September 17, 2019

Workers prepared to accept automation but need training

Research from Gallup suggests that people feel unprepared for the introduction of new technologies, despite being optimistic about their job prospects. The Gallup Real Future of Work report of 4,000 employees has found that people around the world are generally upbeat about the impact of technology and automation on their careers, despite some analysts predicting that AI-enabled machines would take over 50 percent of human jobs within the decade. More →

September 17, 2019

One in twenty workers not receiving paid holiday

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Around one in twenty workers report not receiving any holiday entitlement, while around one in ten do not receive a payslip – highlighting the scale of labour market violations across the UK – according to new analysis published by the Resolution Foundation. More →

September 16, 2019

High streets should switch focus to office space and high-skilled jobs

by Neil Franklin • Cities, News, Property

Many British High Streets face a bleak future as policymakers are failing to identify a clear economic focus to city centre regeneration strategies. According to the Centre for Cities’ latest research, in partnership with Nationwide Building Society, success is defined by those policies that create skills, jobs and quality office space for businesses rather than currently accepted interventions such as cultural initiatives, business rate reforms and online sales taxes. More →

September 16, 2019

Flexible office space transforming US commercial property sector

by Neil Franklin • Coworking, News, Property

A new report from CBRE claims that the US market for flexible office space will generate significant growth over the next decade, even in the event of a recession, as flex operators consolidate and forge financial partnerships with building owners. More →

September 13, 2019

There is still time to avoid the regrexit of Brexit

by Anthony Brown • Business, Comment

Several months ago when we invited Jonty Bloom, one of the media’s most respected journalists to come and speak to our guest audience, we knew it would be informed, relevant and fascinating. What we didn’t know was that the day before (4th September 2019) Boris Johnson would deliver a stunningly inelegant performance at his inaugural Prime Minister’s Question time, the day after losing his first vote in parliament to prevent a further delay in delivering Brexit. More →

September 12, 2019

Four day week not a good idea for UK, report concludes

by Mark Eltringham • News, Wellbeing, Working culture

The debate about the introduction of a compulsory four day week or shorter hours may take a new turn following the publication of a new report commissioned by the Labour Party which concludes that a blanket limit on the hours worked by people in the UK is both unrealistic and potentially counter-productive, in spite of the fact that there is clear evidence for its effect on wellbeing and productivity. More →

September 10, 2019

Start-ups slump as UK gears up for Brexit

by Neil Franklin • Business, News

The number of new start-ups in the UK fell sharply last year and established firms scaled back their growth ambitions due to Brexit uncertainty, according to new data looking at the health of the grassroots economy. The findings have emerged from the Enterprise Research Centre’s UK Local Growth Dashboard report, an annual publication that looks at a range of metrics charting the growth of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for 99 percent of all firms in the UK. More →

September 9, 2019

Legislation and trading conditions biggest worries for firms

by Neil Franklin • News

Legislation and a difficult economic climate are the biggest challenges facing start-ups in eight major business sectors according to a survey carried out by Safestore. The survey set out to establish the biggest concerns for biggest owners, their most fundamental goals, and what they believe to be the main reasons for a business failing. More →

September 2, 2019

Diverse workplace is key to attracting freelancers

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace

The demand for talent is at an all-time high, and companies need to focus on building out robust and effective diversity and inclusion strategies that attract both permanent and contingent talent, according to new data released by Randstad Sourceright. According to results from the firm’s 2019 Talent Trends survey (registration), 72 percent of permanent talent and 71 percent of contingent talent find it important to work with a company that emphasises creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. More →

August 29, 2019

Coworking continues to reshape property markets worldwide

by Neil Franklin • Coworking, News, Property

Against a global backdrop of diminishing business confidence and a weaker outlook for economic growth, a robust labour market in the world’s largest economies continues to underpin demand for office space with high employment levels prevalent across a number of major markets. Demand continues to be driven by the knowledge economy, with the coworking boom continuing to broaden its reach across major markets, forcing traditional landlords to adapt their offering in order to best accommodate existing and potential occupiers. More →

August 28, 2019

Shifting cultural expectations in the workplace

by Stuart Templeton • Comment, Technology, Workplace

There has been much talk of digital, agile and organisational transformation for businesses for many years now. While the intricacies of each are separate discussions, one thing is clear – the world of work and the workplace are changing and as businesses we need to adapt.

August 27, 2019

Freelancers and the self-employed need holidays too

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Taking time off improves the work performance of freelancers, a new study from IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) claims. The research suggests that almost two-thirds of freelancers believe taking holiday improves their work performance in some way. Asked what advantages came with taking more time off, 63 percent said it improved aspects of their work including productivity, energy, creativity and confidence in their work. More →