November 24, 2020
A new paper from the British Council for Offices outlines how technology is being used in offices to combat Covid-19. While offices may be shut in the UK until 2nd December at the earliest, the paper outlines how the sector is adapting and embracing a range of new technology to ensure that offices can comply with hygiene and social distancing measures. More →
November 24, 2020
Workplace design and fit out company Area has become a founding member of Studio Alliance, a formal group of workplace experts who share common values, ethics and goals when delivering projects across Europe. Studio Alliance has been formed in response to accelerating globalisation and offers corporate occupiers and landlords local market knowledge combined with the experience of designing and delivering projects in over 5,000 buildings throughout 24 countries. More →
November 19, 2020
As many of us cope with yet another lockdown, optimism is easy to misplace but, for disabled workers, this could result in monumental change for future employment. On the month commencing the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act and the run-up to International Day of Disabled Persons, could this be the final push for change? As we swing in and out of remote-working, whether you love it or loathe it, one thing is abundantly clear – it can be done. Something that the 2 billion people currently living with disabilities have always known. Life can be accessible anywhere if you put your mind to it. More →
November 16, 2020
New analysis published by the Work Foundation and Totaljobs claims that millions of low paid workers will struggle to access the Government’s new Lifetime Skills Guarantee (LSG) when it is launched next year amidst a growing jobs challenge. More →
November 12, 2020
The past year has been something of a game-changer in many ways and perhaps one of the most unexpected has been how people have had to embrace the idea of working from home. More →
November 5, 2020
We are living through a fundamental transformation in the way we work. The pandemic has forced organisations to go virtual. New government guidelines, including a tiered alert system, suggest that this will be the norm for the foreseeable future. But step back from the noise and it is easy to see how the current crisis is simply accelerating the inevitable. A confluence of forces, including advancements in technology and infrastructure, increasing globalisation, shifting demographics and COVID-19, has enabled greater connectivity and mobility, making obvious to organisations, their leadership and individuals the wisdom of adopting flexible work models. More →
October 30, 2020
Bisley’s award-winning MultiDrawer has firmly established itself as a much-loved piece of furniture since it was designed by Freddie Brown in 1958 and is found in many forms within the traditional office or the home. Now, as part of their new Belong collection, Bisley has launched the MultiRange, a reinvention of the iconic MultiDrawer to reflect the more flexible working patterns we’ve all adapted to in 2020. Accompanied by an accessory range that can be also incorporated into the original MultiDrawer, the MultiRange makes the design classic work even harder in your space. More →
October 28, 2020
We have come a long way since the government began encouraging home working in March, ahead of the national lockdown. It seems wildly naïve now to assume that we would all be back in the office two or three weeks later as if nothing had ever happened. After many months of mixed messages regarding ‘stay at home’ versus ‘go back to work’, many business owners and employees quite rightly feel that the whole process seems like one step forward, two steps back. And yet, one thing that has become clear for all office-based businesses is that working life has changed forever. More →
October 20, 2020
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 13, 2020
New research by digital staffing platform Coople, claims temporary work is set to surge as more than a quarter of firms (27 percent) in the UK reconsider the role agency workers have in their business. Currently, just one in six firms (15 percent) rely on a flexible workforce, with 1.5m temporary employees in the UK. More →
With current government advice encouraging all those who can work from home to do so, it’s no surprise that Britain’s businesses and employees are navigating a new normal. New research from
December 3, 2020
Hybrid working presents us with a once in a generation opportunity
by Michael Cockburn • Comment, Coworking, Flexible working, Technology