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City dwellers take advantage of hybrid working to relocate to suburbs, towns and countryside

City dwellers take advantage of hybrid working to relocate to suburbs, towns and countryside

A new report claims that suburbs and small towns across are booming, as people take advantage of hybrid working to migrate from larger citiesA new report from IWG claims that suburbs, small towns and rural areas across the US and UK are booming, as people take advantage of hybrid working to migrate from larger cities. The study, undertaken in partnership with Arup, suggests that an estimated 500,000 people will leave US cities this year – 59 percent higher than pre-2020 levels – with most moving to suburbs, revitalised former dormitory towns and rural areas. Similarly, outbound migration across the UK is continuing at a faster rate than pre-pandemic levels, and there is strong evidence that suburbs and small towns have higher levels of economic activity than before 2020. More →

Early detection of COVID-19 in the workplace

Early detection of COVID-19 in the workplace

A Thermo Fisher Scientific site has managed to avoid an uptick in cases of COVID-19 thanks to the installation of cutting edge techMost workplaces have returned to full operational capacity following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the majority of restrictions being lifted, much to the delight of staff. Unfortunately, the initial relief of newfound freedom has been short lived, as the relaxation of rules continues to result in surges of COVID-19 cases, forcing some production facilities to close down due to high levels of employee sickness. A Thermo Fisher Scientific manufacturing site in Erlangen, Germany, has managed to avoid this situation, thanks largely to the installation of air sampling equipment that flags any positive cases in its vicinity. This article describes how this early warning system allows individuals to test and self-isolate if necessary, and discusses how this has improved employee peace of mind and ultimately contributed to limiting the spread of the disease within the facility. More →

Over half a million people with long-term sickness want return to work

Over half a million people with long-term sickness want return to work

between January-December 2022, nearly a quarter (22 percent) of those forced out of the workplace because of long-term sickness said that they wanted a jobAnalysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data from consultants Broadstone, claims that between January-December 2022, nearly a quarter (22 percent) of those forced out of the workplace because of long-term sickness said that they wanted a job. With economic inactivity because of ill-health surging to 2.6 million people as per the latest estimates through February-April 2023, it suggests that over half a million people – around 560,000 – are keen to return to employment so long as they can improve their health. According to the firm, would be a major boost to the UK economy, employers struggling with staff shortages and employees grappling with the continued cost of living crisis. More →

Four in ten workers do not feel secure in their jobs

Four in ten workers do not feel secure in their jobs

Companies are in danger of losing top talent due to lack of flexible workingAlmost four in 10 workers (38 percent) do not feel secure in their jobs, as lay-offs across industries continue to bite, claimsthe ADP Research Institute’s People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View. Feelings of job insecurity are highest among the young. According to the survey of over 32,000 workers in 17 countries, half (50 percent) of Gen Z (those in the 18–24-year-old age bracket) say they don’t feel secure in their job. This is double the proportion of over 55s who say the same (24 percent). 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?

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 →

Businesses need to take real action to create a more sustainable workplace

Businesses need to take real action to create a more sustainable workplace

What action is actually being taken, including in the creation of a sustainable workplace?For the last decade, if not longer, we’ve heard businesses saying they are focused on reducing their environmental impact. It’s been written in annual reports and immortalised in pledges shared with stakeholders, but the question still remains – what action is actually being taken, including in the creation of a sustainable workplace? More →

Flexible office space provider LABS on why the physical office space is still strategically key

Flexible office space provider LABS on why the physical office space is still strategically key

A recent survey conducted among LABS members shows that the physical office space still has a valuable place in the mindset of how they want to work. More than seven in ten of those questioned said the office is a strategic device for their businesses, and more than 74 percent of members questioned use the office for two days or more per week.

However, working culture is still developing rapidly following the pandemic and its government-mandated full time working-from-home set up, with employers and employees carefully navigating a path that tees up with company expectations as well as staff’s desire to work remotely for part of the week, which in some cases allows them to better deal with issues such as child or elder care or just attain a better work/life balance. Companies are clearly grappling with the complexities of managing diverse teams with varying needs and preferences. The seniority of employees and their distinct working styles play a crucial role in determining the feasibility and desirability of remote work.

While the Office for National Statistics reveals that 40 percent of civil servants in the UK are still working from home there is a definite flip side in the private sector. In the spring of this year, Bloomberg reported that, following a large-scale layoff programme in the tech sector, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has asked its staff to “find more opportunities to work with your colleagues in person.” This is the latest in a long line of high-profile firms to reverse their work-from-home policies including Starbucks and Walt Disney Co. Other firms in the pro-return to the office camp include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Apple, and Peloton with the CEO of JP Morgan stating that he doesn’t believe working from home works for managers or younger members of staff. Bloomberg itself has set a minimum presence in the office of three days per week.

