Search Results for: benefits

A sense of control over workplace technology may be linked to wellbeing and productivity

A sense of control over workplace technology may be linked to wellbeing and productivity

A sense of control over workplace technology may have a significant impact on people’s wellbeing, productivity and attitudes towards technological change, according to new global research from Logitech. The technology company’s inaugural Ctrl Tomorrow Study suggests a growing divide between people who feel confident and in control of the technology they use and those who feel overwhelmed or frustrated by it. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of respondents agreed that people who feel more in control of their technology get more out of life, while around three in five said problems with technology can affect their mood after work and their sense of control over their personal lives. (more…)

BCO Awards winners focus on regeneration, sustainability and workplace experience

BCO Awards winners focus on regeneration, sustainability and workplace experience

The UK’s leading office developments have been recognised for their contribution to urban regeneration, sustainability and workplace experience at the 2026 BCO AwardsThe UK’s leading office developments have been recognised for their contribution to urban regeneration, sustainability and workplace experience at the 2026 British Council for Offices National Awards. Swansea development 71/72 Kingsway took the top prize at this year’s awards, winning both the Best of the Best and Commercial Workplace categories. Judges described the scheme as a catalyst for the regeneration of Swansea city centre and an example of how people-centred architecture can stimulate investment and attract high-value employment. The annual BCO Awards were presented to an audience of around 1,000 property and workplace professionals at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel in London on 6 October. (more…)

International experience gives business leaders an edge, University of Bath study finds

International experience gives business leaders an edge, University of Bath study finds

Business leaders with international experience play a significant role in shaping the success of their organisations and are often associated with stronger organisational performanceBusiness leaders with international experience play a significant role in shaping the success of their organisations and are often associated with stronger organisational performance, including higher growth, profitability and stock market performance, according to a new study published in the Journal of Management. The study, by Dr Fei Qin of the University of Bath School of Management and her co-researchers Professor Klaus Meyer of the Ivey Business School and Professor Sabina Tasheva Nielsen of University of Sydney, examined how the international experience of chief executives, founders, senior management teams and boards influences business strategy and performance. (more…)

Rethinking office space: can phone booths cut costs and free up meeting rooms?

Rethinking office space: can phone booths cut costs and free up meeting rooms?

Acoustic office phone booths like those designed by MEAVO, give every type of conversation a home of its own, creating calm, private spaces exactly where people need them.The hybrid office has found its rhythm. Teams come together on their anchor days to collaborate, share ideas and meet clients, then spend the rest of the week wherever they work best. It is a model that suits people well, and it is encouraging organisations to take a fresh look at how every part of their office is used. Meeting rooms are a natural place to start. On busy days they are in high demand, often for activities that need far less space: a solo video call, a quick one-to-one, an hour of focused work away from the buzz of the open floor. The good news is that there is a simple, flexible way to create more of the right kind of space. Acoustic office pods like those designed by MEAVO, give every type of conversation a home of its own, creating calm, private spaces exactly where people need them. (more…)

Hybrid working could deliver productivity gains from staff retention alone, report claims

Hybrid working could deliver productivity gains from staff retention alone, report claims

Hybrid working could deliver significant productivity gains by helping organisations retain employees, recruit from a wider talent pool and preserve institutional knowledge, according to new economic modelling from International Workplace Group (IWG) and Arup. The analysis estimates that improved employee retention associated with more flexible working practices could be worth $204.7 billion to the US economy and £10.8 billion to the UK over five years. Retention represents the largest potential source of productivity gains identified by the modelling. (more…)

Health insurance renewal: why you should review before you renew

Health insurance renewal: why you should review before you renew

The renewal notice for your business health insurance arrives. The premium is up, as it usually is. You approve it, the policy rolls over, and you move on to the next thing on the list. For most businesses, that is the entire renewal process. And in most cases, it is leaving money on the table. The business health insurance market is not static. Insurers reprice their books every year. New products come to market. Competitors adjust their terms to win business. The gap between what a business is paying on an auto-renewed policy and what it could be paying on a properly reviewed one is often significant, and it widens every year the review does not happen. This guide covers what a proper renewal review involves, what to look at, what questions to ask your broker or insurer, and why it is worth treating renewal as an active decision rather than an annual formality. (more…)

