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British Council for Offices honours the North’s best workplaces at annual Regional Awards

British Council for Offices honours the North’s best workplaces at annual Regional Awards

Six workplaces across the North of England and Northern Ireland have been recognised at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) Regional Awards today. The Northern BCO Awards dinner returned in-person to the Kimpton Clocktower in Manchester, recognising the North’s highest quality developments and setting the standard for excellence in the office sector across the UK. (more…)

British Council for Offices honour London’s best workplaces at annual Regional Awards

British Council for Offices honour London’s best workplaces at annual Regional Awards

Six London workplaces have been recognised at the annual British Council for Offices’ (BCO) Regional Awards. The London Awards Lunch returned in-person to the London Hilton on Park Lane, recognising the highest quality developments in London and setting the standard for excellence in the office sector across the UK. The winning workplaces include:  80 Charlotte Street (Commercial Workplace); Plumtree Court, 25 Shoe Lane (Corporate Workplace); Dojo, The Brunel Building, 2 Canalside Walk (Fit Out of Workplace); ASOS HQ, Greater London House, 180 Hampstead Road (Refurbished/Recycled Workplace); Pennybank , 33-35 St John’s Square (Projects up to 1,500m sq. ); 1 Triton, 1 Triton Square, Regent’s Place (Innovation) (more…)

We need to seize the chance to make our buildings far more intelligent

We need to seize the chance to make our buildings far more intelligent

Even before the pandemic, statistics were making the case for workplaces to be made up of more intelligent buildings. This includes the fact that offices generally operate at around 55-60 percent utilisation, and as we return to the office are currently at 45 percent utilisation. From presenteeism to absenteeism and many other factors in between, workplaces have seldom been utilised by entire workforces at the same time. However, the prevailing approach has been for firms to drive an office setup with one-to-one desking – a seat for every employee, even though five in 10 would not be in at any one time. (more…)

Half of large office occupiers plan to rethink their property requirements

Half of large office occupiers plan to rethink their property requirements

PWC officeLarger office occupiers are getting to grips with the fallout following the pandemic and are now reassessing their office property needs, according to a new YouGov survey commissioned by law firm Irwin Mitchell. The survey of over 500 office property decision makers shows that nearly half (46 percent) of large businesses and (39 percent) of medium sized companies plan to rethink their office space- whether by upsizing, downsizing, or relocating. The survey shows that one in five large businesses plan to increase their existing office space, with the same proportion looking to reduce space and 5 percent to relocate. In addition, 11 percent are looking to reconfigure their existing space. While 37 percent plan to stay the same. (more…)

Experimentation is the name of the game

Experimentation is the name of the game

Uncertain times call for different measures and approaches, the old rules and playbooks are no longer applicable – so what are you going to do? Sit around, stagnate, hanker after old solutions trying to manipulate and squeeze them into new, unknowable, untried paradigms? No! One thing human beings are fairly good at is evolving and adapting to new and unknown situations and as we all know, being flexible and  accepting change creates resilience and ensures survival. (more…)

Facilities Managers should be seen as stewards of corporate culture

Facilities Managers should be seen as stewards of corporate culture

hybrid working facilities managersThe pandemic has irrevocably changed the way we work. Once considered a place simply to do business, the office is fast becoming a ‘lifestyle choice’ among young people who value more than just a desk. Instead, they want an engaging, healthy, and resilient working environment where they can socialise, make friends, and build connections to help their career and wellbeing thrive. In fact, an EY study found that 90 percent of Generation-Z value the human connection in the workplace above salary when it comes to their at-work communication. A recent Gallup survey even found a tangible link between having a best friend at work and productivity: those who have a best friend in the office are twice as likely to be engaged in their role and company. (more…)

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

Structural and cultural change are what we need to escape the wellbeing rut

wellbeing at workWellbeing has been one of the largest challenges to the UK workforce over the last several years. A recent study by the Mental Health Foundation and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), states that mental health problems cost the UK economy at least £117.9 billion every year – around 5 percent of the UK’s GDP. Companies recognise the urgency to help: British employers planned to increase spending on employee mental health and wellbeing by 18 percent from 2021 to 2022. But the long and short of the issue is that this progress is being outpaced by accelerating burnout rates among workers. (more…)

Firms are failing to meet the needs of hybrid workers

Firms are failing to meet the needs of hybrid workers

hybrid workersA survey of UK employers and employees gives insight into the lack of provision for remote and hybrid workers to carry out their roles. While just over half (56 percent) of employers admit they regularly check in with all employees to enquire about their health and wellbeing and 55 percent provide laptops, 73 percent of employees are ready to choose their next employer based on physical, health and wellbeing support and flexible technology provision. (more…)

The Great Resignation and what is really happening

The Great Resignation and what is really happening

Great ResignationThe ‘Great Resignation’ is a buzzphrase that first appeared in May 2021, and has struck fear into the hearts of employers ever since. Coined in the US, the term refers to the unprecedented rise in the number of workers resigning from their jobs following the pandemic. There has since been a huge amount of research trying to work out why this has happened. Are workers quitting work entirely, as the pandemic makes us re-evaluate our priorities? Or are they quitting to pursue their dreams in a different career? (more…)

Working from home means getting your priorities right

Working from home means getting your priorities right

working from home with SedusIt should come as no great surprise to learn that data from Leesman, the world’s leading workplace analyst, found that the chair was seen by remote working employees as the second most important feature in creating a productive working from home environment. Cited by 90 percent of people, it was narrowly beaten into second place only by a desk or table (91 percent). A ‘mere’ 89 percent of people cited WiFi, which is what you may have assumed was the most important need of remote workers, especially given that Hierarchy of Needs meme we’ve all seen. That needs to be reworked because clearly broadband matters slightly less than comfort and safety. (more…)

New technology will increase size of workforce, poll claims

New technology will increase size of workforce, poll claims

new technologyA 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…)

A burst of technological innovation is reshaping the future of work

A burst of technological innovation is reshaping the future of work

future of workEven 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…)