Search Results for: government

Investment and new powers essential to unleash the vast potential of UK cities

Investment and new powers essential to unleash the vast potential of UK cities

Unleashing the potential of the UK’s cities is critical to boost growth, repair their social fabric and meet our net zero targets according to a new reportUnleashing the potential of the UK’s cities is critical to boost growth, repair their social fabric and meet our net zero targets according to a new report, produced in partnership between the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and Core Cities UK. The report calls on the government to move away from the current trend of short-termism, witnessed in recent weeks in debates on HS2, net zero and the future of local government. More →

Act now on retrofitting if you want to boost commercial property values, new report argues

Act now on retrofitting if you want to boost commercial property values, new report argues

For European real estate owners and investors already on a journey to net-zero-carbon through retrofitting, upfront spending has the potential for long-term rent and capital-value accumulation, according to a new report from Colliers. Europe’s Renovation Wave [registration] explores the regulatory and societal pressures the authors claim is now driving an era of accelerated asset renovation, and the proactive actions investors, owners and occupiers can take to make sure their assets are not ‘left behind and stranded’ in the race to decarbonise the built environment by 2050. Retrofitting is also the subject of a special supplement published in the new issue of IN Magazine. More →

‘Levelling up’ development is new home for 1,400 civil servants

‘Levelling up’ development is new home for 1,400 civil servants

The UK government has purchased land for the permanent site of the new Darlington Economic Campus as a key part of its so-called levelling up programmeThe UK government has purchased land for the permanent site of the new Darlington Economic Campus as a key part of its so-called levelling up programme. The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) was established in August 2021 and currently houses 674 government staff. McLaren Property has now sold its option on a 7,926 square metres site on Brunswick Street in Darlington to the Government Property Agency for a permanent base for the Treasury’s second headquarters and Department for Business and Trade. More →

Report links economic growth with the idea of ‘good work’

Report links economic growth with the idea of ‘good work’

CIPD sets out core themes for skilled, fair and healthy good work that should underpin a new workforce strategy for the next UK GovernmentIn advance of the main party conferences, the CIPD is calling for the next UK Government to develop a long-term workforce strategy to underpin a broader, bolder vision for economic growth. This is a central message in its new ‘Manifesto for Good Work’ which outlines the public policy changes needed to address the UK’s multiple challenges, for all the main UK political parties. These challenges include stagnating productivity, rising skills shortages and our ageing working population. More →

Smart technology needs to start with people if it wants to get smarter

Smart technology needs to start with people if it wants to get smarter

A wood carving of a blank, slumped person sitting at a desk with a laptop to depict the dehumanization potential of smart technology“My engineering students had come to class with technology on their minds.” So says artist and design researcher Sara Hendren, author of What a Body Can Do: How we Meet the Built World. It’s a fascinating book in which she consciously pushes back against the prevailing narrative that so-called smart technology has a fix for every problem. As a professor teaching design for disability at Olin College of Engineering, Massachusetts, Hendren draws attention to the assumptions that drive normative behaviours to define what is a ‘problem’ in the first place. More →

Is the Flexible Working Bill a game changer or paper tiger?

Is the Flexible Working Bill a game changer or paper tiger?

The need for more flexible working arrangements has been heard and employees are getting what they want – right? As LinkedIn data has shown, demand for work flexible working is high. And it outpaces the current availability of remote work offers. In the UK alone, listings for remote jobs have increased by 277 percent. Job postings for hybrid or remote positions received an increase in applications (189 percent) over in-office roles. People want to work remotely for various reasons. So they can live in their chosen home rather than in a tiny flat in London without sacrificing their career. So they can care for family – children, parents, grandparents. The demand for flexible work is driven by a desire for balance. The need has been clearly voiced – and the workforce is hungry for new modes of work. Looking at this background – the cheerful response to the passing of the bill is understandable. More →

Most workers are worried about poor indoor air quality

Most workers are worried about poor indoor air quality

Most workers are concerned about poor indoor air quality and close to half think its damaging their health, according to anew surveyMost workers are concerned about poor indoor air quality and close to half think its damaging their health, according to a new survey conducted by Opinium for Spiralite. According to the poll, British workers are mostly concerned about the impact of air-quality on their health (64 percent concerned compared to 36 percent not concerned). More →

Exploring the gender pay gap in Germany: a closer look at salary inequality

Exploring the gender pay gap in Germany: a closer look at salary inequality

This article explores the gender pay gap in Germany, investigating the underlying factors and possible remedies to tackle the problemIn Germany, just like in numerous other nations, the gender pay gap remains a subject of significant worry and discussion. The persistent issue of unequal pay between men and women, where women frequently earn less than their male colleagues for the same job, persists. This article seeks to explore the gender pay gap in Germany in more detail, investigating the underlying factors that contribute to this gap and considering possible remedies to tackle this problem. More →

From ego to eco – a universal approach to  workplace transformation

From ego to eco – a universal approach to workplace transformation

Going from ‘ego to eco’ extends beyond the narrow confines of the workplace and our personal and professional lives, additionally it is not just confined to ecology and the environmentYou might quite rightly be thinking about the relevance of such a ‘hippy, dippy’ soundbite on the hard-hitting world of work and the workplace, especially in this climate of uncertainty with a myriad of challenges facing business, the workforce and commercial real estate globally. I first heard the phrase ‘going from ego to eco’ at a series of presentations cum incubator events EverythingOmni ran with participants of all ages/backgrounds/career levels representing 18 countries on the Uncertainty of Work.

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First look at Sustainable Design China Summit taking place in Beijing this September

First look at Sustainable Design China Summit taking place in Beijing this September

Following on from its successful launch last year, the Sustainable Design China Summit returns for 2023.Following on from its successful launch last year, the Sustainable Design China Summit returns for 2023. The event, an evolution of Design China Beijing, is held at the Beijing Exhibition Center from 21-23 September 2023 and is a must-visit for designers, architects, developers, and decision makers looking to design a sustainable future. More →

Majority of firms lack the data to make ‘return to office’ decisions

Majority of firms lack the data to make ‘return to office’ decisions

80 percent of the same executives confess that they would have approached the so-called return-to-office differently, if they had access to accurate data.A new survey from Envoy, which polled over 1,100 company executives and workplace managers across five leading industries, explores how these two groups of leaders use data to make smarter, more informed decisions about their workplaces.  It suggests that the world’s leading companies are struggling to confidently report what’s happening in their workplaces. The problem is the lack of accurate, easy-to-use data. 52 percent of executives admit not being able to make a critical workplace decision because they lacked the necessary data to assess operational and real estate needs. Furthermore, 80 percent of the same executives confess that they would have approached the so-called return-to-office differently, if they had access to accurate data. More →

Want to know what is really happening in the world of work? Don’t miss Workplace Trends

Want to know what is really happening in the world of work? Don’t miss Workplace Trends

The Workplace Trends Conference is a convergence of brilliant minds and an invaluable platform to explore the future of workIn the ever-evolving discussion around the landscape of work, one established industry event stands as a beacon of knowledge and innovation for workplace professionals: the Workplace Trends Conference. The 2023 conference on 18 October, in London and online, promises a day of enlightenment, inspiration, and connection that’s not to be missed. Workplace Insight is pleased to be a media partner for Workplace Trends Conferences. Our readers may claim a 20 percent discount on their ticket price by using promo code INSIGHT20 when registering at https://workplacetrends.co/events/wt23/ More →