Search Results for: employee engagement

Half of landlords now planning a flexible working offer

Half of landlords now planning a flexible working offer

by • Flexible working, News, Property

Over half of UK landlords are planning to independently develop an offering for the growing flexible working market across their portfoliosOver half of UK landlords are planning to independently develop an offering for the growing flexible working market across their portfolios, according to the annual report on the flexible workspace sector by The Instant Group. The 2023 UK State of the Flex Market report [registration] polled more than 200 flex operators and landlords for insights into the sector. Findings also suggest that two-thirds (61 percent) of flex operators intend to increase their footprint in the next two years, while market imbalances in regional hubs, enduring occupancy rates, and surging demand for sustainable buildings all featured prominently in the report. (more…)

Is the workplace experience shaped more by maintenance or by design?

Is the workplace experience shaped more by maintenance or by design?

by • Facilities management, Features, Workplace design

The workplace experienceWhat has resilience got to do with the workplace experience? It is a word that has been used a lot recently as the great British public has demonstrated massive amounts of resilience in coping with Covid-19, fuel shortages, worries about food availability and a massive shift in how we work. So what is it? The dictionary gives two meanings: firstly the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, i.e. toughness. And then secondly, the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity – like nylon for example.   (more…)

‘Performative work’ is holding back productivity, poll claims

‘Performative work’ is holding back productivity, poll claims

by • Flexible working, News, Technology

A new  poll from Slack claims that a focus on performative work, rather than impact, is holding back UK businessesA new  poll from Slack claims that a focus on performative work, rather than impact, is holding back UK businesses; leading to them falling behind the likes of Germany, France, India and Singapore when it comes to adopting, and gaining, the efficiency benefits of technological advances in AI and automation. Based on findings from 2,000 desk workers in the UK, only 21 percent say their company is using AI tools to improve productivity, compared to 75 percent in India, 35 percent in Singapore, 29 percent in Germany and 23 percent in France. Meanwhile, 37 percent of UK workers say their productivity is measured on visibility (i.e. hours spent in the office or online). As a result, almost one third (30 percent) of the average day is lost to performative work that doesn’t contribute to company goals, but is simply done to appear productive. (more…)

Are workplace gyms and other perks out of step with hybrid working?

Are workplace gyms and other perks out of step with hybrid working?

by • Comment, Wellbeing

Are workplace gyms and other traditional workplace perks still as relevant in the hybrid working era, asks Anthony ThompsonIt should go without saying that looking after employee mental health and wellbeing is important. If employers do not prioritise employee wellbeing, the whole team can feel the impact of this. There is compelling evidence that suggests strong employee wellbeing is a precursor to a more resilient workforce, which enjoys better staff retention, engagement and productivity, as well as reduced absenteeism. (more…)

Instilling company culture across geographic divides

Instilling company culture across geographic divides

by • Comment, Workplace

Instilling company culture across geographic divides is the key to working with globally distributed teamsCompany culture is one of the most fundamentally important facets of the modern workplace. In the last year, it has been identified as an important factor for 46 percent of job seekers, while 88 percent found it at least relatively important, and 15 percent of job seekers have declined a job because of the company’s culture. Due to the wide breadth of employees in large global companies, everything from time zones and language barriers to country culture and local business norms can create sticking points. For professionals at corporate headquarters responsible. (more…)

KI Work2.1 sit-stand desks create personal and collaborative workspace for Braze

KI Work2.1 sit-stand desks create personal and collaborative workspace for Braze

by • Company news, Furniture

sit-stand desks from KI have been specified to optimise the comfort of workers. policy.Following a period of rapid growth, consumer engagement platform Braze has recently moved into the City of London’s Broadgate Exchange Square. Outgrowing their presence at a nearby shared co-working facility, the company wanted their new dedicated facilities to be an employee attraction tool, whilst also being as ‘future-ready’ as possible. Making the workspace desirable and enjoyable was an important consideration for the company, who exercise a fully agile, hybrid working policy. And sit-stand desks from KI have been specified to optimise the comfort of workers. policy. (more…)

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

by • News, Wellbeing

The Covid lockdowns have left a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, according to recent polling and an academic studyThe Covid lockdowns have left a lasting impact on our mental wellbeing, according to recent polling and an academic study. Events company Hyve Group has partnered with Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, to uncover the ways in which the pandemic has transformed our brains and how it has impacted our working lives. The study claims to highlight the significance of in-person professional social interactions and their essential role in rebuilding lost connections. (more…)

BCO Awards winners for North of England again focus on sustainable office design

BCO Awards winners for North of England again focus on sustainable office design

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace design

Following last week’s announcement of the annual BCO Awards winners for London, the British Council for Offices has announced the winners of its annual Awards for the North of England. In fact all but one of the winners are located in Greater Manchester and the one that isn’t lies within twenty miles of it. The organisers suggest that the theme of sustainable office design runs through the submissions of the winning entries. (more…)

Are we asking the right questions about the workplace?

Are we asking the right questions about the workplace?

by • Comment, Everything Omni, Facilities management, Property

In 1989, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, performed a TV sketch called Information. You can watch it below. It featured Stephen Fry sitting at a desk with a placard displaying the word “INFORMATION”. He asks, “Can I help you?” to which Hugh Laurie replies, “Oh, I would like some information, please”. Though, in the discussion, Hugh Laurie expects to get information without asking any questions, Stephen Fry explains that he has lots of information, such as “the average weight of a rabbit”. In response comes the statement, “Well, I didn’t know that, that there was an average weight of a rabbit!” (more…)

Every workplace innovation contains the seeds of its opposite

Every workplace innovation contains the seeds of its opposite

by • Comment, Flexible working, Technology

workplace innovationThe announcement by Apple that it wanted its employees to work in an office for three days a week sparked the usual, tedious pile-on about how many days people should spend in a physical workplace each week. This included the columnist at Grazia who joins the tens of millions of people around the world who not only know where Apple is going wrong, but also how to run every other organisation in the world and what’s best for everybody who works for them. (more…)

Company culture is one of the hardest but most valuable things to get right after a merger

Company culture is one of the hardest but most valuable things to get right after a merger

by • Business, Comment

There are major consequences for company culture, which is so important to get right in the mergers and acquisition process.Like never before, 2021 saw record-breaking levels of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity globally, a trend that continued into 2022 until a challenging macroeconomic landscape resulted in a sharp decline in activity. This was mainly because businesses waited to see what the coming months would bring. Whilst experts believe that M&A activity won’t return to levels seen in 2021, they do expect an increase as markets adapt, recover, and look for ways to increase profit. And that has major consequences for company culture, which is so important to get right in the mergers and acquisition process. (more…)

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

The UK workplace sector reacts to the Spring Budget 2023

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace

The workplace sector in the UK has been reacting to the announcements in the Spring budgetToday the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt presented his Spring Budget to the House of Commons. In it he announced what her referred to as his ‘four pillars’ of industrial and productivity strategy, namely: ‘Enterprise’, ‘Employment’, ‘Education’, and ‘Everywhere’. Perhaps the headline element of this announcement was the creation of twelve new investment zones across the UK as well as incentives for older workers to return to the country’s patchy workforce. This includes£63m for programmes to encourage retirees over 50 back to work, “returnerships” and ‘skills boot camps’. Another headline for the workplace sector was the offer of improved childcare arrangements, especially for the parents of very young children, who will see 30 hours of free childcare expanded to include one and two-year-olds. (more…)

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