June 11, 2019
An analysis of commercial property sales during the first quarter of 2019 from the Scottish Property Federation (SPF) claims that total the value of sales in Scotland fell by 21 per cent compared to the same period in 2018. The drop in value was largely driven by fewer high-value transactions for this period, with the number of £5m+ sales down by nearly one-third compared to Q1 2018. More →
June 10, 2019
Nearly half (45 percent) of US workers say they earn extra income by using a side hustle, according to a new report from Bankrate.com. This includes both full-time (43 percent) and part-time (51 percent) workers. For most (66 percent), the extra money accounts for less than half of their monthly earnings. However, around a third of the 2,550 people surveyed say the extra income is needed to pay regular living expenses. Slightly more (34 percent) say they use the money for discretionary spending and 27 percent say it’s to boost their savings. More →
June 4, 2019
Sedus Stoll Group has announced another impressive set of financial results with an increase in revenue to €212.3 million (2017: €191.2 million), surpassing the €200 million milestone by a large margin for the first time in its history, and a profit of €9.8 million. As well as a 2.2 percent overall increase in the total market volume for its office furniture business, the firm enjoyed an increase in new orders of 5.3 percent, consolidating its position as one of the most successful and innovative firms in the European market. More →
May 31, 2019
Over recent years, we have witnessed significant changes when it comes to the workplace. Women are continuing to push through the glass ceiling, offices are starting to look more likes homes and businesses are opting for a more flexible and sociable working environment. This rise in coworking and other forms of flexible office space is just one of the latest trends to emerge from the corporate world, and according to a report by office brokers Office Freedom, London is at the forefront of this growing market. More →
May 30, 2019
London faces the loss of its status as a global magnet for corporate headquarters unless it addresses a range of factors that are diminishing its attractiveness, according to a new report from the Centre for London. Brexit, dated transport infrastructure and worries about its pool of talent are all risks to the capital’s ability to attract and retain the HQs of multinationals claims the report. More →
May 29, 2019
In recent years, the concept of biophilia and the inclusion of greenery in the working environment has captured the media’s attention, which has depicted it as an important aspect of wellbeing in the workplace, seemingly the crucial indicator of a great office. For this reason, and beyond the superficial or cosmetic use of plants in the office, I would like to analyse the relationship between nature and the corporate world from a historical perspective in an effort to understand the role of greenery within the architecture of the corporate headquarters.
May 29, 2019
Although London still ranks as the most attractive city in the world for people working in the global tech industry, three out of four UK tech workers (75 percent) are willing to leave for the UK for better opportunities elsewhere. Digital experts are among the most in-demand workers but due to their talent and transferable nature of tech skills, they are also among those most prepared to relocate, compared to only 61 percent of non-tech workers who would be willing to make the move overseas. More →
May 28, 2019
Record numbers of over-70s are choosing work over retirement, according to new analysis from Rest Less, a membership community site in the UK to offer work and volunteering opportunities specifically targeted at the over 50s. Using bespoke data provided to Rest Less by the Office for National Statistics, Rest Less’s analysis claims that the number of over-70s in full or part-time employment has been steadily rising year on year over the past 10 years, reaching a peak of 497,946 in the first quarter of this year – an increase of 286,000 or 135 per cent since 2009. Today, nearly 1 in 12 (8.1 percent) of those in their 70s are working, a significant increase from the 1 in 22 (4.5 percent) there were 10 years ago.
May 27, 2019
Milan has been named the 2019 Wellbeing City as part of the Wellbeing City Award, which claims to be the first global award recognising city-led action. Five Award Laureate Cities have been announced as part of the Award and will be honoured at The Wellbeing Cities Forum in Montréal on June 19, 2019. The annual Award has been developed by NewCities in partnership with the Novartis Foundation, the Novartis US Foundation, and in collaboration with the City of Montréal, Toyota Mobility Foundation, Transdev, and the US Green Building Council. More →
May 23, 2019
This week is Clerkenwell Design Week amongst other things, and as part of it I chaired a discussion on Tuesday about acoustics at work in the showroom of Flokk and their effect on wellbeing. We were fortunate to have a panel that involved the likes of Nigel Oseland, Michelle Wilkie of tp bennett, Joachim Schubert of Offecct and Lee Jones of Wellworking as well as an informed audience, if for no other reason than everybody’s ability to talk about the subject as complex and multi-faceted and, to some extent, hardwired. More →
May 22, 2019
Younger people across the world are increasingly disillusioned with traditional institutions, sceptical of business’ motives and pessimistic about economic and social progress, according to the 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey. The survey claims that despite global economic growth, expansion and opportunity, younger generations are wary about the world and their place in it. But they remain hopeful and lean on their values as both consumers and employees. More →
May 21, 2019
City & Guilds Group is calling on Government to urgently rethink how skills and education policy in the UK is designed and delivered, in light of a new report launched by the Group today. Sense and Instability 2019 finds that important lessons from the implementation of skills policy over several decades have not been learned, meaning badly-needed training and education programmes are not fit for purpose or delivering the right results for people, businesses and the economy.
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