September 8, 2021

Landlords and occupiers must work together to meet climate change challenge

by Neil Franklin • Environment, Flexible working, News, Property

Disruption, cost, building style, individual goals, responsibility and shared space are cited as the key sustainability challenges for the flexible office sector, according to the latest research report from The Instant Group. But while there is still a lot of work to be done in the sector as the role of the workplace evolves, Instant says that flex operators have an opportunity to lead the way in meeting the challenge of climate change. By creating innovative, low-carbon buildings, curating a clear engagement strategy with occupiers and landlords, and ensuring a low-carbon ambition is understood and adopted by everyone, flex operators can be the first to implement highly sustainable workplaces. (more…)

September 2, 2021

Artificial Intelligence is critical enabler of the energy transition

by Jayne Smith • News, Technology

The World Economic Forum has published a new study on how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to accelerate a more equitable energy transition and build trust for the technology throughout the industry. As the impacts of climate change become more visible worldwide, governments and industry face the urgent challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon global energy system. (more…)

September 2, 2021

Herman Miller increases use of ocean-bound plastic with Aeron chair

by Jayne Smith • Company news, Environment

The Aeron Chair Portfolio, including new colourway Onyx Ultra Matte, and other product and packaging solutions will incorporate mismanaged plastic waste found near waterways as part of the company’s commitment to use 50 percent recycled content in all materials by 2030. (more…)

August 27, 2021

I’m a Luddite. You should be one too

by Jathan Sadowski • Comment, Technology

I’m a Luddite. This is not a hesitant confession, but a proud proclamation. I’m also a social scientist who studies how new technologies affect politics, economics and society. For me, Luddism is not a naïve feeling, but a considered position. And once you know what Luddism actually stands for, I’m willing to bet you will be one too — or at least much more sympathetic to the Luddite cause than you think. (more…)

August 13, 2021

The future of work will be shaped by the needs of workers

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

As the UK government has withdrawn its advice for employees to work from home, more organisations than ever will be instituting what have become known as hybrid working models: 68 percent globally, according to research from Steelcase. Definitions of “hybrid work”, however, are often contradicting and unclear – leaving business leaders without definitive guidance about how to approach the future of work. To provide businesses with a more concrete view of what hybrid working looks like in reality, and provide tangible actions to help streamline productivity and collaboration, Steelcase have researched the experiences and needs of workers worldwide in their report: Changing Expectations and the Future of Work. (more…)

August 10, 2021

Policymakers should encourage the responsible use of AI in decision-making

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Technology

A new report from the Center for Data Innovation claims businesses are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence tools to support workforce decisions in areas such as hiring and retaining high-performing employees. But to successfully deploy and maximize the productivity benefits of these AI tools, employers should address potential concerns to ensure the technology does not exacerbate biases or inequalities, produces fair and accurate results, and does not unduly compromise worker privacy. (more…)

July 26, 2021

Only a tenth of global businesses are front-runners in inclusion and diversity practices

by Jayne Smith • Business, News, Working culture

Ninety percent of global businesses struggle with inclusion and diversity practices within their technology/ IT teams according to ‘The key to designing inclusive tech: creating diverse and inclusive tech teams’ report by the Capgemini Research Institute. (more…)

July 20, 2021

Firms don’t use artificial intelligence much, so the current hype is tripe

by Wim Naudé • Features, Technology

Many governments are increasingly approaching artificial intelligence with an almost religious zeal. By 2018 at least 22 countries around the world, and also the EU, had launched grand national strategies for making AI part of their business development, while many more had announced ethical frameworks for how it should be allowed to develop. The EU documents more than 290 AI policy initiatives in individual EU member states between 2016 and 2020. (more…)

July 19, 2021

European Commission adopts ambitious Green Deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions

by Neil Franklin • Environment, News

The European Commission adopted a package of proposals to make the EU’s climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The Commission claims that achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality. (more…)

July 19, 2021

Over two thirds of office workers dread speaking to their IT department

by Jayne Smith • Flexible working, News, Technology, Working lives

Research by Velocity Smart Technology, investigating how IT departments are coping with a move to remote working, claims that almost half (45 percent) of office workers have had to wait longer for an issue to be resolved whilst working from home – with 73 percent going on to say they have had to wait up to an extra five hours for an issue to be fixed. (more…)

July 16, 2021

Firms who prioritise working culture enjoy better financial performance

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing, Working culture

Heidrick and Struggles has released the results of a new global CEO study Aligning Culture with the Bottom Line: How Companies Can Accelerate Progress which found that intentionally building a company’s working culture can impact the company’s financial performance in a number of ways. The survey of 500 CEOs across nine countries examines how working culture propels organisational performance in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the USA. (more…)

July 14, 2021

Shaping London’s future: Mayor’s Resilience Fund Winners Announced

by Jayne Smith • Cities, News

The Mayor of London, in partnership with Nesta Challenges, has announced the winners of the Mayor’s Resilience Fund, a £1 million innovation programme set up to support London’s businesses and community groups to emerge stronger from COVID-19 and to ensure the capital is prepared for future disruptive challenges. (more…)