December 3, 2023

Tailored workplace management for modern organisations

by Paul Phillips • Comment, Technology, Workplace design

Workplace management used to be a secondary concern for organisations in the past, but it has now become a top priority. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of digital transformation, leading to the implementation of new processes and technologies that focus on facilitating remote and at-home work. As a result of these changes, organisations have recognized the importance of finding a balance in their work environments. (more…)

November 30, 2023

Flexible workspace market will be worth up to $50bn by end of decade

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Property

According to a new market intelligence report, the worldwide flexible workspace market could exceed between 35 and 50 billion US dollars by 2030, reflecting the growing demand for flexible and agile work environments. The report claims that the escalating demand for flexible workspaces is on the rise, propelled by a heightened desire for convenience and comfort in prime locations such as offices and auditoriums. (more…)

November 28, 2023

Can smart glasses be the key to unlocking productivity in the workplace?

by Freddie Steele • Company news

Technology is the foremost resource for shaping the world—and in the modern workplace, it’s crucial for keeping brands competitive in an increasingly fast-paced business environment. Our article “Why new technologies still make employees happier, healthier, and more efficient” explains that technology must meet increasingly agile strategies like remote work. In these cases, it can help optimise manpower and productivity. As a result, 70 percent of firms believe new technologies improve business resilience. One of the emerging tools showing immense promise for improving productivity is smart glasses. (more…)

November 27, 2023

From the archive: The role of workplace design in employee engagement ⁰

by Serena Borghero • Features, Wellbeing, Work&Place, Workplace design

Originally published six years ago, this feature is currently the most read story ever on the website with around 50,000 readers. A global study by my own firm Steelcase has found that one-third of workers across 17 of the world’s most important economies are actually disengaged. The findings make worrying reading for employers around the world, as engagement is so demonstrably linked to business critical outcomes such as employee retention, productivity and even profits. It certainly raises the question of what more can be done, including in terms of workplace design, to boost engagement levels amongst these employees. (more…)

November 20, 2023

Most women say menstruation symptoms have a negative impact on their work

by Neil Franklin • Wellbeing

The latest findings from the CIPD’s report Menstruation and support at work, which surveyed more than 2,000 women, found that more than two thirds (69 percent) of women have a negative experience at work because of their menstruation symptoms. In response, the CIPD is calling on organisations to create awareness, tackle the stigma associated with menstruation and train managers to be confident, comfortable and inclusive when talking to employees about menstrual health. (more…)

November 16, 2023

Half of people say they are less productive in coworking spaces

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

According to a new survey from software marketplace Capterra, 83 percent of UK coworking and other flexible office spaces are currently occupied. Companies say they are drawn to coworking spaces for cost reductions (38 percent), flexibility (30 percent), and shared amenities (27 percent). However around 53 percent of people who work in flex space say they are less productive in such spaces, 35 percent of respondents appreciate the collaborative atmosphere and the locations and facilities these spaces can provide and 38 percent say they are concerned about confidentiality and privacy. (more…)

November 15, 2023

NaughtOne introduces Percy: a bold, versatile lounge chair

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Furniture

NaughtOne, the global office furniture brand, has launched Percy, a striking yet simple lounge chair. From offices to universities to hospitality environments, Percy exemplifies adaptable design that is ideal for a wide range of modern spaces. The Percy Lounge Chair is the latest addition to NaughtOne’s collection of functional yet stylish furniture. Inspired by the simple, utilitarian design of mid-century waiting room chairs, Percy features classic, uninterrupted flowing lines. Only two elements marry to create this lounge chair: the bold graphic outline of the frame and the plush, cushioned upholstery. (more…)

November 12, 2023

Want people to spend more time in the office? Give them a little piece of home

by Yaron Rosenblum • Comment, Workplace design

For many people, a large portion of the day is spent at the workplace. In fact, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. The Covid-19 pandemic saw the typical ‘workplace’ setting change for many people, after businesses around the globe were forced to adjust to a ‘work-from-home’ model. Now, three years later, we are starting to see more employees return to the office, with large corporations including JPMorgan, Chase, Apple and Google all announcing plans to bring their workers back to base. (more…)

November 9, 2023

Inadequate provision for menopause and menstrual health driving women away from jobs

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The workforce could lose millions of female employees unless more is done by employers to support women with menopausal and menstrual health symptoms, according to a new poll from workplace health provider Simplyhealth.? The research suggests almost a quarter (23 percent) of women have considered quitting due to the impact of menopause or menstrual symptoms at work, and over one in ten (14 percent) are actively planning to quit. (more…)

November 6, 2023

Nothing propinks like propinquity, but tech is still vital for trust when hybrid working

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

Nothing beats in-person meetings, but tech is vital for hybrid working trust and equality. That is the main conclusion of a new report from Jabra’s LSE Behavioural Lab. According to the study, people are 56 percent more engaged in face to face meetings. In instances where hybrid meetings are required, meeting room participants saw an 84 percent increase in engagement from remote participants when using a professional meeting-room headset and video camera. The study is based on observations of 88 people of 15 different nationalities in a range of work settings. (more…)

November 3, 2023

Reimagining the workplace: three keys to wellbeing, connection, and change

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Miller Knoll has introduced a new framework that helps organisations uncover the purpose of their workplace. The approach addresses the human needs of employees to improve their wellbeing, fosters a sense of community and connection, and helps organisations navigate, prepare, and design for change. The firm sets out its thinking here. (more…)

October 12, 2023

Entry is Open for Design Guild Mark Awards 2024

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

The Design Guild Mark has opened their entries for the 2024 awards, inviting designers and companies to submit entries for three categories: Furniture; Lighting; Interior Design Elements. Entry is open to British designers working in the UK or abroad, and designers with UK based design practices. Submissions can be for an individual product or a collection of products that are currently in production, that were designed for, and are manufactured by, an industrial design process. The designs can be intended for domestic, office, hospitality, educational or corporate use, and for both interior and exterior environments, and there is no restriction on when the design was launched. (more…)