Search Results for: government

Councils discover hundreds of staff secretly hold second full-time jobs

Councils discover hundreds of staff secretly hold second full-time jobs

by • Flexible working, News

At least 288 local authority employees have been caught working second full-time jobs since 2020, often without informing their councils, according to new dataAt least 288 local authority employees have been caught working second full-time jobs since 2020, often without informing their employer, according to new findings from Witan Solicitors. The figures, obtained through Freedom of Information requests to more than 300 councils in England, show that 46 staff were either dismissed or formally disciplined after being discovered to have taken on additional full-time roles. So-called “overemployment” is a growing trend on platforms such as TikTok and Reddit, where users share tips on how to juggle multiple jobs undetected. Common tactics include the use of “mouse jigglers” to simulate activity and strategies for avoiding documentation that could attract attention. (more…)

CBRE reports strong demand for premium office space and record data centre growth in the UK

CBRE reports strong demand for premium office space and record data centre growth in the UK

by • News, Property

the office market is benefiting from strong demand for premium office space and renewed overseas investment, the life sciences sector is seeing steady growth in funding but slower movement in transactions. At the same time, the data centre market is entering a period of exceptional expansionThe UK’s commercial property market is showing sharply contrasting performances across key sectors at the midpoint of 2025, according to CBRE’s latest UK Real Estate Market Outlook Mid-Year Review. While the office market is benefiting from strong demand for premium office space and renewed overseas investment, the life sciences sector is seeing steady growth in funding but slower movement in transactions.

At the same time, the data centre market is entering a period of exceptional expansion, with record levels of take up forecast and new developments extending beyond traditional hubs. The findings highlight how underlying supply constraints, shifting occupier needs and targeted government support are reshaping investment priorities across the country.

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Employers face flexible working challenge to meet demands of new employment bill

Employers face flexible working challenge to meet demands of new employment bill

by • Flexible working, News

A survey by HR software provider Ciphr suggests that improved access to flexible working is likely to be the most difficult provision to manage.Employers are expected to face major implementation hurdles as the government’s new Employment Rights Bill begins to reshape workplace practices. A survey by HR software provider Ciphr suggests that improved access to flexible working is likely to be the most difficult provision to manage. In a poll of 300 HR decision-makers across the UK, 22 percent said that changes to flexible working arrangements—making it the default where practical—would present the biggest challenge in terms of time, resources and cost. Respondents also raised concerns about stronger legal protections for workers involved in industrial action (21 percent) and the extension of the employment tribunal claim window from three to six months (17 percent). (more…)

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

by • AI, Comment, Workplace

While AI is heralded as a transformative force across industries, a quieter challenge threatens to slow its momentum: the growing shortage of skilled AI professionals. Behind the buzz of breakthroughs lies a stark reality — companies are racing to adopt AI, but many are leaving their people behind. Recent data shows the skills required for AI-exposed jobs are evolving 66 percent faster than for other roles — a dramatic leap from just 25 percent a year ago. The demand for AI talent is surging in the UK, where the job market is cooling off. Yet, as job postings requiring AI skills continue to climb, this only underscores a critical imbalance felt across the job market. (more…)

Calls for standardised product assessments address growing concerns about greenwashing

Calls for standardised product assessments address growing concerns about greenwashing

by • Environment, Facilities management, News

Built Environment Sector Calls for Standardised Product Assessments Amid Growing Concern Over GreenwashingA new industry-wide study has revealed widespread support for the introduction of mandatory Lifecycle Assessments (LCAs) on products used in the UK’s built environment to address widespread concerns about greenwashing. The findings, published in the report Greenhushing: Silence is Costing Credibility, show that 86 percent of professionals surveyed believe that LCAs are essential to reduce confusion and rebuild trust in environmental claims. Produced by Futurebuild in collaboration with The Anti-Greenwash Charter, The Carbon Literacy Project and communications agency Hattrick, the report draws on responses from over 3,000 people, including nearly 300 professionals in the built environment. It provides insight into the sector’s growing demand for standardisation and transparency in sustainability communications. (more…)

Cities must embrace the radical retrofit of buildings to meet future challenges

Cities must embrace the radical retrofit of buildings to meet future challenges

by • News, Property, Workplace design

The Radical Retrofit report by Economist Impact, supported by JLL, argues that making cities more sustainable and resilient will depend on retrofits that improve safety, health and accessibility, while also driving economic valueAs cities continue to grow, the pressure on infrastructure, resources and the environment is intensifying. A new global study warns that urban centres must move beyond new construction and reimagine the buildings they already have. Retrofitting – enhancing and upgrading existing structures -is emerging as a key strategy to cut emissions, improve energy performance and boost urban liveability. The Radical Retrofit report by Economist Impact, supported by JLL, argues that making cities more sustainable and resilient will depend on retrofits that improve safety, health and accessibility, while also driving economic value. Though still in its early stages, the movement is gaining traction across global cities such as Singapore, New York, Paris and Dubai. Yet the pace must accelerate dramatically from today’s retrofit rate of 1 percent per year to at least 3 percent to align with net-zero goals. (more…)

