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Businesses are currently more focussed on keeping down costs than growth

Businesses are currently more focussed on keeping down costs than growth

UK employers are prioritising cost management over growth as rising business costs and global uncertainty continue to weigh on confidenceUK employers are prioritising cost management over growth as rising business costs and global uncertainty continue to weigh on confidence. This is according to the latest Labour Market Outlook from the CIPD. The survey of more than 2,000 UK employers found that cost management is now the top priority for organisations of all sizes and across all sectors, ahead of improving productivity and growing market share. (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

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…)

Why your emotional journey through change makes complete sense

Why your emotional journey through change makes complete sense

When organisations embark on change, whether a restructure, a merger, a new strategy, or a shift in ways of working, enormous energy goes into the logic of it. The business case is crafted, the project plan is built, the communications are drafted and then, almost without fail, leaders are surprised by the messy, unpredictable, deeply human reality of what actually unfolds. People don’t move through change in a straight line. They don’t read the business case, nod along and transition smoothly into the new world. They feel their way through it. Understanding that emotional journey, really understanding it, not just paying lip service to it, is the difference between change that lands and change that unravels. (more…)

AI has yet to have any significant impact on UK employment levels

AI has yet to have any significant impact on UK employment levels

A new report suggests that fears of AI triggering widespread job losses in the UK have yet to be borne out by evidenceA new report suggests that fears of artificial intelligence triggering widespread job losses in the UK have yet to be borne out by evidence, with little indication so far of major disruption to employment. The study, published by think tank The Centre for British Progress, examines labour market data since the rapid emergence of generative AI tools and finds no clear signs that the technology has led to large-scale displacement of workers. Despite frequent predictions that AI could significantly reshape or reduce the workforce in the near term, the report concludes that such effects are not yet visible in aggregate employment trends. (more…)

AI displays bias when judging people, and that matters for some of its most common uses

AI displays bias when judging people, and that matters for some of its most common uses

AI systems don’t just process information; they systematically ‘judge’ people in ways that resemble human trust, but with important differencesAI systems don’t just process information; they systematically ‘judge’ people in ways that resemble human trust, but with important differences, according to a new study by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU). The results have implications for some of the most common ways AI is already being used as a decision-maker and opinion-former, especially in recruitment and law. According to the new study in Proceedings of the Royal Society A by Prof. Yaniv Dover and Valeria Lerman of the Hebrew University Business School, the reason is both reassuring and deeply unsettling. (more…)

Meta installs work tracking software on employee devices to train up AI. Inevitable backlash ensues

Meta installs work tracking software on employee devices to train up AI. Inevitable backlash ensues

Meta is installing work tracking software on the computers of employees in order to train its AI systems. People aren't happyMeta is installing work tracking software on the computers of some employees that records mouse movements, keystrokes and other interactions in order to train its artificial intelligence systems, according to reports. The programme, introduced for US-based staff, is designed to capture how people use workplace software in real time, including actions such as selecting menu options, using keyboard shortcuts and navigating applications. The data may also include periodic screenshots which Meta says is to provide context for these interactions. (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

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…)

How to spot a good investment from a mile away

How to spot a good investment from a mile away

strong investments often reveal themselves through simple, consistent signals that anyone can learn.  You do not need insider knowledge or complex formulas to spot quality opportunities early. What you need is a clear mindset and the ability to recognize patterns that repeat over time.  Let’s learn a few ways you can identify a good investment from a distance.Investing can feel overwhelming, especially when every opportunity claims to be the next big thing. You see bold promises, confident pitches, and glowing testimonials that sound almost too perfect. The truth is that strong investments often reveal themselves through simple, consistent signals that anyone can learn.

You do not need insider knowledge or complex formulas to spot quality opportunities early. What you need is a clear mindset and the ability to recognize patterns that repeat over time.

Let’s learn a few ways you can identify a good investment from a distance.

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People are using AI tools to self-diagnose, but research shows they are very likely to be getting bad advice

People are using AI tools to self-diagnose, but research shows they are very likely to be getting bad advice

ew polling from AXA Health, claims that artificial intelligence is directly shaping when and how people seek medical help in the UK despite a growing body of evidence showing that AI models are not very good at itNew polling from AXA Health, claims that artificial intelligence is directly shaping when and how people seek medical help in the UK despite a growing body of evidence showing that AI models are not very good at it. One new study, titled “Large Language Model Performance and Clinical Reasoning Tasks”, published in JAMA Network Open, found that AI chatbots misdiagnosed medical conditions in over 80 per cent of early clinical cases. (more…)

Applying a bit of know-how to the issue of sustainable office design

Applying a bit of know-how to the issue of sustainable office design

Sustainable office design is a constantly evolving, complex, and, at times, contested subject and the perfect subject for a get togetherSustainable office design is a constantly evolving, complex, and, at times, contested subject. It has shifted from a narrow focus to a broader, holistic framework embracing environmental, social, and economic issues – and now further to include governance. Collaboration is critically important – combining knowledge can ensure that environmental goals align with social metrics leading to more comprehensive, high-performance, and adaptable, human-centric spaces. Now in its fourth year, the Sustainable Design Forum returns on 23 April at Crypt on the Green in Clerkenwell, London. Hosted by the SDC – the Sustainable Design Collective, the day is not a trade show or conference. It is specifically focussed on collaboration and knowledge sharing to provide an opportunity for all members of the workplace and hospitality design community to build connections and understanding. (more…)

British workers happier and more productive than US and German contemporaries. Hey. We just report this stuff

British workers happier and more productive than US and German contemporaries. Hey. We just report this stuff

A major international study claims that team enjoyment is the strongest perceived driver of productivity, challenging long-standing assumptions about how organisations improve performance and that British workers claim to be happy and productive A major international study claims that team enjoyment is the strongest perceived driver of productivity, challenging long-standing assumptions about how organisations improve performance. The Global Workplace Happiness Report, published by The Happiness Index in partnership with employee benefits provider Pluxee, draws on responses from 80,000 employees across 115 countries. It suggests that social and emotional factors play a more significant role in productivity than operational systems such as workload management or process design. The poll also found that British workers are more likely to say they are happy and productive than their US and German contemporaries.  (more…)

Reality or perception – which do you prefer for managing your workplace?

Reality or perception – which do you prefer for managing your workplace?

In 2026, workplace strategy is sophisticated. We talk about hybrid maturity, behavioural analytics, ESG metrics, portfolio optimisation and experience design. The language has evolved. The dashboards are more advanced. The conversations are happening at board level. And yet, many organisations are still making fundamental property decisions based on instinct. They believe the amount of space is not suitable for their requirements or the wrong type of space. They listen to their teams’ demands for changes to their space without the facts to say no. They feel occupancy is higher or lower than it really is. (more…)