November 18, 2021

Creating a supportive environment for vital deskless workers

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

The Josh Bersin Company a research and advisory company focused on HR and workforce trends and issues, has released its latest report based on insights from its ongoing Big Reset executive working groups. The report, The Big Reset Playbook: Deskless Workers, focuses on the recommended practices needed to create optimal work experiences for “deskless” employees in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, and other sectors. More →

November 16, 2021

Employers expect ‘hard-to-fill’ vacancies to increase in the next six months

by Jayne Smith • Business, Jobs, News

Almost half (47 percent) of employers report having vacancies that are hard-to-fill, and more than one in four (27 percent) expect the number of vacancies that are difficult to fill to increase in the next six months. This is a key finding of the latest quarterly CIPD Labour Market Outlook (LMO) which surveyed more than 1,000 employers across all sectors of the economy. Employers were surveyed about their hiring, pay and redundancy intentions for the last quarter of 2021 in September, just as the furlough scheme was ending. More →

November 15, 2021

Smart cities infrastructure investment to top US$375 billion in 2030

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Technology

According to technology intelligence firm ABI Research, investments in urban infrastructure aimed at implementing new visions for smart cities will reach US$375 billion by 2030 as cities invest in brownfield and greenfield projects. Drivers behind urban innovation are numerous but both the digitalisation of lifestyles, accelerated by Covid-19, and the increasingly pressing need to address climate change are powerful engines for metropolitan transformation. Additional agents of change include the call for more equity and inclusiveness, scalable economic development, and more affordable living. More →

November 15, 2021

Waverley and QMotion bring wire-free motorised shading to commercial sector

by Freddie Steele • Company news

An innovative hybrid-power shading solution has been launched which brings all the benefits of motorised blinds with none of the costly power supplies and electrical works to occupants and designers of commercial buildings. Waverley, which specialises in improving the performance and aesthetics of public and working spaces, and automated window treatment experts QMotion have partnered to bring a completely wireless and near-silent shading solution to the commercial market, called the ShadeTech RBL-QM Hybrid Roller Blind. More →

October 19, 2021

Organisations prioritise technologies for the year ahead

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

A new report by Softcat, offers a snapshot of the enterprise IT landscape. It claims the technologies businesses are prioritising over the next 12 months to bounce back from COVID-19, become smarter, and realise their long-term ambitions. More →

September 20, 2021

Unemployment for those with learning disabilities reaches record high

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

The number of supported adults with learning disabilities in paid employment fell by 87 percent in some areas during the pandemic, according to the latest PHE data. In some local authorities in England, just 0.4 percent of people with learning disabilities are in paid employment. More →

September 17, 2021

Over a third of UK adults have suffered discrimination at work

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture, Workplace

New research into workplace discrimination, commissioned by CIPHR, claims just how widespread employment bias is in the UK. On average, one in six people (16 percent) report having suffered ageism, one in ten (10 percent) say they have been the subject of gender-based discrimination (12 percent of women and 7 percent of men), and around one in twelve feel that they have been on the receiving end of prejudicial treatment because of a disability, their race or sexual orientation (9 percent, 9 percent and 8 percent respectively), at some point in their careers. More →

September 7, 2021

Stronger profit margins and job opportunities as demand for facilities management increases

by Jayne Smith • Business, Facilities management, News

Workloads, profit margins and employment opportunities are set to continue to grow for the year ahead due to increasing demand for facilities management services, according to the latest RICS UK Facilities Management Market Survey. More →

September 2, 2021

Toxicity in the workplace experienced by seventy percent of UK employees

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working culture, Working lives

Culture in UK workplaces has come under scrutiny after a recent study claims that seven in ten (70 percent) Brits shared they’ve experienced toxicity in a working environment at some stage of their career. More →

August 5, 2021

Data breaches caused by phishing is a problem for most organisations now

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

Egress’ 2021 Insider Data Breach Survey claims that almost three-quarters (73 percent) of organisations have suffered data breaches caused by phishing attacks in the last year. Remote work has increased the risk, with over half (53 percent) of IT leaders reporting an increase in incidents caused by phishing. More →

July 30, 2021

Indoor air quality guide published by BESA

by Neil Franklin • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

The removal of most Covid restrictions in the UK has increased calls for clearer practical guidance and the setting of specific indoor air quality (IAQ) contaminant targets to support the health and wellbeing of building occupants. The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has, therefore, produced a concise guide to good practice: ‘Indoor Air Quality for Health & Well-Being’, which is designed to help building owners, managers and engineers interpret IAQ data and turn it into useful strategies for improving the indoor environment. More →