Search Results for: future of work

Firms should focus on people in the drive for long term growth

Firms should focus on people in the drive for long term growth

A new report by Economist Impact, sponsored by Kyocera Document Solutions, claims that human-centric strategies are needed for businesses to drive sustainable business growth, focusing on three pillars: productivity and infrastructure, employee engagement and culture. The Magnetic Workplace Barometer claims to gauge confidence both today and in five years’ time across  what the report terms the three main pillars of productivity and infrastructure; employee engagement; and culture. The barometer scores are scaled from 1 to 7, 7 being the most confident. (more…)

HR profession should rebrand and shift its focus, claims a new report

HR profession should rebrand and shift its focus, claims a new report

A group of people bump fists to illustrate the challenges facing the HR professionThe time has come to re-brand the human resources profession and shift its focus from processes to people, a new report from Sage claims. The authors claim the study emphasises the scale of the challenge facing teams, with 92 percent of executives believing the perceived value of human resources is a challenge for the profession.  The poll of more than 1,000 HR and C-suite leaders working in SMBs across six of the world’s largest economies also highlights that 81 percent of human resources professionals are feeling burnt out and 62 percent are considering leaving the industry.  (more…)

Is carbon counting really the answer for the office furniture industry?

Is carbon counting really the answer for the office furniture industry?

A footprint on a beach to illustrate how the office furniture sector and others need to take a more sophisticated approach to environmental issuesThere is an increasing awareness that carbon is contained within all the products we buy. As an example, a leading sports trainer manufacturer is now displaying carbon content labelling, rather like food retailers quote calories. Within the workplace sector, the environmental impact of the built environment and products such as office furniture and flooring are seemingly well known. This must include consideration regarding how refurbishments and changes to embrace new working practices are managed responsibly. (more…)

Two thirds of young professionals now have a ‘side hustle’ to make ends meet

Two thirds of young professionals now have a ‘side hustle’ to make ends meet

A relaxed looking young man sitting at a desk to illustrate the idea of a side hustleTwo thirds of professionals under the age of 24 claim to have a ‘side hustle’ – with 74 percent stating it is ‘too risky’ to focus on just having one job as they may have done pre-pandemic. In a poll – of 6,000 white-collar professionals – undertaken by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters; 54 percent of young professionals expressed a desire for a ‘portfolio career’ – the concept of monetising your skills in several ways and having multiple income sources, rather than a single job at one company. (more…)

Retrofitting buildings essential to reduce energy costs and combat the global energy crisis

Retrofitting buildings essential to reduce energy costs and combat the global energy crisis

A tree lined street to illustrate the green benefits of retrofitting buildingsA new report from JLL claims that rising energy costs are expediting the move toward more efficient buildings. JLL’s Retrofitting Buildings to be Future-Fit research suggests that net-zero carbon (NZC) intervention measures directly impact a building’s bottom line and that failing to decarbonise leads to significant financial risk. For many buildings, meeting 2050 decarbonization targets put forward in the Paris Climate Agreement is grounded in retrofitting current spaces, which can also garner higher rents, reduce financial risk and generate higher occupancy rates and tenant satisfaction. (more…)

Summing up where the office now stands in the scheme of things

Summing up where the office now stands in the scheme of things

A painting in the style of Edward Hopper of a lone man waiting to board a commuter train to get to the office The argument about what it takes to encourage people to come into the office more often seems to have boiled down to an equation. It’s now common to hear somebody argue that the office has to be worth the commute it takes to get to it. So, if you want people to spend more time in the building, you need to do the maths. O must be greater than or equal to C (more…)

UK will be only developed country in world with lower employment in 2023 than pre-pandemic

UK will be only developed country in world with lower employment in 2023 than pre-pandemic

The cover image of the report into UK employment, consisting of a large arrow made up of numerous peopleA new report claims that the UK is undergoing one of the worst employment recoveries in the world, fuelled by a shrinking workforce and lack of access to effective employment support. Coming the week after the Bank of England forecast that unemployment could rise by half a million next year, and a week before the government announces its new spending plans, the case for reforms to how we help people and employers to fill jobs has never been stronger. (more…)

Responsible capitalism, and space as a service will shape real estate industry over next 20 years

Responsible capitalism, and space as a service will shape real estate industry over next 20 years

A flexible office space from Instant Offices, a pioneer of space as a serviceEurope’s real estate leaders have set out a long-term vision for the industry. In this scenario the most successful firms have adopted ‘responsible capitalism,’ the user is the centre of attention, the cycle of demolition and development has been broken, mixed-use is the norm and multi-disciplinary and in-house teams deliver space as a service across a range of sectors. Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe 2023, the twentieth annual survey of European real estate sector leaders’ expectations by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and PwC, has looked beyond the year ahead at the trends shaping the industry over the next two decades. This report captures the views of over 900 sector leaders from across Europe. (more…)

Bisley gifts staff over half of company in legacy move

Bisley gifts staff over half of company in legacy move

A n attractive Bisley workstation in a home settingBisley’s CEO, Richard Costin has announced that Anthony Brown, the owner of Newport based office furniture designer and manufacturing firm, Bisley, has established an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), gifting the employees 51 percent of the shares in the firm. Since joining Bisley in February 2020, Richard has been working closely with Mr Brown, regarding the business succession plan and the long-term future of Bisley and its employees. (more…)

Net zero carbon buildings standards coalition launches call for evidence

Net zero carbon buildings standards coalition launches call for evidence

An image of the Earth from space to illustrate net zero carbon buildingsThe team developing the UK’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (the NZCBS) has launched a call for evidence, to help inform and guide the development of the Standard. Once developed, the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard aims to provide a single agreed definition and methodology for the industry to determine what constitutes a net zero carbon building. The cross-industry group developing the Standard and championing this initiative includes representatives from the following organisations: Better Buildings Partnership (BBP), Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Carbon Trust, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and UK Green Building Council (UKGBC). (more…)

NeoCon 2023 calls on contributors to share their knowledge and expertise

NeoCon 2023 calls on contributors to share their knowledge and expertise

Chicago, home of the NeoCon annual trade fairNeoCon, the office design and interiors event that takes places in Chicago each year, is inviting thought leaders, researchers and industry specialists,  to submit proposals for its onsite and virtual show conference programme, which takes place from June 12-14, 2023, at THE MART in Chicago. Contributors are also sought for the event’s year-round educational offerings. The announcement builds on the success of a lively NeoCon edition this past June that the organisers claim united and inspired the industry. (more…)

Commercial property sector should embrace circular economy, say BCO

Commercial property sector should embrace circular economy, say BCO

A man relaxing in a green office space to illustrate the circular economy in the commercial property sectorA new report from the British Council for Offices (BCO) is urging the commercial property industry to ‘retain, extend life, reduce impact’ to futureproof offices. The report sets out to provide circular economy guidance to the office sector in relation to new-build, refurbishment and fit out. The Circular Economy in Offices report [BCO members only] claims to set out how offices can be designed and constructed in order to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials and regenerate nature. (more…)