Search Results for: tech

May 25, 2015

This year’s ICFF furniture show in New York marked a spirited revival

by Rob Kirkbride • Comment, Events, Furniture, Workplace design

The last time I attended ICFF in New York, the show was weak, eclipsed by myriad design events around the city and not quite sure of where it fit in. That was a few years ago. This year, it was bigger and better in many ways. ICFF is very much alive, thriving in fact. The show has exploded in importance, size and scope in a few short years. Many in the office furniture industry who gave up on ICFF need to return. Others are seeing the value of the show and the surrounding events (which continue to grow as well) for the first time. Still, for the office furniture world, ICFF is more about art, design and ideas such as chairs from Fritz Hansen (above). Don’t come to rub elbows with your contract furniture colleagues. Instead, come to be inspired by what is possible – even though some of it is more bespoke that this industry is used to.

May 24, 2015

Organisations reticent to take the plunge into 4G, claims report

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Technology

British businesses run the risk of missing out on the opportunities offered by the latest generation of mobile technology according to a new report from Vodafone. The YouGov study of more than 1,200 decision makers in both the public and private sector found that the majority of UK organisations are yet to introduce 4G. Nearly two thirds (64 percent) of respondents said their business or organisation does not have 4G right now and a perhaps more surprising 41 percent of those have no plans to adopt it. The survey found that cost was not generally seen as a barrier to implementation compared to more prevalent issues including a widespread misunderstanding of what 4G might offer the enterprise. Even a third of those organisations who have introduced 4G confess they don’t believe it offers any additional benefits.

May 24, 2015

KFC Germany introduces keyboard paper tray (for a while)

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News, Technology

Ever worry that the five minutes it takes to eat fast food is not only depriving you of nutrients but also the chance to stay online – unless you really don’t mind greasy fingerprints all over your smartphone? Maybe not, but it’s clearly a problem for some people which is why a German advertising and design agency has developed a Bluetooth enabled keyboard tray for KFC which allows customers to eat fatty food without the intrusion of inconveniences such as napkins, awareness of the physical world, their own thoughts and interactions with other people. The agency Gute Werbung and a tech firm called Serviceplan have helped the fast food chain to introduce the Tray Typer as part of a promotion. The device consists of a tray liner with a 0.4 mm thick keyboard, rechargeable battery and a Bluetooth chip.

May 23, 2015

The latest edition of Insight Weekly is available to view online

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Newsletter, Technology, Work&Place, Workplace, Workplace design

In this week’s issue; Charles Marks on how the changing way we work presents challenges for the development of commercial property; Kati Barklund says management is needed to encourage people to use sit stand workstations properly and Peter Ames argues it is the flexibility of shared offices which allows SMEs to mould a space to their brand and make it feel like home. We learn that the European workforce is optimistic about the impact of new and emerging workplace technology, why women of over 55 make the best business strategists and Mark Eltringham agrees that the workplace is changing but the death of the office is a myth. The complete Work&Place archive is now available for you online and sign up to the newsletter via the subscription form in the right hand sidebar, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss this and other stories.

May 20, 2015

Collaborative work is the driving force behind the desk rental boom

by Peter Ames • Comment, Flexible working, Property

In the wake of the Smarter Working West Midlands project, which encouraged SMEs to try co-working for free, it is increasingly apparent the nation’s small businesses are prepared to embrace alternative office space options. Both serviced offices and desk-rental can offer the flexibility a long-term office lease often cannot because they involve rental agreements that may work monthly or quarterly, while a traditional lease will generally require a commitment of several years. Desk rental also offers a chance of skill-sharing, collaborative work and networking. In fact this was the key benefit for many businesses participating in Smarter Working West Midlands. For startups the ability to expand, contract or even relocate office can be invaluable. It’s this flexibility which allows them to mould a space to their brand and make the office feel like a true home.

May 19, 2015

Experts more sceptical about Government’s BIM 2 deadline

by Mark Eltringham • Facilities management, News, Property, Technology

Construction firms are increasingly pessimistic about the UK Government’s ability to meet its deadline for the adoption of Level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM) in centrally procured projects. According to the latest BIM survey by law firm Pinsent Masons, nearly three quarters (71.3 percent) of respondents believe the 2016 deadline is now ‘unachievable’ compared to around 64 percent last year. The survey found there remains a positive attitude towards the use of new technology in construction in spite of the fact that only half of respondents had even heard of the core Digital Built Britain strategy. Nearly all (94 percent) were aware of the BIM2 target and when asked about the implications of new technology for construction, 58 percent believed it would have a high impact, 29 percent thought it would be medium, while just 3 percent said low.

