August 25, 2023
Take a little time out from your well-earned summer break (or your ongoing nose to the grindstone) with the latest issue of Works Magazine. Issue 7 features all the relevant news, features, products, businesses and people from the world of the workplace, including an exciting new initiative from Works and sister title, IN. More →
August 24, 2023
Passionate firms perform higher in terms of team progress, regardless of whether that passion is focused on one or multiple team activities, finds new research from Aalto University School of Business. According to Associate Professor Ewald Kibler, Head of the Entrepreneurship Unit at Aalto, and postdoctoral researcher Bernadetta A. Ginting-Szczesny, team entrepreneurial passion (TEP) plays an important role in business ventures as it can positively impact team outcomes and venture performance. Analysing survey data on 326 individuals from 107 teams at Finnish SMEs, they suggest having a shared passion helps teams work together toward a common goal while maintaining focus and motivation. More →
August 24, 2023
Putting people and the planet above profits may not appear at first glance to be a recipe for financial success for a company like Wellworking, but becoming a Certified B Corporation company is proving good for business and something that the furniture industry can play a big role in. You may have seen the B Corp logo on a shop door or the back of a van and wondered what exactly it means. Well if I could sum that up after a certification process that has been rigorous, challenging and above all, rewarding, I would say that it’s about putting people and the planet first. More →
August 14, 2023
Workers able to work remotely are still only coming into an office for an average of 1.75 days a week, a study of 119 workplaces in 22 countries by workplace consultancy AWA claims. The responses, collated in April-May 2023 and representing organisations employing close to 155,000 people, saw a slight increase on AWA’s study a year ago, indicating that office attendance has reached a more or less steady state and that hybrid working is still a favoured solution. More →
August 14, 2023
It’s a banality to point out that futurism is nowism plus either a robot butler or blasted landscape. So, I was taken with a press release we had last week from Studio Alliance which shows an AI’s depiction of the office of the future at various points over the next quarter of a century. What is most striking to me, if you set aside the Jetson-y outside views, is how much like the office of the present each is. More →
August 11, 2023
A declining share of employees said they were motivated to go above and beyond at work, or were inspired to do their best work, according to the latest employee engagement benchmark data from Qualtrics. The new proprietary data – aggregated from thousands of employee engagement surveys administered in 2022 – shows symptoms of burnout and a significant drop in confidence in leaders from 2020, when the pandemic ‘upended workplaces’ around the world. The report argues that employees are willing to tell their employers that they were struggling, and if something doesn’t change, they may look for a new job. Labour productivity also reflected this drop in motivation, the report claims. More →
August 10, 2023
Zoom has opened a new London ‘Engagement Hub’ which the firm claims will spearhead the shift from traditional office spaces to ‘experiential working hubs’. With the demand for hybrid working and remote capabilities giving rise to unconventional ways of operating, Zoom says it has designed its new office to support the changing nature of the employee experience, marking a new era of modern work. More →
August 9, 2023
In the ever-evolving discussion around the landscape of work, one established industry event stands as a beacon of knowledge and innovation for workplace professionals: the Workplace Trends Conference. The 2023 conference on 18 October, in London and online, promises a day of enlightenment, inspiration, and connection that’s not to be missed. Workplace Insight is pleased to be a media partner for Workplace Trends Conferences. Our readers may claim a 20 percent discount on their ticket price by using promo code INSIGHT20 when registering at https://workplacetrends.co/events/wt23/ More →
August 7, 2023
As organizations adopt hybrid work, reduce their real estate footprint and redesign floor plans, space planners are running into a slew of new challenges. Yesterday’s antiquated tools can’t handle these challenges, because they were built for the old, relatively static world of work. More →
August 7, 2023
…talking of Orwell, I recently whiled away an idle hour checking which of the more deranged pronouncements from the period of peak workplace hysteria in late 2020 have been memory holed. There was some weird, wild stuff, often coupled with a feverish response to anybody urging caution. At one point somebody (I know who but won’t say) suggested I should be banned from LinkedIn for pushing back on the idea that any firm that didn’t go fully remote would be out of business within five years. More →
August 7, 2023
Open space concepts, flexibility and new working styles will continue to be defining characteristics of the office of the future. They offer a number of advantages by eroding entrenched structures and supporting collaboration and communication. When people work in close proximity, with flexible meetings and spontaneous exchanges, they are able to determine the shape of each working day. Employees are increasingly deciding for themselves where and how they can best manage their tasks. Concentrated individual work shifts seamlessly into collaborative work and teamwork precedes periods of retreat or relaxation. For certain tasks, focus, silence and a sense of distance from the outside environment are essential. The office cube solution is one way of insulating people from interruptions and unwelcome noise. As an enclosed cubicle and thanks to its acoustically effective components, se:cube from Sedus can minimise acoustic and visual disruption. More →
August 22, 2023
Advancing accessibility and reaping the rewards of disability inclusion
by Katy Talikowska • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design