Search Results for: economic

February 23, 2026

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

A sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demand and the potential impact on UK climate commitments, according to a report by The Times [paywall]. According to the newspaper, Ofgem, the energy regulator, has received connection enquiries for around 140 new data centre projects. Together, they are seeking approximately 50 gigawatts of electricity capacity, a figure that exceeds Britain’s entire recent peak electricity demand of about 45 gigawatts. The scale of the requests has raised questions about whether existing infrastructure planning and carbon reduction pathways are aligned with the speed of digital expansion. (more…)

February 18, 2026

Lack of innovation continues to hamper small business and startups

by Neil Franklin • Business, News

Small business innovation in the UK has fallen for the fourth consecutive year despite record levels of entrepreneurial ambition, according to the latest State of Small Business Britain report from the Enterprise Research Centre. The annual study draws together findings from a range of business surveys and shows that 36 percent of working age adults are now starting, running or planning to launch a business. This is the highest level recorded since the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor began tracking activity in 1999. Early stage entrepreneurial activity has doubled since the early 2000s and has stabilised at around 12 percent. (more…)

February 3, 2026

Wellbeing overtakes financial security as top workforce concern, study claims

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

Wellbeing has overtaken financial security as the primary concern for UK employees, according to new research from Mercer, reflecting a shift in workforce priorities after several years of economic and social disruption. The findings come from Mercer’s Inside Employees’ Minds: Building Confidence in a Changed World 2025 to 2026 report, based on responses from more than 4,000 UK workers. While financial pressures remain widespread, concerns around physical, mental and emotional health now dominate. The study found that 32 percent of employees report poor mental health, with higher prevalence among younger workers. (more…)

February 2, 2026

New white paper offers actions for managing trauma in the workplace

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

A new white paper offering practical guidance for employers on how to recognise, understand and respond to trauma in the workplace has been published by Nottingham Business School (NBS), part of Nottingham Trent University. Recent national figures show that more than 8.5 million adults in England and Wales are survivors of childhood abuse, underlining the scale of trauma?related experiences within the UK workforce. Managing Trauma in the Workplace: Strategies for Wellbeing and Organisational Resilience brings together research, survivor perspectives, and evidence?based recommendations to help HR professionals and managers create psychologically safe working environments. (more…)

January 28, 2026

KI Achieves FISP (S) Certification, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and circular practices

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Environment, Workplace design

KI has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to sustainability by achieving the enhanced FISP (S) certification, building on over a decade of continuous accreditation under the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP). As the only independently certified sustainability standard created specifically for the furniture sector, FISP represents the industry’s most comprehensive benchmark for environmental, social and economic best practice. KI first became FISP-certified in 2013. Its progression to the advanced FISP (S) standard in late 2025 demonstrates the company’s ambition to lead the industry toward more circular, transparent and future?ready product development. (more…)

January 27, 2026

Artificial intelligence appears to cut more jobs than it creates

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Artificial intelligence appears to be contributing to a net loss of jobs, according to a new analysis of how organisations are adopting the technology across their operations. Research by Morgan Stanley, based on responses from nearly 1,000 companies that have been using AI for at least a year, suggests that British firms have shed more roles than they have created as a direct result of AI deployment. The study indicates a net reduction of around 8 percent of roles in the UK over the past twelve months, a higher figure than reported in comparable surveys of companies in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia. (more…)

January 19, 2026

CEOs say they are struggling to profit from their company’s use of AI

by Neil Franklin • AI, Business, News

CEO confidence in their revenue prospects has fallen to its lowest level in five years, as business leaders struggle to turn investment in artificial intelligence (AI) into consistent financial returns, according to PwC. Findings from the consultancy’s 29th Global CEO Survey show that only 30 percent of CEOs are confident about revenue growth over the next 12 months. That compares with 38 percent in 2025 and 56 percent in 2022, suggesting a sharp cooling in optimism as organisations face a mix of economic uncertainty, geopolitical pressure and rapid technological change. The survey is based on responses from 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories. (more…)

January 19, 2026

Forget all the talk of Blue Monday; work is still (largely) good for us

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Wellbeing, Workplace

So here it is. Blue Monday. Today. Officially the most depressing day of the year. We say ‘officially’, but like the idea of ‘Body Odour’ its common usage hides the fact that it was originally created as part of a PR campaign, in this case one for Sky’s travel channel in 2005. The whole idea of Blue Monday is couched in a pseudo-mathematical equation which includes factors like the weather, levels of debt, time since Christmas, low levels of motivation and, apparently, an unspecified variable known simply as ‘D’. (more…)

January 15, 2026

New research highlights entrenched UK regional inequalities and policy hurdles

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Property

New analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and partner universities suggests regional inequalities across the UK remain deep, persistent and shaped by a combination of economic, social and mobility factors, according to a symposium of research published this month. Researchers say disparities in earnings, productivity, educational opportunity and life outcomes continue to vary sharply between regions, with many places that were struggling two decades ago remaining comparatively disadvantaged today. (more…)

January 14, 2026

Furniture industry invited to explore how sustainability can drive commercial success

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News, Workplace design

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is inviting furniture and furnishings professionals to attend ‘Making Commercial Sense of Sustainability’, a one-day industry event focused on turning environmental responsibility into commercial opportunity. Taking place on Thursday 19 March (11:00am – 4:00pm) at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London, the event will bring together business leaders, sustainability experts, manufacturers, designers and specifiers to examine how sustainability can be embedded into business strategy in a way that supports growth, resilience and long-term profitability. (more…)

