May 31, 2019

London leads the way in coworking

Over recent years, we have witnessed significant changes when it comes to the workplace. Women are continuing to push through the glass ceiling, offices are starting to look more likes homes and businesses are opting for a more flexible and sociable working environment. This rise in coworking and other forms of flexible office space is just one of the latest trends to emerge from the corporate world, and according to a report by office brokers Office Freedom, London is at the forefront of this growing market. More →

May 30, 2019

Relationships with coworkers matter most for wellbeing

by George Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

A third of your life is spent at work, but what determines your workplace well-being? That’s the question that Dr. Martin Boult, Senior Director Professional Services & International Training, The Myers-Briggs Company, asked before starting a three-year international study on workplace wellbeing. His new report, titled “Wellbeing in the Workplace” from The Myers-Briggs Company explores the most effective activities for enhancing well-being and its benefits for both people and organisations. More →

May 29, 2019

Biophilia in the corporate HQ: an historical perspective

by Guzman de Yarza Blache • Architecture, Environment, Facilities management, Features, Workplace design

In recent years, the concept of biophilia and the inclusion of greenery in the working environment has captured the media’s attention, which has depicted it as an important aspect of wellbeing in the workplace, seemingly the crucial indicator of a great office. For this reason, and beyond the superficial or cosmetic use of plants in the office, I would like to analyse the relationship between nature and the corporate world from a historical perspective in an effort to understand the role of greenery within the architecture of the corporate headquarters.

May 28, 2019

Number of over-70s in work doubles

by Mark Eltringham • News, Workplace

Record numbers of over-70s are choosing work over retirement, according to new analysis from Rest Less, a membership community site in the UK to offer work and volunteering opportunities specifically targeted at the over 50s. Using bespoke data provided to Rest Less by the Office for National Statistics, Rest Less’s analysis claims that the number of over-70s in full or part-time employment has been steadily rising year on year over the past 10 years, reaching a peak of 497,946 in the first quarter of this year – an increase of 286,000 or 135 per cent since 2009. Today, nearly 1 in 12 (8.1 percent) of those in their 70s are working, a significant increase from the 1 in 22 (4.5 percent) there were 10 years ago.

May 27, 2019

Workplace happiness levels plummeting

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

According to a survey of employees, most people are unhappy and dissatisfied in our jobs and almost half struggle to get out of bed in the morning to go to work. The survey by Personal Group, a provider of human resources services, claims that there has been a 20 percent drop in workplace happiness over the past three years. Today, only 41 percent of the workforce are happy most of the time at work, down from 43 percent in 2018 and 51 percent in 2017. More →

May 23, 2019

Boosting low carbon building renovation across Europe

by George Eltringham • Cities, News

Today, the World Green Building Council’s European network, in collaboration with eight cities and partners announced the launch of Build Upon, the next phase of what it claims is the world’s largest collaborative project on building renovation. With cities across the world declaring climate emergencies and climate action high up on the agenda for the European elections, this European Union (EU) funded project will empower cities across Europe to join forces with national governments and industry to decarbonise their existing building stock by 2050 and so increase the proportion of low carbon building across Europe. More →

May 22, 2019

The new normal of flexible work transforming workplaces

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

Digital innovations, and in particular, cloud computing is enabling increasing numbers of employees to work remotely and flexibly. This means the central company workspace is rapidly becoming an administrative hub, rather than a traditional central focus where everyone gathers during set hours. This is according to Condeco’s new research paper, The Modern Workplace 2019: People, places & technology (registration) which claims that 41 per cent of employers already offer remote working, while 60 per cent now allow employees to set their own flexible hours. More →

May 21, 2019

Calls for urgent reform of skills policy development and implementation

by George Eltringham • Legal news, News

City & Guilds Group is calling on Government to urgently rethink how skills and education policy in the UK is designed and delivered, in light of a new report launched by the Group today. Sense and Instability 2019 finds that important lessons from the implementation of skills policy over several decades have not been learned, meaning badly-needed training and education programmes are not fit for purpose or delivering the right results for people, businesses and the economy.
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May 17, 2019

Working from home up more than a quarter in decade

by George Eltringham • Flexible working, News

There are 374,000 more employees working from home than 10 years ago, new TUC analysis published today to mark Work Wise UK’s National Work from Home Day implies. The analysis suggests a 27.7 percent increase in the number of homeworkers in the last decade. But not enough bosses are giving their workers the option of homeworking, which could help people to see more of their family and improve work-life balance. More →

May 17, 2019

Flexible working for parents greatest challenge for SMEs

by Mark Eltringham • Flexible working, News

Paid leave for new parents is a financial and operational challenge for 90 percent of UK SMEs, according to the findings of new research into the challenges faced by working women and their employers. The first ever Women in Business survey also claims that offering flexible working and covering the cost and resource of maternity and paternity leave is an even bigger concern for SMEs, with 96 percent of board level executives saying it’s a significant challenge for their business. More →

May 16, 2019

Age discrimination in the workplace remains an issue

by George Eltringham • News, Workplace

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 15, 2019

Mental health stigma drives unexplained sick days

by George Eltringham • News, Wellbeing

A new report from Breathe commissioned to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 implies that British workers are still uncomfortable disclosing mental health issues or burnout, as nearly a quarter (23 percent) admit they would rather take an unexplained sick day than discuss their issues with their employers. More →