Search Results for: flexible

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social roleA new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social role, with around one in three employees in Germany saying they have dated a colleague. The research, carried out by YouGov and based on a representative sample of more than 2,000 people, suggests that offices remain important settings for forming friendships, relationships and informal social connections despite the continued growth of hybrid and remote working. (more…)

Historic Whitehall office recognised for inclusive design

Historic Whitehall office recognised for inclusive design

by • Facilities management, News, Workplace design

22–26 Whitehall had been awarded Inclusive Environments Recognition by the Construction Industry Council, in acknowledgement of its approach to inclusive design in a historic settingA refurbished government office in Whitehall has received an industry award for accessibility, according to the Government Property Agency (GPA). The GPA said its hub at 22–26 Whitehall had been awarded Inclusive Environments Recognition by the Construction Industry Council, in acknowledgement of its approach to inclusive design in a historic setting. The building brings together the Grade I listed Ripley Building with the adjoining Kirkland Building and is now used as the London headquarters for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The site forms part of the government’s wider strategy to rationalise its estate and create shared workplaces for civil servants. (more…)

Distractions at home undermine the benefits of remote work, study suggests

Distractions at home undermine the benefits of remote work, study suggests

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

New research from Durham University Business School suggests that remote work may undermine people’s wellbeing and productivity when domestic distractions interrupt the working day. The study, led by Professor Jakob Stollberger, found that interruptions from home life can disrupt concentration, reduce task completion and have a negative impact on employees’ wellbeing. Based on diary data from 87 remote workers across sectors including IT, finance and education, the research tracked participants’ experiences over a ten day period. Respondents reported their workload and wellbeing four times a day, allowing researchers to examine how work patterns and interruptions changed over time. (more…)

London BCO Awards winners highlight shift towards reuse and long term workplace design

London BCO Awards winners highlight shift towards reuse and long term workplace design

by • Environment, News, Property, Workplace design

The winners of the British Council for Offices London Awards 2026 have been announced, recognising a series of workplace projects that reflect changing priorities in design, sustainability and social value across the capital. Six schemes were selected as regional winners. Deutsche Bank’s headquarters at 21 Moorfields (main image) was named best corporate workplace, while Stonecutter at 1 Stonecutter Street took the award for best commercial workplace. The best refurbished or recycled workplace award went to 76 Southbank, and Rabobank at 60 London Wall was recognised for best fit out of a workplace. The award for projects up to 2,500 square metres was given to 170 Piccadilly, while TBC.London at 224 to 226 Tower Bridge Road received the ESG award. (more…)

Recent events highlight a clear shift in how firms approach workplace strategy

Recent events highlight a clear shift in how firms approach workplace strategy

by • Facilities management, News, Property, Workplace design

Two recent events hosted by HubStar in London and Amsterdam suggest there has been a shift in how organisations now approach workplace strategy, with a growing focus on three core prioritiesTwo recent events hosted by HubStar in London and Amsterdam suggest there has been a shift in how organisations now approach workplace strategy, with a growing focus on three core priorities. The regular quarterly gatherings bring together senior leaders from corporate real estate, facilities management, HR, IT and workplace experience to discuss current challenges and emerging trends. Conversations at the two sessions centred on how organisations are responding to changing expectations around hybrid work and the role of the office. Organisations are increasingly focused on creating workplaces that: justify the commute; develop a clearer understanding of how space is used through better data; and adopt more flexible approaches to planning and design. (more…)

Memories of the Office Age 

Memories of the Office Age 

by • Cities, Features, Working lives

memories of the office ageOriginally published in November 2021. No author uses the built environment like J G Ballard. In his 1975 novel High-Rise, the eponymous structure is both a way of isolating the group of people who live and compete inside it and a metaphor for their personal isolation and inner struggles. Over the course of three months, the building’s services begin to fail. The 2,000 people within, detached from external realities in the 40-storey building, confronted with their true selves and those of their neighbours, descend into selfishness and – ultimately – savagery.  (more…)

Women working from home or on reduced hours at greater risk of damaging their career

Women working from home or on reduced hours at greater risk of damaging their career

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Women working from home or on reduced hours are at greater risk of losing their professional and managerial careers, but men are not affectedWomen working from home or on reduced hours are at greater risk of losing their professional and managerial careers, but men are not affected, new research suggests. Women professionals not working a standard week in the office were more likely to end up in less prestigious careers than those in full-time work, the study found. Sizhan Cui, of the University of Oxford, analysed survey data on 11,981 British women and 9,829 men gathered from 2010-2024 to link changes in careers to the use of flexible working arrangements such as working from home, part-time work, job sharing and flexitime. (more…)

British workers now entirely unproductive, claims report

British workers now entirely unproductive, claims report

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

The overwhelming majority of UK workers don’t do anything productive at all, according to a new report published today. The study of available research into the illnesses, injuries, distractions, wastes of time, procrastinations, productivity drains and paralyses that afflict British workers found that the annual cost to the British economy is around £1.8 trillion, equivalent to 98.9 percent of GDP.

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Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

Rebuilding belonging: how offices can overcome loneliness  

by • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

In the coming weeks it will be six years since the UK entered lockdown and working life changed overnight. While much has stabilised, the impact of the pandemic still shapes how people experience work, particularly when it comes to connection and belonging. Loneliness is widely recognised as a growing societal issue and government data shows that around a quarter of adults in Great Britain report feeling lonely at least some of the time, rising significantly among younger age groups. Hybrid working has not created this challenge but it has highlighted that for many people the workplace was a consistent source of social interaction. (more…)

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

by • Flexible working, News

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employmentA significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

The squeezed middle: supporting frontline managers in 2026

The squeezed middle: supporting frontline managers in 2026

by • Business, Comment

I’ve spent hundreds of hours listening to thousands of people across organisations, and I’ve discovered something troubling: everyone is waiting for someone else to give them direction. It’s an organisational standoff. Senior leadership wants proactive teams. Frontline staff are desperate for clarity. And in the squeezed middle? Nothing but limbo. If we’re looking to grow, recover or sustain our organisations, the answer lies in frontline management skills. Your manager makes the biggest impact on how you feel about work and how secure you feel about your future. If you have to work for money, and most of us do, this relationship has enormous consequences for your wellbeing. (more…)

Government expands regional civil service hubs through Places for Growth programme

Government expands regional civil service hubs through Places for Growth programme

by • Cities, News

The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to relocating civil service roles out of London as part of its Places for Growth programme

The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to relocating civil service roles out of London as part of its Places for Growth programme, a long-running initiative aimed at strengthening government presence across the UK and reducing reliance on the capital. Updated information published by the Cabinet Office outlines how the programme is intended to support regional economies and bring decision-making closer to communities by creating a more geographically distributed civil service workforce. (more…)

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