Search Results for: finance

Rise in gender and ethnic diversity to boards in finance sector, despite ‘closed shop’

by • Legal news, News, Workplace

Banking and finance companies within the FTSE 100 have increased gender and ethnic diversity at board level, but there remains a question over whether minorities can break through the glass ceiling, as many of the top roles in banking and finance companies (Chair, CEO & CFO) remain a closed shop for ethnic minority and female leaders. This is according to a new study from Green Park which claims the leadership pipeline, supplying the highest tier of management in FTSE 100 banking and finance companies, now features the highest level of ethnic minority talent in four years, including 15 percent of professionals with a non-white background compared with 5 percent of leadership pipelines for FTSE 100 companies overall and 6.5 percent in 2014. The banking and finance sector has also met the target set by Lord Davies that 25 percent of board members should be female. However, this has been updated by the Hampton-Alexander Review to a target of 33 percent by 2020, which suggests that banking and finance companies will still need to do more to increase the proportion of female leaders in their leadership pipelines.

(more…)

Digital workplace accelerates blurring of lines between IT, HR and finance roles

Digital workplace accelerates blurring of lines between IT, HR and finance roles 0

by • News, Technology, Workplace

To help ‘organisations thrive in a competitive digital marketplace’, Oracle and the MIT Technology Review have released a new study that highlights the importance of collaboration between finance and human resources (HR) teams with a unified cloud. The study, Finance and HR: The Cloud’s New Power Partnership, outlines how a ‘holistic view into finance and HR information’, delivered via cloud technology, empowers organisations to better manage continuous change in the workplace. Based on a global survey of 700 C-level executives and finance, HR, and IT managers, the study claims that a shared finance and HR cloud system is a critical component of successful transformation initiatives.

(more…)

Flexible hours key to achieving gender balance in finance sector 0

by • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Improvements in flexible working are among the key steps being taken to help achieve gender balance within the financial services sector, according to the UK Treasury. Financial services is the country’s highest paid sector but has the widest gender pay gap, at 39.5 percent, compared with 19.2 percent across the economy. The ‘Women in Finance Charter’, was set up by the Treasury earlier this year to publish progress on gender balance annually and reports that of the 72 firms who signed the charter, 60 have now committed to having at least 30 percent of women in senior roles by 2021. Alongside gender diversity targets, these firms have set out strategies for how they’ll hit these targets, including improving flexible working, making recruitment gender neutral and distributing high profile work more fairly.

(more…)

TMT and finance sectors drive demand for London office construction

TMT and finance sectors drive demand for London office construction

by • Facilities management, News, Property

London-cranes-3The total level of office construction in central London has increased over the past six months, fuelled by the greatest volume of new space to start since 2011, the latest Deloitte London Office Crane Survey has revealed. With a rise of 24 per cent over the past six months, a new wave of office construction in central London is under way across almost all submarkets. This comes at a time when the level of available office space is at its lowest for seven years, with current market conditions still suggesting a short-term supply shortage. However, the ramping up of new developments over the last six months has come too late to significantly alter the delivery of new space in 2015. TMT and the financial sector are driving up demand for more office space.

(more…)

It’s worth exploring alternative forms of finance for office fit out

by • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

Fit-out-1You can’t help but notice that there has been a shift in recent years for us to become the consumers of things we were once obliged or wanted to own. We watch films on Netflix, listen to music on Spotify and share cars with strangers through BlaBlaCar. As both individuals and businesses we rent software rather than own it and in the growth of serviced offices and co-working spaces we see the same forces at work. The attractions of this approach are obvious, not least in keeping down the costs of things we may not want to keep in the long term and leaving ourselves free to make different choices in the light of rapidly changing circumstances. So it’s no surprise that economic uncertainty is just one factor that has driven an increase in asset financing at the same time that we have seen a permanent change in spending patterns.

(more…)

UK staff showing higher levels of happiness – except those in finance sector

by • News, Workplace

Happiness at work in increasingFresh evidence that those working within the financial sector must be in it for the money as, following the news earlier this week that they get the least amount of sleep, they’re also the most unhappy with their work. A third (32%) describe themselves as unhappy at work compared to the 78 per cent of those working in sales, media, and marketing who class themselves as happy. Overall, the number of British workers who are happy at work has jumped by a fifth (20%) compared to this time last year according to Office Angels’ ‘Happiness at Work’ study. More than half (56%) of workers stated they were happy at work during quarter two 2013, compared to just a third (36%) during quarter two 2012.  (more…)

Flexibility not finance motivates Generation Y workers

by • Knowledge, News, Workplace

Gen-Y view work as a thing rather than a place that requires a traditional nine to five routine,

Millennial or Generation Y workers are not the bunch of entitled youths we’ve been led to believe. Those born between 1980 and 1995 say they would choose workplace flexibility, work/life balance and the opportunity for overseas assignments over financial rewards. PwC’s NexGen survey reveals that millennials view work as a thing rather than a place that requires a traditional nine to five routine, so are more likely to stay in a job if they feel supported and appreciated, are part of a cohesive team and have greater flexibility over where and how much they work. This contrasts with the non-millennial generation, who place greater importance on pay and development opportunities.