January 8, 2026

People want their jobs to provide them with security and steady pay

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Workers are placing greater emphasis on job security, fair pay and employer support for flexibility, according to new global research from the Adecco Group, which suggests the so called Great Resignation has given way to a more cautious approach to how ambitious people would like to seem. The Workforce Trends 2025 report [registration] is based on responses from 37,500 workers and 2,000 senior executives across 31 countries. It finds that while employees continue to value growth, flexibility and meaningful work, these priorities are increasingly secondary to stable income and employment certainty as economic and social uncertainty persists. (more…)

January 5, 2026

How healthcare leaders can enhance their business acumen

by Freddie Steele • Company news

No one enters into healthcare looking forward to dealing with budgets, profit margins, or return on investment. They do it because they want to make a difference. Still, the reality is hard to ignore. Great care depends on great decisions. And many of those decisions require more than just clinical expertise. They require business acumen. This means a balanced mix of financial savvy, strategic thinking, and real-world insight.

But can healthcare leaders do without this skill? Probably not. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), problems with finances ranked second in the list of concerns for hospital CEOs in 2023.

The message couldn’t be clearer. Healthcare leaders need to enhance their business acumen if they want to run successful practices without losing sight of the people they’re called to care for.

Is Business Acumen Essential for Healthcare?

Short answer? Yes. But let’s look at why.

When we talk about business acumen, we’re really talking about the ability to make smart decisions that keep the door open.

For healthcare leaders, this goes way beyond spreadsheets. It’s about seeing the whole picture: patient needs, team dynamics, financial sustainability, and the entire ecosystem of your healthcare organization.

And yes, this matters. A lot. In fact, the World Economic Forum clearly ranks business acumen as the No.1 skill every people leader needs, with almost 90% of chief people officers saying it is their top priority in the coming months and years.

While this data applies across industries, it’s no less relevant in healthcare. In other words, knowing how the business side works is no longer optional. It’s expected.

To put things in their proper perspective, without business acumen, you might provide great care, but would you be around to provide it next year or the year after?

How to Enhance Business Acumen as a Healthcare Leader

So, how can you enhance your business acumen as a healthcare leader? And no, you don’t need a four-year MBA. Here are practical tips that can work in your healthcare system.

Listen to Your Patients

Your patients aren’t just the people you provide with healthcare services; they’re also your customers. And you know the good thing about customers, feedback from them is gold for business development. So, listen to them.

Paying close attention to what your customers are saying helps you spot gaps in your services. Do they complain about access to telehealth? Perhaps some mention how hard it was to get a follow-up appointment. Insights like these help you fix processes, reduce complaints, and improve outcomes.

We saw a good example of this in 2024, when employers reported growing interest in expensive obesity medications, including GLP-1s. Tuning into patients’ conversations will tell you whether to expand your services in this area or not. It’s like using patient engagement to drive business strategy.

Take Specialized Courses

While listening to patients will give you insights into the direction your practice can take, alone, it’s not enough. You can take things a step further by considering a structured environment where you can learn the skills to do the business of healthcare better.

The good news? You don’t have to do another four-year course for this. There are accelerated online programs for working healthcare professionals that you can do to enhance your business acumen.

Take MSN-MBA dual degree online programs, for example. These programs teach you how to both oversee clinical operations and establish policies and processes for better patient care results.

What’s more? According to Spring Arbor University Online, programs like these give you two Master’s Degrees in just two years and five months. And you don’t have to quit your job, too.

You can also consider short courses or weekend workshops on healthcare finance for non-financial managers. In this case, the goal is not to become an expert but to ‘speak the language’ so that you know what to look out for when running a healthcare practice.

Find Mentors

Finding a mentor is a secret advantage that not many people use. These are people who’ve been where you are now and are where you want to be in the future. Of course, they’ve likely experienced some of the challenges you’re currently facing and are in the best position to tell you what to do.

Experiencing high turnover rates in your clinic? A mentor can tell you how to make them stay.

According to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership, healthcare professionals who participate in mentorship programs report increased leadership awareness, better coping with stress, and improved confidence as leaders. The benefits are self-explanatory.

Follow Industry News

One final way to stay on top of your business acumen skills is to keep abreast of industry news. Why? Because the world of medicine moves fast.

Take 2025, for example. Probably one of the biggest healthcare industry trends was artificial intelligence (AI). PWC even predicted that it will power the future of medicine, with 77% of healthcare executives making it a top priority investment for the near future.

Now imagine you’re not paying attention to industry news and don’t have this information. You’ll be left behind while others leverage AI tools to make data-backed decisions.

Bottom line? Stay on top of things. Even if it’s one solid newsletter, subscribe to it.

Building Your Business Acumen in Healthcare

Managing a healthcare facility is tough work. You’ve got to make sure that the numbers add up while at the same time, ensuring that patients get the best possible care. Enhancing your business acumen is one of the most effective ways to make this work. Hopefully, the points discussed in this article have shown you how to do just that.

It’s important to point out that this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow and thoughtful process, but one that pays off at the end. The best way to go about it is to pick one strategy and work on it. Once you start seeing results, you move on to the next.

Your patients, your team, and your healthcare operations will thank you for it.