Search Results for: generation z

September 26, 2018

Sociable Gen Z prefer to work in a communal workplace rather than home

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Flexible working, News, Workplace, Workplace design

Generation Z, the latest generation of workers to enter the workplace (aged 18-24) are social creatures a new report suggests, preferring to work in an office environment, with only 8 percent thinking they work best from home compared to 20 percent nationally. However, putting aside the assumption this is because they’re sharing a cramped flat or living with parents, even within the office environment, the vast majority (81 percent) think social and communal areas are important workplace facilities compared with only 64 percent of all employees and 58 percent of Baby Boomers. More →

August 29, 2018

Younger workers risk missing out on career opportunities by shunning SMEs

by Sara Bean • News, Workplace

Young people leaving education and looking for work may be missing out on potential employment opportunities by failing to consider Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the advantages they offer, new research from Santander UK claims. ‘Gen Z’ and Millennials do not believe SMEs offer the same job security or salary as large businesses, meaning just a third (35 percent) of young people leaving education in 2018 want to work for smaller employer, and an even smaller proportion, just one in six (18 percent), want to work for a start-up or micro business. The most popular career aspirations for Generation Z and Millennials are to work for a large firm (51 percent), the public sector (51 percent) or a global multinational (49 percent), because of a perceived lack of job security (56 percent). There is also the belief that SMEs offer a lower salary (46 percent) and fewer opportunities for progression than large companies (33 percent). Yet the majority (70 percent) of SMEs are actively recruiting for entry level roles, whether that be graduates (43 percent), further education leavers (36 percent) or school leavers (35 percent).

August 10, 2018

Youngest workers prefer simple perks such as free coffee, flexi hours and birthday leave

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

As fresh graduates from generation Z, i.e. those born between the mid 1990’s and 2000 are enter the workplace, new research from Perkbox claims that over 1 in 3 (36 percent) admit that the workplace perks are one of the most important deciding factors on whether to accept a new job or not. These post-millennials are also the group most likely (32 percent) to prefer smaller benefits that they can enjoy on a more frequent basis, all-year-round, over one annual event, such as a Christmas party. The top three workplace perks most popular amongst Generation Z included simple benefits, such as receiving a day’s annual leave on your birthday (86 percent), followed by free coffee and hot drinks (85 percent), and flexi-hours (83 percent). Despite this, Generation Z feel less deserving of workplace benefits than co-workers born pre-1995, with fewer than half (38 percent) believing they should benefit from such offerings – which is less than any other age group.

July 3, 2018

UK firms may be lagging those of other nations in offering flexible working

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

The UK lags behind other nations in the shift to remote and flexible working, putting more emphasis on effective meetings to coordinate scattered teams, a new report, ‘The Modern Workplace 2018: People, Places & Technology’ by software company Condeco has found. The research claims that across the world workers are in the midst of a shift to flexible and remote working – spending more time working from home, on the move or from multiple locations. However, the UK is significantly behind in embracing these trends, which could negatively affect worker satisfaction as well as holding back firms who are competing for the best international staff.

June 27, 2018

Location of workplace most important factor in attracting UK job seekers

by Sara Bean • News, Workplace

The most attractive factor for UK job seekers when choosing a new employer is the location, claims the latest Global Talent Monitor report from Gartner. The report warns that employers are facing some challenges in retention as just 27.2 percent of UK employees in 1Q18 reported a high intention to stay with the organisation, down 5.5 percent from the same period last year. The UK had the fourth largest decrease after France, Singapore and Germany and those that are at the highest risk of leaving are those aged between 18-29 and 30-39 who have completed an MBA. The biggest attraction-drivers for UK job seekers are location (53.5 percent), vacation (43 percent), work-life balance (41.9 percent), camaraderie (41.4 percent) and produce or service quality (41.4 percent). More →

June 13, 2018

British employees less confident and more stressed over last three years

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

UK employees could be heading for crisis, according to a three-year study by ADP, which has found that three key measures of employee wellbeing – optimism, stress and skills confidence – have taken a hit since 2015. The exact reason for the changes is unclear, however the timings suggest that Brexit may have played a part, along with the rise in new technologies entering the workplace.

April 24, 2018

UK companies lag in offering flexible and remote working, claims report

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Technology

The UK lags behind in the shift to flexible and remote working, putting more emphasis on effective meetings to coordinate scattered teams, according to a new report, The Modern Workplace 2018: People, Places & Technology (registration required) from workplace software company Condeco. Across the world, the study of 500 organisations in six countries claims, workers are in the midst of a shift to flexible and remote working – spending more time working from home, on the move or from multiple locations. However, the UK is significantly behind in embracing these trends, which could negatively affect worker satisfaction as well as holding back firms who are competing for the best international staff.

