January 28, 2020
An 1860s warehouse located in the original Granada Studios estate in Manchester city centre has opened its doors as a coworking space for small and medium businesses. Bonded Warehouse, managed by All Work & Social, part of Allied London, includes work and social spaces on all six floors, a space for wellness and fitness, event spaces, a brewery and tap room, gin bar and 24-hour coffee lounge for collaboration and socialising. More →
January 27, 2020
UK SMEs are facing a serious digital dilemma, with three in five operating their business without a high speed internet connection. This finding, from Bionic’s Business Efficiency Index (registration), is part of an overall picture of the UK’s small business community struggling to keep pace with tech acceleration; small minorities have modern payment methods or access to e-commerce channels. 57 percent of SMEs do not have high-speed internet, and under one in ten businesses (9 percent) plan to invest in access in the near future. More →
January 27, 2020
Standing out in a competitive job market isn’t always easy, so some employees may implement various tactics to be more noticeable, including working overtime. Working the occasional overtime shift might not seem like a big deal, but is it? More →
January 27, 2020
Universal Music UK has published what it claims is the first handbook for embracing neurodiversity in the creative industries. It defines neurodiversity as “the infinite variation in cognitive functioning that can lead to differences in thinking, attention and memory”. The handbook, which is titled Creative Differences, explores the experiences of people with specific facets of neurodiversity such as ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and Tourette Syndrome. More →
January 24, 2020
Huge changes to the world of work over the past two decades have made little impact on teenagers’ career expectations, which have become more concentrated in fewer occupations, according to a new OECD report. Dream jobs: Teenagers’ career aspirations and the future of work says 47 percent of boys and 53 percent of girls surveyed in 41 countries expect to work in one of just 10 popular jobs by age of 30. The figures, based on the latest PISA survey of 15-year-olds released last month, reveal a narrowing of expectations as these shares increased by eight percentage points for boys and four percentage points for girls since the 2000 PISA survey. More →
January 24, 2020
Artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies such as virtual personal assistants and chatbots will replace 69 percent of managers’ workload by 2024, Gartner, Inc. has predicted. As well as taking over routine tasks, AI will also make work more accessible for employees with disabilities, a new report from the research and advisory company claims (registration required). More →
January 24, 2020
Most executives around the world are out of touch with what it takes to lead effectively and for their businesses to stay competitive in the digital economy, a new study has claimed. Out of nearly 4,400 executives in over 120 countries surveyed by MIT Sloan Management Review (MIT SMR) and Cognizant, only 9 percent agreed that their organisation has the skills at the top to thrive in the digital economy. More →
January 24, 2020
Four in 10 workers around the world are concerned about their health but don’t want to go to the doctor, a new research report has claimed. Although 40% of workers said they are worried about their long-term health, the same number hadn’t had a health check in the last year and most have no idea about basic indicators such as what their cholesterol level or body fat is. Inflexible and long working hours are compounding the problem, the report by Aetna International suggested, as employees feel unable to take time off to manage their health. More →
January 21, 2020
It has become vogue to refer to the workplace as being ‘all about people’. It points in all directions at once. Organisations need fit, healthy, happy, skilled, motivated, engaged and purposeful people being (and feeling) productive and doing their best work every day. They want their people working closely together – they’ve spent a lot of time and money drawing in those they feel can contribute to a whole that is other than the sum of the parts. More →
January 21, 2020
Following sustained levels of leasing activity throughout the year, JLL has calculated that over 10.7m sq ft of office space in central London has been transacted so far in 2019 and with over 3m sq ft currently under offer, has suggested that take-up is on track to total 11.6 m sq ft at year-end – which is ahead of the 11.5m sq ft of space that was leased in 2018. Both the City and West End commercial property markets are expected to see take-up levels broadly echo last year’s totals. More →
January 21, 2020
Younger decision makers are increasingly relying on technology such as emails, video conferencing and WhatsApp in negotiations with suppliers, rather than speaking to them face-to-face, new research from Barclaycard Payments has claimed. Despite supplier negotiation being regarded as an ‘art’ by seven in 10, many said it will increasingly be conducted digitally over the next five years (68 percent). More →
January 24, 2020
Workplace culture can eat strategy for breakfast
by Alistair Craig • Comment, Workplace design