November 1, 2021

The modern workplace is defined as much by digital space as the physical office

by Wilco Wijnbergen • Comment, Property, Technology

There are no prizes to be won for saying that the modern workplace is already markedly different from those we have known in recent decades. As remote and flexible working practices have become more common, the role of the office has already begun to evolve – the pace of change has been greatly accelerated by the pandemic, which has resulted in a rethink among many organisations about their real estate needs. More →

October 22, 2021

Productivity concerns remain as more people tentatively return to office

by Neil Franklin • News, Working culture

As footfall in the city of London reaches 39 percent of pre-pandemic levels, its highest rate since early 2020, new findings reveal widespread concern about productivity from leading business decision makers with hybrid working models setting in post pandemic. The findings show that over half (51 percent) of UK business decision makers are worried about productivity in the workplace, with 74 percent showing at least some concern as we move into the next stages of the Covid crisis. More →

September 8, 2021

Landlords and occupiers must work together to meet climate change challenge

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Flexible working, News, Property

Disruption, cost, building style, individual goals, responsibility and shared space are cited as the key sustainability challenges for the flexible office sector, according to the latest research report from The Instant Group. But while there is still a lot of work to be done in the sector as the role of the workplace evolves, Instant says that flex operators have an opportunity to lead the way in meeting the challenge of climate change. By creating innovative, low-carbon buildings, curating a clear engagement strategy with occupiers and landlords, and ensuring a low-carbon ambition is understood and adopted by everyone, flex operators can be the first to implement highly sustainable workplaces. More →

August 18, 2021

Majority of UK firms do not believe their mental health support is fit for modern-day needs

by Jayne Smith • News, Wellbeing, Working lives

New research from Aon plc (NYSE: AON), claims that fewer than four in ten UK firms (39 percent) believe their employee mental health support is fit for modern-day purposes. More →

August 17, 2021

Return to office doesn’t mean occupiers have lost sight of flexibility, claims report

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

Offices will repopulate over the remainder of this year, led by small companies – those with fewer than 100 employees, according to the EMEA Occupier Survey of 130 companies from real estate advisor CBRE. The survey found that small companies are further advanced in their return to office. Over 80 percent of small companies report all locations are now open. This compares with only a third of the largest companies, although a majority of them have opened more than half of their sites. More →

August 13, 2021

The future of work will be shaped by the needs of workers

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

As the UK government has withdrawn its advice for employees to work from home, more organisations than ever will be instituting what have become known as hybrid working models: 68 percent globally, according to research from Steelcase. Definitions of “hybrid work”, however, are often contradicting and unclear – leaving business leaders without definitive guidance about how to approach the future of work. To provide businesses with a more concrete view of what hybrid working looks like in reality, and provide tangible actions to help streamline productivity and collaboration, Steelcase have researched the experiences and needs of workers worldwide in their report: Changing Expectations and the Future of Work. More →

July 21, 2021

UK workers hesitant to return to the office

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Working lives

New research commissioned by Kadence claims that despite restrictions being lifted, office workers in the UK are resistant to a full-time office return. The survey of 1,500 UK and US office workers claims that over half of British workers (55 percent) still expect to spend fewer days in the office per week, with more than a third wanting to come and go as they please (35 percent). More →

July 20, 2021

Majority of organisations are still developing a workplace strategy

by Jayne Smith • Business, Flexible working, News

According to a new survey from XpertHR, 70 percent of organisations are still actively planning or considering permanent changes to where employees carry out their work as lockdown restrictions are lifted. Fewer than one in 20 (4 percent) are not contemplating any changes. More →

July 16, 2021

Firms who prioritise working culture enjoy better financial performance

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Working culture

Heidrick and Struggles has released the results of a new global CEO study Aligning Culture with the Bottom Line: How Companies Can Accelerate Progress which found that intentionally building a company’s working culture can impact the company’s financial performance in a number of ways. The survey of 500 CEOs across nine countries examines how working culture propels organisational performance in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the USA. More →

July 9, 2021

Yoga is not a wellbeing strategy

by Stephanie Fitzgerald • Comment, Wellbeing

One of the problems facing businesses right now isn’t the so-called mental health pandemic, it’s that no one seems to know what to do about it. The increased focus on employee mental health and wellbeing has seen progressive leaps in the conversation that were unimaginable 10 years ago. Even the most cynical manager has had to concede that the circumstances of the pandemic have raised the profile and importance of taking care of your employees. The reaction is knee-jerk. Companies want to do something about their employees mental health and wellbeing and they want to do it now. Whatever ‘it’ is. The appetite is there, but they can’t find the menu. More →

June 21, 2021

HR should play a more strategic role in business resilience

by Jeanette Wheeler • Comment, Flexible working, Technology, Workplace

Almost every organisation now knows it must become more resilient as the economy emerges from the pandemic. As well as coping with crises and global events, organisations must excel in the face of the many less high-profile disruptions that hit an organisation – from supply chain bottlenecks to shifts in demand and sudden skills shortages. HR departments have a major role to play in this but to do so successfully requires a change of mindset, taking a step back from traditional administrative functions and reviewing the entire business as if they were an outsider. More →

June 16, 2021

Seminar will explore the route to a great workplace culture

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Events, Flexible working

The events of the past 16 months have focussed attention on how we best bring people together to work, collaborate and learn from each other. That is why workplace occupancy and collaboration technology specialist Jooxter has curated a new webinar to help firms understand the challenges and opportunities they have in the new era of dispersed collaborative work. The webinar will explore how they can best bring people together, offer them a world class workplace experience and achieve great results. A panel of experts will discuss the evolution of hybrid working and how to create a team culture for better collaboration.