Search Results for: future of work

Life science interiors: here’s how to create a petri dish for scientific breakthroughs

Life science interiors: here’s how to create a petri dish for scientific breakthroughs

The design of life science interiors is crucial for fostering scientific breakthroughs by balancing precision, functionality, and collaboration. Life science research has grown exponentially in recent years, driving an increasing demand for specialised laboratory spaces. These facilities – including wet labs, dry labs, and their supporting infrastructure – all serve a unique purpose. Like a Petri dish providing the perfect environment for scientific experiments, life science interiors need to balance precision with functionality. When designed well, they create the ideal conditions for innovation, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas. (more…)

The bill for upgrading office buildings worldwide could hit £1 trillion

The bill for upgrading office buildings worldwide could hit £1 trillion

A significant proportion of global office space is at risk of obsolescence, with up to £1 trillion required to revitalise aging office buildingsA significant proportion of global office space is at risk of obsolescence, with up to £1 trillion required to revitalise aging office buildings, according to a new report from real estate firm JLL. The report, titled Opportunity through Obsolescence, sets out to highlight the challenges posed by outdated structures, increasingly stringent regulations, and shifting tenant preferences, but also identifies opportunities for property owners and cities to create long-term value through investment and adaptation. (more…)

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The rise of the part time office opens up a new frontier for market growth

The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis, writes David RawlenceAs businesses, large and small, continue to adapt to post-pandemic realities, the demand for flexible working solutions continues to surge. The part-time office offers companies the ability to rent office spaces on a part-time basis—often for just one to three days a week— whilst opening a unique opportunity for occupiers, landlords, operators, and investors. (more…)

Striking the delicate balance of AI regulation and innovation

Striking the delicate balance of AI regulation and innovation

As AI continues to advance, navigating the balance between regulation and innovation will have a huge impact on how successful the technology can beAs AI continues to advance, navigating the balance between regulation and innovation will have a huge impact on how successful the technology can be. The EU AI Act came into force this summer, which is a move in the right direction towards classifying AI risk. At the same time, the Labour government has set out its intention to focus on the role of technology and innovation as key drivers for the UK economy. For example, planning to create a Regulatory Innovation Office that will support regulators to update existing regulation more quickly, as technology advances. (more…)

Office design goes to the movies

Office design goes to the movies

What can the movies tell us about office designFollowing our recent attempts to create a rudimentary playlist of songs that tell us something, or perhaps nothing, about office design, office life and office furniture, here’s another look at how the parochial world of the workplace can brush up against popular culture. It does this unnoticed for most people, I suppose, but not for those of us bound up in this world. We’re not the sort of people who can ignore the regular, brief glimpse of an Aeron chair’s ubiquitous mesh without a synapse of recognition sparking up. So, here is a brief rundown of nine movies that use office design to make a plot point or set up a character development.

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Magenta Associates becomes employee owned

Magenta Associates becomes employee owned

Our friends at comms specialist Magenta Associates have announced that the business is now owned by its employees.Our friends at comms specialist Magenta Associates have announced that the business is now owned by its employees. The company has set up an Employee Ownership Trust which owns the majority of the business. The trust will be led by five trustees to ensure the management team is running the business in the best interests of the employees. Magenta was set up in 2011 by Cathy Hayward, the former editor of FM World (now Facilitate) and FMJ magazine who spotted a gap in the market for a PR agency specialising specifically in facilities management. (more…)

UK see largest contraction in Labour Force since the 1980s

UK see largest contraction in Labour Force since the 1980s

The final report from the two-year Commission on the Future of Employment Support claims that the UK needs ‘once-in-a-generation reform’ to boost growth and improve living standards in the face of a huge contraction in the country’s labour force. The report suggests that the UK is one of the few developed nations where employment has fallen post-pandemic. The UK has dropped from having the eighth-highest employment rate globally to fifteenth. Had the original position been maintained, the economy would be £25 billion larger annually, with public finances £16 billion better off. (more…)

Unleash your brand’s potential: how Adfixus transforms digital marketing into profit powerhouse

Unleash your brand’s potential: how Adfixus transforms digital marketing into profit powerhouse

Digital marketing is no longer just about getting your brand noticed; it's about creating meaningful connections, driving customer engagement, and boosting your bottom lineIn today’s hyper-competitive digital landscape, the success of a brand hinges not only on its ability to reach the right audience but also on how effectively it converts that reach into tangible profits. Digital marketing is no longer just about getting your brand noticed; it’s about creating meaningful connections, driving customer engagement, and boosting your bottom line. This is where Adfixus comes into play, offering a revolutionary approach to digital marketing that promises to transform your brand into a profit powerhouse. (more…)

How generative AI is shaping a new landscape for creativity

How generative AI is shaping a new landscape for creativity

 

The impact of generative AI on creative workflows is challenging, profound and multifaceted, writes Chris Hewish Every significant leap in technology has promised more than it has delivered. Or, perhaps more accurately, it has delivered something different from what was promised. When automation began infiltrating manufacturing in the 19th century, there was widespread fear that it would render human labour obsolete. Instead, it transformed the nature of work, creating new categories of jobs and even eradicating others. The digital revolution of the late 20th century followed a similar trajectory. It shifted the burden of tasks, spawned entirely new industries, and necessitated new skill sets. (more…)

European banks are over-valuing commercial property, ECB report suggests

European banks are over-valuing commercial property, ECB report suggests

 

An analysis by the European Central Bank (ECB) has raised concerns that several of the Euro zone's leading banks may be inflating the value of commercial propertyAn analysis by the European Central Bank (ECB) has raised concerns that several of the Euro zone’s leading banks may be inflating the value of commercial property, potentially obscuring the true state of their loan portfolios in a sector that is facing significant challenges. The analysis suggests that some banks are failing to properly account for the steep downturn in the commercial property market, which has been severely impacted by higher borrowing costs and weakened demand as businesses adjust to the post-pandemic economic landscape. (more…)

How do you encourage people to spend more time in the office? Here are seven things to consider

How do you encourage people to spend more time in the office? Here are seven things to consider

 

In a world in which people have more choice about how and where to work, how do you encourage people to spend more time in the office without issuing controversial mandates?

In a world in which people have more choice about how and where to work, how do you encourage people to spend more time in the office without issuing controversial mandates? Some of the UK’s most high-profile workplace, design, property and facilities management experts met recently at the London showroom of MillerKnoll to discuss the answers to this, one of the most vexed questions of recent years. How do you create workplaces that meet the needs of people who have more choices than ever of how, when and where to work? And its corollary: if you want people to spend more time in the office with each other, how do you entice them to do so without making it an obligation? (more…)

Capital One Office upgrades classic Zumtobel luminaire

Capital One Office upgrades classic Zumtobel luminaire

Capital One were still happy with the look and feel of their classic TECTON lighting system, but in search of improved efficiency, once again turned to Zumtobel for a fresh solutionTwenty years on financial services giant Capital One were still happy with the look and feel of their classic TECTON lighting system, but in search of improved efficiency, once again turned to Zumtobel for a fresh solution. Trent House, Nottingham, is financial services’ giant Capital One’s European HQ. It recently underwent a major remodelling project to create a stimulating and responsive working environment. In the dynamic landscape of corporate transformations, Capital One took a strategic leap to refurbish its 1st and 2nd floors, embarking on a journey towards modernisation and efficiency. Partnering with Zumtobel, a trusted name in lighting solutions, the project aimed to breathe new life into its 20-year-old Zumtobel TECTON System. (more…)