February 26, 2018

Almost a third of UK workers would prefer flexible working to a pay rise

by Sara Bean • Flexible working, News, Workplace

Nearly a third of UK employees would prefer flexible working to a pay rise, with three quarters saying that the option of working flexibly would make a job more attractive to them, claims a new study. The research, conducted by Powwownow found that 75 percent of workers would favour a job that gives their employees the option to work flexibly – up from 70 percent in 2017. A majority, (81 percent) of women say that flexible working would make a job more appealing – with almost half (45 percent) strongly agreeing that they would favour a job that offers flexible working. Male workers also find the option to work flexibly attractive when considering a role, with 69 percent saying that they would view employers who offer flexible working more favourably. The research also found that Millennials are the most likely to want the option to work flexibly, with 70 percent wishing they were offered it, compared to less than half (47 percent) of over 55’s.

November 20, 2017

Nearly a quarter of UK employees admit to being unproductive at work

by Sara Bean • AI, Facilities management, News, Technology, Workplace

Nearly a quarter of UK employees admit to being unproductive at work

Almost a quarter (23 percent) of UK employees rate themselves as ‘unproductive’ at work, equating to seven million of the nation’s total workforce. Perceived productivity slips even further amongst Generation Z employees. When asked to rate their productivity out of ten, with ten being the highest possible number, 28 percent of Generation Z employees gave themselves an ‘unproductive’ score between 0 and 6, compared to the national average of 23 percent. At a time when improving the UK’s labour productivity is high on the agenda, the survey of more than 3,000 UK employees claims there is an untapped opportunity for employers to help boost workforce productivity. However, the research highlights some of the steps businesses can take to increase productivity. This includes both technological, by providing a digital workplace and cultural, by helping to create a successful team environment.

September 18, 2017

The mega trends that continue to reshape the workplace around the world

by Neil Franklin • Events, Features, Property, Technology, Workplace design

Last week, over 600 workplace and property experts met in London at the CoreNet Global Summit 2017 to discuss some of the most important trends affecting the sector. The debates underlined one important fact about property and workplaces, which is how they are shaped by major, globalised events as much as they are local needs and the objectives of specific organisations. This quickly became evident on day one, which demonstrated how dramatic shifts in the geopolitical landscape, all of which are impacting corporate real estate – from America First to Brexit – remain key talking points for the industry. Opening speaker Linda Yueh (University of Oxford and London Business School) explored several possible scenarios, including how the focus of ‘Trumpism’ would have a significant effect on the U.S. role on the world stage, with the priority on the domestic economy leaving little scope for global trade. She also predicted that a ‘hard Brexit’, with no new trade deal with the EU, will be the most likely outcome for the UK’s withdrawal process; and that businesses will need to focus on alternative WTO rules as an urgent priority. Other impacting factors covered by Yueh included the rise of a dominant global middle class, and China’s need to rebalance its economic growth drivers.
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July 11, 2017

Creativity is the new productivity in the modern era of work and workplaces ⁰

by Serena Borghero • Comment, Facilities management, Workplace design

Creativity is often thought of as a quality unique to artistic geniuses. When in reality, it is present in all of us, and something that can be enhanced and nurtured, given the right tools and environment. Creativity is the innate human ability to generate ideas, solve difficult problems and exploit new opportunities — it is the fuel for innovation. Many of today’s most pressing business problems require creative thinking to solve them, and creativity is an essential ingredient for business growth. However, 77 percent of CEOs name creativity as their company’s number one skill shortage (20th CEO survey, PWC, 2017). Being agile is critical in a world that is changing rapidly, with disruptive technology, globalisation and an increasingly complex landscape all playing a part. More than ever, supporting creativity at work is an essential part of driving value for both businesses and society. In days gone by, instead of focusing on their organisation’s creative output, most business leaders were obsessed with near-term goals such as productivity, efficiency, cost-cutting and reducing waste. But the landscape has shifted and creativity is emerging as an important dimension of productivity.

May 17, 2017

A nuanced approach to the design of the coworking office ⁰

by Ajay Chopra • Comment, Flexible working, Workplace design

The coworking segment of the real estate business is poised for exponential growth in the coming years, as the number of market players around the world today continues to increase. With humble beginnings in an economic recession, the shared workspace trend has captivated both the start-up entrepreneur and the remote corporate worker, alike. This success is due, in large part, to the fact that the coworking model provides an opportunity for a wealth of amenities that go far beyond the traditional office’s standard desk space. These shared, multi-functional facilities are carefully designed to be both vibrant and personable, with endless opportunities for community collaboration and innovation.