Search Results for: business

Coworking is breaking away from its cultural and geographical stereotypes

Coworking is breaking away from its cultural and geographical stereotypes

by • Comment, Property, Technology, Workplace design

There is a persistent image of a coworking space as a sort of glorified serviced office for tech and creative startups who can’t afford the eye-watering rents in the areas they need to be. This is usually in the technology hothouses of the world’s major cities where they can work alongside the corporate giants and fellow innovators that thrive there. The reason such perceptions exist is because they are largely true. It’s no coincidence that coworking spaces have thrived up till now in the world’s most expensive property markets – in London, Hong Kong and New York, serving exactly the sorts of start-ups and freelancers who rely on proximity to their potential clients.

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Prevalent ageist attitudes harm the health and wellbeing of everybody

Prevalent ageist attitudes harm the health and wellbeing of everybody

by • News, Wellbeing

A report published by Royal Society for Public Health in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has revealed the extent of ageist attitudes across the UK, and how they harm the health and wellbeing of everyone in society as we grow older. RSPH is calling for action to tackle inter-generational isolation, end the stigmatisation of older people, and undo the media clichés that keep ageism alive and well. RSPH evaluated ageist attitudes across 12 main areas of life, finding that the public are most ageist about memory loss, appearance, and participation in activities (both physical and community). The report highlights the extent to which old age is viewed by many as a period of decline and ordeal, and calls on stakeholders in the media, government, voluntary sector, and schools to take action to reframe the way our nation views ageing in a more positive light.

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Areas of UK still suffering from poor connectivity and broadband speeds

Areas of UK still suffering from poor connectivity and broadband speeds

by • News, Technology

Businesses looking to invest outside of London may be deterred by the UK’s still unreliable digital infrastructure or below-average internet speeds in many areas. New data from GoCompare reveals the UK locations with the best digital infrastructure for businesses keen to relocate. The study suggests that soaring costs in the capital and post-Brexit uncertainty are combining to create a dynamic environment for businesses in the UK’s regions. A CBI report estimated that a total of £208bn in revenue could be unlocked if the regions are properly invested in. Already, 68 percent of investment in digital tech went to businesses in regional hubs outside of London.

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Seven stories about the workplace to round off your week

Seven stories about the workplace to round off your week

by • Facilities management, Features, Property, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Overwhelming majority of property professionals now view proptech as an opportunity

Overwhelming majority of property professionals now view proptech as an opportunity

by • News, Property, Technology

The vast majority of property professionals in the UK now regard proptech as an opportunity rather than a threat, new research has found. However, a majority also remain sceptical about their own organisations’ progress on adopting new technology. Those are the key findings of a survey of more than 300 property professionals carried out by Trident Building Consultancy, in association with RICS, GoReport and Teesside University.

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War for talent is increasing as recruits have higher expectations than ever of a new job

War for talent is increasing as recruits have higher expectations than ever of a new job

by • News, Workplace

War for talent grows, with recruits having higher expectations than ever of a new jobAs employment levels rise, employers are facing stronger competition to attract and retain staff. Now the latest research suggests there is an escalation in the ‘war for talent’, as nine out of 10 new hires admit they would leave a job that fails to meet expectations within a month. According to research commissioned by Robert Half of 9,000 candidates in 11 countries across four continents, nearly half (47 percent) admit they decide whether they would or wouldn’t accept a position straight after the initial meeting. Highlighting that first impressions count, a further one fifth (20 percent) know if they are interested after the first communication (call/email), while 17 percent typically decide within the first five minutes of the interview.  Less than one in 10 (9 percent) wait until they have completed subsequent interviews to decide and merely 7 percent decide during contractual negotiations. Even once candidates have accepted a role, 91 percent admit they would consider leaving a job within their first month and 93 percent during their probation period.

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Women are less optimistic than men about the future of work

Women are less optimistic than men about the future of work

by • News, Workplace

Women in the US are less optimistic than men about the future of work, according to a new survey from B2B research firm Clutch. When asked how they view their future career, more than a quarter (27 percent) of working women feel worried or neutral, compared to 20 percent of men. Workers overall have a positive outlook about their future careers, the survey finds. Over three quarters (76 percent) are optimistic about their future careers, compared to 1 in 5 workers (20 percent) who say they are worried. However, gender differences correlate with other factors that impact optimism, including decision-making authority at work, according to the survey’s findings.

