May 16, 2019

Age discrimination in the workplace remains an issue

More than a third (37 percent) of employees aged 45 and over believe that age discrimination is an issue where they work, according to a new analysis from Aviva. Those aged 55 to 59 feel this most strongly (41 percent). One in five (19 percent) feel younger colleagues are favoured over older generations, while 19 percent believe their age has become a barrier to career progression and development. However, over half (53 percent) of employees aged 60 and over are not ready to retire, increasing to 61 percent for people still working past the age of 65. More →

May 9, 2019

People find connected devices creepy and intrusive

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

A survey conducted in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, France and the United Kingdom by IPSOS Mori on behalf of the Internet Society and Consumers International found that around two thirds (65 percent) of people are concerned with the way connected devices collect data. More than half (55 percent) do not trust their connected devices to protect their privacy and a similar proportion (53 percent) do not trust connected devices to handle their information responsibly.

May 8, 2019

The dark side of wearables and wellbeing

by Freddie Steele • Features, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

While the use of wearables, Internet of Things (IoT) devices that are worn or inserted as implants, in smart building applications will give people completely new ways of interacting with their surroundings, their potential could be tempered by an increased risk to privacy due to the type and quantity of data being collected. The good news is that, combined with automated building controls, occupants will be able to control and automate their own ‘personal’ environment as well as improve their wellbeing. More →

May 2, 2019

Team activities more engaging for young professionals

by Marie Hillen • News, Workplace

Team activities designed to boost morale and strengthen relationships, are more successful in engaging younger talent than individual ones, a new report suggests. The research carried out by Perkbox and Talentpool claims that employer recruitment techniques are adapting incentives accordingly in a bid to attract top young talent, as young professionals today seem to like to prioritise ‘team’ over ‘individual’ in all of their everyday working practices. More →

May 2, 2019

Vast majority of accountants think there’s been a cultural shift in the profession

by George Eltringham • News, Workplace

Sage has released its annual Practice of Now research report, which claims that there is a shifting cultural landscape in the accounting sector driven by evolving client demands and the marketplace. Of the 3,000 accountants surveyed worldwide, 90 percent believe there has been a cultural shift in accountancy as it enters the next decade. This shift is driving significant changes in hiring practices, business services and attitudes toward emerging technologies across the globe. More →

May 1, 2019

The impact of technology, cyber-risk and the future of corporate real estate ⁰

by Kate Langan • Features, Property, Technology, Work&Place, Workplace design

It’s no surprise to say that technology is having a significant impact on the workplace and the use of corporate real estate. The fast pace of change has seen technology impact all aspects of business, government and culture, as well as personal life, with a constant flow of new innovations and solutions helping us to do things more quickly and efficiently. Equally, technology also provides a challenge to business and, more specifically, corporate operations, with a whole array of disruptive technologies.

May 1, 2019

Tech workers would quit jobs for better work-life balance

by Marie Hillen • Flexible working, News, Technology, Workplace

The tech sector is facing high departure rates as employees’ complain of work impinging on their home life, coupled with a lack of learning & development opportunities. It’s been estimated that vacancies already outweigh skilled talent in the UK tech industry, where there are an estimated 600,000 vacancies. Yet nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of tech workers say they would quit their job to achieve a better work-life balance. The research from CWJobs of over 1,000 IT workers also discovered that this is even more important to Gen Z (aged 16-24), where seven in 10 (72 percent) would leave a company if this was compromised.

April 29, 2019

UK productivity slump linked to employee experience and lack of meaning, claims Deloitte report

by Mark Eltringham • News, Technology, Workplace, Workplace design

Only half of UK employees consider their organisations to be effective at creating a positive work environment and only two fifths consider their employer to be effective at creating meaningful work. With 84 percent of workers stating that employee engagement and productivity are linked and 68 percent say their organisations do not measure the correlation between employee engagement and productivity – suggests UK business leaders need to think differently to prevent productivity slumps. The findings are from the Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2019 survey, which tracks the top trends shaping the agenda for HR and business leaders both in the UK and globally. Employee experience, leadership and learning, respectively, led this year’s top 10 UK trends.

April 23, 2019

The flexible solution to workplace loneliness

by Guzman de Yarza Blache • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing, Workplace design

For years, the word ‘office’ would doubtless conjure images of the traditional individual cubicle. However, times have changed, and where the cubicle once ruled the roost, a flexible working revolution is already disrupting the office market and reshaping the world of work.

April 18, 2019

Work-life balance and workload are the biggest drivers of stress

by Marie Hillen • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Half of today’s workers are stressed by their job with one in five (17 percent) finding their work very stressful, according to new global research from LinkedIn. The research showed that millennial workers are more concerned than their seniors about having a sense of purpose and belonging in the workplace, but overall they’re the generation that’s least stressed at work. Both Gen X and the Baby Boomer generation proved to be more stressed at work, with a fifth (19 percent) of Gen X finding work very stressful. The data showed that the top five cause of stress at work are work/life balance and workload; confidence in job future; a sense of purpose and direction; colleagues and work politics; and access to tools to do your job.

April 17, 2019

Bristol has lowest Grade A office vacancy rate among UK largest cities

by Mark Eltringham • News, Property

Bristol has the lowest vacancy rate for Grade A offices amongst the UK’s leading Big 6 cities, reflecting strong demand combined with a shortage of high quality commercial space, according to new figures published by property consultants JLL. Although the city and region’s reputation for talent and innovation has so far countered the shortage of space, with inward investors citing access to a highly skilled, graduate workforce as one of the main reasons for relocation, JLL is warning that more needs to be done to ensure Bristol continues to attract investment. More →

April 15, 2019

Workers dislike their work colleagues even more than their boss

by Neil Franklin • News

Unlikable work colleagues, who are noisy, annoying and even steal from the office fridge top the list of workplace grumbles, according to a survey of 650 UK workers. The YouGov survey, conducted on behalf of Crown Workspace, named fellow colleagues more annoying than old or slow technology, uncomfortable office temperatures and even rude or over-friendly bosses.

Generationally, it seems that millennials (aged between 25-32) have the most to grumble about. Over half (54 percent) of millennials find their colleagues unlikable. In comparison only 36 percent of those aged 45-54 dislike colleagues, indicating that older workers are more tolerant of their younger colleagues. Old technology and unlikable bosses also score highly on millennials list of grumbles, with half (50 percent) moaning about them.

By comparison, only a third of 18-25 year olds listed old technology as an issue, and 30 percent disliked their boss. Millennials, more than any other age group, were also more discontented with: desk space (29 percent), facilities (42 percent), poor office location (30 percent) and poor décor and furniture (25 percent). Out of all of the working age ranges from 18 – 65, millennials moan about each of the top ten grumbles the most.

When it comes to differences between the sexes the research found that women are more likely than men to complain about temperatures (45 percent vs 39 percent) and poor lighting (31 percent vs 22 percent).

The UK’s top 10 office grumbles are:
1. Disagreeable work colleagues
2. Slow or old technology
3. Uncomfortable temperature
4. Disagreeable bosses
5. Poor facilities
6. Poor lighting
7. Inadequate office space
8. Poor office location
9. Inadequate deskspace
10. Poor décor and furniture