December 5, 2023

Firms on both sides of the pond are sluggish in uptake of generative AI

One year on from the launch of Chat GPT, new data from Slack based on 10,000 global workers (including 1,000 the UK) suggests that UK companies believe there is much greater urgency to adopt Generative AI at work than US companies – yet uptake remains sluggish in both markets. According to the study, 61 percent of UK workers believe there is a high or existential need to incorporate Generative AI into work compared to just 44 percent of US workers who feel the same. More →

November 30, 2023

Generative AI will hollow out many middle class roles over the next decade

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

Generative AI will have a much greater impact on white collar roles than blue collar ones over the next 10 years, according to a new report from Pearson. In at least ten white collar roles, more than 35 percent of tasks could be done by AI, with medical secretaries (41 percent) predicted to be the most impacted. Conversely, every of one of the top 10 least impacted are classed as blue collar, revealing launderers, dry cleaners and pressers (0 percent) as the UK’s most AI-proof job. More →

November 29, 2023

Creating the epicentre: unlocking the untold benefits of next-generation office spaces

by Nathan Thomas • Comment, Flexible working, Property, Technology

Many associate the notion of futuristic office spaces, filled with equipment like sleep pods and beer taps, with companies that have a young workforce or challenger brand identity. The association is often linked to tech giants like Google, which created quite a stir when it originally revealed its indoor slides. Whilst the inclusion of playground furniture in the office is not right for every business, the assumption that unconventional workspaces should be limited to unconventional companies simply isn’t true. More →

November 29, 2023

One year on from generative AI hype, people are scared and excited about its use

by Jayne Smith • AI, News, Technology

Nearly one year after ChatGPT burst into the public consciousness, generative AI (GenAI) has left employees and their organisations both excited and uneasy. According to a recent study [registration] commissioned by Betterworks and conducted by Propeller Insights, over half of employees are using GenAI at work for complex activities and believe it has the potential to reduce bias across a swath of HR processes, despite the fact that only 41 percent of organisations are actively evaluating it or have made GenAI a priority. At the same time, many employees are concerned about the potential impact of GenAI on both their roles and the possibility of unintentional amplification of bias. More →

November 21, 2023

Most business leaders think generative AI will be a boon for employees

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

Four out of five (81 percent) business leaders in the UK say Generative AI will benefit their employees, according to new research from LinkedIn. The top ways that UK executives believe Generative AI will benefit employees is by removing boring, repetitive tasks (64 percent), increasing productivity (52 percent) and freeing up time for bigger and more creative thinking (59 percent), according to the poll. One in three (31 percent) also believe that the rise of Generative AI will create brand new roles at their organisation. More →

October 17, 2023

Workplace wellness and eye health deemed essential for millennials and Gen-Z workers

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Generation Z and millennials make up a huge part of the workforce and are only continuing to grow, and with this increase, more is being asked from the workplaces that employ them. Workplace wellness is becoming increasingly essential, especially as employee well-being decreases and affects trust in employers’ efforts. With significant economic woes and work setup changes affecting professional life, 64 percent of the UK workforce would say their overall well-being is low. As such, Gen-Z and millennial workers are demanding a greater focus on workplace wellness initiatives. More →

October 11, 2023

Connection addresses needs of neurodivergent workers with new system

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Approximately 20 percent of the population is what is known as neurodivergent, totalling around 13.5 million people in the UK, 150 million in Europe, and 1.6 billion globally. Catering to this large proportion of neurodivergent workers in the population is critical for interior designers and product designers alike, who carry a weight of responsibility when it comes to creating workplaces that not only support and facilitate those living with neurodiverse conditions but empower them to optimise their wellbeing and productivity. More →

October 4, 2023

Generative AI will outperform humans on traditional recruitment processes

by Jayne Smith • AI, News, Technology, Workplace

A new report from Arctic Shores, a psychometric assessment provider, claims that the use of Generative AI is already common among students, younger workers and job applicants, with around seven in ten of 2,000 respondents to a survey expecting to use ChatGPT while completing a job application or assessment over the next 12 months, and 17 percent already using it. With 72 percent of students and candidates using some form of Generative AI on a regular basis – a number that has increased by 50 percent in just four months – the implications for employers and talent acquisition leaders are profound, the report argues. More →

October 3, 2023

Workers are generally happy at work, but bored by what they do

by Jayne Smith • Business, News

Happiness and boredom are the most common emotions experienced by people at work, according to a Right Management survey of more than 2,000 British workers and managers. According to the poll, ‘Gen Z’ are most likely to be bored at work (23 percent). But Gen Z leaders worry more than others about reduced employee productivity due to hybrid-working (37 percent). In addition, 70 percent of British employees feel they work better as a team in-person, but only 1 percent claim face-to-face time with colleagues contributes to their wellbeing. More →

September 22, 2023

Generative AI will affect two thirds of jobs, but most people shouldn’t lose them

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

Around two thirds (66 percent) of jobs are considered “highly” or “moderately” exposed to Generative AI, according to the AI at Work Report from job site Indeed. The report claims finds that all US jobs listed on the firm’s website – from truck driver to software engineer – have skills that can be carried out or augmented by Generative AI. However, only 1 in 5 (19.8 percent) of jobs are considered “highly” exposed to the technology, showing that while it can learn to do tasks within a specific job, ‘GenAI’ is unlikely to fully replace many jobs. More →

September 12, 2023

Is there ever a genuinely good or bad time for change?

by Jennifer Bryan • Business, Comment, JB

There are two questions, regarding change, that seem to plague quite a lot of people: “is there a good or bad time for change and is there a good or bad change?” Now it may seem the answers would be quite straight forward, but probably as no surprise the actual answer is “it all depends”. That is because change is about people and we all know there is no formula for people, so it is impossible to give a formulaic, straight forward answer. More →

September 7, 2023

Exploring the gender pay gap in Germany: a closer look at salary inequality

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace

In Germany, just like in numerous other nations, the gender pay gap remains a subject of significant worry and discussion. The persistent issue of unequal pay between men and women, where women frequently earn less than their male colleagues for the same job, persists. This article seeks to explore the gender pay gap in Germany in more detail, investigating the underlying factors that contribute to this gap and considering possible remedies to tackle this problem. More →