October 29, 2019

Remote working key to winning the battle for talent

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News

According to a new study conducted by the Centre of Economics and Business Research (Cebr) with support from Citrix Systems, Inc., companies that leverage technology to enable flexible and remote working models can not only attract talent, but increase employee engagement and productivity, potentially boosting the US economy by as much as $2.36 trillion a year. Through an online survey of more than 2,500 US knowledge workers conducted in July, the Cebr study sought to determine the potential value to the US economy of the adoption of a more widespread, flexible working culture. It claims that in offering virtual/remote work options and providing the tools to enable them, companies can better compete in the battle for talent by dipping into untapped pools of workers. More →

October 29, 2019

Here is how you should handle racial discrimination in the workplace

by Karen Holden • Comment, Legal news, Workplace

While progress has been made with tackling racial discrimination in recent decades, it is clear that it still lives on in the workplace in less overt and more nuanced forms. A survey commissioned by the Trade Union Congress found that over 70 percent of ethnic minority workers say they have experienced racial harassment at work and around 60 percent state that they have been subject to unfair treatment by their employer. Karen Holden, Founder of A City Law Firm, is keen to outline the laws surrounding racial discrimination in the workplace and exactly what the employers responsibilities are. More →

October 29, 2019

Slow progress with BYOD threatens smarter working in public sector

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

Large parts of the public sector have yet to authorise the use of Bring Your Own Device policies in their organisation, according to new research commissioned by Kyocera Document Solutions UK. A survey of staff across the public sector found that 38 per cent of respondents said that their organisations’ current use of BYOD is unauthorised. The findings provide further evidence of the pressures faced across the government sector to keep pace with the growth of remote and flexible working trends. Public sector organisations that continue to prohibit BYOD risk missing out on the benefits of smarter working, as well as driving staff to ‘shadow IT’, creating a whole host of serious cybersecurity risks. More →

October 28, 2019

A synaesthetic approach to office design

by Ian Poupart • Comment, Workplace design

Synaesthesia is a condition in which one type of sensory stimulus triggers an involuntary stimulus of another sense. Being able to hear colour or taste numbers might seem like a unique party piece, but some research indicates it’s an ability we’re all born with. More →

October 25, 2019

Fine tuning office design and its most wonderful invention to our needs

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Workplace design

The best workplaces are always focused on people. Which is why many of the great pioneers of workplace thinking are from the social sciences, including disciplines such as psychology, ethnography and anthropology. These are the people who have shared the insights that help us to understand the characteristics of great office design. In particular, this relies on an awareness of the ways in which people interact in particular spaces. More →

October 23, 2019

Older workers outshine younger colleagues on cybersecurity

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

According to a new report on behaviour and attitudes to cybersecurity among different age groups, employees over the age of 30 are more likely to adopt cybersecurity best practice than younger colleagues who have grown up around digital technology. The report, Meeting the expectations of a new generation. How the under 30s expect new approaches to cybersecurity (registration), also indicates that the younger generation is more anxious about cybersecurity and their company’s ability to tackle the number of security threats.

October 18, 2019

Making flippy floppy with the meaning of work

by Mark Eltringham • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design

Great news! No, not the Brexit deal but the reports that the US has replaced the floppy disks it uses to store the information about its nuclear arsenal with something a bit less Nineties. If nothing else, a useful reminder that even the people responsible for a potential Armageddon might not be quite on board for the Fourth Industrial Revolution just yet, and are still coming to terms with the Third. More →

October 17, 2019

People spend more time than you think repeating completed tasks

by Neil Franklin • AI, News, Technology

A new global study of more than 10,000 office workers, claims that British workers spend a whole month a year (30 days) doing work that a colleague has already completed. Five hours and 5 minutes a week is spent duplicating work. Asana, the publisher of the Anatomy of Work Index (registration) also claims that Brits aren’t spending as much time on the actual work that they’re hired to do.

October 16, 2019

Getting to grips with workplace safety

by Alex Wilkins • Comment, Wellbeing

Business owners can not shy away from ensuring the physical safety of their employees in the workplace. Despite this, many are still failing to have the correct measures in place to best achieve the necessary safety levels that will allow them to operate effectively and without disruptions. More →

October 16, 2019

Remote working can increase stress and reduce wellbeing

by Stephanie Russell • Comment, Flexible working, Wellbeing

Remote working is becoming more popular than ever. A study released by the Swiss office provider IWG found that 70 percent of professionals work remotely at least one day a week, while 53 percent work remotely for at least half of the week. Some multinationals have their entire staff working remotely, with no fixed office presence at all, which can result in having employees situated all over the world. More →

October 16, 2019

Two thirds of people would trust a robot more than their manager

by Neil Franklin • AI, News

Following the recent report that people would prefer to be replaced by a robot than a human, a new survey from Oracle suggests they also have more trust in robots than their managers. According to the second annual AI at Work study conducted by Oracle and researchers Future Workplace. The study of 8,370 employees, managers and HR leaders across 10 countries, found that AI has changed the relationship between people and technology at work and is reshaping the role HR teams and managers need to play in attracting, retaining and developing talent. More →

October 15, 2019

RICS initiative urges built environment sector to be more aware of global impact

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Facilities management, News, Property, Workplace design

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has today launched the ‘Value the Planet’ campaign, promoting the preservation of the planet through the adoption of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). The campaign pushes for increased action within the industry, highlighting the essential need to Value the Planet and will provide support and resources from RICS and the industry to help the profession take both climate action and adopt the UN SDGs. RICS is also today publishing the RICS Responsible Business report which provides recommendations for businesses on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the built environment. More →