September 14, 2023

Is the Flexible Working Bill a game changer or paper tiger?

As LinkedIn data has shown, demand for work flexible working is high. And it outpaces the current availability of remote work offers. In the UK alone, listings for remote jobs have increased by 277 percent. Job postings for hybrid or remote positions received an increase in applications (189 percent) over in-office roles. People want to work remotely for various reasons. So they can live in their chosen home rather than in a tiny flat in London without sacrificing their career. So they can care for family – children, parents, grandparents. The demand for flexible work is driven by a desire for balance. The need has been clearly voiced – and the workforce is hungry for new modes of work. Looking at this background – the cheerful response to the passing of the bill is understandable. More →

August 30, 2023

Remote working putting pressure on around half of personal relationships

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The impact of remote working from a home at the same time as a partner is the subject of a new survey from coworking provider HomeWork Workspace. The firm argues that ‘while the initial days of remote work may have felt like a honeymoon phase for many couples, the reality of being together all the time has proven to be a challenge for a significant number’. To back up this claim, the poll suggests that around one in 10 (11 percent) respondents say that their relationship with their partner has improved thanks to homeworking, and 28 percent say that they have always enjoyed – and still do enjoy – working from home together. But the picture isn’t as rosy for others. More →

August 18, 2023

The challenge for office acoustics is to make people feel at home

by Freddie Steele • Comment, Workplace design

A number of apparent truisms about work and workplaces entered mainstream consciousness in the wake of the pandemic, and the shift to more flexible and hybrid working cultures. One of them is that people are better off carrying out focussed, quiet work at home, and creative and collaborative work in the office. And that this might suggest our approach to office acoustics would shift in particular ways. More →

August 11, 2023

Half of working parents are using annual leave to cover summer childcare commitments

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new poll from IWG claims to highlight the challenges faced by working parents in managing childcare commitments during the summer holidays. The survey of more than 1,000 working parents, suggests that almost two thirds (62 percent) find arranging childcare for the school summer holidays to be a significant source of stress. Consequently, over half (55 percent) use their annual leave to meet childcare responsibilities, whilst over 1 in 10 (12 percent) use their entire annual leave entitlement in the process. More →

August 8, 2023

Government scales back plans for regional office hubs as more people work from home

by Jayne Smith • News, Property, Public Sector

The UK government has announced it will be scaling back plans for thirty office ‘hubs’ outside of London by 25 percent and letting out surplus floor space to other departments as more civil service workers are choosing to work from home. In 2022 the government’s property strategy highlighted plans to relocate 22,000 posts out of London by 2030, creating 30 new regional ‘government hubs’ as it closes its older offices across the UK. However, currently just over half of that figure have been relocated. More →

July 21, 2023

Cost of living crisis incentivises people to work from home

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A new report claims that rising numbers of the people in the UK are choosing to shop and work from home to make every penny count as the cost-of-living crisis continues. These insights mark the launch of the second Virgin Media O2 Business Movers Index – a quarterly barometer that combines anonymised and aggregated UK movement data from O2 Motion, with national polling findings to reveal key trends relating to the behaviour of 2,000 British businesses and 1,000 UK consumers. Together, the data paints a picture of movement patterns and the trends behind them. The second quarter of this year reveals a more cash-conscious image of Britain as more of the UK public change their behaviours to cope with a tough economic backdrop. More →

July 3, 2023

Two in five people are working extra hours as cost-of-living crisis bites

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A new poll suggests that the continuing cost-of-living crisis is now affecting a greater proportion of employees, with more people working extra hours, more struggling to buy food or pay their bills, and fewer being able to afford to take sick days, compared to mid-2022. HR software provider Ciphr surveyed 1,000 employees across the UK about their experiences of rising living costs in 2023, and any actions they’ve taken, or have considered taking, because of financial pressures. More →

June 29, 2023

Over three quarters of hybrid workers watch television during the working day

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

A survey from ink supplier Toner Giant claims that 82 percent of hybrid workers watch some form of television when working from home, with the average worker tuning in for nearly a third (28 percent) of their working hours. The poll of 2,000 hybrid workers across the UK, the survey suggests that men are the ‘biggest offenders’, being 5 percent more likely to watch TV and consuming an extra 19 minutes of television compared to women. More →

June 28, 2023

City dwellers take advantage of hybrid working to relocate to suburbs, towns and countryside

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Property

A new report from IWG claims that suburbs, small towns and rural areas across the US and UK are booming, as people take advantage of hybrid working to migrate from larger cities. The study, undertaken in partnership with Arup, suggests that an estimated 500,000 people will leave US cities this year – 59 percent higher than pre-2020 levels – with most moving to suburbs, revitalised former dormitory towns and rural areas. Similarly, outbound migration across the UK is continuing at a faster rate than pre-pandemic levels, and there is strong evidence that suburbs and small towns have higher levels of economic activity than before 2020. More →

June 23, 2023

Are workplace gyms and other perks out of step with hybrid working?

by Anthony Thompson • Comment, Wellbeing

It should go without saying that looking after employee mental health and wellbeing is important. If employers do not prioritise employee wellbeing, the whole team can feel the impact of this. There is compelling evidence that suggests strong employee wellbeing is a precursor to a more resilient workforce, which enjoys better staff retention, engagement and productivity, as well as reduced absenteeism. More →

June 22, 2023

Bisley launches new Home collection in uplifting summer shades

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture

Bisley has launched a new collection for the home this summer. Shelving and storage units are updated with a palette of 14 colour options to suit summer interiors, from zingy brights to calming pastels. In addition, three brand new wall-hung accessories are added to the range, bringing a sense of style and fun to home organisation this season. Now available to buy from the online Bisley shop, the Outline collection of storage is designed with flexibility and modern home display in mind. The steel frame is robust yet elegant and combines opportunities for display and storage whilst allowing natural light to flow through. Outline products are ideal for flexible zoning at home, to create a home office without the need for walls and establish distinctive areas in which to work and relax. More →

June 13, 2023

People now less engaged, less fulfilled and more stressed in their working lives

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work. The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2023 claims that most people like their work and find it satisfying. However, as many as 6-9 million workers, experience poor-quality work in some major respects. CIPD’s survey indicators show that there has been no significant improvement in job quality in the past four years and, in some respects, job quality has gone backwards. Compared to 2019, workers today are less enthused about work, less likely to perceive their work as useful and more likely to simply see work as purely transactional – simply for the money. More →