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Employees who work in digitally advanced workplaces are more productive and motivated

Employees who work in digitally advanced workplaces are more productive and motivated

by • Facilities management, News, Technology, Wellbeing, Workplace

Companies that are less technologically advanced are at risk of falling behind the competition and not attracting top talent, claims a new global study from Aruba. By contrast, employees who work in digital workplaces are not only more productive but also more motivated, have higher job satisfaction, and report an overall better sense of well-being. The study, Digital Revolutionaries Unlock the Potential of the Digital Workplace, outlines both the business and human benefits of more digitally-driven workplaces, and how. Almost all respondents (97 percent) thought their workplace would be improved through greater use of technology, while 64 percent said their company will fall behind the competition if new technology isn’t implemented. The same portion (64 percent) believe the traditional office will become obsolete due to advances in technology. However, the survey also warns that companies must be vigilant as more digital-savvy employees are taking greater risks with data and information security.

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Your happiness at work is not just down to your employer

Your happiness at work is not just down to your employer

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

When Google promoted a software engineer named Chade-Meng Tan to the role of “Jolly Good Fellow”, his career – and the entire culture of Silicon Valley – took a sharp turn. Meng, a cheerful employee valued for his motivational qualities, went from developing mobile search tools to spreading happiness across the organisation. Happiness became his job. Google wasn’t the first to hire someone with the sole remit of enforcing employee contentment. In 1999, when Google was still a start-up, French fashion brand Kiabi hired Christine Jutard as its chief happiness officer. She was one of the first to perform the role. But once Google did it, happiness at work became a key metric and other organisations quickly adopted their approach. Three years after Meng’s appointment, fast food giant McDonald’s even promoted Ronald McDonald from brand mascot to CHO.

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Majority of global workforce now work somewhere other than the office every week

Majority of global workforce now work somewhere other than the office every week

by • Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Workplace

Majority of global workforce now work remotely from the office every week

Technological change, globalisation and changes in employee expectations mean that over two-thirds of global employees now work remotely every week, and over half do so for at least half of the week. Though it must be said this is according to a new study from IWG, which is the parent group of workspace companies including Regus and Spaces, the study found that every week 70 percent of employees are working at least one day a week somewhere other than the office. More than half (53 percent) work remotely for half of the week or more, whilst more than one in 10 (11 percent) people work outside of their company’s main office location five times a week. The survey adds also that flexible working and the use of shared workspaces are no longer the preserve of start-ups. The world’s most successful businesses – including varied companies such as Etihad Airways, Diesel, GSK, Mastercard, Microsoft, Oracle and Uber – are already adopting a flexible workspace approach.

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Upcoming tasks and appointments may make us less productive, claims new research

Upcoming tasks and appointments may make us less productive, claims new research

by • News, Wellbeing

Available time seems shorter when it comes just before an appointment, say scientists who found that an upcoming task may make us less productive. In a series of eight studies, both in the lab and real life, researchers found that free time seems shorter to people when it comes before a task or appointment on their calendar. The study appears online in the Journal of Consumer Research. In an online study of 198 peopl were asked to imagine they had a friend coming over to visit in one hour and “you are all ready for your friend to come by.” The others were told that they had no plans for the evening. All participants were asked how many minutes “objectively” they could spend reading during the next hour and how many minutes they “subjectively” felt like they could spend reading during that same hour.

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Australia is leading the world in the adoption of activity based working

Australia is leading the world in the adoption of activity based working

by • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design

Over half of those employed in the banking sector in Australia now find themselves in agile and dynamic activity based workplaces. The banks have set the pace. The overall growth of the phenomenon has been exponential in the last 5 years, with sources suggesting two thirds of Australian organisations will have adopted Activity Based Working (ABW) by 2020. Furthermore, by looking at the number of Activity Based Working projects in the pipeline this move away from the 20th century office seems unstoppable. Despite global economic challenges the banking sector in Australia is particularly strong and stable, which contributes to the organisations’ ability to take a long term view. Alongside this robust financial picture we are also seeing a shift in purpose emerge, where the banks move away from a purely financial role to one where they embrace a sense of community and stewardship thus developing a broader contribution to society.

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