Amazon too has a thrice weekly attendance policy which kicked in last month in light of CEO Andy Jassy saying on the firm’s blog that “There is something about being face-to-face with somebody, looking them in the eye and seeing they’re fully immersed in whatever you’re discussing that bonds people together.” General Motors’ management shares Amazon’s three days per week requirement which came into force at the beginning of 2023, which some staff took as a U-turn in company policy from encouraging colleagues to ‘Work Appropriately’.

 

Making the office the destination of choice

As well as incentives such as free food and drinks, access to facilities including gyms and opportunities to come together at work socials, the chairman of PwC believes that AI has its part to play in luring people from their home offices. The Times recently reported that Kevin Ellis thinks that as people feel pressure from the capabilities of the likes of Chat GPT, they are more likely to want to be in the office near colleagues they can collaborate and learn from.

In a company-wide presentation, the professional services giant explained to staff how AI has the potential to fast-track trainees by a couple of years but with that accelerated knowledge base comes a responsibility to be able to coach and manage others that traditionally would have taken place over a longer period. Ellis said at the time that “people are going to want to learn from others face-to-face and the best way a human can differentiate themselves from a robot is in person.”

It’s fair to say then that the mood may well be shifting from the ‘work from anywhere’ easy come easy go attitudes of 2021 and last year. As companies continue to navigate the choppy waters of political unease in Ukraine, the continuing impact of Brexit and the worldwide inflation rates not to mention the global cost of living crisis so they are increasingly calling for near full-time attendance, symbolising a return to pre-pandemic norms, to stay competitive.

Being present in the office has many well-documented advantages such as fostering creativity, encouraging and engendering a sense of culture. And there are positive signs among LABS members too, with over three quarters of them enjoying working from the office most of the time with over half citing colleague relationships as the most important aspect of an office, up by 4 percent year on year.

Given the aforementioned global political uncertainty and economic strife, flexibility and choice for occupiers as well as employees are key components of our current work culture. In this way, workplace strategies can easily shift to address sudden changes. Which is where LABS’ turnkey solutions, available in various shapes and sizes, come in with flexible tenancy arrangements and inspiring amenities. In this way LABS can help optimise a workplace model that works for everyone.

Whinging Poms? Why the UK workforce is one of the unhappiest in Europe

Whinging Poms? Why the UK workforce is one of the unhappiest in Europe

Nearly all UK workers (90 percent) are not enthused by their work and workplace, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report.Nearly all UK workers (90 percent) are not enthused by their work and workplace, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report. The UK workforce rate of engagement at work (10 percent) remains one of the lowest in Europe, ranking near the bottom among peer countries (33 out of 38) with countries like the US reporting triple the number of engaged employees (31 percent). The poor state of disengaged workforces is not unique to the UK, with just 13 percent of employees across Europe feeling engaged at work, and the lowest rates of engagement reported in France (7 percent) and Italy (5 percent). More →

People now less engaged, less fulfilled and more stressed in their working lives

People now less engaged, less fulfilled and more stressed in their working lives

New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work.New research from the CIPD exploring the quality of UK working lives suggests there has been a negative shift in how people think about and value their work. The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2023 claims that most people like their work and find it satisfying. However, as many as 6-9 million workers, experience poor-quality work in some major respects. CIPD’s survey indicators show that there has been no significant improvement in job quality in the past four years and, in some respects, job quality has gone backwards. Compared to 2019, workers today are less enthused about work, less likely to perceive their work as useful and more likely to simply see work as purely transactional – simply for the money. More →

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental wellbeing

Lockdown continues to affect people’s mental 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 →

Flexible working means large firms plan to work with less but better office space

Flexible working means large firms plan to work with less but better office space

Around half of the world’s larger multinationals are planning to cut back on their office estate in response to the rise of hybrid and flexible workingAround half of the world’s larger multinationals are planning to cut back on their office estate in response to the rise of flexible and hybrid working, according to a new report from Knight Frank. According to the study, 50 percent of employers with more than 50,000 staff worldwide will reduce their office space by between 10 and 20 percent over the next three years. However smaller firms are set to increase their demand for office space according to the real estate advisor. More →

People don’t trust artificial intelligence on decision making ability in recruitment

People don’t trust artificial intelligence on decision making ability in recruitment

The vast majority of British workers (88 percent) are happy for artificial intelligence to be used in the recruitment process but draw the line when it comes to human decision makingThe vast majority of British workers (88 percent) are happy for artificial intelligence to be used in the recruitment process but draw the line when it comes to human decision making, according to a new poll from Totaljobs. The survey, which asked 2,002 UK workers about their thoughts on how AI will impact their working lives, found that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) believe that full disclosure of how the technology is used in the hiring process should be mandatory. More →