June 9, 2022

Digital transformation of small businesses could provide massive economic boost

The new Digital Britain [automatic download] report from Sage claims that over half of Britain’s economic potential from tech adoption is as yet untapped. But ongoing concerns amongst small and medium sized business about cost, skills and knowledge are holding them back from taking on the digital transformation that will ensure their success and provide a massive boost to the economy. The report claims that the use of technology by small and medium businesses (SMBs) contributes £216 billion to the UK economy; but if SMBs unlock the full benefits of technology, this could add an extra £232 billion, boosting the value of tech use to the UK economy by almost double to £448 billion annually. More →

June 8, 2022

Lack of employer support exacerbates male health inequality

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing

New research from Peppy claims that twenty-five per cent of employers do not offer any male-specific health support in the workplace, despite as many as 81 percent believing that not doing so, risks losing their best talent. As working-age men are 32 percentless likely to visit a GP compared to women, serious issues often go untreated for longer, sometimes until it is too late, the report claims, and as a result of this male health inequality, one in five men do not reach traditional retirement age. More →

June 7, 2022

Offices remain key to hybrid working strategy, claims report

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Property

Hybrid work adoption is growing and becoming a permanent element of the future of work, according to the new Workforce Preferences Barometer report [registration] from real estate firm JLL. However, the report’s authors also conclude that, as employee expectations and reality reach an equilibrium, the continuing use of offices remains pivotal to work routines. More →

May 29, 2022

Two-thirds of employees don’t know how, when and where they’re supposed to work

by Freddie Steele • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

A survey of 2,000 employees has revealed that more than half (53 per cent) do not describe their employer as a good communicator, and 70 per cent cannot agree that their employer is clear about the company’s work policy now that Covid-19 restrictions have eased. The research, conducted by Magenta Associates, the integrated communications consultancy for the built environment, also found that two-thirds of employees do not know how, when and where they are supposed to work. More →

May 29, 2022

Office occupiers should invest in neurodiversity, report argues

by Neil Franklin • News, Property, Wellbeing

A new report from the British Council for Offices urges landlords and office occupiers to invest in design for neurodiversity, as disabling workspaces continue to hinder wellbeing. The report examines how the neurodiverse community remains underserved and often unsupported in the current employment ecosystem, and in turn, outlines the considerations that built environment practitioners can take to make offices enabling environments, and the crucial role of more inclusive designs. More →

May 18, 2022

Google opens new Bay View campus in California – image gallery and video

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Google has announced the opening of its new Bay View campus in Silicon Valley, representing the company’s first time developing its own major campus. The Bay View campus was designed by architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Heatherwick Studio, as well as Google’s design and engineering teams, and spans 42 acres adjacent to the NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. It totals 1.1 million square feet, with 20 acres of open space, two office buildings, an 1,000-person event centre, and 240 short-term employee accommodation units. More →

May 16, 2022

Competition for talent is fierce, but employers edge away from pay to attract people

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

New CIPD research claims that almost half (45 percent) of UK employers report having vacancies that are hard-to-fill, and almost two thirds (65 percent) anticipate problems filling vacancies in the next six months. The most common response made in the past six months by employers with hard-to-fill vacancies has been to increase pay (44 percent). However, only a quarter (27 percent) of organisations plan to raise wages in response to the competition for talent in the future. This suggests that organisations may be approaching their limit on this ‘quick win’ strategy and are exploring alternative options, such as upskilling people and flexible working, to attract and retain people. More →

May 12, 2022

Small business owners continue to struggle with mental health

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Two out of five (40 percent) small business owners believe that their emotional recovery from the pandemic will take much longer than that of the financial disruption. And, according to a new study by Xero those investing in wellbeing initiatives were more likely to hold on to staff and grow revenues. Nine out of 10 (92 percent) small business owners experienced symptoms of poor mental health over the last two years, according to the study with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and Opinium. Professional responsibilities played a significant part, with more than half (52 percent) said that running their business has contributed to those symptoms. More →

May 11, 2022

Job dissatisfaction is rife among senior executives – and hybrid working doesn’t help

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Widespread job dissatisfaction means a large proportion of senior executives from top US companies plan to leave their organisations in the next two years, according to a new report from KellyOCG. According to the 2022 KellyOCG Global Workforce Report – Re:work – there’s a significant disconnect between employees’ expectations and the support employers provide. Through a survey of C-suite leaders, board members, department heads, directors, and managers in 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, the report claims that 78 percent of US executives and 52 percent of Canadian executives, compared to 72 percent of leaders globally, aim to leave their jobs by 2024. More →

May 11, 2022

Half of workers worried about the financial cost of the return to the office

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Slack has released the results of a new poll which the firm claims reveals the current state of mental wellbeing among UK workers. Commissioned in partnership with NHS GP and TV Doctor, Dr Sara Kayat, and to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, the survey sets out to examines the impact of the office on wellbeing, the effects of the return to the office after the pandemic and indicates how businesses can build healthier workplaces. More →

May 10, 2022

Imposter syndrome afflicts most people, but very few talk about it

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Three in five workers experience imposter syndrome with women and younger people disproportionately more likely to have feelings of self doubt, according to a new report from jobsite Indeed. The findings from Indeed’s Working on Wellbeing report are based on a YouGov survey of 2,500 UK workers around mental health and highlight how workers still are not getting the support needed from their employer. More →

May 10, 2022

BCO honours the best workplaces in South of England and South Wales

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

Six South of England and South Wales workplaces have been recognised at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) Regional Awards. The South of England and South Wales Awards Dinner returned in-person at We the Curious at Bristol Harbourside, recognising the highest quality developments in the South of England and South Wales and setting the standard for excellence in the office sector across the UK. More →