Search Results for: Gen Z

Survey reveals UK’s total obsession with technology

Square EyesGen Y may still be grabbing all the headlines but the full scale of the potential technological immersion of Gen Z is evident in the findings of a new report from Halifax Insurance. The Digital Home Index claims that the average child born in the UK today will spend around a quarter of their lives watching non-work related technology before the age of 80. The report also claims that three quarters of British people already claim they would struggle to get through a day without their technology. The full pervasiveness of smartphone, tablet, laptop and MP3 technology in modern British lives is apparent in some of the more jaw-dropping findings from the survey of 2,500 people.

(more…)

New digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read online. If you don’t get the print edition, you’re missing out

New digital issue of Works magazine is available for you to read online. If you don’t get the print edition, you’re missing out

The new issue of Works magazine is now available for you to read online free. 2026 promises to be yet another revolutionary year for work and workplaces and we'll be with you at every step along the waThe new issue of Works magazine is now available for you to read online free. 2026 promises to be yet another revolutionary year for work and workplaces and we’ll be with you at every step along the way. In this issue: you’ll find three case studies and a round up of projects highlighting new thinking and best practice in workplace design; we consider how Canary Wharf and other business districts are in rude health in spite of the obituaries we may have read about them in recent years; there’s commentary from Adam Scott, Su Lim and Stephanie Fitzgerald; we have reports from two round tables in London as well as a look back on Design Mumbai; the latest news on products, materials and events. Plus there are loads more features, including our podcast series with Shaw Contract exploring the different facets of comfort. (more…)

Government office closures deliver over £17 million in annual savings

Government office closures deliver over £17 million in annual savings

The UK government says it has secured more than £17 million in annual savings over the past six months by closing three central London office buildingsThe UK government says it has secured more than £17 million in annual savings over the past six months by closing three central London office buildings and relocating staff into existing space within the public estate. The most recent closure is 10 Victoria Street, which ministers say will generate around £8.8 million a year in rental savings alone. The building has been vacated as part of a wider programme to reduce reliance on leased properties and consolidate departments into what officials describe as better used government offices. (more…)

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employmentA significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

The ROI of predictive property management with IoT sensors

The ROI of predictive property management with IoT sensors

It’s all well and good eulogising about the technological benefits of incorporating the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) within property management but do the numbers stack up?It’s all well and good eulogising about the technological benefits of incorporating the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) within property management but do the numbers stack up? What is the likely return on investment (ROI) of shifting from the existing reactive model to something distinctly more proactive and predictive? A recent six-month project at a retirement complex in the Scottish Borders might just shed some light on the viability, or otherwise, of the IoT revolution that’s well underway. (more…)

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

A sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demandA sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demand and the potential impact on UK climate commitments, according to a report by The Times [paywall]. According to the newspaper, Ofgem, the energy regulator, has received connection enquiries for around 140 new data centre projects. Together, they are seeking approximately 50 gigawatts of electricity capacity, a figure that exceeds Britain’s entire recent peak electricity demand of about 45 gigawatts. The scale of the requests has raised questions about whether existing infrastructure planning and carbon reduction pathways are aligned with the speed of digital expansion. (more…)

Designing for new work: lighting and acoustics shape Atelier drü’s new studio

Designing for new work: lighting and acoustics shape Atelier drü’s new studio

TRILUX has delivered a lighting solution for the new offices of Swiss architecture practice Atelier drü in Flums, in the canton of St. Gallen. Designed as a collaborative “New Work” environmentTRILUX has delivered a lighting solution for the new offices of Swiss architecture practice Atelier drü in Flums, in the canton of St. Gallen. Designed as a collaborative “New Work” environment, the project combines exposed concrete architecture with minimalist interior design, placing lighting and acoustics at the centre of the workplace concept. The office design features large concrete surfaces, modern furnishings, and integrated ceiling elements to create a balanced working environment where interior design, lighting and spatial planning work together to support comfort and collaboration. (more…)

Inspiring Makers 2026: Shaping the future of British craft and design

Inspiring Makers 2026: Shaping the future of British craft and design

Building upon past success and now going into its fifth year, Inspiring Makers is being held at Bath’s historic Guildhall on Wednesday 13th May 2026.Building upon past success and now going into its fifth year, Inspiring Makers is being held at Bath’s historic Guildhall on Wednesday 13th May 2026. The day-long event offers a unique platform to connect and inspire emerging designers and makers with leading brands and influential industry voices. The aim is to champion traditional hand skills, preserve British craft and to encourage, train and sustain the dedicated masters of the future. (more…)

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition,Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition, according to the latest State of Small Business Britain report from the Enterprise Research Centre. The annual study draws together findings from a range of business surveys and shows that 36 percent of working age adults are now starting, running or planning to launch a business. This is the highest level recorded since the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor began tracking activity in 1999. Early stage entrepreneurial activity has doubled since the early 2000s and has stabilised at around 12 percent. (more…)

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

Hybrid working is stabilising around the world, office occupancy report claims

A new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settledA new study of office utilisation trends around the world suggests hybrid working patterns have largely settled, with average occupancy remaining well below pre-pandemic norms and peak attendance continuing to cluster midweek. The Hybrid Occupancy Index 2025–2026 [registration] published by workplace analytics firm HubStar, draws on data from more than 300 million square feet of office space across 173 buildings in 13 countries, covering more than 27,000 workspaces between January 2023 and December 2025. (more…)

Senior leaders identified as highest AI risk in UK organisations, study claims

Senior leaders identified as highest AI risk in UK organisations, study claims

Senior leaders are emerging as the highest-risk users of artificial intelligence in UK organisations, according to new researchSenior leaders are emerging as the highest-risk users of artificial intelligence in UK organisations, according to new research which suggests AI-related business failures are being driven more by leadership behaviour than by technology or junior staff. (more…)

Wellbeing overtakes financial security as top workforce concern, study claims

Wellbeing overtakes financial security as top workforce concern, study claims

Wellbeing has overtaken financial security as the primary concern for UK employees, according to new research from MercerWellbeing has overtaken financial security as the primary concern for UK employees, according to new research from Mercer, reflecting a shift in workforce priorities after several years of economic and social disruption. The findings come from Mercer’s Inside Employees’ Minds: Building Confidence in a Changed World 2025 to 2026 report, based on responses from more than 4,000 UK workers. While financial pressures remain widespread, concerns around physical, mental and emotional health now dominate. The study found that 32 percent of employees report poor mental health, with higher prevalence among younger workers. (more…)