May 18, 2015

Management is needed to ensure people actually use sit stand workstations

by Kati Barklund • Comment, Furniture, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Lately I’ve seen many articles about sit stand workstations and references to Scandinavia where almost all of us employees have access to sit stand workstations. It is true that most of the Scandinavian employees have access to sit stand workstations and in for example in Denmark employers are required by law to provide sit stand workstations to the employees, but this does unfortunately not automatically mean that the Scandinavian employees actually stand by the workstations. Even though most of us actually know that sitting is bad for our health, wellbeing and even our performance, we tend to sit most of the time while working. It is mostly about us being used to sit while working. It is a habitual behaviour and instead we need to get new habits of standing and moving at work. Change management is needed.

May 17, 2015

The complete Work&Place archive is now available for you online

by Mark Eltringham • Architecture, Facilities management, Premium Content, Property, Technology, Work&Place, Workplace design

The complete Work&Place archive is now available for you online, with each issue in two formats. PDF and digital editions offer you a choice of how to access the thoughts of some of the world’s greatest practitioners and writers on workplaces, commercial property, urbanisation, technology and all of the key forces driving developments in the built environment. Each of the issues so far also offers you an international perspective which means not only do they offer an insight into the forces that shape workplace thinking worldwide, they also create a unique perspective on how national approaches are shaped by local forces related to legislation, the economy, environment, culture and business practice. Work&Place is now published quarterly with the next issue set for July 2015. It will continue to create an era defining body of work about the rapidly changing world of work and workplaces.

May 16, 2015

The latest edition of Insight Weekly is available to view online

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Newsletter, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

In this week’s issue; the intersection of the different physical and technological spaces which make up the modern workplace is the theme of the latest issue of Work&Place, which is now available to view online. Paul Statham examines the transformation agile working is making to the global workplace; Paul Goodchild on the enduring appeal of wooden furniture and John Blackwell explains why IT and Property Directors need to come out of their silos. In news, the CIPD reveals that employers are using more of their resources to skill up their workforces, Acas issues advice on managing mental health problems, and how most Brits would rather lose a finger than their access to the Internet. Sign up to the newsletter via the subscription form in the right hand sidebar and follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

May 15, 2015

Employers embracing more collaborative hands-on learning cultures

by Sara Bean • News, Technology, Workplace

There is a growing trend for employers to create collaborative hands-on learning cultures, with internal knowledge-sharing initiatives such as job shadowing and social learning increasingly commonplace. In the latest snapshot of the annual survey of L&D professionals by the CIPD, coaching by line managers or peers was the method of learning most likely to grow in use in organisations over the next two years, according to almost two-thirds (65%) of respondents. Over half (53%) expect to see the use of in-house development programmes increase, and on-the-job training (48%) and internal knowledge sharing events (46%) are also expected to become prevalent. The findings imply a growing focus on efforts to foster a learning culture with many organisations using technology to support learning and development.

May 14, 2015

Expert advice issued on managing mental health in the workplace

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Mental health can affect people’s personal lives, wellbeing and morale. But it can also impact on their performance at work and be costly for businesses. That’s the message from Acas, which, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, has issued a guide to managing mental health in the workplace. It advocates creating an environment where people feel confident they can disclose conditions to employers; that employers be aware of any changes in behaviour that might suggest they’re having problems; and suggests that if a problem is being caused by work, look into ways of facilitating changes, such as offering flexible working opportunities. It is also suggested that wellness initiatives which encourage healthy eating, exercise and mindfulness can also help to reduce the severity of mental ill health.

May 13, 2015

The May issue of Work&Place is available for you to read online

by Mark Eltringham • News, Premium Content, Work&Place

The May issue of Work&Place is now available to view online in two formats. If there is a theme for this quarter’s issue, it is the intersection of the different physical and technological spaces which make up the modern workplace. This not only throws up fascinating topics and ideas, it also has profound implications for the way we create, manage and inhabit these spaces and is also eroding many of the old demarcations between professions. The issue maintains its international perspective and features many of the world’s most prominent workplace thinkers. Of course, this is not a one way street and you can join the discussion with the Work&Place contributors and many others. We hope that you will take up this opportunity to ask questions, challenge the writers, or to make a related point at the Work&Place LinkedIn Group or via Twitter.