Search Results for: business

Time is up for fluorescent lighting, so what happens after the tube strike?

Time is up for fluorescent lighting, so what happens after the tube strike?

Just like the Rolodex, the fax machine and smoking in the office, fluorescent lighting is becoming a thing of the past in the workplaceAs we rapidly advance through the latter half of 2023, the office landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with the imminent fluorescent lamp ban. Just like the Rolodex, the fax machine and smoking in the office, fluorescent lighting is becoming a thing of the past in the workplace. Both the UK and the EU are taking bold steps by phasing out all forms of fluorescent lamps with some types, such as T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes, banned from sale as early as September 2023. If they haven’t done so already, business owners will need to explore alternative lighting solutions to stay compliant with new regulations, set to take full effect by February 2024. (more…)

It’s a wrap for WORKS magazine for 2023

It’s a wrap for WORKS magazine for 2023

It’s a wrap for our print titles for 2023, and we’ve covered all the bases in the latest issue of WORKS magazineIt’s a wrap for our magazines for 2023, and we’ve covered all the bases in the latest issue of WORKS magazine, looking back at some of the best bits from the past 12 months and also looking forward to what we can expect from early 2024. Variety really is the spice of life – and we’ve scoured the country in search of a selection of diverse, forward-thinking and eye-catching new project stories, stopping in Manchester, Lincoln and London. These brilliant schemes include elegant headquarters buildings, innovation-filled tech coworking hubs and even a dramatic racing car. (more…)

Flexible working is delivering the gift of seasonal productivity

Flexible working is delivering the gift of seasonal productivity

business leaders are still keen to maintain productivity with flexible working amidst the seasonal rush while allowing their team to enjoy the holiday periodEmployees have made it clear that they are keen for flexible working arrangements to stay. In fact, according to the Owl Labs 2023 State of Hybrid Work report, 40 percent of employees would decline a job if they were required to be in the office five days a week. With the festive season in full swing, employees will look to utilise the benefits of flexible working as they return home to their families. (more…)

How employers should navigate the ICO’s guidance on monitoring workers

How employers should navigate the ICO’s guidance on monitoring workers

As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, so does the prevalence of firms monitoring workers and the sophistication of the tools available to employers to monitor their staff's activitiesAs technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, so does the prevalence of firms monitoring workers and the sophistication of the tools available to employers to monitor their staff’s activities. Hand in hand with the increasing prevalence of workplace monitoring tools are concerns that their excessive use may infringe workers’ data protection and privacy rights. Employers must take heed of recent ICO guidance to ensure they do not fall foul of the law in pursuit of the hoped for benefits of workplace monitoring, such as boosting productivity and profit. (more…)

For all its flaws, COP28 still gives us a route to a greener future

For all its flaws, COP28 still gives us a route to a greener future

As COP28 drew to a close, it gave those attending or observing from around the world the chance to reflect on the global commitments towards building a greener future.As COP28 drew to a close, it gave those attending or observing from around the world the chance to reflect on the global commitments towards building a greener future. The UAE played host to two weeks of debate over climate change as COP28 recently rolled into town. While some questioned this region’s suitability – it being a centre of the fossil fuel industry – perhaps there is an argument to be made that this is exactly where you should hold it – to bring the issues into sharp relief. (more…)

Only a quarter of firms say that staff will need to work full time from an office in future

Only a quarter of firms say that staff will need to work full time from an office in future

New research by the British Chambers of Commerce Insights Unit and technology firm Cisco, shows less than 30 percent of firms expect their workforce to be fully in person over the next five years. The survey of over 1,000 businesses, of which 96 percent were SMEs, found just 27 percent of respondents predict their staff will be fully in-person over the next five years. 47 percent anticipate their staff to be mostly in-person, 16 percent expect mostly remote and 8 percent fully remote. (more…)

Hybrid working: the importance of having the right strategy

Hybrid working: the importance of having the right strategy

To make hybrid working work successfully, we need changes in the way people need to be managed, trained and inductedHybrid working changes everything it seems. To make it work successfully we need changes in the way people need to be managed, trained and inducted. It changes the needs for communication and social connectivity, goal setting and connection to vision. It requires greater clarity on what is acceptable and what isn’t. Employees must take on new grown-up obligations and organisations are required to ‘trust’ and employees to be ‘trustworthy’.  (more…)

Big firms don’t really want you to contact them

Big firms don’t really want you to contact them

Some of Britain’s most famous and successful companies make it hard for customers to get in touch, according to a new studySome of Britain’s most famous and successful companies make it hard for customers to get in touch, according to a new study of FTSE 250 companies, by Moneypenny, with 89 percent of the companies having no phone contact number on their website home page. While some of the FTSE 250 companies did feature a phone number elsewhere on their website, 33 percent of them make it extremely difficult to find a contact number on their website and have no phone number on their respective home pages. It took the Moneypenny researchers six or seven clicks to find one elsewhere on their websites. (more…)

It will take more than government funding for the world to reach net zero

It will take more than government funding for the world to reach net zero

The world needs up to $3.5 trillion of additional investments each year to reach net-zero and restore natureClimate finance was central to discussions at COP28 in Dubai and funding to reach net zero and restore biodiversity is still falling short. A new report from the World Economic Forum highlights the priorities for action and sets out how partnerships between organisations from the philanthropic, private and public sectors can create what it refers to as a positive domino effect, cut emissions at speed. (more…)

Government brings forward plans to relocate 22,000 jobs away from London

Government brings forward plans to relocate 22,000 jobs away from London

The UK Government is bringing forward its target to relocate 22,000 roles out of LondonThe UK Government is bringing forward its target to relocate 22,000 civil service roles out of London. It comes as new figures today show that 16,061 roles have already been moved out of London, exceeding the commitment to relocate 15,000 roles by 2025 as part of the Places for Growth programme. Under the newly announced plans, Aberdeen, Darlington and Greater Manchester are to host second headquarters for major departments. Darlington is already the Treasury’s second headquarters.

Workplace innovation is boosted when managers have high social status

Workplace innovation is boosted when managers have high social status

Social status of top management in a company is positively associated with workplace innovation due to greater access to resources for research and developmentSocial status of top management in a company is positively associated with innovation, including workplace innovation, due to greater access to resources for research and development (R&D), finds new research from UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business (UCD Quinn School). The findings were first published in the journal R&D Management. (more…)

UK built environment is woefully under-prepared for climate change

UK built environment is woefully under-prepared for climate change

New analysis published by UKGBC during the COP28 talks concludes that the UK’s built environment is severely under-equipped to adapt to our changing climate.New analysis published by UKGBC during the COP28 talks concludes that the UK’s built environment is severely under-equipped to adapt to our changing climate. On five out of seven critical climate resilience priorities, UKGBC’s scorecard finds that the Government policies in its Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) are insufficient, flawed, or missing, placing millions of homes and buildings – and the lives of people occupying them – at serious risk of damage from climate-related disaster. (more…)