September 18, 2024

You get what you give at the CoreNet Global Summit 2024 in Berlin

by Jo Sutherland • Comment, Facilities management, Property, Wellbeing

Have you ever attended a conference and been asked to gaze deeply into a stranger’s eyes for several minutes, standing just a metre apart in silence? No? Neither have I – until this September at the CoreNet Global Summit in Berlin. Gone are the days of handshakes and small talk. Today, it’s all about relationality, empathy, and hugging it out. For some, the summit’s emphasis on fostering human connections was a joyful opportunity to bond and share meaningful moments with fellow professionals. For others, it felt like being trapped in a never-ending therapy session nobody signed up for. More →

September 16, 2024

Most firms have little to no idea how people get their work done

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology, Workplace

Many companies remain unaware of how their employees’ digital workplace experiences impact productivity, according to a new report by Scalable Software [registration]. The report suggests that nearly half of organisations (45 percent) do not conduct “employee journey mapping,” leaving them uninformed about how digital friction -the difficulties people have working with technology – affects people’s ability to perform tasks at work. The report claims that this limits their understanding of the challenges people face when working with tech. More →

September 11, 2024

Commercial property market should be more optimistic, but it still needs to change

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

JLL’s latest Future of Work Survey claims to reveal new opportunities for the commercial property sector as two-thirds of business leaders expect their CRE budget to rise between now and 2030. Despite challenges in the commercial real estate sector and bumpy economic conditions, global business leaders are optimistic about the future, with two-thirds (65 percent) expecting their CRE budgets to increase by 2030, according to the poll. This survey sets out to explore the evolving nature of work, assessing the key priorities, challenges, and strategies for more than 2,300 business and CRE decision-makers. More →

September 10, 2024

Firms are optimistic about AI, but most have little idea what to do with it

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Despite high levels of optimism about their adoption of artificial intelligence, two thirds of firms say they are not ready to implement AI in projects yet, according to a new poll. The Riverbed Global AI & Digital Experience Survey suggests that while 94 percent of those surveyed say AI is a top C-Suite priority and 91 percent agree it provides a competitive advantage, only 37 percent are fully prepared to implement projects now, However, 86 percent of leaders say they expect their organisation to be fully prepared to implement a strategy and projects by 2027. More →

September 9, 2024

The Active Office – enhancing workplace wellbeing with innovative office furniture

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture, Wellbeing

The working environment profoundly affects how we feel at work. But can the right office furniture and layout also boost creativity, efficiency and collaboration? AJ Products, a leading furniture solutions provider and workplace wellbeing specialist, decided to find out. They collaborated with University Academy 92, a higher education institution co-founded by the Class of ’92 and Lancaster University, to test their Active Office concept. More →

September 3, 2024

Londoners spending more time in the office, but not as much as people in other global cities

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

Central London is showing steady progress in the return to a traditional working day, with workers spending more time in the office compared to last year, according to a new survey. The data, collected by Centre for Cities in collaboration with Savanta and Focaldata, claims that the average full-time worker in Central London spent 2.7 days per week in the office in June 2024. This marks an increase from the 2.2 days recorded in April 2023. More →

September 2, 2024

Arts and crafts boost personal wellbeing more than work, study finds

by Marvin Gort • News, Wellbeing

A new study suggests that engaging in arts and crafts activities can significantly enhance personal wellbeing, offering greater benefits than traditional employment. The research, conducted by a team from Anglia Ruskin University and published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, found that activities like pottery, painting, knitting, and woodworking can increase life satisfaction, happiness, and the sense that life is worthwhile. These findings suggest that arts and crafts, often seen as mere hobbies, could be a powerful tool for improving mental health and wellbeing on a broad scale. More →

August 29, 2024

Information overload and FOMO are major risk factors for remote work

by Marvin Gort • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

While the shift to remote work has reportedly brought about numerous benefits for many people, such as increased flexibility and autonomy, a new study published in SAGE Open by researchers from the University of Nottingham claims to reveal significant downsides that are often overlooked. More →

August 27, 2024

Workers unsure about the government’s New Deal for Working People

by Marvin Gort • News, Workplace

Workers in the UK are lukewarm towards the “New Deal for Working People,” a cornerstone of the recently introduced Employment Rights Bill. This ambivalence is coupled with a significant lack of awareness about their current workplace rights and their employers’ stance on various aspects of the deal. These insights come from the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI), an economic confidence tracker developed in collaboration with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). More →

August 20, 2024

How generative AI is shaping a new landscape for creativity

by Chris Hewish • AI, Comment

Every significant leap in technology has promised more than it has delivered. Or, perhaps more accurately, it has delivered something different from what was promised. When automation began infiltrating manufacturing in the 19th century, there was widespread fear that it would render human labour obsolete. Instead, it transformed the nature of work, creating new categories of jobs and even eradicating others. The digital revolution of the late 20th century followed a similar trajectory. It shifted the burden of tasks, spawned entirely new industries, and necessitated new skill sets. More →

August 14, 2024

Hybrid workers are more likely than colleagues to report poor mental health

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Hybrid workers are the group most likely to say that work has a negative toll on their mental health, according to a new survey from Pluxee UK. Two-fifths (42 percent) of hybrid workers reported that work negatively affects their mental wellbeing, compared to 32 percent of fully remote and 30 percent of fully office-based employees. The report claims thatits findings highlight that while hybrid working offers flexibility, it requires thoughtful support to ensure employee wellbeing and work-life balance. More →

August 14, 2024

Is this last orders for the post-work drink?

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The traditional post-work drink may be falling from favour as a shift in attitudes and working culture means people increasingly prefer daytime social gatherings, a new poll claims. Employers are being encouraged to move away from pub outings as a means of socialising, instead fostering “inclusive and healthy workplace cultures” that cater to employees who don’t drink alcohol or work remotely. As four different generations now share the workplace, new expectations around employee health and wellbeing are emerging, according to the survey commissioned by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). More →