Search Results for: environments

Firms need a better understanding of their psychological contract with employees

Firms need a better understanding of their psychological contract with employees

by • Comment, Workplace

psychological contractCompanies and employees are often acutely aware of the terms of their written employment contracts. The roles, responsibilities, working hours and salaries are clearly laid out for all to see. What is often overlooked, however, is that there is a second, hidden, contract within the employment relationship. This is known as the psychological contract. The psychological contract refers to the often implied, unwritten mutual expectations, beliefs and obligations between employee and employer. For example, an employee may take on additional work in the expectation that it will help to advance their career, or an organisation might expect employees to be more flexible in their working patterns during peak times. (more…)

Employees who practice mindfulness are more likely to think their job is stimulating

Employees who practice mindfulness are more likely to think their job is stimulating

by • News, Wellbeing

Mental health mindfulnessEmployees who practice mindfulness are less bored at work and less likely to quit, according to a new study. Researchers found that in monotonous jobs, employees who are more ‘mindful’ have greater job satisfaction, are less likely to quit and think their job is less boring. The study, entitled “It’s so boring – or is it? Examining the role of mindfulness for work performance and attitudes in monotonous jobs”, has been published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology and is co-authored by Andreas Wihler of the University of Exeter Business School, Ute Regina Hülsheger of Maastricht University, Jochen Reb of Singapore Management University and Jochen?Menges of the University of Zurich and Cambridge Judge Business School. (more…)

Personal space is not merely an issue of hygiene, but a biological imperative

Personal space is not merely an issue of hygiene, but a biological imperative

by • Comment, Wellbeing, Workplace design

personal space and office designThe current debate about how much space we will need in the office from now on is not new. As with many of the debate’s facets, the point at which we find ourselves has long been our destination. We’re just here earlier than we might have expected. (more…)

Awards and recognition for innovation can harm future levels of creativity

Awards and recognition for innovation can harm future levels of creativity

by • News

creativityNew research from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, claims to have identified one reason why some first-time innovators struggle to repeat their initial creativity while others go on to continually produce creative works. Markus Baer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Olin, and Dirk Deichmann, of the Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands, discovered that recognising first-time producers of successful novel ideas with an award or recognition can significantly decrease the likelihood that they will produce future creative work. (more…)

We need to stop misusing the term ergonomic

We need to stop misusing the term ergonomic

by • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing, Workplace design, Works Magazine

Sedus ergonomic working from homeYou don’t have to search for long to find the word ergonomic; it pops up everywhere, in connection with every sort of product and device for the workplace (and elsewhere). You can – so the marketeers will tell you – buy an ‘ergonomic’ chair, desk, keyboard or mouse. What’s wrong with that? An awful lot actually. The word ergonomic has a particular meaning. Ergonomics (note the crucial addition of an ‘s’ at the end), from the Greek ‘Ergos’ for work or labour and ‘Nomos’, meaning natural law, is the discipline of designing and arranging an environment to optimise the comfort and performance of the individual. (more…)

Loneliness might hold back hybrid working productivity gains

Loneliness might hold back hybrid working productivity gains

by • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

lonelinessLoneliness is defined as the difficult emotion we experience when our need for meaningful social contact and relationships is not met, and it’s something we’ve all had experience of. Nearly half of the UK population have reported feeling lonely at times, with other research showing that 39 percent say their wellbeing was negatively impacted because they were lonely too. Why people feel lonely can be attributed to many reasons. Humans have a deep need for attention, warmth, and attachment to others. When such relationships end, or if someone finds themselves in an abusive or emotionally non-existent relationship, this can lead to elevated levels of loneliness. (more…)

To provide people with better indoor air quality, we need a major upgrade of buildings

To provide people with better indoor air quality, we need a major upgrade of buildings

by • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

indoor air qualityGovernment must seize the post-pandemic opportunity to mandate long-term improvements to infection control in commercial, public and residential buildings to improve indoor air quality, reduce the transmission of future waves of COVID-19, new pandemics, seasonal influenza and other infectious diseases, according to a report published by the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC). Infection control must also be coordinated with efforts to improve energy efficiency and fire safety, to support the three goals of safe, healthy and sustainable buildings. (more…)

Working from home means half of remote employees have never met colleagues

Working from home means half of remote employees have never met colleagues

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

working from homeThe recent surge in the number of people working from home in the US means that more than half of remote working employees have never met their colleagues, according to a new report from Green Building Elements. The figure was highest in Nebraska, where 89 percent hadn’t met their workmates face to face. For those in Kentucky and Montana, only 17 percent haven’t met their colleagues properly. The survey also claims that just 41 percent of employees said their company regularly organises online social events which can also help bonding. (more…)

Sedus Stoll Group ends the 2021 financial year on a positive note

Sedus Stoll Group ends the 2021 financial year on a positive note

by • Company news

SedusWith a turnover of EUR 195.9 million, the Sedus Stoll Group was able to record sales growth of 6.5 percent over the 2021 financial year. Despite the continuing challenges of COVID-19 and extraordinary cost increases in the energy, transport and material sectors, the Group’s net profit for the year was EUR 2.6 million. The Sedus Stoll Group further expanded its position as a European player in 2021: With revenues of around EUR 88.6 million, the Group was able to record an increase of 18.6 percent overseas. The group of companies further strengthened its market position, in particular, with international business customers. (more…)

Office occupiers should invest in neurodiversity, report argues

Office occupiers should invest in neurodiversity, report argues

by • News, Property, Wellbeing

office occupiers neurodiversityA new report from the British Council for Offices urges landlords and office occupiers to invest in design for neurodiversity, as disabling workspaces continue to hinder wellbeing. The report examines how the neurodiverse community remains underserved and often unsupported in the current employment ecosystem, and in turn, outlines the considerations that built environment practitioners can take to make offices enabling environments, and the crucial role of more inclusive designs. (more…)

Circular economy accelerator launched to address role of built environment in climate change

Circular economy accelerator launched to address role of built environment in climate change

by • Architecture, Environment, Facilities management, News, Property

circular economyThe World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and its network of over 70 Green Building Councils have launched a Circularity Accelerator — a global programme that sets out to accelerate the adoption of circular economy and resource efficiency principles in the building and construction sector. Last week, the United Nations (UN) reported we have a 50 percent chance of exceeding 1.5°C of global heating in the next five years. Between the UN Climate Summit of COP21 in Paris and COP26 in Glasgow, the global economy consumed 70 percent more raw materials than the Earth can safely replenish. (more…)

ESG ambitions should top organisational agendas

ESG ambitions should top organisational agendas

by • Comment, Environment, Wellbeing

ESGWhen the idea of ESG (environmental, social and governance credentials) first surfaced nearly two decades ago in a 2005 United Nations report, it was just an acronym businesses were trying to understand and get to grips with. But in the last few years, ESG strategies have gathered steam – it has become integral to C-Suite strategy and business purpose, and is a deal-breaker not just for investors but also for those considering new roles. In fact, a recent report revealed that job-seekers are turning down job offers by companies showcasing weak ESG credentials, a sure sign of the importance of substantive ESG policies for potential talent. Most of the larger conglomerates (if not all) have set targets to reach net-zero by a set date – ranging from as early as 2025 to anywhere within the next two decades. But is this going far enough for employees, stakeholders, future talent, and more broadly, for society? (more…)

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