Search Results for: hybrid

Leading a hybrid future workforce of robots, episodic employees and gig leaders

Leading a hybrid future workforce of robots, episodic employees and gig leaders

future workforceVisions of hybrid workforces, episodic employees, gig leadership and acceptable failure have been unearthed in a new study, ‘Work 2028: trends, dilemmas and choices’, revealing business and society leaders’ projections for the fourth industrial revolution. The project was led by Professor Bernd Vogel at Henley Business School and run in collaboration with Deutsche Telekom and Detecon Consulting, who commissioned Henley to carry out the survey. The research involved interviews with over 50 influential leaders from across a variety of sectors and countries including senior figures from Amazon and Unilever to look at the challenges facing organisations and their future workforce.

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Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

Decline in number of jobs offering remote work could hinder efforts to get more people into work

A significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employmentA significant decrease in the availability of jobs offering fully remote work in the UK is a potential obstacle to government plans to boost employment, according to research from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. The study, part of a large mixed-methods research project examining remote and hybrid working among disabled workers, surveyed more than 1,200 people. Around 85 percent of respondents said access to remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when looking for a new job, and nearly half said they would prefer to work fully remotely. (more…)

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

Rapid growth in number of proposed data centres raises huge concerns for UK climate targets

A sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demandA sharp increase in the number of data centres needed to meet the demands of AI is prompting concerns about energy demand and the potential impact on UK climate commitments, according to a report by The Times [paywall]. According to the newspaper, Ofgem, the energy regulator, has received connection enquiries for around 140 new data centre projects. Together, they are seeking approximately 50 gigawatts of electricity capacity, a figure that exceeds Britain’s entire recent peak electricity demand of about 45 gigawatts. The scale of the requests has raised questions about whether existing infrastructure planning and carbon reduction pathways are aligned with the speed of digital expansion. (more…)

The squeezed middle: supporting frontline managers in 2026

The squeezed middle: supporting frontline managers in 2026

I’ve spent hundreds of hours listening to thousands of people across organisations, and I’ve discovered something troubling: everyone is waiting for someone else to give them direction. It’s an organisational standoff. Senior leadership wants proactive teams. Frontline staff are desperate for clarity. And in the squeezed middle? Nothing but limbo. If we’re looking to grow, recover or sustain our organisations, the answer lies in frontline management skills. Your manager makes the biggest impact on how you feel about work and how secure you feel about your future. If you have to work for money, and most of us do, this relationship has enormous consequences for your wellbeing. (more…)

New white paper offers actions for managing trauma in the workplace

New white paper offers actions for managing trauma in the workplace

A new white paper offering practical guidance for employers on how to recognise, understand and respond to trauma in the workplace has been published by Nottingham Business SchoolA new white paper offering practical guidance for employers on how to recognise, understand and respond to trauma in the workplace has been published by Nottingham Business School (NBS), part of Nottingham Trent University. Recent national figures show that more than 8.5 million adults in England and Wales are survivors of childhood abuse, underlining the scale of trauma?related experiences within the UK workforce. Managing Trauma in the Workplace: Strategies for Wellbeing and Organisational Resilience brings together research, survivor perspectives, and evidence?based recommendations to help HR professionals and managers create psychologically safe working environments. (more…)

The coming year will see a recalibration of the workplace, report suggests

The coming year will see a recalibration of the workplace, report suggests

WORKTECH Academy has published a new trends report setting out what it describes as the key forces reshaping work, workplace and workforce strategy in 2026.WORKTECH Academy has published a new trends report setting out what it describes as the key forces reshaping work, workplace and workforce strategy in 2026. The report, The World of Work in 2026, claims to identify twenty trends grouped into four “megatrends”: Human Performance Reset, Workplaces Without Walls, Sustainable Growth and Back to Basics. Together, they suggest organisations are moving away from short-term fixes and “spectacle”, and towards building long-term resilience through adaptability and human capability. (more…)

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion has an unexpected influence on commercial interior design

Fashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of societyFashion and interior design have always moved in parallel, reflecting both personal identity and the emerging needs of society. For example, corporate dress codes shifted to be more relaxed during the Covid-19 pandemic, coinciding with the increase in remote and hybrid working patterns. This relationship is more visible than ever, as the aesthetics of today’s fashion week runways, and the re-emergence of mid-century design come full circle to influence the look and feel of our commercial office spaces. (more…)

Employers urged to expand flexible working ahead of 2027 legal changes

Employers urged to expand flexible working ahead of 2027 legal changes

Employers are being urged to widen access to flexible working during 2026, ahead of planned changes to employment law that will make flexibility the default unless it can be shown to be unreasonableEmployers are being urged to widen access to flexible working during 2026, ahead of planned changes to employment law that will make flexibility the default unless it can be shown to be unreasonable. A new report from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University suggests that workers with long term health conditions and those in low paid roles are significantly less likely to have access to flexible working arrangements, despite evidence that such measures can support job retention and participation. (more…)

Networking skills should play a key role in workplace development

Networking skills should play a key role in workplace development

Networking is a core skill for everyone, writes Henry Strickland. Embracing it in the workplace can have compelling, far-reaching benefitsIt was recently reported that the art of networking is disappearing from modern workplaces. The skill is particularly lacking among young professionals, with around 60 percent of whom avoiding in-person networking events to the detriment of their careers. I read of this with interest and concern, being a strong believer that both internal and external networking remains one of the single most powerful accelerators for career progression, and that more opportunities come through relationships than any other channel. (more…)

Global survey points to ongoing yearning for flexible work

Global survey points to ongoing yearning for flexible work

flexible work continuing to show a strong association with how positively people experience their jobEmployee engagement levels remained broadly stable in 2025, according to a new global report from workplace analytics firm WorkL, with flexible work continuing to show a strong association with how positively people experience their job. The Global Workplace Report 2025 is based on survey data from more than 500,000 employees across over 100 countries. It records an average global engagement score of 75 percent, suggesting little overall movement compared with recent years, despite ongoing economic and labour market pressures.

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Flexible working continues to be the enduring theme of workplace conversations

Flexible working continues to be the enduring theme of workplace conversations

Economic uncertainty and rapid technological change are reshaping expectations for both employers and employees, with flexible working continuing to be underlying themeEconomic uncertainty and rapid technological change are reshaping expectations for both employers and employees, with flexible working continuing to be underlying theme of most workplace conversations. According to the 2025 Global Workplace Report from WorkL based on feedback from more than half a million employees across over one hundred countries, there are also widening divides between generations, differing attitudes towards career ambition and a continued rise in anxiety linked to automation. (more…)

Time to admit we were wrong about Canary Wharf and other business districts

Time to admit we were wrong about Canary Wharf and other business districts

There was a time during and after the pandemic when it looked like time was up for the world’s major business districts. For a start Canary Wharf looked like it would need to completely reinvent itself as firms started to relocate to smaller more central premises. Instead of housing tenants such as HSBC it would focus on becoming a mixed-use space with more homes and leisure facilities. Hell, we even published a feature setting that all out ourselves. But it’s funny how things turn out. The latest news is JP Morgan’s announcement of a vast new headquarters building in the area. The bank, already one of the largest employers in the UK financial sector, has confirmed plans for a three million sq ft tower on the waterfront that will accommodate 12,000 staff and represent an investment estimated at £3 billion. (more…)