Search Results for: hybrid

The best building access control systems for offices

The best building access control systems for offices

by • Company news

As the use of office space has grown more complex and smart buildings have emerged, access control protocols need to adapt to meet new challengesA locked door is a foundational image in security. Though the methods of securing an entryway have changed over the millennia, from intricate slabs of intertwining wood to industrial steel padlocks and digital readers, the basic idea has remained largely the same, until now. As the use of office space has grown more complex and smart buildings have emerged, access control protocols need to adapt to meet new challenges. Hybrid work patterns cause daily fluctuations in occupancy, flexible work schedules mean employees enter and exit outside of the traditional 9-5 window and temporary personnel, be they part-time staff, contractors or cleaners, all now factor into how offices must manage their access control systems. (more…)

What frictionless work is removing from the working day

What frictionless work is removing from the working day

by • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing, Workplace design

If you look around most offices at midday on a Tuesday, you will likely see a variation of the same scene: employees sitting at their desks with headphones in and responding to Slack messages while eating lunch. The physical environment of the workplace may still be thoughtfully designed, with ergonomic furniture, curated lighting and acoustic panels; however, the atmosphere often still feels flat. Creating a highly optimised, frictionless workplace means removing physical hurdles and operational delays, but it can also strip away the small moments of variation, spontaneity and connection that give working life its texture. Often, the result of frictionless work is an environment that feels psychologically monotonous and socially thin. (more…)

Remote work linked to mental health concerns in major US study

Remote work linked to mental health concerns in major US study

by • Flexible working, News

A major new study has suggested that the rapid growth of remote work since the pandemic has played a significant role in rising levels of social isolation and poor mental health among workersA major new study has suggested that the rapid growth of remote work since the pandemic has played a significant role in rising levels of social isolation and poor mental health among workers, although researchers stress that the findings relate primarily to fully remote work rather than hybrid arrangements. The research, published in the journal Science, analysed data from five nationally representative surveys covering almost 590,000 US workers between 2011 and 2024. According to the authors, the expansion of remote work may account for around one third of the increase in mental distress recorded over that period. (more…)

Narcissistic leaders are more likely to oppose remote work, study suggests

Narcissistic leaders are more likely to oppose remote work, study suggests

by • Flexible working, News

business leaders with stronger narcissistic tendencies are significantly more likely to resist remote work and hybrid working arrangements because they see them as a threat to their power and statusNow, we don’t usually want to fan the dying embers of the tedious, endless RTO v WFH conversation, but this is a potentially interesting addition to consider. According to a new study from researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, business leaders with stronger narcissistic tendencies are significantly more likely to resist remote and hybrid working arrangements because they see them as a threat to their power and status. Published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, the study suggests that opposition to remote work may not be driven solely by concerns about productivity, collaboration or organisational performance. Instead, it may also stem from leaders’ personal motivations and psychological needs. (more…)

Remote work linked to rising isolation and poorer mental health, study finds

Remote work linked to rising isolation and poorer mental health, study finds

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

The rapid growth of remote work since the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to increased social isolation and worsening mental health among workers, according to a major new studyThe rapid growth of remote work since the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to increased social isolation and worsening mental health among workers, according to a major new study published in the journal Science. Researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Virginia and Harvard University analysed data from five nationally representative surveys covering nearly 590,000 American workers between 2011 and 2024. Their findings suggest that the shift towards home working may account for around one third of the rise in mental distress recorded in the United States since the pandemic. (more…)

Growing demand drive City of London prime office rents to narrow gap with West End

Growing demand drive City of London prime office rents to narrow gap with West End

by • News, Property

Prime office rents in the City of London have continued to rise, bringing them closer to levels traditionally associated with the capital's West EndPrime office rents in the City of London have continued to rise, bringing them closer to levels traditionally associated with the capital’s West End as demand for high quality workspace outpaces supply. New figures from Savills show that average prime rents in the City reached £130.80 per square foot during the first quarter of 2026. By comparison, prime rents in the West End stood at £165 per square foot. The West End of London is typically one of the most expensive markets in the world.  The figures are based on the top 10 percent of Grade A office rents recorded during the period. (more…)

