June 25, 2024
The World Economic Forum has published its annual Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report featuring technologies with the greatest potential to make a positive impact in the world in the next three to five years. Among the technologies mentioned in the report are AI (obv), immersive building tech, intelligent materials and microbes that can sequester carbon. (more…)
June 25, 2024
A poll by Skillshub suggests there is a potential clash between firms issuing so-called return to office mandates and people unwilling to give up the flexibility and wellbeing benefits they say they have gained through remote and hybrid work. The survey claims that a significant proportion of UK employees (nearly half – 42.6 percent) are prepared to consider quitting their jobs if forced back to full-time office work. This sentiment extends even to hybrid models with a majority office presence (3+ days a week) – almost a fifth (18 percent) would consider leaving, with a significant number (10.1 percent) strongly considering it. (more…)
June 25, 2024
Treating people with fairness at work will ensure they flourish, thus boosting the team’s performance, according to new research by emlyon business school. However, this is not the case with team members who are money-motivated, and fair treatment actually doesn’t have any positive impact on their performance, the researchers say. These findings come from research by Thierry Nadisic, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at emlyon business school, France, alongside his colleagues, Professor Russell Cropanzano from the University of Colorado, Professor Jessica F. Kirk from the University of Memphis, and Rébecca Shankland from Grenoble Ecole de Management, France. (more…)
June 24, 2024
Interviewing people involves trying to tease out a bit of personal colour. Sometimes I already know what that is or might be. That is certainly the case with Nigel Oseland who I have known for many years, know to be from Wolverhampton and who studied psychology and computer science at Keele University in my home town. He went on to focus on environmental psychology while working at the Building Research Establishment in Watford in the late 1980s and 1990s. (more…)
June 23, 2024
A report from design firm Hassell and workplace analytics business Density paints what it claims is a concerning picture of North American tech offices. It says that tech firms, once considered pioneers in innovative office design, are lagging behind the evolving work landscape. The report [registration] analysed over 1.4 million square feet of workspace usage between May 2023 and May 2024, revealed what it says is a troubling trend: underutilisation. On average, these tech offices only reached a peak occupancy of 34 percent, meaning a significant portion of the space – potentially costing companies up to $40 million annually in wasted rent – sits empty. (more…)
June 22, 2024
Livery company the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers is looking for the next winner of its coveted annual FM award. This Award recognises a future leader in FM, rewarding a talented early-career professional with a unique personal development opportunity funded by the livery. The Award is open to newcomers working in the Workplace and FM sectors, who have a maximum of 5 years’ experience. Entry is free, and all the information needed to enter is available here, including a link to the online entry form. The deadline for receipt of entries for the Pattenmakers Future Leader FM Award is: 5th August 2024. https://www.pattenmakers.co.uk/future-leader-fm-award-2025/ (more…)
June 21, 2024
Interface, Inc. the global flooring solutions company and leader in sustainability, has unveiled its latest global carpet tile and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) collections. The Etched & Threaded™ carpet tile and Earthen Forms™ LVT collections push the boundaries of design while continuing the company’s commitment to creating flooring solutions made for purpose and without compromise. The products offer innovative, modular tiles that fit together effortlessly and combine eye-catching textures, natural patterns, and neutral tones that can be mixed and matched, offering more ways to create high-performing, beautiful spaces. (more…)
June 19, 2024
Many thousands of unsuspecting train passengers in the UK have had their emotions and demographics recorded by hidden AI camera systems at major stations, a new report reveals. The news, raising serious privacy concerns, comes after a freedom of information request by Big Brother Watch. For over two years, Network Rail, the company overseeing Britain’s railway infrastructure, conducted a covert trial program at key stations like London’s Waterloo and Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, and others across the country. (more…)
June 18, 2024
A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says that the UK holds the lowest investment rates among G7 nations. The data indicates that for the third consecutive year, business investment in the UK has lagged behind its G7 counterparts. The nation also ranks 28th out of 31 OECD countries, trailing behind economies such as Slovenia, Latvia, and Hungary. (more…)
June 18, 2024
People who experience conflict in the workplace have lower job satisfaction and are more likely to experience poorer mental and physical health, according to the CIPD Good Work Index 2024. The CIPD’s latest report showed a quarter (25 percent) of UK employees – an estimated eight million people – have experienced workplace conflict in the past year. (more…)
June 13, 2024
Disseminating information about a building to the people who occupy it has come a long way from a basic, intranet desktop interface with warnings about wet floors or notices about charity fundraising. These days, workplace apps promise a much more sophisticated experience, which can be accessed in the palm of your hand. Gartner has a useful definition of workplace apps’ capabilities, stating, “They are used to explore and reserve workspaces, navigate the workplace, find colleagues, plan the best days to attend the workplace, access services and ensure that employees could feel safe in a future post pandemic workplace.” (more…)
June 12, 2024
We need to find better ways to communicate and connect with customers in a distracted world
by Carol Howley • Comment, Technology