March 11, 2020

Flexible offices are not just an issue for the next generation

by John Williams • Comment, Flexible working

For as long as I have been in the industry, workspace has focused on the “next” generation whether that has been the overly-discussed millennials or Gen-Z. As it has grown, the market for flexible offices has inevitably followed the same path, but in doing so its providers could have taken their eyes off the ball by lacking focus on the most cash-rich and flexible generation of all – Generation X. More →

March 11, 2020

Tech firms drive explosion in Oxford office costs

by Jayne Smith • Facilities management, News, Property

Office rent in Oxfordshire has shot up an eye-watering 24.3 percent in a year, with Bidwells’ latest research suggesting the need to fast-track new office and laboratory space to fulfil the explosion in demand from growing technology companies. Bidwells recorded more than 1.1 million sq ft of office and laboratory space being sought in Oxfordshire – another all-time high – with just 569,500 sq ft of space available, less than was on offer at the end of 2018. More →

March 6, 2020

Smart cities will be defined by a number of key characteristics

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Technology

The future infrastructure of smart cities will rely on the analysis of data relayed by the sensors in buildings, infrastructure, transportation and power grids; enabling city authorities to make critical decisions in real-time, according to GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Smart cities – Thematic Research’ (paywall). More →

March 5, 2020

UK outpaced by other nations when it comes to women in work

by Jayne Smith • News, Working lives

Despite holding firm in 16th place, the UK is being outpaced by greater improvements in female employment prospects in other OECD countries, according to PWC’s latest Women in Work Index, which analyses female economic empowerment across 33 OECD countries. While the UK performs above the OECD average and is second only to Canada when compared to other G7 economies, its position has barely budged since 2000 when it stood in 17th position, despite improving its performance across all five indicators. More →

March 4, 2020

Agility may be the key to surviving uncertainty, but what does it mean?

by Victoria Normark • Comment

Amid continued economic and political uncertainty, following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU), the adoption of agile practices will be more important than ever for businesses to survive and adapt to market change. But when we talk about agility in a business context, what do we really mean?

March 3, 2020

Attitudes to risk of climate change are shifting dramatically

by Jayne Smith • Environment, News

Britons suggest climate change is one of the most important issues facing the country in the next 20 years, claims research led by Cardiff University. A wide-ranging survey examining social attitudes to the risks and impacts of climate change suggested the issue was now second only to Brexit for the British public. The survey, carried out by a team of researchers from Cardiff University and Climate Outreach, also highlighted rising public concern about storms, flooding and, in particular, heatwaves, and suggested strong support for policies to address these. More →

March 2, 2020

Workers are as important as external stakeholders

by Bianca West • Comment

At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, workers around the globe could be forgiven for remaining sceptical at the news that the corporate world now regards them as stakeholders, and as important to their organisations as shareholders and customers. The traditional employee/employer relationship is slowly changing. Where the relationship was once exclusively hierarchical, it is now evolving into more of a partnership. Employees want to be more involved in processes and decisions. Subsequently, teams need to be more collaborative and communicative to drive innovation and creativity. To encourage optimum performance, leaders must learn to coach and encourage, rather than simply direct. More →

March 2, 2020

Flexible offices market in Central London continues to thrive

by Neil Franklin • News, Property

A new report from Office Freedom claims that Central London is enjoying continued growth in demand for flexible offices, with no sign of slowing. Flexible workspaces have seen a dramatic increase in recent years, with Central London seeing particular interest for flex spaces. The London’s growing flex appeal report takes a detailed look at Central London flexible workspace trends. More →

February 26, 2020

UK squandering workers’ potential through lack of training

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Knowledge, News

The UK is ignoring the value of millions of workers by overlooking workplace training and opportunities to upskill, a new survey has suggested. According to the Missing Millions report from City & Guilds Group, a third of employees have either not received workplace training in the last five years or have never had any such training – equating to 17.8 million people in the UK with outdated skills. The result, the report claims, is declining productivity and problems remaining competitive. More →

February 25, 2020

1.8 million people plan to start a business in 2020

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Business, News

With less than a month to go before the government sets out its economic predictions in its first spring budget, new research points to a 30 percent increase in people planning to start a business or register as self-employed this year. With 1.4 million new limited company or self-employed registrations in 2019, 2020 could see that rise to as many as 1.8 million new registrations, Intuit QuickBooks, which commissioned the research, claims. More →

February 18, 2020

Curiosity killed the stat: why we should avoid becoming slaves to data

by Anthony Tasgal • Comment, Technology, Workplace design

Hands up. How many of you spend much/most of your time peddling data, charts and other fact-based information? And how much time do you spend challenging yourself, learning new ideas, indulging your curiosity and feeling a sense of surprise and fulfilment? And finally how much of the inquisitive, itchy child do you feel your job appeals to rather than the “only- 30-more-years-of-wage-slavery-if-I’m-lucky” mindset?

February 18, 2020

Outer-city coworking cuts carbon and commuting

by Jackie Le Poidevin • Coworking, News

Each flexible coworking space created in a smaller town or suburban area reduces carbon emissions by an average of 118 tonnes a year thanks to shorter commutes, an international study has claimed. By allowing people to work closer to home, one coworking space saves the employees based there a total of 7,416 commuting hours per annum on average, the research by independent economists commissioned by Regus says. This not only helps businesses to reduce their carbon footprint but can improve employees’ wellbeing and work-life balance. More →