The best easy-to-use HR software for small businesses in 2026

The best easy-to-use HR software for small businesses in 2026

Running a small business means your time is always in demand, so every tool you invest in needs to make life easier. Human resources can quickly become one of the biggest administrative challenges as your team grows, with hiring, onboarding, leave requests, employee records, compliance, performance reviews and document management all competing for your attention.  Typically, a well-designed HR platform brings those tasks together in one place, helping you spend less time on administration and more time supporting your people and growing your business. The strongest platforms in 2026 combine simple navigation with practical automation, giving you professional HR tools without the steep learning curve that often comes with enterprise software. (more…)

Hybrid working and the hidden cost of being “always on” at work

Hybrid working and the hidden cost of being “always on” at work

Hybrid working has delivered welcome flexibility, but it has also changed our relationship with work. The traditional boundary created by leaving the office at the end of the day is often less defined when work is accessible from our kitchen table, spare room or mobile phone. Yet this challenge is not limited to those working remotely. Even employees who spend most of their time in the office now carry work with them through smartphones and constant digital connectivity. (more…)

Why the organisations seeing real returns from agentic AI are empowering employees, not cutting jobs

Why the organisations seeing real returns from agentic AI are empowering employees, not cutting jobs

The launch of the UK Government’s AI Skills Compact reflects an important shift in how policymakers and businesses are thinking about artificial intelligence. Rather than viewing AI simply as a route to greater efficiency or reduced headcount, leaders are starting to recognise that long-term competitiveness will depend just as much on equipping people with the skills to work alongside AI as investing in the technology itself. (more…)

How MSPs are shaping the future of the digital workplace

How MSPs are shaping the future of the digital workplace

Here’s why businesses are increasingly turning to outside experts for AI support and what to expect of the digital workplace as those experts modernize their service offerings in response.According to JLL’s 2026 Future of Work Survey, most C-suite and corporate real estate leaders now expect AI to redesign roles and grow headcount rather than reduce it. While this is likely a relief for those who previously worried about AI making their roles obsolete, it also creates new pressure on organisations to integrate AI into their operations. This pressure is increasing the demand across the board for managed service providers (MSPs). At the same time, it is increasing the scope of responsibilities modern MSPs are now expected to offer. Here’s why businesses are increasingly turning to outside experts for AI support and what to expect of the digital workplace as those experts modernize their service offerings in response. (more…)

Giving employees a say over office art may boost wellbeing and job satisfaction, review suggests

Giving employees a say over office art may boost wellbeing and job satisfaction, review suggests

visual office art can have a positive effect on employees' psychological wellbeing and workplace experience, with the greatest benefits seen when workers are able to choose or position artwork themselves.Giving employees more control over the artwork displayed in their workplace could improve wellbeing, job satisfaction and engagement, according to a new systematic review from researchers at the University of Roehampton. The review, published in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, found evidence that visual office art can have a positive effect on employees’ psychological wellbeing and workplace experience, with the greatest benefits seen when workers are able to choose or position artwork themselves. (more…)

Resilience: the expanding global mandate for facility management

Resilience: the expanding global mandate for facility management

Throughout this decade, global challenges have shined a spotlight on the facility management (FM) industry and its professionals like never before.Throughout this decade, global challenges have shined a spotlight on the facility management (FM) industry and its professionals like never before. From pandemics to climate events and geopolitical instability, these challenges have tested organizations in unprecedented ways. While many debated the meaning of  terms like “the new normal,” facility managers demonstrated competence, strategic planning and decisive leadership to keep their organizations and people moving forward. From the C-suite to workers and visitors, organizations have become acutely aware of  FM’s influence as critical enablers  to ensure organizational, environmental and personal health. (more…)