(more…)

Most people now use unapproved AI tools despite security and privacy risks

Most people now use unapproved AI tools despite security and privacy risks

by • AI, News

A new poll from Microsoft suggests that most UK employees are now using consumer AI tools at work without approval, raising growing concerns about data privacy and cybersecurityA new poll from Microsoft suggests that most UK employees are now using consumer AI tools at work without approval, raising growing concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity. According to the research, 71 percent of UK workers have used or tried unapproved “Shadow AI” tools for work purposes, with more than half (51 percent) doing so on a weekly basis. These tools are often used for writing reports and presentations, drafting communications, and even handling finance-related tasks. (more…)

Return to office policies now more common, but raise people’s expectation of better workplaces

Return to office policies now more common, but raise people’s expectation of better workplaces

by • Flexible working, News, Property, Workplace

The news that Microsoft has introduced a formal hybrid working policy has sparked the usual pointless to and fro on social media about return to office policies, but it would seem for a growing number of firms and their employees, the debate is overThe news that Microsoft has introduced a formal hybrid working policy has sparked the usual pointless to and fro on social media about return to office policies, but it would seem for a growing number of firms and their employees, the debate is over. According to new global research from JLL, 72 percent of employees now view attendance requirements in a positive light, but this shift comes with heightened expectations for workplace quality, flexibility and wellbeing. (more…)

Workstories joins forces with Roger Lewis to shape the future of British furniture design

Workstories joins forces with Roger Lewis to shape the future of British furniture design

by • News

Workstories has announced a merger with Roger Lewis, the renowned specialist in precision joinery and upholstery. The move strengthens the company’s position in British furniture design and manufacturing while broadening its market offering. Over the past twelve years, Workstories has enjoyed sustained growth, featuring in the 2024 Financial Times list of Europe’s long-term growth champions as the fastest-growing UK manufacturer. The addition of Roger Lewis to the portfolio supports Workstories’ vision for quality, sustainable British design and growth, reinforcing its commitment to customer service, expanding expertise, and delivering industry-leading products. (more…)

Cities must embrace the radical retrofit of buildings to meet future challenges

Cities must embrace the radical retrofit of buildings to meet future challenges

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The Radical Retrofit report by Economist Impact, supported by JLL, argues that making cities more sustainable and resilient will depend on retrofits that improve safety, health and accessibility, while also driving economic valueAs cities continue to grow, the pressure on infrastructure, resources and the environment is intensifying. A new global study warns that urban centres must move beyond new construction and reimagine the buildings they already have. Retrofitting – enhancing and upgrading existing structures -is emerging as a key strategy to cut emissions, improve energy performance and boost urban liveability. The Radical Retrofit report by Economist Impact, supported by JLL, argues that making cities more sustainable and resilient will depend on retrofits that improve safety, health and accessibility, while also driving economic value. Though still in its early stages, the movement is gaining traction across global cities such as Singapore, New York, Paris and Dubai. Yet the pace must accelerate dramatically from today’s retrofit rate of 1 percent per year to at least 3 percent to align with net-zero goals. (more…)

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

Office utilisation reaches equilibrium, and demands a rethink of workplace strategy

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are usedThe British Council for Offices (BCO) has published a new report which claims that while office utilisation rates have stabilised, there has been a fundamental shift in how offices are used, with major implications for developers, investors and occupiers. The report, authored by Nigel Oseland of Workplace Unlimited, shows that the long-standing benchmark of 80 percent office utilisation is no longer fit for purpose. Post-pandemic data suggests a more realistic, but nevertheless conservative, figure of 66 percent equating to an effective density of 15 sq. m per occupant, up from the previous 12.5 sq. m. This recalibration reflects a maturing flexible working model that empowers organisations to right-size their space, reduce waste and enhance employee experience. With high-profile organisations in financial services and the public sector under the spotlight for space misalignment, the report offers timely, evidence-based guidance for the sector. (more…)

< 1 2 3 4 5 >»