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

Small changes to AI LLMs could cut energy use by 90 percent, claims UNESCO report

by • AI, Environment, News

A new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way AI large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performanceA new report from UNESCO and University College London claims that relatively minor changes in the way large language models (LLMs) are built and used can reduce their energy consumption by up to 90 percent without compromising performance. The report highlights the growing energy demands of generative AI systems and calls for a shift in approach to make them more sustainable. According to UNESCO, the annual energy footprint of generative AI is already equivalent to that of a low-income country, and continues to rise. (more…)

Half of school leavers think they are unprepared for work, poll claims

Half of school leavers think they are unprepared for work, poll claims

by • News, Workplace

Two in five 18- to 24-year-olds have never completed any work experience and feel unprepared for work as a resultA new poll from the IPPR think tank claims that only 47 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds felt ready for work when they left education, compared with 60 per cent of over-26s. Despite more schools claiming that they offer high-quality work experience, two in five 18- to 24-year-olds have never completed any work experience and feel unprepared for work as a result. By contrast, earlier generations – those in their late 20s, 30s, and 40s – are significantly more likely to have done so. The report argues that the number of young people missing out on these opportunities could have implications for social mobility, with 60 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds agreeing that work experience opportunities usually rely on who you know, not what you know. (more…)

Business rates hike could cost London office occupiers £432 million more from 2026

Business rates hike could cost London office occupiers £432 million more from 2026

by • News, Property

Office-based businesses across Central London could face a steep increase in business rates from April 2026, according to new research by property consultancy Colliers.Office-based businesses across Central London could face a steep increase in business rates from April 2026, according to new research by property consultancy Colliers. The analysis suggests that occupiers of prime office space may collectively see bills rise by £432 million, bringing total business rates liabilities to £5.23 billion—a 9 percent increase on current levels. Colliers examined 27 Central London areas, focusing on Grade A office spaces over 10,000 sq ft, to assess the expected financial impact of the 2026 Rating Revaluation. The forecast draws on changes in rental values between April 2021 and April 2024 and anticipates a higher business rates multiplier for properties with rateable values (RVs) above £500,000. (more…)

Data centres are the real powerhouses behind AI

Data centres are the real powerhouses behind AI

by • AI, Comment

For many year data centres have remained anonymous and physically low-key with a light air of mystery and suspicion around what actually happens in these technical boxes on the landscape. Yet, they are so vital to our lives, and this is only set to increase as the players in the datacentre world need to stand up to be counted.The Datacloud Global Congress took place during the first week of June, handily nestled between BCO Milan and London Tech week where the government announced an £86 billion boost to science and tech, with the intention of propelling Britain to world-leading status for research and innovation. These are three events with very different content, yet are also intrinsically linked for progressive and high performance societies and organisations. This was the 20th anniversary of Datacloud Global Congress, the flagship event for the sector – “mipim for data centres” some say. (more…)

Jobs are getting better, but a quarter of people still think they are bad for their wellbeing

Jobs are getting better, but a quarter of people still think they are bad for their wellbeing

by • News, Wellbeing

Although job quality appears to be on the rise, a quarter of UK workers - an estimated 8.5 million people - say their jobs have a negative impact on their wellbeingAlthough job quality appears to be on the rise, a quarter of UK workers – an estimated 8.5 million people – say their jobs have a negative impact on their mental health (25 percent) or physical health (24 percent), according to the CIPD Good Work Index 2025. The latest poll claims the negative impact of work on wellbeing has remained high for many people for the eight years the survey has been running, despite improvements for some employees on certain areas of job quality. The CIPD Good Work Index, which provides what the troubled trade association claims is the UK’s most in-depth annual survey of job quality, suggests that the strongest factors associated with unhealthy work are excessive workloads, stress, poor relationships with colleagues and the quality of line management. (more…)

Researchers call for paternity leave reform in face of low uptake

Researchers call for paternity leave reform in face of low uptake

by • News, Workplace

Academics from the University of Bath plan to set out what they say are improvements to the system of Shared Parental Leave in the UK, ahead of what is claimed to be the world’s first ‘Dad Strike’ on 11 June in London and Edinburgh. The protest, timed just ahead of Father’s Day, is a call to action for urgent reform of the UK’s paternity leave system. Research by lobby group The Dad Shift and Shaun Davies MP claims that just 3 percent of the UK’s £3.3 billion parental leave investment supports fathers. (more…)

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