October 23, 2020

Daylight levels affect our perceptions of temperature

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Here’s the perfect story for the day the clocks turn back in the UK. Our perceptions of temperature can be affected by the levels of daylight we experience. That is the core finding of a new study from researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne led by Giorgia Chinazzo. The study published in the journal Scientific Reports claims to show for the first time that low levels of daylight can make people feel colder. More →

October 23, 2020

FUTURE Designs launches revolutionary air and surface purifier

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Lighting

Lighting innovator FUTURE Designs has introduced FUZONE500, a unique lighting solution that harnesses all the anti-viral and anti-bacterial elimination qualities of ultraviolet light without any of the harmful effects to humans or physical surfaces. With over 38 million confirmed cases worldwide and over 600,000 in the UK alone, Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the way we live and interact with our surroundings. Cases are increasing at an astronomical rate and finding effective solutions to control its spread has become paramount. More →

October 23, 2020

KI helps transform RFIB headquarters in The Gherkin

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

Insurers RFIB have transformed their workplace strategy to embrace both traditional and new ways of working at ’s the firm’s new global headquarters at 30 St Mary Axe in London. Located on the twelfth floor of this landmark building, the new offices feature panoramic views and generous natural light. Offering an enhanced user and visitor experience, they are bright, open, flexible and high quality. More →

October 22, 2020

A quarter of UK workers do not feel valued by their organisation

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working lives

With the British workforce being asked to return to working from home amid fears of a second spike in COVID-19 cases, new research from employee experience professionals Qualtrics, claims that a quarter (24 percent) of UK workers do not feel valued by their organisation.

The research, which surveyed 2,000 UK workers, also claims that 15 percent of people feel less valued by their employer since the outbreak began and a further fifth (19 percent) do not feel proud to work for their organisation. More →

October 22, 2020

The enduring appeal of the office to global employees

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working culture

Tarkett, a provider of innovative flooring and sports surface solutions, has released the findings of the first of three Rethinking Workplace Surveys, which it is undertaking in collaboration with WKSpace. Questioning global office workers on their perceptions and experience of work and the office, the Rethinking Workplace Surveys will provide valuable insights into how best practice workplace design must adapt to the dramatic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. More →

October 21, 2020

Future of work has arrived sooner than expected, WEF report claims

by Neil Franklin • AI, Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

The Future of Jobs 2020 report from the World Economic Forum claims that COVID-19 has caused the labour market to change faster than expected. The research suggests that what was recently considered the future of work has now arrived. By 2025, automation and a new division of labour between humans and machines will disrupt 85 million jobs globally in medium and large businesses across 15 industries and 26 economies. More →

October 21, 2020

COVID-19 accelerates Milton Keynes tech transition

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Property, Technology

As the tech sector and associated businesses rise to the pressures and opportunity presented by the reality of COVID-19, Sue Foxley, Research director at Property Consultants Bidwells delves into the impact of the virtual change within the Milton Keynes office market. More →

October 21, 2020

Commercial rental prices fall in the UK as pandemic continues to bite

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Property

Commercial real estate rental prices are continuing to drop in all the UK’s main business centres according to the latest quarterly figures by national office agent FreeOfficeFinder.com. Office rental prices and those for coworking spaces at the UK’s major cities are all feeling the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic with predictions that they will slump even further as a result of the new lockdown measures announced by the government. More →

October 21, 2020

Young people suffer most from lack of motivation at work

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working lives

New research by management consultancy Lane4, claims 44 percent of employees under 35 years old say that a lack of motivation has been hindering their performance at work since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in March.

The study of over 1000 UK employees, carried out by YouGov, suggests that the performance of younger workers (under 35 years old) is twice as likely to be impacted by a lack of motivation than that of 45-54-year olds (22 percent), and significantly more likely to be impacted by a lack of motivation than the average for all age groups (28 percent). More →

October 20, 2020

BCO London Region Awards winners announced

by Neil Franklin • Company news, News, Property, Workplace design

Five businesses have been recognised in London at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) regional awards. This year, the prestigious event was held virtually as part of the BCO’s Festival Awards Week, which recognises the highest quality developments in the UK and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector. More →

October 20, 2020

Remote work and the risks of employee surveillance

by Joe Aiston and Alexander Barnett • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

There has been a gradual shift towards increased flexible and remote work patterns in the last few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has created the perfect storm to force organisations to further consider their working practices, with all but essential physical roles usually involving an element of homeworking – nearly half of people in employment in the UK did some work at home in April 2020, according to the ONS. Many businesses are expecting to operate a largely remote workforce for the foreseeable future. The fear of declining productivity and concerns for people wellbeing has encouraged many employers to increase their employee monitoring arrangements. More →

October 20, 2020

Radical reskilling needed to ensure future of economy

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

Research carried out by the CBI prior to the pandemic suggests there is an urgent need for the UK to embark on a radical programme of reskilling that goes further and faster than current plans. According to the CBI, the UK faces a stark choice: invest more in lifetime learning and upskilling of millions of employees, or stick to business as usual, and risk sustained higher rates of unemployment and skills shortages. More →