May 13, 2021

People working from home might now be subject to a visit from the Pensions Regulator

by Anne-Marie Winton and Danyal Enver • Features, Flexible working

The Pensions Regulator might now have the power under current UK pensions legislation, to enter the private homes of employees when it is investigating their employer, if those employees are working from home. The current law has been in force since 2005 and it allows the Regulator to enter some premises at any reasonable time. This power is restricted to use only in relation to some limited statutory investigations. However, though currently limited, these regulatory powers will soon be widened and extended by the Pensions Schemes Act 2021 which is due to come into force in Autumn 2021.

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May 11, 2021

Graduates alienated by remote working, with majority wanting social interaction

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Working culture

Gen Z is the largest generation in human history, and over the next 10 years, 1.3 billion of its members will enter the global workforce. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that this new generation of graduates is entering one of the toughest job markets in decades. (more…)

May 4, 2021

Why some people are more productive working from home than others

by Stephen Bevan • Features, Flexible working, Wellbeing

Has working at home during lockdown made people more productive or not? This has been the subject of some lively debate recently. Many companies do not routinely measure productivity. A large number will have traditionally assumed that they get the highest output when staff work longer hours or under close supervision, but remote working is clearly causing some to re-evaluate this. Major firms, for instance professional services group PwC, have been sufficiently impressed to make remote working a permanent option for their staff. (more…)

May 4, 2021

Workspace Show announces details of speakers lineup

by Freddie Steele • Company news, Workplace design

Workspace Design Show, the event bringing together the commercial interiors community with its inaugural event taking place over the 4-5 November this year at London’s Business Design Centre, is building momentum with news of new speakers and partners that have joined the party, as well as details of its discussion on ‘New Product Ideas for Tomorrow’s Workspaces.’ The show’s organisers say they are especially thrilled to announce that its inaugural event will feature key speakers from the world of commercial interiors, from established brands including Gensler, Perkins and Will, BDG, tp bennett, Unispace, Arup, PwC, Landor and Fitch, Aviva, Areen Design, KKS Savills, MF Design Studio, Susan Lake and The Office Group. Workplace Insight and IN Magazine are also partnering with the event. (more…)

April 30, 2021

UK businesses improve their work culture to focus on wellbeing and flexibility

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Working culture

Slack, a messaging app for business, has released new research looking into how UK businesses can change their approach to employee experience as lockdown eases, in order to help uphold culture, create flexibility, and maintain productivity. (more…)

April 22, 2021

Business leaders lose touch with remote working employees

by Jayne Smith • Business, Flexible working, News

EMEA business leaders are out of touch with what employees want in the hybrid workplace experience, and 66 percent of organisations plan to adopt a different operating model than they had before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey from Unisys Corporation. (more…)

April 21, 2021

Workers do double the work because of disconnected tech

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology, Working lives

New research by Templafy claims over a third (37 percent) of UK employees do around double the amount of work because their technology stack lacks useful integrations in its business enablement report. This leaves UK workers spending large amounts of time switching between applications, with over one in four, 27 percent, using six to ten different applications each week. (more…)

April 21, 2021

Email fatigue is causing rising dissatisfaction with remote work

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Working lives

Superhuman, have released the results of a new survey that examines how the pandemic and shift to remote work are impacting employee satisfaction with their jobs. (more…)

April 21, 2021

Nearly a third of employees don’t receive training in a hybrid workplace

by Jayne Smith • News, Working culture

Lane4, has announced the findings of its nationwide survey which suggests how organisations need to better support their employees as some begin to return to their on-site workplaces, while others remain remote. (more…)

April 20, 2021

FUTURE Designs awarded the IMMUNE Building Standard

by Freddie Steele • Company news

FUTURE Designs, a UK based designer and manufacturer of luminaires and lighting solutions, obtains the first IMMUNE Building Standard certification in the world for an Industrial Building, awarded by Healthy by Design Building Institute (HDBI). The factory and headquarters achieved the label ‘IMMUNE – Strong’ following the company’s successful implementation of the health and safety set of measures for its employees. (more…)

April 16, 2021

Hybrid working risks becoming a meaningless term

by Ben Gillam • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design

Hybrid working runs the risk of becoming a blanket term, interpreted on a very surface level, when it has the potential to offer a much greater opportunity for businesses to open up and re-examine the culture and experience of their staff, alongside where they want to take their business in the future, as well as fast-tracking mental health and wellbeing to play a central role in workplace strategy. (more…)

April 15, 2021

Finance directors set out plans for truly remote workforces

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Workplace

A new global survey by CFO Research and Globalization Partners, claims that 81 percent of the CFOs who responded say their company’s long-term growth strategy includes international expansion, either currently ongoing or in their future plans. The survey also uncovered changing perceptions about hiring and remote work because of their pandemic experiences, with 85 percent of respondents indicating the ability to tap into a more cost-effective, global talent pool that is equipped with the appropriate skills would be desirable. (more…)