November 30, 2022

Majority of firms currently using technology to plug talent gaps

In the face of hiring and skills issues, 77 percent of UK organisations say they are finding ways for technology to do jobs formerly performed by people, according to a new poll from Rackspace Technology. According to the survey, two thirds (64 percent) of UK companies are downsizing their staff, facilitated by technology, out of a necessity, with roles in customer service the most likely to be automated, as identified by 70 percent of business decision makers – followed by IT operations (62 percent), sales and marketing (57 percent), business operations (56 percent), and HR and admin (56 percent). More →

November 8, 2022

Zero carbon tech for building materials gets $12 billion commitment at COP27

by Neil Franklin • Architecture, Environment, Facilities management, News

The World Economic Forum and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate announced today at COP27, the expansion of a coalition of global companies, to commit $12 billion in 2030 purchase commitments for zero carbon and green technologies to decarbonise the cement and concrete industry and other hard-to-abate sectors. The latest expansion of the First Movers Coalition – made up of 65 companies with a collective market value of approximately $8 trillion – focuses on cleaning up one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industry sectors through purchasing commitments for low-carbon technology. From construction and engineering to real estate and developers, newly announced First Mover companies have committed to purchasing at least 10 percent near-zero cement and concrete per year by 2030. More →

September 21, 2022

The twenty-five technologies that can help climate action

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Technology

A new report by the World Economic Forum’s Climate Trade Zero initiative calls for scaling up trade in 25 key technologies to support climate action and cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 to meet targets set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change. As many parts of the world face rising energy bills, reducing trade barriers can cut technology costs, as well as speed up availability, innovation, access and adoption. More →

August 25, 2022

How to find top tech talent for your business

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Finding the right tech talent for your business is essential for its success. The right employees can help your business grow and reach new heights. When looking for tech talent, there are a few things to keep in mind. Keep reading to find out where to find the best tech talent for your business. More →

June 15, 2022

Tech firms now less likely to offer fully remote working

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Fully remote working is no longer viewed as the ‘holy grail’ by tech employers, with hybrid working now viewed as the perfect model for aiding retention and recruitment of talent. That is the main conclusion of Robert Half’s Demand for Tech Talent report, which surveyed 750 tech hiring managers across the UK. The results of the survey suggest that remote working – which the report claims was widely touted as the ‘future of work’ both before and during the pandemic – is now being shunned by companies in favour of a flexible approach. More →

June 14, 2022

London Tech Week kicks off with new Government announcements on future of tech

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

The Government’s review into the future of computing and its new UK Digital Strategy were unveiled at the start of London Tech Week as the world’s technology leaders, founders and next generation of tech superstars gather in the capital to collaborate on the future of the industry. Opening day speakers included Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson, Darren Hardman, VP & General Manager, AWS, Theo Blackwell MBE in conversation with New York City’s CTO Matt Fraser, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemi?tkowski and The Body Coach CEO & Creative Director Nikki Wicks. More →

May 31, 2022

A great employee experience depends on great technology

by Chris Brett • Company news

So often, organizations that excel on delivering value for customers, fall short when it comes to delivering the same for their employees. In fact, we can often be guilty of failing to value our employees’ time full stop. Given that we’re living through what’s been dubbed ‘the Great Resignation,’ that’s a major gamble. Companies need to take a step back and understand exactly why employee experience (EX) should be a priority. Plus, how technology can be a key enabler in doing so. More →

April 8, 2022

The Metaverse in the workplace: Meta’s wobble may affect how we use emerging technologies

by Neal Riley • Comment, Technology

There has been much talk over the past two years of the adoption of hybrid working for elephant-in-the-room reasons and it is now the case that the practice is being widely adopted by many organisations. Knocking at our office doors now is the next big talking point in terms of technology: the Metaverse. There has been much speculation recently on how this collective, virtual open space, which incorporates environments including those in which to shop, learn, be entertained and, of course, work, will evolve. It has been described as the ‘next chapter of the Internet’ and is created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. More →

March 31, 2022

UK tech talent shifts from London to other cities

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Workplace

The number of professionals with technology skills is expanding at a faster pace in the North of England than in London and the South of England, as demand for technology talent increases around the country, according to the latest U.K. Tech Talent Tracker from Accenture. The tracker, which analyses LinkedIn’s Professional Network data, finds that the pool of technology talent in cities in the North of England has grown on average by 15 percent in the last year, outpacing southern cities that grew on average at 9 percent. Technology talent in cities across Scotland and Wales has grown on average by 5 percent and 9 percent respectively. More →

March 25, 2022

New technology will increase size of workforce, poll claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

A new survey from Protiviti and the Oxford Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation at Kellogg College claims that 74 percent of global business executives believe that emerging and new technology will increase the size of the workforce in the next decade. It also suggests that 86 percent expect the types of jobs their employees will perform to be different from today — a figure that remains nearly unchanged regardless of where the leader’s company is headquartered globally. More →

March 23, 2022

A burst of technological innovation is reshaping the future of work

by Toby Benzecry • Comment, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace design

Even as we begin to glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic, evidence suggests that many workers want to carry over the working flexibility that the pandemic afforded into the post-pandemic world and a new future of work. Namely, employees are wanting to adopt a ‘mixed’ working style – spending time both working in the workplace, enjoying the office’s many benefits, as well as spending some time during the week working from home. A YouGov poll suggests that close to 40 percent of employees wish to continue to work from home some of the time post-pandemic – a fact that is supported by CIPD research. More →

March 17, 2022

Technology and talent should be main focus for business leaders now

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

Businesses are investing in technology to expand online operations and facilitate remote work during the pandemic. But many of those same businesses are also eager to see their employees return to the workplace in greater numbers over the long term. Those are among the findings of a new survey of small and midsized business leaders conducted by The Harris Poll and sponsored by CIT, a division of First Citizens Bank. More →