Search Results for: culture

If you want people to feel fulfilled at work, you’d better cough up

If you want people to feel fulfilled at work, you’d better cough up

According to a new poll from United Culture, salary is what makes most people feel fulfilled at workAccording to a new poll from United Culture, salary is what makes most people feel fulfilled at work. More than half of employees (55 percent) ranked it as their key consideration, ahead of ‘softer’ factors such as doing something worthwhile (41 percent), or working with people they like (39 percent). It also ranks significantly higher than opportunities that will play out over the longer term, such as having a clear sense of career progression (37 percent). (more…)

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement 0

A new report certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees

Originally published six years ago, this feature is currently the most read story ever on the website with around 50,000 readers. A global study by my own firm Steelcase has found that one-third of workers across 17 of the world’s most important economies are actually disengaged. The findings make worrying reading for employers around the world, as engagement is so demonstrably linked to business critical outcomes such as employee retention, productivity and even profits. It certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees. (more…)

To agility and beyond: what NASA can teach us about strategic change

To agility and beyond: what NASA can teach us about strategic change

New research shows what NASA can teach organizations on strategic agilityA new research project from ESMT Berlin and Warwick Business School sets out to find what the history of NASA history can teach organisations about strategic agility, and how organisations can adapt their business models effectively to cater to external challenges. To shed light on how strategic agility is achieved, the study follows NASA’s successful shifts to three different strategic alignments over the past 60 years. (more…)

Half of work related illness is down to stress, depression or anxiety

Half of work related illness is down to stress, depression or anxiety

1.8 million workers reported they were suffering from work-related ill health in 2022/23, with approximately half of the cases down to stress, depression or anxietyNearly two million workers in Great Britain reported suffering from work-related ill health in 2022/23, according the latest annual statistical report from the UK’s Health and Safety Executive. The statistics reveal that 1.8 million workers reported they were suffering from work-related ill health in 2022/23, with approximately half of the cases down to stress, depression or anxiety. In the recent years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of self-reported work-related ill health had been broadly flat, but the current rate is higher than 2018/19. (more…)

Most business leaders think generative AI will be a boon for employees

Most business leaders think generative AI will be a boon for employees

Four out of five (81 percent) business leaders in the UK say Generative AI will benefit their employees, according to new research from LinkedInFour out of five (81 percent) business leaders in the UK say Generative AI will benefit their employees, according to new research from LinkedIn. The top ways that UK executives believe Generative AI will benefit employees is by removing boring, repetitive tasks (64 percent), increasing productivity (52 percent) and freeing up time for bigger and more creative thinking (59 percent), according to the poll. One in three (31 percent) also believe that the rise of Generative AI will create brand new roles at their organisation. (more…)

Oscillate wildly between the death of the office and the death of hybrid working

Oscillate wildly between the death of the office and the death of hybrid working

The media's twisting between the death of the office and the death of hybrid working shows we've reached a point of equilibriumIt’s March 2020, very early days of lockdowns and the first catastrophising headlines appear. Is this the death of the office? Is this the death of handshakes? Is this the death of the open plan? I dismissed them at the time in this piece from March the 19th, citing Betteridge’s Law which states: “any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered with the word no”. (more…)

People seconded from other roles come up with the best ideas

People seconded from other roles come up with the best ideas

Seconded employees - employees temporarily assigned to a different role, organisation, or department - choose more innovative ideas and influence permanent staff to do the sameSeconded employees – employees temporarily assigned to a different role, organisation, or department – develop more innovative ideas and influence permanent staff to do the same, according to new research from ESMT Berlin and published in the Strategic Management Journal. Despite the motivation to select new ideas, individuals and organisations often still reject or overlook them. These ideas can be difficult to understand, risky, and challenging as their inherent uncertainty makes it harder to predict reception and usage. (more…)

The Workplace Cocktail Hour with Jo Sutherland and Esme Banks-Marr

The Workplace Cocktail Hour with Jo Sutherland and Esme Banks-Marr

Mark Eltringham is joined for a glass of red wine (or two) by Esme Banks-Marr of BVN architects and Jo Sutherland of Magenta. They discuss the joys of shared space, when people should tell AI to FO, the limits of workplace design, how to create a great culture wherever people work and much more. (more…)

‘Return-to-office’  rates vary widely across Europe

‘Return-to-office’ rates vary widely across Europe

New data demonstrates varying approaches to the so-called return to office across Europe, with France and Belgium leading, spending an average of 3.5 days working from the officeA new survey from JLL, Is hybrid really working? [registration] claims that the majority of international organisations (87 percent) are encouraging employees to work from the office at least some of the time. In fact, only 20 percent of employees who can work remotely all of the time or one-two days in the office now do so, down from 39 percent a year ago. However, the data demonstrates varying approaches to the so-called return to office across Europe, with France and Belgium leading, spending an average of 3.5 days working from the office. Germany, Netherlands, Spain and the UK are however lagging behind with an average of 2.5 days working from the office. (more…)

Financial uncertainty, wellbeing and supply chain disruption revealed as top risk factors 

Financial uncertainty, wellbeing and supply chain disruption revealed as top risk factors 

Companies across the UK are most concerned about the risk of financial uncertainty (34 percent), employee health and wellbeing (31 percent) and supply chain disruption (23 percent) on their businesses over the next 12 monthsAccording to new research by Marsh, an insurance broker and risk advisor, companies across the UK are most concerned about the impact of financial uncertainty (34 percent), employee health and wellbeing (31 percent) and supply chain disruption (23 percent) on their businesses over the next 12 months. The findings come from Marsh’s UK Business Risk Report 2023 [registration], which features data obtained in May and June 2023 from over 2,100 UK businesses with turnover of between £100,000 and £500 million + per year. Now in its third year, the report explores how circumstances over the last 12 months have impacted the business risk appetite and approach to risk management among UK companies, and identifies their priorities for the year ahead.  (more…)

Economies need to cut carbon emissions by 7 percent annually to hit Paris target

Economies need to cut carbon emissions by 7 percent annually to hit Paris target

In the lead-up to the UN’s COP28 climate conference, the world’s largest CEO-led community committed to accelerating the net-zero transition is calling on businesses and governments to further slash global carbon emissions to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goalsIn the lead-up to the UN’s COP28 climate conference, the world’s largest CEO-led community committed to accelerating the net-zero transition is calling on businesses and governments to further slash global carbon emissions to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goals. According to a report by the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), emissions must be cut back by 7 percent each year from now until 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as agreed in Paris in 2015. (more…)

The Workplace Cocktail Hour. Chris Moriarty on AI, toxic workplaces and more

The Workplace Cocktail Hour. Chris Moriarty on AI, toxic workplaces and more

In the first of a new series of news-based podcasts, I catch up with Chris Moriarty, the co-founder of Audiem and much besides. Over a glass of gin and tonic, we discuss the AI Safety Summit and the proclamations of imminent doom that came before and after it. We also talk about the covid inquiry and the toxic workplace culture it exposed as an intriguing subplot. (more…)