The new leadership imperative: from decision makers to experience makers

The new leadership imperative: from decision makers to experience makers

by • Business, Comment, JB

the leaders who truly make change stick aren't just making decisions, they are making experiences and those two things are very, very different.Ask most leaders what their job is, and they’ll tell you: to make decisions, to set direction and to drive results. They are not wrong but they are also not telling the whole story about leadership. Here’s what 25 years of working with organisations through some of their most complex transformations has taught me: the leaders who truly make change stick aren’t just making decisions, they are making experiences and those two things are very, very different. (more…)

Firms are ignoring the needs of people in the adoption of AI, and it will cost them

Firms are ignoring the needs of people in the adoption of AI, and it will cost them

by • AI, News

Companies that fail to adopt a people-focused approach to artificial intelligence risk losing their best AI employees within the next two years, according to new research from Gartner. The analyst firm predicts that by 2027, half of enterprises without a “people-centric strategy” will see top talent leave the organisation. The warning reflects growing concern that many organisations are pursuing AI deployment primarily through cost reduction and automation rather than workforce development. Gartner argues that firms focused solely on replacing jobs with the technology are unlikely to achieve the long-term returns they expect. (more…)

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

The workplace continues to be a source of relationships, study claims

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace design

A new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social roleA new study commissioned by the organisers of the ORGATEC office design trade fair suggests that the physical workplace continues to play a significant social role, with around one in three employees in Germany saying they have dated a colleague. The research, carried out by YouGov and based on a representative sample of more than 2,000 people, suggests that offices remain important settings for forming friendships, relationships and informal social connections despite the continued growth of hybrid and remote working. (more…)

Microsoft report claims AI agents will reshape organisations and redefine knowledge work

Microsoft report claims AI agents will reshape organisations and redefine knowledge work

by • AI, News, Workplace

Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index report suggests that organisations are entering a new phase in the evolution of knowledge work, in which artificial intelligence agents become embedded in everyday operations and employees take on supervisory roles over digital systemsMicrosoft’s latest Work Trend Index report suggests that organisations are entering a new phase in the evolution of knowledge work, in which artificial intelligence agents become embedded in everyday operations and employees take on supervisory roles over digital systems. The study, based on a survey of 31,000 workers across 31 countries alongside labour market data and productivity signals, suggests that this shift is already underway and could accelerate rapidly over the next few years. (more…)

Study confirms that digital tools blur boundaries between work and personal life

Study confirms that digital tools blur boundaries between work and personal life

by • News, Technology, Wellbeing

A new academic study confirms something you probably already know: digital tools are eroding the boundary between work and personal life.A new academic study confirms something you probably already know: digital tools are eroding the boundary between work and personal life. According to the new research, things are getting worse and we experience constantly growing psychological strain as a result of an always on working culture. The study, published in the International Journal of Electronic Finance, finds that widespread use of information and communication technologies such as smartphones, laptops and cloud platforms has enabled greater flexibility but also extended work into nearly all aspects of daily life. (more…)

Challenge for workplace is balancing culture with the business’s need for speed and innovation

Challenge for workplace is balancing culture with the business’s need for speed and innovation

by • News, Workplace, Workplace design

A new EU-funded study suggests that many European organisations are struggling to balance strong workplace culture with the need for speed and innovation.A new EU-funded study suggests that many European organisations are struggling to balance strong workplace culture with the need for speed and innovation. The Culture Compass 2026 report, developed by Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University and the Meet Your Purpose think tank, draws on responses from more than 540 managers and employees across Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. It identifies what researchers describe as a “productivity paradox”, in which employees feel valued and engaged but are constrained by slow decision-making and limited autonomy. (more…)

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