Search Results for: environment

Furniture industry body unveils its plans for growth and government engagement

Furniture industry body unveils its plans for growth and government engagement

The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for GrowthThe British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the public affairs umbrella body of furniture and beds, furnishings and flooring sector trade associations, has unveiled its new Plan for Growth. The document supports BFC’s advocacy across four key pillars: skills and education; trade and exports; standards and regulations; and the environment and circular economy. It has been developed over the past few months, evolving from a combination of position papers written by the associations’ executives and a comprehensive survey of their collective members. More →

New research claims there is a lack of support for many neurodiverse employees

New research claims there is a lack of support for many neurodiverse employees

nearly one in three neurodiverse employees are dissatisfied with the support they receive from their employerA significant proportion of employees feel unsupported in the workplace when it comes to neurodiversity, according to new research from City & Guilds. The organisation’s latest annual Neurodiversity Index 2025 reveals that nearly one in three neurodiverse employees are dissatisfied with the support they receive from their employer, while over a third of neurodivergent respondents reported that they had no onboarding support when starting their jobs. More →

Genuinely unmissable workplace events are thin on the ground. The Workspace Design Show is one of the best

Genuinely unmissable workplace events are thin on the ground. The Workspace Design Show is one of the best

We’ve been here before, of course. We’ve been here many times before – for a variety of workplace events. What’s more, we like coming here. We like the Business Design Centre. We like Islington. And we very much like the Workspace Design Show.For some unknown reason the Business Design Centre was once derided, disliked and generally dismissed by many in the workplace sector. We never really understood this. Why would an industry with a hub just down the road in Clerkenwell not like the idea of visiting an exhibition centre that is so local? Why would they not be happy to come to Islington, with its enviable array of restaurants bars cafés etc? It’s not as though anyone’s being forced to head out to a slightly random, innocuous residential area of London. For those not based in and around Clerkenwell and the City, communications in and out of Islington are extremely good, unlike some of those more problematic destinations to the west of London. More →

Global real estate markets grow (very cautiously) optimistic

Global real estate markets grow (very cautiously) optimistic

The global real estate sector thinks it is close to ending a three-year journey to recovery, with a widely held view that 2025 may breakthrough to a ‘reset point’ or commence a new cycle. Even so, real estate leaders globally are braced for another challenging year of uncertaintyThe global real estate sector thinks it is close to ending a three-year journey to recovery, with a widely held view that 2025 may breakthrough to a ‘reset point’ or commence a new cycle. Even so, real estate leaders globally are braced for another challenging year of uncertainty, with lingering inflation, largely driven by factors including geopolitical instability, and persistently higher interest rates in some regions, potentially delaying a hoped-for recovery in capital markets and occupancy metrics. This is according to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate Global Outlook 2025 from PwC and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), which provides an important gauge of global sentiment for investment and development prospects, amalgamating and updating three regional reports which canvassed thousands of real estate leaders across Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. More →

Sell out Material Choices event provides a forum for eco learning

Sell out Material Choices event provides a forum for eco learning

A recent seminar focussed on examining some of the established and widely used materials in the furniture and furnishing sector and considerations for greater sustainability.The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, hosted the next in a series of sustainability events, ‘Material Choices for more Sustainable Products’, on the 4th of March 2025 at Furniture Makers Hall. The seminar focussed on examining some of the established and widely used materials in the furniture and furnishing sector and considerations for greater sustainability. More →

Outdated offices are sabotaging ‘return to office’ policies

Outdated offices are sabotaging ‘return to office’ policies

The debate over whether to return to the office or sustain a remote team has become one of the most significant workplace discussions in recent yearsThe debate over whether to return to office work or sustain a remote team has become one of the most significant workplace discussions in recent years. Companies are struggling to balance remote and in-office work, yet strict return-to-office (RTO) mandates are failing to deliver the intended results. While many assume the COVID-19 pandemic was the advent of hybrid work models, in reality, many businesses had already begun adopting flexible work arrangements before the pandemic accelerated the shift to remote working. More →

Employment law five years after COVID: what’s changed?

