Search Results for: office

New objectives in workplace design guide set out to increase biodiversity in government estate

New objectives in workplace design guide set out to increase biodiversity in government estate

The UK's Government Property Agency has published details of how it intends to protect the natural environment and increase biodiversity across its extensive estate.The UK’s Government Property Agency has published details of how it intends to protect the natural environment and increase biodiversity across its extensive estate. The Biodiversity and Nature Recovery Annex (BNRA) forms part of the Government Workplace Design Guide. As the largest office property holder in government, the GPA believes it ‘has an opportunity to improve the environment for the benefit of everyone by playing a part in ceasing the extensive loss of biodiversity in the UK’. More →

Biophilic design has a long history and an even bigger future

Biophilic design has a long history and an even bigger future

biophilic design at the new Amazon HQ2There are plenty of definitions of the modish concept of biophilic design around right now. But perhaps nobody can top that of Erich Fromm, the sociologist and psychoanalyst who first described it in his 1973 book The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness as “The passionate love of life and all that is alive”. More →

AI will leave a lot of people with nowhere to go in the job market

AI will leave a lot of people with nowhere to go in the job market

Non-graduates, 'silver surfers' and those in lower socio-economic brackets will be left behind as AI creates a 'skills glass ceiling'Non-graduates, ‘silver surfers’ and those in lower socio-economic brackets will be left behind as the rise of AI creates a ‘skills glass ceiling’. That’s according to the latest Robert Half Jobs Confidence Index (JCI) – an economic confidence tracker produced in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). The latest iteration of the Robert Half JCI revealed that almost half (45 percent) of the UK workforce is concerned that AI will disrupt their career in the next six to ten years. More →

Commuter towns becoming main place of work for many people

Commuter towns becoming main place of work for many people

over the past two years workers have significantly increased their use of office workspaces in rural, suburban and commuter townsNew office footfall data from IWG taken from more than 400 locations across the UK, suggests that over the past two years workers have significantly increased their use of office workspaces in rural, suburban and commuter towns, choosing to forgo lengthy daily commutes and work closer to home. More →

Half of people ‘struggle’ with the idea of more face to face meetings

Half of people ‘struggle’ with the idea of more face to face meetings

A new poll claims that half of office workers in the UK, who have experienced an increase in face to face meetings, are struggling to copeA new poll claims that over half (52 percent) of office workers in the UK, who have experienced an increase in face to face meetings, are struggling to cope with the increased demand, as business travel and in person time is on the rise. For many this has resulted in an increase in business travel, with 35 percent admitting the frequency of work related travel has steadily increased over the last two years – in fact 66 percent of office workers have travelled up to 50 times for business in the last 12 months. More →

Can commercial buildings shift from Carbon Conundrum to Carbon Control?

Can commercial buildings shift from Carbon Conundrum to Carbon Control?

A white paper challenging the building sector to consider what is really impeding the move to greater carbon control has been launched at an event in London by Artus. The heating and cooling experts have produced  From carbon conundrum to carbon control – how will the building sector get to net zero? to amplify the debate on whole-life carbon, design and the industry’s ability to move forward together to find solutions. More →

Most US firms are yet to match their culture to the demands of flexible working

Most US firms are yet to match their culture to the demands of flexible working

most employers have not adapted their working culture and practices  to support the shift to flexible workingA survey of 900 leaders in HR, real estate, IT, and product roles at US based firms suggests that most employers have not adapted their working culture and practices  to support the shift to flexible working. In addition, according to The 2024 Workplace Flexibility Trends Report from TechSmith Corporation in partnership with workplace research firm Global Workplace Analytics and Caryatid Workplace Consultancy three quarters of workers have yet to receive any training for the rise of flexible working arrangements. More →

Fitwel Announces 2024 Best in Building Health Awards

Fitwel Announces 2024 Best in Building Health Awards

Fitwel, the building health certification system, has announced the winners of the 2024 Best in Building Health Awards.Fitwel, the building health certification system, has announced the winners of the 2024 Best in Building Health Awards. The awards are designed to honour the most innovative real estate companies and individuals ‘setting the standard for health and wellbeing in the built environment across the globe, leveraging the trusted Fitwel Standard to enhance quality of life and drive value through design and operational excellence’. This year’s winners include projects from Canada, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and the United States. More →

AI is already transforming the legal sector, but challenges remain

AI is already transforming the legal sector, but challenges remain

As AI technologies continue to gain traction, just about every sector you can think of is going to face huge changes in the coming years – and that’s especially the case in the legal industry. From the rise of large language models (LLMs) to the integration of AI into existing software, this cutting-edge technology is already uprooting the way we work now, and it’s making us think deeply about what work will look like in the future. More →

Reviving flexible workspaces – a guide to saving failing operations

Reviving flexible workspaces – a guide to saving failing operations

Landlords and operators of flexible workspaces need to ensure that what they offer is meeting customer demands says Calum RussellThe landscape of flexible working has witnessed unprecedented growth, spurred by the evolving needs of businesses in the aftermath of the pandemic. Despite the economic turbulence of 2023, the flexible office market has remained strong in the UK, achieving a record overall occupancy of 83 percent in the same year. As the demand for adaptable and collaborative working environments continues to rise, landlords and operators of flexible workspaces need to ensure that what they offer is meeting customer demands. Given the number of notable operator closures, many landlords are beginning to find themselves at the forefront of decisions about managing and revitalising failing operations. More →

Great workplaces rely on great managers

Great workplaces rely on great managers

It shouldn’t need saying, but it does. Managers have a major impact on employees’ productivity and engagement, as well as other factors that create great workplaces such as building trust, fostering open communication, and caring for employees as individuals, according to a new global study by the UKG Workforce Institute.

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Employees increasingly want to work for firms with a clear sense of purpose

Employees increasingly want to work for firms with a clear sense of purpose

In the face of climate change, social justice movements, and recession, employees are seeking alternative commitments from employers. A new poll from Sparta Global claims that for job seekers in 2024, a company’s contributions to environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, and community well-being are of growing importance. More →