September 30, 2019
The uptake of artificial intelligence by businesses will transform the UK job market in the near future and will create around 133 million new jobs worldwide. The findings come from a new report called Harnessing the Power of AI: The Demand for Future Skills (registration) from recruiter Robert Walters and market analysts Vacancy Soft. (more…)
September 27, 2019
Organisations that actively leverage the abilities and experience of their older workers will be best positioned for the future of work, according to Mercer’s report Next Stage: Are You Age-Ready? (registration). The importance of being “age-ready” is underscored for both businesses and economies by the impact of the twin forces of a rapidly ageing labour force coupled with an uncertain global economic growth rate, the report argues. (more…)
September 25, 2019
Around a quarter of firms worldwide and mid-sized companies are shifting permanent roles to contingent work positions this year to remain agile, according to a report from Randstad Sourceright. The quarterly Talent Trends study (registration), based on responses from executives, HR managers and other professionals across 17 markets worldwide, claims that businesses are using gig and freelance workers to fill formerly permanent positions. (more…)
September 23, 2019
More than two in five public sector workers were able to enjoy flexible working in the last quarter of 2018, official figures from the Office for National Statistics show. According to the data, around 42 percent of public sector workers said they had worked flexibly in the period from October to December 2018. The proportion of people offered flexible working patters was double that of private sector workers, 21 percent of which reported arrangements such as flexitime, compressed hours and term-time only work. (more…)
September 20, 2019
A new report from Owl Labs claims that although two-thirds of US workers now work away from their main place of work some of the time, there are still many people and organisations that are unaware of the benefits, processes and challenges involved in flexible working. The new report explores the effect flexible working has on personal happiness, recruitment, retention and skills as well as exploring the attitudes of people who are based in a fixed place of work.
September 19, 2019
New research commissioned by Experience Invest claims that the majority of UK commercial property investors have put their financial plans on hold as they await the Brexit deadline and 2019 Autumn Budget, new research from Experience Invest claims. Experience Invest commissioned an independent survey of over 1,000 property investors, who all own three or more residential properties in the UK. (more…)
September 17, 2019
It’s interesting to watch what happens when politicians – even more so than normal people – are faced with evidence they don’t like. And it’s especially interesting when they asked for the evidence in the first place. You can pick your own examples but it was interesting to note Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell’s immediate and decidedly lukewarm response to his own report into the wisdom of introducing a 4 day week, which concluded that the idea is ‘not realistic or even desirable’. (more…)
September 16, 2019
A new report from CBRE claims that the US market for flexible office space will generate significant growth over the next decade, even in the event of a recession, as flex operators consolidate and forge financial partnerships with building owners. (more…)
September 13, 2019
Several months ago when we invited Jonty Bloom, one of the media’s most respected journalists to come and speak to our guest audience, we knew it would be informed, relevant and fascinating. What we didn’t know was that the day before (4th September 2019) Boris Johnson would deliver a stunningly inelegant performance at his inaugural Prime Minister’s Question time, the day after losing his first vote in parliament to prevent a further delay in delivering Brexit. (more…)
September 13, 2019
Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has released its latest Total Office Cost Survey (TOCS) which provides detailed information on office costs for over 50 UK locations. Across 54 surveyed locations, the survey shows the prime core of London’s West End remains by far the most expensive UK office location, with the annual cost for a new office in Mayfair standing at £18,988 per workstation. This stands at 139 percent above the UK average and 45 percent ahead of the next most expensive office location, the City of London. (more…)
September 12, 2019
The debate about the introduction of a compulsory four day week or shorter hours may take a new turn following the publication of a new report commissioned by the Labour Party which concludes that a blanket limit on the hours worked by people in the UK is both unrealistic and potentially counter-productive, in spite of the fact that there is clear evidence for its effect on wellbeing and productivity. (more…)
September 26, 2019
The office of the future should be circular
by Phil Oram • Comment, Environment, Workplace design