Employment law five years after COVID: what’s changed?

As we approach five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it’s a good opportunity to look back on the impact it had on the UK workplace and employment lawAs we approach five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it’s a good opportunity to look back on the impact it had on the UK workplace and employment law. The pandemic was a seismic event for the workplace, but did it fundamentally change employment law in the UK? While COVID brought emergency measures such as furlough, the legal framework underpinning employment has remained largely intact. What has shifted, however, is the prominence of certain legal rights and protections for the employee —especially around health and safety, flexible working. More →

Welsh furniture manufacturer Orangebox have launched Be My Guest, a refuge of calm for the modern workplace.

Welsh furniture manufacturer Orangebox have launched Be My Guest, a refuge of calm for the modern workplace.

Be my guest offers space for quiet contemplation or a quiet chat without the need to find a free meeting room or quiet corner.Finding some peace in a busy environment can be the difference between productivity and procrastination. Be my guest offers space for quiet contemplation or a quiet chat without the need to find a free meeting room or quiet corner. And with more people returning to the workplace after WFH, the need for a quiet retreat is increasing. Their most competitively priced phone booth yet, Be my guest highlights the quality and attention to detail for which Orangebox is renowned. By balancing carefully considered design with ease of assembly and cost, form and function have been distilled to its essence, resulting in elegant simplicity and optimal performance. More →

Being watched all the time, changes the way we see the world and other people

Being watched all the time, changes the way we see the world and other people

In an era where surveillance is an omnipresent part of daily life, researchers have discovered that being watched not only influences our behaviour but also alters fundamental aspects of human perceptioIn an era where surveillance is an omnipresent part of daily life, researchers have discovered that being watched not only influences our behaviour but also alters fundamental aspects of human perception. A new study published in Neuroscience of Consciousness has found that the mere awareness of being subject to surveillance enhances our ability to detect faces, even outside of conscious control. This breakthrough research sheds light on how surveillance impacts social cognition and has significant implications for public mental health and privacy debates. More →

Bigger and better than ever, Workspace Design Show London returns

Bigger and better than ever, Workspace Design Show London returns

In just a few days, the eagerly-awaited Workspace Design Show, the trade show that brings together the UK workplace interiors community, will open its doorsIt’s back. The Workspace Design Show London is bigger and better than ever, with over 5,000 workplace professionals, including architects, designers, developers, and end-user occupiers, joining together to explore the present and future of workspace design and management. In just a few days, the eagerly-awaited Workspace Design Show, the trade show that brings together the UK workplace interiors community, will open its doors. Held at London’s Business Design Centre, handily placed in the heart of Islington, from 26-27 February 2025, the event offers attendees the chance to explore the latest industry trends, see the latest products, and find inspiration in the thought-provoking talks programmes. More →

New study reveals link between workaholism and organisational harm

New study reveals link between workaholism and organisational harm

The hidden ethical costs of workaholism have been highlighted in a recent study led by Aston University and University of Leipzig scholarsThe hidden ethical costs of workaholism have been highlighted in a new study led by Aston University and University of Leipzig scholars. Workaholism is an inner pressure to working, that provides a sense of fulfilment but can lead to physical and psychological problems, relationship issues and burnout. The study, published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, showed that it can interfere with moral self-regulation and subsequent ethical behaviour, particularly in organisations that prioritise bottom-line results and self-interest. More →

HLW announces three new managing partners as part of new leadership team

HLW announces three new managing partners as part of new leadership team

Design and architecture practice HLW has announced a new Global Leadership Team as the firm enters its 140th year.Design and architecture practice HLW has announced a new Global Leadership Team as the firm enters its 140th year. Established in 1885, HLW has been led by partnership since 1900, when founder Cyrus Eidlitz joined with Andrew McKenzie to pioneer the design of a new building typology. From that foundation, the firm has grown into a dynamic global architecture practice  headquartered in New York with a flagship international office in London, and steward of the built environment. The new Global Leadership team will advance HLW’s legacy of innovation through collaboration in a historic expansion of its governance, codifying the commitment to integrated leadership at an international scale. More →