked by interviews with ordinary Americans about their jobs and how they felt about them. He did lots of other stuff but that was his work. What is especially striking is that he saw himself as a chronicler of other people’s lives rather than a commentator on them. 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 →

Despite rise of hybrid working, people spend majority of time on pointless work and meetings

Despite rise of hybrid working, people spend majority of time on pointless work and meetings

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Businesses and workers are still grappling with barriers to productivity despite the advent of more widespread flexible and hybrid working, claims a new reportBusinesses and workers are still grappling with barriers to productivity despite the advent of more widespread flexible and hybrid working, claims a new report from Asana. According to the fourth Anatomy of Work Global Index, “work about work” – time spent on work coordination rather than the skilled, strategic jobs they want to do – remains how workers spend the bulk of their day. Conducted by GlobalWebIndex (GWI) on behalf of Asana, the 2023 Anatomy of Work Global Index surveyed the behaviours and attitudes of more than 9,615 knowledge workers across the United States, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, and Japan to understand the impact of cross-functional collaboration. More →

Artificial intelligence could mean we all do more work, not less

Artificial intelligence could mean we all do more work, not less

by • Comment, Technology

There’s a common perception that artificial intelligence (AI) will help streamline our work but is that really true?There’s a common perception that artificial intelligence will help streamline our work. There are even fears that it could wipe out the need for some jobs altogether. But in a study of science laboratories I carried out with three colleagues at the University of Manchester, the introduction of automated processes that aim to simplify work — and free people’s time — can also make that work more complex, generating new tasks that many workers might perceive as mundane. More →

Pipeline of women managers has stalled in wake of pandemic

Pipeline of women managers has stalled in wake of pandemic

by • News, Workplace

The leadership pipeline for women has hollowed out in the middle, according to a new study “Women in leadership: Why perception outpaces the pipeline—and what to do about it” from IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) and Chief. The study of 2,500 organisations in 12 countries and 10 industries found a small increase in the number of women at the C-suite and Board level (now 12 percent for both), and an increase to 40 percent representation of women in junior professional/specialist roles (37 percent in 2021). However, the pipeline for top leadership positions still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels – 14 percent representation of women in senior vice president roles (18 percent in 2019) and 16 percent in vice president roles (19 percent in 2019). More →

Nearly all senior managers say stress is a characteristic of their job

Nearly all senior managers say stress is a characteristic of their job

by • News, Wellbeing

The cost-of-living crisis is the top cause of stress at work for people working in leadership and senior management rolesThe cost-of-living crisis is the top cause of stress at work for people working in leadership and senior management roles, according to the findings of a new survey by HR software provider Ciphr. Around 98 percent of the 265 leaders and senior managers polled found at least one aspect of their work stressful, while two-fifths (83 percent) are affected by three or more work-related stressors (the average, per person, is eight). Yet, despite the obvious stress their work causes them, just 4 percent claim not to like their jobs. 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 →

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