Search Results for: change

Remote workers are more likely to miss out on promotions

Remote workers are more likely to miss out on promotions

by • Flexible working, News

A new report claims that more than a quarter of remote workers believe they have missed out on a job promotion or opportunityA new report claims that more than a quarter (27 percent) of office workers who work flexibly believe they have missed out on a job promotion or opportunity. Even so, most remote workers say they still wouldn’t want to give up on flexibility. The Work Remastered 2024 survey of 1,000 office workers in the UK and US, carried out by consultancy United Culture claims to highlight a disconnect between what leaders and employees want. (more…)

Standing desks may not be any better for you than office chairs

Standing desks may not be any better for you than office chairs

by • Furniture, News, Wellbeing

A new large scale study from researchers in Australia suggests that the use of standing desks does not have the impact claimed and that the risks of some conditions may even be worsenedLast week at Orgatec, many firms continued to repeat the claim that “sitting is the new smoking” in their marketing spiel. There’s something in this. The risks of a sedentary lifestyle include health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Standing desks have been seen as a way to reduce the time people spend sitting while at work as a fix for such health problems. But a new large scale study from researchers in Australia suggests that the use of standing desks does not have the impact claimed and that the risks of some conditions may even be worsened with their prolonged use. Instead people should look to move more, regardless of their workstation setup.  (more…)

Sick days rise 41 percent over last three years as business productivity falls post-pandemic

Sick days rise 41 percent over last three years as business productivity falls post-pandemic

by • News

sick daysSick days have surged by 41 percent over the past three years as employers continue to struggle with declining levels of productivity. The latest Hiring Trends Index by Totaljobs, surveying 1000 UK HR decision-makers, highlights how this rise in absenteeism is perpetuating a cycle of poor business performance affecting both employers and employees. (more…)

Navigating misconduct in the workplace: a lawyer’s perspective

Navigating misconduct in the workplace: a lawyer’s perspective

by • Comment, Workplace

Recently, Lloyd’s of London has been in the news because it has proposed significant steps to address the notorious levels of misconduct in its sectorLloyd’s of London has been in the news because it has proposed significant steps to address the notorious levels of misconduct in its sector, as well as tackling bad behaviour across its network. With the Worker Protection Act coming into force on the 26 October 2024, which stipulates new proactive duties on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, precautions taken by Lloyds may have been triggered by the new duties from this Act – but have opened the floor to several questions, including how do we measure misconduct in third party situations generally? And what falls in this remit? (more…)

If firms want people to ‘return to office’, they should offer a better experience

If firms want people to ‘return to office’, they should offer a better experience

by • Flexible working, News, Property

A new report from the British Council for Offices (BCO) argues that if employers want their staff to 'return to office', they need to approach the workplace in the same way they would their customers by creating spaces that offer experiences workers actively seek outA new report from the British Council for Offices (BCO) argues that if employers want their staff to ‘return to office’, they need to approach the workplace in the same way they would their customers by creating spaces that offer experiences workers actively seek out. The report, titled Towards Experience Utopia, claims to serve as a comprehensive guide for creating optimal working environments that integrate the best aspects of both remote and in-office work. Commissioned by the BCO Occupiers Group, which includes major employers like NatWest, PwC, Deloitte, and Goldman Sachs, the report highlights how the shift towards hybrid working has transformed the expectations of employees. (more…)

Want sustainable buildings? Invest strategically in smart technology

Want sustainable buildings? Invest strategically in smart technology

by • Environment, News, Property

Strategic investment, innovative technology, and collaboration are essential for achieving sustainable buildingsStrategic investment, innovative technology, and collaboration are essential for achieving sustainability and value goals in the real estate sector, according to a new report from Colliers. The  report Realising ESG Performance: The Value-Driven Transformation of Europe’s Built Environment [registration] claims to provide insights into how the real estate industry can embrace sustainable buildings and comply with regulatory demands while creating long-term value. (more…)

