June 6, 2025
It used to be said that the UK was a nation of lions led by donkeys. Now it would appear that the country has become as stubborn as mules at every level. The new survey from Right Management claims there is a growing culture of resistance to change across the UK workforce, particularly among women, older employees, and public sector professionals. (more…)
May 30, 2025
Global markets are changing at an unprecedented rate due to economic uncertainty, shifting consumer behavior, and technological breakthroughs. Businesses must be agile and able to adapt to market changes. This is where Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) comes in. What was once viewed as a cost-cutting tool has evolved into a strategic advantage, providing businesses with the flexibility they require to remain competitive and resilient during volatile periods. (more…)
May 19, 2025
The weather over the last few weeks has been unseasonably pleasant in the UK. Everybody involved in Clerkenwell Design Week will be hoping that continues. It’s a must-see event whatever the weather but there’s no doubt that last year’s show wasn’t helped by the downfall of rain on at least one day. As the currently bone-dry streets of Clerkenwell prepare to welcome thousands of design enthusiasts, architects, makers and curious minds from across the globe, Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 promises to be one of the best yet. (more…)
May 19, 2025
A new cross-regional partnership known as The Great North has been launched by the metropolitan mayors in the North of England, aiming to unlock economic growth, create jobs, and attract investment across the region. The initiative was unveiled at the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds, and marks what its founders call a new era of collaboration and locally driven prosperity. Chaired by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and supported by the UK Government, the body brings together northern leaders to focus on shared priorities such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, and the creative industries. The initiative has been endorsed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who described it as central to the government’s ambition to shift power from Whitehall into the hands of local communities. (more…)
May 5, 2025
Over the weekend The Times published an article headlined “The ‘super-prime’ offices designed to lure WFH staff back in”. It described how firms are reshaping offices in the image of upmarket hotels, with enticing features such as gyms, childcare, cinemas, climbing walls, lounges and restaurants (run by Gordon Ramsay natch). These are luxury spaces to make the office worth the commute, as the cliché goes. Although the author concedes that this is largely a London phenomenon in the UK, the implication is that offices everywhere must ape this office design approach to some degree to meet the demands of the post-covid workforce. This is compelling stuff and not the first time you will have heard the argument. But, is it true? (more…)
May 2, 2025
Seven office developments across the South of England and South Wales have been recognised as the region’s most outstanding workplaces at the annual British Council for Offices (BCO) Awards. Among the winners were three Bristol-based projects, highlighting the city’s growing reputation for innovative, inclusive and sustainable office design. The awards ceremony, held at We The Curious in Bristol, celebrated excellence in office design, fit-out, and environmental performance. With a strong emphasis this year on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), wellbeing, and inclusivity, the judges praised the winning projects for their forward-thinking, occupier-focused approaches. (more…)
April 29, 2025
A new poll from Orgvue claims that 39 percent of business leaders who have deployed AI in their firms have already made employees redundant. Of those, 55 percent think there’s a good chance they made wrong decisions about those redundancies. Orgvue first conducted its international survey of 1,000 C-suite and senior decision makers at medium and large organisations in 2024. This year, the research highlights what Orgvue says is growing caution in deploying artificial intelligence and acknowledgment that businesses need to reskill people to work with the technology. (more…)
April 29, 2025
Profim proudly unveils Pace, an innovative task chair that redefines comfortable, sustainable seating for the modern workplace. Created by Germany’s ITO Design, the studio behind Profim’s bestselling Xenon and AccisPro lines, and engineered in Poland, Pace seamlessly blends German design precision with Polish manufacturing excellence. The chair’s clean, contemporary silhouette adapts effortlessly to diverse work environments. Its Synchro SFL MAX mechanism enables smooth, natural movement, providing subtle support for different seating positions without compromising visual elegance. With multiple backrest, lumbar support, and armrest options, Pace enhances comfort while helping to reduce workplace health concerns, making it ideal for settings ranging from startups to corporate offices. (more…)
April 23, 2025
A new report from Microsoft claims that 2025 will mark a new point in the evolution of work, with organisations across the globe now entering what it calls the age of the ‘Frontier Firm’. The report defines this as a ‘future-facing business model in which a combination of artificial intelligence and human collaboration reshapes work processes and redefines the very structure of enterprises’. The 2025 Work Trend Index, published by Microsoft’s WorkLab, claims to draw on one of the most comprehensive datasets to date, combining insights from 31,000 workers across 31 countries, thousands of Microsoft 365 ‘productivity signals’, and labour market trends derived from LinkedIn’s global data. The report argues that AI is no longer a novel addition to the workplace — it is becoming central to how work is done, who does it, and what organisations can achieve. (more…)
April 7, 2025
Nearly half of all companies across the UK are scaling back recruitment plans because of the hike in employers’ National Insurance which comes into effect on April 6th, according to a new poll by Reed. The survey found that 46 per cent of firms said that recruitment decisions would be impacted due to the tax increase, with many reporting that they were already not hiring or postponing recruitment. Reed say the findings demonstrate the negative impact the increase in employer’s NI is having on the labour market, which has already seen vacancies fall for a record period. (more…)
March 26, 2025
A new report from Tomorrow University claims that two-thirds of professionals say they would quit their jobs for work that better aligns with their sense of purpose, highlighting a growing disconnect between career success and life fulfilment. The research, published in The Purpose Playbook: Bridging the Gap Between Career Success and Life Fulfilment, explores how lifelong learning and personal growth can help individuals find a more meaningful career. (more…)
June 6, 2025
Milan proves to be the perfect setting for an optimistic BCO conference
by Anna King • Comment, Property