Bosses are too cocky when it comes to modern risks to their businesses

Bosses are too cocky when it comes to modern risks to their businesses

by • Business, News

CEOs face sleepwalking into reputational disaster through over-confidence which masks inadequate crisis planning to mitigate modern day risksCEOs face sleepwalking into reputational disaster through a concerning over-confidence which masks inadequate crisis planning to mitigate modern day risks, according to a new report [registration] from PHA Group. The survey questioned 150 CEOs across the UK’s £240bn professional services sector on confidence and planning in navigating business critical issues. Examining issues from workforce management and whistleblowing to climate change and regulation, CEOs from law firms, insurance, finance and accounting, consultancy and recruitment conveyed confidence but also revealed a lack of investment and planning. (more…)

Employers need to be proactive to address problem of sexual harassment at work

Employers need to be proactive to address problem of sexual harassment at work

by • Comment, Workplace

In today's evolving workplace landscape, the issue of sexual harassment at work and the work-related environment remains a pressing concernIn today’s evolving workplace landscape, the issue of sexual harassment at work and the work-related environment remains a pressing concern for employers and employees alike. Recent surveys have shed light on the pervasive nature of this problem, revealing that a significant portion of workers continue to experience sexual harassment at work not only from colleagues, but also from third parties such as suppliers, customers and patients. As new legislation approaches, it’s imperative for employers to take reasonable anticipatory steps to prevent sexual harassment at workplace to improve workplace culture, the organisation from expensive and damaging claims and its workforce from such abhorrent conduct. (more…)

Reactions to the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill

Reactions to the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill

by • News, Workplace

Details of the UK's new Employment Rights Bill were released yesterday. The legislation represents what the government claims is a significant overhaul of workers' rights, offering more protections and benefits and helping to promote practices like flexible workingDetails of the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill were released yesterday. The legislation represents what the government claims is a significant overhaul of workers’ rights, offering more protections and benefits and helping to promote practices like flexible working. Key elements of the bill include granting workers access to statutory sick pay and parental leave from the first day of employment, and introducing a ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts. It also aims to curb controversial “fire and rehire” practices and gives employees the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one, rather than after two years of service. However, businesses will still be allowed to operate probationary periods to ensure fit for roles, with discussions suggesting a maximum of six months. (more…)

Accessible and inclusive design should be a priority for the property market

Accessible and inclusive design should be a priority for the property market

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The joint report, Inclusive Spaces and Places: A collaborative approach to inclusive design, highlights the urgent need for inclusive design in the built environmentGrosvenor and The Crown Estate have launched a new report that aims to shed light on the challenges faced by people with physical and hidden disabilities when accessing and working within buildings and public spaces across the UK. The joint report, Inclusive Spaces and Places: A collaborative approach to inclusive design, highlights the urgent need for inclusive design in the built environment, emphasising the barriers that prevent millions from fully engaging with public and commercial spaces as well as the potential societal and economic losses this results in. (more…)

Office design goes to the movies

Office design goes to the movies

by • Features, Workplace design

What can the movies tell us about office designFollowing our recent attempts to create a rudimentary playlist of songs that tell us something, or perhaps nothing, about office design, office life and office furniture, here’s another look at how the parochial world of the workplace can brush up against popular culture. It does this unnoticed for most people, I suppose, but not for those of us bound up in this world. We’re not the sort of people who can ignore the regular, brief glimpse of an Aeron chair’s ubiquitous mesh without a synapse of recognition sparking up. So, here is a brief rundown of nine movies that use office design to make a plot point or set up a character development.

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Finger on the pulse: Is biometrics the future of workplace wellbeing?

Finger on the pulse: Is biometrics the future of workplace wellbeing?

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

For architects and designers, the trend to use wearable devices to track wellbeing in the workplace is a giftAround a third of companies already use wearables to track their team’s activity and better gauge their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends Report. Deloitte predicts that usage will increase to two thirds by 2027. Neurotechnology, which uses electronics to read brain activity and can contextualise employee behaviour and interactions, is also anticipated to ramp up dramatically in use in that timeframe, from 3 percent to 31 percent. (more…)

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